Research Compliance
UMass Boston’s research compliance activities rest on the joint efforts of investigators, support staff, study participants, and the community, as well as collaboration among departmental, collegiate and central units.
The University’s goal is to provide information, support, and administrative systems necessary to ensure compliance with regulations and policies governing research in the most efficient and effective manner possible. The compliance program is designed to be proactive, transparent and integrated to such an extent that potential issues are identified and mitigated without compromising the conduct of research.
The mission of Research Compliance is to contribute to a culture of research excellence at the University of Massachusetts Boston by
- ensuring compliance with federal, state and local regulations related to research activities;
- creating and supporting an environment that promotes the ethical and responsible conduct of research; and
- developing training and educational resources that promote responsible conduct and integrity in research.
The University compliance program is established in the following core activities:
Awareness, education, and training
Communicating standards, procedures, and responsibilities to investigators, administrators, and staff through appropriate education and training
Communication
Developing and maintaining effective systems of communication, including resources for promptly responding to evolving compliance issues, questions, or concerns
Enforcement and corrective action
Enforcing standards fairly and consistently; promptly investigating and resolving issues of non-compliance; evaluating and modifying compliance procedures where appropriate to prevent recurring situations of non-compliance
Monitoring and auditing
Implementing monitoring and auditing systems to identify problematic areas related to compliance and revising procedures, as necessary, to address problematic areas
Policies and procedures
Designing standards, policies and procedures that adhere to regulatory compliance requirements and facilitate the conduct of research
Program Oversight
Ensuring compliance through senior leadership and independent oversight
Risk assessment
Monitoring changes in compliance policies and examining research activities regularly to identify and reduce the potential for compliance-related breaches to occur
Roles and responsibilities
Maintaining clear roles and responsibilities for all concerned with UMass Boston’s research enterprise, using due care and appropriate oversight when assigning compliance responsibilities
Have a concern about research compliance?
Compliance Hotline UMass Boston has established a hotline to provide a way to anonymously report activities that may involve improper conduct or violations of research compliance policies. Call 1.866.415.5124 to report your concern |
Contact Information: Kristen Kenny, Quinn Administration Building, 2nd Floor, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, University of Massachusetts Boston,100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393, Phone: 617.287.5374, Fax: 5396, Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm