The Research Review Process

1. Proposals are submitted to the respective offices and assigned a reference number.
   • MCC Faculty, Staff and External proposals should be turned in to the Office of Research and Planning (AD building).
   • Student proposals should be turned in to the Psychology Office  (BP building)
     
     
2. Proposals are then sent to the appropriate review board: 
   • External proposals go to MCCCD IRB
   • MCC Faculty and Staff go to CRRC,  
   • MCC Student proposals go to the student CRRC.
     
     
3. When possible, proposals should be distributed to CRRC members for consideration prior to the CRRC meeting.  The review board convenes and reviews the proposal.  The research may be deemed exempt, expedited or be referred to the MCCCD IRB for full review.
• Definition of exempt research
• Definition of expedited research
  
  
4. If the proposal is deemed exempt or approved, the primary investigator will be notified and the research may begin.
   
   
5. If the project is approved subject to restrictions, then the chair completes the “Action of the CRRC form”, signs and dates it, and distributes it to the PI as a project approved with restrictions.  The PI must then respond to the restrictions as indicated by the IRB.  Upon receipt and approval of the responses, the restrictions are removed and the project is then processed as an approved project and distributed as described above.
   
   
6. Tabled action means that the project was not sufficiently complete for the CRRC to reach a decision.  The PI is notified by the Chair of the CRRC that specific additional information is required. In the case of a tabled project, the PI may be invited to attend a CRRC meeting to present/clarify the project for the Board.
   
   
7. If the project is not approved by the CRRC, it automatically will be referred the the MCCCD IRB for Full Board Review.  The District IRB may then decide whether the project should be accepted or not and the Chair of the MCCCD IRB will notify the PI of the outcome.
   
   
8. The CRRC may conduct continuing review of research at intervals appropriate to the degree of risk but not less than once per year.  The PI will be notified of the continuing review status by receipt of a continuing review form which must be completed and returned to the CRRC Chair.  See Institutional Review Board Handbook for details.

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Office of Research & Planning Phone: (480) 461 - 7213 or contact us.