Dear Colleagues,

The Office of Research, Innovation and Impact has established a Research Security Program (RSP) in response to federal requirements and to strengthen protections of University research and development against foreign government interference and exploitation.  

The RSP will work with partners from across campus to implement federal programmatic guidelines, trainings, tools, and best practices for research security.

The program will be led by Taren Ellis Langford, who will serve as the University’s point of contact for research security matters in addition to her role as Senior Director for the Office for Responsible Outside Interests.

For more information, and to learn what you should do to protect University research and development, visit the Research Security Program webpage or contact Langford at tmellis@arizona.edu.

In June, the U.S. government issued a new interim Federal Acquisition Regulation clause (FAR) for federal contracts that prohibits the presence or use of the social networking service TikTok or any successor application or service developed or provided by ByteDance.

This new interim rule is intended to safeguard the security and integrity of federally funded research due to ongoing security concerns about TikTok. The federal government issued an executive order to remove TikTok from federal devices in February, and Arizona Governor Hobbs issued a similar executive order for Arizona state agencies in April.

Action Required

All University-related persons participating in government contracts must comply with the new interim FAR clause which prohibits the installation and use of TikTok and other ByteDance applications on a cellphone, computer, or other device used in the performance of federal contract work. This applies to any:

• University-issued personal computing device.
• Non-university issued personal computing device used “to a significant extent” in conducting FAR-covered research.
• Device being used while traveling to China.

Please note: UITS has blocked the use of TikTok and ByteDance applications within the university-controlled research environment and removed them from computing devices managed by UITS. In addition, UITS is working with IT staff across campus to ensure these applications are removed from all university-managed devices.  

Exemptions and Support 

• Questions about compliance with the FAR clause: email Office of Research Contracts at contracting@arizona.edu or Health Sciences Research Administration Contracts Office at UAHSContracts@arizona.edu.
• To submit an exception to use TikTok and/or ByteDance applications for academic research purposes: email the Office of Research Contracts at contracting@arizona.edu.
• For assistance with removing TikTok and other ByteDance applications from your device(s): contact the 24/7 Support Center.  

Dear Colleagues,

After many productive years operating as the University of Arizona Genetics Core, we are excited to announce that as of Aug. 1, 2023, our lab will officially be known as Arizona Genetics Core (AZGC).

This change better reflects our scope and purpose as well as our commitment to advancing research, innovation, and collaboration in genetics and genomics in partnership with University of Arizona researchers and investigators throughout the state and beyond. We are excited about the opportunities the future holds and look forward to continuing our mission of providing quality genetic core services and training.

Please update your records accordingly, and visit our website for more information about our lab's current services. You may also contact our facility by phone or email.

Phone: 520-621-9791
Email: azgc@arizona.edu

On behalf of the Presidential Advisory Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Food Production in a Drying Climate, we invite you to share your thoughts, perspectives, and ideas through a survey. The survey questions are designed to help develop actions to include in our report to President Robbins.

While the Commission invites input on all six questions, we will appreciate receiving your response to as many as you would like to answer.  Access the survey at the link below. Please take a few moments to respond to the survey and kindly circulate it to others. Responses are due by April 27, 2023.

Take the Survey

The Research, Innovation & Impact Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) will implement upgrades to the electronic Institutional Review Board (eIRB) system to provide the latest features and maintain quality performance.

This upgrade will cause the eIRB and eDisclosure systems to be unavailable beginning 8 a.m., Friday, April 21 through 8 a.m., Monday, April 24.

eIRB

• During the upgrade period, eIRB review and approval will be unavailable.
• Submissions to the eIRB should be processed before 8 a.m., Friday, April 21, or after 8 a.m., Monday, April 24.
•  
• For urgent eIRB matters and just-in-time (JIT) requests that arise during this window: email Christine Melton-Lopez, director HSPP. 
• For questions or more information: email the HSPP team.

eDisclosure

• During the upgrade period, individuals will be unable to disclose Outside Interests, Outside Activity and Substantial Interests. Individuals will not be able to submit Research Certifications and Outside Activity approval will not be available.
• Conflict of Interest (COI) at Proposal Submission: for federal and sub-federal proposals due on or before Wednesday, April 26, investigators are encouraged to complete annual disclosures before 6 p.m., Thursday, April 20.
• For routing proposals received during the upgrade period, the Office for Responsible Outside Interests (OROI) will rely on data from Thursday, April 20. Beginning 8 a.m., Monday, April 24, OROI will return to using live data.
• UAccess Analytics dashboards: the eDisclosure Conflict of Interest dashboards will reflect data from Thursday, April 20 until Tuesday, April 25.

