The National Research Act, passed by Congress in 1974, directs all institutions receiving federal support for research and evaluation studies, including universities, public schools, hospitals and nonprofit organizations, to establish Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).

The purpose of the IRB is to review research requests conducted by Wake Tech employees or researchers from other institutions on its premises or under its sponsorship. After careful consideration, the IRB will exempt, approve, regulate or deny any proposed research protocol involving human subjects, including all behavioral or social research studies, which includes evaluation and educational research.

The IRB is guided by the following federal regulations and Wake Tech policies and guidelines:

• Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45: Protection of Human Subjects (45 CFR 46)
• Wake Tech Institutional Research Policy
• Wake Tech Survey Policy
• IRB Guidelines and Operational Procedures

Chair: Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Research

Members:

• Chief Academic Officer
• Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services
• Vice President of Information Technology Services
• Vice President of Workforce Development
• Curriculum Registrar
• Workforce Development Registrar
• Senior Director of Assessment, Research and Evaluation
• Executive Director, Office of the CIO

Submit a completed IRB Intake Form if you are interested in conducting research. The review process may vary, typically ranging from two to six weeks, depending on the type of research being conducted. Submit a completed Extension/Modification Request Form if you have an approved form on file and want to extend your research after one year.

• If your research includes data sharing, please review and complete a draft without signatures of the Data Sharing Agreement and include it with the IRB Intake Form. The IRB will review and contact you for any revisions. Signatures will be procured after final draft is approved.
• If the research includes the administration of a survey, please review Wake Tech's Survey Policy.

Email [email protected] if you have questions.