Policy on Visiting Scholars

TO:	EECS Faculty
FROM:	EECS Department Chair
RE:	Reminder: EECS Policy on visiting scholars

Each EECS faculty member can expect to host one visitor. We intend to be flexible; additional visitors will be approved based on their essential contribution to the research of their host faculty member or the academic programs of the Department, the nature of any Departmental commitments involving the visitor (such as corporate affiliates memberships and sponsored Visiting Industrial Fellows). The host's creativity in finding space for their visitor(s) also plays a key role. Excessive numbers of visitors cannot be approved; greater restrictions apply to those who do not formally hold the Ph.D.

Visitors seeking to spend one month or more in EECS are processed through the campus's Visiting Scholars & Postdoctoral Appointments program (VSPA) in association with the College of Engineering. Non-paid appointments under VSPA may be made as Visiting Scholar, Visiting Research Fellow, or Visiting Student Researcher titles, as appropriate. Consult Academic Personnel Assistant, Tamiko George for details on titles.

To request a Visiting Scholar or Visiting Student Researcher, please email requests to the appropriate staff person listed below, who will then check all the qualifications and requirements before submitting a request for approval to the department chair. Your request should state:

1. Who is the Visitor you propose to invite? Attach his/her most recent CV.
2. What is your Visitor's source of financial support? UC requires visitors to have a minimum of $1600/month for full term of stay. Resolve which of your funding sources will pay for your Visitor's computer expenses if an EECS account is needed, and / or for the campus visa processing fee or the Visiting Scholar Program "University Services" fee. Please note the arrangements in your request.
3. Exact dates for the requested visit. PLEASE NOTE: It takes at least 3 to 4 months from initial request to arrival date for international visitors.
4. What project will the visitor be involved in?
5. Where will your Visitor sit while he/she is here? Faculty hosts are responsible for making the initial inquiries about possible seating arrangements, and your research space is expected to be used first. Resolve seating arrangement questions in time to specify the arrangements in your memo requesting the visit.
6. How many other visitors do you currently have?

DEADLINES: To ensure completion of the lengthy application process for an on-time arrival, faculty members should request by April 1 visits that are to begin on or after September 1 (during Fall term), and by August 1 visits that are to begin on or after January 1 (during Spring term).

Submit your request directly to:

• Tamiko George (253 Cory; 3-4976).

For Visiting Industrial Fellows (from companies that are members of CAD/CAM or BMA), submit to Rachel Schafer, rschafer@eecs (231 Cory; 3-6691).

J-1 Visas are required for International Visiting Scholars - campus-wide $410 fee. There are now additional fees for expedited (Rush) requests. This is not advised.

Most international scholars will need to obtain a J-1 visa to pursue their research in the EECS Department. Visa applications are only processed after the Visiting Scholar application secures Departmental, College of Engineering and campus VSPA approval. The campus approvals can take several weeks to obtain, and visa authorizations take an additional several weeks to process through the Berkeley International Office.

VSPA Benefits & Privileges - on payment of the mandatory campus-wide $400 fee:

• Remote access to electronic resources licensed by the UC Berkeley Library
• UC Berkeley Email accounts (i.e., Calmail)
• Auditing regular Berkeley courses with the professor's permission (but no academic credit). Does not apply to courses offered by Summer Sessions or University Extension.
• Library borrowing privileges
• Parking service consideration
• Health insurance assistance and/or referrals for purchase of required coverage
• Football ticket discounts
• Recreational Sports Facility discount
• Housing Office rental listings (for an additional Housing Office fee).

Required Health Insurance

All international Visiting Scholars who enter the United States with a non-immigrant visa, and who intend to stay for one month or more, are required to have health insurance for themselves and their dependents, or purchase health insurance through the University.

International Visiting Scholars may purchase group health insurance plans through University Health Services. This must be done within 31 days of arriving at UC Berkeley. Insurance coverage may not be effective immediately; waiting periods can be from 3 to 36 days. Scholars are advised to purchase travel insurance to cover this period. They should contact the visiting scholar health advisor at The University Health Services, Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way, 3rd Floor, (510) 642-5742.

Domestic Visiting Scholars are not eligible to buy insurance under group health plans; however, referrals for independent coverage are available by calling the number above.