Original Date: 4/21/2009 * Last Revision Effective: 5/27/2026
Policy Contact: Executive Director of Effectiveness, Research, and Analytics
Policy
Bellevue College and federal policies and regulations require that any research activities involving human subjects be conducted in such a manner as to:
- respect and protect the rights and welfare of the subjects involved;
- ensure that informed consent is obtained when this is appropriate/required; and
- ensure that potential benefits from the research outweigh any risks
The college is fully committed to ensuring the responsible and ethical treatment of any human subjects involved in research, whether conducted by college students or employees directly, or in partnership with others on or off campus It is the policy of this college to review these activities through an institutional review board (IRB).
To implement this policy, the college will establish and maintain an institutional review board (IRB) under the leadership of the executive director of effectiveness, research, and analytics or designee who will serve as the appointed compliance officer for the purpose of reviewing and monitoring all proposed and ongoing activities, as defined above. The purpose of the IRB is to minimize the risks of injury to human subjects and to ensure maximum protection for the rights and welfare of subjects. Operating guidelines of the IRB shall be consistent with the “Belmont Report” regarding ethical principles and guidelines for research involving human subjects, published in 1979 by The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations for the protection of human subjects (45CFR 46).
Definitions
Human Subject
- Is defined in the regulations as a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or identifiable private information; i.e., information about behavior in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place or information provided for specific purposes that the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public.
Research
- Is defined as “any systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” Generalizable knowledge refers to any systematically gathered data which is intended for dissemination (publication or presentation) beyond the institutional setting and which might reasonably be generalized beyond the research sample.
Risk
- Means that as a consequence of participating in an activity, an individual may reasonably be expected to be exposed to the possibility of injury (physical and/or psychological), beyond the ordinary risks of daily life.
Relevant Laws and Other Resources
#3655P Use of Human Participants in Research Activities
45 CFR 46: HHS Policy for Protection of Human Subjects
Revision History
Original 4/21/2009
Revision 5/21/2009; 9/11/2012; 1/23/2014; 3/5/2014; 5/27/2026
Approved By
Board of Trustees
Last Updated May 27, 2026