Compliance

PennWest Clarion is bound by federal and state law to ensure that the university, when engaging in research or other sponsored activities, is compliant in areas such as the protection of human and animal subjects, financial conflict of interests and the transport of knowledge overseas, to name a few.

All faculty, staff and students employed by PennWest Clarion and engaging in research, scholarly activity, or other sponsored activities and programs must abide by rules set forth in the compliance areas BEFORE research or activity begins.

A. Human Subjects Protection
Are you planning on conducting a research project that will involve the use of human subjects? This might include sending out a survey inquiring about daily habits or opinion on a topic. It may look like using data from a standardized assessment of adults or children or the collection of biological specimens. In all cases, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required in advance of beginning your research or activity.

The Institutional Review Board is established to ensure that no research that is conducted at PennWest Clarion will expose persons who participate as subjects to unreasonable risks to their health, well-being or privacy. PennWest Clarion and its IRB follow the federally mandated regulations from the US Department of Health and Human Services in Title 45, Part 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

All faculty, staff or students engaged in human subjects research must complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) module before submission of an IRB application to the Review Board

B. Financial Conflict of Interest
Conducting high quality research and sponsored activities at PennWest Clarion is key to the success of the primary missions of the institution. Active participation by faculty and other employees in external activities that enhance their professional skills or constitute public service can be beneficial to the university as well as the individual. PennWest Clarion encourages both public and private support for research and innovative educational programs through grants and contracts and recognizes the value outside consulting of faculty and other employees but cautions that such consulting can come into conflict or appear to come into conflict with other legitimate University interests.

PennWest Clarion employees must disclose any relationship that would result in a significant financial conflict with the research, education or service activities of the institution. Please visit the PennWest Clarion Financial Conflict policy for more information. Please download the Conflict of Interest form for disclosure of any activities identified in the policy that may impact the integrity of the research, educational or service activity.

C. Export Control
The purpose of export controls is to restrict the dissemination of technology, goods, and information to foreign nationals, countries, banned entities, and sanctioned companies. Exporting information without taking the necessary precautions poses a serious security risk to the U.S. and could result in strict criminal and civil penalties.

Export controls are currently regulated by the U.S. Department of Commerce through its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), U.S. Department of State through its International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the U.S. Department of Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Visit the PASSHE export control pages for more information. (Use your Clarion Log-in and password for access.) PASSHE also has a page on policies, procedures and standards.

D. Hazardous Materials Training (Need a training module for labs)