Dr. Randall Hewes, Interim Vice President for Research, has been designated to serve as the IRB's Institutional Official (IO). The IO is responsible for the conduct of human research and is the signatory official for the OHRP Federal Wide Assurance (FWA), all authorization agreements, and Department of Defense addenda. The role’s other main responsibilities include the authority to provide the necessary means to operate the HRPP program and enforce the independent nature of the relationship of the IRB within the University.