Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

At Governors State University, all projects involving animals must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

IACUC is a federally mandated committee, qualified through the experience and expertise of its members, that oversees an institution's animal program, facilities, and procedures. It provides a framework for compliance with federal policies, guidelines, and principles related to the use of animals in research, teaching, and testing. USDA and PHS require institutions using animals to appoint an IACUC and charge it with specific responsibilities.

To ensure compliance with all federal, state, and GovState regulations, policies, and standards in place to protect animal welfare, IACUC members review all requests for approval to use vertebrate animals. It also conducts inspections of all areas where animals are housed and used, reviews the institutional program for animal use and reports its findings.