A Stanford postdoctoral scholar is a non-matriculated trainee, in graduate student status, in residence at Stanford University pursuing advanced studies beyond the doctoral level in preparation for an independent career. Postdoctoral Scholars are appointed for a limited period of time and may participate on Stanford research projects and/or may be supported by external awards or fellowships. In all cases, their appointment at Stanford is for the purpose of advanced studies, research, and training under the mentorship of a Stanford faculty member.

Postdoctoral Scholars are appointed on a full-time basis for a minimum of nine months for the primary purpose of receiving advanced research, clinical, and/or academic training at Stanford University.


In advance of the initial appointment, the terms and conditions of that appointment should be discussed and agreed upon by the Postdoctoral Scholar and the Faculty mentor(s), e.g., sponsoring faculty. This should include agreement on the anticipated length of appointment, scope of work and training goals, expectation of an annual research progress and mentoring, sources and amount of support, and possibly other details such as plans to submit fellowship applications, office space, lab, and supporting equipment such as computers.


A postdoctoral appointment at Stanford brings with it certain defined benefits, including insurance and leave benefits. These defined levels of benefits may not be modified or diminished by individual agreement with the department or the faculty mentor(s)/PI. 


All Postdoctoral Scholars must be registered at Stanford during every academic quarter of their appointment. Registration entails payment of a quarterly postdoctoral fee by the appointing academic department or school on behalf of the Scholar. 


If a Postdoctoral Scholar wishes to take courses for credit, which are not required by Stanford, the Scholar is responsible for the payment of any tuition and additional fees.

Stanford University appoints international Postdoctoral Scholars in a J-1 (Research Scholar) status. J-1 Scholars who are transferring from another appointment must maintain continuous active status (breaks in J-1 program eligibility are not permitted). 
When appointing an international Postdoctoral Scholar, the department must request a visa through the Stanford's International Center (Bechtel). Visa requests may be approved only in conjunction with the review of an appointment request to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. 


In the event that an international Scholar is approved for an H-1B (or other employment) visa status, those Scholar must be paid salary. See below, Attachment B: Policy on H-1B (and other employment visas) for Postdoctoral Scholars at Stanford University .

Postdoctoral Scholars must be supported either by Stanford grants and contracts, training grants, departmental or School fellowship funds, or external fellowships, or by a combination of these sources. Postdoctoral Scholars may not be self-supporting. Benefits for Postdoctoral Scholars are defined in Attachment D, see below. 


All Postdoctoral Scholars, regardless of their source of funding, must be paid at least the minimum level based on years of experience established annually by Stanford University at the time of the appointment, and on October 1 of each subsequent year. A school may also establish a higher minimum salary level for Postdoctoral Scholars paid within that school.


Postdoctoral scholars appointed in the School of Medicine in standard or advanced clinical training programs must be paid based on established Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) Postgraduate year (PGY) levels in effect and in agreement with SHC Graduate Medical Education requirements.


Funding is not limited by the university's academic calendar, and may start and stop on the appointment start and end dates as established by the department. All financial support for Postdoctoral Scholars, whether paid as salary or as stipends, must be entered and recorded through Stanford's Graduate Financial Support (GFS) System.

Postdoctoral Scholars, regardless of citizenship, may not receive salary without a valid I-9 Form. A valid I-9 form is required by the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1987.
 Support from a fellowship or training grant does not require an I-9 Form. Other forms may be required, particularly for international Scholars.

All Postdoctoral Scholars must have a Social Security number on file with Stanford.  All funds received by Postdoctoral Scholars, except from foreign sources to non-resident aliens as noted below, are subject to U.S. federal income tax. Reimbursement for travel expenses incurred to support the Scholar's education (e.g., to attend a conference as a student) may be reportable income. 


Note: Income from a foreign source going to a non-resident alien is not taxable. Income from a foreign source going to a U.S. citizen or to a resident alien is subject to U.S. tax.


