Penn State Policies

RA06 - Cost Recovery for Sponsored Projects

The purpose of this policy is to ensure appropriate recovery of both direct and facilities and administration (F & A) costs associated with various sponsored institutional activities conducted by the faculty and staff of The Pennsylvania State University.

RA07 - Use of Equipment Purchased on Federally Sponsored Projects

To define general Federal policies that govern the allowable uses of equipment on Federally sponsored projects for activities beyond those which are covered by the sponsored project.

RA08 - Salary Rate Limitations and Effort Confirmation

To identify requirements to observe, report, and confirm the percent of effort expensed on Federally sponsored projects, and to observe the specific reimbursement salary caps imposed by certain Federal agencies.

RA09 - Determining and Disposing of Program Income on Federally Sponsored Projects

To define general Federal policies that govern the definition of program income, and the allowable uses and disposition of program income on Federally sponsored projects.

RA11 - Patents and Copyrights (Intellectual Property)

To establish appropriate policies for ownership and management of University intellectual property.

RA12 - Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurial Activities (Faculty Research)

To establish appropriate policies for technology transfer activities, including the establishment of faculty companies and consulting; and identifying and reducing the potential for conflicts of interest.

RAG12 - Faculty Guidance On Student Intellectual Property Rights

Guidance of intellectual property ownership and student-generated IP.

RAG13 - Special Student Intellectual Property Agreement Forms

Rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property created as a student at The Pennsylvania State University.

RAG14 - What to Expect When Licensing a Penn State Technology into a Start-Up Company

If you are considering becoming involved in a start-up company, please review these guidelines carefully and then schedule a meeting with the Intellectual Property Office to discuss the process.

SY01 - Environmental Health and Safety Policy

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees, students, visitors and the environment. The purpose of this document is to establish an organizational structure to ensure the effective implementation of this policy at all University locations.

SY14 - Use of Radioactive Materials

This document establishes policy and procedures for the acquisition, use, storage, and disposal of radioactive material at all Penn State locations except for the Hershey Medical Center.

SY15 - Radiation-Producing Instruments

To establish a policy for radiation-producing instruments that addresses the acquisition, installation, operation, control, disposal, and University compliance with state and federal regulations. This policy applies to University-owned radiation-producing instruments at all locations except the Hershey Medical Center.

SY20 - Hazardous Waste Disposal

To establish a policy and procedures for the handling, transportation and disposal of hazardous waste at all locations of The Pennsylvania State University (except the Hershey Medical Center).

FN14 - Use of Tangible Assets, Equipment, Supplies and Services

To state University policy governing the use of University tangible assets and services (including equipment, software, audio-visual material, theatrical costumes, etc.).

HR80 - Private Consulting Practice

To outline the conditions governing private consulting by individuals classified as full-time academic or academic administrator. For an outside activity to be considered legitimate private consulting, this activity must be in the faculty member's field and be of a professional nature.

HR91 - Conflict of Interest

To avoid the possibility of any misunderstandings concerning the appropriate conduct of faculty and staff members in regard to all transactions touching upon their University duties and the property of the University.

HR42 - Payment of Personal Compensation by a State Agency or Department of the Commonwealth

To outline the conditions governing personal compensation for services rendered by a faculty or staff member to agencies or departments of the Commonwealth.

RA17 - Courseware

The purpose of this courseware policy is to provide incentives for the involvement of University personnel in courseware and courseware module development while also protecting the University’s interests in its educational programs and in controlling costs to students.

RA15 - Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals

This policy enacts certain necessary provisions of the University's "Assurance of Compliance with Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals," an agreement with the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which provides eligibility for receipt by University investigators of funding from various federal agencies.

SY23 - Occupational Health and Safety Program for Animal Care Personnel

To provide a safe work place and to comply with regulatory mandates for animal care personnel. These personnel may, in the course of their employment, research or education, be exposed to vertebrate animals and/or tissues, fluids, secretions, and excretions in a way that puts them at increased risk of an occupational illness or injury. Occupational Health Services (OHS) and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) administer the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP), in cooperation with the Office for Research Protections (ORP) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

SY24 - Use of Regulated and Biohazardous Materials in Research and Instruction

To ensure safe handling, storage, and disposal of potentially biohazardous materials, as defined below, used in University research or instructional projects. Compliance with the provisions of this policy will provide a safe working environment, as well as protect the people and facilities of the larger University community and the surrounding areas. Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) review also assists the University and its employees in their compliance with federal regulations on the use of recombinant DNA, as well as federal and state regulations regarding pathogens, toxins, toxicants, and carcinogens.

