Whereas the Office of Human Research Protections in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has guided university Institutional Review Boards to include a larger number of community members and health experts in their membership;

Whereas current university legislation proscribes the University Committee on Human Subjects (designated as the Cornell University institutional review board) from seating more than one community member on UCHS;

Whereas current university legislation proscribes a specific number of faculty members to serve on the committee;

Whereas current university legislation creates a committee structure that could not respond flexibly to changes in federal regulations regarding the conduct of IRBs;

Therefore, it is proposed that the following change be made to the legislation regarding the composition of the committee:

Delete: The Committee shall consist of eighteen members: thirteen-fifteen members of the University faculty, with one of them being from the Faculty of Law; two physicians representing the University Health Services; and at least one member not otherwise affiliated with Cornell University.

Replace with: The Committee shall consist of eighteen members: two physicians representing the University Health Services; a representative from Cornell Environmental Health and Safety; at least two members not otherwise affiliated with Cornell University; and the remainder members of the University faculty with one of these from the Faculty of Law.

Elaine Wethington, Chair
UCHS Committee