San Jose State University (SJSU) recognizes Senate Policy F06-4 as its reference for the humane care and use of animals and for in addressing ethical concerns in discussions, evaluations and policy matters regarding the care and use of animals by all individuals at SJSU and its affiliates.
SJSU acknowledges the public debate about the legitimacy, importance and relevance of the ethics of animal care and use. We recognize that within this debate there are a number of legitimate and responsible perspectives, concerns and unresolved issues that are expressed in various ways. We, therefore, commit ourselves to be a respectful and responsible party within this on-going public debate.
SJSU recognizes the relevance, value and significance of the ideals of the humane treatment of animals as part of conducting sound scientific research and quality teaching. Therefore, we commit ourselves actively to: seek satisfactory means that do not entail the use of animals; employ ways that minimize the number of animals used; and earnestly minimize physical and psychological discomfort to the animals associated with our activities.
When animals are used for legitimate academic activities at SJSU, it is important that our faculty, staff, contractors, and students understand the ethical and scientific obligations with respect to their care and use. Senate Policy F06-4 sets forth guidelines and procedures by which the University will ensure compliance with those obligations and with all respective government statutes applying to animal care and use.
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/F06-4.pdf
Animal means any live or dead non-human member of the kingdom Animalia that is acquired, utilized or held for intended use in research or a legitimate academic activity, which includes the acquisition or utilization of animal blood or tissues (including hair, bone, feathers, scales, excrement or secretions) from archived sources.
Activity means any University supported project, whether it is publicly or privately funded, involving the use of animals for purposes of research, field studies, experimentation, teaching, demonstration, training, artistic display, or related academic purpose.
Handling means the physical care, feeding, holding, petting, capture, manipulation, exhibition, separation, breeding, transport, immobilization, dissection, treatment, training, or related interaction with an animal.
Facility refers to any and all buildings, laboratories, rooms, spaces, enclosures, land, vessels or vehicles under the administrative control of SJSU or designated sites at off-campus locations used to support animal related activity.
Personnel refers to any SJSU faculty member, research affiliate, employee, volunteer, contractor, or student who is involved with the handling of an animal for purposes of a legitimate University activity.
The IACUC derives its authority from the Law as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (PL 99-158) and the Animal Welfare Act (PL 89-544) and is charged with developing and implementing institutional policies and standards pertaining to animal care and use. San Jose State University’s President has established an IACUC, which is qualified through the training and expertise of its members to review and monitor all aspects of the institution's animal care and use program, facilities, and activities.
The IACUC is charged with:
The IACUC will conduct site inspections of facilities that support animal-related activities and review the institution’s Animal Care Program no less than every six months to ensure these provisions. Reports of the IACUC are submitted directly to the Institutional Official for their consideration in accordance with Federal law.
The Institutional Official is responsible to ensure that all animal welfare standards are being met campus-wide. The University President has designated the Associate vice-President for Graduate Studies and Research as the Institutional Official for SJSU. The Institutional Official will have the authority to commit resources and adopt Policy changes to ensure the Animal Care Program at SJSU is in compliance with Federal law.
The Campus Veterinarian will have delegated responsibility for the health and well-being of all animals involved in University activities. The Campus Veterinarian is a voting member of the IACUC and will have unlimited access to all animal use areas with due respect for the demands of research and teaching in progress. The Campus Veterinarian will have the authority to suspend any activity involving animals when the health of the animals or investigators is deemed inappropriately in jeopardy, including those with a protocol approved by the IACUC. All consulting veterinarians shall carry out their duties, as outlined in the Program of Veterinary Care on file in the University Animal Care office.
The Animal Care Facility Operations Manager (ACFOM) will:
Veterinary health concerns are to be relayed immediately to the ACFOM or the Campus Veterinarian to ensure all animals have access to adequate veterinary care.
The IACUC will promptly investigate all reported animal welfare concerns or complaints of non-compliance with institutional policies that involve the care and treatment of animals at SJSU.
Any person may report anonymously concerns related to animal care and use at San Jose State University or Moss Landing Marine Laboratories by contacting the IACUC Coordinator, the Campus Veterinarian, or the IACUC Chairperson.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is responsible to ensure the humane care and use of animals, as well as personnel safety, for all University activities. The use of animals may be associated with teaching, research, training, experimentation, artistic display, biological testing, and related protocols involving live animals or their parts while conducted at this University, or at any other institution as a consequence of the sub-granting or subcontracting of an activity.
