From: Teller, Alan [at2059@mail.cumc.columbia.edu]

Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 3:48 PM

To: cuhs-irb@CUMC.COLUMBIA.EDU

Subject: New IRB Procedure: Electronic Approval Letter and Stamped Documents

Date:  August 12, 2011

Effective date: August 15, 2011

Re:  New IRB Procedure: Electronic Approval Letter and Stamped Documents

Please note that effective August 15, 2011, the Columbia University IRB Offices will no longer issue hard-copy, manually signed approval letters.  An Electronic IRB Approval Letter will be available in the Print Menu of your approved protocol once you receive notice to retrieve your approval correspondence.  This letter will serve as the official Approval Letter from the IRB Office. 

Additionally,  the IRB will no longer be printing and mailing stamped attached approved documents; these documents will be stamped and uploaded to your protocol’s Attached Documents page in RASCAL approximately 3-5 business days after your approval letter is generated. 

These changes are being made to improve efficiency by providing letters and approved study-related documents as soon as possible after approval. 

An IRB-Investigator Meeting has been scheduled For Thursday, August 18 at 3:00 pm in Hammer Room 312 to provide details of these and other imminent changes to IRB processes. 

If you have any questions regarding this new process, please contact the Medical Center IRB Office at irboffice@columbia.edu or the Morningside IRB Office at askirb@columbia.edu.

Brenda Ruotolo

Associate Director

CU IRB