Kalamazoo College’s Responsible Conduct of Research Policy for Students

Effective June 1, 2010

With the Senior Individualized Project (SIP) as a requirement for graduation and many courses requiring research projects, undergraduate research is an integral part of a Kalamazoo College education. In addition to training students in research methods, Kalamazoo College is committed to educating students in the ethical conduct of research. To that end, all departments agree to educate their majors about how to conduct research ethically and responsibly as appropriate to their discipline. Some departments include ethics training in courses required for the major and/or require students to take an online tutorial in the responsible conduct of research before beginning their SIP or other research experience. Departments with a formal training protocol in place should send a description of the training to the Director of Faculty
Grants. Also, students applying for IRB approval for a research project must include in their application an assurance that they have been trained in the responsible conduct of research through an approved course or online training module.

Kalamazoo College also requires that any student engaging in research supported by funds from the National Science Foundation complete an approved training module or course in the responsible conduct of research before beginning the research project as mandated in section 7009 of the America Competes Act of 2007 (Federal Register: August 20, 2009, Volume 74, Number 160, pp. 42126-42128). Faculty mentors will ensure that NSF-supported students complete this training and send a certification of the completed training to the Director of Faculty Grants.

The National Science Foundation’s requirement states that “each institution that applies for financial assistance from the Foundation for science and engineering research or education describe in its grant proposal a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers participating in the proposed research project,” and lays out the following institutional responsibilities:

1. An institution must have a plan in place to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research. As noted in GPG Chapter II.C.1.e, institutional certification to this effect is required for each proposal.
2. While training plans are not required to be included in proposals submitted to NSF, institutions are advised that they are subject to review, upon request.
3. An institution must designate one or more persons to oversee compliance with the RCR training requirement.
4. Institutions are responsible for verifying that undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct research have received training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research.