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06/30/2021: DBIC Announcement - In-person Human Subjects Research Resumes with Phase 4B

Dear DBIC Researchers,

You may have received notifications earlier this week from the CPHS and/or the Vice Provost for Research to announce that Dartmouth has moved research activity to Phase 4B. This phase allows for the resumption of in-person human subjects research without a specifically authorized exception. Research participant recruitment in the DBIC is no longer restricted to members of the Dartmouth College community; you may now recruit from the community more broadly!

Scan time must be scheduled through Courtney Rogers, and personnel/participant information is still required 3 business days prior to scanning. DBIC applications must be submitted to Courtney Rogers for review and approval prior to initiating a study in the DBIC.

For everyone conducting in-person human subjects research in the DBIC here are the highlights of this phase:

  • The daily TSA is no longer required
  • Fully-vaccinated individuals are no longer required to wear masks unless they are interacting with a research participant. When interacting with research participants masks must be worn by personnel and participants during the research session, regardless of vaccination status and population (Dartmouth or non-Dartmouth participant)
  • Research teams may not ask about vaccination status
  • Asymptomatic testing frequency for Dartmouth faculty, staff, and students changed effective Thurs, 6/24.  
    • Fully-vaccinated employees and students who have submitted their vaccination documentation will be tested once a month.
    • Unvaccinated individuals and those who have not submitted vaccination documents accessing campus will be tested twice a week.
    • Access to Moore Hall for researchers and Dartmouth College-affiliated participants requires everyone to adhere to Dartmouth's testing requirements.

For research labs conducting in-person human subjects research with non-Dartmouth College participants, the following requirements apply:

  • Research participants must be provided with the participant information sheet prior to their scheduled study
    • Research participants must provide contact information (page 2 of the information sheet) and research teams must keep this on file for 30 days.
    • Research personnel must instruct participants of the following contact tracing protocol:  If a participant develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 within 48 hours of their presence in the DBIC, they must inform the study’s designated Dartmouth faculty or staff coordinator. The Dartmouth faculty or staff coordinator must email Dartmouth Occupational Medicine and those responsible for COVID-19 cleaning on campus with a list of buildings and room numbers the authorized visitor occupied and a list of people the authorized visitor was within 6 feet of for a cumulative time 10 minutes or longer. In this email, the Dartmouth faculty or staff coordinator should not share the authorized visitor's name or any other personally identifiable information. Courtney Rogers should be cc'd on the email.
      Asymptomatic testing is not required for non-Dartmouth participants.
      Research teams may not ask about vaccination status

All research studies taking place in Moore Hall or the DBIC require CPHS approval. Please carefully read the CPHS announcement for details on Phase 4B, as some studies may need further review or modification.

If you have any questions about this email, or the CPHS announcement, please let me know and I'm happy to help navigate this process.

Thank you all for your patience!

Courtney