Responsible Conduct of Research Policy

Responsible Conduct of Research Policy, as of 1/1/2010

1.  PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF RCR TRAINING

A.  Education and training in the ethical and responsible conduct of research is an essential element of training for individuals who will be pursuing advanced degrees or are engaged in research in any field. The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum responsible conduct of research (RCR) training requirements for such individuals.

B.   Federal funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), require as a condition of receiving funding from such agencies that institutions develop formal training in RCR for students, postdoctoral fellows, and other individuals supported by federal grant funds.

C.   The Johns Hopkins University has an obligation to ensure that its advanced degree recipients, faculty, research staff, and all other individuals involved in research have a thorough working knowledge of matters related to responsible research behaviors. At a minimum, these matters should include scientific misconduct, conflict of interest, data management, authorship practices, human and animal research subjects, and academic ethics.

D.  KSAS and WSE provide two mechanisms to meet the training obligation.  The first is an online course from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) that is available at www.citiprogram.org.  The online training and accompanying quizzes are estimated to take about 2.5-3 hours to complete.   The second mechanism is a 8.5-hour, discussion-based, in-person course that is offered four times per year.  Individuals must visit the Office of the Registrar to enroll in the in-person course (registration number AS.360.625) in order for this course to appear on the individual’s transcript.  Details of how these courses can be used to satisfy specific requirements by school are explained below.  A RCR course offered elsewhere is not a substitute for the required in-person course.

2.   KSAS POLICY

A.  As of 1/4/2010, KSAS postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students who are involved in research and receive funding from NSF or who receive Fellowship support from the NIH are required to receive the in-person education and training in RCR.  The trainee is expected to register for and complete the RCR in-person course during the period in which he/she is funded by the aforementioned grants.  If the individual cannot complete the in-person training during the period in which they are funded, they should notify the Dean of Research and then complete the in-person training the next time it is offered.

B.  The online CITI Training in RCR may be utilized if individuals provide appropriate documentation that they are unable to attend one of the in-person courses due to unusual and well-justified circumstances and receive permission from the KSAS Dean of Research in advance.  Appropriate documentation includes a written explanation of the reason that the in-person course cannot be attended.  The individual’s advisor or department chair person’s signature and the Dean of Research’s signature will be required for this request.

C.   In order to update their own understanding of RCR and effectively mentor students and post-doctoral fellows regarding RCR, all KSAS faculty members involved in research are strongly encouraged to complete the online CITI training in RCR regardless of funding sources sought.

3.   WSE POLICY

A.  WSE doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as any non-WSE doctoral student being paid by WSE to conduct research are required to complete the in-person RCR training.  Doctoral students must complete the training by the start of his/her seventh semester.  Post-doctoral fellows are required to take the training at their first available opportunity.

B.  All undergraduate students and master’s students being paid by WSE to conduct research are required to complete the online RCR training.  The student will not receive payment until course completion is verified.  The exception to this is Undergraduate and master’s students previously or currently on NIH training grants* since 1/4/10.  These individuals must complete the in?person training course at the first available opportunity.  Such students will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

C.  WSE terminal master’s students conducting unpaid research are required to complete the CITI online RCR training.  The student will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

D.  The online CITI Training in RCR may be utilized if individuals required by this policy to take the in-person course provide appropriate documentation that they are unable to attend one of the in-person courses due to unusual and well-justified circumstances and receive permission from the WSE Vice-Dean of Research in advance.  Appropriate documentation includes a written explanation of the reason that the in-person course cannot be attended.  The individual’s advisor or department chair person’s signature and the Vice Dean of Research’s signature will be required for this request.

E.  In order to update their own understanding of RCR and effectively mentor students and post-doctoral fellows regarding RCR, all WSE faculty members involved in research are strongly encouraged to complete the online CITI training in RCR regardless of funding sources sought.

*NIH training grants are identified as those with the following program numbers: D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, TU2, and U2R