Resources for Undergraduate Research Mentors

If you have a research project or projects that you would like to recruit undergraduates for, please consider posting the research opportunity on the OUR website.  To do so, please complete the Post a Research Opportunity form. Students will submit the application materials of your choice directly to you so that you can choose who to interview and ultimately who to accept! Your posting will be seen by undergraduates on the How to Get Started in Research page.

Undergraduate Research Scholar Benefits

• Students conducting research during the summer are entitled to a 50% discount on on-campus housing during the summer (USD students only; see housing section below)
• During the summer, undergraduate researchers can participate in professional development workshops. A calendar is posted on the research scholars webpage and can be accessed in the tab below.
• During the summer, undergraduate researchers can participate in special networking events with other researchers. A calendar is posted on the research scholars webpage and can be accessed below.

Undergraduate Research Scholar Checklist

1. All students conducting co- or extra-curricular research on campus are required to register as an Undergraduate Researcher; the link to the form can be found on the research scholars webpage.

**For non-USD students that are not part of any summer research program: Before registering as a research scholar, the Office of Undergraduate Research must receive an email from the USD faculty research mentor that confirms their commitment to mentor the student.  The email commitment can be sent to ugresearch@sandiego.edu, subject line: Non-USD Research Scholar Research Mentor Commitment.**

2. Students will be asked to submit the following forms BEFORE their first day conducting research in the summer. 
All forms can be downloaded from the Releases and Other Forms Section below
All forms should be sent to ugreseaerch@sandiego.edu

• Medical/Emergency Contact Information Sheet form
• Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability form
• Consent and Release form
• Certificate of Completion for all training(s)

3. Trainings

• Both Faculty and students must complete Responsible Conduct in Research (CITI), more information is in the Responsible Conduct in Research/Research Ethics and Integrity Training/IRB&IACUC section below.
• Both Faculty and students must complete additional trainings, if the project involves animal or human subjects.
• Faculty must submit an application and have IACUC or IRB approval on file in advance of conducting research with animal or human subjects, respectively.

4. Students will be asked to submit Researcher Profile information – picture* (jpeg file, 300dpi if comfortable), biography (Name, Major, Class, Faculty Mentor and 1 – 2 sentences about the project) and Program Name (for example NSF REU); see examples

*If the picture is an a research lab, students must be wearing proper lab attire.

Please send the profile, program name and picture to ugresearch@sandiego.edu

5. Students will be asked to join the Office of Undergraduate Research to LinkedIn contacts

6. Faculty and students are asked to join OUR listserve

As a way to connect you and your student with available resources and to ensure that research requirements are met, USD and non-USD students (high school, community college, other 4 years) are required to register. This includes students engaged in co- and extracurricular, academic year or summer, paid or volunteer/unpaid research positions. Your student must register BEFORE research begins.

**For non-USD students that are not part of any summer research program: Before registering as a research scholar, the Office of Undergraduate Research must receive an email from the USD faculty research mentor that confirms their commitment to mentor the student.  The email commitment can be sent to ugresearch@sandiego.edu, subject line: Non-USD Research Scholar Research Mentor Commitment.**

Undergraduate researchers* in the following programs will be enrolled in the Undergraduate  Research 496 course (UGRS 496)

SURE

Beckman

Keck

Changemaker Summer Research Fellows/Community Based Research (CBR)

McNair

NSF REU  

*current/continuing USD students only

This course is a requirement to be able to pay students.

Summer Research Scholars are eligible for a discounted on-campus housing rate (50%). This discount is only applicable to USD students.

Students will work directly with Residential Life to make their housing arrangements and all questions regarding summer housing should be directed to Residential Life.

In order to be eligible for the 50% discount rate, USD students must be sure to add "summer research scholar" and the group that they belong to, such as "Beckman Scholar" in the comment section of the housing application.

Non USD students living on-campus during the summer while conducting research, need to reach out to Residential Life directly.

**For non-USD students that are not part of any summer research program: Before registering as a research scholar/applying for housing, the Office of Undergraduate Research must receive an email from the USD faculty research mentor that confirms their commitment to mentor the student.  The email commitment can be sent to ugresearch@sandiego.edu, subject line: Non-USD Research Scholar Research Mentor Commitment.**

Applications for summer housing are usually available in late April.  Billing for housing is done on the 15th of the month (if applicable). Students will not be billed at check-in and instead will receive their first bill at the same time as they receive their stipend payments.

Earliest move-in date: June 5, 2016
Latest move-out Date: August 13, 2016
Rate: $16/day (multiple occupancy)
Non USD housing rate: $32/day (multiple occupancy)

The move-in and move-out dates are firm and are in place to allow time to prep after spring term ends and before fall term begins.

Research Ethics & Integrity Training

All students and faculty mentors must complete a Research Ethics & Integrity Training (responsible conduct of research; RCR) before research begins.
Please download the CITI Instructions on how to create a login and to access the online.
Faculty and students who have previously taken the training do not have take it again. 
A copy of the certificate of completion must be received by the OUR and can be emailed to ugresearch@sandiego.edu and/or can be uploaded by students on the researcher registration form.

Policy on IRB and IACUC Project Approvals

Any research project that involves human (IRB) or animal (IACUC) subjects must receive formal approval from the appropriate USD research ethics committee. A human subject or animal subjects approved IRB or IACUC letter (showing all necessary signatures) must be submitted during the application process and no later than the research start date.  Additionally, a human subject or animal subjects training course must be taken and a copy of the training completion certificate must be received by the OUR at ugresearch@sandiego.edu and/or can be uploaded by students on the researcher registration form before research begins.
Please download the CITI Instructions on how to create a login and to access the online.
Undergraduate researchers should work with their research mentor to determine additional trainings and submit the required materials to the appropriate committee.

