PrintGeneric SREC Terms of Reference
Student Research Ethics Committees (SRECs)
Terms of Reference
Purpose:
The Terms of Reference were constructed to conform
with the Tri-Council Policy Statement “Ethical Conduct for Research
Involving Humans” (1998), or TCPS. All quotations and references
are from that document. The Tri-Council Policy is available on the web
at
Adoption
& Modification:
The Terms of Reference, together with the appended
“Review Process & Procedures” document and any changes
thereof, must be approved by all the members of the SREC and by the McMaster
Research Ethics Board (MREB).
Scope:
All research involving humans as research participants
must be reviewed by either the MREB or a SREC (TCPS,
Article 1.1a). Research is defined as “a systematic
investigation to establish facts, principles or generalizable knowledge” (TCPS,
Article 1.1.a). This includes research conducted for a McMaster
course that is supervised by an individual who is not affiliated with
the University. Research requiring review includes not only experimental
protocols, but also research involving naturalistic observation, questionnaires,
interviews, or secondary use of data that are not in the public domain.
It also extends to research involving human remains, tissues, biological
fluids, or foetuses (TCPS,
Article 1.1b, 1.1c, 2.3, 3.3).
1.
Each SREC shall review research
conducted by undergraduate
students when:
a)
it is conducted as part of an undergraduate course offered by a member
department; and
b)
it is not part of a faculty member’s research programme already
subject to review by the MREB (TCPS,
Article 1.4).
Undergraduate research for a course that is supervised
by individuals outside the SREC department membership shall be reviewed
by the SREC, unless it is subject to review by the MREB or by another
Ethics Board (outside the University) in compliance with the Tri‑Council
Policy. Research conducted by graduate students and faculty members must
be reviewed by the MREB (and, when relevant, the Ethics Board of the institution
where the research will be conducted).
2.
The SREC shall also consider
any other ethical issues that arise which concern undergraduates
and research with human participants, such as subject pools and
undergraduate education about ethics.
Composition
of SRECs:
The Department(s) and/or Faculty(ies)
[identify the department(s) and/or
Faculty(ies)], shall form a SREC for
the review of undergraduate research. The
membership, constituted of a minimum of five members in total
[1]
, shall encompass expertise
in various methodologies used in departmental research and in ethical
issues that arise in such research. The SREC shall consult relevant
experts within and outside the member departments, as necessary.
Selection
of Members:
Members (and any necessary replacements) shall be
appointed by the appropriate Dean(s), in writing, in consultation
with the Chairs of the member departments. Faculty members
shall serve for staggered 3 - year terms; and undergraduate members
for 1- year terms. Terms are renewable. The Chair of the SREC shall
be selected by the Committee members or the Dean(s). Membership changes
shall be reported to the MREB on an ongoing basis.
Reporting:
The SREC Chair shall submit an Annual Report to
the MREB by July 1st each year, reporting on the proposals
reviewed and approved. The
Office of Research Services shall supply administrative support for
the SREC. Applications, records of decisions and Minutes of SREC meetings
shall be kept for 5 years (TCPS,
Article 1.8).
The procedures
were constructed to conform with the Tri-Council Policy Statement(TCPS) “Ethical
Conduct for Research Involving Humans” (1998). All quotations
and references are from that document. The TCPS is available
on the web at:
Adoption
and modification:
These procedures
and any subsequent changes to them must be approved by all the members
of SREC and by the McMaster Research Ethics Board (MREB).
Types
of Applications Reviewed by SRECs:
Applications
may be made for (a) an individual undergraduate research project, or
(b) for a generic research project to be conducted by several students
of a course. Although the undergraduate researcher
is encouraged to be involved in constructing the application, the final
application must come from the supervisor or course instructor and must
be signed by the supervisor/instructor.
The
research may not begin until the SREC or MREB (if
the application has been referred to the latter) has given its approval.
Application
Forms:
Application forms for both individual research and course projects are available electronically from the Office of Research Services (ORS) web site:
Course Form:http://www.mcmaster.ca/ors/ethics/faculty_forms.htm (in
Word or WordPerfect formats).
Individual Form:http://www.mcmaster.ca/ors/ethics/students_forms.htm (in
Word or WordPerfect formats).
Submission
and Review Procedures:
Applications
may be submitted as an email attachment, followed by one signed hard
copy OR may be made by submitting five (5)
hard copies to:
Michael
Wilson, Research Ethics Officer, SRECs
c/o
Office of Research Services, GH-306
e-mail: srebsec@mcmaster.ca
Applications
must be received by ORS, on behalf of the SREC, well in advance of the
planned start date of the research.
Each SREC
establishes its own schedule of regular meetings. Meeting
schedules are posted on the ORS web site (http://www.mcmaster.ca/ors/ethics/students_forms.htm).
In reaching
its decisions, the SREC will be guided by the principles outlined in
the TCPS, especially the ethical framework described in its introductory
section, Section 2 on Free
and Informed Consent and Section 3 on Privacy
and Confidentiality. Whenever possible, the SREC shall make
decisions in face‑to‑face meetings (TCPS, Articles 1.7, 1.9).
However, proposals that fit the Tri-Council’s definition of minimal
risk--without the least doubt--may
be reviewed and approved by email or mail circulation. Each application
shall be reviewed by at least three (3) SREC members and approval will
be granted only when the decision is unanimous. If unanimity cannot
be reached, the application shall considered by the full SREC, with
a face-to-face meeting with the applicant. It is anticipated that the
three (3) reviewers, or the full SREC, will normally reach a consensus
and, if necessary, will work with the applicant to improve the initial
proposal.
If the SREC
is reviewing an application in which a SREC member has a personal interest
(e.g. as a researcher, as an entrepreneur or as a course instructor)
that member shall not be involved in the decision (TCPS,
Article 1.12).
Class/group
applications will be approved for a three-year period, with the understanding
that no significant changes take place during that time. After a three-year
period, a request for renewal will need to be submitted by the applicant.
Referral
to MREB:
The SREC may refer an application to the MREB. Examples
of situations in which referral would be appropriate are research
that the SREC thinks may be of more than minimal risk, research
involving ethical or legal issues for which it does not have
adequate expertise, and cases for which conflicts of interest
reduce its size to fewer than three (3) members.
Appeals:
Every attempt shall be made to work with the applicant
to reach agreement through discussion, revision, and reconsideration. When agreement cannot be reached, decisions
of the SREC may be appealed to the MREB, whose decision shall
be final.
Reconsideration
of these procedures: These procedures shall be reviewed
no later than June, 2001.
First Update: December 2000
Last
Update: May 2008
1Of the five members, there must be a minimum of three faculty members. Each participating department must be represented by a minimum of one faculty member. The remaining SREC membership may be complemented with the addition of student representatives, but student representation is not mandatory. Where more than one student sits on the committee, it is recommended that at least one student be an undergraduate.