Corporate Responsibility

Extramurally-sponsored projects are made to the University in its corporate name, University of North Texas (UNT). Therefore, awards of funds for sponsored projects are awards to UNT, and commitments in agreements are commitments of UNT. Any work performed by a faculty member of UNT under such a project must be considered as work performed for UNT. 

Formal Documentation

Every research agreement must be evidenced by a formal document that outlines the research objectives and administrative requirements of the project. Informal (oral) agreements are the personal responsibility of the individual faculty member making such arrangements and may not be binding on the University. 

Authorized Signatures for Research Projects

In accordance with the Board of Regents Rule 3.900, authority has been delegated to the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI) to accept and sign sponsored research related proposals, contracts, and agreements to legally bind the university. The Assistant VP of GCA is authorized to sign sponsored project related documents. The Associate Vice President of RCA is authorized to sign contracts related to sponsored projects. The Director of Research Integrity and Compliance is authorized to sign documents related to approval of human subjects and animal research. 

Classified Research

UNT does not possess a government security clearance and cannot act as a corporate entity to possess classified material. It is the policy of the University not to accept agreements which require access to classified data, require University employees to obtain security clearances, or restrict the dissemination of the results. Rare exceptions to this general policy with respect to classified research may be made only with prior approval of the VPRI. In such cases, the following additional considerations apply: 

• All such exceptions must be reported in writing to the VPRI prior to execution of a contract or acceptance of a grant. 
• Whenever possible, the University shall retain the right to disclose the existence of the proposed research and the identity of the sponsor. 
• Students may participate in approved classified research, as long as this participation does not significantly impede their progress toward a degree, and no thesis or dissertation submitted in fulfillment of degree requirements may be classified, in whole or part. 
• Consulting and other external activities involving classified research are not prohibited, as long as they are consistent with the University’s Policy on External Professional Activities for Pay. 
• In times of national emergency, rapid access to campus expertise or facilities may be required by government agencies for purposes other than long-term research. Permission for such short-term access may be granted by the VPRI. 

Endorsement of Research Results

Because UNT imposes no limitation on the freedom of the faculty in the choice of fields of inquiry or the media of public dissemination of the results obtained, any results obtained and disseminated are the sole responsibility of the principal investigator and do not carry the institutional endorsement of UNT. Consequently, UNT does not permit the use of its name in advertising or promotional material related to the results of sponsored projects without the prior written approval of an officer of UNT. In addition, UNT will neither guarantee nor warrant the results of sponsored projects. 

Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any intellectual property developed during a sponsored project, including inventions (whether or not patentable) copyrightable materials (including computer software) and tangible research materials, is governed by the terms of the sponsored research agreement and UNT’s policies on these issues. 

Students in Research

Traditionally, graduate students have played a significant role in the conduct of sponsored research. Undergraduate students are also becoming increasingly involved in research activities. For all students participating in sponsored research projects, it is important to assure that the terms of sponsored research agreements will not conflict with a student’s academic progress and that students have the right to refuse to participate in a particular project if they so choose. 

Administrative Requirements for Sponsored Programs

The following conditions must govern any research agreement entered into by the University and a sponsor in order for a favorable evaluation to be made. 

• Open identification of sponsors and the actual sources of funding must be present in the agreement. Exception is made for anonymous sponsorship when, in the judgment of the VPRI, such a condition is not harmful to UNT or to the integrity of the research and is essential for the award to be given. 
• Unrestricted dissemination of all findings and conclusions derived from the project must be an integral part of the agreement, except where the privacy of an individual is concerned. The University regards any infringement on complete access to research findings as detrimental to free inquiry. It therefore neither seeks nor accepts security clearance for itself or any administrative unit. The decision whether to seek clearance is an individual one to be made by each faculty member according to his or her judgment. Such decisions will not be influenced or judged in any way by UNT and must be made in each instance on the basis that the benefits of clearance balance its academic shortcomings. Exception may be granted by the VPRI for privileged information but only in the form of a delay in the release of such information. The delay will only on rare occasions exceed three months. 
• The resources or data sources on which research is wholly dependent must be free of control by the sponsor. UNT views such control as incompatible with free inquiry and encourages acceptance of this condition only when no alternative source exists. Exception may be granted by the VPRI for projects which are conducted abroad and subject to the legal restraints of foreign governments and their agencies. 
• No conditions may be attached to the gift, grant, or contract that would in any way jeopardize UNT’s commitment to the principle of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual or affectional preference, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, or handicap. 
• Academic appointments made with the support of gifts, grants, or contracts shall be made only in accord with established University procedures. A sponsor shall not ordinarily participate in the selection of persons to work on a project, and individuals employed by UNT shall not be excluded by a sponsor from participation in a project for any reason other than when necessary because of insufficient competence or when required to protect privileged information. 
• No financial obligations by UNT in the present or any time in the future can be implied other than those stated in the contract. When uncertainty exists in his judgment, the VPRI or a designated member of the VPRI’s staff shall consult with appropriate officers of UNT to assure that this condition is met prior to the final approval of the agreement. 
• UNT relies primarily on the discretion of its faculty to limit the commercial aspects of research sponsorship, such as advertising and publicity. Contracts must not allow the use of the University’s name for commercial purposes unless such use has been specifically approved by the President of the University. Agreements must not permit the names of University investigators to be exploited for advertising purposes or permit reprint distribution to be made part of a publicity campaign.