• For questions about COI at proposal submission: email Ismael Jaimez.
• For urgent conflict of interest and conflict of commitment matters during the planned upgrade period: email Taren Ellis Langford.
• For questions about submitting a disclosure or what to disclose: contact Judi Lopez and Ann De Bellis at DisclosureHelp@list.arizona.edu.
• For other questions or more information, please contact OROI.

Dear Colleagues,

The research you do is critical to the University’s mission and contributes to the scientific discovery and advancements that make us a top public research institution. As we work together to achieve our institutional research goals, we must continue to utilize the latest technology and security protocols to meet emerging regulatory and compliance guidelines. Doing so will help the University remain competitive for federal and state research grants and position us to gain greater insights and value from our vast data.

Securing our IT infrastructure

Today, the University operates a very large on-premise computing and storage infrastructure for diverse research activities and instruments. We recognize that a ‘one size fits all’ model is not the right approach to meet the growing needs of our research community. Instead, we aim to develop a secure, standardized yet flexible portfolio of solutions (including cloud and on-premise) that all faculty can use for their research needs.

University Information Technology Services has launched the Accelerating Secure IT Services (ASITS) Program to strengthen the security of our IT operations as an outcome of the 2018 IT Security Performance Audit. The ASITS program is currently in the early stages of gathering requirements and planning for the University’s future research computing and storage needs. By June 2025, this new program will provide campus units and researchers with network, server and laptop services that are centrally-supported and institutionally-funded.

A collaborative approach

UITS and Research Innovation and Impact (RII) are committed to embarking on this critically important work in a collaborative manner without disrupting or adversely impacting research activities. UITS and RII will collaborate with faculty, staff, students and IT Liaisons that have been appointed by college and division leadership to develop the best, cost-optimized solutions that meet the University’s research and security requirements.

The College of Science has volunteered to be an early implementor of this approach with UITS and RII to smooth the process for the rest of the University research community. Additional email updates will be shared as we make progress on this initiative. You can also visit the ASITS webpage for the latest information.

Supporting faculty and your research computing needs – both now and in the future – is an important priority for us. We look forward to partnering with you to make the University’s research activities more secure and resilient from evolving cybersecurity threats.  

Beginning in January 2023, all National Institutes of Health research grant and contract applicants will be required to submit a data management and sharing plan (DMSP) as part of their application. If awarded, compliance with the approved plan is required. Learn about the new policy and helpful resources for researchers.  



Requirements 

NIH’s new data management and sharing policy requires that all grant applications and renewals that produce scientific data include a robust and detailed plan for managing, sharing, and preserving data during the funded period and beyond. 

To comply with the new policy, the DMSP must provide specific information on access policies and procedures to protect the privacy of human participants and for data preservation, metadata standards, and distribution methods. 

New policy applies to:

• New and competing renewal grant applications submitted to NIH for the Jan. 25, 2023, proposal deadline date and later.  
• Proposals for contracts submitted to NIH for the Jan. 25, 2023, proposal deadline date and later.  
• Any other NIH funding agreement executed on or after Jan. 25, 2023.

New policy does not apply to: 

• Research and other activities that do not generate scientific data, e.g., training, infrastructure development, and non-research activities.

Bookmark these resources and tools: 

• Video modules provide guidance for writing and operationalizing your plan. 
• Supplemental documents outline what researchers need to know: 
  • Elements of an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan
  • Allowable Costs for Data Management and Sharing
  • Selecting a Repository for Data Resulting from NIH-Supported Research 
• Funder requirements for data management and sharing
• Use the DMPTool (log in with your NetID) to draft your plan using the NIH 2023 template. 
• Reference pages 3-4 of this example of a successful Data Management Plan created using the DMPTool. NIH will provide additional data management plan samples.

Important compliance notes:

• The submitted DMSP will become a term of condition of the Notice of Award.
• Compliance during the award period will be determined by the awarding NIH Institute or Center.
• Failure to comply may result in NIH enforcement action, risk award termination, or impact future funding decisions. 

Contact the University Libraries Data Management team, data-management@arizona.edu, for more information or to request a consultation.

Beginning January 2023, all National Institutes of Health research grant and contract applicants will be required to submit a data management and sharing plan (DMSP) as part of their application. If awarded, compliance with the approved plan is required. 

NIH’s new policy replaces its old policy entirely and requires that ALL grant applications/renewals that produce scientific data include a much more robust and detailed plan on the management, sharing, and preservation of data during the funded period and beyond. 