Each academic quarter, a postdoctoral registration fee will be charged by Stanford University and is paid on behalf of the Postdoctoral Scholar. This fee may be charged directly to a grant or contract from which the Scholar is being paid, or to a Fellowship supporting the Scholar. Where neither of these funding sources is available, the fee will be paid by the faculty sponsor/department in which the Scholar is appointed

Date: November 26, 2001

Applicability

This procedure applies to all postdoctoral scholars at Stanford University, including those at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Summary

This policy outlines formal procedures for resolving both academic and non-academic grievances of postdoctoral scholars at Stanford. This grievance procedure is designed to supplement, not to replace, the routine and informal methods of responding to and remedying postdoctoral scholars' problems and complaints.

Informal Resources

It is desirable for all parties concerned to make serious attempts to resolve disputes informally. This is particularly true for disputes that occur in a relationship of great importance, such as that between a postdoctoral scholar and mentor. There are many resources available to assist postdoctoral scholars in the informal resolution of problems. Confidential resources include: the Medical School and University Ombudspersons, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Office of Religious Life. Other helpful resources are the Stanford University PostDocs (SUPD), the Postdoctoral Affairs Office, and the WorkLife Office. Further information about these resources is available on the Stanford Website. Postdoctoral Scholars are also encouraged to consult with trusted faculty, if helpful and appropriate.

Grievances Defined

Any Stanford postdoctoral scholar who believes that he or she has been subjected to an improper decision by Stanford University, or by anyone acting officially on behalf of Stanford University, may file a grievance to obtain an independent review of the decision, and, if appropriate, corrective action. A grievance is a written complaint made to an administrative officer of the University concerning such a decision. The following grievance procedure applies to decisions that directly and adversely affect the postdoctoral scholar. The grievance procedure is not available to challenge a University policy perceived to be unfair or inadvisable or contest policies of an individual school, department or program of the University, unless such policies are inconsistent with University policy.

Filing a Grievance

The steps to be followed in filing a grievance are described below. At every stage, the postdoctoral scholar may discontinue the grievance procedure if he or she feels that the conflict has been resolved successfully.

1. Discussion between the parties directly involved in the dispute where appropriate.

2. Assessment of informal means available to assist the postdoctoral scholar in resolving the problem. At this stage, the postdoctoral scholar is encouraged to consult with any individuals with whom he or she feels comfortable discussing the matter. This may include parties directly involved, as well as any of the informal resources listed above.

3. Consultation by the postdoctoral scholar with the program director, division chief or department chair, as appropriate, to discuss the dispute.

4. If these steps do not yield a satisfactory resolution, the postdoctoral scholar may then file a formal grievance in writing to the dean of the relevant school, or to the Dean of Research for those programs not within a school. The grievance should be submitted in writing within 90 days of the decision that is the subject of the grievance. A delay in the filing of the grievance may constitute grounds for rejection of the grievance, although individual circumstances may be taken into account. The grievance document should include a description of the decision in dispute, and the reasons why the grievant believes the decision was improper. The grievance document should also include a description of the remedy sought and the informal efforts that have been pursued.

   1. SELECTION OF GRIEVANCE OFFICER(S)  The dean may select one or more "grievance officers" to consider the grievance and report to the dean as the dean directs. The parties will be consulted regarding the appropriateness of potential grievance officers. The grievance officer(s) will investigate the matters relevant to the grievance in light of the Standards for Review outlined below and provide a recommendation to the dean. The dean or grievance officer(s) may request a response to the issues raised from any individuals believed to have relevant information, including faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral scholars.

   2. RESPONSE TO THE GRIEVANCE The dean will inform the parties to the dispute in writing of his or her decision and the reasons for the decision, generally within 60 days of the filing of the grievance.

Filing An Appeal

1. Appeal Provisions  If the grievant feels that the decision of the dean is inappropriate for substantive or procedural reasons, he or she may, within 30 days, file a written appeal with the Provost specifying those reasons. New issues should not be raised at this stage, and general dissatisfaction with the dean's decision is not sufficient reason to appeal. The Provost may select one or more "grievance appeal officers" to consider the grievance and report to the Provost as the latter directs.

2. Response From the Provost  The Provost will notify all parties to the grievance in writing of his or her decision and the grounds for the decision, generally within 45 days after the receipt of the appeal.

