Conducting Research at MACC

MACC supports and encourages the professional growth of our students, faculty, staff, and researchers from outside of our institution.  We want to ensure that human subjects (living individuals) and their personally identifiable information (PII) are protected at all times in any research project.  

Anyone who would like to conduct research at MACC that involves human subjects (and/or their PII), must submit their project for review to the Research Review Panel by filling out the Research Proposal Application.  The completed application should be sent to Dr. Todd Martin, Vice President for Instruction (toddmartin@macc.edu).

MACC’s Research Review Panel consists of the Vice President for Instruction, the Director of Institutional Reporting and Compliance, and representatives from the following areas:  Social Science, Math/Science, Workforce and Technical Education, and Health Sciences. 

To determine whether a proposed project is considered Exempt or Non-Exempt Human Subject Research, panel members will refer to National Institutes of Health guidance:https://grants.nih.gov/policy/humansubjects/research.htm.  

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Todd Martin, Vice President for Instruction, toddmartin@macc.edu or 660-263-4100 x 11264 or

Meghan Holleran, Director of Institutional Reporting & Compliance, meghanholleran@macc.edu or 660-263-4100 x 11208.

Helpful links:

https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/

https://grants.nih.gov/policy/humansubjects/research.htm

https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/education-and-outreach/online-education/human-research-protection-training

https://www.dol.gov/general/ppii

https://acrpnet.org/courses/ethics-human-subject-protection/

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

Procedures for Applying to Conduct Research at MACC

Below are the procedures for applying to conduct research at MACC. This applies to both internal and external requests.

1. Fill out the Research Proposal Application.
2. Submit the Research Proposal Application to the Vice President for Instruction. The more detail provided on this application, the less likely the Panel will require you to answer additional questions or provide additional documentation.
3. Reply to any/all requests for additional information from the Research Review Panel.

It will assist the Research Review Panel in reviewing your application if you answer the questions on the application form in such a way that indicates you have considered the following:

• Does my research involve the collection/study of existing data that are publicly available or recorded without identifiers linked to subjects?
• Will it be conducted in commonly accepted educational settings involving normal educational practices such as instructional strategies, techniques, curricula, classroom management methods?
• Will it involve the use of educational tests, survey procedures, interview procedures or observation where the subjects cannot be identified? And there will be no disclosure of the subjects’ responses?

If the answer is yes to any of the below questions, you may be asked to provide additional information/documentation or complete training to conduct research on human subjects.

• Does my research involve personally identifiable information (PII) of the subjects?
• Will it contain sensitive data that may be painful or embarrassing to the subjects?
• Does it involve more than minimal risk to the safety and/or wellbeing of the subjects?
• Does it involve deception?
• Will there be recorded audio or video of subjects?
• Will the subjects be under 18 or from vulnerable populations (e.g., disabled, pregnant, prison)?