Institutional Review Board

This page has links for all materials/instructions necessary to submit an IRB proposal to WCSU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).

If you’re wondering Do I need IRB approval for this?, the answer is YES.

 

Luckily, a complete proposal includes only TWO main components:

  1. Completed Proposal Form  (click to link)
    • Respond in detail to ALL listed questions on form
    • Provide support materials as appendices (e.g., paste in consent forms, surveys, CFPs)
    • Paste in actual (typed names are not accepted) signature images for all researchers involved/listed. Students & anyone not WCSU-affiliated must include their “WCSU sponsor” (e.g., professor or affiliate) to be considered for review.
  2. CITI Human Subjects training (or equivalent)

    • Only attach certifications to proposals if they were not completed via WCSU’s (listed in CITI as “Western CT State University”) CITI affiliation. We already have CITI records for anyone completing under our school code.

 

All proposals/appendices must be received as ONE complete file (.doc or .docx files ONLY) attachment emailed to IRB@wcsu.edu. Incomplete or incorrectly submitted proposals (e.g., missing docs/sigs, not emailed as ONE “.doc type” file) will not be reviewed.

 

 

WCSU IRB approval must be obtained before beginning sampling or data collection by, with, or on anyone affiliated with WCSU.

During semesters, most reviews take ~2 weeks (i.e., Exempt & Expedited proposals are reviewed 1-2x weekly).

Deadline for proposals needing Full Review is – without exception – the 1st of the month. Full proposals received after the 1st are reviewed at next month’s meeting.

Proposals are reviewed only during regular Fall & Spring semesters; proposals for work during breaks must be received/processed in the prior semester. For Summers, May 15th is the last date Exempt/Expedited proposals will be reviewed (still May 1st deadline for Full Reviews). Outside these times, email responses ≥ month.

 

AY 2023-24 Meetings

Meetings typically occur remotely. Due date for proposals needing committee review are the 1st of these months. Applicants for proposals reviewed by the full committee are contacted after we meet that month.

 

  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • February 2024
  • March 2024
  • April 2024
  • May 2024

 

Direct IRB-related questions during regular semesters to the WCSU IRB Chair, Dr. Jessica Eckstein, at irb@wcsu.edu.