COMPLIANCE
COMPLIANCE
Embedded Files
Depending on the scope of your research, compliance responsibilities as an investigator can vary. Please consult the sections below to find documents, forms, and more information on required training and research integrity.
Colby's committee responsible for reviewing and overseeing all research involving human subjects, to ensure it is conducted ethically and in compliance with institutional policies, as well as state, federal, and international laws and regulations.
Colby College is dedicated to the highest standards of vertebrate animal care and to the ethical treatment of animals. To undertake research on vertebrate animals on campus, your project must be approved by the Colby IACUC.
Colby College is committed to fostering an environment that promotes research integrity and the responsible conduct of research, discourages research misconduct, and deals promptly with allegations or evidence of potential research misconduct.
The NIH and the NSF have put into effect conflict of interest (COI) policies, which require investigators to review the relevant policy, complete required training, and disclose any significant financial interests prior to submitting a proposal to one of these agencies.
Effective October 10, 2025
Effective October 10, 2025
NSF requires research security training certifications from proposers and individuals identified as senior/key personnel by the proposer.
Faculty and students working in an NSF- supported laboratory are required to register and complete Responsible Conduct of Research modules.
Click here to register for a CITI account, and access the Guide to Getting Started for additional information.
Additional info on Conflict of Interest & Training requirements
for federally-funded research
Financial Conflict of Interest
Financial Conflict of Interest
The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation have put into effect financial conflict of interest (FCOI) policies for all persons who submit a proposal. The responsibility for instituting the policy rests with the “responsible representative” at the College: in our case, Colby's Office of Sponsored Programs & Scholarship.
Investigators will be required to review the relevant policy and disclose any significant financial interests prior to submitting a proposal to one of these agencies. In addition, NIH awardees will be required to undergo training on this federal regulation prior to the expenditure of any grant funds.
Information concerning identified FCOIs held by senior/key personnel prior to the expenditure of funds will be made available within five (5) business days of a written request.
For questions or to make a request for information, contact Seven Grenier, (207) 859-4341, sgrenier@colby.edu in the Office of Sponsored Programs, or email grants@colby.edu.
Research Security Training (Required for federally-supported research)
Research Security Training (Required for federally-supported research)
Research Security Training – Effective October 10, 2025
Research Security Training – Effective October 10, 2025
NSF requires research security training certifications from proposers and individuals identified as senior/key personnel by the proposer. Proposers may utilize any training that addresses cybersecurity, international collaboration, foreign interference, and rules for proper use of funds, disclosure, conflict of commitment, and conflict of interest.1
Research Security Training Requirement for Federal Award Personnel: In accordance with Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234), each individual identified as a senior/key person must certify that they have completed the requisite research security training that meets the requirements specified in Item 2 of Important Notice No. 149 within 12 months prior to proposal submission.
Certification Regarding Research Security Training for Federal Research Award Personnel: In accordance with Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234), the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must certify that all individuals identified as senior/key personnel have completed the requisite research security training that meets the requirements specified in Item 2 of Important Notice No. 149 within 12 months prior to proposal submission.
Certification Regarding Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) (Applies to Institutions of Higher Education Only): The AOR is required to complete a certification that the institution has a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and other senior/key personnel who will be supported by NSF to conduct research and that such training addresses mentor training and mentorship, training to raise awareness of potential research security threats, and Federal export control, disclosure, and reporting requirements.
NSF, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD), have provided four online research security training (RST) modules as a resource to awardee organizations. Subsequently, the SECURE Center developed an updated and condensed version of the four modules. The condensed RST module is designed to meet the government-wide RST requirement in Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234). To that end, NSF, NIH, DOE, and DOD all recognize completion of the condensed module as compliant with their respective RST requirements. Once completed, please share the certificate with the Colby's Office of Sponsored Programs & Scholarship (grants@colby.edu) and we will keep a copy on file.
Responsible Conduct of Research Training
Responsible Conduct of Research Training
Site: CITI Responsible Conduct of Research Program
If you have new students working in a National Science Foundation (NSF) supported laboratory during the academic year, they will need to register and complete the ethics training modules in order to comply with the NSF Implementation of Section 7009 of the America COMPETES Act, which are federal guidelines established that require institutions to present a plan for “appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research.”
Colby College has devised a campus-wide plan for ethics training to comply with this mandate. The sponsor of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) modules is CITI.
Click here to register for a CITI account, and click the Register button. For additional guidance through the CITI registration process, you can access the Guide to Getting Started.
In step 1 of the registration process, select Colby College as your organization.
In step 5, indicate that you are not interested in receiving Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.
In step 6, select (if a student) Student Researcher – Undergraduate as your Role in Research completing these modules. You can decline to take all of the other, optional courses.
Once you have created your CITI account, please complete the Responsible Conduct of Research module first. Your CITI account will track your progress through this module, so you don’t need to complete it all in one sitting.
Once you have completed the course, return to the Main Menu, and follow the link to View Previously Completed Coursework. For this page, you can download or print your Completion Report.
For questions, contact Seven Grenier, x4341, sgrenier@colby.edu in the Office of Sponsored Programs & Scholarship, or email grants@colby.edu.
Contact us.
Contact us.
Please reach out to us any time we can help!
To find specific team members and their contact info, visit the Meet the Team page.
To view answers to some common questions, see our Frequently Asked Questions.
Feedback on this website? Please share it with us to improve.
To send a general inquiry, email grants@colby.edu.
Page updated
Report abuse