UConn InfoEd

Information for Principal Investigators Regarding Student Researchers

Per the IRB's standard policy, student researchers may not be listed as Principal Investigator (PI) on an IRB protocol. A faculty member must serve as PI – even for dissertation or master's thesis research that, in all practical aspects, will be conducted solely by student researchers. By serving as PI, a faculty member takes responsibility for the research conducted by the student researcher. PIs must specifically approve all submissions related to student research.

In order for student researchers to submit material to the IRB using the InfoEd system, they must be added as a "delegate" to the PI's InfoEd User Profile. It is IMPORTANT to note that when PIs add a delegate to their profile (whether student researchers or others) he/she will be able to view all of the PI's records (i.e. protocols, extramural research proposals) and messages within the system. In order for student researchers to submit protocols for their research or for them to submit protocols on behalf of the PI (useful if the PI has assigned a graduate student the job of preparing a protocol for the PI's research), they must be given edit access to PIs profile in the InfoEd system. Student researchers will NOT be given signing authority. In the near future, PIs will be able to add delegates to their InfoEd User Profile without the assistance of the Office of Research Compliance. In the meantime, PIs should contact Doug Bradway at (860) 486-0986 or send an e-mail to doug.bradway@uconn.edu with a list of students who should be added to the PIs User Profile.

When submitting protocols to the Office of Research Compliance, student researchers must select the PI as the first person to approve the submission, followed by the Department Head (refer to page 9 of the User Manual). The process to approve a submission is easy and takes just a few minutes. Click the following link for 1 page Instructions for Reviewing and Approving HSD Protocol Submissions.