Baskin Engineering Academic Personnel Practices

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • 1. Baskin Engineering's Unit 18 Rate Card is available on APO's website under CAPM 516.000 Appendix B. 
  • 2. It is very helpful if any special handling requirements such as rush, visa, or waiver requests are called to our attention.  A phone call or email works well for on-line reviews.  Including specific details regarding rush requests is very helpful.
  • 3. With the exception of visas to foreign scholars, all communications are sent via email only.  The candidate's address for correspondence must include an email address.

APPOINTMENT, REAPPOINTMENT, AND ADVANCEMENT

  • 1. Lecturer appointments and reappointments should always include UCSC student evaluations if available for appointments and since the last review for reappointments.  Evaluations should also be included for any Professor Emeritus recalled to teach.
  • 2.  Identify which department manager is taking the lead on a case by writing the manager's initials somewhere on the document inventory.
  • 3. Regarding changes in start and end dates or other revisions:
    a. If the end date changes in advance of the start date, the Chair/PI submits a revision to the appointment request and a new dean's letter is issued.
    b. Once here, if the candidate wishes to leave in advance of the end date, a resignation letter is required.
    c. If any revisions impact pay, the Chair/PI submits a revision to the appointment request and a new dean's letter is issued.
    d. If any revisions affect visa documents, the Chair/PI submits a revision to the appointment request and a new dean's letter is issued. Visa amendment documentation may be needed.
    e.  In all other cases, revised letters from the dean's office will be issued upon the department's written request.
  • 4.  If a scholar will be working off-site, this information should be included in the appointment or reappointment request's description of duties area (section B on the postdoctoral scholar Appendix A) and will be included as part of the offer/approval letter. International work sites are not permissible.
  • 5.  All appointment/reappointment requests should include verification that appropriate space has been identified/approved for the appointee.
  • 6.  Solicited letters for appointments at the Junior Specialist rank may be used for promotion to the Assistant rank, if they are not more than two years old.

 

VISAS

  • 1. The J-1 is the appropriate visa for Postdoctoral Scholars. Since University and campus policy considers a Postdoctoral Scholar position to be a "training position" for a period up to five years, it is inappropriate to hire Scholars on a visa type primarily reserved for appointees in "career" positions. The J-1 visa remains the visa of choice for Postdoctoral Scholar appointees eligible to hold this visa type.  Sponsorship of any other visa for Postdoctoral Scholars is done by exception via letters of request from the Department Chair and Dean and approval by the CP/EVC.
  • Please remember to consider the Scholar's eligibility for future employment positions. Once all six years of H1-B eligibility have been used, it is highly unlikely that the Scholar will have an opportunity to secure a teaching or research position that will allow them to apply for Permanent Residence. Bypassing the years on J-1 status and going directly to H1-B, they sacrifice years of preparation to accumulate achievements and recognition to obtain a job offer that includes sponsorship for Permanent Residence. In the end, Scholars may be forced to return home.
  • 2. Generally speaking, an H-1B petition duration coincides with the appointment duration.  Under certain circumstances, the petition may be for a longer period.  In such cases,the H-1B petition should be filed only for that period of employment for which funding and appointment renewal is guaranteed at the time of filing.
  • If a J-1 Scholar will be conducting work off-campus (beyond 1156 High Street), include the Addendum to Site of Activity form with the request request and include this information in the appointment request letter.  The offer letter will include this information in the description of duties.