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
- Experimental use of pesticides | Memo | Policy (05/2019)
- Using human subjects in research | Memo (pdf) | IRB/HRPP Policy Manual (3/7/2022)
- Using animals in research and teaching | Policies
- Conducting classified research | Draft Memo (pdf) (3/30/09)
- Anti-kickback policy | Policy
- When to seek approval and review from Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) | Memo (pdf) | IBC Manual (09/21)
- Financial conflict of interest | Policy and resources
- Harassment and Discrimination Protections in NIH Training Applications (NOT-OD-129-029) | WSU Harassment and Discrimination Protections Letter
- Harassment and Discrimination Protections in NSF Conference Applications (PAPPG 19-1) | WSU Harassment and Discrimination Protections Letter
Guidelines
- Compliance (RCR and COI) training for researchers | Guideline 8 (pdf) (1/20) | Click here for CITI registration and training directions
- Cannabis research, teaching and outreach activities | Guideline 15 (pdf) (8/10/22)
- Faculty resource guide for Washington public records requests | Guideline 16 (pdf) (11/29/16)
- Administering ethyl alcohol in human experimentation | Guideline 18 (pdf) (6/1/92)
- NIH Other Support signature page generator information | (pdf) (1/22)
Proposal development
Policies
- Research Credit Sharing, Tracking, and Reporting Based on Project Contribution | Policy (pdf) | 2022 Memo about policy (pdf)
- Current University facilities and administrative (F&A) rates | Policy (pdf)
- Eligibility requirements to submit proposals | Policy (pdf) (10/7/21)
General guidelines
- Data management plan resources | Guideline 10 (pdf) (4/22/11)
- Accepting fellowships without indirect costs | Guideline 11 (pdf) (7/1/90)
- Requesting excess compensation | Guideline 21 (5/15/18)
- Distinguishing between subcontracts, personal services and purchased services | Guideline 22 (pdf) (8/28/13)
- Pre-proposals that require eREX forms | Guideline 30 (pdf) (4/4/19)
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
- Is it a sponsored project or a gift? | Guideline 5 (pdf)
- Working with industry research agreements | Guideline 9 (pdf) (4/13/21)
Submitting a proposal
Guidelines
- Proposal review, processing and submission | Guideline 1 (pdf) (7/18/22)
- ORSO Soft Funded FAQ: Updated July 2018
- eREX Narrative Hold Program information: April 2017 Narrative Hold Primer
Setting up a project
Guidelines
- Understanding fixed price and cost-reimbursable agreements | Guideline 28 (pdf)
Managing a project
Policies
- Fiscal responsibilities for grants and contracts | Policy
- Managing research records: definition, retention, ownership, access and storage | Policy
Guidelines
- Grant and contract transfer overview| Guideline 3 (pdf) (5/29/15)
- Transferring NIH grants | Guideline (pdf) (6/12/15)
- NIH electronic process guide | Guideline 6 (pdf) (5/27/22)
- Sponsored projects subcontracting | Guideline 7 (pdf) (3/17/15)
- NIH public access policy | Guideline 12 (pdf) (5/6/08)
- Processing non-disclosure agreements | Guideline 26 (pdf) (4/13/21)
- Processing materials transfer agreements | Guideline 23 (pdf) (2/3/2023)
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
| Number | Title | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Classified research at Washington State University | Draft policy (pdf) | 03/30/09 |
| 35 | Principal investigator and co-investigator eligibility | policy (pdf) | 10/07/21 |
Guidelines from the Office of Research/ORSO
| Number | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Guideline 1 | Proposal review, processing and submission |
| Guideline 2 | Budget assistance information for preparing sponsored program proposals |
| Guideline 3 | Grant transfers |
| Guideline 5 | 1995 Greg Sheridan sponsored projects and gifts guidelines memo |
| Guideline 6 | NIH electronic progress report guide |
| Guideline 7 | Sponsored project subcontracting |
| Guideline 8 | Research compliance training required for WSU researchers. Click here for CITI registration and training directions |
| Guideline 9 | A guide to working with industry research agreements with Washington State University |
| Guideline 10 | Data management plans: Resources for WSU researchers |
| Guideline 11 | Conditions under which WSU would accept fellowships without indirect costs |
| Guideline 12 | NIH public access policy |
| Guideline 15 | Cannabis research, teaching, and outreach activities |
| Guideline 16 | Faculty resource guide for Washington public records requests |
| Guideline 18 | Guidelines on the administration of ethyl alcohol in human experimentation |
| Guideline 20 | Management of WSU core facilities |
| Guideline 21 | Excess compensation |
| Guideline 22 | Distinguishing between subcontracts, personal services contracts, and purchased services |
| Guideline 23 | Processing materials transfer agreements form |
| Guideline 26 | Processing non-disclosure agreements |
| Guideline 28 | Characteristics of fixed price agreements and cost-reimbursable agreements |
| Guideline 30 | The 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 34 | Disclosing “Other Support” / “Current and Pending Support” |
| Guideline 35 | NSF Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research Plan |
Vice President for Research and Other Important Guidance Documents
- NIH Data Management and Sharing Guidance | From 9/12/22 (pdf)
- Required Verification of Annual Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Prevention for Research Investigators | From 1/26/22 (pdf)
- Data Management and Laboratory Notebooks | From 4/8/05 (pdf)
- Limited Submission Grant Proposal Agency Definitions for “University Systems” | From 1/14/06 (pdf)
- Defense Base Act Information| From 7/30/12 (pdf)
- COGR: Restrictions on Research Awards: Troublesome Clauses 2007/2008| From 7/08 (pdf)
- AAU/COGR Release Report on Restrictive DOD and Other Agency Contract Clauses| From 7/17/08 (doc)
- Secretary of Defense 2010 Memo on Fundamental Research | From 5/24/10 (pdf)
- National Policy on the Transfer of Scientific, Technical and Engineering Information (NSDD 189)
- Outside Consulting Agreements: “Things to Consider” (Provides Faculty Guidance) | Updated October 2021 (pdf)
- Crowdfunding Guidelines | From 3/11/14 (doc)
- Crowdfunding Flowchart | From 3/11/14 (pdf)
- December 2013 Responsible Conduct of Research Update | From 12/10/13 (pdf)
- Per the WSU Multi-Campus Administrative Systems and Operations Task Force under Provost Bernardo – “One University Geographically Dispersed” document | From 2/27/15 (pdf)
Research or sponsored activity directives
Issued by the Office of Research regarding mandatory training for faculty and students (1/16/06) | Directives (pdf)