I. Policy Summary

All policies under the purview of the Office of Research (OR) are reviewed and updated systematically to ensure continuous alignment with federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance), sponsoring agency requirements (NSF, NIH, NASA, DOD, etc.), and university governance.

II. Policy Purpose

This policy establishes a formal framework for the creation, review, and maintenance of Research Administration policies. It ensures that institutional guidelines reflect the evolving landscape of sponsored programs and federal oversight.

III. Policy Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to all administrative, financial, and compliance policies maintained or originated within the Office of Research and its subsidiary units.

IV. Definitions

• Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200): The federal government's framework for grants management.
• Sponsor-Specific Requirements: Supplemental regulations issued by agencies (e.g., NIH Grants Policy Statement, NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
• Policy Committee: The governing body responsible for institutional research policy oversight.

V. Policy Statement

The Office of Research Policy Committee reviews all departmental policies biannually or in response to regulatory changes.

To maintain compliance with external sponsors:

• Federal Alignment: Policies must be updated immediately upon significant changes to the Uniform Guidance or agency-specific terms (e.g., new NSF/NIH disclosure requirements or DOD cybersecurity standards).
• Industry & Non-Profit Relations: Policies shall account for the unique IP and overhead requirements of industry-sponsored research.
• Oversight: The Associate Vice Provost for Sponsored Research Administration for Research, Senior Executive Director of Sponsored Research Programs Administration, and the Director of Sponsored Research Administration hold ultimate authority over policy veracity.

VI. Procedures

1. Scheduled Review: The Committee meets as needed. Directors must review and monitor regulations that have a direct effect on the Sponsored Research portfolios 30 days prior to the meeting to assess applicability.
2. Ad Hoc/Emergency Updates: In the event of a change in federal law (e.g., updates to 2 CFR 200.306 regarding cost sharing) or University mandate, the Executive Director may bypass the semesterly schedule to implement immediate policy revisions.
3. Submission Process: Proposed drafts must be submitted to the Committee at least one week before a scheduled meeting.
4. Dissemination: Once approved, revised policies are updated in the institutional repository and communicated to the faculty and research staff.
    

VII. Roles & Responsibilities

VIII. Authority and Responsibility

The Office of Research maintains institutional authority over these matters. Questions regarding the interpretation of federal or sponsor-specific regulations should be directed to the Director, Sponsored Research Administration.

Related Regulations:

• OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
• NSF PAPPG / NIH Grants Policy Statement
• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) for DOD/NASA contracts

I. Policy Summary

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is expected of all faculty, students, staff and external collaborators engaged in research activities. NJIT relies on the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to provide this training to the NJIT community. CITI records and system administration is managed by the assistant director for research compliance and integrity in the Office of Research.

II. Policy Purpose
All members of the NJIT community are expected to follow the Code of Ethics as adopted by the State of New Jersey. Projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have specific requirements regarding training in RCR. Additionally, all members of the NJIT community engaged in research are expected to always conduct their research with integrity and intellectual honesty. To facilitate these expectations, faculty, students, and staff are expected to engage in RCR training.

III. Policy Scope and Applicability
This policy is in effect for all units of NJIT and applies to all sponsored programs.

IV. Definitions
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) is defined as the practice of scientific investigation with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research.

V. Policy Statement
Federal requirements require RCR training for scholars funded by NSF, USDA and NIH. All NJIT researchers working on projects funded by these sponsors must complete all RCR requirements as delineated by each sponsor. Faculty and research personnel associated with research grants and contracts are required to complete RCR training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program. This requirement must be completed within the first 6 months of support and/or employment and/or participation on the award. All individuals must complete basic training even if supported or employed less than 12 months.

RCR training for graduate students may be achieved by completing the appropriate CITI courses. RCR training for undergraduate students may be achieved by completing the appropriate CITI courses or by completing a professional ethics  course (PHIL 334 or equivalent) with a minimum of “C” grade.

VI. Procedures
Current procedures and requirements for completing RCR training can be found at the Office of Research website. Specific RCR training requirements will vary by discipline and project. Questions concerning what training any individual is required to complete should be directed to the assistant director for research compliance.

VII. Roles & Responsibilities
The assistant director for research compliance is charged with maintaining accurate records of RCR training for the NJIT community. On a semesterly basis, the assistant director will furnish to the associate vice provost for graduate studies a list of all graduate students indicating their training status. On a semesterly basis, the assistant director will alert all faculty and research staff whose training is set to expire. On a semesterly basis, the assistant director will furnish to the executive director, sponsored research programs administration a list of all faculty and research staff whose training has expired. It is the responsibility of the executive director to follow up with appropriate chairs and deans to alert them of the faculty and staff in their departments whose training has expired. Faculty and staff with expired training are not eligible to submit proposals for sponsored projects nor protocols for compliance oversight (IRB, IBC, IACUC) until the training has been updated.

VIII. Authority and Responsibility
The Office of Research has institutional authority for the matters addressed in this policy. Questions related to this policy are to be directed to the executive director, sponsored research programs administration.

Related Policies and Regulations
Policy on Integrity in Scholarship

1. Policy Summary

This policy provides guidelines for the research security training requirements for sponsored projects for all senior and key personnel at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (“NJIT”) that extend beyond the general responsible conduct of research (RCR) training detailed in Research Policy 1.2.

2. Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the research security training requirements and internal process for NJIT personnel involved in sponsored projects.

3. Policy Scope and Applicability

This policy is in effect for all units of NJIT and applies to all sponsored projects.

4. Definitions

The following definition shapes the guidance regarding required training:

The CITI Research Security Training (Combined) is a condensed and combined version of the National Science Foundation’s more extensive Research Security Training. The course contains the current SECURE Center Consolidated Training Module (CTM), designed to meet all of the Research Security Training requirements of the CHIPS and Science Act. NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, NASA, and USDA all recognize completion of the CTM as being compliant with their respective research security training requirements. The module is presented in an interactive manner and includes an introduction to research security, the importance of disclosure, risk mitigation and management, and international collaboration.  The CTM also satisfies NIH’s other support disclosure training requirement since it includes content on the importance of disclosure.  This training is expected to take approximately one hour.

5. Policy Statement

All senior and key personnel included in a sponsored project must complete the required training annually. This annual training must be completed within 12 months of a proposal submission date and any personnel joining a project will be required to take the training before they can be added to the project. The training requirements will be updated regularly in response to need and changes in regulations. Currently, federal agencies set expectations about training and policies separately, and this policy aims to be broad and apply to all agencies.

Additional training may be required based on sponsor requirements.

6. Procedures

All senior and key personal take the CITI course titled “Research Security Training (Combined)” in a timely manner.

7. Roles & Responsibilities

• Senior and key personal
  • Take the CITI course “Research Security Training (Combined)” promptly.
  • Ensure any potential additional training is completed in a timely manner.
• Pre-award services
  • Confirm senior and key personnel have taken the required training before submission.
  • Proposals will not be submitted if the training is not taken within 12 months of submission for all known senior and key personnel.
• Research compliance
  • Send reminders about post submission training for senior and key personnel added after submission, and for all to have the training at least once in the 12 months after submission.

8. Authority and Responsibility

The Office of Research has institutional authority for the matters addressed in this policy. Questions related to this policy are to be directed to the Office of Research.