Every sponsored program activity will involve the ethical considerations we call “responsible conduct of research,” and these principles are important to know and promote as part of the university culture as we educate the next generation.
What ethical considerations are involved?
Responsible conduct of research includes such compliance areas as:
- Permission to conduct research with human subjects, animals, human body parts and fluids, and hazardous materials
- Conflict of interest
- Research misconduct
- Data management practices
- Mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students
- Authorship credit
How does the ORSP work on these concerns?
The ORSP staff members who work in this division spend their time:
- Educating faculty, staff, and student researchers
- Tracking rules and regulations
- Working to create and maintain a culture of responsible conduct of research at The University of Mississippi
Compliance Issues in University Research
Federal guidelines require institutional approval and oversight of activities involving human subjects, animals, human body parts and fluids, and hazardous materials. Researchers whose projects, whether externally funded or not, will involve one or more of these activities should seek the appropriate institutional clearances as early in the proposal development stage as possible and must obtain approval before research proceeds.
Funding organizations, particularly federal and state agencies, require numerous certifications and assurances as a part of the proposal submission and award acceptance process. Many of these are standard and simply require the signature of the University's authorizing official to certify compliance. Other clearances must be initiated by the Principal Investigator, depending on the type of project planned. Federal regulations stipulate that institutions applying for federal funds assure the appropriate federal agency that certain conditions and policies are in place and implemented at the applicant institution.
Federal funding is at risk institution-wide if individuals do not comply with these requirements. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs coordinates the assurance process and provides the signature of the authorizing official, the Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs, on institutional certifications for a number of compliance issues.