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Researchers’ FAQs

Q: Are there any guidelines on social distancing?

The Federal Government has released guidelines on physical distancing. In this item, it is suggested that each person increase the distance between themselves and another person to two metres or six feet. This comprehensive document contains more detailed information on physical distancing.

Q: Should researchers move their data for secure access during the disruption?

Yes, researchers should move their data onto OneDrive for secure access during this disruption. Instructions can be found here: https://yuoffice.info.yorku.ca/.

Q: How do I collect my mail?

Mail can be brought to the Central Mailroom, Curtis Lecture Hall Room 19. You can drive right up to the loading dock and enter the mailroom from there.

Q: Are there any limitations on accessing systems from home, such as limits on the number of VPN connections to access network drives, or library e-journal access from off campus?

UIT is working to maximize the utility of the VPN. For further information, please contact Steve Ojwang, Director of Infrastructure, stephen.ojwang@yorku.ca.

For general questions about IT access please contact Aladin Alaily, Director, Client Support Services at UIT, aalaily@yorku.ca.

For questions about licensing or terms of use for our electronic products, please contact Aaron Lupton aalupton@yorku.ca.

To report a technical or access problem with an electronic product, please contact ereport@yorku.ca.

Q: Can student groups associated with ORUs hold meetings in ORU spaces?

No. As per the March 18 2020 memo from the Provost and Vice-President Academic and Interim Vice-President Research and Innovation, most buildings as well as research labs and faculty offices on York University campuses be locked at 11:59 pm Friday, March 20. We strongly urge all meetings to be held electronically in order to minimize potential transmission of virus.

Q: Can I/my trainees take research equipment home?

If equipment is moved away from a York University location insurance coverage, for the equipment and its use, may not be available.

If considering moving equipment, please contact Risk Management Services, Steve Matterson stevem1@yorku.ca to determine what options, if any, are available.

Q: Deliveries: I’ve ordered something. What will happen if it arrives during a disruption?

Please see the Procurement Services website. It says York will accept courier shipments if the receiver has issued a redirect notice with the carrier and emailed the department in advance of the redirect. Keep in mind, vendors often determine the carrier, and redirects must come from the vendor.

Researchers might consider posting orders for only essential items. Researchers who have hazardous or perishable items should contact the vendor or Procurement Services to assist with canceling or rescheduling delivery.

Procurement Services contacts:

Jan Oliver jsoliver@yorku.ca
Carolyn Fasick cfasick@yorku.ca

For more information on mail on campus please contact:

Frank Myers fmyers@yorku.ca
Chad Saunders chads@yorku.ca

Q: If I’m paying research assistants/associates/post-docs, and they self-isolate or if the university closes, are they paid and if so, who pays? Do I have to pay if research staff are not working?

Research assistants/associates paid by hourly wages will be paid from the PI’s cost centre for the hours worked. CPM and YUSA staff will be paid from the cost centres they are currently paid from and PIs are encouraged to find work for all staff that can be done remotely, if possible. All benefits including sick time remain unaffected.

For more information about research HR, please contact Anna Gordon gordonan@yorku.ca.

Q: Can I continue with new research hires, i.e. research assistants/post-docs? What do we do about signatures on ETFs & contracts?

Current hires are still being processed and new hires posted.

E-Signatures are being accepted. For more information about research HR please contact Anna Gordon gordonan@yorku.ca.

Q: In the event research employees are working from home, how can I submit my bi-weekly timesheets, as they require original signatures?

Timesheets may be submitted with an e-signature.

For more information about research HR, please contact Anna Gordon gordonan@yorku.ca.

Q: Can I hire people not at York to do the work?

York researchers have always been able to hire non-York personnel to do research. We continue to have the ability to sub-grant funds to another institution.

Should you wish to transfer funds to another institution under a Tri-Council grant, please contact Joan Broussard (joanb@yorku.ca).

