All applications and requests sent to the Western Oregon University Institutional Review Board (WOU IRB; human subjects research) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (WOU IACUC; use of vertebrate animals in teaching, research, or outreach) are processed using this submission system.
If you have not done so already, please register and create a Submittable profile prior to your first submission. Note that if providing WOU contact information, you will need to list the "@mail.wou.edu" version of your email address (rather than the "@wou.edu" version) in order to receive correspondence and notifications from Submittable.
a. Please provide responses to each question. Don't leave any questions blank. Throughout the application, if a question/item does not apply to your protocol, write "n/a".
b. Review your application for grammar, spelling, thoroughness, and comprehensiveness. Applications with serious errors in these areas will be returned without review.
c. If you have questions regarding the IRB application process, consult with the IRB representative from your college or division before submitting your application.
d. Student applications must be reviewed and confirmed by a faculty sponsor. Confirmation from the faculty sponsor will be sought following submission of your application.
e. All Principal Investigators and research team members, including faculty sponsors involved in student research, must complete training in the ethical conduct of human subjects research. This training is offered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) at the University of Miami. This training is free to the WOU community free of charge. To complete your training, please visit: https://www.citiprogram.org/ . All researchers/sponsors must submit a CITI completion certificate or have one on file at the time of submission. Note that certifications are valid for three years following training completion and can be renewed every three years thereafter.
Any questions regarding this application should be directed to irb@mail.wou.edu. The WOU IRB appreciates your dedication to the ethical conduct of human subjects research at Western Oregon University and your commitment to human subjects protections.
Please complete the following form if you wish to request a modification to an approved project. To complete this form, you will need to provide:
1. The complete title of your approved study.
2. Your WOU IRB approval number.
3. A cover letter describing the requested modifications.
4. Any additional paperwork that is relevant to the changes you are requesting, including any new and/or modified surveys, forms, and measurement instruments.
Please direct any questions regarding this form to irb@mail.wou.edu.
Please complete the following form if you wish to request continuation/renewal to an approved project. To complete this form, you will need to provide:
1. A cover letter that includes: (a) the complete title of your study, (b) your IRB approval number, (c) the date of your most recent approval, and (d) a brief statement of your request for continuation.
2. A brief protocol summary. Include in this section information regarding any deviations from the approved protocol since the last approval.
3. A brief status report including number of participants accrued, summary of unanticipated problems (e.g., withdrawal of subjects), and summary of any new information identified (e.g., risks or benefits) which may affect the willingness of current or future research participants to participate in the study.
4. A copy of the current informed consent document(s) (i.e., informed consent, parental permission, and children's assent or waiver documents as appropriate).
5. Evidence that the CITI training requirement is met for all listed on IRB application, if not already on file (including faculty sponsors).
Please direct any questions regarding this form to irb@mail.wou.edu.
Instructions: This application applies to situations in which (1) a WOU-affiliated researcher is engaged in collaborative research with parties from another institution and (2) the other institution's IRB will serve as the IRB-of-record for the project (i.e., as the sIRB). In these cases, the PIs should do the following:
1. The PIs should first submit to the sIRB at the collaborating institution, following that institution’s typical policies and procedures for IRB review.
2. After approval from the collaborating IRB but prior to engaging in the collaborative research project, the WOU-affiliated PIs must complete this application form and submit:
- A cover letter requesting that the WOU IRB maintain reciprocity with the collaborating IRB
- An IAA form (WOU to cede review) identifying the collaborating institution
- IIA forms for all non-WOU-affiliated PIs on the project
- Copies of project materials that will be administered by WOU-affiliated PIs and/or to WOU-affiliated participants
- A copy of the official approval letter from the collaborating IRB
These submissions will be routed directly to the WOU IRB Chair or designee for immediate review, any clarifications will be communicated to the submitting PI, and if no clarifications or modifications are required, the submitting PI will be notified and provided with official documentation upon approval.
If this is a new IACUC submission, please complete this application following the guidelines provided below:
a. Please provide responses to each question. Don't leave any questions blank. Throughout the application, if a question/item does not apply to your protocol, write "N/A".
b. Review your application for grammar, spelling, thoroughness, and comprehensiveness. Applications with serious errors in these areas will be returned without review.
c. If you have questions regarding the IACUC application process, please contact the IACUC Chair, Dr. Gareth Hopkins, at hopkinsg@wou.edu.
d. Student applications must be reviewed and confirmed by a faculty sponsor. Confirmation from the faculty sponsor will be sought following submission of your application. The faculty sponsor must be listed as a secondary Principal Investigator.
e. All Principal Investigators and research team members, including faculty sponsors involved in student research, must complete training in the ethical conduct of animal subjects research for each taxa that will be involved in the study. This training is offered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). This training is free to the WOU community free of charge. To complete your training, please visit: https://www.citiprogram.org/ . All researchers/sponsors must submit a CITI completion certificate or have one on file at the time of submission. Note that certifications are valid for three years following training completion and can be renewed every three years thereafter.
Any questions regarding this application should be directed to iacuc@mail.wou.edu. The WOU IACUC appreciates your dedication to the ethical conduct of animal subjects research at Western Oregon University and your commitment to animal subjects protections.
Use this form if you would like to modify your approved project. You will need to have the IACUC approval number and project title available when completing this form. You can find both of these pieces of information on your IACUC Approval Letter.
Requests for modification of an approved protocol must be made and reviewed by the IACUC if any of the following “significant changes” are proposed:
- Changes from nonsurvival to survival surgery.
- Changes resulting in greater pain, distress, or degree of invasiveness.
- Changes in housing and/or use of animals in a location that is not part of the animal program overseen by the IACUC.
- Changes in species.
- Changes in study objectives.
- Changes in principal investigator.
- Changes that impact personnel safety.
Additionally, “minor changes” should also be reported to the IACUC, but do not necessarily have to undergo formal committee review. These minor changes can include the addition or deletion of personnel besides Principal Investigators, change in title of personnel, minor changes in housing within the approved animal housing facility, and changes in animal number outside of the range of values provided, etc. Minor changes may be reported using either this form or via email to IACUC@wou.edu.
The IACUC will ultimately decide whether or not a change is deemed “significant” or “minor”, and therefore what degree of review the “request for modifications” should undergo.
Please complete the following form if you wish to request continuation/renewal to an approved project. To complete this form, you will need to provide:
1. A cover letter that includes: (a) the complete title of your study, (b) your IACUC approval number, (c) the date of your most recent approval, and (d) a brief statement of your request for continuation.
2. A brief protocol summary. Include in this section information regarding any deviations from the approved protocol since the last approval.
3. A brief status report including number of participants accrued, summary of unanticipated problems (e.g., death of animals), and summary of any new information identified (e.g., adverse or unexpected affects due to the procedure) which may affect the animals in the study.
4. Evidence that the CITI training requirement is met for all PIs and research personnel listed on the IACUC application, if not already on file (including faculty sponsors).
Please direct any questions regarding this form to iacuc@mail.wou.edu.
Instructions - Use this form to report unanticipated problems and adverse events involving risks to participants or others. Unanticipated problems and events should be reported no later than 7 days of the investigator becoming aware of the occurrence. However, investigators should contact the WOU IRB (irb@mail.wou.edu) immediately upon discovery of an unanticipated problem or event involving risks to subjects or others.
When completing this form, please be prepared to provide the following:
1. The complete title of the project (if known).
2. Your name and contact information.
2. The IRB approval number of the project (if known).
3. A brief description of the incident/event.