For more information and if you'd like to attend, please click this link http://my.umbc.edu/groups/compliance/events/14171 to register.

NSF has updated the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and the Award & Administration Guide (AAG), with changes effective January 14, 2013 providing clarification and updated guidance on proposals and awards involving vertebrate animals. These updates now contain references to the review of wildlife research protocols, the IACUCs role in the review and approval of such research, and the processes to follow for UMBC investigators to follow when submitting and/or receiving funding from the NSF.

Completed versions of the GPG and AAG are available at http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/; attached of the extracted pages related to vertebrate animals. Please contact the ORPC with any questions.

Export controls, the federal regulations that oversee how certain information, services and products are provided to foreign nationals and countries, is a complicated issue for Sponsored Programs and PIs but also for department administrators in the funding award process.

The recent National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) YouTube Tuesday video, “4 Key Concepts When Addressing Export Controls” provides information on what to keep in mind when export controls are part of an award.

See http://www.youtube.com/user/ncura1959 for the video. For more information about UMBC’s export control process, go to http://my.umbc.edu/groups/compliance/documents/164. 

The NIH released two new guidance and clarification documents of existing policies related to research approval and grant resubmissions.

One notice (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-129.html ) outlines the process for requesting approval in the event that research under an active NIH award has changed to involve an increased risk to human subjects. If changes occur within a UMBC IRB approved protocol, where prior NIH approval is required before implementation, contact the Office for Research Protections and Compliance (at 5-2737 or compliance@umbc.edu)  as soon as possible so that we may assist in the processing and review of protocol modification documents.

A second notice (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-130.html) describes the approval process for the addition of human subjects research to projects that were originally awarded without definitive plans for human subjects research described in the grant application. The UMBC IRB has issued guidance that may assist investigators in situations described in this second notice. Investigators may request planning phase administrative approval to obtain IRB approval. Please see http://www.umbc.edu/research/ORPC/irb_forms.html#planning for more information.

NASA updates its research misconduct policy which will go into effect on September 28, 2012 - https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/07/30/2012-18435/research-misconduct

A list of of federal agency policies is found at http://www.umbc.edu/research/ORPC/RCRpolicyregs.html

During the course of certain types of research, investigators may discover sensitive information about subjects that is not related to the study itself which would be reported the appropriate authorities (e.g., use of illegal substances or suspected child abuse). It is important for investigators to be aware of the signs of child abuse, reporting responsibilities, and where to report any suspicion. 

The IRB has developed guidance for investigators describing reporting responsibilities as described by UMBC's implementation of the USM Board of Regents Policy on the Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect.

Application forms and consent documents have been modified to reflect this guidance. Please see ORPC’sHuman Subjects page for more information.