Should you wish to transfer funds under any other grant funding, please contact Janet Newton (newtonj@yorku.ca).

Q: My faculty administrator has recently submitted a Citizenship and Immigration application for my future Post-Doc or IVRT, how will this affect their hire?

  • What if they are originating from one of the countries currently at risk? Should we be cancelling their application?
  • Should we be continuing with international hires? Or should this be on hold?
  • I want to extend my international post-doc, are there any issues or implications with Citizenship and Immigration in terms of potential delays?
  • If their country of origin is currently at risk? Or a country that is currently not at risk?
  • My post-doc’s contract has ended, can they return to their country, if it’s a country at risk?

On March 13, the Minister of Transportation announced that inbound flights from international destinations will soon only be allowed to land at a limited number of airports. Things may evolve very quickly in the next few days or weeks. Whether or not these visitors can travel to Canada will also depend on travel restrictions of their own countries and flight availability.

Post doc and IVRT should notify York International and their hosting faculty member. There are no issues/penalties for cancellation and they won’t be charged an administrative fee until they actually arrive. The decision of whether or not to come to York is theirs.

If applicants are currently outside Canada and need to apply for visas, expect delays. The Visa Applications Centres (VACs) in China are only accepting biometrics appointments and VACs in Korea are experiencing delays. If they are from a country where there is no VAC and they must travel to a neighboring country to give biometrics or submit their passport, York International suggests they figure out all logistics before launching an application. IRCC operations in any countries/regions may change any time without notice.

If those applicants are already in Canada and cannot return home due to travel restrictions, they can apply to extend their status from within Canada. IRCC has announced special measures to help applicants from China, Iran and South Korea who are affected by COVID-19: Read about the special measures.

For more information contact York International:

Q: With the non-Canadian citizen/pr travel ban coming in, does this mean VISAs won’t be approved, so we shouldn’t do the CIC work, or does this mean that the CIC work can be processed by the Faculty research offices, so that its ready when travel resumes?

Visa applications that are in process will not be refused based on COVID-19, however, do expect service disruptions and delays at many Canadian visa posts abroad. Several Canadian embassies and consulates have closed or are closing as we speak and more closures may follow suit in the coming days. Applicants can check to see if the visa office responsible for their country or region remains open before submitting an application. 

New applications submitted online during this time will probably be processed once services resume.

Q: For new IVRTs with VISAs already approved, but caught out by travel bans, is there an opportunity to start their employment while they’re abroad, if the PI attests and condones that they can work remotely? (Normally they have to arrive to allow the contract to start).

With the Canadian border closure taking effect on March 18 at noon, temporary residents will not be able to enter Canada even if they have been issued visas.  They do need work authorization to perform duties if they are outside of Canada.

Related Q: Can they receive work authorization if we’ve gone through CIC on work permits, but they don’t come in the country? Or do we need to support it as a foreign contractor?

They can start their employment while they’re abroad, with or without a work permit.

Q: When travel resumes, do research staff contracts start when they arrive or after the 14-day isolation period?

Our goal is to continue paying employees. If you have work for employees to complete while in self isolation, please encourage this and pay them for it from your cost centres. Be creative with assignments where possible.

Q: How has COVID-19 affected grants and contracts?

York’s Finance Department has released an important memo about research grants and contracts in light of COVID-19. Research Accounting has put some practices in place. See Research-Grants-Contracts-Announcement-March-2020 for information.

Q: What are the details of the May 2020 Federal Government support for researchers?

On May 15, 2020, Prime Minister announced support for research staff in Canada: $450 million in funding to help Canada’s academic research community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investment will:

  • Provide wage supports to universities and health research institutes, so they can retain research staff who are funded from industry or philanthropic sources and are unable to access some of the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures.
  • Support universities and health research institutes to maintain essential research-related activities during the crisis, and to ramp back up to full research operations once physical distancing measures are lifted.

See the full announcement.

