**Spring Quarter 2023 - Office Closure**

The HSRC office will be closed from May 4th through May 19th during which time, there will be no review activities.  Current review times are two weeks for exempt research and four weeks for non-exempt research.  Contact Sandy Martinez, the Human Protections Administrator if you would like to discuss the time frame for submission or review of your HSRC application during spring quarter.

Welcome to the Human Subjects Review Program

Central Washington University established an institutional review board (IRB) in 2001.  The IRB is an oversight committee, administratively independent of the institution it serves.  At CWU, this committee is called the Human Subjects Review Council (HSRC).   It is the role of the HSRC to safeguard the rights and welfare of human subjects by evaluating the risks and benefits of the research to assure an acceptable balance. 

The HSRC is charged with reviewing all research involving human subjects to ensure the research complies with institutional policies, state (WAC 388-04), and federal laws (45 CFR Part 46).    It is the policy of CWU (CWUP 2-40-160) that all research involving human subjects regardless of funding source be reviewed by the HSRC.  The involvement of human subjects research conducted by CWU students, staff, or faculty is not permitted until the HSRC has reviewed and approved the research protocol.  Even if, according to the regulations, the research appears to be exempt from review all researchers will submit applications for approval or certification of their research activities.  Analysis of secondary data may also be considered human subjects data and fall under the purview of the HSRC.

Ultimately, it is the goal of the HSRC to be partners with investigators in research, encouraging open communication in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support that promotes ethical and responsible research.