Office of Research Integrity (Compliance)

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) provides guidance to protect the rights, welfare, and security of individuals involved in research activities at WKU and its surrounding communities, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

Committed to maintaining the highest standards, ORI ensures all research at WKU adheres to institutional policies and oversight requirements mandated by federal and state laws. Non-compliance may result in significant penalties for both WKU and individual researchers. WKU is dedicated to fostering a culture of compliance and promoting responsible research conduct.

For inquiries regarding compliance and research integrity, contact the Office of Research Integrity.

Trainings

IRB: Human Subjects

FCOI

IACUC

Export Controls

IBC: Institutional Biosafety Committee

Assurances

Compliance is Everyone's Responsibility

"As coordinator of the BIOL 114: General Biology Laboratory course, I work with the Office of Research Integrity each semester, with great success. BIOL 114 is an introductory-level course for non-science majors, with multiple sections each semester. As part of the Bioethics lab, student groups (often 6-8 per section) each develop a short survey to gauge knowledge and attitudes regarding a current topic they have identified that has both biological and public policy importance. These sets of surveys (with associated informed consent statements) must be submitted for review and approval by the Office of Research Integrity on a very short timeline - students develop the surveys in lab one week and need to be able to distribute approved versions the very next week. I was initially very skeptical that ORI would be able to handle this volume of approvals within the time frame; however, they have invariably returned thoroughly reviewed and approved documents within 2 business days. This expeditious service allows our students to experience the research process to an extent that would not be possible using canned survey labs."

Doug McElroy, Ph.D.

Professor and ChairDepartment of Biology

"Over the past year, the Office of Research Integrity has been an invaluable partner in supporting both my undergraduate and graduate research methods courses. Their team’s guidance and responsiveness, especially with the IRB application process, have been crucial in helping my students’ projects meet regulatory standards in a timely and efficient manner. Even when managing multiple IRB applications at once, the office consistently provided prompt feedback and approvals, ensuring our projects stayed on track. In addition to application reviews, the Office of Research Integrity worked closely with me to verify that my students completed their CITI training. This support not only facilitated their research efforts but also enriched their understanding of ethical research practices, a critical component of their professional development. The Office of Research Integrity’s commitment to fostering research compliance was evident at every step, empowering both me and my students to navigate complex regulations with confidence."

Jieyoung Kong, Ph.D.

Graduate Program Coordinator

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