Q: What is the Tri-agency position on program deadlines?

CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC are closely monitoring the evolution and impact of COVID-19, and are taking action to support grants, scholarships and awards recipients, as well applicants, peer reviewers and employees. They are also contributing to the efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and putting in place appropriate social distancing measures and other modifications to our business operations.

Please see the attached Tri-agency message on COVID-19.

Q: How can I get news from the Tri-Councils?

Please refer to the following sites for the latest information from the Tri-Councils:

From SSHRC:

SSHRC has added a COVID-19 page with impacts on policies and programs.

From NSERC:

NSERC’s latest news onCOVID-19

NSERC continues to make adjustments to its operations in response to the impact of the COVID-19. See NSERC program information in relation to COVID‑19 webpage for the most current information. 

NSERC information on Tri-Agency financial administration (April 22, 2020)

On June 1, 2020, NSERC released new information on award extensions offered to scholarship or fellowship holders, through CGS M, CGS D, Vanier CGS, Banting PDF, and agency-specific doctoral and postdoctoral programs. 

From CIHR:

Message from CIHR President Dr. Michael Strong on the cancellation of the Spring 2020 Project Grant competition

Researchers can consult the FAQs for additional information on incremental and ongoing costs incurred by funded research activities during the COVID-19 pandemic:

For further information, please contact the CIHR Contact Centre at support@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Q: Is there an extension for the Partnership Engagement Grants (PEG)?

The March 16, 2020 message from SSHRC’s Vice-president Research reads: “We would like to inform you that the deadline for the Partnership Engagement Grants (PEG) has been extended to Thursday, March 19th (8 p.m. EST). Fortunately, those who will not be able to submit their grant application will be able to do so in the context of the next PEG competition, the deadline for which is June 15, 2020.”

Q: How can I meet the goals of the grant if research staff are unable to work? Will I get an extension on my grant funds? What do I do if I fall behind on my research timelines because of a disruption? If my productivity is reduced will I have the option of securing more funds?

For contract funded research, we will rely on the force majeure clause of the contract to seek amended terms. Please contact Janet Newton (newtonj@yorku.ca) to discuss amending a research agreement.

If your research is funded through a donation, please work with your Faculty’s Senior Development Officer (Advancement SDO) to seek an amendment to gift agreement terms.

If your research is funded by a granting agency, ORS will work with you to seek end date extensions for your project and work within their COVID-19 protocols regarding additional funds, if possible.

Many grant programs funded by NSERC and SSHRC provide an automatic one-year extension (without additional funds). If you are currently in your one extension period, please consult the end date extension memo on YU Link. If your research is funded through a different granting agency or under a research agreement, please contact Janet Newton (newtonj@yorku.ca)

Q: There’s a grant submission deadline coming up.

  • What kind of support can I get from the RO (Faculty)? ORS? SIRI? Innovation York?
  • Will ORS allow electronic signatures during a COVID-19 disruption?
  • ORS requires hard copies of applications to be submitted to them – what will be the protocol for submitting applications?

See guidelines on Submission of Research Applications and ORS Checklists.

  • For SSHRC PEGs and any other grant that are due Monday March 16, those printed materials need to be submitted to ORS and applicants need to submit on-line by 12noon on Monday, 16 March 2020. ORS will review and forward the applications to SSHRC in the afternoon. If someone is working off campus, they need to make the same arrangements as if they were off campus on any regular deadline.
  • ORS and Innovation York have developed business continuity plans to keep all pre-award and innovation supports functional if the office is physically closed. All ORS and Innovation York business will be conducted virtually, and we will post directions about how to complete, sign and submit an ORS checklist along with an electronic copy of the application. Check this FAQ regularly for information. The same deadlines will apply for submission of ORS Checklist and complete copy application:
  • Ten working days for a full review of applications to any funder;
  • Two working days for a budget review of non Tri-Council applications;
  • By 12noon on deadline date for Tri-Council applications; and
  • Please see Signature Policy Memo on YU Link for details on ORS deadlines.
  • For knowledge mobilization or commercialization support for your grant applications, please contact Michael Johnny (mjohnny@yorku.ca) or Laura McLachlan (lauramcl@yorku.ca) respectively.

