Research Integrity Standing Committee (RISC) – Standard Operating Procedures

ERIK, Office of Research Compliance, Revised 08/01/2025

I. Overview

The creation of a Research Integrity Standing Committee (RISC) is consistent with the specific recommendations from a 2017 external review of the Office of Research Compliance. The RISC is authorized and appointed by the University Research Committee, in consultation with the Senate Executive Committee, to ensure that the University’s policy and procedures for dealing with research misconduct are consistent with the federal regulations and emerging best practices. The RISC will consist of a pool of senior faculty to serve as experts for the Inquiry and on Investigation Committees, with expertise and training to participate in Research Misconduct proceedings.

II. Membership

  1. The Research Integrity Standing Committee (RISC) members will be populated with senior faculty selected by the University Research Committee in consultation with the deans of various colleges and the Executive Committee of Faculty Council.
  2. The RISC will be composed of a pool of at least 20 senior University faculty selected from multiple disciplines.
  3. Each RISC member shall serve a staggered 3-year term with training in the university’s research misconduct policy and procedures and in the federal regulations. The term of membership for RISC members is renewable at the discretion of the appointing authority, in consultation with the Research Integrity Officer (RIO).
  4. The RISC pool will include at least three (3) faculty members that represent the interests of the Graduate School.

III. Duties and Responsibilities

  1. RISC members will be selected to serve as an expert during the Inquiry or appointed to an Investigation Committee (IC), as needed and shall conduct research misconduct proceedings consistent with the federal policies on Research Misconduct and the University Policy on Research Misconduct.
  2. All RISC members are voting members, except as specified below (IV.6, IV.7, and IV.8) for non-voting consultants.

IV. Organization and Process

  1. Experts for the Inquiry or IC members will be chosen from the RISC pool by the RIO, in consultation with college deans and/or the Deciding Official (DO).
  2. A given IC will be composed of at least three (3) RISC members.
  3. The expert for the Inquiry and IC members will work with the RIO to ensure compliance with university rules and federal regulations.
  4. If the RIO identifies a conflict of interest for any expert for the Inquiry or IC members, the RIO will select a new member from the RISC to replace the conflicted member.
  5. As necessary during the course of an Inquiry or Investigation, if additional substantial subject matter expertise is required for the duration of a given Inquiry or Investigation, internal or external subject matter experts shall be named as temporary appointees to the RISC and will serve as voting members.
  6. When limited experience or expertise is needed for specific, focused questions related to an Inquiry or an Investigation, internal or external subject matter experts shall be named as temporary appointees to the RISC to serve as non-voting consultants to aid in a given Inquiry or Investigation.
  7. For any allegation(s) against staff members, Human Resource (HR) representatives shall be appointed to the RISC to serve as non-voting consultants to aid in the recommendation of appropriate corrective actions or sanctions.
  8. For any allegation(s) against students, the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) coordinator shall be appointed to the RISC to serve as a non-voting consultant to aid in the recommendation of appropriate corrective actions or sanctions.
  9. The RISC shall meet for training sessions provided by the Office of Research Compliance, as required, related to the University Research Misconduct Policy and the federal regulations regarding Research Misconduct.
  10. When selected to serve for Research Misconduct proceedings, RISC members will meet as often as required for a given Inquiry or Investigation.

Article ID: 110
Created: August 28, 2025
Last Updated: September 10, 2025

Online URL: https://ohiostateresearch.knowledgebase.co/article/research-integrity-standing-committee-40;risc-41;-standard-operating-procedures-110.html