Student Research and Scholarly Activity Policy

CHSU recognizes the value of research and scholarly activity in supporting academic excellence, the teaching and learning process, and the advancement of innovation within the campus, the broader community, and the medical and pharmaceutical fields.

All Colleges will promote, encourage, and sustain a broadly defined research and scholarly activity program that is consistent with the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of the University.

Research and scholarly activity will incorporate applied research, developmental research, discipline-based research, and research focused on teaching and learning.

Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to undertake research and scholarly activity as an enhancement to the curriculum, as a further connection to industry and community, and to improve the teaching and learning process. Research enriches the applied learning environment for students, helps train the next generation of researchers, and provides the community with graduates with an innovation edge. Each College, within its means, will seek to provide the opportunities, infrastructure, and facilities to support and maintain a high level of research and scholarly activity for its students. Collaborative research with academic, community, and clinical partnerships is a key component of research at the university.

Goals of Student Research and Scholarly Activity:

  • Fostering development of analytical and decision-making skills.
  • Provide students with an opportunity to utilize their unique skills and talents to pursue a scholarly project of their choosing under the mentorship of an expert in the field.
  • Provide mentorship and guidance for students interested in careers that integrate research, teaching, and clinical service.

Support Funds

Internal research funds are limited to use by the full time and part-time (adjunct) faculty. Support for the costs of research being done jointly by students and faculty may be covered by these funds. Students may apply for support from the research budget through a faculty sponsor.

Research funds come from the larger University budget and vary from year to year. The amount available for each College’s research enterprise is variable and is managed by the Dean’s office to ensure best and effective use of funds.

All funds are subject to University budget rules.

Funding Policy

Annually, the University Research and Scholarship Committee (RSC) issues a call for proposals for Research Funding awards. The RSC provides guidelines and application instructions for these grants. Each College recognizes that experiential learning through participation in original research is a distinguishing feature of a well-rounded education and a hallmark of health professions schools in general. The synergistic relationship of student (or resident) to mentor in the research environment provides benefit to both and advances the respect, recognition and reputation of the institution.

Annual Research Day

CHSU students, staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in the Annual Research Day, including poster judging. Regional health science professionals and resident physicians are also invited to the CHSU Annual Research Day. Research categories may be divided into science, clinical and Inter-professional education. Scientists and Clinicians will serve as judges. Annual Research Day offers the opportunity to showcase CHSU faculty and student research and to share them with regional participants for developing collaborative research projects. Award prizes will be offered.

Student Specific Policies

  1. Students may seek collaboration from any faculty member to secure a mentored research experience. Students should understand that they may not be able to secure a mentor due to faculty availability. Students should therefore arrange for mentored research experience well in advance of the time they are to begin.
  2. Faculty mentors will help student understand the science behind the research and will provide them the training needed to conduct accurate work and make progress in their research projects.
  3. All CHSU student researchers must complete appropriate safety training, responsible conduct of research training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program.
  4. The mentor and student will determine appropriate times when the mentor or their designee will be available for direct supervision, if required for a particular mentoring activity.
  5. Students may retain copies of their research findings for preparation of abstracts, posters, reports or papers at the discretion and with the express approval of their mentor and consistent with research project approvals.
  6. Students being mentored by a faculty member are able to publish or present their research after obtaining the permission of the faculty mentor and consistent with research project approvals. All research performed at CHSU by a current or former student must be approved by their CHSU faculty mentor before presentation or publication in any form.
  7. All mentors must have a CHSU faculty appointment including any adjunct or clinical preceptors.
  8. Students involved in research involving human subjects are required to ensure that the project they are working on has been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB).
  9. Students may only commence off site research activities with approval of the Dean of their college or (designated) Office of Dean representative.
  10. Summer student research scholarships may be awarded to those students with proposals that are submitted with appropriate faculty sponsorship.