Glossary of Terms

Human Subject

A living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains:

  • data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or
  • identifiable private information.

Intervention includes both physical procedures by which data are gathered (for example, venipuncture) and manipulations of the subject or the subject's environment that are performed for research purposes. Interaction includes communication or interpersonal contact between investigator and subject. Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a medical record).

Private information includes information about behavior of a subject and/or information gathering that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a medical record).

Human Subject Payments
Cash and non-cash payments, including stipend, gift cards, or any type of remuneration or consideration to inpatients, outpatients, human subjects, volunteers and donors for their participation and time commitment in a clinical trial or social science survey, etc.
Hybrid Entity
Single legal entity that is a covered entity, performs business functions that are both covered and non-covered, and designates health care components.
Hygiene
The science associated with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health.
Identification
Any means of identifying an individual, manual or automated. A process that enables recognition of an entity by an automated information system is usually accomplished through the use of unique machine-readable user names.
In-Kind
The University considers "in-kind" contributions to be interchangeable with "matching" but the term may refer to costs borne by an external organization, for example when individuals at another organization volunteer their time.
In-Range Salary Adjustment
A recurring increase to an individual's salary, the total base pay amount of which must fall within the existing classification's (job code's) salary range to which the individual is appointed. This type of increase is distinct from one which results from annual pay plans
Inactive Records
Files for which the active period has passed and are being held for the remainder of the specified retention period. May be located in a storage area or managed electronically.
Incident Command System (ICS)
A set of personnel, policies, procedures, facilities and equipment integrated into a common organizational structure designed to improve emergency response operations of all types and complexities. ICS is used for all kinds of emergencies and is applicable to small as well as large and complex incidents. ICS is used to organize field-level incident management operations.
Incremental Telephone Costs
Additional charges incurred by the University for personal use of University telephone equipment. Personal long distance telephone charges and additional cellular phone charges related to personal use are included.
IND/IDE Assistance Program
A unit of the Academic Health Center under the supervision of the Assistant Vice President for Research, AHC. The IND/IDE Assistance Program provides free, optional assistance to faculty members who are submitting an IND or IDE to the FDA (or require advice as to whether an IND or IDE is required). The IND/IDE Assistance Program will operate the IND/IDE Documentation Unit as an obligatory requirement for all sponsor-investigators of an IND or IDE.
Independent Contractor
A person who is considered self-employed and responsible for making their own tax payments. The University has no withholding or tax payment obligation for compensation paid.
Indirect Cost Rate or F&A Cost Rate
A composite rate applied as a percentage of the sponsored project's direct costs to recover the University's F&A/indirect costs. In business and industry, this is known as "overhead." The federally negotiated F&A/indirect cost rates for research and other sponsored activities are developed by the University in accordance with OMB Circular A-21 and negotiated on behalf of all federal agencies with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The rate is variable according to the type of project and where it is being conducted.

Indirect Cost Recovery (ICR)
Revenue received by the university when F&A rates are applied to direct costs charged to sponsored projects. This revenue is returned to academic units consistent with the University budget model. Examples are operation and maintenance of buildings and grounds, central administrative expenses, research administration and library costs.
Individual Health Information
Protected health information covered by HIPAA and health records protected under Minnesota state law.
Induced Abortion
Premature ending of a pregnancy brought about purposefully by drugs or surgical means. Induced abortion is distinguished from a spontaneous abortion, which is a naturally occurring loss of the fetus, usually before the 20th week of gestation, and a stillbirth, which is the delivery of a fetus dead at birth, usually after the 20th week of gestation.
Infectious Disease
A clinical disease resulting from exposure to an infectious agent.
Information Technology Resources

Facilities, technologies, and information resources used for University information processing, transfer, storage, and communications. Included in this definition are computer labs, classroom technologies, computing and electronic communications devices and services, e-mail, networks, telephones (including cellular), voice mail, fax transmissions, video, multimedia, and instructional materials. This definition is not all inclusive but rather reflects examples of equipment, supplies and services. This also includes services that are University owned, leased, operated or provided by the University or otherwise connected to University resources, such as cloud and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), or any other connected/hosted service.

Initial Environmental Site Assessment
The intent of the environmental site assessment is to identify the potential environmental risks for a given property. The initial environmental site assessment includes records analysis, site reconnaissance, Facilities Management Hazardous Materials Program (FMHMP) reports and interviews. The initial environmental site assessment may also include, as recommended by DEHS or a QEC, non-invasive testing. The initial environmental assessment may focus on identifying among the following types of hazards where applicable:
  • Asbestos
  • Pesticides
  • Heavy Metals, including but not limited to lead and mercury
  • Storage tanks and petroleum
  • Water infiltration and mold
  • Radiation closeout surveys/decontamination
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Biohazardous agents
  • Regulated refrigerants including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Where past or present use of the facility suggests that mercury may be present, the initial environmental site assessment will incorporate the University’s procedures for identifying and addressing past mercury releases in University facilities.
Initial Environmental Site Assessment Report
A property assessment document prepared in conformance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Practice E- 1527 and the US Environmental Protection Agencies regulations that define All Appropriate Inquiry (40 CFR Part 312) after November 1, 2006. The objective of this document is to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) associated with a property as presented in the findings and opinions sections of the report, and to satisfy one of the requirements for the user to qualify for the innocent landowner defense to Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLA) liability.
Institution of Higher Education
A public or nonprofit educational institution in the United States that is accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, and provides a post-secondary program of education for which the institution awards a bachelor’s degree or provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree. See 20 U.S.C. 1001(A)
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
The committee established by the president or delegate in accordance with federal regulations to review University activities involving the use of animals.
Institutional Base Salary
The base annual compensation set by the University for an employee. It includes salary increments, augmentations and paid overtime. It does not include non-service payroll items such as awards and overload payments, nor does it include compensation for patient care activities provided through the University of Minnesota Physician (UMP) practice plan that are paid through the University's common paymaster.
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
The committee established by the president or delegate in accordance with federal regulations to review University activities involving potentially hazardous biological agents or recombinant DNA.
Institutional Conflict of Interest
A situation in which the research, teaching, or outreach mission activities, or its institutional reputation may be compromised or appear to be compromised because of an external financial or business relationship held at the institutional level that may bring financial gain to the institution, any of its units, or the individuals covered by this policy.