Community Oversight Board

The purpose of the Community Oversight Board (COB) is to contribute to creating a positive environment for research that will benefit all stakeholders.

The COB is composed of external academic, professional, and community experts in human participant research and research ethics. Responsibilities include providing feedback on research-related policies, strategies, procedures, and public-facing materials to ensure that the UMN is using best practices in the protection of research participants.

The COB also provides high-level monitoring of research activities at the UMN to ensure accountability and serves as a “watchdog” for arising issues.

Learn more about the rights of research participants and what it means to participate in a research study.

Community Forum

On October 26, 2017, the Community Oversight Board hosted a community forum on research with human participants. The event was held at the Wellstone Center in St. Paul, MN and was free and open to the public. The agenda included an overview of human participant research, group discussion, and small group conversations.

See a summary of comments shared by participants during the large group discussion. Feedback provided will help to guide the work of the Community Oversight Board going forward.

Members

This list was updated on June 1, 2021

Susan Abderholden, Executive Director, NAMI Minnesota
Eunice Adjei, Administrator, Create CommUNITY
Michael Oakes, Interim Vice President for Research, UMN
Nancy Dillon, Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurse, Educator/Consultant in Private Practice
Nancy Feldman, Former CEO and President, UCare
Paul Mattessich, Executive Director, Wilder Research COB Chair
Sharon Sayles Belton, VP of Community Relations and Government Affairs, Thompson Reuters; Former Mayor of Minneapolis
Sally Trippel, Professor Emeritus, Mayo Clinic
Stella Whitney West, CEO, Northpoint Health and Wellness Center
Bruce Wolff, Professor Emeritus, Mayo Clinic
Jean Wyman, Professor, School of Nursing

Background

On March 6, 2015, the final report of an external review examining policies, practices, and oversight of clinical research on human research participants at the University, in particular clinical research involving adult participants with diminished functional abilities, was formally presented to the UMN Faculty Senate.

In response to recommendations from the final report, an implementation work plan was finalized on June 11, 2015. The work plan called for the establishment of a Community Oversight Board, composed of a broad range of external academic, professional, and community experts, including ethicists, research participants, surrogate decision-makers, community leaders, research advocates, and service providers. 

Following the appointment of Chair Paul Mattessich and the recruitment of 14 original members, the inaugural meeting of the full committee was held on February 6, 2016. The fourteen-point charge for the committee, along with the roster of original members, can be found in the Community Oversight Board Final Report.

Meeting Summaries

• Meeting Summary 09-04-19
• Meeting Summary 07-23-19
• Meeting Summary 04-23-19
• Meeting Summary 03-26-19
• Meeting Summary 10-23-18
• Meeting Summary 07-24-18
• Meeting Summary 04-24-18
• Meeting Summary 01-31-18
• Meeting Summary 10-24-17
• Meeting Summary 07-31-17
• Meeting Summary 04-13-17
• Meeting Summary 01-12-17
• Meeting Summary 09-06-16
• Meeting Summary 05-31-16
• Meeting Summary 05-12-16
• Meeting Summary 02-08-16