Institutional Review Board

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) for San Antonio College is composed of Dr. David Wood (Chair) and Dr. Savithra Eratne and Melissa Sutherland.

The IRB at SAC reviews research proposals that affect members of the SAC community while they are pursuing college-related activities. The purpose of IRB is primarily to maintain the safety and well-being of faculty, staff, and students while they are on campus or otherwise engaged in activities sanctioned or supported by the College. Our primary concerns during a review focus on data privacy and security, accreditation issues, and compliance with the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other Federal and State laws.

Researchers seeking IRB review to conduct research at SAC should submit the following materials to Dr. David Wood at dwood30@alamo.edu:

• An abstract or summary of the proposed research
• IRB approval from the researcher’s home institution (if available)
• Identification process for participants and recruiting methodology
• Specific communications that will go into recruiting project participants
• Description of data privacy and security measures
• Any additional information that may help the IRB reach a determination for approval

The IRB will make every effort to review proposals and reach a decision in a timely manner. Due to the variable schedules of IRB committee members, the review process may sometimes take as long as two weeks. If your research proposal is approved, you will receive an approval letter indicating the maximum duration for which the proposal is approved along with any specific stipulations that may apply uniquely to each project.