When university researchers want to start a project, they must present their plan to the Institutional Review Board, or IRB. The IRB makes sure the research is designed in a way that is ethical, and that does more good than harm.
But the IRB can only do so much. It doesn’t address many of the concerns that west side residents have, such as whether researchers will come with respect for the community’s culture and strengths, or whether they will return to share what they learn with community members. And the IRB does not ask the communities being researched what they think.
So, the Community Research Collaborative is launching its own research review board. The West Side Community Review Board will be primarily made up of west side residents. It will review research projects proposed by university researchers or community groups and help them make sure that it lives up to the six principles of community based research that the Collaborative developed in its guide, In It Together: Community-Based Research Guidelines for Communities and Higher Education.
Over five months, a group of 11 residents and partners designed the board, and developed a proposal. In October we received notification that its pilot year would be funded by the University of Utah’s AVP for Research Integrity and Compliance, Dr. Caren Frost — herself an engaged scholar and a co-author of our CBR guide.
We are thrilled to begin our pilot year in 2022. To learn more, and for updates, CLICK HERE.
