Institutional Review Board (IRB)
WCU is guided by the ethical principles regarding all research involving human subjects as set forth in the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research entitled, "Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research: The Belmont Report".
All faculty, staff, administrators, and students who participate in research at the university must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research through CITI (instructions can be found within the policy).
In addition, the requirements set forth in Title 45, Part 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations will be followed for all applicable Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funded research and for all other research without regard to source of funding.
Spring 2024 IRB Co-Chairs Office Hours (for faculty, staff and students):
Dr. Melissa Reed
Monday 12pm-1pm
Dr. Melissa Reed's Zoom Link
Dr. Heather Leaman
Thursday 3pm-4pm
Dr. Heather Leaman's Zoom Link
Students Only Monthly Office Hours
Weds Jan 24 3pm – 4pm
Mon Feb 26 4pm – 5pm
Thurs Mar 28 4pm – 5pm
Weds Apr 24 7pm – 8pm
Please email the WCU IRB co-chairs to schedule a Zoom conversation.
Frequently Viewed/Helpful Documents
IRB Processing Time and Procedures for Submitting to the WCU IRB
Initial review of your application will take place within three weeks of when the IRB reviewer receives your application. Your IRB reviewer may request edits and changes to your application, this can take an additional two to three weeks to complete. Please plan ahead and allow at least one month for the entire review, revision, and approval process to be completed. The IRB cannot honor requests for a "quick turnaround" or reviews completed by a certain date.
IRB Q&A Zoom Sessions
CBPM
Dr. Shannon Grugan
Wednesday, March 6th 1pm-2pm
Zoom
CESW
Dr. Merry Staulters
Wednesday, March 6th 4pm-5pm
Zoom
CHS
Dr. Amir Golmohamadi
Friday, March 8th 11am-12pm
In office - SECC 255 or
Zoom
CAH
Dr. Seth Kahn
Thursday, March 21st 1pm-2pm
Zoom
Passcode: HelpMe
Dr. Innhwa Park
Friday, March 22nd 1:30pm-2:30pm
Zoom
(Meeting ID: 697 869 5284 | Passcode: 993865
CSM
Dr. Lauren Brumley
Wednesday, April 3rd, 12pm-1pm
Zoom
In addition to the dates listed above, the IRB Co-Chairs hold weekly open office hours. Please feel free to contact them during their office hours with questions.
Dr. Melissa Reed
Monday 12pm-1pm
Dr. Melissa Reed's Zoom Link
Dr. Heather Leaman
Thursday 3pm-4pm
Dr. Heather Leaman's Zoom Link
Students Only Monthly Office Hours
Thurs Mar 28 4pm – 5pm
Weds Apr 24 7pm – 8pm
Cayuse Electronic IRB Submission (required as of 02/05/2021)
We are excited to introduce our NEW IRB electronic application submission process through Cayuse IRB! Please click here to access Cayuse IRB with your WCU Single Sign On information. After 02/05/2021, all new IRB applications must be submitted through Cayuse IRB.
INFORMATION FOR FACULTY & STAFF: Some faculty and staff have been pre-loaded into the system based on previous IRB use. If you get an error or an alert that your account has been disabled, please make a request to ADD yourself (or any co-investigators) that are not found in the current system. Please submit the request(s) here: CAYUSE IRB NEW USER REQUEST. Once the IRB Office receives the information, this will be uploaded into Cayuse IRB. Please allow up to 2 business days for your request to be granted.
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS: If you have never used the Cayuse IRB system, please make a request to ADD yourself here: CAYUSE IRB NEW USER REQUEST. Once the IRB Office receives the information, this will be uploaded into Cayuse IRB. Please allow up to 2 business days for your request to be granted.
Here is a link for the Cayuse IRB Training Manual: Cayuse IRB Training Manual
Here is a link for the Cayuse IRB Training Video: Cayuse IRB Training Video
If you have questions about Cayuse or training opportunities, please email the IRB
office at IRB@wcupa.edu.