All students conducting research over the summer will be asked to fill out and submit the following forms tougresearch@sandiego.edu before research begins.  If students conducted research the summer before and have no new updates to any of the forms, they can email the Office of Undergraduate Research to let us know that they have no updates from last year's forms.

Liability Release Form

Media Release Form

Emergency Information

For non-USD students:

National: Proof of medical insurance and a letter of commitment from your USD faculty
Send all documents to: ugresearch@sandiego.edu, subject line: Non-USD Research Scholar Letter of Commitment and Proof(s).

International: Proof of medical insurance, proof of ability to work in the US and an email of commitment from the USD faculty Send all documents to: ugresearch@sandiego.edu, subject line: Non-USD Research Scholar Letter of Commitment and Forms

Summer Research Programs

Students conducting research as part of one of the educational summer research programs listed below are not considered employees and will receive a stipend:

SURE
Beckman
Keck
Changemaker Summer Research Fellow/Community Based Research (CBR)
McNair
NSF REU
PURE

Getting Paid

All stipends can be picked up on the 15th of each month (June, July, August) in the Cashier's Office in Hughes 211.  Students must bring a picture ID to receive their check.

If your student receives Financial Aid (FA) and will be enrolling in summer courses, please ask them to email ugresearch@sandiego.edu to let us know as this may have an impact on thier FA package.

Taxes

Regardless of receiving a stipend or being hired as an employee, student stipends are taxable and subject to withholding. Please contact the Payroll Office at 619-260-4818 for more information about possible exemption from withholding.

Departmental Hires

Some students conducting research as part of their faculty research mentor's external grants may need to be hired as hourly employees. The Office of Undergraduate Research provides links to the forms as a courtesy service, but does not process hiring paperwork nor can answere questions about hiring.  Please contact the Department of Human Resources at 619-260-6611 for additional information.

As hourly employees, California overtime laws and break policies apply and hours worked in excess of 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week will be paid as overtime (1.5X).  Students working more than six consecutive days will be paid overtime starting on the 7th day (2X). Since the SURE award is fixed, overtime payment will result in a reduction in the total number of hours the student can work (10 weeks/392 hours maximum). Please contact the Department of Human Resources at 619-260-6611 for additional information.

Students must complete the following hiring paperwork and submit the forms to Human Resources. Please contact the Department of Human Resources at 619-260-6611 for additional information.

• Confidential Employee Information Form
• W4 Form
• I9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form
• Payment Method Form
• Meal Break Waiver Agreement Form

If your undergraduate researcher has not worked on campus in the past 12 months you will need the following:

Personnel Requisition Form

Online background check/“True Screen”

Reporting Hours

Students conducting research as part of one of the educational summer research programs listed below are not considered employees and do not need to report hours:

SURE
Beckman
Keck
Changemaker Summer Research Fellow/Community Based Research (CBR)
McNair
NSF REU
PURE

In accordance with the ACA, at this time students "hired" as researchers will need to be hired as hourly employees and will need to report hours.

As hourly employees, students will be required to submit hours worked through Kronos.  Please contact the the Payroll Department at 619-260-4818 for additional information. Undergraduate researchers will be paid bi-weekly according to the payroll schedule and students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit to avoid delays in payment.  As hourly employees, California overtime laws and break policies apply and hours worked in excess of 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week will be paid as overtime (1.5X).  Students working more than six consecutive days will be paid overtime starting on the 7th day (2X). Since the SURE award is fixed, overtime payment will result in a reduction in the total number of hours the student can work (10 weeks/392 hours maximum). Please contact the Department of Human Resources at 619-260-6611 for additional information.

Accessing Kronos and Timekeeping

Calendar of Events

All students engaged in research over the summer and their faculty research mentors are invited to participate in any of the professional development activities and the End of the Summer Lunch. The professional development activities and the lunch are listed on the Summer Research Scholars Calendar. This is a great way for the students (not just those you are directly mentoring) to interact with you informally and to begin to identify as researchers/scholars! If you are interested in joining us for any/all of these events, please register here.

Links to the following calendars have been added for the convenience of the Faculty that are currently mentoring students, these activities are only open to students in the program.

NSF REU Calendar

PURE Calendar (Coming Soon)

Beckman Calendar (Coming Soon)

Q: A student asked me to be a mentor for the SURE Summer Research Program, will I be compensated as well?
A: Compensation for mentors in the SURE Summer Program is $3,500

Q: I am a SURE mentor, how do I get the research supplies?
A: up to $500 (based on the budget submitted by the student) will be transferred to your departmental research supply account.  The funds must be spent out by the end of fiscal year, June 30.  Please contact your departmental EA to help spend and track expenditures.

Q: I am a NSF REU and/or a Beckman mentor, how do I get the research supplies?
A: Beckman faculty receive up to $5000 (in total for two summers and the intervening academic year).  NSF REU faculty receive up to $1682.82 for one summer.  All expenditures must be submitted for payment with the Office of Undergraduate Research. The Office of Undergraduate Research will work with your departmental EA to pay out and track expenditures.

Q: How long would a student need to be engaged in research?
A: expected for students to engage in research for 10 weeks full time. 

Q: How long should I expect to mentor my student?
A: It all depends on the student's mentoring needs