Procedures for Inviting Scholars
and Post-Docs

Central coordination of paid and unpaid Research Scholars, long and short term visitors, and Post-Docs is important to effectively manage the processes involved with bringing in visitors.  Processes includes the broad picture of funds committed and spent on non-MSE research personnel, space management, administrative procedures coordination, and placing them into the Georgia Tech system for appropriate benefits. Karen Hutcheson will serve as the central coordinator for research scholars and visitors and the processes involved. She will coordinate approval, space assignment, obtaining visa paperwork, hiring packages, official offer letter, and GT processes.  Karen will keep faculty informed of administrative processes leading up to their arrival.

Visiting Scholars can be appointed as Temporary Employees (Tech Temps) for a maximum of 45 days while Post-Doc paperwork is being processed.  During this time the Visiting Scholar should submit three letters of reference, an official transcript and a faculty application (click here for application)  to Karen Hutcheson for the hiring package.

All Post-Docs and RE/S's results in the contract being charged fringe benefits and their vacation and sick leave will have to be tracked. All vacation time accrued on a particular contract must be taken while working on that contract.

The minimum salary for new MSE Post-Docs is $30,000/yr. If a spouse and one or more dependents come with a Post-Doc their annual salary may need to be higher based on minimum salary requirements by the USCIS.

Steps:

1. Information sent to Karen Hutcheson:
      Visitor name and e-mail address
      Salary and account number salary to be paid from
      Length of visit
      Job Assignment
      Job Duties (degrees necessary, skills, knowledge base)
2. J-1 Visa:  Karen will prepare and track the DS-2019, and will inform faculty and visiting scholar  when paperwork is sent. If the visitors is unpaid, an official letter of invitation will be sent to them along with their DS-2019 paperwork. This letter includes the statement that while in the US they will be required to carry health insurance.
3. Paid Scholars: Hiring paperwork will go forward. Upon approval by GT, an official letter will be sent with a copy to the faculty member.
4. Unpaid Scholars: Personnel Services Form (PSF) will be prepared.  This puts them into the system to receive a Buzzcard, parking and library privileges and a GT computer account.
5. Internal coordination includes informing the space committee, keys, mailboxes, computer account setup and information packet with map when the visitor arrives. These items apply to paid and unpaid visitors.

Faculty Responsibility:

Faculty should give as much notice as possible on incoming visitors. A graduate student should be appointed as a  'buddy' to the visitor to help him or her get situated with immediate temporary housing, finding the Social Security office, and helping them get to the Office of Human Resources, Buzzcard Center and Parking office.

Housing:

On-campus housing for short-term visitors is available on a first-come, first served basis.  Karen will contact housing at the request of the hiring faculty member. The Housing website provides a list of nearby apartment complexes which visitors may want to review before arriving. Click here for Housing information.