02-03--Human Research

Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Effective Date: 07/01/91

Number: 02-03

Section: Research and Academic Affairs

Subject: Human Research

Persons conducting research at Arkansas State University are required to maintain high
ethical standards in their treatment of human subjects. All researchers must abide by
the basic ethical principles specified in the Belmont Report including (a) equitable
selection of subjects; (b) voluntary, informed consent from subjects; (c) minimization of
acceptable risk; and (d) confidentiality in maintaining reporting research data. Individual
researchers are also required to follow the ethical standards established for human
research in their respective academic disciplines.

Under the terms of this regulation, any systematic activity involving the collection and/or
analysis of data on human subjects for the purpose of advancing generalizable
knowledge qualifies as human research, unless this activity is specifically exempted by
current Federal regulations. Collection of information on students for routine educational
or administrative purposes does not constitute human research, nor does course work
assigned to students for the sole purpose of demonstrating established methodologies.

Arkansas State University will maintain an Institutional Review Board for the Protection
of Human Subjects (IRB). The IRB has the authority to review any research project
involving human subjects that is associated with the university in any way. Based upon
ethical considerations, the IRB can approve, require modification, suspend or terminate
any research project under its jurisdiction. The final determination of whether or not any
research project constitutes human research, and whether research procedures are
ethical, will be made by the IRB.