Revision Request and Closures for Protocols Approved in Cayuse IRB
Revision Requests for Cayuse IRB
ALL revisions to WCU IRB approved protocols (even minor revisions such as adding a new student assistant’s CITI Human Subjects Research training completion report) must be submitted as a formal revision. If you submitted your initial protocol through Cayuse IRB, click here to submit your revision for review and approval.
Closures for Cayuse IRB
Upon completion of your project, WCU requires all investigators to close their research project. Please click here to access Cayuse IRB with your WCU Single Sign On information to submit a closure request for your research project.
IRB Coordination across Pennsylvania’s State System Universities
Coordination across PASSHE Universities has been paused. It is the responsibility of the primary investigator of the research to reach out to other PASSHE universities for specific questions regarding research that uses human subjects.
Institutional Review Board Members
IRB Members Spring 2024
Co-Chair:
REED, MELISSA
Phone: 610-436-2141
Department: Kinesiology
Address: Sturzebecker HSC 320
E-Mail: mreed3@wcupa.edu
Co-Chair:
LEAMAN, HEATHER
Phone: 610-436-3323
Department: Early & Middle Grades Education
Address: Recitation Hall 203D
E-Mail: hleaman@wcupa.edu
BRUMLEY, LAUREN
Phone: 610-436-2723
Department: Psychology
Address: Main Hall 530
E-Mail: lbrumley@wcupa.edu
DI GIOVINE, MICHAEL
Phone: 610-436-2247
Department: Anthropology & Sociology
Address: Old Library 204
E-Mail: mdigiovine@wcupa.edu
GOLMOHAMADI, AMIR
Phone:610-436-2175
Department: Nutrition
Address: SECC 255
E-Mail: agolmohamadi@wcupa.edu
GRUGAN, SHANNON
Phone: 610-436-2659
Department: Criminal Justice
Address: BPMC 515
E-Mail: sgrugan@wcupa.edu
KAHN, SETH
Phone:610-436-1640
Department: English
Address: Main Hall 520
E-Mail: skahn@wcupa.edu
METZ, STACIE
Phone: 610-436-2101
Department: Public Health Sciences
Address: SECC 228
E-Mail: smetz@wcupa.edu
NAIR, JULIE I
Phone: 610-436-2331
Phone: 610-436-2331
Address: 930 E. Lincoln HWY 121
E-Mail: jnair@wcupa.edu
OCASIO, KERRIE
Phone: 610-436-3522
Department: Graduate Social Work
Address: Anderson Hall 446
E-Mail: kocasio@wcupa.edu
PARK, INNHWA
Phone: 610-436-2640
Department: Languages & Cultures
Address: Mitchell Hall 232
E-Mail: ipark@wcupa.edu
STAULTERS, MIMI
Phone:610-436-2398
Department: Educational Leadership and Higher Education Administration
Address: Anderson Hall 218C
E-Mail: mstaulters@wcupa.edu
WALTON, KERRY
Phone: 610-436-3453
Department: Academic Services
Address: Room 127A, University Libraries
E-Mail: kwalton2@wcupa.edu
ZIMMERMAN, REVA
Phone:610-436-2588
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Address: 201 Carter Dr, 418
E-Mail: rzimmerman@wcupa.edu
Non-WCU Community Members:
MARCH, MARY
E-Mail: mmarch@wcupa.edu
SIMS, CHRISTOPHER
E-Mail: csims@wcupa.edu, kyere1@aol.com
TOBY, JEN
E-Mail: Jtoby@wcupa.edu
IRB Monthly Meeting Schedule for Spring 2024
The spring 2024 IRB meeting dates, via zoom, are as follows:
Feb 9 - 1:30pm-3pm
Mar 8 - 1:30pm-3pm
Apr 12 - 1:30pm-3pm
May 3 - 1:30pm-3pm
Questions?
- Please contact the IRB co-chairs, Dr. Melissa Reed and Dr. Heather Leaman, if you have any questions. A Zoom meeting can be scheduled to discuss any IRB matter.
- You may also contact the IRB staff with any questions/concerns/requests at irb@wcupa.edu.