To comply with the new policy, investigators will be required to provide specific information on access policies/procedures to protect the privacy of human participants, data preservation, metadata standards and distribution approaches. This information will be required in a DMSP, which is analogous to what other funders refer to as a data management plan.

The new DMS policy applies to:

• New and competing renewal grant applications submitted to NIH for the Jan. 25, 2023, proposal deadline date and later;  
• Proposals for contracts submitted to NIH for the Jan. 25, 2023, proposal deadline date and later; and  
• Any other NIH funding agreement executed on or after Jan. 25, 2023.

The policy does NOT apply to research and other activities that do not generate scientific data, e.g., training, infrastructure development, and non-research activities.

Important compliance notes:

• The submitted DMSP will become a term of condition of the Notice of Award and compliance during the award period will be determined by the awarding NIH Institute or Center.
• Failure to comply may result in NIH enforcement action or risk award termination. It also could impact future funding decisions. 

What you can do to prepare for this change:

• Review the policy now. Also review supplemental documents Elements of an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan, Allowable Costs for Data Management and Sharing, and  Selecting a Repository for Data Resulting from NIH-Supported Research.
• Learn more about the policy and find resources from the University Libraries NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy website.
• Learn about funder requirements for data management and sharing on the University Libraries data management website.
• Review sample DMSP from the National Institute of Mental Health that comply with the new policy.

To draft the plan itself, we recommend the DMPTool (log in with NetID) using the NIH 2023 template. Additional guidance for completing each section of the template will be added to the DMPTool on a rolling basis.  For guidance in writing and operationalizing your plan, view video modules prepared by University Libraries, Research Computing, the Human Subjects Protection Program, and RII.

For more information or to request a consult, email the Library Data Management team. We will provide ongoing updates to assist researchers and research assistants with this transition. 

The NIH’s new Data Management and Sharing Policy will go into effect January 2023. This is an entirely new policy that will apply to all NIH-funded projects that generate scientific data. As a PI on a current NIH award (or an active applicant for NIH funding), we want to make you aware of this coming change and encourage you to begin preparing for it. University Libraries and Research, Innovation & Impact are actively developing resources to support you in this endeavor.   

Next steps 

Please review existing resources and preliminary guidance to prepare your current NIH grant(s) and any new proposals for the policy change.  

Under the new NIH policy, researchers are required to include detailed plans on how data will be managed and shared during the entire funded period, including: 

• Data storage 
• Access policies and procedures 
• Preservation 
• Metadata standards and distribution approaches 

You must submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan to comply with the new policy. Compliance with the submitted DMS plan will become a term of condition during the award funding period.    

More information  

For more information, please review the NIH DMS Policy resource webpage. For questions or to request a consult, email the Library Data Management team. We will provide ongoing updates to assist researchers and research assistants with this transition. 

Dear Colleagues,

With the recent update to the face covering guidance and FAQ, we will transition to Phase 6 of the Research Restart Plan. Under this final phase of the plan, all types of on-site research are allowed. It is important, however, that we all remain vigilant in protecting the University community and continue to follow campus recommendations for testing, vaccination, and work arrangements. 

Face Covering Guidance

The Research Restart Plan follows University's face covering guidance.  Based on current public health conditions and aligned with CDC guidance, masks are recommended, but not required, in most indoor spaces including classrooms.  

We will continue to require that surgical masks or higher-grade masks be worn:

• in any building/facility that is operated by or affiliated with the University where patients or human research subjects participating in clinical research are seen in person;
• in locations where personal protective equipment (including masks) has always been required to maintain safety protocols for situations with high hazards, such as areas where regulated chemicals are used or stored and other laboratory settings; and
• inside a Cat Tran shuttle or any other public transportation provided by the University, as recommended by the CDC and TSA.

Surgical masks are three-ply disposable masks. Higher grade masks include KN95 or KF94 masks. 

Locations and/or environments that require the use of respiratory protection (N95) must be enrolled in the University Respiratory Protection Program. Researchers are responsible for ensuring their staff – including employees, students and DCCs – and visitors use the appropriate face coverings and/or PPE for the setting.  

Voluntary use of N95 Respiratory Protection 

Use of self-supplied N95 respirators continues to be allowed, but individuals choosing to use an N95 must follow the UArizona Voluntary Use of Respiratory Protection During COVID-19 guidelines.

