Setting Up a Summer Research Assistant

For approval, you must submit a Summer Research Assistant form.

2023 Important Dates

April 17 - SRA Form Deadline

June 1 - Start of Summer Session

June 10-11 - Start of Summer On-Campus Housing (first arrival dates)

June 18 - Dining Halls Open

June 24-25,  July 7-8, July 22-23 - Additional Arrival Dates for On-Campus Housing

August 19 - On-Campus Summer Housing Ends

September 10 - End of Summer Session

Important Notes

Summer Research Start and End Dates

For campus-based research, SRAs will have access to campus housing for the research period June 12-August 18 (with weekend arrival/departure dates). If your research needs to take place outside of those dates and your SRAs will need campus housing, please note that on the SRA form. If your SRAs are not living in campus housing, you can select start/end dates at any point during the summer employment period.

Student Status 

SRA students do not have enrolled status during the summer, therefore, they do not have the same housing, dining, or access privileges as during the academic year and need approval to live on campus. No student should be in a nonpublic facility, such as a research lab, who is not registered in some capacity.

Payments, Housing, and Dining

Campus housing and dining will be available for students whose SRA form is submitted by the April deadline, with some limits on dates and availability. Faculty only need to submit the SRA form. Students will complete a housing/dining form sent by Housing in April. SRAs are responsible for all housing and dining charges. See go/seo for current rates. SRAs will be paid through payroll, submitting timesheets for faculty approval. In cases where this is not feasible, we will distribute a stipend to the student.

Non-Middlebury Students

Non-Middlebury students working as SRAs will be paid through a stipend. These students are responsible for housing and dining charges (if selected). Students may choose to have these amounts deducted from their stipend payments or pay for these expenses by check at the Student Financial Services office. 

Faculty Supervision

Because this is also a pedagogical experience, we expect faculty mentors and student research assistants to be meeting regularly and typically in person.

Work Location

Research may take place on and off campus, depending on the project. Please discuss with us any significant off-campus portions of research as we have limited funding outside of student stipends to support expenses.

A student’s location during the time of work may impact how they can be paid and their compensation rate so it is important to include that information on the SRA form.

Steps for Setup

1. Read the Summer Research Assistant Policies These policies must be followed to have the position qualify.
    
2. Identify your funding options and apply for URO funding if needed by the application deadline.  Students are usually funded through faculty grants, Undergraduate Research funds (applications due Mar. 1), or other Middlebury funding.
    
3. Submit the Summer Research Assistant form as completely as possible by the April deadline. The SRA form for 2023 will be available in mid-March. The form is due in April for students needing on-campus housing. This form is required regardless of the source of funding. It will go to URO for approval and then be forwarded to HR.
    
4. Student responsibilities: The student will complete an application which includes the information previously included in the summer employment contract. Housing and Dining will then reach out to students directly.

Tips for Filling Out the SRA Form

• If you anticipate hiring an assistant but won’t have confirmation of the grant (or the student) at that point in time, please submit the SRA form by the deadline anyway—no contracts will be accepted for housing after the deadline.
• Include a title of the research project, a description is not necessary—if we are not familiar with the project or need additional information, we will contact you.
• Include a funding source, indicate if it is undetermined, or if the position is a volunteer (not paid through Middlebury College).
• Fill out the number of hours per week (estimated), the number of weeks, maximum amount to be paid, start/end dates and work locations for supervisor and student.

Payment Guidelines

Research positions are considered mentored training, should be 20-40 hours a week. Because the nature of some research necessitates extended and/or unusual hours, mentored faculty-student collaborative research positions will need to clearly communicate expectations and monitor hours appropriately.

The 2023 rate is $570 for a 40-hour week or $14.25 per hour. 

Volunteers

Students doing collaborative research with Middlebury College faculty who are not compensated through Middlebury College (external grant or college funding) are considered to be Middlebury College volunteers, even if they are receiving stipends directly from a grant or other source not administered by Middlebury. Summer volunteers without external funding are strongly discouraged. Undergraduate Research needs to be contacted for volunteer approval prior to any agreements with students or other institutions. 

Faculty need to submit a volunteer form and requests for on-campus housing will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Campus Housing Guidelines

SRAs are eligible for on-campus housing and/or dining plans, which will be charged to their student bill. Students are responsible for paying their room and dining costs. Positions that are funded by college funds are not eligible for room and/or dining supplements. External grant funds may not be used to cover room and/or dining unless the grant was specifically budgeted that way and the request reviewed by the Grants Office.

• Research assistants will be housed according to the dates on the SRA form.
  • Summer housing will be available from June 10-August 19. If your research requires SRAs to have campus housing outside of these dates, we will follow up with you and housing on this.
  • The 2023 campus housing rates are $100/wk for financial aid recipients, $145/wk for students not receiving financial aid, and $125/wk for non-Middlebury student researchers.
  • The first arrival dates are June 10-11. See additional arrival dates above.
  • Contact uro@middlebury.edu if the research makes these dates impossible.
• An optional dining plan will be available. See go/seo for current rates. Dining halls opening 6/18. See information on summer dining.
• Students must have a minimum of 30 hours per week to be eligible for campus housing during weeks of employment. Students with only 20 hours per week in a research position must add another on-campus job of at least 10 hours per week to be eligible for housing.
• Housing charges are weekly (Sun-Sat) and may extend beyond actual start and end dates. Monday start dates and Friday end dates are recommended. Students cannot access their room until one day prior to their start date and have one day past their end date to move.
• Indicate if there are any extended breaks in employment.
• See full summer housing and dining details through HR.

Travel

Additional resources for positions with travel are the Global Committee’s page traveling with or sponsoring students abroad and Middlebury’s handbook travel policies. Note students are not eligible for travel advances. They can be paid a very modest per diem or the faculty supervisor can request the advance.

Contact

If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact us at uro@middlebury.edu.