Due to the time needed to carefully review and application, principal investigators (PIs) are advised to submit their applications well in advance of the proposed start date or the continuing review date of the project. Although a review often takes less time than shown in the table below, it's wise to allow for the longer time frame, especially during peak periods such as the beginning of fall and spring semesters.
PIs will be notified of the level of review and completeness of the application within seven business days of submission. For projects requiring full review, PIs will be notified of project status (e.g., approved, modifications required, disapproved, tabled, etc.) within seven business days after the ACIRB meeting.
| Type of Review |
Estimated Time to Allow for Review and Final Decision |
| New Project (Full Review) |
3-6 Weeks |
| New Project (Evidence-Based Practice/Quality Improvement, Exempt, or Expedited Review) |
2-4 Weeks
|
| Modification |
2-4 Weeks |
| Continuing Review |
2-4 Weeks |
The ACIRB is not able to perform "rush" reviews (e.g., investigators insisting that a review needs to be complete by a specified day/time not consistent with the timeline above). All incoming proposals are reviewed in the order they are received.
All proposals undergo a pre-review process to ensure that all materials and information needed for review are included and to determine the review level of the project (i.e., evidence-based practice/quality improvement, exempt, expedited, or full board review).
The ACIRB full committee meets once a month during the academic year to review proposals. A current meeting schedule along with due dates for submission can be found on the ACIRB Meeting Schedule webpage. Materials to be reviewed at a full committee meeting must be submitted two full weeks (fourteen calendar days) in advance of the meeting to allow time for pre-review, distribution to ACIRB members, and adequate time for review prior to the meeting. Following pre-review, proposals will be scheduled for review on the next available meeting agenda. Only submissions that require full board review are reviewed by the full committee. Evidence-based practice/quality improvement projects and research that qualifies for exempt or expedited review are not reviewed at meetings of the full board.
Timeline Example:
- An ACIRB meeting is scheduled on March 1.
- All materials must be submitted no later than February 15.
- Within seven business days after the submission, the PI will be notified of the level of review and if any additional documentation will be needed.
- If it is determined that a full review is needed, the project will be placed on the agenda for the March 1 meeting.
- If it is determined that the project is exempt or expedited, the project will be distributed to ACIRB members for review and completed in the timeframe previously described.