SY29 - Infectious Waste Disposal

To establish a policy and procedures for the safe handling and proper disposal of infectious waste generated at all Penn State University locations (except the Hershey Medical Center).

SY34 - Hazardous Material Shipping

This policy provides proper procedures for the packaging, labeling, documentation, shipping, and transportation of dangerous goods or hazardous materials by faculty, staff, and students who transfer such materials from one location to another via University vehicles, the United States Postal Service, Fed Ex, United Parcel Service, Trucking Company, etc. This applies to all Penn State locations except the Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine. This policy does not address the handling of hazardous waste or radioactive materials as specified under policies SY20 and SY14, respectively.

RA10 - Handling Inquiries/Investigations Into Questions of Ethics in Research and in Other Scholarly Activities

To establish a means to handle inquiries and/or investigations into questions of ethics related to research and other scholarly activities.

RA14 - The Use of Human Participants in Research

The purpose of this policy is to outline PSU's standards for the protection of human participants of research.

AD22 - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

To describe the University's responsibilities under the Privacy Rule and related regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

AD56 - Use of Group E-Mail to Communicate University Business to Employees and Students

To set forth the policy for using group communication tools as a means of communicating with all employees and/or students (or subsets of them) regarding University business, issues or emergencies. For purposes of this policy, group communication tools are defined as communications sent from University systems, cellular phones, smart phones, or any other devices or platforms to a portion of either the faculty, staff or students. This policy does not apply to communications within units, such as departments, colleges, or Commonwealth Campuses.

CR2078 - Payment to Research Participants

To outline the procedures for making payments to research participants.

RA22 - HIPAA and Research at Penn State

The purpose of this policy is to set forth the requirements that will be applicable to research that is subject to HIPAA requirements.

RA20 - Individual Conflict of Interest

In order to enable work done at Penn State to have the broadest positive impact on society, the University sets forth this policy to protect the research, scholarship, artistic endeavors, and technology transfer programs (also referred to as University Research and Technology Transfer) of the University from improper actions and influences that can arise as a result of individual conflict of interest. Further, this policy serves to define the safeguards necessary to preserve the integrity of the University, its faculty, students, staff, officers and other senior managers of the University.

RA21 - Institutional Conflict of Interest

This policy is established to provide appropriate institutional safeguards to sustain a climate in which sponsored projects, dedicated gifts, research, scholarship, artistic endeavors, and technology transfer (also referred to as University Research and Technology Transfer) are carried out responsibly, and in so doing foster an atmosphere of openness and integrity.

RAG20 - Guidance on the Disclosure of Significant Financial or Business Interest(s)

The goal of this Guideline is to provide a basic overview on general University policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of significant financial or business interest(s) and management of real or perceived conflicts of interest involving research, education, and University service.

AD47 - General Standards of Professional Ethics

To set forth statements of general standards of professional ethics to serve as a reminder of the variety of obligations assumed by all members of the academic community

RAG16 - Guidelines for the Responsible Conduct of Research

The goal of the Guidelines is to offer a set of values, principles, and standards to guide decision-making and conduct throughout the research process. It is not intended to provide a set of rules that prescribe how researchers should act in all situations. Rather, the Guidelines are intended to increase awareness of research integrity and outline the University's expectations for ethical behavior amongst all researchers.

RA13 - Coauthorship of Scholarly Reports, Papers and Publications

It is the policy of The Pennsylvania State University that proper credit be given to those individuals who make material contributions to activities which lead to scholarly reports, papers and publications.

RA01 - Determining the Allowability, Allocability, and Reasonableness of Costs on Sponsored Projects

The Policy establishes University guidelines on determining the allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of costs on sponsored projects.

RA03 - Preparing Budgets (Cost Estimates) For Sponsored Projects

To define general University policies that govern the development of cost estimates contained in budgets for sponsored projects.

RA04 - Making Revisions to Budgets and Program Plans on Federally Sponsored Projects

To detail the actions needed to make revisions to the budgets and program plans of Federally sponsored grant projects.

SY40 - Disposal of Pollutants in University Sanitary Systems

This policy sets forth uniform requirements on the proper use of the University Sanitary System at all locations of The Pennsylvania State University (except Hershey Medical Center).