What is a Federal Wide Assurance?

GVSU has made an ongoing assurance with the US federal government that all research conducted under GVSU authority shall be in compliance with Federal Regulations as specified under the Code of Federal Regulations and elsewhere. This assurance is renewed every three years and pertains to requirements and procedures specified by all federal agencies and departments. That is why it is called a Federal Wide Assurance (FWA).

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Who must have an FWA?

Any individual or entity engaged in federally sponsored research involving human subjects must have an FWA or have the research activity reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that has an FWA. At GVSU, the terms of our FWA stipulate that all research involving human subjects will be in compliance with the Federal Regulations regardless of the funding source of the research, including no funding. This is the highest form of assurance for human subjects’ protections.

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Who approves research activities at GVSU?

The University through its administrative and departmental structures approves all research at GVSU. For research involving human subjects, the University requires approval from its Institutional Review Board (IRB). At GVSU this board is known as the Human Research Review Committee (HRRC). The HRRC does not approve research activities: it reviews and certifies that proposed research activities are in compliance with Federal Regulations and University policies and procedures pertaining to the protection of the rights, interests and welfare of human subjects’ research.

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