3. Request to the President If the postdoctoral scholar is dissatisfied with the disposition of the appeal by the Provost, he or she may write to the President of the University giving reasons why he or she believes the grievance result to be wrong (following the general format set forth above). No more than thirty days should elapse between the transmittal of the Provost's disposition and the grievant's written statement to the President. The President may agree or decline to entertain the further appeal. If the President declines to entertain the further appeal, the decision of the Provost shall be final. If the President decides to entertain further appeal, he or she shall follow the general procedures described above for the Provost, and the decision of the President shall be final.

Additional Matters

1. If at any stage the grievant desires the participation in the grievance resolution procedure by an advisor, he or she may select any postdoctoral scholar or University employee, who is not employed as a lawyer, and who is both willing and able to work with the grievant seeking a resolution. If the time involved for the advisor is more than 20 hours in a calendar year, then personal time off or vacation time must be used for the excess.

2. No adverse action may be taken against any postdoctoral scholar for his or her legitimate use of the grievance procedure.

3. At any point within the grievance process, formal proceedings can be put aside in favor of voluntary mediation. For this to occur, both parties to the dispute must agree to participate in mediation. The Stanford Mediation Center advises on whether or not mediation is appropriate and provides mediation services through the University Ombudsperson's Office or external mediators. Further information is available on the Stanford Web site.

4. The time frames set forth in this policy are guidelines. They may be extended by the relevant administrative officer in his or her discretion for good cause.

5. Questions concerning the filing and appeal of grievances should be directed to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.

Standards for Review

1. Was the decision consistent with Stanford University policies and procedures?

2. Were the proper facts and criteria brought to bear on the decision? Were improper or extraneous facts or criteria brought to bear that substantially affected the decision to the detriment of the grievant?

3. Were there any procedural irregularities that substantially affected the outcome of the matter to the detriment of the grievant?

4. Given the proper facts, criteria and procedures, was the decision one which a person in the position of the decision maker might reasonably have made?

Originally issued: July 1, 2010

Updated: March 8, 2012

I. Preamble

Postdoctoral scholars at Stanford are advanced non-matriculating student trainees in an educational program. Foreign national postdoctoral scholars are valued members of the Stanford academic community. In view of increasingly complex immigration and labor laws, a university-wide policy and procedure with respect to H-1B visa sponsorship for foreign postdoctoral scholars at Stanford University are defined and outlined below.

II. Policy

All foreign nationals holding a postdoctoral scholar positions are expected to come to Stanford University in an exchange visitor (J-1) status.

Only in compelling circumstances and only following prior review and approval will the University sponsor a postdoctoral scholar for an H-1B/E3 (or other H-1B equivalent immigration status) visa (Temporary Specialty Worker) petition.

The following circumstances warrant Stanford’s sponsorship of an H-1B petition on behalf of the postdoctoral scholar:

1. The postdoctoral scholar is currently in valid H-1B status;

2. The postdoctoral scholar has pending United States permanent residence as evidenced by an I-485 document;

3. The postdoctoral scholar is married to a US citizen or a US permanent resident; or

4. The postdoctoral scholar has received their PhD or equivalent degree in the United States on an F-1 visa and is currently completing six months of optional practical training at Stanford or elsewhere.

In cases not meeting the above criteria, the department may submit a petition to request H-1B sponsorship for a postdoctoral scholar and, if approved, the requesting department must follow the policy below described under Fees

III. Petitioning for Exception to the J-1 Policy

If a department wants to sponsor a postdoctoral scholar for the H-1B visa, other than in the situations described above, the department must submit a petition to request an exemption from the J-1 policy to a Visa Review Board, appointed by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

Based on the review board’s recommendation, the Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs will make final determination about each petition. The review board and the Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs may also consult with the Office of the General Counsel and the Bechtel International Center as necessary.

Any petition for exemption must contain evidence to support the H-1B request in light of Stanford’s interests, with the necessary attestation regarding fees. Supporting evidence may include some or all of the following documents:

1. Proof of unique contributions/skill sets possessed by the proposed trainee as demonstrated through a formal application and selection process for the postdoctoral scholar position;

2. Significant hardship on the progress of the research project in the case of the postdoctoral scholar’s possible departure from Stanford, evidenced by a pending job offer that promises an H-1B status outside of Stanford, statement from the training program director; and/ or

3. In the case of a new appointment, the supporting evidence should include documentation of the absence of other candidates suitable for the postdoctoral scholar position, supported by a search process. Supporting data in this case requires position announcements, location and duration of postings, number of applicants received including assessment of qualifications of applicants.

