KU affirms commitment to ethical, professional research ahead of HLC review
From preparing scientific protocols to conducting compliant and ethical research, managing research projects and collaborative relationships as a first-time principal investigator can be daunting at first. Dyan Morgan, associate teaching professor in undergraduate biology, said University of Kansas research resources, faculty and staff have been critical in facilitating her research progress, especially during her early days of leading projects. Her research focuses on biology education, particularly in metacognition and curriculum development.
Morgan leaned on the services of KU Libraries’ research support staff to help her navigate data management, as well as the Center for Teaching Excellence’s related programming. By attending sessions and workshops, she learned the essentials of leading her own research projects, such as writing grants, working with human subjects, submitting protocols and more. Morgan said this support helped her go on to receive internal funding from the center that assisted some of her early projects.
HLC Criterion 2 and research activities
To evaluate whether colleges and universities are delivering quality educational programs and are overall sound institutions, the Higher Learning Commission, a national accrediting agency, set out five standards, or criteria, for members to meet and uphold. Criterion 2 ensures institutions act with integrity and that their conduct is ethical and responsible. Component 2E states, “The institution’s policies and procedures call for responsible acquisition, discovery and application of knowledge by its faculty, staff and students.”