WOU IACUC Policies and Procedures Manual (approved 11.08.2024)

• The Approved Policies of the Western Oregon University IACUC (Last Updated November 2024) addresses in detail the conduct and oversight of animal subjects research at WOU. All animal subjects researchers conducting investigations at WOU are encouraged to read this manual to ensure comprehensive understanding of all WOU IACUC policies and procedures.
• The WOU IACUC Membership Policy is included in the Approved Policies document. These sections (Section 4 – Composition of the IACUC, Section 5 – IACUC Member Appointment) of the policy describe the WOU IACUC procedures regarding the identification, selection, and terms of IACUC members. The IACUC may be composed of representatives from WOU faculty and staff, as well as the surrounding community. The committee shall have no fewer than five members and no more than fifteen, including the committee chair. Members are selected via a nomination and voting process, and the term of service is three (3) academic years, with the exception of the Attending Veterinarian, who will hold an indefinitely-tenured role. See the policy document for more information.

This is a step-by-step guide on how to access and add CITI training courses for IACUC compliance.

Instructions For Accessing IACUC CITI Training_PIs

Please note: everyone should select the  “Working with the IACUC” course, but the other courses you select will be dependent on the type of research and specific animal taxon you will be working with.

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Guidelines for Use of Live Amphibians and Reptiles in Field and Laboratory Research

Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research – September 2023

Guidelines for Use of Fishes in Research

2016 Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research and education – CurrentGuidelines

Federal animal welfare regulations (CFR Ch.1, 2.36(b) (5-7) require that USDA-registered research facilities report an annual census of regulated animals used in research and teaching, the species used, and the number of animals placed in each of the four “Categories of Pain and Distress” (B,C, D and E). As a means of meeting this requirement and providing consistency of IACUC review, the Western Oregon University IACUC requires that pain and distress category information is provided when submitting an application. This page intends to provide general recommendations and guidance on how to assign animals to the different categories of potential pain and/or distress.

WOU IACUC – Classification of Animal Use by Pain and Distress Categories

What is the IACUC?

What is the IACUC and why is IACUC needed? The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), is an official university committee composed of university and community members who work with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine to oversee and ensure the ethical utilization of vertebrate animals in university research, teaching, and outreach, and the university’s compliance with laws governing animal use and welfare, such as the federal Animal Welfare Act. The IACUC, by law, requires a Chair, a Scientist Member, a Non-Scientist Member, a member of the outside (non-university) Community, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. All registered Research Institutions, such as Western Oregon University, are required by federal law (Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy) to have an IACUC.

What does the IACUC do? The IACUC is ultimately responsible for ensuring the university complies with the Animal Welfare Act and related laws governing the use of vertebrate animals by university personnel in an official capacity on or off campus. To do so, the IACUC reviews, amends, and approves protocols involving animal use by university personnel or facilities. The IACUC also conducts regulatory inspections of all animal housing facilities on campus every 6 months. In addition, the IACUC is responsible for thoroughly investigating any reports of animal welfare concerns on campus.

What principles guide the IACUC’s decision making? The committee’s guiding principle for animal use protocol decisions is the weight of harm to animal subjects relative to the relevance of the research, teaching, or outreach to human or animal health, the advancement of knowledge, and the good of society. The IACUC’s decision making is guided by the principles of the so-called “3 Rs”: Replacement (replacing the use of animals through alternative non-animal methods), Reduction (using strategies that reduce the number of animals required to obtain valid, high-quality data), and Refinement (using methods that alleviate or minimize potential pain, suffering or distress, while enhancing animal welfare). The IACUC also uses The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (available on our website’s Resources page), and the latest science as essential resources to help guide its decision-making. 

Who oversees the IACUC? The IACUC reports to the university’s Institutional Official, currently the Provost. In addition, the IACUC receives external oversight from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). As a registered animal research facility, WOU must submit annual reports on our use of animals to the USDA, and we are subject to unannounced inspections by Veterinary Medical Officers from the USDA.

What is, and is not, subject to IACUC oversight?

What kinds of animals are subject to IACUC oversight? All non-embryonic, non-human, vertebrate animals (i.e., fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) used by university personnel in teaching, research, or outreach activities. Invertebrates and the eggs/embryos of vertebrates are exempt. Human-subjects research is under the purview of the WOU Institutional Review Board (IRB).

What are “outreach activities”, and how do they differ from “teaching”? According to IACUC Policy 1, “Outreach” activities are activities that promote the university, its mission, its programs, or other organizations inside the university, excluding activities under the umbrellas of teaching or research. Such activities are considered outreach regardless of whether they are targeted outside or inside the university (e.g., towards students). Examples of outreach activities include recruiting, fundraising, student life programming, and informal educational activities or displays (i.e., outside the confines of a formal course). In contrast, “Teaching” activities are educational activities related to a university-recognized course, with engagement by students enrolled in said course, overseen by the instructor-of-record.

