Policy on Responsible Conduct of Research Training

Context:

This policy will govern Alfred University’s approach to training in the responsible conduct of research as required by the National Science Foundation (NSF)i, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)ii, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)iii, and other federal agenciesiv under Section 7009 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o–1).

Policy:

Alfred University expects its faculty, students, and staff to adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in the conduct and management of research. Anyone whose research is supported by external funding is responsible for compliance with the University’s policy for the training and oversight of personnel supported by such funding in the responsible conduct of research.

Alfred University subscribes to a web-based instructional service: “CITI Program: Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative”. CITI offers web-based RCR training courses which have been designed by a collaboration of universities, colleges, government agencies, and other entities. These courses meet federal as well as Alfred University’s policy requirements.

  1. Upon authorization for payroll on any externally-funded research projects, Alfred University undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers will be required complete the CITI RCR course prescribed for their discipline, and must have the course complete by the end of the first semester in which their payroll authorization started.
  2. Grantees under certain NIH funding mechanismsv must include face-to-face training on RCR issues in addition to completion of the CITI modules. Responsibility for this additional training rests primarily with the faculty mentors to these individuals, and those mentors are encouraged to use texts and case studies for this purpose, such as On Being a Scientistvi and "Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research: Cases for Teaching and Assessmentvii" which include case studies, checklist/evaluations, and discussion materials for educators.
  3. Prior to activation of a Banner fund for any new grant or contract received after July 1, 2015, All new-hire Alfred University faculty, staff, and administrators who wish to serve as Project Director or Principal Investigator for externally-funded research projects will complete the CITI RCR course prescribed for their discipline.
  4. A score of 80% or higher is required to pass the RCR courses. After completing the course, the individual will print the CITI RCR Course Completion Page and submit to the Director, Sponsored Research Administration and retain a copy for their records. The office of sponsored research administration will maintain record of individuals who have successfully completed the training and on what date it was completed. At this time, individuals required to complete RCR training will only need to do so once.

Course prescriptions by discipline:

Program

  • CLAS Sciences
  • CLAS Arts & Humanities
  • CLAS Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering CEMS
  • Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering EE/ME
  • School of Professional Studies
  • School Psychology and Counseling
  • School of Art and Design

CITI Course Title

  • RCR in the Physical Sciences
  • RCR in the Arts and Humanities
  • RCR in the Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • RCR in the Physical Sciences
  • RCR for Engineers
  • RCR in the Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • RCR in the Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • RCR in the Arts & Humanities

i America Competes Act RECR Training Requirements
ii Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
iii National Institute of Food and Agricultural U.S. Department of Agriculture
iv Federal Research Misconduct Policy
v training grants, research education grants, dissertation research grants, and career development awards - D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, TU2, and U2R
vi On Being a Scientist a Guide to Responsible Conduct
vii Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research