Institutional Review Board: Home

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the body at the University of Portland that is charged with review and oversight of research and classroom projects involving human subjects carried out by members of the University community.

The principal function of the IRB is to safeguard the rights and welfare of participants in research activities originating in the University. The IRB exercises oversight and review of research initiated by faculty, staff members, and students in connection with their respective academic pursuits.

The IRB's intention is not to hinder research; its only objective is to ensure that human subjects' rights are protected and that the project complies with federal standards.

The IRB website provides information for University of Portland students, for faculty and staff who plan to conduct research involving human subjects, and for faculty who are supervising student research.

If a faculty member or any student is planning research that includes human subjects, the University requires review by the IRB.

All outside research projects using University of Portland community members as participants must have a research sponsor at the University of Portland, and the local sponsor must submit all project materials (including the Request for Review form) to the University of Portland IRB. The sponsor may be a group, department or faculty member that elects to participate as a principal investigator in the research study. To get permission to conduct research with University of Portland faculty and staff as participants, the local sponsor should submit the project materials directly to the University of Portland IRB. To get permission to conduct research with University of Portland students as participants, the sponsor must also contact the Office of Student Activities for permission from the University of Portland Director of Student Activities.