What animal activities don’t require IACUC approval? Working with invertebrates or vertebrate eggs/embryos in any capacity; the use or personal housing of pets or official assistance animals by their owner; interactions of WOU Facilities with animals on campus (i.e., trapping mice in a building).

Is IACUC approval needed for animals that won’t be housed on campus? Yes, IACUC approval is needed for research involving animals that will not be housed on campus. Animals being observed, handled, or subject to other research procedures by WOU affiliated personnel are under the purview of the IACUC regardless of their housing status. 

Does field work require an IACUC approval? Generally speaking, yes, if that field work involves vertebrate animals and is being conducted in your official capacity with the university for teaching, research, or outreach. Purely observational work (e.g., taking a class bird watching) may be considered exempt from IACUC oversight in some cases, but not in others. It is best to consult with the IACUC Chair (iacuc@wou.edu) if you have questions regarding whether or not your field work is exempt from review.

Does having a pet on campus require IACUC oversight? Usually, no. Use of pets (animals whose primary role is companionship – not teaching, research, or outreach) in educational activities in the presence of their owner/caretaker is exempt from oversight. Pets on campus not involved in teaching, research, or outreach do not require IACUC oversight, even if they are housed on campus (e.g., an aquarium or terrarium in an employee’s office). Examples of activities that would require oversight include use of pets in research, and educational or outreach activities not in the presence of the animal’s owner/caretaker.

Does an informal educational display housing live animals on campus require IACUC oversight? Education is part of the mission of the university, and thus informal education (not related to a university-recognized course) is under the umbrella of outreach. As such, displays that house animals, that are being actively managed or maintained (e.g., feeding, cleaning) by university student(s) or employee(s), and that provide informal educational opportunities and/or promote a program or organization are considered Animal Housing Facilities subject to IACUC oversight.

Are wildlife on campus under the purview of the IACUC? The activities of WOU personnel are subject to IACUC oversight. If wildlife on campus are being actively used for teaching, research, or outreach purposes by WOU personnel, then those activities are under the purview of the IACUC. Animals that are not being used for these purposes and that are living naturally on campus are not under the purview of the IACUC (i.e., wild frogs living in a pond on campus that are naturally colonized from the wild are not under the purview of the IACUC unless they are being actively maintained and used by WOU personnel).

The IRB only requires approval for research projects, not teaching. Is that the same with the IACUC? I’m only using animals for teaching, not research. Do I still need IACUC approval to do that? Yes, teaching using vertebrate animals requires the approval of the IACUC. The Institutional Review Board (IRB), which oversees human-subjects research, is governed by different laws than the IACUC. The Animal Welfare Act and associated regulations cover the use of vertebrate animals for both research and educational (teaching, outreach) purposes.

Working with the IACUC

If I am planning to do something with animals that falls under the umbrella of teaching, research, or outreach, what should I do? First, complete the required CITI training for your proposal by clicking on the “CITI” button on the WOU IACUC website. Training is required for all Principle Investigators (PIs) submitting protocols other than protocols under review category 1B (on-campus housing and care of outreach animals or pets, where animals will not be handled or manipulated except for routine care, and only by the PI and designated caretakers). You will need to create an account and register your WOU email address with CITI, and then complete all required training courses. At minimum, this is the “Working with the IACUC” course, as well any courses specific to the animals you will be working with (i.e., the fish course if you are working with fish, the wildlife course if you are working with wildlife, etc). Once you have completed all required training courses, you will need to submit an IACUC protocol proposal through the Submittable System (again linked on the WOU IACUC website). Your submission must be approved prior to the beginning of the proposed activities.

Where can I learn more about the proposal submission process and know which information I will need to have for writing my proposal? You can find information on the proposal submission process including information on review categories and a step-by-step example with screenshots on the WOU IACUC Proposal Submission Information Page (https://wou.edu/iacuc/proposal-submission-information/).

If I am planning to do something with animals and I am not sure whether it falls under the umbrella of teaching, research, or outreach, what should I do? Contact the IACUC at iacuc@wou.edu with a description of your planned activities. We’ll respond with guidance as soon as possible.

Where can I house animals on campus? The IACUC requires all Animal Housing Facilities to be inspected and approved in advance. An “Animal Housing Facility” is a facility where animals are held for over 24 hours, either on-campus or off-campus, for the primary purpose of teaching, research, or outreach. Animal Housing Facilities must meet certain health, safety, and security requirements. Please contact the IACUC for a list of currently approved Animal Housing Facilities, or if you are interested in creating a new animal housing facility. Note that Animal Housing Facilities are in some instances whole rooms, but in other cases are tanks or terraria in hallways. In both of these cases, they must still meet the security and health and safety requirements of an Animal Housing Facility.

