December 2009

Winter Closure Information 2009

(email message sent to supdssworkinggroup, som_postdocs and stanford_postdocs on November 24, 2009)

Dear Postdoctoral Scholars and Administrators:

For the December 2009 holiday season, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will follow the same schedule which was approved for the University's winter closure period. The office will be closed starting Monday, December 21, 2009 and will re-open with the start of business on Monday, January 4, 2010.

Although the School of Medicine will close for this year for the two-week period, areas with activities and responsibilities that are critical will remain open for all or part of the winter closure (i.e., clinical units, lab animal facilities, some research labs, Lane Library, etc.).

Many laboratories and research activities of the University will continue to operate as usual from December 21, 2009 through Friday, January 1, 2010. The mandatory time off and use of vacation benefits required from staff members during winter closure do not apply to Postdoctoral Scholars.

During the closure period, three days are designated university holidays:
Thursday, December 24
Friday, December 25
Friday, January 1

Postdoctoral Scholars may observe the official University holidays at a time agreeable with the PI's designated holiday lab schedule.

Postdoctoral Scholars may request paid time off from their annual balances through the usual channels. Postdoctoral Scholars may also accomplish their assigned work, without taking leave, from remote locations during this time if their labs are: not fully staffed or closed and their PIs approve of this arrangement. Postdoctoral scholars are encouraged to talk directly with their PIs and department leadership about the operating schedules for the research activities within their divisions and departments. Departments and PIs may not require Postdoctoral Scholars to cover any holiday leave with their accrued days of paid leave.

If neither paid leave nor remote work arrangements have been approved, then Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to report daily except for the designated days during the break that the laboratories will be completely closed. Please contact OPA directly with any questions or concerns.

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
1215 Welch Road
Modular A, Room 84
Stanford, CA 94305-5402
work: (650) 498-7618
fax: (650) 725-6106
postdocaffairs@stanford.edu
http://postdocs.stanford.edu

Postdoc Administrator Update – December 2009

Postdoc Administrator Update – December 2009

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In this Issue:

1. Forms Update: New Termination Form now online

2. New Postdoc Orientation, January 7, 2010: Location Change

3. Upcoming Training Session: Postdoctoral Scholar Appointments Policies and Procedures—Training for New Administrators

4. Upcoming Postdoc Events: Planning Successful International Research Careers

5. Inventory of Ongoing Postdoctoral Programs at Stanford

1. New Termination Form

Please update your records and start using the current version of the Termination Form (updated December 1, 2009; http://postdocs.stanford.edu/admin/pdf-forms/Termination_Form.pdf). The new form asks for the reason for the postdoc termination from a list (check all that apply): if the postdoc accepted another position, if the termination is due to personal or family reasons, if it is a resignation, if the postdoc quit without notice, if the postdoc failed to return from leave, if the termination is due to the end of the appointment term or if it is an early termination. Those fields are required.

The new form also adds that the postdoctoral administrator will notify Bechtel if the scholar is on a Stanford-sponsored visa.

Questions about the policies and procedures associated with ending postdoctoral appointments may be directed to postdocaffairs@stanford.edu.

2. New Postdoc Orientation, January 7, 2010 – Location Change

Due to the large enrollment in the upcoming New Postdoc Orientation scheduled for January 7, 2010, the orientation session will be held in the Medical School Office Building (MSOB) X303 (map online at http://campus-map.stanford.edu/index.cfm?ID=07-560). Make a note of this location change and please direct your new postdocs who plan to attend that session accordingly.

3. Upcoming Training Session: Postdoctoral Scholar Appointments Policies and Procedures—Training for New Administrators

This training session is required for all new staff handling the appointment and visa administration of postdoctoral scholars at Stanford. Topics covered: preparation of the appointment and extensions paperwork; visa requests; new scholar orientation; paying postdocs; transfers between Stanford departments, and ending postdoctoral appointments. The session is led by Alistair Murray, Monday, January 25, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Register in STARS (OPA-1001-012510) starting Monday, January 4.

4. Upcoming Postdoc Events: Planning Successful International Research Careers

Dr. Sarah Poynton, Associate Professor of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will lead a workshop examining the factors that support international research ceareers whether in academia, the private sector or elsewhere for scholars in the biosciences. Postdocs are expected to leave the workshop with knowledge of the key factors for success in an international research career, with a critique of their professional networks and an outline of a strategy for the kind of international career they wish to have. Open to all postdoctoral scholars. Registration strongly recommended in order to ensure adequate seating for all participants. The workshop will be held on January 27, 2010, 12 noon – 1:30 pm, Clark S360.

Dr. Poynton’s visit to Stanford is jointly sponsored by The Stanford University Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in collaboration with the Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs Program at the University of California, Berkeley and with the Office of Career and Professional Development at the University of California, San Francisco. To register and for any questions, write to postdocaffairs@stanford.edu.

5. Inventory of Ongoing Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs at Stanford

If you manage an ongoing postdoctoral fellowship program in your department or division, we’d like to hear about it! The Postdoctoral Affairs website is a hub for many prospective postdocs in search for opportunities at Stanford. We are currently developing our section of the site where we link to current Stanford postdoctoral programs in all schools. If you have a well-developed formalized postdoctoral program which you announce widely (in publications or online, for example) and receive applications, send OPA the program description or announcement, or where that information may be on your department/division website. We’ll add the information to our growing inventory of Stanford’s postdoctoral programs.

Happy Holidays!!

Produced by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Stanford University, 1215 Welch Rd., Stanford, CA 94305 | postdocs.stanford.edu | postdocaffairs@stanford.edu