The IACUC shall evaluate each animal use protocol and project description for (but not limited to):
All animal activities must be approved by the IACUC before an animal related activity commences. The IACUC will not conduct retroactive review or approve any animal-related activity that has already been completed or is considered ongoing. Personnel are expected to submit animal care and use protocol submissions for IACUC review no less than 60 days prior to the project initiation date. In an effort to expedite the protocol review process, personnel are encouraged to allow pre-review of the protocol application by the ACFOM or a Veterinarian (as required) before formally submitting materials for IACUC consideration.
Protocol application submissions must be reviewed, approved and submitted by a University faculty member (or by the Campus Veterinarian) identified as the ‘Principal Investigator.’ The appropriate submission form must be submitted complete and accurate. Alterations to the IACUC-approved protocol cannot be made (including methods, materials, species, personnel or animal numbers) without prior review and written consent by the IACUC. Descriptions of the various animal care and use submission forms are outlined below.
In cases where there is question as to whether or not IACUC approval is required for a proposed animal activity, investigators are to contact the University Animal Care office for advice. Upon consultation with the ACFOM, the Principal Investigator of a proposed study involving animals may be asked to request IACUC approval exemption. If applicable, the ACFOM will issue a notice of project exemption from IACUC review and approval upon consultation with the IACUC Chairperson. The notice of project exemption will be provided to the Principal Investigator, SJSU Foundation, Graduate Studies and Research or outside agencies to satisfy any legal or institutional requirement for use of animal subjects as requested.
Faculty and students of San Jose State University who consider it essential to use animals in their research, teaching, testing or display, whether in the laboratory, classroom or in the field, must adhere to humane principles for the use of animals set forth by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The protocol for animal use will address all aspects of veterinary care, animal husbandry, procedural manipulations, chemical usage, physical and psychological well-being of the animals, euthanasia, personnel experience and training, and personnel safety and must be approved by the IACUC before the project commences.
You are encouraged to contact the IACUC Coordinator if you have any questions or for policy clarification about IACUC oversight of an animal-related activity before starting the project.
For proposed studies involving the manipulation of live vertebrate animals, the standard Protocol Application for Animal Care and Use must be completed (long form). Investigators are to follow the recommendations for Project Categorization of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals when completing this form. For proposals that may induce more than momentary or slight pain/distress in animals, the investigator must consult a qualified veterinarian for their input on study design and veterinary care prior to IACUC review.
Animal Care and Use Application form 2009 (Word)
Protocol Modification Request to Add Personnel (Word)
Project Categorization of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals (Word)
Guidelines for Conducting and Summarizing a Literature Search (Word)
Individuals who intend to use non-living animal tissues (including scat, feathers, hair, bone, etc.) from vertebrate animals must complete an abbreviated submission for the use of non-living tissues. The IACUC must approve projects that involve the receipt or analysis of tissues or specimens shared from collaborators internally or from outside institutions for the purpose of evaluating sample acquisition methods, including appropriate permits. Proper knowledge and documentation regarding date, time, and circumstances of tissue or specimen collection may be required by the IACUC. Serendipitous contributions to collections (e.g., road kills) are also subject to protocol review requirements.
Abbreviated Protocol for Use of Non-living Tissues (Word)
For observational studies that do not involve handling or disturbing of a live animal in its natural habitat, the IACUC requires review and approval of projects that would entail permission from a government agency to approach the species being studied, deploy monitoring equipment or to gain regional access to conduct the study using the abbreviated submission for observational studies. All other observational studies do not require IACUC review and approval. However, it is highly recommended (or as otherwise requested by SJSU Foundation or the office of Graduate Studies and Research) that investigators pursue committee approval for graduate or research projects to be kept on file with the University Animal Care office.
