IRB Meeting Schedule and Submission Deadlines

Please refer to the schedules and deadlines below for when submitting your application.

Students, if you plan to graduate in a given semester, you must apply during the semester prior to the one in which you plan to graduate, allowing ample time for the entire review process and implementation. The only exception to this is courses which have built in a deadline of February 1st (e.g., certain SSW and PSYCH two semester courses).

After the IRB reviews your application and issues a decision, you must submit any requested modifications within 6 months of the notification. Otherwise, the IRB with automatically withdraw your application, and you will need to re-apply.

Full Review

We recommend that you apply at least 3 months prior to the start of your project for full review. If you are involving prisoners in research, please allow more time, as there are special requirements which must be met according to federal regulations.

Researchers will usually receive a decision letter within 1 week of the meeting date (depending on review volume).

If after review, your initial application is granted "deferred" status, this means that your modifications will need to be reviewed as full at a future convened meeting, based on submission by the appropriate deadline. If your initial application is granted a "modifications required" status, this means that your modifications will be reviewed outside of a meeting by a smaller number of members. Review of modifications outside of a meeting usually takes 1 week (depending on review volume).

NOTE:

• Submissions received by the deadline, but in an incomplete state (e.g., missing the advisor's signature, missing documents necessary for proper review, etc.), will be held for the next meeting cycle, without exception.
• Submissions received after the close of business on the day of the deadline will be held for the next  meeting cycle, without exception.
• Certain types of research may require the IRB to consult with an expert in a particular field (e.g., medical specialist, pharmacist, etc.), and research involving prisoners requires activation of our Prisoner Advocate. These situations often involve additional review time. Please plan accordingly.

Expedited Review

We recommend that you apply at least 2 months prior to the start of your project for expedited review.

The turnaround time for expedited review is normally  3 weeks from the deadline for the review of initial applications, continuing review/renewal applications and requests for revisions to previously approved research, assuming that application packages are complete at the time of submission. Deadlines are each MONDAY by 4:30 PM. Applications received after the deadline will be subject to the following week's submission cycle. Decision letters will be uploaded into IRBNet by the Monday three weeks following the initial submission deadline (except where noted).

Turnaround for review of modifications requested by the IRB is usually 1 week.

NOTE:
Please plan ahead, especially during summer and holiday periods. While we will make every effort to adhere to the below schedule, application handling and review time are affected by the condition of your submission, current volume, and staffing. As all researchers are equally important to us, the IRB reviews on a first-come, first-served basis and makes every effort to process and review in as timely a fashion as possible.

Exempt Review

Exempt applications are accepted on a rolling basis. There are no weekly deadlines. The turnaround time is typically 1 week, assuming the submission is complete upon receipt by the Exempt Review Committee (ERC). If incomplete, the turnaround will be based on the date of completion of the package.