Research Security

Tarleton State University follows guidance from the Texas A&M University System Research Security Office on administering research security policies, procedures and technology to enable Tarleton State University employees to comply with Federal guidelines for handling all levels of U.S. Government information. Research security is an interdisciplinary program handled by departments in IT, University Compliance, and the Office of Research Compliance. The primary foci of research security are: information security, export controls, and global engagements.

Information Security

.T.S. Security supports Tarleton’s mission by overseeing the University’s efforts to protect information and information systems with a goal to assure the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the University’s electronic information. To achieve this goal the ISO develops policies and procedures and raises security awareness within the campus community.

The Information Security Office ensures that the University is in compliance with Texas Administrative Code Chapter 202, as well as other State and Federal laws dealing with Information Security.

To report an information security incident, please send an email to [email protected] or contact the Information Security Officer at (254) 968-9160.

Export Controls

United States Export Control laws and regulations establish the conditions under which controlled information and items can be transmitted to anyone outside the United States and to foreign persons and entities in the United States. They also restrict or prohibit the transaction of business with certain countries, persons and entities that have been sanctioned by federal agencies as a threat to important U.S. interests. All Tarleton employees and students must be aware of and are responsible for the export control implications of their work and must ensure that their activities conform to export control laws and regulations.

Severe institutional and individual sanctions for violations of export control laws include the loss of research funding, loss of export privileges, as well as civil and criminal penalties including imprisonment. Although many university activities could be excluded from export control laws, some activities may be restricted. The application of export control laws involves a fact-specific analysis. While most exports do not require specific approval from the federal government, certain exports require a license and others are prohibited.

Tarleton State University is committed to ensuring compliance with System Policy 15.02, Export Controls Program, Tarleton Rule 15.02.99.T1, Export Control Compliance, and all United States export control laws and regulations, including but not limited to those implemented by the Department of Commerce through the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Department of State through the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the Department of Treasury through the Officer of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Questions related to export controls should be directed to the Department of University Compliance as follows:

• By phone at 254-968-9415;
• By email at [email protected]; or
• In person at the University Compliance Office located in Room 106 of the Administration Annex I Building on the Stephenville campus

Global Engagements

Tarleton State University is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in all aspects of ethics and compliance. We are equally committed to protecting our research ecosystem, while also recognizing the importance of maintaining an open research environment that welcomes the participation of individuals from around the world. It’s these synergetic activities that invigorate fundamental scientific inquiries that ultimately enhance the innovation of our research ecosystems.

Without weakening this vigor our educational systems thrive upon, we face a unique and unparalleled paradigm in that it’s equally essential to understand protecting specific U.S. interests related to our research ecosystems. Although most intentions are right, it’s crucial to be able to identify when reciprocity is not a goal of both parties involved in collaborative environments. Mitigating potential risks, whether connected to undue foreign influence, conflicts of commitment, or export controls, is considered a priority. At the same time, we continue to recognize the strengths of our fundamental global collaborations.

Protecting the interests of all involved—the U.S. federal government, the university, our employees, and international collaborators—is of utmost importance. International relationships and collaborations should not only be disclosed, but also fully vetted in determining compliance risks with conflicts in commitment, financial conflicts of interest, duplication of effort in research, potential export control violations, or possible loss of intellectual property. Several U.S. federal entities require principal investigators, co-investigators, and sub-recipients to disclose research interests in countries outside the U.S. Following are brief narratives of U.S. governmental entities implementing policies and requirements in attempts to mitigate undue foreign risks:

Disclosure Guidance:

NSF Research Security Training

The Division of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development encourages all Tarleton researchers to take advantage of the training provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation ‘s newly launched interactive online research security training modules. These modules are designed to facilitate principled international collaboration in an open, transparent and secure environment that safeguards the nation’s research ecosystem.

Fueled by the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,” these training modules signify a major first step in reconciling the needs of the research, law enforcement and intelligence communities to pursue trusted relationships in the global research community while minimizing economic and security risks. They provide researchers with clear guidelines and effective strategies to protect against existing and emerging research security threats. The modules also reinforce NSF’s commitment to strengthen protections of U.S. government-supported research as outlined in the National Security Presidential Memorandum – 33.

The following list identifies and summarizes the four training modules:

Module 1: Introduction to Research Security

This training module covers the key concepts of research security and how to recognize situations that may indicate undue foreign influence. By understanding the regulatory landscape that shapes research security, researchers will be empowered with the tools to protect their own work and safeguard the core values that underpin U.S. academic research.

Module 2: The Importance of Disclosure

This training module explains federal funding agency disclosure requirements, including types of information that must be disclosed, how that information is used and why such disclosures are fundamental to safeguarding the U.S. research enterprise from foreign government interference and exploitation.

Module 3: Manage and Mitigate Risk

This training module identifies types of international collaborative research and professional activities, associated potential risks, and strategies and best practices for managing and mitigating such risk. Learner experience will be customized based on their role as either a researcher or administrator.

Module 4: The Importance of International Collaboration

This training module emphasizes the role of principled international collaboration in U.S. science, innovation and economic competitiveness. The training will provide strategies on how to balance principled international collaboration with research security concerns, as well as how to foster an open, welcoming research environment that fulfills research security needs.