November 2010
Project Scope and Training (slides)
What and Why Are We Doing This?
This presentation covers the basic reasons, scope and training requirements for the current PeopleSoft Postdoc Web Forms project currently underway.
With funding from the University to move the postdoc-related processes online, administrative users in departments will be managing their postdoctoral appointment and other transactional paperwork online. Online approvals and submission of documentation will also be part of this project.
Our Current GoLive Date is January 24, 2011!
Health Care Emergency Fund for 2011
(sent to all postdocs and to the supdssworkgroup on 10/11)
MEMO
To: All Postdoctoral Scholars
From: Rania Sanford, Assistant Dean, Postdoctoral Affairs
Date: November 10, 2010
Re: Health Care Emergency Fund for 2011
The Provost has approved an Emergency Grant-in-Aid Fund to help postdoctoral scholars who have significant financial difficulty paying for their family’s health care premiums in 2011.
Purpose
The Emergency Grant-in-Aid Fund is established to partially offset the increase in 2011 health care premiums for postdoctoral scholars who provide health care for their dependents. The grant awards will be distributed to the postdoc recipient in monthly installments to reduce the monthly health care premium.
Award amounts will be reviewed and calculated for an award period of up to one calendar year (January 1 to December 31, 2011) for continuing scholars, or from the start date for new scholars through December 2011. The award will end December 31, 2011 or the end of the postdoctoral appointment, whichever comes first. Award amounts are reviewed quarterly to determine if there is a significant change in the eligibility criteria during the term of the award.
Eligibility
Individuals who hold postdoctoral appointments in all Stanford schools, including SLAC, are eligible to apply. (There is no citizenship requirement.) You must hold a current appointment during the award period. If the appointment ends, the award will also end.
Eligible Expenses
The award is available to partially offset the expense to enroll children or other eligible family members in the Stanford postdoc medical (HMO or PPO), dental and vision plans.
Ineligible Expenses
Awards will not be made on a retroactive basis or for periods exceeding one quarter. Awards are solely to offset premium increases for dependent care and cannot be used for:
§ Enrollment in non-Stanford plans
§ Tuition, childcare or other standard living expenses
§ Research-related expenses
§ COBRA coverage
§ To offset insurance-related expenses that are the responsibility of the University, the Department or the faculty mentor/PI as stipulated by Stanford policy.
See next page for Application Requirements and more information.
Application Requirements
1. Complete the application form. Use the form to explain your financial circumstances and indicate your need for aid.
2. Provide household income information:
a) Copy of your 2009 tax return (joint return or yours and spouse tax returns, if filed separately). If tax return is not available, provide a copy of the most recent Stanford paystub. A printout from AXESS is acceptable.
b) Spouse/domestic partner latest paystub, if applicable. If spouse is not working, indicate that on the Application Form.
3. Submit completed Application Form and household income information together to the Financial Aid Office.
By fax – (650) 725-0540
If fax not available, drop off in person – Montag Hall, 355 Galvez Street
Enrollment in the Stanford University postdoctoral medical (HMO or PPO), dental and/or vision plans will be verified separately by the Award Review Committee.
Approximately one week after you submit your application and other required documents, the Postdoc Emergency Grant-in-Aid Fund Award Review Committee will notify you of the status of your application or to request additional information.
Questions may be directed to postdocaffairs@stanford.edu.
Deadline to Apply: Monday, Nov. 22, 2010. Notifications: Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010.
Note: Award recipients may modify or change 2011 benefits elections that they made during Open Enrollment as a result of award decisions made on November 30.
See attached PDFs for a copy of this announcement and for the application form.
Travel/Re-entry info for postdocs under Stanford's J sponsorship
(sent to som_postdocs; stanford_postdocs 11/10/10)
Attention: J1 Post-docs who hold DS-2019s issued by Stanford
If you plan to travel out of the U.S. during the Thanksgiving Holiday or Winter Break, and re-enter the U.S. to continue your J1 program, remember that you must have a valid Travel Validation signature from one of the international scholar advisors at Bechtel in the Travel Validation section in the bottom right side of your DS-2019 for re-entry. The travel validation signature is also required on DS-2019s issued for J2 dependents. The signature is valid for multiple entries for up to one year from the date of the signature. If your DS-2019 has not been signed in that section or if it was signed more than a year ago, you will need to request a Travel Validation signature at Bechtel. To request the signature, bring the DS-2019 to the upstairs front desk at Bechtel International Center during business hours of 10am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
(If both signature spaces in the Travel Validation section have been filled and it was most recently signed more than a year ago, you'll need to request a new DS-2019 to allow a new travel signature to be provided.)
A valid visa in your passport is also required for re-entry, so if the visa in your passport has expired, you will most likely need to apply for a new one at the U.S. Consulate in your home country before you can re-enter the U.S. (The exception is if you travel to Canada or Mexico for less than 30 days and retain your I-94 card. In this case, re-entry is permitted with an expired visa and valid, signed-for-travel DS-2019.) DO NOT RE-ENTER ON A VISA-WAIVER OR A B1/B2 VISA IF THE J VISA IN YOUR PASSPORT HAS EXPIRED!
Keep in mind that Bechtel International Center, along with most other University offices, will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov 25 and 26) and during the Winter Break, so plan ahead. For the Winter Break Bechtel I-Center will close at 5pm on Friday, December 17 and will re-open on Monday, January 3.
Holidays and Winter Closure for Postdoctoral Scholars
(sent to supdssworkgroup; som_postdocs; stanford_postdocs 11/10/10)
To: Postdoctoral Scholars, Faculty and Administrators
From: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Re: Holidays and Winter Closure - Postdoctoral Scholars
Date: November 10, 2010
In accordance with University holidays and Winter Closure, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) will be closed during winter break starting 5:00 pm on Friday, December 17, 2010 and will re-open at 8:00 am on Monday, January 3, 2011. OPA will be also closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26, 2010.
Although the University will close for this year for the two-week Winter Closure period, areas with critical responsibilities and many laboratories and research activities will continue to operate during all or part of the closure period (i.e., clinical units, lab animal facilities, some research labs, Lane Library, etc.). The mandatory time off and use of vacation days required from staff during Winter Closure do not apply to Postdoctoral Scholars.
Five days are designated university holidays in November and December 2010:
Thanksgiving Holiday: Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26
Winter Closure: Thursday, December 23; Friday, December 24; Friday, December 31.
Postdoctoral Scholars may observe the official University holidays on the dates above or at a time agreeable with their faculty/PI's designated holiday research group/lab schedule. Postdoctoral Scholars may not cover the five designated holidays with their accrued days of paid sick or vacation leave.
Postdoctoral Scholars may request paid time off from their annual balances through the usual channels. Postdoctoral Scholars may accomplish their assigned work, without taking leave, from remote locations during Winter Closure if their labs are: not fully staffed or closed and their PIs approve of this arrangement. 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. Postdoctoral scholars are encouraged to talk directly with their PIs and department administration about the operating schedules for the research activities within their areas.
Presentation Slides - Administrator Quarterly Meeting November 2010
PLEASE NOTE the winter closure deadline of 11/05/10 for the submission of new appointment packets for international scholars has been revised to 11/17/10.
Subscribe to RSS