WSU policies & guidelines

For legal, ethical, and effective research conduct

The Office of Research Support and Operations (ORSO) keeps track of the shifting terrain of policy. In addition, it maintains guidelines for best practices throughout the research process.

The index at the bottom of this page lets you look up guidelines and policies by document number.

Ethics and compliance

Policies

Guidelines

Proposal development

Policies

General guidelines

Budget guidelines and resources

  • Preparing budgets for sponsored program proposals | Guideline 2 (pdf) (9/27/21)
  • Budget prep tools: WSU budget templates, NIH modular budget, benefits calculator and more | Budget Workbook (xlsx) (9/15/21)
  • Cost determination guidelines | Guideline
  • Indirect cost limitation from Department of Defense | Guideline (pdf) (3/24/08)

Guidelines for private gifts and grants

Submitting a proposal

Guidelines

Setting up a project

Guidelines

Managing a project

Policies

  • Fiscal responsibilities for grants and contracts | Policy
  • Managing research records: definition, retention, ownership, access and storage | Policy

Guidelines

Commercialization activity

Policies

  • Patent policy
    WSU is assigned ownership in patents or other tangible research property developed by its employees a result of their University research or employment. When an invention has been developed through sponsored research, ownership is typically determined according to the original agreement between WSU and the sponsor, negotiated when necessary by the ORSO contracts officers. See the WSU Faculty Manual for more information, and contact the Office of Commercialization for policy and disclosure questions.
  • Copyright policy
    WSU is assigned ownership of copyrightable works prepared by employees in the scope of their employment or specifically commissioned by the University via a written, signed agreement. Exceptions exist depending on the type of work if the creation did not involve susbstantial use of University resources, was not created via a written agreement, or was not created pursuant to a sponsored agreement, grant, or contract. If a work is created in a sponsored program, rights are assigned to WSU unless the sponsored agreement states otherwise. See the WSU Faculty Manual for more information, and contact the Office of Commercialization for policy and ownership questions.

Index

Please note the intentional gaps in the numbers in the tables below; older policies and guidelines have been inactivated over time.

Policies of the Office of Research/ORSO

NumberTitleLast updated
1Experimental use of pesticides | VPR memo (pdf), policy (BPPM 45.70)05/2019
4Use of human subjects in research | policy (pdf), IRB/HRPP Manual 9/2021
5Classified research at Washington State University | Draft policy (pdf)03/30/09
6Anti-kickback policy | BPPM 45.20
7Current university facilities and administrative rates | BPPM 40.25
13Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) policy | policy (pdf), IBC Manual (pdf)09/2021
14Patent policy statement | Faculty Manual Section IV G (pdf), EP 38
15Copyright policy statement | Faculty Manual Section IV H (pdf)
20Fiscal responsibilities for grants and contracts | BPPM 40.01
24Cost determination guidelines | BPPM 40.09
29Research records: Definition, retention, ownership, access, and storage | BPPM 45.35
35Principal investigator and co-investigator eligibility | policy (pdf)10/07/21

Guidelines from the Office of Research/ORSO

NumberGuideline
Guideline 1Proposal review, processing and submission
Guideline 2Budget assistance information for preparing sponsored program proposals
Guideline 3Grant transfers 
Guideline 51995 Greg Sheridan sponsored projects and gifts guidelines memo 
Guideline 6NIH electronic progress report guide
Guideline 7Sponsored project subcontracting
Guideline 8Research compliance training required for WSU researchers. Click here for CITI registration and training directions
Guideline 9A guide to working with industry research agreements with Washington State University
Guideline 10Data management plans: Resources for WSU researchers
Guideline 11Conditions under which WSU would accept fellowships without indirect costs
Guideline 12NIH public access policy 
Guideline 15Cannabis research, teaching, and outreach activities
Guideline 16Faculty resource guide for Washington public records requests
Guideline 18Guidelines on the administration of ethyl alcohol in human experimentation
Guideline 20Management of WSU core facilities
Guideline 21Excess compensation
Guideline 22Distinguishing between subcontracts, personal services contracts, and purchased services 
Guideline 23Processing materials transfer agreements form 
Guideline 26Processing non-disclosure agreements
Guideline 28Characteristics of fixed price agreements and cost-reimbursable agreements 
Guideline 30The need for eREX forms related to the submission of pre-proposals 
Guideline 33, VPR memo (pdf)Research Credit Sharing, Tracking, and Reporting Based on Project Contribution
Guideline 34Disclosing “Other Support” / “Current and Pending Support”
Guideline 35NSF Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research Plan

 

Vice President for Research and Other Important Guidance Documents

Research or sponsored activity directives

Issued by the Office of Research regarding mandatory training for faculty and students (1/16/06) | Directives (pdf)