For more information on research grants, please contact Joan Broussard, joanb@yorku.ca.

For more information on Strategic and Institutional Research Initiatives, please contact Mark Roseman roseman@yorku.ca.

For more information on industry matches or Mitacs grants, please contact Laura McLachlan (lauramcl@yorku.ca).

Q: Can I still obtain support from Innovation York for industry partnerships, knowledge mobilization, commercialization and entrepreneurship services?

Innovation York remains operational. Please contact the following individuals for support or with any questions you may have:

Research Ethics Submissions – Research Involving Human Participants

Note: ALL other research ethics applications, please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas at acollins@yorku.ca for information.

IMPORTANT UPDATE – FACE TO FACE RESEARCH – MEMO November 30th, 2020

Dear York Researchers: 

As indicated in the President’s November 22nd communication, anyone approved to be on campus for research, continues to be approved until further notice for any time-sensitive activities that cannot be postponed. Several researchers have asked for clarification as to whether research involving human participants can also continue. Please note the following: 

By order of the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto and Peel Region entered the Grey Zone (lockdown) as of 12:01 am November 23, 2020.  This order is in effect for a minimum of 28 days. This announcement impacts research in the following ways:  

1. Face to Face/In-Person Research with Human Participants: 

a) Face to Face/In-Person Research with Human Participants when York’s Research Ethics Board (i.e., York University Human Participants Review Committee (HPRC)) is the primary Ethics Board of Record: 

Face to Face Research 

All face-to-face (in-person) research involving human participants in the City of Toronto and Peel Region, that is not COVID-19-related,must stop, until further notice. This includes all in-person recruitment of human participants; in-person data collection involving human participants for all on-going approved research both on campus and off campus; as well as studies involving human participants that have recently received HPRC approval.  

Online and Virtual Research  

Online and Virtual Research may continue as usual.   

Researchers currently in other regions or countries conducting already approved field research, may continue if the approved research cannot be delayed, as long as the regions are not under a pandemic advisory that disallows face to face/in-person research and they follow all applicable local public health directives and safety measures. Should the situation in other regions/countries change and local public health directives no longer permit or allow face to face research, you must suspend your research and notify ORE immediately. 

If you have any questions/concerns regarding safety while conducting research, please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas, Sr. Policy Advisor ORE at: acollins@yorku.ca

b)  Face to Face/In-Person Research with Human Participants when York’s Research Ethics Board is not the primary Ethics Board of Record:   

In the scenario of Face to Face/In-Person Research with Human Participants where York’s Research Ethics Board (i.e., York University Human Participants Review Committee (HPRC)) is not the primary ethics board of record (such as a hospital Board of Record) and research is already approved: Researchers may continue so long as they follow all applicable local public health directives (e.g., regional pandemic restrictions) and all prescribed safety measures.   

In addition, they must have provided Alison Collins-Mrakas, Sr. Policy Advisor ORE at: acollins@yorku.ca. with a confirmation from the primary research ethics board of record that their research can continue at this time in the pandemic.   

It is highly recommended that research and associated research staff from provincially designated Grey Zone regions (currently City of Toronto and Peel Region) should not travel at this time to other regions or countries to conduct field research activities without a risk assessment being conducted by researchers prior to travel.  Please note that Health, Safety and Employee Well-Being (HSEWB) should be involved in this risk assessment.  

