HSRB Policies for Completing Application for Review of Research Involving Human Subjects

All research involving the use of human research subjects (participants) must be reviewed and approved by the Hope College Human Subjects Review Board (HSRB) before the research can be initiated. (Note: Governmental agencies use the term IRB - Institutional Review Board - instead of HSRB). To initiate review, complete an application and submit it to the HSRB for review. Call the HSRB chair for answers to questions regarding the HSRB or the HSRB review process. Additionally, proposals for fnding to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) should be sent to the HSRB for either approval or exemption. The HSRB will determine if exemption from human subjects is warranted. In addition to HSRB approval, it may be necessary to take the ethics in research certification through CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative). All faculty involved with human subject research should pursue CITI certification, as they are still legally and ethically responsible to their participants.

Purpose:

Hope College is committed to the ethical treatment of all human participants in research conducted by its faculty, staff, and students. The Hope College Human Subjects Review Board (HSRB) is responsible to review all research done under the auspices of the college and to ensure that, in each project, human participants are treated in a just and ethical manner. Hope College will comply with the regulations of the United States Department of Health and Human Services for the Protection of Human Research Subjects (Part 46 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended) and with the principles set forth in the Report of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, entitled "Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research" (the "Belmont Report"). Copies of both documents are available in the office of the Carl Frost Center for Social Science Research. The three basic principles of the Belmont Report are respect for persons (acknowledging autonomy and protecting those with diminished autonomy), beneficence (maximizing possible benefits while minimizing possible harm), and justice (sharing equitably the burdens and benefits in the population). For each research project conducted at Hope College, the HSRB shall be responsible to ensure that:

1. Any costs and risks to participants are so outweighed by the sum of the benefit to the participants and the importance of the knowledge to be gained as to warrant approval of the proposed project.
   
2. The rights and welfare of all participants will be adequately protected
   
3. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants in accordance with HSRB policies
   
4. On-going projects will be reviewed at timely intervals (at least once a year)

The HSRB shall have jurisdiction over the collection and analysis of data that utilize the participation of human participants and are intended primarily for research purposes. Projects done primarily for pedagogical or administrative purposes do not require prior HSRB approval, but they may be submitted to the HSRB at the discretion of the project director.

Structure:

Because most of the research at Hope College that involves human participants is done within the Division of Social Sciences, the HSRB is established as a component of the Carl Frost Center for Social Science Research. The Provost is responsible to ensure that the HSRB is completing its duties in a timely and appropriate manner.

The members of the HSRB shall be appointed annually by the president of Hope College. The board shall have at least six members, including two faculty from different departments of the Social Science Division, one of whom will serve as chair (Note: The director of the Frost Center is not eligible to serve on the HSRB); a faculty member from the Division of Arts and Humanities with professional interests in ethics, religion, philosophy, or a closely related discipline; a faculty member from the Natural and Applied Sciences Division, someone from on- or off-campus with an advanced degree in a health-related profession; and a community member who is not affiliated with Hope College and has no immediate family member affiliated with Hope College. In accordance with federal guidelines, there must be both male and female members. The chair shall provide board members with copies of pertinent federal guidelines, the Belmont Report, and any other material that might be useful to them in their deliberations.

The board may, at its discretion, invite individuals with competence in special areas to assist in the review of issues which require expertise beyond or in addition to that available on the HSRB, but these individuals shall not be considered HSRB members and shall not vote on the issue of approval of any projects. Any HSRB member with a vested interest in a project being reviewed must be disqualified from participating in the decision. The Provost shall appoint someone with a similar background to the HSRB for consideration of that project.

• Appendix A PDF Word Document
• Appendix B PDF Word Document