I am an Instructor teaching a course where I will utilize animals in my class for students to conduct either group or individual mini-research projects as part of their coursework. Does each student need to submit a separate IACUC proposal? This work still requires IACUC approval, but individual students enrolled in the course would generally not be considered Principal Investigators and therefore would not be required to submit IACUC protocols. Instead, the Instructor of Record for that course would be considered the Principal Investigator, and will be responsible for submitting the IACUC proposal on behalf of the student(s). The Instructor (but not the students in the class) would also be responsible for taking the appropriate online CITI training. The Instructor is ultimately responsible for overseeing the ethical use of the animals in their class, and will be responsible for training students in their course. For more information on who is considered a Principal Investigator, please see Policy 8 in the Approved Policies of the WOU IACUC.

I am a faculty member conducting research on animals. Student research assistants are helping with this project. Are the student assistants considered Co-PIs? It depends. According to the IACUCs Approved Policies on Principle Investigators, PIs are individuals (either an instructor or a student) who are conducting research on live vertebrate animals, who are “primarily responsible” for planning and undertaking the research. In most cases, student research assistants working under the direct supervision of a faculty member are not “primarily responsible” for planning or undertaking the research project, and therefore would not be considered PIs. However, if the student research assistant is primarily conducting the research project without direct supervision, such as in the case of an independent research project or thesis, then they would be considered Co-PIs. Here is an illustrative example: Dr. Hopkins is conducting a research project on rough-skinned newts, alongside a research student, Sophia, who is using the project for her Honor’s Thesis. While conducting field work for the project, three other students come out to help Sophia and Dr. Hopkins collect newts. One of those students also helps occasionally with feeding the newts back in the lab. In this case, Dr. Hopkins and Sophia would both be considered Co-PIs, because they are both primarily responsible for planning and conducting the research, but the three other students would not be considered Co-PIs because they are only helping out with the project and not “primarily responsible for planning or conducting the research”.

I am a student conducting an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty member. This independent research project is part of my independent study course or Honors thesis. Do I need to submit an IACUC proposal? In this case, the student would be considered a Principal Investigator, and should submit an IACUC proposal which lists their supervising faculty member as a Co-PI. Both the student and the faculty supervisor are responsible for taking any appropriate CITI training and overseeing the research and the ethical utilization of animals in the study. For more information on who is considered a Principal Investigator, please see Policy 8 in the Approved Policies of the WOU IACUC.

Can students submit IACUC proposals? Yes, if a student is considered a Principal Investigator, they should submit an IACUC proposal after taking all required training. Note however that all student projects must have a faculty Co-PI associated wit the project. For more information on who is considered a Principal Investigator, please see Policy 8 in the Approved Policies of the WOU IACUC.

I am a PI of an approved IACUC proposal and my friend or family member will occasionally be helping out with my project. Is my friend or family member considered a PI? Do they need to take the online training? Generally speaking, no, volunteers with approved IACUC projects are not considered Principal Investigators (PIs) and are not required to take any online training courses, as long as they are working under the direct supervision of approved PIs. The PI is ultimately responsible for the conduct of volunteers under their direct supervision. For more information on who is considered a Principal Investigator, please see Policy 8 in the Approved Policies of the WOU IACUC.

Once my IACUC protocol is approved, what can I expect next? You will receive an official letter from the IACUC which details your protocol’s official approval number, which you should keep safe. If your protocol involves housing animals, then the IACUC will inspect those housing facilities approximately every six months. When doing so, they will utilize a checklist from the Public Health Service Policy (Semiannual Program Review and Facility Inspection Checklist). Regardless of if your protocol involves housing or not, you will be required to submit an Annual Report of your activities to the IACUC. The IACUC will contact you with information regarding how to submit that annual report close to when it is due (generally in Fall term).

If I change aspects of an IACUC  approved proposal, what do I do? If you predict that an aspect of your approved IACUC protocol will change, you can submit a modification request for your approved project via Submittable, titled ‘Modification to an Approved Project’. 

What happens if an institution or researcher does not comply with IACUC requirements? The IACUC will contact the PI and work with them to rectify the situation. If the situation is not rectified in a timely manner, or if the IACUC has immediate concerns for the welfare of animals, the IACUC has the authority to temporarily or permanently suspend protocols that do not comply with IACUC requirements and/or cause unapproved harm to animal subjects or personnel.

Animal Welfare Concerns

What should I do if I am concerned about the welfare of animals on campus or used by WOU personnel? If you are concerned about the welfare of animals used in teaching, research, or outreach by WOU personnel, either on or off campus, please fill out the anonymous Report of Concern Animal Welfare Reporting Form found on the IACUC website. You may also contact the IACUC directly (iacuc@wou.edu) or any individual committee member (see People section of our website). All reports can be submitted anonymously, and reprisal against individuals who submit reports of concern is strictly prohibited.