Gettysburg College faculty and students are committed to advancing knowledge within their respective academic disciplines. In order to accomplish this goal most effectively, the college community believes that adherence to strict ethical norms is essential. Values such as honesty, respect for the rights and dignity of human beings, and the humane treatment of animals are not only important for living an ethical life but are among the values that underlie excellent research. However, ethical decisions may often be complex when weighing the common good with the integrity of the study and so the College has established the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to ensure that Gettysburg faculty and students have considered all relevant ethical issues when designing and conducting their research.
To ensure compliance with the highest humane, ethical, scientific and legal standards, all Gettysburg College faculty members undertaking research on any vertebrate animal must complete a Vertebrate Animal Use in Research and Teaching form (DOCX) and submit a printed copy to the faculty member’s department chair for signature. Then both, the printed form together with a completed electronic version, must be submitted to the Gettysburg College’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee chair for formal committee review before beginning the project.
The IACUC must review the following:
- Any protocols for the use of vertebrates in teaching or research.
- All vertebrate animal research funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other funding agencies with similar requirements.
- Protocols that include use of invasive procedures, hazardous substances, pain, stress or euthanasia require careful and extensive consideration.
CITI Training Modules
CITI Training modules are required for all researchers interested in applying for IACUC approval of research involving vertebrate animals. New users should set up an account as follows:
- Click “Register.”
- Select Gettysburg College as your "Participating Institution."
- Complete the remaining registration form.
- Use your Gettysburg College email address as your username.
- Select the appropriate “Working with the IACUC” course. Then select the species-specific course for any animals you will be working with. If you are doing any procedures that can cause pain or discomfort for mice or rates you also need to complete the “minimizing pain and distress” module.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
A committee that has been appointed by the Provost to review research protocols and conduct evaluations of the institution's animal care and use which includes the results of inspections of facilities.
IACUC Committee 20-21
- Steve James, Associate Professor of Biology, Biology, IACUC Chair
- Emily Besecker, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences
- Darren Glass, Dean of Natural Sciences, Computer Science, and Mathematics, Provost's Representative
- Tasha Gownaris, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies
- Alicia Rolon, Associate Professor of Spanish
- Alex Trillo, Assistant Professor of Biology
- Levi Smith, Veterinarian
- Cristina Clark-Cuadrado, Community Member