Research Compliance and Integrity

Chicago State University complies with all the requirements of the Public Health Service (PHS) policies on the humane care and use of laboratory animals. It is regulated by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) of the National Institutes of Health. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees the University's animal programs, facilities, and procedures. All protocols describing the use of animals in research, teaching, and/or display must be submitted in advance and approved by this IUCAC. The CSU IUCAC is appointed in accordance with the PHS Policy IV.A.3.a,  and is qualified through the experience and expertise of its members to oversee the institution's animal care and use program and facilities. It consists of at least five members, and its membership meets the composition requirements set forth in the PHS Policy at IV.A.3.b.  The President appoints members of the IACUC and assure that animal use is justified by benefits and minimize animal pain or suffering. For more information about the IACUC, please contact the IACUC Chair, Dr. Mark Erhart, at merhart@csu.edu or call (773) 995-2432.

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is committed to the safe transportation, storage, and usage of biological materials. For more information about the IBC, please contact the IBC CO-Chairs Dr Molly McDonough or Dr. Andrew Maselli.

The IBC has a set of forms that investigators complete and submit prior to review. In addition, investigators are required to complete suitable training. The Biosafety Training courses on the website for the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) are suitable to satisfy this requirement, and a copy  the Completion Certificate generated by the course should be attached at the end of any research protocol submitted to the IBC.

Research involving radioactive isotopes, embryonic stem cells, or chemical hazards are outside  the purview of the CSU-IBC, and questions about these should be referred to the CSU Research Integrity Officer (RIO)

Minutes for IBC meetings occurring on or after June 1, 2025

IBC Meeting, Fall meeting

Chicago State University is committed to the values of openness, academic integrity, and the conduct of safe, ethical research. All University faculty and staff have a professional obligation to act in the best interests of the University.

Policy Framework

The University maintains distinct Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) for research policies based on the requirements of the sponsoring agency:

National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research: Investigators applying for or funded by the National Institutes of Health must comply with applicable NIH FCOI regulations.

Other federally funded research: Investigators applying for or funded by other federal agencies—including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)—or by private sponsors must comply with the University’s General Financial Conflict of Interest Policy for Research, which addresses the disclosure of significant financial interests.

Investigator Requirements

Regardless of the funding source, all faculty and staff involved in a funded research project must:

• Read the policy: Carefully review the policy applicable to the specific funding agency.
• Submit disclosure: Complete, sign, and submit the Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Form.
• In addition, Faculty and Staff must report to the Research Integrity Officer any undisclosed financial conflicts of interest involving other University personnel.

Training

All faculty required to complete financial conflict of interest training, regardless of research funding source, must do so through CITI (www.citiprogram.org). CITI Program is CSU’s exclusive provider of research compliance and ethics training. The University maintains an organizational subscription available to all members of the research community. CITI offers several course modules targeted for specific research aims.

Financial Conflict of Interest for Research documents

Chicago State University NIH Financial Conflict of Interest Policy

NIH FCOI Disclosure Form

 

State University General Chicago Financial Conflict Of Interest Policy

General FCOI Disclosure Form

 

 

For any questions or guidance, contact: 

Edmundo Garcia-Solis 
Associate Provost for Grants and Research Administration 
edmundo.garcia@csu.edu

 

Effective January 2023 both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are implementing a new Data Management and Sharing Policies. After that date, applications for funding must include:

• A Data Management and Sharing Plan which outlines how scientific data, and any accompanying metadata, will be managed and shared, considering any potential restrictions or limitations.
• Budgeting information for managing, preserving, and sharing data.

Outline instructions for the NIH may be found at Notice NOT-OD-23-013,  and for NSF see NSF Data Management Plan Requirements.   .

Faculty with research protocols involving the use of human embryonic stem cells (hES) should contact Nadeem Fazal, MD., Ph.D., the chair of the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee.

Environmental Health & Safety provides compliance oversight and consulting help in all areas of research safety, including:

• Lab Safety
• Hazardous Material Management
• Biological and Chemical Safety Laboratory Inspections
• Biological and Chemical Safety Clinic Inspections

For inquiries, please contact the Associate Provost of Research and Grants Administration, Dr. Edmundo Garcia

Chicago State University's responsibility to protect the national security and economic interests of the United States is balanced against its commitment to advancing knowledge through open research that is freely shared with the public. CSU achieves this by establishing mechanisms that comply with all U.S. export control laws and regulations.

