Research Policies
Academic Freedom
University of California Regulation No. 5, below, is the official statement of academic freedom.
The following announcement was originally made by the President of the University before the Northern Section of the Academic Senate on August 27, 1934, and is to be regarded as a setting forth of the principles which guide the President in these matters and accordingly stand as, in a certain sense, the policy of the University.
The function of the university is to seek and to transmit knowledge and to train students in the processes whereby truth is to be made known. To convert, or to make converts, is alien and hostile to this dispassionate duty. Where it becomes necessary, in performing this function of a university, to consider political, social, or sectarian movements, they are dissected and examined - not taught, and the conclusion left, with no tipping of the scales, to the logic of the facts.
The University is founded upon faith in intelligence and knowledge and it must defend their free operation. It must rely upon truth to combat error. Its obligation is to see that the conditions under which questions are examined are those which give play to intellect rather than passion. Essentially the freedom of a university is the freedom of competent persons in the classroom. In order to protect this freedom, the University assumes the right to prevent exploitation of its prestige by unqualified persons or by those who would use it as platform for propaganda. It therefore takes great care in the appointment of its teachers; it must take corresponding care with respect to others who wish to speak in its name.
The University respects personal belief as the private concern of the individual. It equally respects the constitutional rights of the citizen. It insists only that its members, as individuals and as citizens, shall likewise always respect – and not exploit, their University connection.
The University of California is the creature of the State and its loyalty to the State will never waiver. It will not aid nor will it condone actions contrary to the laws of the State. Its high function - and its high privilege, the University will steadily continue to fulfill, serving the people by providing facilities for investigation and teaching free from and domination by parties, sects, or selfish interests. The University expects the State, in return, and to its own great gain, to protect this indispensable freedom, a freedom like the freedom of the press, that is the heritage and the right of a free people.
Approved:
Robert G. Sproul, President
University of California
June 15, 1944
Human or Animal Subjects
Human
Subjects
Committee for the Protection
of Human Subjects
If you plan research or development activities that involve human subjects, you must have your work reviewed and approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) before you begin your research. Protocols involving human subjects must be filed and the research must be carried out according to the Berkeley campus' "Multiple Project Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Regulations for Protection of Human Subjects." Please see the CPHS web site for further information.
Animal
Subjects
Animal Care and Use Committee
If you plan research or development activities that involve live vertebrate animals, you must have your work reviewed and approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) before you begin your research. In addition, you must notify the ACUC of any proposed plans to obtain custom antibodies from commercial sources or other laboratories. Only individuals with Principal Investigator (PI) status on the Berkeley campus may submit protocols to the ACUC. Therefore, if you plan any use of animals, the proposed use must be described in an approved animal use protocol for a Berkeley PI. Please see the ACUC web site for further information.
Scientific Misconduct
The University of California, Berkeley, has a long history of effective and thoughtful policy development regarding the professional conduct of its members. In order to comply with federal regulations and reassure the public and ourselves that our traditional standards are being upheld, the university reaffirms its policies; it specifies procedures and appropriate safeguards for handling investigations; and, it fosters an environment that discourages misconduct in all research. Procedures are in response to the Public Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services) Final Rule 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 50 and the resultant Initial Assurance Regarding Procedures for Dealing with and Reporting Possible Misconduct in Science (Public Health Service Form 6315).
Although federal legislation focuses on the narrower context of scientific research, the campus policy relates to the conduct of all research. As a practical matter of policy, the campus has chosen one set of procedures to investigate allegations of misconduct in research.
UC Berkeley policy and procedures on research misconduct are available on the Vice Chancellor for Research web site: http://research.chance.berkeley.edu/policies/misconduct.htm.
Postdoctoral Appointees Serving as Principal Investigators
It is the policy of the University of California, Berkeley, that only members of the Academic Senate (including emeriti), adjunct professors (including assistant and associate levels), agronomists, and cooperative extension faculty may serve as principal investigators or project directors on proposals for research, training, or public service projects. Designations of co-principal investigator, co-project director, or co-program director may only be used by those eligible to serve as principal investigators.
Under certain circumstances, exceptions to this policy can be granted for postdoctoral appointees. Approval of an exception requires demonstration that the proposed project or program is sufficiently important to the educational, research, or public service goals of the unit submitting the proposal and to the University.
Postdoctoral appointees may apply for an exception to this policy on grants that are for travel, conferences, or fieldwork. However, in all cases the postdoctoral appointee must have an eligible principal investigator as a mentor for the proposal.
The Director of the Sponsored Projects Office, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor for Research, approves all exceptions to this policy for postdoctoral appointees. To request an exception, a letter from the faculty mentor, endorsed by the cognizant dean, must be addressed to the Vice Chancellor for Research justifying the need for the exception. The request and the grant proposal are then submitted to the Director of the Sponsored Projects Office.