UAF Policies and Procedures

Several UAF policies may be applicable to individuals using vertebrate animals in research, teaching or testing activities. These policies include, but are not limited to, the following (required reading):

  • Animal Care & Use: This policy establishes the obligations and responsibilities of UAF administration and university members with respect to the use of live vertebrates in research, teaching, and diagnostic activities. The policy also describes the duties of the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC), Office of Research Integrity, and Veterinary Services within the animal care program.
  • Use of Controlled Substances in Research & Teaching: This policy establishes the obligations and responsibilities for UAF administration and university members related to the use of controlled substances (drugs and chemicals regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency) in research and teaching activities. The policy also defines the approvals necessary to become a University Authorized Registrant or an Authorized User.
  • Occupational Health & Safety Program: Animal Facilities: This policy formally establishes an occupational health and safety program for UAF animal facilities. Participation in this program is mandatory for all personnel who require independent access to any UAF animal facility. The OHSP is managed jointly by the Office of Research Integrity and the Department of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management in cooperation with the University's contract health care provider.
  • Biosafety Policy: This policy establishes UAF policy related to the oversight of research and teaching activities involving the use of infectious agents, recombinant DNA, and select agents. The policy also defines the responsibilities of UAF administration, university members, the Biosafety Officer, and the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
  • Principal Investigator Eligibility: This policy sets forth guidance regarding who may serve as a principal investigator on sponsored projects and research committee (IACUC, IRB, etc.) submissions. This policy replaces the PI Policy issued by Chancellor Lind (August 2001).
  • Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training:  This policy formalizes UAF's commitment to providing formal RCR instruction to research trainees (post doctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students).  This policy specifically addresses compliance with the NIH and NSF terms and conditions of award related to RCR training.
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) License:  All uses of radioactive material or sources is governed by the terms of our NRC License.  For more information contact the Radiation Safety Officer (Emily Reiter) or visit the Radiation Safety website.
  • Minors on Campus Guidelines:  There are general issued by Environmental Health Safety & Risk Management (EHS&RM) that apply to all minors (under 18) on campus.  Additional procedures have been developed for researchers wishing to bring minors into UAF laboratories, including a parental notification process.   Contact the UAF Protection of Minors Manager (Jessy Benton) for more information.

The UAF Animal Care Program consists of three administrative components: the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Veterinary Services, and the Animal Facilities. Briefly, the IACUC is responsible for oversight of the animal care program and for review/approval of all uses of animals at UAF or by UAF personnel; Veterinary Services is responsible for ensuring that adequate veterinary care is provided to all live vertebrates used in research and teaching at UAF; and the Animal Facilities staff maintain the facilities and typically provide daily care for all of the animals housed within the facility under the oversight of the IACUC and Veterinary Services.

The Office of Research Integrity provides administrative support to the IACUC and coordinates with the Veterinary Services and Animal Facility staff on issues related to facility inspections, personnel training, management of controlled substances, occupational health & safety, and animal facility access.

Agricultural Use Exceptions

The UAF IACUC has determined that some university activities and exhibits for agricultural purposes may be exempt from a complete IACUC protocol review:

  • Agricultural animals in livestock shows, fair, 4H or FFA venues.
  • Farm animal exhibits intended for viewing by the general public.
  • Farm animals used in agricultural teaching to the general public (non-credit purposes such as CES workshops) involving management procedures that involve only noninvasive activities without effecting the animal’s internal systemic environment.
  • Incidental exhibition of farm animals, such as viewing by the public, provided the animals are not kept primarily for such purpose nor advertised for such purpose.

Live agricultural animals at UAF may be used in displays or activities that are intended to educate and inform the general public. Animals in these events are the responsibility of the manager of the unit where the animals are housed and/or the UAF employee arranging and organizing the activity. Such activities as are listed above will be exempt from IACUC review except for the written notification of the IACUC of the activity, the number of animals of each species to be involved, date of the activity, animal manager, designee or other UAF employee who will be present throughout the activity. The IACUC chair may require further documentation and/or submission of Animal Care and Use form depending on how the animals are to be used.

Facility managers will keep a log of activities (date, visiting group description, number of people, activity description). This log will be reviewed by the IACUC at facility inspections.