1. Mississippi University for Women encourages high ethical standards in the conduct of research. In order to prevent misconduct in research, faculty are expected to establish high standards of conduct and have clearly defined responsibilities to prevent misconduct. These practices include well designed experimental protocols and proper recording, retaining and storing of research data. All authors on a collaborative study accept full responsibility for the research for which each is responsible.

2. Misconduct in research is defined as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the academic community for proposing, conducting or reporting research. Misconduct does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretation or judgments of data. Misconduct is also interpreted as failure to meet material legal requirements governing research.

3. Allegations or complaints involving the possibility of misconduct in research should be made to the Chief Academic Officer, who will activate the inquiry process.

4. The Chief Academic Officer shall refer the complaint to the Faculty Research Committee. The procedures for the inquiry process are:
a.) The chair of the Faculty Research Committee will convene the committee.
b.) The Chief Academic Officer must disseminate the facts of the case to the committee in writing. The safety and security of all documents must be assured.
c.) It is desirable, but not mandatory, to keep the identity of the complainant confidential during the inquiry phase.
d.) The respondent should be notified of the complaint by the Chief Academic Officer and the respondent has an obligation to cooperate by providing material necessary to conduct the inquiry.
e.) Legal counsel may be involved in the inquiry process as circumstances necessitate.
f.) The inquiry process must be completed within 60 days of the initial notification of the respondent.
g.) The completion of the inquiry is marked by a determination of whether further investigation is warranted.
h.) The MUW Faculty Research Committee must provide written documentation to summarize the process and state the conclusion of the inquiry.
i.) The respondent must be informed by the Chief Academic Officer whether or not there will be further investigation.
j.) The complainant should be informed by the Chief Academic Officer of the results of the inquiry.
k.) Complaints found to require further investigation should be forwarded to the Academic Freedom Committee.
l.) If an agency is sponsoring the research, Federal regulations require that the agency be notified at this point, including the Office of Scientific Integrity (OSI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
m.) If a member of the MUW Academic Freedom Committee has a conflict of interest in hearing the case, another faculty member should be appointed by the Chief Academic Officer to participate in the inquiry.
n.) The entire inquiry process should be confidential.

Revised:  June, 1990