1. Composition of Panel
a. Membership of the GC-REB shall be consistent with the requirements concerning Research Ethics Boards (REBs) outlined in Chap 6: Article 6.4 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Human Participants:
The GC-REB shall consist of at least five members, including both men and women, of whom:
(a) Two members with broad expertise in the methods or areas of research covered by the Panel.
(b) One member knowledgeable in ethics.
(c) One member from a Division (Science, Arts, Social Science or Fine Arts) not represented in b and c.
(d) One member not affiliated with Memorial University of Newfoundland chosen from the local community.
(e) When necessary, one ad hoc member with knowledge of the relevant law.
(f) The Panel may appoint an additional ad hoc member with expertise relevant to the proposal under consideration when this is deemed necessary.
To ensure the independence of GC-REB decision making, institutional senior administrators shall not serve on the GC-REB.
2. The Nominating Committee will put forward a slate of names for the GC-REB and also make recommendations about the filling of vacancies when necessary to the AVP Research for approval.
3. Members of the GC-REB are appointed for two year terms with consideration being given to overlapping terms.
4. The AVP Research calls the first organizational meeting of the GC-REB each year in September at which time a chairperson will be chosen.
5. The Academic Council recommends to the AVP Research that the Terms of Reference of the GC-REB be as follows:
a. The GC-REB will conduct ethics reviews of research projects involving human participants, and where warranted, issue letters of ethical acceptability.
b. With research proposals involving human participants, the GC-REB shall follow the guidelines established by the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical conduct for Research Involving Human Participants.
c. The Chair of the GC-REB shall be responsible for ensuring that the GC-REB meets when research projects require review.
d. The Chair of the GC-REB shall be responsible for seeing that appropriate records are kept and letters of ethical acceptability are sent.
e. The GC-REB will provide an annual report that will be submitted to the offices of the AVP Research (Grenfell) and to the Vice-President of Research.
f. In September of each year the GC-REB will circulate a memorandum to all faculty providing information of its terms of reference and detailing such guidelines as may be deemed appropriate.
g. The GC-REB does not approve undergraduate student research (including honours thesis/independent project research). Such projects shall be approved by Program Unit level or Division level ethics committees. When a program unit or division ethics committee approves student research it shall inform the GC-REB to aid them in decisions about projects.
For more information:
Lan Ma
Research Office – AS320
Tel: 709-639-7596
Email: gcethics@grenfell.mun.ca