Although employees voluntarily choosing to wear an N95 mask are not required to have their N95 mask fit tested, the University will offer N95 fit testing for faculty, staff or students who voluntarily choose to provide and wear their own N95 respirator. Contact Risk Management Services at 520-621-1790 or risk@arizona.edu to request an N95 fit test.

RII will continue to monitor conditions and changes to University protocols and communicate the most updated information to this group. I am grateful for your thoughtful approach to continuing research as we mark the two-year anniversary of navigating the pandemic response.

Elizabeth "Betsy" Cantwell
Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation

UAccess Research (UAR) has been updated and is now available for proposal routing, and other sponsored project modules. Thank you to the campus research community for all the cooperation and patience in completing three major system implementation projects in close succession! Thank you, especially, to the UAR Campus Experience Advisors for diligently representing the campus user perspective and providing support for campus users along with volunteer Campus Ambassadors.

For information on using UAR, please consult the following resources:

Video demos, instructional materials, and support contacts: See the Resource page for the UAccess Research Update (NetId required).

Training and office hours: See UAR Update Training (registration required).

• Zoom training followed by virtual office hours: Days and times vary through Feb. 4
• In-person office hours: Mondays from 10-11 a.m., Feb. 7 through Mar. 28
• In-person office hours: Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m., Feb. 9 through Mar. 30
• Zoom office hours: Alternating days and times, February through March 

As always, please check with your individual department and college Research Administration team for additional guidance and support.

How will the UAR update affect you?

• New UAR location: The UAccess portal will be updated with the new UAR system at 9 a.m. on Jan. 25. To access the system now or update saved browser bookmarks, use the new URL: https://arizona.kuali.co/dashboard.
• Fully re-route proposals in the new UAR system by 5 p.m. on March 4 if the temporary Smartsheet proposal routing tool was used for approval and sponsor submission during UAR system conversion.
• Immediate updates: The University will receive security updates and new system features on a continuous basis. 
• No more VPN: Say goodbye to your VPN woes. You will be able to log in with your UA NetID, password, and NetID+ authentication without having to connect through VPN. This is great for traveling faculty or those places where VPN access is blocked.
• Fewer routing stops: Lead unit pre-approval will no longer be required. Proposals will route simultaneously and immediately to investigators and department approvers. 
• Convenient dashboard: The new dashboard will increase transparency by providing greater visibility to work in progress. The “proposals not routing” feature enables reviewers / approvers to see which proposals include them in the route path and will be routed to them, whether they are the Lead Unit or not. 
• Search everything: Searching for what you need just got a whole lot more flexible. The dynamic Search Records feature scours all available fields for your specified words or numbers.

For questions or more information, contact Sponsored Projects Services at sponsor@arizona.edu or UARHelp@arizona.edu.

The UAccess Research system will be unavailable for proposal routing from 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14 to 8 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022 while we move from a locally hosted platform to a cloud-based platform. For an overview of the coming changes, please watch the video below from Sangita Pawar, Research, Innovation & Impact’s Vice President for Operations.

For details on timelines, proposal submission during the changeover, and training opportunities, visit the UAccess Research Update website. An additional resource page with user guides and on-demand video tutorials will be made available in early January. 

As always, please check with your individual department and college Research Administration team for additional guidance and support.

Thank you for your patience and support.​​

Get to Know the New Kuali Research SaaS

New Features, Training, and Office Hours - January 2022   

The UAccess Research System (Kuali Research under the hood) will be updated to Kuali Research Software-as-a-Service on January 25, 2022. You will find below an overview of the new features and training opportunities available to you.

New Features

• Immediate updates: The University will receive security updates and improved system functionality in real time. 
• No more VPN: Say goodbye to your VPN woes. You will be able to log in with your UA NetID, password, and NetID+ authentication without having to connect through VPN. Great for those places where VPN access might be blocked.
• Fewer routing stops: Lead unit pre-approval will no longer be required. Proposals will route simultaneously and immediately to investigators and department approvers. 
• Search everything: Search functionality just got a whole lot better. Don’t worry about knowing the correct field for your search term to achieve the best results. The dynamic Search Records feature scours all available fields for your specified words or numbers.
• Convenient dashboard: The new dashboard will increase transparency by providing greater visibility to work in progress. The “proposals not yet routing” feature enables reviewers / approvers to see which proposals include them in the route path and will be routed to them in the near future, whether they are the Lead Unit or not. 

Available Training Sessions and Office Hours

Take advantage of one of many live training sessions with Sponsored Projects to become familiar with the new system look, feel, and navigation, and to understand features and processes. We’ll also hold office hours where you can bring specific questions and challenges to be addressed by our experts.

