Process for Obtaining Capella Site Permission to Conduct Research

Written permission from Capella University must be obtained prior to recruiting Capella alumni, faculty, learners or staff as research participants, and/or accessing Capella data or records for research. Permission to conduct research involving Capella affiliates and/or their records is referred to as "Capella site permission" and is distinct from Institutional Review Board approval.

Capella Site Permission Process Map
View the process map to learn how to request permission to access Capella participants or records.

What is the process for requesting permission to recruit Capella participants or access Capella data?

  1. Researchers external to Capella or Capella faculty or staff seeking permission to recruit Capella participants or access Capella data must submit the following materials to the Research Integrity Office for consideration:

    • Supplemental Form G: Capella Site Permission Request
    • Brief Research Proposal
    • IRB approval letter
    • A copy of any instruments to be used in the study

    Capella Learners may either submit the information described above (with the exception of the IRB approval letter) to the Research Integrity Office at any time prior to IRB approval, or may simply submit Supplemental Form G as part of the IRB application.

  2. The Research Integrity Office and Academic Quality Analytics and Accreditation (AQAA) will review each request upon submission to determine whether permission may be granted.

  3. The Research Integrity Office and Academic Quality Analytics and Accreditation (AQAA) may request revisions to the study materials before permission can be granted. Any such requests will be communicated to the researcher in writing.

  4. Researchers will receive a formal letter from Capella University indicating whether permission to recruit Capella participants or access Capella data has been granted.

    Capella learners should upload this letter into IRBNet.

  5. Once permission has been granted, researchers will be provided with specific instructions for accessing Capella participants or records.

    Capella Learners requesting Capella data will be given access to the data only once IRB approval has been obtained. Likewise, Capella participants may not be contacted until IRB approval has been obtained.

How are determinations made as to whether permission will be granted?

The following criteria are used in determining whether requests to recruit Capella participants will be granted:

  • A clear rationale must be provided regarding the importance of recruiting Capella participants. Many of the requests we receive involve research that is not Capella-specific: in other words, the research question could be answered equally well by studying a non-Capella population. In general, we discourage Capella learners, faculty and staff from using Capella populations for research simply out of “convenience.” Convenience or accessibility is not a sufficient rationale; the population must be selected because it is appropriate based on the research design.

  • The population requested may not be asked to participate in more than one primary research project in a given six month period. (Note: Capella University's ongoing mid-course and end-of-course evaluations are not considered primary research.) There may also be "blackout" dates during which a researcher may not contact a particular population.

  • Capella considers certain kinds of information proprietary. Information concerning student financial aid or learning outcomes is not likely to be disclosed.

  • Researchers often request access to populations representing specific demographics. The University maintains limited demographic information and it may be impossible to target specific populations.

Requests to access Capella data are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Does this data exist? Researchers often request data that is unavailable – for example, they may seek demographic information that the University does not maintain. Obviously, such requests cannot be granted.

  • Is this data publicly available?

  • Is similar data available from other sources?

  • Is this data private of sensitive? Note that privacy is protected at all times and Capella will not release any identifying information.

  • Is support needed from other University departments to accommodate the request, and if so, are they able to provide it?

What can I do if permission is denied?

Researchers who are denied permission to recruit Capella participants or use Capella data may seek clarification regarding the rationale for the determination. However, they may not appeal the decision unless it is apparent that it was made based on misinformation concerning the request. Researchers who do not obtain permission must omit Capella participants and/or data from their studies. Learners should contact their research mentors regarding such revisions to their study design. (Note: Major revisions impacting research design require committee and school approval.)

Learners wishing to explore the feasibility of their requests prior to IRB submission are welcome to contact the IRB Office at any time by sending an email to irb@capella.edu.