Policy and procedures to be followed in cases of allegations of dishonesty or misconduct in research are coordinated through the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research.
Purpose
Upholding the highest ethical and professional standards in research activities is a priority at the University of Southern Indiana. USI is committed to fostering an environment that promotes research integrity and the responsible conduct of research and deals promptly with allegations or evidence of possible research misconduct.
All members of the University of Southern Indiana community, including faculty, students, and staff, are expected to conduct research with honesty, rigor, and transparency. Each institutional member is responsible for fostering a culture that supports research integrity and the responsible conduct of research.
The basic principle in the conduct of research rests on objective inquiry and the pursuit of truth. Instances of research misconduct present a serious threat to continued public confidence in research activity and the stewardship of funds that support the research. Although instances of research misconduct are rare, it is acknowledged that they may occur.
Scope
This policy provides the basis for uniform procedures for responding to allegations of research misconduct, as the term is defined herein. These procedures will apply to all research activities involving faculty, students, and staff at the University of Southern Indiana, regardless of funding status (e.g., funded vs. unfunded) or funding source (e.g., federally funded, private foundation, internally funded). It is the expectation that any applicable federal regulations will be complied with, such as the Public Health Service (PHS) Policies on Research Misconduct regulation at 42 CFR Part 93 and the National Science Foundation (NSF) policy on Research Misconduct at NSF 26-200. In addition, researchers are expected to abide by University policies and their professional code(s) of ethics.
In the case of plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of dishonesty by students in classes, the procedures for addressing these forms of dishonesty are covered in the Student Rights and Responsibilities: A Code of Student Behavior. If such cases also involve external funding, then the procedures described in the USI Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Research Misconduct will also apply.
Those instances of alleged misconduct pertaining to the treatment of human subjects or laboratory animals, or to laboratory safety or biohazards, will be reviewed by the appropriate University committees according to their charges and established procedures.
Definitions
Terms used have the same meaning as given to them in the Public Health Service (PHS) Policies on Research Misconduct, 42 CFR Part 93.
Research misconduct means fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.
- Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
- Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
- Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
- Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.
Institutional Deciding Official (IDO) means the institutional official who makes final determinations on allegations of research misconduct and any institutional administrative actions. The Institutional Deciding Official at the University of Southern Indiana will be the Vice President for Finance and Administration. The Institutional Deciding Official will not be the same individual as the Research Integrity Officer and should have no direct prior involvement in the institution’s inquiry, investigation, or allegation assessment. An IDO’s appointment of an individual to assess allegations of research misconduct, or to serve on an inquiry or investigation committee, is not considered to be direct prior involvement.
Research Integrity Officer (RIO) means the institutional official responsible for: (1) assessing allegations of research misconduct to determine if they fall within the definition of research misconduct, are covered by 42 CFR Part 93, and warrant an inquiry on the basis that the allegation is sufficiently credible and specific so that potential evidence of research misconduct may be identified; (2) overseeing inquires and investigations; and (3) the other responsibilities described in this policy. The Research Integrity Officer at the University of Southern Indiana will be the Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research.
Responsibility to Report Misconduct
All institutional members will report observed, suspected, or apparent research misconduct to the USI Research Integrity Officer (RIO). If an individual is unsure whether a suspected incident falls within the definition of research misconduct, the individual may meet with or contact the RIO to discuss the suspected research misconduct informally, which may include discussing it anonymously and/or hypothetically. If the circumstances described by the individual do not meet the definition of research misconduct, the RIO will refer the individual or allegation to other offices or officials with responsibility for resolving the problem. At any time, an institutional member may have confidential discussions and consultations about concerns of possible misconduct with the RIO and will be counseled about appropriate procedures for reporting allegations. The RIO's contact information can be found on the USI Office of Sponsored Projects and Research webpage at https://www.usi.edu/sponsored-projects.
Procedures for Addressing Allegations of Research Misconduct
If allegations of research misconduct occurring within the University community are made, USI will proceed according to Federal regulations and the USI Policy and Procedures for Addressing Allegations of Research Misconduct. This policy can be found on the USI Office of Sponsored Projects and Research webpage, in the responsible conduct of research section, at https://www.usi.edu/sponsored-projects.