Please contactJay Majithia (Health and Safety Advisor / Biosafety Officer; jmajithi@yorku.ca) and Steve Matterson (Director, Risk Management Services; stevem1@yorku.ca) for further information and guidance.  

c)  Starting New Face to Face/In-Person Research with Human Participants when York’s Research Ethics Board is the primary Ethics Board of Record:   

Due to the current pandemic lockdown of City of Toronto and Peel Region, no new face to face/in-person research with human participants where York University Human Participants Review Committee is the primary ethics board of record will be approved. Should you have any questions, please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas, Sr. Policy Advisor ORE at: acollins@yorku.ca 

2. Research that does not involve human participants: 

For all approved on-campus research that does not involve human participants, researchers may continue for any time-sensitive activities that cannot be postponed. They must continue to follow their approved health and safety plan and all public health measures already in place and the processes currently in effect, such as scheduling of time and people in the research spaces.  As before, if researchers can work remotely, they should continue to do so. 

For those approved to be on campus, please continue to follow the University’s screening and health and safety protocols and: 

Should you have any questions, please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas, Sr. Policy Advisor ORE at: acollins@yorku.ca 

Amir Asif, Vice-President Research & Innovation

UPDATE:  Research involving face-to-face contact with human participants

Further to the June 10, 2020 memo from the Vice-President Research & Innovation, Amir Asif. As researchers are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the standard related to minimal risk. As a consequence, research involving face-to-face contact with human participants requires additional considerations.

Previously Approved Studies

If your previously approved research (i.e. pre-COVID) involves face-to-face contact with participants, you will be required to re-apply to HPRC and provide a compelling reason for the need to resume in person, non-invasive research involving low-risk participants. (Non-invasive data collection procedures include studies where participants are asked to do simple tasks with or without instrument monitoring as per an approved HPRC protocol.) If you can continue to conduct your research remotely, we advise you to keep doing so. Changes to such research will only be considered on an exceptional case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Resumption of face-to-face research involving vulnerable persons and/or invasive data collection methods is not permitted at this time. Please contact ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information regarding the re-establishment or update of your ethics protocol.

If your research involves face-to-face contact with low-risk human participants using non-invasive procedures for which there are no other options, and you are seeking to renew your protocol, researchers must submit the following for review and approval:

  1. Amendment form: The amendment application and revised project protocol should provide details as follows:
    • Include COVID-19 screening process, precautions, collection of personal contact information, as required by public health and the University.
    • Risks and benefits – changes to risk from coming to campus or research site, including commuting; collection of identifiable information and risk of breach of their personal information.
    • Privacy and confidentiality – limits to confidentiality because of duty to report positive COVID-19 cases, may need to provide personal information for contact tracing.
    • Participant withdrawal – personal information cannot be withdrawn or destroyed, as may be needed to re-contact ex-participants.
    • Risk level – vulnerability of participants, impact of COVID-19 and changes to level of risk.
  2. An informed consent form that includes COVID-19-specific consent language (see Template – COVID-19 consent language).
  3. Health and Safety Plan, which includes:
  • Review of Health and Safety Guidelines for Returning to Campus during the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Completion of COVID-19 Health and Safety Risk Assessment Form – Planning for Returning to Campus
  • Completion Return to Campus Checklist for Labs, Research and Machine Shops
  • Confirmation that all personnel have completed the Return to Campus COVID-19 Training
  • Infection control SOP, which outlines:
    1. PPE requirements
    2. Precautions prior to coming onto campus/entering research location
    3. Lab/research location entry protocol
    4. Precautions specific to the study
    5. Lab/research location exit protocol
    6. Cleaning and disinfection protocols

These documents can be found on the YU Better Together website.

New Studies

New research that involves face-to-face contact must provide a compelling reason as to why there are no other options. You will be required to provide a clear rationale for the need to conduct in person, non-invasive research involving low-risk participants.  Such research will only be considered on an exceptional case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Resumption of face-to-face research involving vulnerable persons and/or invasive data collection methods is not permitted at this time. Please contact ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information regarding the re-establishment or update of your ethics protocol.

