Research Compliance

Research Integrity and Compliance

Research activities at Merrimack College are governed by federal, state, and institutional policies that ensure: 

  • Scientific integrity
  • Safeguard the welfare of human subjects involved in research
  • Protect the health and safety of Merrimack’s faculty, staff, and students involved with research

All Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for the compliance with all research regulations applicable to their project. The failure to do so will place Merrimack College, as well as the individual, at risk for violations which could result in administrative, civil, and criminal fines and penalties.

Prior to submission of a proposal, each PI, Co-PI, and senior personnel named in the proposal are required to review the Conflict of Interest (COI) and the Research Misconduct Policies, and complete the COI and Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training. COI and RCR online training is provided by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). Instructions on how to access and register for CITI certification can be found on the Institutional Review Board website.

Each PI, Co-PI, and senior personnel must certify whether they have a significant financial interest related to the proposed activity. The activity, which describes their significant financial interest or potential conflict of interest, must be provided in the proposal text or as an attachment to the proposal prior to submission.

Steps to manage or eliminate conflicts of interest will be incorporated into a Conflict Resolution Plan approved by the Office of the Provost. Each investigator must certify that they will adhere to all terms and conditions of a Conflict Resolution Plan prior to the Merrimack’s acceptance of an award. The PI will be required to periodically reports/update information.

Institutions are responsible for verifying that undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by the NSF to conduct research have received training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. The online CITI training is available to students to complete the required training. Faculty members supervising or mentoring students on federally funded projects are required to monitor that the student training has been completed.

If you have any questions or concerns about these requirements, please contact research@merrimack.edu.