Institutional Review Board
Submit an Application:
Please complete the "Type of IRB Review Flow Chart" to determine which of the two Application Forms you will need to submit. You can also read the descriptions below to see what type of review your application will require.
To submit one of these forms to the SSU IRB, please complete the correct form that can be found by following the link below. All of the questions on the Application Form must be answered and all appropriate attachments included (these attachments are listed on the first page of the Application Form instructions). Please follow the instructions for how to submit the application.
Expedited and Full Review Application
Consent Forms do not have to follow the formatting seen in the Blank Consent Form or Sample Consent Form, but the same information must be included on the Consent Form. Please email any questions about the forms or the submission process to Dr. Sharon Eaves, IRB Chair, seaves@shawnee.edu.
Exempt Review
Research projects that the principal
investigator and faculty supervisor (student researchers) believes meet
the qualifications for exempt status must be reviewed by the IRB Chair
or his/her designee and granted such status officially before the
researcher begins contacting participants or collecting data.
Exempt studies are experiments that involve no risk to the adult
subjects, do not involve vulnerable populations, and/or involve the
analysis of publically available data. The researcher should
submit the application and associated materials, as well as a
justification for why the study should be granted exempt status.
Once the application packet has been reviewed and meets the requirements
for Exempt Status, the IRB Chair will grant Exempt status to the project
and notify the researcher that he or she may begin the project. At
least two weeks should be allowed for this process. If the IRB
Chair determines that the study does not qualify for Exempt status, s/he
will seek further information from the researcher as necessary or submit
to a second reader as an Expedited Review proposal.
Expedited Review
The Chair of the IRB and another member of
the IRB selected by the Chair may provide an expedited review of
research activities that pose minimal risks to the human subjects and is
a research activity included on the list of activities subject to the
expedited procedures in 45CFR ยง 46.110. Studies that will be eligible
for expedited review will involve minimal risk to subjects if the
subjects are adults and not part of a vulnerable population, or no risk
to subjects from a vulnerable population. The minimal risk should
include no greater risk than what is experienced during normal, everyday
activities. Any research activities afforded an expedited review
will be reported to the full IRB by the IRB Chair. At least three
weeks should be allowed for this process. If the second reader
does not agree with the expedited review decision, the proposal will
then be sent to the entire IRB for full review and vote at the next
regular meeting.
Full Review
The IRB Chair will provide a copy of the full
application packet to each IRB committee member. A full review
will be required if the proposed study involves minimal risk to a
subject from a vulnerable population or greater than minimal risk to any
subject. Comments, questions, or requests for additional information
will be directed to the principal investigator following initial
submission and review by IRB members. Each new proposal will be
reviewed at the regular monthly meeting of the IRB. Proposals that
are being re-submitted as directed by the IRB Chair or the IRB
membership will also be reviewed at the next regular monthly meeting of
the IRB. The IRB may approve, deny, or request additional
information for any proposal on the agenda. The IRB is not
responsible for reviewing any submission received less than five working
days prior to the regularly scheduled meeting.