Chapter 11: Research Security
11.1 Policy
11.1.1 This policy establishes a framework that promotes secure academic research at the University while mitigating the risk of foreign espionage and interference and ensuring that the institution maintains eligibility for federal funding.
11.1.2 This policy’s purpose is to:
11.1.2.1 Achieve compliance with applicable ethical, legal, regulatory, contractual, and system standards and requirements for securing and protecting the institution’s research portfolios; and
11.1.2.2 Promote within the institution an organizational culture of compliance with federal requirements.
11.1.3 The University is committed to compliance with applicable federal and state laws and aims to promote a culture of compliance, which includes ensuring that all information provided to the university and funding agencies is thorough and accurate. This policy applies to all faculty, staff, and students, including University research units and affiliated faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars.
11.1.4 This policy is intended to address the research security risk areas applicable to the University’s research, including but not limited to research integrity, cybersecurity protections, research data maintenance, insider threat awareness and identification, foreign travel security, undue foreign influence, oversight of foreign affiliations and funding, oversight of foreign visitors and collaborators, export control, conflict of interest and conflict of commitment disclosure and management, and research risk assessment
11.2 Research Security Officer and Implementation of Research Security Compliance Program
11.2.1 A Research Security Officer (“RSO”) will be appointed by the President to ensure the implementation of this Policy for purposes of compliance with applicable law and UT System rules and regulations.
11.2.2 The RSO is charged with the responsibility for facilitating compliance with this Policy and development of related procedures and training with the purpose of enhancing awareness of research security risks and measures for mitigating these risks.
11.2.3 The RSO shall work collaboratively with the Provost, appropriate Vice Presidents, Research and Innovations, Office of Information Security, Office of Institutional Compliance, Office of Legal Affairs, Office of Audit and Consulting Services, UTEP Police Department, the University of Texas System (“U.T. System”) Chief Research Security Officer, and the U.T. System Office of General Counsel.
11.3 Noncompliance
Noncompliance with this policy may subject employees to discipline in accordance with applicable University procedures up to and including termination of employment.
11.4 Applicable Policies, Laws, Rules, and Regulations
The applicable policies, laws, rules, and regulations, which are referred to as part of this framework include, but are not limited to:
- National Security Presidential Memorandum - 33 (NSPM-33)
- Texas Education Code Section 51.956: Policy Framework for Research Security
- U.T. System Regents’ Rules and Regulations
- U.T. System Policy
- UTS 165: Information Resources Use and Security Policy
- UTS 173: Export Controls
- UTS 175: Disclosure of Significant Financial Interests and Management and Reporting of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research
- UTS 180: Conflicts of Interest, Conflicts of Commitment, and Outside Activities
- UTS 190: International Travel Policy
- UTEP Handbook of Operating Procedures
- Section IV: Chapter 2 (Disclosure of Significant Financial Interest and Management and Reporting of Financial Conflict of Interest in Research)
- Section V: Chapter 29 (Conflicts of Interest, Conflicts of Commitment, and Outside Activities)
- Section X: Chapter 1 (Information Resources Use and Security Policy)
- Section X: Chapter 2 (Policy for Compliance with Export Control Regulations)
- All other applicable federal and state laws related to the goals of this policy.