Orientation/Overview of Changes (new features, new layout/navigation)

• Zoom Webinar - Monday, Jan. 10, from 10-11 a.m.
• Zoom Webinar - Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 2-3 p.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Tuesday, Jan. 25, from 9-11 a.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Monday, Jan. 31, from 1-3 p.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 1-3 p.m.

Proposal Development (proposal creation, submission, and routing)

• Zoom Webinar - Tuesday, Jan. 11, from 10-11 a.m.
• Zoom Webinar - Wednesday, Jan. 19, from 2-3 p.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 9-11 a.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Tuesday, Feb. 1, from 1-3 p.m.

PI/Co-I/Key Personnel (review, approval, coordination of changes)

• Zoom Webinar - Thursday, Jan. 13, from 10-11 a.m.
• Zoom Webinar - Friday, Jan. 21 from 2-3 p.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Thursday, Jan. 27, from 9-11 a.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Friday, Feb. 4, from 1-3 p.m.

Department/College/Responsible Unit (review, approval, coordination of changes)

• Zoom Webinar - Friday, Jan. 14, from 10-11 a.m.
• Zoom Webinar - Thursday, Jan. 20, from 2-3 p.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Friday, Jan. 28, from 9-11 a.m.
• Zoom Meeting followed by virtual Office Hours - Thursday, Feb. 3, from 1-3 p.m.

Office Hours: To register for office hours, click on the link below to see available days and times. Once registered, you will receive an email confirmation with an ical invite along with either the in-person room location or the zoom link. Our registration tool has quotas for each session and choices only appear if there is room. If all sessions in a given week are full, you will be given the option to join a waitlist.

• In-Person and Virtual Office Hours
  • IN-PERSON - Mondays from 10-11am
  • IN-PERSON - Wednesdays from 2-3pm
  • VIRTUAL - Alternating days and times

For questions or more information, contact Shana McClelland at shana@arizona.edu.​​

Proposal Routing Timeline - January 2022   

The current UAccess Research System (Kuali Research under the hood) will be updated to Kuali Research Software-as-a-Service  in January. To ensure that all proposals are routed properly during the update, please take note of the timeline:

• Jan 14, Close of Business: All UAR proposals that have not been finalized will need to be routed to the SPS route stop.
• Jan 20, 5 p.m.: UAR access ends and the Kuali update begins. 
• Jan 21 – 24: SPS Preaward will be submitting electronic submissions that correspond to the fully routed and approved UARs in the corresponding systems (ASSIST, Grants.gov, Research.gov, etc). 
• Jan 25, 8 a.m.: Kuali goes live

In line with University Closure timelines, any UAR document that needs to be submitted to the sponsor between Jan 18 and Jan 28, will need to route the proposal in UAR and have the proposal routed to the SPS route stop in UAR by close of business on Jan 14. 

While the systems will have a lot of similar information, the interface will be different. Any UAR proposal that has not been finalized in the current UAR system by the time it shuts down to start the Kuali update will be in a saved status in Kuali and will need to be reviewed by the initiator to comply with the new interface. After that review, it will then be placed into routing. 

A system will be in place when UAR goes offline in the event there are emergent proposals that were not able to route in UAR. More information on this process will be made available once it is finalized.

Please watch for further communications as the date of the update approaches.

For questions or more information, email sponsor@email.arizona.edu.

The new eIRB is now available for human subjects research submissions.

For information on using eIRB, please consult the following resources:

Video demos and instructional material: eIRB Information (NetID is required)

Zoom drop-in training sessions: eIRB Drop-In Office Hours (no registration required)

• Weeks of Sept. 13 and Sept. 24: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
• Weeks of Sept. 27 and Oct. 8: Tuesdays, Thursdays: 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
• Weeks of Oct. 13 and Oct. 18: Wednesdays: 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. 

How will the move to eIRB affect you?

The new eIRB system is now being used for all human subjects research submissions, including determination of human research and external IRB requests. Submissions are no longer accepted via our general departmental email inbox.

For questions or more information, contact the Human Subjects Protection Program at vpr-irb@arizona.edu. 

Implementing a New Institutional Review Board (IRB) System

The Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) will launch a new system, eIRB, designed to make submitting human research protocols easier and faster. For more information about the implementation process, please visit RII’s New Systems Information Webpage.

August 13th is the last day to submit to the HSPP for full committee review. August 20th is the last day to submit to the HSPP for non-committee review. 