Although research generally conducted on campus is not subject to export restrictions, it is important for the CSU community to be aware that these activities may potentially become controlled.

In this context, "exports" refer to shipments of tangible commodities and software to recipients outside the United States and to disclosures to foreign persons wherever located, including faculty, staff, and students in the US. The term "export controls" refers to the federal laws and regulations that deal with the distribution of strategically important technology and information to foreign persons in the US and abroad.

All questions concerning export controls and the need for export control license applications should be coordinated through the Office of Grants and Research Administration  and the Office of Legal Affairs.

Foreign Government Interference and Research Security

Chicago State University supports an open, collaborative, and internationally engaged research community. International research, academic partnerships, visiting scholars, and travel are valuable parts of scholarly work. The University also has a responsibility to protect research integrity, confidential information, intellectual property, and federally supported research.

CSU’s Foreign Government Interference (FGI) and Research Security Policy describe disclosure and review expectations for faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scholars, and others who participate in research or sponsored activities when they are subject to federal or University research-security requirements.

Faculty and staff are directed to the January 21, 2021, Presidential Memorandum on United States Government-Supported Research and Development National Security Policy and the Guidance for Implementing National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) on National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development for more information about federally mandated changes to outside-activity disclosures and sponsored-project applications and reporting.

CSU’s policy also recognizes that legitimate international collaboration is supported. Reviews are based on relevant activities, relationships, disclosures, contractual obligations, sponsor requirements, and other objective factors—not an individual’s national origin, citizenship, or ethnicity.

The policy and disclosure form can be found here:

 Foreign Government Interference (FG) and Research Security Policy

 FGI and Research Security Disclosure Form

Anyone with involvement in a foreign entity must complete the Foreign Government Interference and Research Security Disclosure Form and email it to the Office of Grants and Research Administration. Disclose the involvement even if you are unsure whether it is relevant; the Office can advise whether additional information or review is needed. This form does not replace any separate sponsor, University, conflict-of-interest, export-control, or other required disclosure. 

How to proceed

1. Review the policy and disclosure form. Read the CSU FGI and Research Security Policy and the Foreign Government Interference and Research Security Disclosure Form.
2. Identify relevant activities and relationships. Consider current and proposed support, affiliations, appointments, collaborations, foreign components, travel, talent recruitment programs, and other research-related commitments.
3. Make or update required disclosures. Use the University and sponsor systems and forms applicable to your activity. The FGI form is an acknowledgment and certification; it does not replace conflict-of-interest, conflict-of-commitment, export-control, travel, foreign-support, foreign-component, or sponsor-specific disclosures.
4. Ask before proceeding if you are unsure. Contact the Office of Grants and Research before starting a significant international research activity, accepting foreign research support, joining a talent recruitment program, establishing a foreign component on a federally funded project, or transferring potentially controlled research information or technology internationally.
5. Obtain required review or approval first. Do not begin an activity that requires University review or sponsor approval until the necessary review or approval has been obtained.
6. Keep disclosures current. Submit updates when circumstances change and complete required research-security training. Report suspected research-security concerns promptly. 

For each relationship that needs to be disclosed, be prepared to provide details such as the foreign entity and country, the nature and dates of the activity, compensation or resources, its relationship to CSU research, and whether it has been disclosed through required systems. Supporting documents may include agreements, appointment letters, award information, or a research description.

What should I disclose?

Depending on your role, research, and sponsor requirements, disclosures may include: 

• Foreign research or financial support, including in-kind resources such as equipment, space, personnel, or materials
• Foreign employment, appointments, academic or professional affiliations, and other commitments
• International research collaborations and foreign components of federally funded projects
• Participation in foreign talent recruitment programs
• Foreign-sponsored or reimbursed travel
• Contracts, agreements, or other commitments with foreign entities
• Potential conflicts of interest or commitment, scientific or budgetary overlap, or access to research data and intellectual property 

Disclosure requirements vary by sponsor and award. Federal sponsor requirements may be more restrictive than University policy and take precedence when applicable. 

Questions or need guidance?

