University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

Policy on Requests for Conducting Research in the Residence Halls

Purpose Statement

In order to insure the integrity of all research and the privacy of resident student subjects, University Housing has established the following policy and procedures.

Policy

All requests (including those from individual staff and departmental committees) for using University Housing staff and/or residents as subjects for research must be submitted in writing to the Director of University Housing. Approval/denial for conducting the research in the residence halls will be communicated back to the requestor.

Procedure

1. Researchers submit written requests to the Director of University Housing. All requests should be thorough, listing a step-by-step process on how the research will be conducted. The research questions, the methodology and the instrument(s) should also be included. Approval from the IRB (Institutional Review Board) should also be included.
   
2. Requests should be submitted at least three weeks prior to the planned start date.
   
3. Requests will be reviewed by the Central Staff based on the following criteria:
   ◦Workload of Housing staff involved in project (requesting the use of Housing staff to conduct the research is discouraged)
   ◦Relevance to students living in the residence halls
   ◦Availability of other groups and/or methods of collecting data (door-to-door collection of data is generally not approved, since it is contrary to our solicitation policy)
   ◦Thoroughness and appropriateness of procedures and research topic
   ◦Proposed time line
   ◦Similar research projects being conducted on campus
   ◦Ethics of the study
   
4. A response will be given back to the requestor at least one week before the project is to start.
   
5. A copy of the completed research project, including a summary, must be given to the Director of University Housing upon completion of the project.