The new Protocol submission must include consideration of the following ethical considerations regarding COVID-19 in the following sections:

  • Consent – consent documents should include language as per the template. Link to forms.
  • Project details – include COVID-19 screening process, precautions, collection of personal contact information, as required by public health and the University.
  • Risks and benefits – changes to risk from coming to campus or research site, including commuting; collection of identifiable information and risk of breach of their personal information.
  • Privacy and confidentiality – limits to confidentiality because of duty to report positive COVID-19 cases, may need to provide personal information for contact tracing.
  • Participant withdrawal – personal information cannot be withdrawn or destroyed, as may be needed to re-contact ex-participants.
  • Risk level – vulnerability of participants, impact of COVID-19 and changes to level of risk.

Researchers must also append a Health and Safety Plan for review by the BSO/HS Advisor.

Health and Safety Plan, should include where applicable:

  • Review of Health and Safety Guidelines for Returning to Campus during the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Completion of COVID-19 Health and Safety Risk Assessment Form – Planning for Returning to Campus
  • Completion Return to Campus Checklist for Labs, Research and Machine Shops
  • Confirmation that all personnel have completed the Return to Campus COVID-19 Training
  • Infection control SOP, which outlines:
    1. PPE requirements
    2. Precautions prior to coming onto campus/ entering research location
    3. Lab/research location entry protocol
    4. Precautions specific to the study
    5. Lab/research location exit protocol
    6. Cleaning and disinfection protocols

These documents can be found on the YU Better Together website.

Q: Is the Office of Research Ethics and Research Ethics Board (HPRC) operational?

The Office of Research Ethics and the Research Ethics Board (HPRC) are fully operational, although working remotely. Ethics reviews are conducted virtually. Should a meeting be required to discuss an urgent matter, meetings will be held remotely via Zoom. All ORE email addresses continue to be monitored with the same frequency. However, while ORE staff will do its best to respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible, responses to inquiries and applications may be delayed somewhat.

Contacts:

Both email addresses will continue to be frequently monitored throughout each work day.

Q: What has changed?

  • Phones: As the office is now remote, phones will no longer be answered. To reach ORE staff, please use the contact emails noted above.
  • Submit any paper-based items via email instead of campus mail or in-person drop-off. Send paper-based submissions to: ore@yorku.ca.
  • Highest priority will be given to research that is time sensitive (such as COVID-19).
  • Presentations – as all in-class instruction has been moved online, scheduled presentations will be postponed until further notice.
  • Meeting requests: Please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas, Sr. Policy Advisor, ORE at: acollins@yorku.ca. Note if preferred or required, meetings may be conducted via zoom or telephone.

For Current or Proposed Research involving Human Participants, see the memo from the Vice-President Research & Innovation, Amir Asif, dated June 10, 2020.

Q: How do I submit my ethics protocol?

For Faculty:

Faculty members are encouraged to use the ORE online ethics review system for the submission of new protocols. The online system will continue to be monitored, and protocols processed as per usual – albeit with a moderately slower response time.

The online system may be accessed here.

Effective immediately, any paper-based application (for new protocols, renewals to and/or amendments to existing protocols) must be sent as electronic documents to ore@yorku.ca OR acollins@yorku.ca. Approvals will be issued and returned via email.

If your previously approved research (i.e. pre-COVID) involves face to face contact with participants, you will be required to re-apply to HPRC and provide a compelling reason for the need to resume in person, non-invasive research involving low risk participants. (Non-invasive data collection procedures include studies where participants are asked to do simple tasks with or without instrument monitoring as per an approved HPRC protocol.) If you can continue to conduct your research remotely, we advise you to keep doing so. Changes to such research will only be considered on an exceptional case by case basis.

NOTE: Resumption of face-to-face research involving vulnerable persons and/or invasive data collection methods is not permitted at this time. Please contact ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information regarding the re-establishment or update of your ethics protocol.

As additional documentation (including revised consent forms) are required, please contact the ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information.

