Federal Updates

Institutional Updates

New Export Control Policy Supports International Researchers

The University of Oregon has adopted a new Export Control Policy (II.06.01), effective July 15, 2026. The policy supports and protects the UO’s global research enterprise and community of international researchers while ensuring compliance with federal export control and sanctions requirements.

Export control regulations apply to a range of university activities, including international research collaborations, travel, hosting and hiring foreign nationals, sponsored research, and the transfer or use of certain technology, software, equipment, and materials across national borders or to foreign nationals in the U.S.

Engagements with foreign nationals and foreign vendors that are routed through a central office, like International Student and Scholar Services, Sponsored Projects Services, Mail Services, Business Affairs Office (BAO) Travel, and Industry, Innovation, and Translation, already have existing procedures to meet federal export control requirements and the UO policy. Researchers with foreign engagements not going through a central office should email exportcontrols@uoregon.edu for guidance on meeting federal regulations and the UO policy.

The Office of Export Controls is here to help. The office provides training, one-on-one consultations, and guidance to help the UO community conduct international research responsibly and in compliance with federal requirements.

Questions? Contact the Office of Export Controls at exportcontrols@uoregon.edu or 541-346-2090. (posted October 2026)

Mechanical Turk (MTurk) Permanently Closed

On September 30, 2026, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) was permanently closed. For more information, see the MTurk Closure FAQs.

If researchers are currently using MTurk for recruitment or data collection on their studies and need to change their IRB materials as a result, please submit a modification and get approval for that modification before implementing the changes. For more information about how to submit changes in the Research Administration Portal (RAP), see the Modify Study (RAP Instructions) and the Modification Review webpage. (posted October 2026)

Best Practices for International Collaborations and Co-authored Publications

As federal sponsor agencies have increased scrutiny of international research activities to safeguard federally funded research from foreign influence, the Office of Export Controls has developed additional guidance to support researchers.

Transparency and timely disclosure about international collaborations and co-authored publications are the best ways to minimize research security and compliance risks.

1. Maintain complete, accurate sponsor disclosures. Report new relationships in annual progress reports as they arise and ensure current/pending support documents and biographical sketches are kept up to date. Updated documents can be submitted during annual reports. Disclose affiliations, resources, and other support, including in-kind contributions and shared materials. The UO's sponsor disclosure guidance can help determine what to disclose and how to report it.
2. Understand how sponsors may view co-authorship. Federal sponsors may interpret co-authored publications as evidence of a research collaboration or foreign component, even when no formal or meaningful collaboration exists. Researchers can use the Foreign Co-Authorship Screening Form to help assess potential disclosure obligations and compliance considerations.
3. Ensure authorship and affiliations are accurate. Include only individuals who meet authorship standards and list the institutional affiliation associated with the research at the time the work was conducted, which may differ from a co-author's current affiliation. Researchers should complete the Foreign Co-Authorship Screening Form so proposed co-authors and affiliations can be screened against U.S. government restricted party lists before publication.
4. Consider the long-term implications of collaborations. Formal and informal collaborations, regardless of whether they are federally funded, can lead to future co-authored publications and may attract sponsor scrutiny now or in the future. Researchers involved in international collaborations may request a restricted party screening to better understand potential risks.
5. Seek guidance early. The Office of Export Controls can answer questions, help assess risks associated with specific collaborations, and provide guidance based on your research activities and funding portfolio. Researchers may email the office with questions or request an individual consultation. (posted October 2026)

Brush Up on the Requirements: Responsible Conduct of Research

Fall is a perfect time to brush up on the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training requirements. Review the UO's RCR Training and Education Plan as an annual reminder of the requirements for training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research among members of the UO research community. You can find resources to build your RCR training and access online CITI RCR training (satisfies some training requirements) on the Research Compliance Services (RCS) website; there are additional on-demand RCR trainings available, too.

The UO encourages ethical research practices and provides a mechanism to address allegations of research misconduct as required by federal regulations and best practices. If you have concerns about research integrity or you would like to report an allegation of research misconduct, contact the Research Integrity Officer. See the RCS website for information and to review the UO’s policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct/Research Integrity. (posted October 2026)

New “Outgoing Sub-award” Agreement Type Coming to the RAP In November

Following a successful pilot program, we are pleased to announce that a new Outgoing Subaward agreement type within the Research Administration Portal (RAP) Agreements module will go live in November. This agreement type is designed to streamline the creation, tracking, and management of sub-awards issued by the UO to sub-recipients, and will allow both incoming and outgoing sponsored projects agreements to be processed in one system.

User training sessions will be held at the end of October. An email will be sent to the DGA community later this month with more details on the training sessions. We encourage everyone to attend. (posted October 2026)

New Authorized Organization Representative on Proposals as of August 10, 2026

Proposals with due dates on or after August 10, 2026, must list our new Vice President for Research and Innovation, Bethany D. Jenkins, Ph.D., on the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) line of each application. All other address information will remain the same. (posted August 2026)

IRB Forms Are Getting a Refresh for Accessibility

As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and user experience, Research Compliance Services (RCS) is overhauling our documentation to make forms and guidance documents more accessible. During the next couple of months, all forms and guidance will be updated. See the Human Subjects Applications, Forms and Guidance webpage for the most recent versions.

• Improved accessibility: The new forms are optimized for screen readers and utilize a clean layout to ensure a smoother experience for everyone.

• Similar content, new look: While the page counts are longer due to formatting changes, the actual content remains largely the same and has even been streamlined in some cases. (posted August 2026)

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Expedited Research Contracts Review Request Form now available

If an agreement for a sponsored project requires expedited review, please submit an Expedited Review Request Form available on the SPS Forms webpage.  Expedited review requests may be approved if:

• The agreement start date has already passed.
• The agreement end date has already expired.
• An invoice is due while the agreement is still under review.
• An amendment is received before the base agreement has been finalized.

