CHPR Bylaws

A. Powers and Duties

1. Committee

a. Consonant with approved policy (as identified in the document entitled "Policy and Procedures Governing Investigations Involving Human Subjects"), the Committee shall establish, publish, and implement procedures governing the use of human participants for research conducted by members of the Rhode Island College Faculty/Staff under any contract in any location or by persons using the facilities of the institution. The Committee shall make policy recommendations to Council and to the President on matters within its purview. The Committee shall comply with all published regulations and policies of the U.S. Department of Education pertaining to the protection of human participants for purposes of research.

b. The Committee shall evaluate proposed research projects and activities involving human participants solely for the purpose of insuring that research projects are in compliance with policies and procedures of this Committee. The Committee shall make every effort to avoid infringement of academic freedom.

c. The Committee shall maintain continuing constructive communication with project directors.

d. The Committee shall maintain appropriate and informative records of its reviews of applications and active projects; of documentation of informed consent; and of other documentation that may pertain to the selection, participation, and protection of participants. The Committee shall also review circumstances that may adversely affect the rights or welfare of individual participants.

e. The Committee shall arrange for the provision of facilities and professional attention required for participants who may suffer physical, psychological, or other injury as a result of participation in a research project.

f. The Committee shall ensure that all project directors submit by June 30 an annual report to the Committee.

g. The Committee shall:

• i. Report its specific actions to the President and to Council within ten days after each meeting.


• ii. Present a report and recommendations to the President and to Council, at least annually.

2. Chair

The Chair shall:

a. Receive all research proposals that involve human participants and shall provide copies of such proposals to each member of the Committee.

b. Make an agenda available to the members of the Committee prior to each meeting.

c. Invite prospective research directors to meetings of the Committee so that the directors may have the opportunity to explain their proposals under consideration.

3. Secretary

The Secretary shall distribute the recorded minutes of each meeting to the members of the Committee and shall deposit a copy of the minutes in the central file for committee minutes.

B. Membership

The Committee on the Use of Human Participants in Research shall consist of eleven voting members.

1. There shall be five faculty members, one from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, one from the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, one from the School of Social Work, one from the School of Management and Technology, and two at-large, one of whom must teach in the joint Ph.D program, appointed by the President of the College upon recommendation of the Committee on Committees to serve for staggered three-year terms.

2. There shall be one undergraduate student member appointed by Student Parliament to serve for a one-year term.

3. There shall be one graduate student member appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to serve for a one-year term.

4. The Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee shall be a member.

5. A mental health professional employed in a non-faculty position at Rhode Island College shall be a member. This member shall be appointed by the President of the College.

6. The College Physician or designee (such designee must be a medical health professional employed in a non-faculty position at Rhode Island College) shall be a member.

7. The President shall appoint one member who is not affiliated with the College.

8. No member of this Committee may take part in any reviews of any project or activity in which that member has an active role or in which there may be a conflict of interest.

9. The Committee shall elect a Chair and Secretary from among its members for one year terms.

10. Members shall continue until their successors take office.

C. Meetings

1. The Committee shall meet, as necessary, at the call of its Chair, or upon written request of the Vice President for Academic Affairs or any four members, and in any case at least once a semester.

2. The Committee may take action only under the following circumstances:

• a. Majority action at a meeting in which a quorum of voting members is present, as provided by Section IV of the Charter.


• b. Unanimous action of six members of the Committee.

3. All meetings shall be subject to such advance notice as may be specified by the Committee.

Compiler's Notes

Section XXV.B.1. was amended by Council 3/13/84. Resolution 94-1, approved by Council on 3/11/94 and approved by the President on 4/24/94, replaces the word “Subjects” with “Participants.” Articles XXV.B. and XXV.B.1. were amended by a vote of Council on September 14, 2001 and subsequently approved by the President on October 12, 2001 to add one member to the committee, namely, a representative of the Center for Management and Technology. The change was made effective immediately. Section XXV B.1. was amended by the Council on December 13, 2002 and approved by the President on April 7, 2003, effective 2003-2004.

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