UNIVERSITY OF KENT
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR RESEARCH COUNCIL GRANTS:
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Terms of Reference and Membership
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference of the Ethics Committee for Research Council Grants:
Social Sciences and Humanities, incorporating the Federalwide Assurance (FWA)
Institutional Review Board (IRB), have been drawn up in accordance with the
requirements of the University of Kent Research Ethics and Governance Committee,
the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) Research Ethics Framework and
the Office for Human Research Protections (USA) (OHRP) regulations for the
protection of human subjects at 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 46 (45 CFR part
46, known as the Common Rule).
1. To protect the dignity, rights and welfare of research participants.
2. To provide ethical review for ESRC funded research projects and those that
are supported or funded by the US Department of Health and Human
Services, and involving human participants, in accordance with the relevant
requirements.
To provide a review process, in accordance with the
necessary requirements of the ESRC and OHRP and to administer
procedures for dealing with appeals and complaints (See Appendix 2 for
ESRC funded projects and Appendix 6 for OHRP projects).
3. To review ESRC funded projects once funding has been confirmed, and to
review projects falling within the FWA before the proposal is submitted to the
funders.
4. To consider all ESRC and FWA research projects which involve human
participants and personal and/or sensitive data and which are undertaken by
University staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students. In the case of
ESRC funded projects those projects where the researcher has answered ‘no’
to all the questions on the review checklist (see Appendix 3) will undergo a
`Light Touch Review’. Where the project is to be considered by the NHS or
equivalent research ethics committee, there will be no requirement for
duplicating the procedure by the project being considered by the Committee.
5. To ensure that the research project meets the key ethical principles of the
ESRC or complies with the Common Rule, as appropriate (See Appendix 1
for ESRC projects and Appendix 5 for OHRP projects).
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To monitor the conduct of research until the project is completed.
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To report to the University’s Research Ethics and Governance Committee
including the provision of an annual monitoring report
Membership (12 members, quorum of 6)
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Chair, Professor of Faculty (nominated by Dean)
Members – Chairs of the Social Sciences School Ethics Committees
Independent members – at least one member external to the University
Specialist in scientific matters (in the case of OHRP funded research projects)
Secretary – Faculty Officer or representative
Should a quorum not be achieved, the members shall take a vote on whether or not
the meeting should proceed or be adjourned until such time as a quorum is achieved.
Members of the ECRCGSS&H will be required to be familiar with ethical principles.
Any member who requires additional support in this should discuss the matter with
their Dean or the administrator responsible for the University’s Research Ethics and
Governance Committee.
Members will be required to declare any conflict of interest with projects being
considered and will not be involved in any decision for projects undertaken in their
School.
The Committee may seek advice and assistance from experts outside the Committee
when considering a research proposal. Where this happens, the Chair will ensure
there is no conflict of interest.
The documentation relating to each proposal will be retained at least for the life of the
project and a period of five years as a minimum. Personal Investigators should do
likewise. Thereafter, the documentation will be disposed of in accordance with the
University’s standard procedures.
Meetings
Meetings will be held annually, at the commencement of the academic year, to
coincide with the University’s Research Ethics and Governance Committee’s
meetings. Additional meetings may be organised as necessary.
Amended October 2013 (ARC/rs)
UNIVERSITY OF KENT
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR RESEARCH COUNCIL GRANTS:
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Membership
Jenny Billings
Chair
Dr Diogo Souza-Monteira
Kent Business School
Dr Eleanor Curran
Kent Law School
tbc
School of Anthropology and Conservation
Dr Joseph Brooks (Autumn)
Dr Afroditi Pina (Spring)
School of Psychology
Jenny Billings
School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social
Research
Dr Phillip Cunliffe
School of Politics & International Relations
Dr Edward Cartwright
School of Economics
Dr Suzanne Martin
Centre for Professional Practice
Professor Bill Gullick (FWA
projects only)
School of Biosciences
Dr David Haney
Chair of Humanities REAG - School of
Architecture
Professor Geoffrey Craig
Centre for Journalism
Dr Matthew Baxter
Independent Member
Sue Williams
Independent Member
Alison Chapman
Secretary
List of Appendices:
Appendix
Document
Economic &
Social Research
Council
1
ESRC Key Principles of Ethical Research
2
Procedures for Ethical Approval of Projects funded by ESRC
3
ESRC Research Ethics Review Checklist
3a
Research Proposals
Federalwide
Assurance
4
Title 45 – Public Welfare, Department of Health and Human
Services, Part 46: Protection of Human Subjects (otherwise
known as the Common Rule)
5
Guidelines for Researchers: Ethical Review of FWA Projects
6
Procedures for Review of FWA Projects
7
Ethical Review Application Form
8
Notice of Substantial Amendment
9
Continuing Review Pro-forma
10
Informed Consent Guidelines
11
Notice of unanticipated Problem/Adverse event
12
Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of
Exemption