June 2025 Newsletter
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Stay up-to-date with the latest news and resources from the Office of Research Protections (ORP)
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Why Adhering to the University’s Visitor Process Matters
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The University of Pittsburgh’s Academic Visitor Process is critical in protecting both the institution and the individuals who visit our campus for academic purposes. Academic visitors are individuals not currently enrolled, appointed, or employed by the University.
The process is completed by entering a visitor’s information into the visitor database, which addresses important federal research security requirements, and signing the visitor participation agreement, which establishes the legal framework for the visitor’s relationship with the University.
This process is especially important for visitors who will be engaged in research activities. Unlike University employees, academic visitors are not covered by the University’s workers’ compensation insurance. Therefore, these individuals must maintain adequate health insurance to cover any medical expenses in the event of an injury. The visitor process ensures that this insurance coverage is in place and that the visitor understands this requirement.
In addition to addressing insurance and liability, the Academic Visitor Process also requires that visitors adhere to University policies, including its intellectual property (IP) policy. By formally establishing expectations regarding ownership of discoveries and inventions, the process helps prevent future disputes over IP arising from collaborative research activities.
Another part of the visitor process is ensuring compliance with federal regulations about restricted parties. Every visitor is checked to confirm they are not connected to any entity or institution that University personnel are not allowed to work with under these regulations.
Please note that the Provost's Office maintains guidelines for visiting undergraduate students participating in research.
Adherence to the Academic Visitor Process is not optional—it is essential for ensuring legal, ethical, and safe collaboration with all external visitors. For questions or additional information, please contact visitor@pitt.edu.
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Academic visits are intended to support educational experiences of the visitors or collaborations with Pitt faculty. While visitors often contribute to research productivity, federal labor laws prohibit unpaid individuals from performing work typically done by paid employees, unless specific conditions are met.
To host an unpaid academic visitor legally, the following criteria must be satisfied:
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The visit is primarily for the visitor’s education or training or is part of a formal collaboration (when the visitor is paid or enrolled by another institution);
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The visitor does not replace regular employees, including technicians or postdocs;
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There is no expectation of future employment of the visitor (i.e. the visit is not an audition for a job).
If these conditions are not met, the individual must be hired and paid—such as through All-Temps.
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CMU students, staff, and faculty visiting Pitt may do so under one of two master agreements: the Master Facility Access Agreement (for non-financial research and academic access) or the Master Visiting Student Educational Support Agreement (for graduate students receiving financial support toward their research or academic program).
Pitt hosts must follow Academic Visitor Procedures to ensure all required paperwork is completed.
For questions, contact our Visitor Liaison.
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As of June 1, the Biorisk Management Division officially joined the Office of Research Protections (ORP), transitioning from Environmental Health & Safety. This group will collaborate with the University Biohazards Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee the safe use of biological agents, toxins, and infectious materials by reviewing protocols, recommending engineering controls and protective measures, and implementing exposure prevention programs such as the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Program. It will also coordinate with Employee Health Services to support occupational health and medical surveillance, and provide guidance on biological safety practices, including waste disposal, spill response, and incident management.
The Biosafety Section of the ORP website is being updated to describe the responsibilities of the Biorisk Management Division.
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Advice about Participation in Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs
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The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 prohibits covered (key) personnel involved in federally-funded research from participating in a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP).
ORP's Office of Research Security and Trade Compliance (ORSTC) created a section on its website that explains foreign talent recruitment programs, including what constitutes a malign program. This office is available for consultations in cases where a faculty member has questions about whether terms and conditions within a consulting agreement or other form of agreement would be considered an MFTRP. Send questions regarding MFTRPs to researchsecurity@pitt.edu.
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Honoring Dr. Craig Wilcox: A Legacy of Research and Integrity
After decades of dedicated service to the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Craig Wilcox will soon retire, leaving behind an enduring legacy in both research and research oversight.
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A professor in the Chemistry Department of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Wilcox joined Pitt as an associate professor in 1987 and was promoted to full professor in 1992. From 1997 to 2002, he served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry. Over his 30-year career, Dr. Wilcox built a highly respected research program in physical organic chemistry, with a focus on synthetic receptors for small molecules. His scholarly contributions were recognized in 2003 with the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award.
Beyond the lab, Dr. Wilcox played a foundational role in shaping research ethics and compliance at Pitt. He began working with the Research Conduct and Compliance Office (now the Office of Research Protections) in 1997 as one of the inaugural members of the Entrepreneurial Oversight Committee—now known as the Conflict of Interest Committee (COIC). He served as Vice Chair from 2004 to 2017 and became Chair and the University’s Research Integrity Officer in 2017.
Reflecting on his time at Pitt, Dr. Wilcox shared:
“It has been a pleasure working with the Office of Research Protections (ORP) led by Vice Chancellor Bill Yates and Assistant Vice Chancellor Mara Horwitz. The staff and faculty working with ORP are dedicated to helping Pitt project leaders comply with the many complex regulations that govern research carried out at the University.”
Dr. Wilcox’s leadership, deep integrity, and tireless commitment to advancing science and supporting research compliance have made a lasting impact. He will be deeply missed—and warmly remembered.
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If you are a supervisor and have pending reviews of Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosures, you will continue to receive email reminders from MyDisclosures. The reviews were due on June 15 and must be completed ASAP!
The ORP's Conflict of Interest Division (COI Division) provides guidance on its website that supervisors can use as a resource when completing these reviews. Supervisors are welcome to contact the COI Division at coi@pitt.edu if they have any questions about supervisor reviews of conflict of interest disclosures.
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Whether you are new to Pitt or preparing to retire or relocate, we are here to assist you.
For new University members, our Onboarding Service offers customized help with protocol writing and other regulatory matters.
If you are leaving, please refer to our Departing Investigator Checklist and complete the accompanying form to receive guidance from relevant offices.
Simply reach out, and we'll provide the support you need.
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Upcoming Educational & Training Opportunities
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Consider signing up for this training opportunity offered by the Office of Research Protections:
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