Institutional Review Board

The Rockland Community College Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the College’s designated body to evaluate internal and external requests to conduct research by, or on employees and/or students of the College. The purpose of the IRB is to carefully review proposed research to ensure that Federal standards designed to protect the dignity and welfare of participants are met. These standards ensure that all research conducted on human subjects is ethical, confidential, voluntary, and poses minimal risk of harm to participants.

Protocol for Submitting an Application for Review

Download Protocol (PDF)

Applications for Biomedical research are NOT being considered by the College at this time. Individuals who wish to engage in non-medical research that involves human subjects must request review and approval through the Rockland Community College IRB. Each project involving different subjects or subsequent projects involving new information with original subjects must have separate approval.

Who must apply:

This policy applies to all RCC faculty, staff, and students conducting research studies, either within the College or in the larger community. Non-college employees who wish to use RCC students or staff for human subject research must also apply for research approval through the College IRB.

Materials to be submitted:

For any research projects involving human subjects please complete and submit the following three documents:

  1. IRB Research Review Form (use A, B, or C in consideration of risk to subjects)
  2. The Human Subject Consent Form Checklist (Form D)
  3. The consent form that will be provided to subjects. Human Subject Consent (Form E)

Materials Checklist

A completed IRB Research Review Form. Choose one of the following:

  • Full IRB Research Review (Form A for moderate to high risk)
  • Expedited IRB Research Review (Form B for low risk)
  • Exempt IRB Research Review (Form C for no risk)
  • Human Subjects Research Consent Form Checklist (Form D)
  • Consent Form that will be provided to the participants

Informed consent:

A condition of human subject research approval is that all participants sign a written informed consent form. To ensure that all participants understand the nature of the research, the informed consent form must include the following six items:

  1. a reasonable description of the nature of the research being conducted;
  2. the purpose of the research;
  3. the proposed use of the research data; and
  4. any proposed publication of the study. In addition, the form must state that
  5. participation voluntary and that
  6. refusal to participate will not result in a penalty or loss of benefits to the subject (See Form E for a sample).

To initiate the IRB review process:

Submit documents to IRB chair, Dr. Meghan P. Nolan. Submissions and proposals are accepted at any time, and review by the IRB chair and approval will normally be conducted within 45-60 days. Please contact Dr. Nolan with any questions at 845-574-4426 or [email protected].