URF hosts Summer Research Scholars Programming & the capping Symposium. Please refer to the following resources for the rest of your administrative needs.
Common UT Administrative Practices for Summer Guests
Student Payments
Due to IRS rules, faculty with external grants where the student costs are listed as ‘Participant Support Costs’ must pay these students through stipend payments (and not through employee payroll). Please work with your business manager or Sponsored Projects Accounting to ensure you are following proper procedures.
Here is a helpful guideline to processing Participant Support Costs.
Here is an example of a disclosure letter to a visiting student who will be researching with you in the summer.
**Please note: Stipend payments to UTK students go onto their Financial Aid account and will count against their total financial aid package. If the student is maxed out on financial aid, they will not be able to receive any stipend funding. In this instance, the student must meet with the Office of Financial Aid to discuss their individual case.
Housing
University Housing will be able to provide summer housing for 2024 REU interns in the following manner:
- Standard Summer – Housing will be provided starting on June 1st and ending on August 3rd. Interns will be housed in Volunteer Hall in double/triple/quadruple occupancy apartment units.
- David Joy is the University Housing staff member overseeing summer intern housing. Faculty and/or PIs may contact David directly at djoy3@utk.edu or at 865-974-0669 for additional information about summer intern housing.
Parking
Any person who wishes to have a vehicle on campus must purchase a parking pass from UT Parking. If your project is covering the cost of parking, email parking@utk.edu your list of students and the cost center info. Someone from your office will need to arrange with the parking office to pick up the passes at least 72 hours in advance. If students are self-paying, they will need to purchase their pass in-person from the UT Parking Office on Stephenson Drive (off Neyland).
NetID
NetIDS can be requested and received prior to the student coming on campus. Complete the Request a NetID (Network Identifier) for a Person form found on UT’s OIT website (https://oit.utk.edu/general/forms/ ). If you have requested a NetID for the student, they will automatically be given a Unique TNID. If the visitor doesn’t already have a TN Unique ID number you will need to put in a request with OIT in order to get it.
Campus IDs
Submit a list of students by email to the Dean of Students Office requesting a Special Function Card. Specify if the students are staying on campus and need access to their residence hall. They must be in IRIS first (have a Unique TNID).
Dining
If you are providing a food stipend we suggest adding funds as Vol Card Debit funds which allows the student to eat on campus or any merchant on Cumberland Avenue (or elsewhere) who accepts the Vol Card as payment (https://volcard.utk.edu/off-campus-merchant-program/). These funds can also be used to access campus vending machines and printers. We do not recommend Flex Dollars or Dining Dollars due to limited full service options on campus during the summer. The link for the system to add funds to a student’s VolCard is: https://ost.utk.edu/archarge. Please complete the Request for Access to A/R Validator form and submit it to the Bursar’s Office.
TRECS Access
Students are able to purchase a temporary membership to TRECS for the summer for $75 at the TRECS office. You must indicate permission on the Special Function ID Forms to enable the students to self-purchase a membership. Student must have TNID# and would be considered a guest employee.
COVID Information
All REU leaders should communicate COVID protocols to their students. UT has a health and safety guidance website. There is also a Housing guidance page.
Summer Research Scholars
Please have your students sign up as a Summer Research Scholar! The professional development sessions and social activities calendar will be updated shortly, but in the meantime, all should register so we can add them to the email list and keep all updated on the weekly activities.