Sir Wilfred Grenfell College - Research Ethics Board

Research Ethics Board

The Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Research Ethics Board (SWGC REB) is an advisory committee to the Principal.
Composition of Panel

Membership of the SWGC REB shall be consistent with the requirements concerning Research Ethics Boards (REBs) outlined in Section 1:B2:Article 1.3 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Human Subjects.
Two members with broad expertise in the methods or areas of research covered by the Panel.
One member knowledgeable in ethics.
One member from a division (Science, Arts, Social Science or Fine Arts) not represented in b and c.
One member, not affiliated with Memorial University, chosen from the local community.
When necessary, in cases involving biomedical ethics, one ad hoc member with knowledge of the relevant law.
The Panel may appoint an additional ad hoc member with expertise relevant to the proposalunder consideration when this is deemed necessary.

The Nominating Committee will put forward a slate of names for the REB and also make recommendations about the filing of vacancies when necessary to the Principal for his approval.
Members of the REB are appointed for two year terms with consideration being given to overlapping terms.
The Principal calls the first organizational meeting of the REB each year in April at which time a chairperson will be chosen.
The Academic Council recommends to the Principal that the Terms of Reference of the SWGC REB be as follows:

The REB will conduct ethics reviews of research projects involving human subjects, and where warranted, issue letters of ethical acceptability.
With research proposals involving human subjects, the REB shall follow the guidelines established by the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical conduct for Research Involving Human Subjects.
The Chair of the REB shall be responsible for ensuring that the REB meets when research projects require review.
The Chair of the REB shall be responsible for seeing that appropriate records are kept and letters of ethical acceptability are sent.
Medical research, normally approved by the HIC (St. John’s), research projects involving animals normally approved by the IACC (St. John’s), research involving biohazards, radioactive materials, etc. will be received by the Ethics Panel for the record and will be referred expeditiously to the appropriate panels at MUN, St. John’s Campus, which are mandated to review such projects.
The REB will provide an annual report that will be submitted to the offices of the Principal of SWGC and to the Vice-President of Research.
In September of each year the REB will circulate a memorandum to all faculty providing information of its terms of reference and detailing such guidelines as may be deemed appropriate.
The SWGC REB does not approve student research (including honours thesis/independent project research). Such projects shall be approved by Programme Unit level or Division level ethics committees. When a programme unit or division ethics committee approves student research it shall inform the REB Chair. The programme unit or divisional committees may use the resources of the SWGC REB to aid them in decisions about projects.