Abbreviated Protocol for Observational Studies (Word)
For the use of invertebrate species, the IACUC requires review and approval of projects that entail permission from a government agency to access, collect, or deploy the species being studied, even if specimens are obtained commercially, using the abbreviated submission for use of invertebrates or fertile eggs. The provision for IACUC approval of invertebrate studies also extends to work involving animal species considered venomous or a threat to public health, endangered, threatened or of special concern [Endangered Species Act, 1972] and for projects involving invertebrate species in which the pain and distress category is considered a category level V (as defined by the IACUC for vertebrate species; see project categorization of pain and distress in laboratory animals above). All other invertebrate studies do not require IACUC review and approval. However, it is highly recommended (or as otherwise requested by SJSU Foundation or the Office of Graduate Studies and Research) that investigators pursue committee approval for graduate or research projects to be kept on file with the University Animal Care office.
The IACUC does require review and approval for the handling of fertile vertebrate eggs. Investigators may use the abbreviated submission form for use of invertebrates or fertile eggs to cover their work. The IACUC may require, however, the use of the live vertebrate application (long form) for activities that involve late stage embryonic development manipulations or for sensitive species. Determination as to which submission form is most appropriate will occur upon consultation with the SJSU veterinary staff prior to IACUC consideration.
Abbreviated Protocol for Invertebrate Species or Fertile Eggs (Word)
The IACUC meets regularly on the third Friday of every month to discuss routine business except in the month July. IACUC meetings are considered closed-sessions and outside attendance to convened meetings are by invitation or otherwise approved by the committee Chairperson. Be advised that IACUC meeting dates may be subject to change or cancellation without advanced notice.
| IACUC Meeting Dates for AY 2011/12 | Deadline for Submitting Applications Using Live Vertebrate Animals* | Deadline for Submitting Abbreviated Submission Forms * | Deadline for Submitting Protocol MinorModification Requests* |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2011 | No Meeting | No Meeting | No Meeting |
| August 19, 2011 | August 3 | August 17 | August 17 |
| September 16, 2011 | August 31 | September 14 | September 14 |
| October 21, 2011 | October 5 | October 19 | October 19 |
| November 18, 2011 | November 2 | November 16 | November 16 |
| December 16, 2011 | November 30 | December 14 | December 14 |
| January 20, 2012 | January 4 | January 18 | January 18 |
| February 17, 2012 | February 1 | February 15 | February 15 |
| March 16, 2012 | February 29 | March 14 | March 14 |
| April 20, 2012 | April 4 | April 18 | April 18 |
| May 18, 2012 | May 2 | May 16 | May 16 |
| June 15, 2012 | May 30 | June 13 | June 13 |
| July 2012 | No Meeting | No Meeting | No Meeting |
*All completed animal use submissions received by the IACUC coordinator by the submission deadline will be placed on the next scheduled IACUC meeting agenda. Submissions received after the specified deadline will not be guaranteed IACUC consideration at the earliest meeting. Contact the IACUC Coordinator with any questions.
All active protocols for animal care and use must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC annually. The IACUC coordinator will route the Principal Investigator of a study the appropriate annual review request information one month before the protocol anniversary date. The Principal Investigator is to respond to all committee requests listed on the annual review cover letter and the 2-paged annual review form provided by the IACUC Coordinator. Failure by the Principal Investigator to respond to the request for annual review by the IACUC may result in immediate suspension of IACUC approval for the use of animal subjects in an ongoing study. Questions concerning annual review documents should be directed to the IACUC coordinator.
IACUC Coordinator, Larry Young, 408-924-4929 [DH-244, mail 0100]
IACUC Chairperson, Dr. Janet Stemwedel, 408-924-4521 [mail 0096]
SJSU Veterinary Staff: 408-924-4929, or 924-6525 [DH-244]
Campus Veterinarian, Dr. Rosemary Broome, 650-846-0508
SJSU Senate Policy(F06-4) on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/F06-4.pdf
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) https://www.citiprogram.org/
AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia
American Veterinary Medical Association http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf
Animal Welfare Act and Regulations (Public Law 89-544)
USDA Animal Care webpage http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/index.shtml
Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-158)
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (NIH) webpage http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/
Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
http://www.nyu.edu/uawc/doc/guide-excerpts.pdf
Marine Mammal Protection Act
National Marine Fisheries Service - NOAA webpage http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/
Endangered Species Act
U.S.Department of the Interior - USFWS webpage http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
Migratory Bird Protection Act
U.S.Department of the Interior - USFWS webpage http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/
Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species
CITES webpage http://www.cites.org/
California Department of Fish and Game webpage http://www.dfg.ca.gov/index.html
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