The Human Subject Research Participant Community is a resource designed to connect Montana State University faculty researchers with individuals interested in contributing to research. To ensure this community is engaged in a respectful, ethical, and beneficial way, the following criteria guide all requests to use the Participant Community. These guidelines are intended to protect participants, support MSU’s research mission, and ensure that research provides meaningful value to Montana communities.

1. Clear Research Rationale

Projects must be led by MSU faculty and must clearly state the purpose of the study and why the use of the Participant Community is appropriate. Graduate students, postdocs, or staff may only use the Participant Community if an MSU faculty member is listed as the Principal Investigator and is directly responsible for oversight of the project.

2. Benefits to Montana Communities

Projects should show evidence of value to community members, with particular attention to rural and underserved populations.

  • Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate reciprocal value—ensuring knowledge gained is not only published academically but also translated into meaningful benefit for the communities involved.
  • Researchers are expected to share outcomes back with participants or communities in accessible, plain-language formats (e.g., community reports, presentations, or outreach materials).

3. Benefits to Montana State University

Research should demonstrate contribution to MSU’s land-grant mission, scholarly output, and advancement of knowledge.

4. Ethical and Regulatory Compliance

Researchers must have Institutional Review Board approval or a determination in place before initiating recruitment through the Participant Community.

  • The IRB process will address participant protections, equitable access, non-exploitation, and data stewardship.
  • Access to the Participant Community is granted on a study-specific basis; a new request must be submitted for each additional project.

5. Community Resepct and Collaboration

Projects must demonstrate cultural competence and sensitivity in study design and outreach.

  • When recruitment focuses on specific communities, engagement with local partners is expected.
  • Researchers are expected to approach communities as partners in discovery, respecting cultural values, and building trust through transparent communication.

Oversight

The Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) office will review each request for alignment with these principles.

  • RIC reserves the right to pause or deny use of the Participant Community if a project does not demonstrate adherence to these criteria or if community trust could be compromised.
  • The Participant Community will not be used to circulate studies involving Tribal communities. All such research must be reviewed and approved through the appropriate Tribal IRB or Tribal review body.
  • Our goal is to create a research environment where participants feel respected, communities see value, and MSU faculty are supported in conducting high-quality, ethical studies.
  • RIC reserves the right to establish additional conditions for use as needed to maintain community trust and compliance with federal, institutional, or sponsor requirements.