Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR, i.e. RCR)
The content of this page is derived from the Provost Office website. View the following excerpts from the Policy for Ensuring Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (Updated July 2023) for an overview of the RECR policy or find online training instructions and FAQs at the bottom of the page.
Who is Governed by this Policy
All principal investigators, senior personnel, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates who participate in research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are governed by this policy.
Who is Responsible for this Policy
The Director of Sponsored Research is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring compliance.
Reason for the Policy
The purpose of this policy is to set forth Barnard College’s requirements and plan to ensure researcher training on the responsible and ethical conduct of research for all National Science Foundation (NSF) and relevant National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards. This policy addresses current NSF and NIH requirements and will be amended, as needed, to address any additional agency requirements.
Policy Background
As of January 4, 2010, the NSF requires that all institutions have in place plans to ensure the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) and provide “appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research.” With the implementation of the 2023 Proposal and Awards Policy and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF added a requirement that principal investigators (PIs) and other senior personnel also receive training in RECR and that this training must include a segment on mentorship. This requirement is effective for new NSF awards received on or after July 31, 2023. Training plans do not have to be included in proposals submitted to NSF, but they are subject to review upon request.
NIH also requires RECR training for all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development, research education, or dissertation research grant as well as any other grant programs that include a training component and that require RECR instruction in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). NIH’s requirement applies to all new and renewal applications submitted on or after January 25, 2010, and to all continuation applications submitted on or after January 1, 2011. For more details, see the NIH Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, as well as updated guidance, here.
The following instructions are from the Provost's Office website. Click here to download the Word document with RASCAL RCR online training instructions.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BARNARD STUDENT RESEARCHERS ON-LINE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH (RCR) TRAINING
All SRI students must complete the RCR training and submit the completion certificate. Note that timesheet approval/payments are contingent on completion.
- Log in to Columbia’s Research Compliance and Administration (RASCAL) system. You will need your Columbia UNI and password. Contact Pamela Tuffley at 212.870.2526 or via email if you need help accessing Rascal.
- Click on “Training Center.”
- Click on “Course Listings.”
- Scroll down toward the bottom of the page and click on “TC0094 - Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR),” which is about a quarter of the way down under the “Morningside/ LDEO/NEVIS and Medical Center” section.
- Click on “take course” on the left hand side of the page First-time CITI users will need to complete the CITI registration information. Once you have registered in CITI, you will be able to log in and save your work until you complete the training.
- Enter the CITI website at the bottom of the page.
- Create a CITI account if you don’t already have one.
- Select “Responsible Conduct of Research Training.”
- Select the RCR course that best corresponds with your department or research focus (Biomedical, Physical Sciences, Social and Behavioral, or Humanities). If you’re not sure which one is most appropriate, note that the modules are identical, with the exception of the Biomedical’s module called “Using Animal Subjects in Research.” Students are not required to complete the “Using Animal Subjects in Research” module.
- Click on “RCR Biomedical/RCR Physical Sciences/or RCR-Social Behavioral” and complete the following required modules. You do not need to complete the course in one session. You can complete it in as many sessions as you need and the system will save your work.
- Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course Introduction (ID: 1522)
- Research Misconduct (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16604)
- Data Management (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16600)
- Authorship (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16597)
- Peer Review (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16603)
- Mentoring (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16602)
- Conflicts of Interest (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16599)
- Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course Conclusion (ID: 1043)
- *Note: Collaborative Research (RCR-Basic) (ID: 16598) is encouraged for students working with collaborators, but is not required.
- When you have completed the modules above, you will be able to download a completion report.
- MAKE SURE TO PRINT/SAVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETION REPORT! When you have completed the RCR Training, please print out your completion certificate and send it via email to Laura Tierney, Administrative Assistant in the Dean of Studies Office, at ltierney@barnard.edu or mail/hand-deliver it to Milbank 105. If you email the completion certificate, please use the subject heading “RCR Certificate” and name the file “your name-RCR.”
If you have any questions about accessing or completing CITI training, please review the Frequently Asked Questions or contact Pamela Tuffley, Manager of Sponsored Research, via email at ptuffley@barnard.edu or at 212.870.2526.
Note that on-line RCR training through the CITI program is valid for 3 years from the date of completion, after which the "Refresher Course" should be taken.