Please note the following important dates in the implementation process:

• Aug. 13 – Last day to submit to the HSPP for full committee review.
• Aug. 20 – Last day to submit to the HSPP for non-committee review. Any submissions received by this date but not yet finalized or any submission received after this date may not be reviewed and will be returned to you with further instruction on how to proceed.
• Aug. 25-Sept. 12 – Blackout period (No IRB system will be available for submissions).
• Sept. 13 – eIRB is available to submit materials to the IRB.

How will this affect you?

The new system is relevant to all University employees and students who conduct research involving human subjects.

• Please plan your submission to the HSPP with the above dates in mind.
• If your existing project(s) is set to expire during the planned blackout period, please submit a renewal or closure paperwork to VPR-IRB@arizona.edu as soon as possible. The HSPP will prioritize renewal submissions to ensure approval does not lapse due to system down time.
• For urgent matters and Just-in-Time (JIT) requests that arise during the planned blackout period, please contact Christine Melton-Lopez, Director HSPP, directly at melton1@arizona.edu.  

Please forward this notice to any undergraduate students that may find this information useful.

For questions or more information, please contact the HSPP at VPR-IRB@arizona.edu.

The Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) will launch a new system, eIRB, designed to make submitting human research protocols easier and faster. For more information about the implementation process, please visit RII’s New Systems Information Webpage.

Please note the following important dates in the implementation process:

• Aug. 13 – Last day to submit to the HSPP for full committee review.
• Aug. 20 – Last day to submit to the HSPP for non-committee review. Any submissions received by this date but not yet finalized or any submission received after this date may not be reviewed and will be returned to you with further instruction on how to proceed.
• Aug. 25-Sept. 12 – Blackout period (No IRB system will be available for submissions).
• Sept. 13 – eIRB is available to submit materials to the IRB.

How will this affect you?

The new system is relevant to all University employees and students who conduct research involving human subjects.

• Please plan your submission to the HSPP with the above dates in mind.
• If your existing project(s) is set to expire during the planned blackout period, please submit a renewal or closure paperwork to VPR-IRB@arizona.edu as soon as possible. The HSPP will prioritize renewal submissions to ensure approval does not lapse due to system down time.
• For urgent matters and Just-in-Time (JIT) requests that arise during the planned blackout period, please contact Christine Melton-Lopez, Director HSPP, directly at melton1@arizona.edu.  

For questions or more information, please contact the HSPP at VPR-IRB@arizona.edu.

*Investigators who are University Administrators must also disclose Institutional Financial Interests.

For research Investigators, notices for submission of Research Certifications will be issued on July 1. Notifications for submission of Annual Certifications will be issued by college/center, beginning July 12. Your college/center leadership will receive information related to additional eDisclosure training opportunities.

Reminder:  The University of Arizona is implementing a new Conflicts of Interest & Commitment Policy. Investigators will be required to complete an updated version of the COI Required Disclosure Training.

For questions or more information, contact the Office for Responsible Outside Interests at coi@arizona.edu or at 520-626-6406. For questions about Substantial Interests, contact Ted Nasser at enasser@arizona.edu or at 520-621-5449.

Implementing a New, Faster Conflict of Interest System

June 11 is the last day to submit Research Certifications and Annual Disclosures in the legacy COI Disclosure System.

Please note the following important dates in the implementation process:

• June 11, 2021 - Last day to submit disclosures, research certifications, and COC Forms in the current system.
• June 12 - 30, 2021 - Blackout period (No COI or COC system will be available for submissions.)
• July 1, 2021 - eDisclosure available (For your first disclosure or certification in eDisclosure, you will need to disclose all entities, including those previously disclosed in the legacy COI Disclosure System.)

How will this affect you?

For more information about the implementation process, please visit RII’s New Systems Information webpage.

Please also note that beginning July 1, the Conflict of Interest Program will be called the Office for Responsible Outside Interests to more closely focus on the program’s goal: to align outside interests with the University’s mission to disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, and public service in a way that ensures transparency, integrity and public trust.

For questions or more information, contact the COI Program at coi@arizona.edu or at (520) 626-8266.

Without a doubt, this academic year has tested each of us in myriad ways. It has tested our agility and ability to adapt how we operate at each level of the University of Arizona, from classrooms to laboratories, administrative offices to dormitories.

When the first case of the novel coronavirus was detected in Pima County in January 2020, the University's research enterprise swiftly pivoted, prioritizing the safety and well-being of researchers amid a quickly evolving pandemic.

