Responsible Conduct of Research

Responsible Conduct of Research Program at the University of North Texas is committed to educating and supporting our community of scholars in the ethical foundations of research. In order to accomplish this goal, UNT’s RCR Program provides education and training in the following areas:  

• Publication Practices and Responsible Authorship
• Mentoring
• Peer Review
• Care and Use of Animals in Research
• Human Subjects Research

Starting on July 31, 2023, all principal investigators, co-principal investigators, senior personnel, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) must complete Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) Training, including training in mentorship. This is outlined in Part B of Chapter IX of the Proposal & Award Procedures Guide (PAPPG NSF 23-1). 

Key Takeaways:

• NSF requires RCER (Responsible Conduct of Ethical Research) training which falls under the overarching RCR (Responsible Conduct of Research) program.
• If awarded an NSF award, RCR training is delivered via Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) should be completed within the first three (3) months on the project.
• RCR training is completed once per award. Training certificate is valid for four (4) years, per CITI guidelines. If award extends beyond four years, training certificates must be renewed.
• RCR Training satisfies both the NSF and USDA/NIFA RCR Training requirement.
• Research Integrity and Compliance Office (RIC) will notify individuals by email and provide CITI login instructions.
• RIC will verify if project personnel have completed the requirement.
• RCR email reminders will be sent monthly to only those that have not completed RCR Training. Once RCR Training is complete the email reminders will stop.
• The PI of the NSF award will be copied on all emails, keeping them informed about who on their grant needs RCR training.
• The PI of the NSF award must inform oric@unt.edu of any personnel changes.
• When needed, RIC will request assistance from the PI to help guide those that remain delinquent in completing the RCR training.
• RCR Exceptions: If the PI believes there is an individual that does not meet the RCR requirements they may request to have the RCR requirement removed. Requests must be emailed to RIC (oric@unt.edu) and please provide a reason for the exception (i.e: the individual is not conducting or participating in the research, conference, travel, workshop, or symposium specific award).

This requirement can be completed via the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program. For instructions on how to register for CITI and sign up for the RCR course, see below.

Register for CITI:

1. Visit the CITI Log In page: https://www.citiprogram.org/index.cfm?pageID=14
2. Set up an account by clicking on “Register.” UNT does not have Single Sign On (“Log In Through My Organization” active at this time).
3. Affiliate with the University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
4. Scroll down to “Institutional Courses”
5. Click on the blue “View Courses” button next to “University of North Texas (Denton, TX)”
6. Scroll down to a light gray box titled “Learner Tools for the University of North Texas (Denton, TX)”.
7. Click on the first bullet: “Add a Course”.
8. Review content on the Select Curriculum page and answer the questions to enroll in appropriate courses and
9. Click the blue "Submit" button at the bottom of the page.
10. This will return you the active CITI courses page. Review the options under the Courses Ready to Begin header and click the blue "Start Now" button on the course you'd like to begin. 

Fall 2023 Workshops

To register for a workshop, visit our events page or click on the workshop title below.  The zoom link will be provided to all registered attendees prior to the workshop. All UNT Faculty, Staff, and Students are welcome to attend.