Institutional Review Board

This page has links for all materials/instructions necessary to submit an IRB proposal to WCSU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Human Subjects Research.

If you’re wondering Do I need IRB approval for this?, the answer is YES.

 

Luckily, a complete proposal includes only TWO main components:

1. Completed Proposal Form  (click to link)
   • Respond in detail to ALL listed questions on form
   • Provide support materials as appendices (e.g., paste in consent forms, surveys, CFPs)
   • Paste in actual (typed names are not accepted) signature images for all researchers involved/listed. Students & anyone not WCSU-affiliated must include their “WCSU sponsor” (e.g., professor or affiliate) to be considered for review.
2. CITI Human Subjects training (or equivalent)
   
   • Only attach certifications to proposals if they were not completed via WCSU’s (listed in CITI as “Western CT State University”) CITI affiliation. We already have CITI records for anyone completing under our school code.
     

 

All proposals/appendices must be received as ONE complete file (.doc or .docx files ONLY) attachment emailed to IRB@wcsu.edu. Incomplete or incorrectly submitted proposals (e.g., missing docs/sigs, not emailed as ONE “.doc type” file) will not be reviewed.

 

 

WCSU IRB approval must be obtained before beginning sampling or data collection by, with, or on anyone affiliated with WCSU.

During regular semesters, most reviews take ~2 weeks (i.e., Exempt & Expedited proposals are reviewed 1-2x weekly).

Deadline for proposals needing Full Review is – without exception – the 1st of the month. Full proposals received after the 1st are reviewed at next month’s meeting.

Proposals are reviewed only during regular Fall & Spring semesters; proposals for work during breaks must be received/processed in the prior semester. For Summer 2026, May 30th is the last date Exempt/Expedited proposals will be accepted for review (still May 1st deadline for Full Reviews). Outside these times, email responses ≥ month.

 

Academic Year Meetings

Meetings are typically remote and occur, when necessary, during these months only: 

• September
  
• October
  
• November
  
• December
  
• February
  
• March
  
• April
  
• May
  

Applicants for proposals reviewed by the full committee are contacted around mid-month, after we meet as a full committee. 

Direct IRB-related questions during regular semesters to the WCSU IRB Chair at irb@wcsu.edu.