Visiting Scholars/Scientists and Seminar Associates

The University is host to many visitors and others who do not hold academic appointments but use its facilities and participate in its activities. To accommodate the needs of these individuals and recognize their contribution to its intellectual life, the University has created two designations, visiting scholar/scientist and seminar associate, which are conferred according to the policies and procedures described in this section of the Handbook. These are the only designations that may be given to visitors and others who do not hold University appointments. These designations carry limited rights and privileges, as described below.

Visiting Scholars/Scientists

Certain persons who are not entitled to appointments as officers of instruction or research but who wish to use the facilities of the University to pursue their own research may be named visiting scholar or visiting scientist. This status is conferred by the Associate Provost and Director of the International Students and Scholars Office, on behalf of the Provost, on the recommendation of the dean, director, or department chair in whose academic discipline the proposed visiting scholar/scientist has an interest. Recommendations in the Health Sciences require the approval of the Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences before they are forwarded to the Associate Provost.

The title of visiting scholar/scientist is generally reserved for persons in one of the following categories:

• scholars from American universities and colleges outside the New York metropolitan area who are on leave from their home institutions and who are not teaching at the University or participating in a research project sponsored by it;
• graduate students from other American universities and colleges;
• members of research laboratories or institutions;
• staff and students of foreign academies and universities;
• officials and former officials of government or nongovernment organizations, such as the United Nations, and their affiliates;
• practicing professional and creative artists; and
• such other persons as will contribute to the intellectual activity of the University, as approved by the Associate Provost on the request of the school, department, institute, or center.

Individuals may be named visiting scholars/scientists for up to one year. The designation ordinarily may be renewed for no more than one additional year. Further extensions are granted rarely and only when the dean, director, or chair making the request can demonstrate that there is a compelling justification for waiving the normal limitations on the duration of the designation.

Visiting scholars/scientists are given free reading privileges in the libraries and may obtain four-week borrowing privileges on payment of a monthly fee. They may audit lecture courses with the permission of the instructors. Auditing of summer courses also requires the permission of the Director of the Summer Session. Visiting scholars/scientists may use the Marcellus Hartley Dodge Physical Fitness Center and the University's other recreational facilities on payment of a fee.

"Visiting scholar" and "visiting scientist" are courtesy designations that do not signify a formal association with the University. Individuals named to these titles may not claim a University affiliation for the purpose of applying for grants and contracts and should not represent themselves in their publications and correspondence as having a University affiliation.

Since persons with this designation do not hold appointments, they receive a special Columbia University identification card. They are not given office space and are not entitled to secretarial assistance. Visiting scholars/scientists are responsible for arranging for their own financial support and benefits. They may not be paid compensation from a University account, given a fellowship, or reimbursed for expenses without the prior, special approval of the Associate Provost. They may receive an honorarium for participating in a conference or giving an occasional lecture if they are United States citizens or permanent residents or, in the case of non-resident aliens, if they have an appropriate visa and the prior authorization of the Associate Provost.

Foreign nationals will ordinarily need a J-1 visa in order to visit the University. Upon submission of all the documentation required by the U.S. government, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) on the Morningside campus or the Immigration Affairs Office (IAO) on the Health Sciences campus will issue the DS-2019 form needed to support the J-1 application. Federal regulations require that the applicant for J-1 status has sufficient funds for the period of stay at Columbia and that the applicant meet the health insurance requirements of the Exchange Visitor Program while in the United States. The application for the DS-2019 (for issuance of the J-1 visa), available from the ISSO or the IAO, has complete details on complying with these requirements.

Visiting scholars/scientists may obtain University housing only if the dean of the school with which they are associated recommends that they be assigned apartments from a special, limited allocation set aside each year for visiting scholars/scientists and others who would not otherwise be eligible for housing. They also may sublet from a tenant in a University apartment if they have the permission of the Office of Institutional Real Estate.

Seminar Associates

Founded in 1944, the University Seminars bring together scholars and specialists of diverse disciplinary backgrounds to discuss subjects of common interest. There are currently more than 70 University Seminars with over 1,800 members drawn from the University, other academic institutions, and the nonacademic community. The seminars meet monthly during the academic year. Each determines its own policies, program, and organization. A list of the University Seminars is contained in the bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Members of the Seminars are nominated by the individual seminars and appointed by the Director of the University Seminars on behalf of the President of the University. Those from other institutions may be appointed seminar associates for a three-year term, which is renewable, provided that they have the doctorate, its professional equivalent, or a demonstrated record of academic excellence in the area covered by their seminars. Students may not hold this appointment. Regular attendance is a prerequisite for maintaining membership in a University Seminar. The appointments of seminar associates who do not attend a sufficient number of meetings each year are renewed only in special circumstances.

Seminar associates who wish to use the University Libraries receive a special University identification card on the recommendation of the Director of the University Seminars. They are given free reading privileges in the libraries and may obtain four-week borrowing privileges on payment of a monthly fee. The identification card and library privileges are valid for no more than one year but may be renewed if the seminar associate has no overdue books or outstanding library fines.

Seminar associates may also use the Marcellus Hartley Dodge Physical Fitness Center and the University's other recreational facilities on payment of a fee.