Dear Teachers College Researchers –
On June 11, 2020 you received an email about “On-Campus Research Ramp Up Plans.” We are writing as Co-Chairs of the Teachers College Research Ramp-Up Task Force, to update you on the process towards ramping up research activities on campus. As a reminder:
Due to COVID-19, all research-related activities taking place on campus in-person at Teachers College are suspended.
You may be aware that Columbia University (CU) is now beginning to open up its research facilities to personnel. While we are building on many of the procedures that CU is using, we have our own concerns for our researchers – especially since most of our research involves human participants. Therefore, our process towards re-opening, and our timelines, differ from those being implemented by CU. In other words, we have intentions of ramping-up research-related activities on campus, but our plans are tailored to the needs of our researchers.
Below is a description of the Teachers College Research Ramp-Up Plans:
Anyone returning to campus must engage in training modules and procedures that are currently being developed by the offices of the College President and Provost. The measures described here will be in addition to those requirements, and specific to the needs of each research group.
As a first step, we ask everyone who runs a research group to please complete this confidential 15-minute survey:
https://tccolumbia.qualtrics. com/jfe/form/SV_ 4ZxD3Ik20qtoZtr
The survey is designed to help us understand who might need to return to campus, when they might need to return, and for what functions.
At the end of the survey, you can voluntarily share your email address if you would like someone to follow-up with you about any specific return-to-campus concerns.
Next, we are preparing to roll out a THREE-STEP PROCESS for investigators who wish to resume selected research activities at Teachers College. This email serves to describe these steps and to inform you all of how you can engage with this process if on-campus activities are vital for your research.
Step One
All faculty lab directors who wish to resume on-campus research activities must first undertake a JOB SAFETY ASSESSMENT (JSA).To gather information for the JSA, faculty lab directors will be interviewed by representatives from our Environmental Health and Safety Office, the Office of Public Safety, and Facilities. The JSA will serve to identify the functions carried out by personnel in your research group, and any issues concerning the procedures you implement, the populations you work with, and the space that is occupied by your group. You can support the efforts of the JSA by engaging in initial discussions with your research lab about study activities, access to campus resources, and potential in-person research-related engagement.
Based on the JSA, other requirements for your research group may be identified, such as reorganization of your research space, additional trainings needed to keep researchers (and eventual research participants) safe, or additional needs for personal protective equipment (PPE).
We will email faculty lab directors to schedule JSAs starting next week. If you wish to schedule a JSA you can also contact us at IRB@tc.edu with a subject line of “Schedule a JSA Meeting.”
Step Two
After the JSA is completed, you must undertake ONLINE TRAINING MODULES that are specific to researchers on campus. The training modules are not yet finalized; however, they will be forthcoming. We will email researchers when the training modules are available.Depending on the JSA, you may be asked to take additional training modules (e.g., on procedures for protecting vulnerable populations, or on the application of specialized PPE).
Step Three
Once you have completed the training modules, we will request that you complete a Research Lab Safety Plan and that you agree to act as the person responsible for overseeing the implementation of safety procedures in your research lab. In other words, you will serve as the Research Safety Monitor. You may be asked to complete specific Research Safety Monitor training modules.We are developing a RESEARCH SAFETY MONITOR AGREEMENT and a RESEARCH LAB SAFETY PLAN TEMPLATE to support this step, and these will be available to researchers as they move through the ramp-up process. We will email researchers when these documents are available.
If you wish, you may nominate another person (NOT a student) from your research group to be a secondary Research Safety Monitor.
Research Safety Monitors will be required to provide contact information so that they may be reached in the event of any emergency affecting their lab or research space, or in the event of any non-compliance with the Research Lab Safety Plan.
Please note that these procedures will not automatically mean that you can bring human research participants onto campus. The campus remains closed to all visitors at this time.
If possible, we encourage researchers to conduct research activities online into the foreseeable future. Minimizing the density of personnel on campus is crucial for everyone’s safety. Please do not engage in the return to research activities on campus unless this is necessary for your work.
After researchers meet the three steps listed above (Job Safety Assessment, Required Training Modules, and Research Safety Monitor Designation), you will also be expected to contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office to update any approved protocols for a return to campus. For IRB questions, email IRB@tc.edu
We are currently pilot-testing the various training modules, assessments, and agreements that are needed to implement these plans.
We are all aware that some research studies cannot sustain long-term in-person data collection suspensions. We are also aware researchers are under tight time constraints and are expected to complete multiple demanding tasks. With these considerations in mind, we are balancing our requirements for a safe return to campus with reasonable expectations of your time and effort. No plan or step will be perfect, but we are operating with care and consideration each step of the way and we appreciate your patience and understanding.
If you would like to contribute your insights to the design of our procedures and policies, please either:Volunteer for a 15-minute semi-structured interview to voice your concerns (email IRB@tc.edu, with a subject line of “Research Lab Input for Research Ramp-Up”); Or reply to this email.
As ever, we are working hard to ensure everyone’s safety as we cautiously resume aspects of our operations. We remain grateful for your flexibility and patience, and we welcome your input.
Dr Karen Froud
Dr Myra Luna-Lucero