Quality Assessment Projects

Quality Assessment/Improvement Projects

Some organizational assessment or needs-evaluation projects (e.g., a survey on library services or the effectiveness of a departmental website) may constitute "Not Human Participant Research" (NHPR) and may not require IRB approval. However, individuals should not make this determination themselves.

Moreover, increasingly, some publications or conferences require verification of IRB consultation even for NHPR determinations. The IRB cannot provide retroactive exemptions or NHPR determinations under any circumstances. Thus, check with the IRB before initiating any aspect of a quality assessment program evaluation, etc., to confirm whether your or your student's project falls into this category, and whether it needs some form of IRB submission..