ACU Institutional Review Board Policy
Rationale
Abilene Christian University is comprised of a community of scholars who are committed to the highest level of integrity and ethical conduct in their work. This commitment grows out of the distinctive Christian character of the institution and its members. Respectful of the biblical doctrine of the creation, members of the ACU community are expected to engage in their scholarly activities with due regard for all the created order, both human and non-human. As a teaching institution, the research activities of the faculty and staff serve as exemplars for the students who observe and learn from these activities.
In order to ensure ethical behavior in the conduct of scholarship and research, the University has established this Institutional Review Board policy. This document is meant to ensure that research practices minimize risk to subjects, both human and non-human, and that potential benefits from research activities are maximized. This document articulates procedures that assure the human subject participation is based on equitable selection of subjects, and that participation in human subject research is non-coercive and based on the principle of informed consent. These procedures also provide protections for animal subjects, when used in research by members of the University community.
The procedures described in this document are designed to conform to state and federal requirements for the protection of human and animal subjects. While such conformity is necessary for receiving external funding, the rationale for developing and implementing this document is primarily an expression of the Christian commitment of the institution and its faculty, staff and students.