Research and Sponsored Programs

Responsible Conduct of Research

St. Cloud State University is committed to fostering an environment of responsible conduct of research, and its training requirements follow federal, state, university, and funding agency guidelines for principal investigators, key personnel, students and associated stakeholders. As part of our dedication to scholarly integrity and ethical research, SCSU aligns its Responsible conduct of research (RCR) training requirements with federal mandates from agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), Public Health Service agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

St. Cloud State University uses the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to deliver RCR training, ensuring compliance with federal requirements and promoting ethical research practices.

New CITI User: Register
Existing CITI User: Log In
- Add the Responsible Conduct in Research course to your trainings
- Select the appropriate learner group
- Complete the required modules
- Save a copy of your completion certificate

NOTE: There is no charge for taking this course if you are a current SCSU student or employee and you register with your campus email.

Training Requirements by Funding Agency

* Requirements ar subject to change by federal legislation without notice

Funding Agency	Training Requirements Apply to:	CITI Training Modules	Funding Agency Guidelines
National Science Foundation (NSF)	Undergraduate Students Graduate Students Postdoctoral Researchers Senior Personnel Subawardees	Students (4 required modules) Faculty and Staff (8 required modules)	Exclusions are limited to: Academic scholarships or stipends (unless a research component is included) Conferences Symposiums Workshops Travel
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Administration on Aging (AoA) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Federal Occupational Health (FOH) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Indian health Service (HIS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Public Health Service Commissioned Corps	Trainees Fellows Participants Scholars	Students, Faculty and Staff (8 required modules)	Requirements apply to all individuals or organizations funded, including: Training grants Career development awards Research education grants Dissertation grants Online training alone is NOT considered adequate. Instruction should include substantive contact hours between trainees, fellows, scholars, participants and the participating faculty. A minimum of 8 contact hours (in addition to the online training component) is required.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)	Undergraduate Students Graduate Students Postdoctoral Researchers Senior Personnel Subawardees	Students (4 required modules) Faculty and Staff (8 required modules)	Requirements apply to all personnel involved in USDA-funded projects, including Program Directors Faculty Students Staff

Additional Mandate Information By Agency

* Requirements subject to change by federal legislation without notice.

National Science Foundation (NSF)
Under the America COMPETES Act, all undergraduate and graduate students (MA, MS, PhD), as well as postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF funding, must complete RCR training.
The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 expands this requirement to include faculty and senior personnel who are paid from or supported by NSF grants. This applies to proposals submitted on or after July 31, 2023. For more information, please refer to NSF’s RECR Training guidelines.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH requires RCR instruction for all trainees (MA, MS, PhD), postdoctoral fellows, and scholars who receive support through NIH training grants, career development awards (individual or institutional), research education grants, and dissertation research grants.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
NIFA mandates RCR training and oversight for program directors, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students (MA, MS, PhD), postdoctoral researchers, and any staff involved in USDA-funded research projects. This requirement applies to awards issued after February 1, 2013.