Department administrators and appointing faculty should check the guidelines.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will convene the Review Board to evaluate the merits of each case. The board will meet on a set schedule to review the cases and recommend a decision, which will be communicated to the department in writing within one week of the review meeting date.

The department may not offer the candidate a commitment regarding the visa status until the Board reviews the case and a decision is made. If the Review Board approves a request to offer H-1B sponsorship for the scholar, the hiring department will then submit the necessary paperwork to the Bechtel International Center.

All H-1B petitions on behalf of the University must go through and be processed by the Bechtel International Center. Outside counsel may not be used to submit petitions on behalf of Stanford University. The only exception to this provision is in the case of renewals of current H-1B petitions that had been handled through external counsel. Renewals of those petitions would be done through external counsel.

IV. Implications of J-1 Home Return Waivers

Background

Postdoctoral Scholars in the United States in J-1 status may pursue a waiver of the 2-year home return rule, where applicable, as a personal matter.  Stanford University is not involved in this process.

Stanford Implications

USCIS approval of a J-1 home return waiver renders the individual and his/her dependents ineligible to begin or extend a postdoctoral appointment at Stanford, where policy stipulates that all foreign nationals holding a postdoctoral scholar position are expected to hold exchange visitor (J-1) status.

Obtaining a J-1 waiver entails non-renewal of the postdoctoral appointment unless the Department and sponsoring faculty are willing and able to sponsor an H-1B exception petition, and a favorable decision is made by the Review Board. There is no guarantee that H-1B status will be acceptable to the faculty sponsor or department, nor that a petition will be granted  A postdoctoral scholar is ineligible to perform any work or receive financial remuneration or funding during the pendency of the H-1B exception application period if the postdoc is out of J-1 status.  Because of such implications on eligibility to continue in postdoctoral status, Scholars who are interested in pursuing a 2-year home return waiver are strongly encouraged to discuss with their faculty sponsor(s) and seek guidance from Bechtel International Center, prior to seeking such waivers. 

V. Fees

An internal processing fee is required by the department for approved H-1B applications, except in cases when the postdoctoral scholar is:

1. already in valid H-1B status,

2. has a pending permanent resident application, or

3. married to a US citizen or permanent resident.

The internal processing fee of $900 must be incurred by the sponsoring department.

The scholar may pay USCIS processing fees, except for the anti-fraud fee which is required to be paid by the employer per US law, only if doing so does not reduce the wages earned by the Scholar below the minimum funding level appropriate to the Scholar based on years of prior experience that is required by the university.

With respect to other USCIS processing fees, departments should establish their internal policy in order to ensure equity among scholars in the department. Whenever possible, departments are encouraged to establish policies that would not require postdoctoral scholars to pay any fees related to their securing a position at Stanford University.

Because approved exceptions typically would be made in order to support a recruitment effort to bring the scholar to Stanford, it follows that departments are strongly discouraged from asking the scholar to pay processing fees associated with an H-1B petition in order to avoid a false impression that a candidate’s willingness to pay such fees might influence the appointment decision.

VI. Timing and Provisions

This policy takes effect on July 1, 2010. The policy is applicable to all current postdoctoral scholars at Stanford, regardless of their appointment date and any incoming scholars whose appointments take effect on or after July 1, 2010.

Current scholars on H-1B may remain in Stanford-sponsored H-1B status through the duration of their appointment. Renewals of H-1B petitions that had been handled through external counsel would be done through external counsel.

Date: April 11, 2012

While postdoctoral scholars are responsible for their career trajectory and success, Stanford faculty members are expected to initiate and provide on-going mentoring, guidance, and resources, in both scientific and career development, to support their Postdoctoral Scholars towards their goals successfully. Mentors/PIs should initiate those conversations and discuss research direction and progress and career goals. Scholars are encouraged to request those conversations if they are not otherwise taking place.

