CU Boulder is a public research university serving Colorado, the nation, and the world through leadership in high-quality education, public service, and groundbreaking research. At the heart of this focus are the diverse contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, working together to accelerate ideas at each stage of the innovation spectrum. Breakthroughs in science have long been reliant on open exchanges of novel ideas.
CU Boulder policy prohibits the acceptance of any award that prohibits or restricts publication, access, or dissemination of research results or prevents CU Boulder from disclosing the existence of an agreement without oversight of the Faculty Committee for Restricted, Proprietary, and Classified Research (FCRPCR). As a State institution and public university, there are issues with using state resources for purposes that do not benefit the public. If not managed appropriately, there is potential impact for student(s), post-docs, and/or non-tenured faculty working on such projects. The right to publish and having openness in academics and research is inherent to the mission of CU Boulder.
An award that imposes restrictions to publication or results or restricts participation of foreign nationals can be considered restricted research. These restrictions may be in addition to, or not related to, export control restrictions. The Academic Affairs Policy on Openness in Research provides definitions and protocols under which restricted research can be accepted and establishes the Faculty Committee for Restricted, Proprietary, and Classified Research (FCRPCR), which oversees the process of researcher requests for accepting restricted sponsored research funds. The FCRPCR is chaired by a faculty member.
As of fall 2023, the process for accepting restricted research recently underwent procedure updates but continues to be overseen by the FCRPCR. OCG can guide researchers through the current process. Please feel to reach out to the Research Security Office with any questions.