Institutional Review Board
Welcome to the Lone Star College (LSC) Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research. The LSC IRB exists as a safeguard to promote the ethical and responsible treatment of human subjects in research, and to encourage research within LSC.
Purpose of the LSC IRB
The LSC Institutional Review Board reviews human subject research to ensure that:
- The rights and welfare of human subjects are protected.
- Risks have been considered and minimized.
- Potential benefits have been identified and maximized.
- All potential participants are being provided with legally effective informed consent.
- All research is completed in an ethical manner, and in compliance with established standards.
- All private information is kept confidential.
Note: The LSC IRB does not give permission to conduct research. The IRB only approves the method by which you perform your research as it relates to the protection of human subjects. Permission to conduct research is granted by the appropriate Location Executive Officer ("LEO"), depending upon where the research is being conducted. The LEO is the President of the individual campus or the Chancellor if the study will be system-wide.
Do I Need IRB Review?
Not every project requires IRB approval. Use this quick checklist:
You likely need IRB Review if you are:
- Collecting information from people (surveys, interviews, experiments, observations).
- Planning to publish, present, or share results outside your classroom.
- Using existing data that includes identifiable personal information.
You likely do NOT need IRB Review if you are:
- Doing a class assignment only for learning, not for publication or sharing.
- Using data that is publicly available and has no personal identifiers.
- Writing a literature review or analyzing existing, published research.
If you're unsure, please contact the IRB Office at LSC-IRB@lonestar.edu.
How to Apply for IRB Review
All researchers must complete CITI Program human subjects training before submitting.
Note: If your research is funded by NSF or NIH, you must also complete Responsible & Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) training.
Include all required documents when submitting:
- Completed IRB Application Form
- Data collection tools (surveys, interview guides, etc.)
- Certificate of Human Subjects Training
- The CITI Training course provides essential education on research ethics, including informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and responsible conduct of research. Certification is mandatory for anyone involved in human subjects' research to ensure compliance with federal regulations and ethical standards.
- Other training options may be acceptable; however, if you plan to use the LSCS CITI link for human subjects' research, please request access via LSC-IRB@lonestar.edu.
- Informed Consent Form (sample template)
- Informed consent is the process of providing potential participants with all the information needed to make an educated decision about joining a study
- Notice of Intent (NOI)
- Researchers conducting research on any LSC campus must submit a completed NOI form
- The NOI notifies campus presidents of the proposed research activity on their campuses
- IRB Administrator will forward the NOI(s) to the appropriate campus president(s) for signature
- A separate NOI is required for each campus involved in your study
- IRB approval letter from your sponsored institution (if applicable)
Submit your full application package to:
- Most reviews take 2-3 weeks once all materials are received.
- Incomplete submissions cannot be reviewed.
- You may be be asked for clarifications or revisions.
The PI will receive an approval letter via email noting the review category (Exempt, Expedited, or Full Review), with a copy sent to the relevant campus president(s).
Note: IRB approval does not grant access to student records—separate authorization from Analytics & Institutional Reporting (AIR) is required.
- Conduct the study as approved.
- Report any changes or unexpected issues to the IRB.
At the conclusion of your research, once your outcomes are finalized, you are required to submit a Final Report to the IRB.
- You will receive a Final Report Request form at the end of your survey.
- The form is also available for download from the IRB website.
- Submission of the Final Report is required to officially close your study with the IRB.
Why is a Study Closure/Final Report Form required?
Submitting a closure/final report lets the IRB formally document that your study has ended, confirm that all research activities were conducted ethically, and ensure participants' rights and data are protected. It also closes your study in official records, which is important for compliance with federal regulations and institutional policies.
After approval and submission of the closure/final report, the applicant may begin distributing surveys or other study materials if applicable.
Forms & Templates
- IRB Application Form
- Consent Form Template
- Recruitment Script Template
- Notice of Intent to Conduct Research Form
- IRB Study Closure/Final Report Form
- IRB Checklist
Policies and Guidelines
FERPA guidelines protect private information about students in Lone Star College. Requests for student information must go through AIR. Approval of your IRB research application does not guarantee access to AIR data. External researchers may only receive directory information. See FERPA Policy for details
Current LSC faculty working on dissertations or thesis, if not using LSC students, faculty, or staff as research subjects, may submit an IRB approval from their home institution in lieu of an LSC IRB application. Approval is not guaranteed, and the IRB may request an LSC application as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Human subjects are living individuals from whom you collect data through interaction or obtain identifiable private information. If your research involves surveys, interviews, observations, or records that can identify individuals, you are using human subjects and must submit your study for IRB review. When in doubt, consult the IRB Office.
The Principal Investigator (PI) is the individual with primary responsibility for the overall conduct of a research study. The PI must be appropriately qualified and certified to lead human subjects' research.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensuring compliance with federal, institutional, and IRB requirements
- Protecting the rights and welfare of research participants
- Overseeing informed consent and data protection
- Supervising sub-investigators and research staff
- Accepting full accountability for the study's outcomes
At Lone Star College, students may not serve as PIs; a sponsoring faculty member must take this role, with the student listed as a Co-PI if applicable.
Appropriately qualified sub-investigators and research staff may perform tasks delegated by the PI but do not assume primary responsibility.
They are expected to:
- Follow study procedures as outlined by the PI
- Support the informed consent process
- Collect and record data accurately
- Report any concerns, risks, or adverse events to the PI
The PI remains fully responsible for the conduct and outcomes of the research, including oversight of all team members.
No. A sponsoring faculty member must serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) and submit the IRB application. Students may be listed as Co-PIs. Faculty are responsible for ensuring compliance with human subjects' guidelines and should consult the IRB Office if unsure.
Yes. All research with children (under 18) must be reviewed by the IRB, as they are considered a vulnerable population. Federal regulations require additional safeguards, and in most cases, written parental or guardian consent is needed.
Informed consent is the process of providing potential participants with all the information needed to make an educated decision about joining a study, including:
- The purpose of the research
- What participation involves (procedures, time, and activities)
- Potential risks and benefits
- The right to refuse or withdraw at any time without penalty
- How privacy and data will be protected
Participants must voluntarily agree, usually by signing a consent form, before research begins.
- Exempt Review - Minimal risk studies meeting federal exemption criteria. Reviewed quickly by the IRB Chair or Administrator.
- Expedited Review - Minimal risk studies that do not qualify as exempt. Reviewed by the IRB Chair and one or more members.
- Full Review - Studies with greater than minimal risk or requiring full committee discussion. Investigators may be invited to present their proposal.
No — if the project is only for learning in your class and not for sharing outside, IRB review is usually not required.
Plan for at least 2-3 weeks. Submitting complete forms speeds up the process.
IRB Committee Members and Staff
- Brian Shmaefsky, Ph.D. - LSC-Kingwood, Professor-Biology, IRB Chair
- Pamela Wyatt - LSC-System Office at University Park, Director, Grant Management & Compliance, IRB Administrator
- John J. Nevins - LSC-Tomball, Librarian/Professor
- Heather Scherr - LSC-Kingwood, Professor-Biology
- Jennifer Travis, Ph.D. - LSC-North Harris, Professor-Mathematics
- William Morgan, Ph.D. - LSC-Montgomery, Professor-History
- Melanie Steel - LSC-Cy Fair, Professor-Speech
- Rodrigo Chaves - Community Member, Community Outreach Programs, Conroe Independent School District
- Nicole Stalnaker - LSC-University Park, Psychology
- Debra Britton, Ph.D. - LSC-Houston North, Director, Instructional Quality & Accreditation Compliance
All private information is kept confidential