1.    Responsibilities of Faculty Mentors

A faculty mentor inviting a Postdoctoral Scholar to Stanford is expected to work with that individual to develop a plan of research and goals for the period of training in connection with the initial term of appointment and on ongoing basis. The faculty member approves this plan, and during the term of the appointment ensures adequate office/laboratory space. In addition, members of the Stanford faculty are expected to:

1. Carry out an annual formal research progress and career mentoring discussion.

2. Encourage Postdoctoral Scholars to seek secondary mentors who could provide them with opportunities in new areas of research, foster collaboration and offer them with guidance and support to assist with their career goals.

3. Seek the participation of these secondary mentors or multiple other faculty members in the annual progress reviews with their Scholars.

4. Encourage Postdoctoral Scholars to participate in career development activities (workshops, courses, pre-conference events), recognizing that the short postdoctoral training period requires seeking such information early in the training period.

5. Encourage Postdoctoral Scholars to engage in social networking opportunities, such as attendance of talks and seminars in the department or University-wide.

  2.    Responsibilities of Postdoctoral Scholars

Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to carry out the study or research outlined with the faculty sponsor, to communicate regularly with the faculty sponsor on the status of the research, and to notify the faculty sponsor of any change in plans. The Scholar is not expected to handle administrative duties for the PI or the lab/research group, or to be on a dissertation reading committee for any graduate student. The scholar is expected to continue his/her development toward independence.

  3.    Joint Responsibilities

To facilitate the postdoctoral mentoring process, Postdoctoral Scholars and their faculty mentors (PIs) are expected to hold at least three formal one-on-one meetings that are not part of larger research team meetings:

1. An initial meeting at the start of the postdoctoral appointment is a formal discussion within the first 4 weeks of the appointment, with the goal of understanding career-orientation, setting short-term objectives, defining research project responsibilities, and appraising existing knowledge and skills and the need of new knowledge and skills.

2. Annual meeting(s) to discuss progress, preferably a formal discussion after the calendar New Year. Secondary mentors or other faculty mentors are also encouraged to attend.  The goal of this meeting is to review progress, evaluate prior set plans and accomplishments, regarding both research and career goals, and determine goals for the following year.

3. Exit interview at the conclusion of the appointment is a discussion upon resignation or end of appointment, where it would be an opportunity to address future research trajectories; differentiation strategies if the Scholar is pursuing the same lines of research as the faculty mentors; and possible opportunities or plans for collaboration.

Templates to frame the discussions during those meetings are available.

Date: November 16, 2012

1.Insurance

The following insurance benefits are provided to all Postdoctoral Scholars and are funded either by the application of an approved fringe benefit rate to the salaries of qualifying (salaried for 50% FTE or more) Postdoctoral Scholars, or by fellowship awards, or - in the absence of one of these two sources - by the Scholar's faculty sponsor/department.

(See memo from Godfrey Mungal regarding Charging and Paying for Benefits for Postdoctoral Scholars and Graduate Students, originally issued in October 2003.)

A. Medical Insurance

All Postdoctoral Scholars must either subscribe to one of the Stanford postdoctoral scholar plans (currently Blue Shield EPO and PPO plans), or provide proof of alternate insurance as required by Stanford University (and the Department of State in case of J1 visa holders).

Single-person insurance coverage through the Blue Shield EPO Plan is provided at no charge to the Scholar; PPO coverage is also available, but requires a contribution by the Scholar. A portion of the cost of family medical coverage is funded by one of the sources described above (as applicable); that portion will be determined annually by Stanford University. The balance of premiums for any dependent medical coverage will be paid by the Scholar.

B. Dental Insurance

Single person dental insurance will be provided at no charge to the Scholar; premiums for dependent coverage above the single rate will be the responsibility of the Scholar.

C. Vision insurance

Single person vision insurance will be provided at no charge to the Scholar; premiums for dependent vision coverage above the single rate will be the responsibility of the Scholar.

D. Life and Accidental Death Insurance

All Scholars are provided a $20,000 life insurance policy and a $20,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment policy as part of a group policy.

E. Disability Insurance

All Scholars are provided with short-term and long-term disability coverage through a group plan. The plan used will depend upon whether the Scholar is paid a salary or receives fellowship stipends. The plan's short-term benefits are the same as, or better than, the State of California's disability plan. Filing for disability insurance is the responsibility of the Scholar.