The Office of Research, Innovation and Impact launched a system for approving essential research and provided guidance on the temporary shutdown of laboratories and facilities. In May 2020, after developing the nation's most effective antibody test, the University expanded its testing statewide. On June 1, RII launched a comprehensive Research Restart Plan, detailing its six-phase approach to safely continuing and reopening research to faculty, staff and students. Nearly a year later, we are at Phase 4. Between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021, University researchers submitted a staggering 310 COVID-19-related grant proposals, 105 of which are underway with more than $76 million in funding support.

Research productivity unrelated to the pandemic continued to soar as well. The University and the French National Centre for Scientific Research announced a partnership that includes establishing an international research center focused on the environment, space science, data science and global climate change. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched the surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu and began its journey back to Earth, with a sample of dust and rocks on board. Engineers at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab began casting the penultimate 8.4-meter mirror for the Giant Magellan Telescope, one of the world's largest and most anticipated telescopes.

And throughout the past several months, researchers from across campus have been involved in efforts to ensure the world is better prepared for future pandemics.

While the 2020-21 academic year is winding down, much is still happening.

•  Beginning this summer, RII will roll out and upgrade new systems designed to make your work related to Conflict of Interest and Commitment reporting, the Human Subjects Protection Program, and research proposals much easier. Please keep an eye on your email inbox for updates.
•  In a few months, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges – a 65-acre multiple-use development that will include technology companies, recreational facilities and high-quality residential and retail spaces – will complete construction of The Refinery. The four-story, 120,000-square-foot office building will be dedicated to technology-related research and innovation.
•  The University will soon break ground on two new campus buildings. The Applied Research Building, at the southeast corner of Helen Street and the Highland Corridor, will focus on: imaging technology; advanced manufacturing; CubeSat design, fabrication and testing; balloon payload integration for stratospheric balloons; and more. The Grand Challenges Research Building will be located at Cherry Avenue between University Boulevard and Fourth Street. The building will house optical sciences research, transdisciplinary research centers and several labs, all related to quantum networks, photonics and medical imaging technology.
•  The BIO5 Institute's annual KEYS Research Internship, one of the state's premier programs for Arizona high school students interested in developing STEM skills, will welcome its 15th cohort of 51 interns in June. Interns complete research projects guided by scientists in our labs. Of the program's 526 alumni, 60% are from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the science workforce.
•  The University of Arizona Washington, D.C. Center for Outreach & Collaboration, established to inform and convene leading experts from around the world and extend the impact of University research and scholarship, will hold a grand opening this fall.

To the Class of 2021: Congratulations for persevering through such a trying academic year.

To our amazing faculty and staff: Thank you for your herculean efforts to advance the University's research enterprise and impact in Arizona, the U.S. and around the world.

Warm regards,

Elizabeth "Betsy" Cantwell
Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation

The Conflict of Interest (COI) Program will launch a new system, eDisclosure, designed to make submitting COC Forms (Requests for Approval of Outside Employment and Commitments) easier and faster. For more information about the implementation process, please visit RII’s New Systems Information webpage.

Please note the following important dates in the implementation process:

• June 11, 2021 - Last day to submit disclosures, research certifications, and COC Forms in the current system.
• June 12 - 30, 2021 - Blackout period (No COI or COC system will be available for submissions.)
• July 1, 2021 - eDisclosure available (For your first disclosure or certification in eDisclosure, you will need to disclose all entities, including those previously disclosed in the legacy COI Disclosure System.)

How will this affect you?

The new system is relevant to full-time University Employees who are employed or have a professional commitment outside of the University. Please visit the COI webpage to learn more about who should submit a COC form. 

Please also note that beginning July 1, the Conflict of Interest Program will be called the Office for Responsible Outside Interests to more closely focus on the program’s goal: to align outside interests with the University’s mission to disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, and public service in a way that ensures transparency, integrity and public trust.

For questions or more information, contact the COI Program at coi@arizona.edu or at (520) 626-8266.

To: University Community
From: Conflict of Interest Program
Subject: Adoption of Interim Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy
Date: May 17, 2021

Notice of Policy Revision and Policy Repeal

Interim Conflicts of Interest & Commitment Policy

Pursuant to the authority established by Arizona Board of Regents Policy No. 1-201, et seq., and the University of Arizona's policy on University Policy-making, the following action is proposed:

ADOPTION OF INTERIM CONFLICTS OF INTEREST & COMMITMENT POLICY

SUMMARY: This policy incorporates five of the University's conflict of interest and commitment policies into one policy to alleviate confusion and contradictions. A single conflict of commitment policy will now be applicable to all University employees. The policy is approved on an interim basis to address immediate concerns while the substantive policy revisions are presented for stakeholder feedback and publication.

