Human Subjects — Start Here
Does your project need approval?
See Cal Poly’s Policy for the Use of Human Subjects in Research. Read the section on "Applicability of this Policy." The Frequently Asked Questions page also answers many questions.
Do you want to submit a new project for review?
Refer to "The Review Process" on the Policy for the Use of Human Subjects in Research page, and also to Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.
Where should you submit your project?
Refer to "The Review Process" on the Policy for the Use of Human Subjects in Research page. Projects, whether exempt/minimal, expedited, or full review should be submitted to the Chair of the Human Subjects Committee via Debbie Hart, dahart@calpoly.edu.
Do you need to request a renewal of a previously approved project?
Send an email to the Chair of the Human Subjects Committee, Steve Davis, sdavis@calpoly.edu, with a copy to Debbie Hart, dahart@calpoly.edu. In the email, state whether or not there have been any adverse events and also if there will be any modifications to the project, and provide any modified documents.
Do you want to submit a modification to a previously approved project?
Send an email to the Chair of the Human Subjects Committee, Steve Davis, sdavis@calpoly.edu, with a copy to Debbie Hart, dahart@calpoly.edu. In the email, describe the proposed modifications to the project, and provide any modified documents.
Want to avoid common problems that cause delays?
First, read carefully the Policy, the Guidelines, and the Frequently Asked Questions. Second, provide all documents required for review — the Protocol Approval Form, the research protocol (description of methodology), the informed consent form(s), and any other documents or information provided to the subjects, such as recruitment materials, interview questions, surveys, questionnaires, etc. Third, make sure your protocol clearly states the research problem, or hypothesis, that you are studying and provide information on how your results will be used. And, lastly, double-check the documents that will be distributed to the subjects for correct grammar, spelling, and usage of language, whether English, Spanish, or other.