The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is designated by Chaffey College to support faculty,
staff, students and outside researchers to complete their research in a way that is
compliant with federal and state laws and College policy. As such, the IRB is charged
to review, approve initiation of, and conduct periodic reviews of research projects
that involve human participants. As mandated by federal law and consistent with Chaffey
College policy, each investigator must have prior dated and written approval from
the IRB before beginning a research project that uses human participants. Although
some studies may be exempt from ongoing IRB oversight, eligibility for exemption from
IRB oversight is determined by the IRB, so researchers must submit the application
below even if they believe their research may be exempt.
The purpose of this webpage is to provide investigators and the research community
at Chaffey College, as well as outside researchers wishing to include Chaffey College
students or employees as research participants, with the information and materials
that are needed to obtain IRB approval of research that involves human participants.
To apply for IRB approval please click on the link below:
Note: Federal Regulations stipulate that a research study can be exempt if meets one
or more of the following conditions:
Research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or
Research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques,
curricula, or classroom management methods.
information obtained is recorded in such a manner that human subjects can be identified,
directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and
any disclosure of the human subjects' responses outside the research could reasonably
place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects'
financial standing, employability, or reputation.
the human subjects are elected or appointed public officials or candidates for public
office; or
Federal statute(s) require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally
identifiable information will be maintained throughout the research and thereafter.
Public benefit or service programs;
procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those programs;
possible changes in or alternatives to those programs or procedures; or
possible changes in methods or levels of payment for benefits or services under those
programs.
Federal regulations Stipulate that a study cannot be exempt if:
Prisoners
Fetuses and/or
Pregnant Women
Human in-vitro fertilization (i.e. and fertilization of human ova which occurs outside
the body of the human);
Review of records if the information gathered from these records is identified in
such a way that it can be linked back to the individual (either directly or through
the use of a code);
Surveys or interviews given to minors;
Any procedure that may cause a subject either physical of psychological discomfort
or is perceived as harassment above and beyond what the person would experience in
everyday life;
Deception;
Observation of minors if the investigator participates in the activities being observed
unless there is a federal statute covering the activity;
If the sponsoring agency requires that the proposed research received full or expedited
review even when the activities would otherwise qualify for exemption; or
The study involves genetic research (Chaffey College’s IRB policy)
Studies granted exemption by the IRB are exempted for the life of the research unless
changes are made to the study procedures. Changes to exempted research must be reviewed
by the IRB to ensure that the research continues to qualify for exemption. Even minor
changes to research may necessitate IRB review under current regulations. Investigators
are encouraged to contact the IRB office if changes to exempted research occur and
there are questions regarding the need to submit research for continuing exemption
determination.
Contact Information:
For more information contact the Chaffey College co-chairs: