At such a large interdisciplinary university, there are more units, committees, and initiatives than any one person can count. And yet, each day, they all work in harmony to make U-M the nation’s defining public university. In the Get to Know feature, we explore the many units, projects, initiatives, and more that make our campuses vibrant places to teach, research, and learn. 

The University of Michigan is committed to ensuring that community members engage in research and creative practice in the safest possible manner. The Research and Academic Safety Committee (RASC) has oversight responsibility for activities that involve potentially hazardous materials and equipment in laboratories, workshops and creative spaces on the Ann Arbor campus. Charged to strengthen the culture of safety at U-M by the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, the RASC works in partnership with Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) in support of the Research Safety First Initiative, which was launched in 2022 to support U-M researchers by reducing burden while also increasing adherence to research safety requirements. The RASC is chaired by Dr. Karl Jepsen, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Medical School and Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Medical School. See the research safety updates page for an overview of safety efforts on campus.

In addition to its oversight function, the RASC works on a diverse array of safety related initiatives. For example, over the past two years, the committee has developed a policy for research continuity during planned faculty absences. Central to maintaining a safety-first culture is the active involvement and physical presence of faculty in their assigned research or creative practice spaces. Faculty are ultimately responsible for ensuring all team members conduct research and creative practice activities safely. The new policy will apply to faculty who oversee research and creative spaces that are inspected by EHS and who are planning a sabbatical or a scheduled leave of absence where they cannot be physically present at least two or three days per week, every week. 

The policy establishes a proxy-based system to ensure continuous and effective safety oversight, asking a colleague knowledgeable about relevant risks to serve in the stead of the absent faculty member, both of whom will attest they are willing and able to carry out the continuity plan. The plan and attestations are filed with the appropriate department chairs and unit safety leads and include the appropriate sabbatical or leave of absence paperwork. 

The RASC plans a soft launch of the new policy in the 2025-26 academic year, working to communicate the plan and its requirements to the research and academic community. It will be a requirement in the 2026-27 academic year.

In addition to the development of the research continuity plan policy, over the past year, the RASC has been coordinating with other committees that have health and safety oversight to determine whether any gaps exist or areas of overlap, as well as to achieve other efficiencies. Work with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and the Radiation Policy Committee (RPC) has concluded, identifying some potential gaps and implementing strategies to fill them. Work is ongoing with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the RASC has identified the issues and is working with those committees on solutions that will close safety gaps. 

The RASC will turn its attention this year to the question of battery safety on campus. There are a number of labs on campus that work on battery development for a variety of applications, along with other units that utilize specialized batteries as part of their work. Questions of the application of appropriate standards and codes for storage, transportation, and use of such batteries are of paramount importance to the committee. 

Faculty members serving on the Research and Academic Safety Committee are drawn from all corners of the campus and serve three-year terms, with the option to renew. The RASC welcomes new voices and invites those interested in research and academic safety to consider getting involved. If you would like more information about the RASC, please contact Kevin Ferrell at [email protected].