The Conflicts of Interest & Commitment Policy incorporates and replaces the following policies, which can be viewed at the links below:

1. Conflict of Commitment Policy
2. Conflict of Interest (UHAP) Policy
3. Conflict of Interest in Purchasing Policy
4. Individual Conflict of Interest in Research Policy
5. Institutional Conflict of Interest Policy

A copy of the revised policy is available at the University Policies website. Members of the University community are invited to submit written comments via the Policy Feedback box on the policy or by contacting the Conflict of Interest Program at 520-626-6406 or COI@email.arizona.edu. All comments must be received by close of business on June 21, 2021

Implementing New Systems to Make Your Work Easier

Beginning this summer, the Office of Research, Innovation and Impact will sequentially roll out and upgrade new systems designed to make your work related to Conflict of Interest and Commitment matters, the Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP), and research proposals much easier. Because these changes are relevant to all of campus, from students to staff to faculty, please check your email inboxes in the coming weeks and months for information about training sessions and transitioning to the new systems.

Conflict of Interest (COI) and Conflict of Commitment (COC)

The COI Program is implementing a new electronic system, called eDisclosure, which will be used by the University community to submit COI disclosure information and COC forms for approval. The emails you will begin receiving will provide information on what you can expect as we transition to the new system. Once the go-live date is finalized, there will be a two-week blackout period during which COI and COC information cannot be submitted. We will update you on specific dates soon. Please work to ensure your COI disclosure, research certifications and COC forms are updated by the end of May. Some of the benefits of eDisclosure include: 

• A single point of disclosure for COI and COC matters using a progressive smart form that will open and hide pages based on the answers you provide.
• Ability to view the progress of your disclosure as it makes its way through the COI and COC review processes.

For more information, contact the COI Program at coi@arizona.edu.

New electronic Institutional Review Board (IRB) system

Additionally, HSPP is implementing a new electronic IRB system called eIRB, which is a platform where researchers will submit and manage their human subject protocols. Details regarding the rollout of this new system, which will increase productivity and provide researchers with a greater level of transparency during IRB reviews, include:

• Going live in August 2021.
• There will be a planned blackout period where no IRB submissions will be accepted. This will be approximately two weeks before the go-live date. Please check your email inboxes for updates on timing. 
• IRB Meetings will be held on the first and second Tuesdays of June, July, and August. Ad hoc meetings may be scheduled. 
• For projects that expire July-August 2021, please get your renewal paperwork in ASAP. If the project expires during the planned blackout period, please submit renewal paperwork at least two weeks before the planned blackout period. Otherwise, reapproval is not guaranteed and the project will expire. The project will also be expired in the new eIRB system after the system goes live. 
• For projects that expire after the system goes live, please use eIRB to submit Continuing Reviews. User guides will be published when the system is launched. 
• Submissions to the VPR-IRB@arizona.edu inbox will not be accepted starting approximately one to two weeks before the planned blackout period. Urgent submissions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. IRB inquiries should still be submitted to VPR-IRB@arizona.edu. 

Those with questions about eIRB are asked to contact Christine Melton-Lopez, HSPP director, at melton1@email.arizona.edu.

Research system upgrade

This fall, following implementation of the COI and HSPP systems, the current UAccess Research (UAR) system will be updated to a newer version called Kuali Research. 

Here are some highlights: 

• The updated system will go live about a month after eIRB is active.
• Familiar content will have a more modern look and feel.
• The system will deliver new features and fixes on a continuous basis.
• Adjusted proposal routing will shorten approval times.
• The research system will be unavailable from close of business on a Friday evening and will be live again the next Tuesday morning.
• To prepare for routing changes, all proposals that start routing in UAR must be fully approved and submitted by Sponsored Projects and Contracting Services (SPCS) before UAR goes down. Any proposals still routing can be canceled, copied and rerouted by the proposal initiator when Kuali Research goes live. Additional details about proposal deadlines will follow.
• Responses to proposal questions will flow from proposals through awards to facilitate more accurate campus and institutional reporting. 
• The University VPN will no longer be required to access the research system.

For more information, contact Susan Mundt, SPCS assistant director of operations, at mundts@arizona.edu.
 

On behalf of Betsy Cantwell, please find attached the guidance on  how to comply with federal laws and regulations regarding the Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Reference:  The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY 2019, Section 889).