For any questions or guidance, contact: 

Edmundo Garcia-Solis 
Associate Provost for Grants and Research Administration 
Office of Grants and Research Administration 
Chicago State University 
9501 South King Drive, ADM 303 
Chicago, Illinois 60628 
edmundo.garcia@csu.edu

The Mission of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects at Chicago State University through a review of research involving human subjects. It is congruent with the University's mission of academic excellence, which encompasses teaching, research, service, and community development, including social justice, leadership, and entrepreneurship. For more information about the IRB, please contact the CSU IRB Administrator, Dr. Warren V. Sherman, at irb@csu.edu or (773) 995-2322. 

The IRB requires all investigators and personnel (including students) on research projects involving human subjects to complete online training provided by the CITI Consortium at www.citiprogram.org. The specific courses are Social and Behavioral-Basic or Biomedical Basic. No other Human Subjects training will be accepted. For more information, refer to.

Chicago State University (CSU) fosters innovation, research, scholarship, and creative activity across all disciplines. To support these efforts, CSU’s Intellectual Property Policy defines the ownership, use, and commercialization of intellectual property created by CSU employees, students, and others using CSU resources.

Goals of the Policy

The policy is designed to:

• Encourage innovation and knowledge sharing by supporting the creation and dissemination of new ideas.

• Protect the rights of creators while ensuring that CSU’s institutional interests are preserved.

• Promote technology transfer and the use of discoveries for the benefit of society.

• Ensure compliance with federal regulations and sponsor requirements.

• Recognize and reward creators while generating potential revenue for both inventors and the University.

Responsibility

The relevant CSU employees are required to:

• Review and understand the Intellectual Property Policy.

• Certify their acknowledgment of the policy.

Intellectual Property Policy

Access the Certification Form

For any questions contact the Office of Grants and Research Administration.

All research data generated within Chicago State University or on behalf of CSU is owned by CSU. This data should be housed at CSU or on a password-protected CSU-owned device. CSU researchers should travel with a password-protected device that is swept clean of everything but typical software and minimal data. International travel by CSU researchers with CSU-owned electronic equipment with original unpublished data  must receive prior  authorization by the Associate Provost of Research and Grants Administration. Additional data security rules may also apply and researchers are referred to OGRA and the Office of Legal Affairs. 

Chicago State University (CSU) is committed to fostering a safe, professional research environment at every level of the organization. We strive to ensure that learning, research, and the reporting of research results are conducted with integrity, respect, fairness, and transparency. 

RESEARCH MISCONDUCT 

Research misconduct violates these principles and harms researchers who rely on honest accounts of research methods and findings. It also erodes public trust in researchers and the institutions where they work. Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, conducting, or reporting research. 

• Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them. 
• Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or altering or omitting data or results so that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. 
• Plagiarism is using another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without appropriate credit. 

The federal Office of Research Integrity (ORI), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, oversees Public Health Service research-integrity activities and provides oversight and guidance to institutions of higher education. At Chicago State University, the Associate Provost for Grants and Research serves as the Research Integrity Officer (RIO). In this capacity, he manages reports of potential research misconduct involving CSU faculty, staff, and students, helps ensure they are addressed in accordance with applicable federal requirements and University procedures, and reports possible findings to the ORI. 

For more information, refer to CSU’s 

Policies and Procedures for Addressing Allegations of Research Misconduct. 

To report alleged research misconduct, contact edmundo.garcia@csu.edu. 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY 

For guidance on using artificial intelligence in research, please refer to the Office of Research Integrity’s Guidance for Public Health Service Policies on Research Misconduct, 42 CFR Part 93 (2024): Generative Artificial Intelligence. CSU’s General Acceptable Use of Artificial Intelligence Policy aligns with this guidance. 

 

RESEARCH INTEGRITY TRAINING 

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Research grants funded by the Federal Government require RCR training for all participants: 

• National Institutes of Health (NIH). All participants are required to attend appropriate RCR face-to-face training in compliance with NIH Notice # NIH Notice NOT-OD-10-019. 

• National Science Foundation (NSF). RCR training is required for all undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. However, NSF does not specify any required RCR training methods (see NSF Notice 140). This training can be delivered in a face-to-face setting (such as group or lab meetings, seminars, or courses), or online. 

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For grants from the USDA, each institution is responsible for developing its own USDA RCR Training system - either on-campus or off-campus. For the latter, USDA recommends the CITI Program RCR training.