2.  Retirement Voluntary Savings

Postdoctoral Scholars who are earning W-2 wages from the University may (subject to certain restrictions based on immigration status) be eligible to save for their own retirement in the University's Tax Deferred Annuity Plan, a voluntary savings plan under section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information on eligibility and on how to enroll, visit the Postdoctoral Benefits web site and follow the Tax-Deferred Annuity link. Any such contributions are made by the Postdoctoral Scholar (no matching funds are available).

For information and to direct questions regarding Postdoctoral Scholar benefits, see the Stanford University Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits website.

  3. Leave Policy

Any leave arrangements must be acceptable to the faculty sponsor and outside funding agencies. A request in writing to the funding agency from the Postdoctoral Scholar and/or faculty sponsor for a leave of absence is required. The funding agency's response must also be obtained in writing. During periods of extended absence beyond ninety (90) days, Postdoctoral Scholars must petition to remain in appointment status and coordinate health insurance premium expense payments with faculty sponsors.

A. Sick  Leave

Postdoctoral Scholars may continue to receive fellowship stipends or salaries for up to 15 calendar days of absence due to illness per year, or as permitted by the funding agency. Sick leave can be used for the individual or for the care of immediate family. Under exceptional circumstances, this period may be extended at the discretion of the faculty sponsor and the funding agency. Sick leave is not cumulative from one appointment term to the next.

B. Maternity Leave

Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible to receive up to six weeks maternity leave with full pay to begin on the first day of disability. Full pay will equal a combination of a supplement from the primary source of funding plus any benefits available from the disability carrier. If the scholar is not eligible for disability benefits or does not apply for the benefits, the University/Department is not responsible for maintaining Full pay.  The Scholar is expected to apply for short-term disability in the Postdoctoral Benefits Office in Human Resources.  Disability leave may be extended on the advice of the physician if medically necessary and verified.

C. Family and Medical Leave (Including Disability)

Postdoctoral Scholars may be eligible for unpaid family and medical leave for certain family and medical reasons, including events such as the birth or adoption of a child, organ or bone marrow donation (a portion of this leave may be paid), and caregiver leave for family members who are members of the Armed Forces. In most cases, to be eligible for such leave, a Postdoctoral Scholar who is receiving wages must have been in training at Stanford for at least twelve months.  That time limit does not apply to scholars who are on fellowship support.

Requests for family or medical leave should be made in advance and approved by the faculty sponsor in writing, in consultation with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Postdoctoral Benefits, and the Research Management Group or the Office of Sponsored Research for Postdoctoral Scholars paid from restricted fund sources. In no circumstances may a leave extend beyond 12 months.

  4. Vacations and Holidays

Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for one day paid vacation leave per calendar month of appointment, in addition to official University holidays. Individuals who work on a University holiday may take another day in lieu of the University holiday, to be scheduled in agreement with the faculty sponsor. Time spent at scientific meetings is not to be considered vacation. The maximum amount of vacation that can be accrued is 12 days per calendar year, and those vacation days should be taken in the calendar year in which it is accrued. All vacation leave must be scheduled in advance with the faculty sponsor, and it is the responsibility of the faculty sponsor to monitor the vacation taken by Postdoctoral Scholars. Requests for additional vacation time must be negotiated with the faculty sponsor, and it is recommended that those requests and responses be documented in writing.

  5. Unpaid Personal and Professional Leave

Postdoctoral Scholars may request unpaid leave for personal or professional reasons other than those described above. A period of unpaid leave may not exceed 90 days. An unpaid Leave of Absence may be granted after review in accordance with funding agency guidelines, programmatic need and visa regulations for international scholars. Prior to the start of the leave, the request must be approved by the Department and the faculty sponsor, and by Bechtel International Center in the case of international scholars. Final review and approval is given by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. Arrangement regarding the payment of medical insurance must be made at the time the request is made.

An unpaid leave period may not extend beyond the Scholar's current appointment or visa end date. International Scholars must have current visa status throughout the unpaid leave period. Requests for an unpaid leave that extends beyond the Scholar's appointment or visa end dates must be accompanied by a reappointment and, in the case of international scholars, a visa extension. All Postdoctoral Scholars maintain their appointment affiliation with the university, privileges, and benefits eligibility while on approved unpaid leaves of absence. A terminal leave unpaid period is not permitted.