The IRB reviews any research involving human subjects to ensure it complies with federal regulations, meets ethical principles, and protects the rights and welfare of participants. Each application is carefully reviewed, assessing potential risks and benefits to participants, the informed consent process, data collection methods, and data protection measures.

• Research participants: The IRB ensures their rights and well-being are protected throughout the research process.
• Researchers: The IRB provides guidance and support to ensure their research complies with ethical standards and regulatory requirements.
• SLCC community: The IRB safeguards the college's reputation and commitment to ethical research conduct.

Prior to conducting any research at SLCC, the individual(s) involved in the research must complete or have up-to-date CITI training. It is advised that before accessing the IRB application, the researchers have application answers and any study materials prepared for submission. When the researcher is ready, a complete IRB application including CITI certificate and study materials, must be submitted for review. Applications that are complete are considered for review in one of three categories: exempt, expedited, or full review. The review process may take up to 6 weeks. The IRB will communicate with the researcher about any questions or outcomes during the review process.

The following are required for an application to go through IRB review:

• Certificate of complete and up-to-date CITI Training.
• Fully completed IRB application.
• Study materials – anything that is used in the study i.e., focus group protocol, survey questions, informed consent and debriefing forms.

CITI training is mandatory training for any individual planning to conduct human subjects research. CITI training can be time-consuming; therefore it is recommended to begin the training as soon as possible.

To complete CITI training for the first time:

1. Register by selecting your organization affiliation as Salt Lake Community College.
2. You will be asked a series of questions to determine which trainings you will be assigned on the platform. For Question 1 select “Social & Behavioral Research Investigator” and for Question 2 select “Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research”. For the remaining questions, select “Not at this time”.
3. Complete the assigned trainings.

If you have previously completed CITI training, your certification expires after 3 years. To obtain certificates, log into CITI and access your courses. If your certifications have expired, you must complete assigned refresher courses.

Contact the IRB office at irb@slcc.edu to discuss your research project and any questions you may have or submit an IRB Application.