Please note that expedited reviews are subject to approval.  Review timelines may still be affected by factors such as negotiations with the sponsor or incomplete documentation. (posted July 2026)

Revised UO Policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct/Research Integrity

The University of Oregon has revised Policy II.06.02, Allegations of Research Misconduct, to align with updated federal regulations. The revised policy has been approved by the UO Senate and is undergoing review by the federal Office of Research Integrity (ORI) to ensure compliance with current requirements.As recipients of federal research funding, institutions must maintain a compliant research misconduct policy, adhere to federal regulations, and meet annual reporting requirements to maintain their assurance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For additional information, please visit the Allegations of Research Misconduct webpage. (posted July 2026)

Dropbox updates July 1 

Starting July 1, 2026, UO Dropbox users will receive a baseline amount of 2 TB of individual storage for free, which can be increased for a yearly fee through team storage. That 2 TB baseline accommodates the vast majority of users—so nearly everyone can simply keep using Dropbox as they do today. Learn more about the upcoming Dropbox updates. 

These updates were announced last spring as part of the UO’s digital storage transformation. Explore the UO’s evolving storage options with the Data Storage Finder. (posted June 2026)

RAP Quick Tip and Reminder: Closing Human Subjects Research 

For studies previously reviewed and approved by the UO’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or determined exempt, the study must be closed once human subject research activities conclude and prior to the study expiration date. It is the principal investigator’s (PI) responsibility to close the study (or the faculty advisor if the PI is a student and has left the university). The Research Administration Portal (RAP) sends automated reminders until your study expires. Once it has lapsed, those reminders are no longer sent. 

Please take a few minutes to review the studies where you are listed as a team member. This will allow you to review and assess whether any action is required for studies where you are listed as the PI or faculty advisor. These studies can be found by clicking on the “IRB” tab at the top of the RAP webpage, then by clicking on the “Active” sub tab. (posted June 2026)

Guidance for Researchers Returning from Abroad with UO-Owned Laptops

Some institutions have reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have questioned returning researchers about their laptops and research data after international travel.

Please remember to log all travel into Concur. Researchers traveling to higher-risk destinations will be issued a loaner laptop and provided guidance on how to respond to CBP questions about electronic devices.  

Key information

1. You are legally required to unlock laptops and other electronic devices if requested by a federal agent.
2. If a federal agent asks about your laptop AND you are using a loaner laptop, you may explain that:
   1. The University of Oregon provided the laptop for your international travel.
   2. No data was stored on the device at the time of issuance.
   3. The laptop contains standard antivirus software and Microsoft 365.
   4. The laptop will be returned to UO Information Security User Support Services to review and wipe upon your return.

If CBP asks questions about your device or research data, please notify exportcontrols@uoregon.edu and gcounsel@uoregon.edu. (posted May 2026)

Revised UO Policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct/Research Integrity

Due to changes in federal regulations, the UO Policy II.06.02, Allegations of Research Misconduct, was revised. Now approved by the UO Senate, our revised institutional policy will next receive review by the federal Office of Research Integrity, which oversees the Public Health Service regulations under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to ensure compliance with the revised regulations. Institutions that receive federal funding for research must have a compliant, written research misconduct policy and follow federal research misconduct regulations, as well as report annually to renew their assurance with HHS. Please visit the Allegations of Research Misconduct webpage for more information. (posted May 2026)

The UO’s Approach to “Gold Standard Science”  

Last year, the White House released an executive order, “Restoring Gold Standard Science,” and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued guidance outlining the nine tenets identified as Gold Standard Science. OVPRI has long been a champion of the key indicators identified in the Gold Standard documents, including activities to support scientific inquiry, reproducibility, transparency, interdisciplinary collaborations, and mitigate conflicts of interest. OVPRI now shares “Gold Standard Science at the University of Oregon” expressing its ongoing commitment to these tenets and exemplifying its further integration into research excellence at the UO. (posted May 2026)

LCNI Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Update

The Lewis Center for Neuroimaging (LCNI) provides resources for UO researchers conducting MRIs and the surrounding community, and the Center operates Siemens 3T Skyra and Prisma MRI systems. Some research involving MRIs sometimes involves participants looking at visual stimuli while in the MRI device such as videos, fast moving pictures and/or moving lights. As most glasses contain metal, it is often not possible for participants to wear their glasses during the MRI. If participants feel it is necessary to wear glasses in the MRI, they will be offered MRI-safe glasses that they can wear while in the MRI. The vision range available for these MRI safe glasses runs from +4.00 to -6.00. To date, at least one participant reported feeling dizzy or nauseous while viewing visual stimuli in the MRI, which might have been related to the MRI safe glasses that differed from their prescription, combined with the visual stimuli in the research. As a result, LCNI and RCS developed some possible risk language for consent forms that researchers can use when applicable.  

The new risk language lets potential participants know that they might want to consider wearing contacts during the MRI session if possible and to provide information about the MRI safe glasses option and possible risks and discomforts for those participants (e.g., may not be able to see as well as you usually do with your own glasses, or you might feel dizzy or nauseous while viewing the visual stimuli in the MRI). The updated risk language only needs to be included when applicable to a study and won’t apply to all LCNI MRI studies. In most cases, this language will only be applied to new studies submitted after the LCNI SOP update. However, researchers can choose to incorporate this language into their existing studies when applicable. In some cases, the IRB may require updated risk language when necessary to ensure approval criteria are met. The updated risk template language can be found in the updated Lewis Center for Neuroimaging Standard Operating Procedures. (posted April 2026)

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