For Graduate Students (Thesis- and dissertation-related research ONLY):

Students are advised to follow the direction of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) regarding the submission of research proposals and ethics protocol documents (where applicable). Information can be found at the Grad Studies website here.

Student protocols will be processed as per usual process once received in ORE.

Do NOT email your TD1, TD2 or TD4 directly to ORE. It must be processed by FGS first. Please contact gsthesis@yorku.ca for any questions.

For All Other Student Research (course related, MRPs, etc.):

Please contact your program office for submission procedures regarding research related to MRPs, Individualized research (such as undergraduate theses).

STUDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT UNSUPERVISED RESEARCH MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED and WILL NOT BE REVIEWED BY ANY ETHICS COMMITTEE.

Q: What changes to a current or ongoing study require an amendment application and approval?

August 2020

If your previously approved research (i.e. pre-COVID) involves face-to-face contact with participants, you will be required to re-apply to HPRC and provide a compelling reason for the need to resume in person, non-invasive research involving low-risk participants. (Non-invasive data collection procedures include studies where participants are asked to do simple tasks with or without instrument monitoring as per an approved HPRC protocol.) If you can continue to conduct your research remotely, we advise you to keep doing so. Changes to such research will only be considered on an exceptional case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Resumption of face-to face-research involving vulnerable persons and/or invasive data collection methods is not permitted at this time. Please contact ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information regarding the re-establishment or update of your ethics protocol.

As additional documentation (including revised consent form and Health and Safety Plan) are required, pleases contact the ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information.

Procedures

Amendment applications are NOT REQUIRED if you are halting, rescheduling or delaying research activities UNLESS those actions are at the request of the funding agency, study sponsor or other body. Researchers are required to document when studies have been halted.

Amendment applications are REQUIRED and HPRC approval must be obtained before you change study procedures (including consenting processes) for new or existing participants.

Example: You want to administer new and follow-up study questionnaires over the phone instead of in-person, or you want to change the location of in-person interviews instead of having participants come into the lab at the University.

There are some limited exceptions to the requirement for an Amendment: For all approved applications that do not specify whether a procedure is remote versus in-person, you do not need to submit an amendment.

The amendment application form is available on the ORE website here.

Please contact Alison Collins-Mrakas at acollins@yorku.ca if you have any questions.

Q: Temporary halt to participant recruitment… what do I do?

This does not need to be reported to the Office of Research Ethics unless the study hold is initiated at the request of an external funding agency if applicable or relevant.

Graduate Students are asked to inform FGS of any delay or hiatus in research. Please visit this website for more information.

Q: When participants cannot come to study locations, what should I do?

As of March 20, 2020, due to the current COVID-19 outbreak and the possible risk of exposure for in-person contact associated with research activities, study participants may not  be able to come to campus labs, offices, clinics or other study locations. Study teams should plan for this possibility and submit an amendment application for any alternatives. These might include (but are not limited to):

  • Phone calls;
  • Use of digital technology to interact with participants for the purposes of recording data (e.g., cell phone photos, zoom, etc); and
  • Alternate study locations.

Q: Can I still interact with my research subjects?

August 2020

If your previously approved research (i.e. pre-COVID) involves face-to-face contact with participants, you will be required to re-apply to HPRC and provide a compelling reason for the need to resume in person, non-invasive research involving low-risk participants. (Non-invasive data collection procedures include studies where participants are asked to do simple tasks with or without instrument monitoring as per an approved HPRC protocol.) If you can continue to conduct your research remotely, we advise you to keep doing so. Changes to such research will only be considered on an exceptional case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Resumption of face-to-face research involving vulnerable persons and/or invasive data collection methods is not permitted at this time. Please contact ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information regarding the re-establishment or update of your ethics protocol.

