The Heidelberg Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for all human subject’s research projects and projects must be reviewed by the IRB before the study begins. See these selections from the Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR Part 46 : PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS) for general information about the role of Institutional Review Boards.
Investigators who believe that their study poses no more than minimal risk to participants and meets the federal guidelines may request an expedited review. Expedited reviews will be conducted by two IRB members instead of the full committee. Submissions will be accepted at any time during the academic year when school is in session. For expedited reviews, we will notify investigators of the outcome of the review within 5-10 business days.
Full reviews will only take place periodically, and investigators will be notified of the outcome of a full review within 10-12 business days of the submission deadline.
Proposals can be submitted:
Starting: August 20, 2025
Fall 2025 Deadline for Submissions: November 25, 2025
Spring 2026 Deadline for Submissions: April 24, 2026
2025-2026 IRB committee:
Dr. Morgan Kocher - Assistant Professor of Exercise Science & IRB Chair
Dr. Sieglinde Poelzler-Kamatali - Assistant Professor of German and Spanish
Dr. Nichole Griffin - Assistant Professor of Education
Dr. Virginia Gregg – Professor of Psychology
Dr. Salil Khetani – Associate Professor of Marketing
Dr. Brandon Gallimore – Assistant Professor of Athletic Training & Health Science
Ms. Shelley Hampp - Outside of Heidelberg University IRB reviewer for the Full review
The full review deadlines for the 2025-26 year are:
Fall 2025
September 12, 2025
October 17, 2025
November 14, 2025
Spring 2026
• January 23, 2026 • February 2, 2026 • March 6, 2026 • April 3, 2026
Proposals must be submitted before 11:59 pm on the deadlines to be considered. Make sure that for research being conducted by students, the Faculty Advisor has also sent an email to the IRB Chair approving the submission: mkocher@heidelberg.edu
All students who will be completing human subjects research must complete two different trainings: the IRB Protection of Human Subjects Ethics Training and an IRB training session. All researchers and faculty advisors must complete the online IRB Protection of Human subjects Training. The additional training will give students and their faculty a better understanding of how to successfully complete the IRB process. You only have to complete the Navigating HU’s IRB Training once. While faculty are not required to attend this, it is strongly recommended that faculty researchers and advisors also complete this training.
The links can be found in the IRB’s Canvas page.
For class projects, there are semester deadlines for submitting proposals (even for expedited), in order for them to be reviewed within the same semester:
Fall 2025: November 25
Spring 2026: April 24
If you are a Heidelberg Faculty member or a Heidelberg student, you need to first enroll in the 2025-2026 IRB Canvas Course. After enrolling in the course, you will be able to access instructions within the IRB’s Canvas page. Regardless of whether you request an expedited or full review, you must complete the same IRB application. The application can be found in the modules of the IRB’s Canvas page. Federal guidelines require that proposals undergoing an expedited review are reviewed just as thoroughly as proposals undergoing full review. If your study does not meet the criteria for an expedited review, it will be reviewed by the full IRB committee.
Research Proposals will not be reviewed when the University is closed for breaks (Thanksgiving, Christmas/Winter, Spring Break, and Summer Break). The deadlines for all proposals to be submitted are November 25, 2025 (Fall) and April 24, 2026 (Spring). Proposals can be submitted, but a review of proposals will be delayed. Expedited Proposals will be reviewed the week before classes start in the Fall, and the week before classes start in the Spring. Full Review Deadlines are established at the end of Spring before the start of the next academic year. This page and the Canvas page will be updated yearly.
Protocol for the researchers outside of Heidelberg University
Data collection from Heidelberg University students or faculty, by individuals and institutions outside of Heidelberg University will need to be reviewed by Heidelberg’s IRB. The Primary Investigator (PI) must submit the approval letter from the granting institution’s IRB, the application, all study protocols, and proof that the entire research team has up-to-date completion of Human Subjects Ethics Training. These will be reviewed by Heidelberg's IRB and will be given an expedited review. The goal is to protect the Heidelberg community, while applying best practices in terms of the highest ethical
Contact the current Chair of IRB, Dr. Morgan Kocher, mkocher@heidelberg.edu, with any questions.
