Faculty Consideration Guide

Faculty serve as mentors, reviewers, and institutional representatives—ensuring that all submissions meet federal regulations (e.g., 45 CFR 46) and university-specific requirements.

Purpose Statement

Faculty advisors play a critical role in ensuring that research conducted under their supervision meets ethical, regulatory, and cultural standards. At Navajo Technical University, faculty guide student and community researchers through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, helping them design responsible studies, protect participant rights, and uphold Diné values and data sovereignty.

Process Outline

This guide helps faculty members understand their role in the IRB process, determine whether their research requires IRB review, and identify the appropriate level of review. Faculty play a critical role in ensuring ethical research practices at NTU.

1 Determine Eligibility

Use the screening questionnaire to determine if your project requires IRB review.

2 Prepare Application

Complete the checklist and gather all required documents for submission.

3 Submit & Await Review

Submit through the portal and respond to any IRB committee requests.

Resources

Determining Eligebility

Take the four question screening quiz to determine if a project requires IRB review.

IRB Training Materials

Learn the basics of ethical research, IRB requirements, and compliance standards.

Submission Timelines

Provide appropriate time estimates for successful IRB submission approval.

Determining Eligibility

Faculty Responsibility for Student Projects

All research involving human subjects conducted by students are to be supervised by a faculty member and be reviewed and approved by the Committee on Institution Research prior to initiation. Investigators may not solicit subject participation or begin data collection until they have received written approval from the CIR.

The faculty advisor has the responsibility for (1) making the decision whether student research activities involving human participants meet eligibility for CIR review; (2) overseeing all research related activities; and (3) assuring that ethical principles are adhered to in the conduct of the project.

An example: consider a student who undertakes an individual or class project that does not involve a vulnerable population and involves no risk to the subjects of the study. The student delivers a presentation on campus (e.g., poster or showcase session or an oral presentation before faculty and peers.) This project would not require CIR review. However, if the results of this otherwise “no or low-risk” project may/might be disseminated at a professional conference, submitted for publication, or published on the World Wide Web, government regulations require prior review by CIR.

For additional support, visit the links below

Ethical Considerations for an IRB Review – An exploratory workshop – Click here

HHS IRB Guidance and Requirements – Institutional Review Board Written Procedures: Guidance for Institutions and IRBs (2025) – Click here

HHS Regulations & Policy – Office for Human Research Protections – Click here

Application Submission Timelines

It is important to submit your full application well in advance to ensure you receive approval in time for your project to begin. The IRB approval process can vary significantly based on several factors, including the type of research, NTU policies, and the time of the year. Here is a general outline of the process, which can take up to 3 months:

Step 1. Determine Need for IRB

1-2 weeks

Assess if your project (with faculty member) requires IRB approval based on the nature of the research.

Step 2. Prepare Application

1-4 weeks

Complete the IRB application, including all necessary documents and training.

Step 3. Submit Application

Submit your application to the IRB for review.

Step 4. Initial Review

1-2 weeks

The IRB conducts an initial review of your application.

Step 5. Full Board Review

2-4 weeks

If required, your application is reviewed by the full board (scheduled meetings).

Step 6. Approval Notification

1 week

Receive notification of approval or required modifications.

Items that can add extra time:

Completing the CITI training.
Obtaining permission from another organization or school to recruit participants from their population.
- This can take days to months, depending on procedures of the site providing permission.

Creating the attachments.
Multiple rounds of revisions. It is important that revised applications only be resubmitted for review after all requested revisions have been made.
- IRB approval is not guaranteed. Time to approval is influenced by a number of factors, including the type of review (exempt, expedited, full board) and the comprehensiveness of the application. Some reviews may take two months or more.
Getting enough participants for analysis.

Whenever possible, IRB approval should be secured in the semester prior to data collection

Regulations

Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 46 (45 CFR 46) Protection of Human Subjects specifies federal regulations for the conduct of research involving human subjects. All human subjects research at Navajo Technical University must be conducted in accordance with 45CFR46. Regulations are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.html

(Ref: 21 CFR Part 312, 812, 45 CFR 46.101(b)(4), (b)(3), 45 CFR 46.402(a), 63 FR 60364-60367, November 9, 1998.)