Institutional Assurance

UMKC certifies that all research activities are conducted under the same ethical principles, policies, and procedures—regardless of funding source. Regulations require policies and procedures for:

• Investigating and reporting Research Misconduct

• Investigating and reporting Conflicts of Interest

• Approval and management of Research Budgets

• Ensuring compliance with Laboratory Safety Rules and use of hazardous substances

• Providing training for researchers using human or animal subjects

All students and postdocs funded directly or indirectly by NSF must complete RCR training and certification before engaging in NSF-supported research.

NSF Requirement

The America COMPETES Act (2007) requires NSF-funded undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars to undergo RCR training.

• Applies to all proposals submitted on/after January 4, 2010.

• Certification of an institutional training plan is required at the time of proposal submission.

• Institutions must verify that participants have completed training.

• Reference: NSF Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and Federal Register Notice, August 20, 2009.

Developing an RCR Training Plan

NSF does not prescribe specific content. Institutions are encouraged to tailor plans to the needs and career paths of their researchers.

For comparison, NIH’s RCR training has traditionally included nine core content areas:

1. Data acquisition, management, sharing, and ownership

2. Conflicts of interest and commitment

3. Human subjects protections

4. Animal welfare

5. Research misconduct

6. Publication practices and responsible authorship

7. Mentor/trainee responsibilities

8. Peer review

9. Collaborative science

Online Training at UMKC

UMKC provides RCR training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program).

• Register at: CITI Homepage

• Select University of Missouri–Kansas City as your affiliated institution.

• Complete the RCR modules relevant to your discipline.

• A certificate is issued upon successful completion and serves as official documentation.

Sponsored Projects is subject to NSF review and must verify completion for all NSF-supported personnel.

Additional Resources

• NSF Responsible Conduct of Research – NSF policy background

• NIH RCR Training Guidance – For NIH-funded trainees

• CITI Program Registration – UMKC’s designated online training platform