As additional documentation (including revised consent forms and Health and Safety Plans) are required, please contact the ORE (ore@yorku.ca) for further information

June 2020

For Current or Proposed Research involving Human Participants, see the memo from the Vice-President Research & Innovation, Amir Asif, dated June 10, 2020.

March 2020

As of 11:59 pm March 27, 2020, the University campus is closed to non-essential/required/permitted personnel. Research with human participants can continue, however, due to the current COVID-19 outbreak and the possible risk of exposure for in-person contact associated with research activities, researchers should have a compelling reason why in-person interactions with participants need to occur or continue. One example might be studies where there are literally no options other than in-person interactions.

For studies where there are no options to in-person interactions, researchers are advised that they must follow current public health guidelines including but not limited to appropriate physical distancing of at least 2 metres and nose and mouth coverings, and, where necessary, full PPE during all interactions.

Q: What studies involving human participants can continue without requiring an amendment?

Approved research studies that limit participant interactions to online or remote communication, telephone contact, remote monitoring, remote data collection or secondary data analysis may continue.

Wherever possible, rather than suspending research, investigators are encouraged to modify their procedures to replace in-person study visits with remote options for questionnaires, survey, screening and consent procedures.

Q: Will I get reimbursements for my expenses during the disruption or will it have to wait?

  • Concur – electronic, should continue.
  • Travel – Tri-Council policy on cancellations

Concur will continue to operate as usual. The Travel desk staff are set up to work from home if and when needed. Note that paper claims will take more time to process if staff are working from home; therefore, please register to use Concur.

Contact Paula Perri at perrip@yorku.ca.

Other travel related links:

Q: What if I receive a notice of award? How do I get access to my funding?

Research Accounting will continue to create cost centres upon receipt of notice of awards, ethics approval and a signed accountability document. Business continuity plans have been developed to ensure service delivery without interruption.

Research Accounting contacts:

Q: In the event my research employees are working from home, what are the guidelines/directives around digital security and qualitative research? Can interview transcripts or audio files be shared online/on personal laptops? What software should be used/how should it be shared? Google docs?

UIT recommends that Microsoft OneDrive be used. For a OneDrive tutorial, visit: the O365 training website.

For more information about security see Privacy & Security, and in particular, the “Approved Information Classifications for Office 365 Services.”

For more information, visit the Information Security Website at York or contact askit@yorku.ca.

For help with research data management needs, visit the Library’s RDM page or contact the Library RDM team at: yul_rdm@yorku.ca.

Q: How do I submit a cheque requisition?

Answer will be forthcoming from General Finance.

For more information about general finance please contact Paula Perri at perrip@yorku.ca.

Q: Where can I find information from Finance on how departments will continue to function?

In light of recent events surrounding COVID-19 and the modification of University
activities and service delivery, Finance is providing an update (March 20,2020 memo from Aldo DiMarcantonio, AVP Finance & CFO, about Modified Operations Finance) as to how our departments will continue to function, from the financial perspective.

Q: In case I have research events and activities planned that will not occur at York University (e.g., field interviews, seminars and/or workshops) that involve partners/volunteer/paid staff/students, can those go ahead as planned? What if they are local, national or international?

As of Friday March 13, the Government of Canada strongly discourages all international travel (including travel to and from the US).

Local or in Canada research events may be held at the researchers’ discretion, but researchers are encouraged to promote social distancing and follow Toronto Public Health preventative measures.

As per the President’s memo of March 13, 2020, “we will be cancelling or postponing all non-essential events that are not required as part of an academic program.”

Q: Are there particular protocols that you want us to follow for staff who are returning from international travel, including the United States?

Please consult the Government of Canada travel advisory here.

Additionally, Global Affairs Canada has added a page on its website to provide you with the latest information, resources, and links related to development assistance aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a link to new guidance on eligibility of COVID-19 potential costs for international development projects.

The new page, Guidance on eligibility of COVID-19 potential costs, can be easily found in the Development section of Global Affairs Canada’s website under Canadian Funding for International Development Projects.