Institutional Review Board

Announcement:  Mentor IRB System Update Effective February 14, 2025!

The Teachers College IRB is excited to introduce the updated Mentor IRB system, launching on February 14, 2025. The redesigned layout will make it easier than ever to navigate submissions, track study progress, and communicate with the IRB office.

Key Changes Include:

• Streamlined navigation bar and submission workflow.

• Real-time status updates and notifications.

• Improved user support features.

Get Ready:

• Review this quick tutorial highlighting the key changes: Introduction to the New Mentor IRB User Interface (video recording)

  • Download the transcript here: Introduction to the New Mentor IRB User Interface Transcript

More information coming soon, including step-by-step guides for submissions and additional resources to help you navigate the new interface.

For questions, reach out to the IRB office at irb@tc.edu. 

Introduction

The protection of human participants is of the utmost importance for practical and ethical reasons. The Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) is an administrative committee of Teachers College (TC) whose purpose is to ensure that the rights and welfare of human subjects of research conducted at or sponsored by TC regardless of the source of funding are protected pursuant to federal regulations (45 CFR part 46 and 21 CFR part 56). Examples of human subjects’ research include surveys, observations of behavior, experiments involving human responses, individual interviews, focus group sessions, and collection of data from existing records.

In taking on this responsibility the IRB ensures human subject research is conducted ethically and in compliance with the Belmont Report, and applicable federal, state, local, and institutional requirements by performing prospective and continuing review of the protocol, the informed consent process, and the procedures utilized to enroll subjects.

The conduct of research at Teachers College is a shared responsibility. It requires cooperation and collaboration among the institution, investigators and their research staff, the subjects who enroll in research, and IRB members and staff.  

The responsibility of ensuring compliance with the TC’s Federal-wide Assurance is vested in the IRB. No research involving human subjects may be conducted at TC without IRB approval. Research approved by the IRB may be subject to further appropriate review and approval or disapproval by officials of TC. 

Researchers working with human subjects may not begin recruitment or research until they receive a final IRB approval letter. All research staff and faculty sponsors submitting an IRB protocol must have an updated CITI training certificate on Mentor IRB (awarded within the last three years). Please visit our Training & Certification page for information on how to update CITI certification.

Quick Navigation Links

• Before You Begin
• Submitting a New Protocol
• Guides & Resources, which includes guidance for research topics such as: 
  • Conducting Internet Research
  • International Research
  • Submitting a Protocol for Existing Data
  • Working with NYC Department of Education
• FAQs
• Meetings & Deadlines
• Training & Certification