Institutional Review Board

The mission of the Academic Research Committee (ARC) and its subcommittee, the Institutional Review Board (IRB), is to ensure that University research can be conducted in compliance with federal regulations and institutional policies. Both the ARC and IRB are charged to review and monitor all research conducted under the university’s auspices and protect the welfare, rights, and privacy of all human subjects. 

All research projects must be reviewed and approved by the IRB committee prior to initiation. This policy also applies to students whose research is conducted under the advisement of a faculty member. All research proposals must be reviewed by the IRB and no individual other than the IRB Chair may exempt a proposal from further review.

For additional information involving IRB policy, submission and review procedures, and other general inquiries, please contact irb@southern.edu. For research coaching and other general resources, please view the McKee Library Research Services or the SAU Center for Learning Innovation and Research (CLIR).