Hardin-Simmons Research Misconduct Policies and Procedures

In December 2000, 科技政策办公室(OTSP)在《中国赌博平台》上发布了《中国赌博平台》. 这项政策列出了联邦政府对不当行为的定义以及处理不当行为指控的指导方针. Research misconduct is defined by the federal government as “fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.” Misconduct is found to have taken place when “there is a significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant research community; and the misconduct was committed intentionally, or knowingly, or recklessly; and the allegation can be proved by a preponderance of evidence.” Research misconduct can occur in the acquisition, analysis or reporting of data.

In the 24-hour, sensationalized news cycle world, research misconduct can very quickly erode the trust the public has in researchers. Recent cases of misconduct have also lead to questions of how federal dollars are spent, and who should manage that allocation. It is critical that research be performed with the utmost integrity, but also that suspicions of misconduct be reported and investigated. The National Academy of Sciences advised, in 1995, that “someone who has witnessed misconduct has an unmistakable obligation to act.”

Hardin-Simmons University Research Misconduct Procedure

Research Misconduct Committee

The Hardin-Simmons University Research Misconduct Committee is an ad hoc group, chaired by Associate Provost, 目的是调查和裁决中文博彩平台研究不端行为的指控. As misconduct can occur at any research level, the committee shall be comprised of students, faculty, and staff who are actively engaged in research. The Research Misconduct Committee shall consist of seven members, including the chair, with at least three faculty, one staff, and one student on the committee. 委员会的提名由学院和学院的院长在春季向教务长和首席学术官提出，从秋季学期开始任命. The nominations are presented to the faculty for final selection. Appointment is for an initial three-year term; committee members may serve two consecutive three-year terms if reappointed by the faculty.

Allegations and Inquiries

Reporting

应该有人有理由相信中文博彩平台发生了研究不端行为吗, 该人员应立即向不端行为委员会主席报告可能的研究不端行为. When presenting the allegation of misconduct, the person should be prepared to make a statement, and give any evidence which corroborates their statement.

Whistleblower Protections

Should a member of Hardin-Simmons University witness a perceived act of misconduct, it is his/her duty to report it immediately to the Research Misconduct Committee. Whistleblowers, 而被要求就指控作证的社区其他成员，如果提供的信息是善意的，则不会受到报复. 在整个审判过程中，将尽一切努力使举报人和举报人保持匿名.

Allegation Subject Protections

中文博彩平台的一名成员是否应该被指控有不当行为, the allegations will be resolved in a timely manner. 被告将收到一封书面信件，概述投诉和调查过程. The accused will also have time to go over any evidence given in support of the allegation. Until the matter is adjudicated, there will be no undue penalization, while the researcher takes the time to prepare his/her response to the allegations.

Preliminary Assessment

Once an allegation has been made, 研究不端行为委员会将评估陈述和证据，以确定报告的事件是否属于研究不端行为的例子. 委员会还将确定是否有足够的证据进行指控程序. 他们是否应该确定该事件属于研究不当行为委员会的责任范围, the allegation will then lead to an inquiry.

Inquiry

The inquiry is the next stage of fact finding in a research misconduct allegation. 主席任命两至三名研究不当行为委员会成员，收集有关涉嫌不当行为的证据. The inquiry is the evidence gathering stage. The evidence gathered during this stage will be used in the adjudication proceedings. If the inquiry members determine that the evidence suggests misconduct has occurred, the chair must notify the subject of the allegation prior to initiation of the inquiry, including an outline of the allegations, an outline of the inquiry process, and the names of the committee members who will be performing the inquiry. The subject has five business days to contest, in writing, the inclusion of any member of the inquiry, based on a conflict of interest. The chair then has five business days to either deny the request or replace the member.

Following finalization of the inquiry committee, 将使指控的对象了解调查的程序和结果. The inquiry period should be no longer than sixty days, unless the inquiry committee has a clear, abiding interest in a longer time frame. Should the inquiry committee need more than sixty days, 他们必须在向不当行为委员会和不当行为指控的主题提交的书面声明中明确说明理由.

At the end of the inquiry period, 调查结果的书面报告将在调查结束后不超过十个工作日内提供给调查对象. Wherever possible, anonymity will be maintained. 调查对象将有10个工作日对报告中的所有调查结果作出回应.

Based on the inquiry report and the response by the subject of the allegations, 然后，主席将有五个工作日的时间来决定是否继续进行调查. 主席是否应确定调查的指控和结果值得进行全面调查, the subject of the allegation must be notified within three business days of the decision.

Investigation

Should the inquiry findings warrant a full investigation, 研究不当行为委员会将有60个工作日对不当行为指控进行调查. 在收到调查通知后的五个工作日内，指控主体可以对纳入研究不当行为委员会的任何成员提出异议, with reasons for their conflict of interest provided in writing to the chair. 研究不端行为委员会主席有五天的时间来回避该委员会成员, or deny the request.

Once the committee membership has been finalized, the members will receive all relevant materials gathered in the inquiry stage. The committee can also call upon witnesses to testify to the alleged misconduct, as well as witnesses to rebut the findings of the inquiry. All interviews must be documented and included in the file on the allegation proceedings.

Once the investigation has concluded, the committee must meet and discuss their findings. At this point, the committee submits their final evaluation to the Research Misconduct Committee chair, along with their recommendations for any disciplinary actions. 委员会的调查结果将通知指控的当事人，并有10个工作日对调查结果作出答复. The chair of the Research Misconduct Committee, 以及教务长、首席学术官和研究部门的主任, 会否开会审议指控对象的任何回应，并就委员会的调查结果和任何建议的纪律行动作出最后决定. Should any actions be taken against the subject of the investigation, all funding sources must be notified, as well as the Office of Research Integrity.

应通知所有供资来源有关不当行为的指控和调查委员会的调查结果. All findings thereafter must be communicated to all funding sources, along with any evidence gathered by the committee. At the end of the adjudication of the alleged misconduct, 研究不当行为委员会主席必须向所有资助机构提交一份最终报告.