Reporting a Complaint or a Violation for Research
Each laboratory shall conspicuously post phone numbers, email addresses, and office locations for reporting of complaints and violations in all Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) animal facilities. Such information must also be included on the SVSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) web site for easy public access. Contact information will be provided for the following: Lab Coordinator information and phone numbers; IACUC Coordinator; IACUC chair.
Any person who believes a laboratory animal or animals is/are subject to mistreatment, or that there is a potential violation of IACUC policy (even if immediate harm to animals is not present), is encouraged to report allegations of mistreatment or policy violations to any of the following: the Institutional Official (IO), the IACUC Chair, the IACUC Coordinator, a member of the IACUC, or the Compliance Officer. A complainant may remain anonymous.
A complaint may be reported either orally or in writing and should include: a description of the violation, the time and date of violation, the location, the type of animal involved, and any other items which are relevant to the complaint.
The Compliance Officer will reduce the complaint to writing as soon as possible. The Compliance Officer or designee will conduct the initial investigation and forward the results to the IACUC Chair. Complaints directed at laboratory staff members will be forwarded to the IACUC Chair at the initiation of the investigation. At that time, the Chair may choose to conduct or reassign the investigation. If the Compliance Officer is the subject of the complaint, the IACUC Chair will contact the IO, and the IO will appoint an appropriate person to investigate the allegations. If the complaint is against the Chair, the person receiving the complaint will contact the IO.
A complainant is encouraged to cooperate with the investigation of the complaint and may be asked to provide a written report or appear before an investigating committee. A thorough investigation of a complaint may not be possible without adequate information. Investigation of and communications about the complaint shall be documented in writing and maintained in the office of the IACUC Coordinator. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to, information to or from the complainant, the person who is the subject of the complaint, the Principal Investigator (PI), IACUC, IACUC Coordinator, and IO.
No person reporting a violation of Laboratory Personnel and/or IACUC standards, procedures, rules and protocols shall be subjected to any retaliation. Likewise, no person who is the subject of, or related to a complaint shall undertake reprisals. Retaliations or reprisals in the context of IACUC procedures for handling complaints represent violations of IACUC standards that could result in loss of privileges and/or access to the facilities for animal care and use under the oversight of the SVSU IACUC. The potential for loss of privileges and/or access to laboratory facilities applies to both animal users and employees. The confidential nature of the complaint and violation procedures must be respected by all parties involved.