FY 22 Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Report

Fiscal Year 2022 

Point of Contact: JoAnne Dupre ric_admin@nmsu.edu 

Established Date: 01/1970

Authorizing Body or Offical: Vice President for Research

Type of Board: Standing

Scope of Impact: System

Purpose:

The IACUC provides oversight for the care and use of "laboratory" animals, to ensure humane treatment and responsible conduct according to federal laws (the "Animal Welfare Act") and terms for research funding.

Authority:

Approve protocols for animal care and use in research and teaching; also advisory to VP-Research and Chancellor for ethics complaints involving animals

Chair: Shanna Ivey, Academic Department Head, 6/30/2022

Process for selecting chair: Appointed by the Vice President for Research, based on recommendations from the committee members and Associate Deans.

How are the chair and members appointed? Veterinarian is a position member; all other members are appointed as individuals, including one non-Institutional member required by Assurance. 

Are members subject to a term appointment (three years or less)? No

What university function/office is responsible for future appointments? Research Integrity and Compliance

What university office/function provides administrative support to this board or committee? Research Integrity and Compliance

How often will this board or committee meet? Semiannual (minumum every 6 months), and as needed for full-board protocol review

Are there any requirements for the number of meetings to be held? Yes

In the past fiscal year, what accomplishments have been made (if applicable)?  

Program reviews were held on Dec 1, 2021 and Jun 2, 2022: discussed site inspections and facility management, protocol approval processes, training of investigators and committee members, compliance record-keeping and reporting, veterinary care, health and safety program, and mechanism for investigating animal welfare concerns.

Site inspections: Nov (9, 12, 15, 16), 2021 and May (9, 10, 13), 2022, at seven locations which house fish, birds, bats, mice, and livestock.

Semiannual reports are sent to the VP-Research, as required by the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals as a condition of the institution's Assurance on file with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations, 9 CFR Chapter 1. No major deficiencies were observed in the last year.

Animal use protocols are reviewed throughout the year, and approximately 30 protocols were approved in the last year.

Through General Counsel, the IACUC responded to two requests for Inspection of Public Records, received in Sept 2021 and May 2022 from Animal Protection of New Mexico.