E09.0 Visiting Scholar Policy

The appointment of a visiting scholar is intended to provide joint benefit to RIT, the faculty host, and the visiting scholar. Visiting scholars are invited to be part of the RIT community to enable scholarly engagement and enrich the academic, intellectual, and artistic community at RIT, while limiting any risks from the appointment of visiting scholars to the institution.

Visiting scholars are different from visiting faculty, who are employed by RIT (see Policy E6.0 as well as section II below). As part of the RIT community, however, visiting scholars shall abide by relevant RIT policies (see section III below).

This policy defines the criteria and conditions for appointment, outlines the roles and responsibilities of visiting scholars and involved RIT parties, and describes the procedures for nominating and reviewing candidates. RIT parties involved in visiting scholar appointments typically include the faculty host, the host’s academic unit head and dean as well as other RIT faculty and units as appropriate.

To be appointed as a visiting scholar at RIT, an individual must meet the following eligibility criteria:
 

1. The candidate must propose research or scholarly activity that provides some benefit to the academic, intellectual, or artistic community of the unit hosting the appointment.
2. The individual must have recognized expertise in their field/discipline and credentials relevant to the proposed research or scholarly activity.
3. The individual cannot be employed by RIT, and, conversely, RIT cannot require activities from them that would be expected of an RIT employee.
4. Visiting scholars must have their own financial support and health insurance for the duration of the visit; visiting scholars do not receive compensation or benefits from RIT.
5. Visiting scholars typically carry out research and scholarly activities at RIT for a pre-defined period of time (see section V.H for terms of appointment).
6. The visiting scholar designation is not for individuals who would otherwise be considered RIT students, trainees, or postdoctoral fellows. Students enrolled in any RIT degree program are not eligible for appointment, and visiting scholars may not enroll in RIT degree programs.

Examples of a visiting scholar include faculty visiting RIT on sabbatical leave from their home institution or qualified visitors from industry, government or other organizations (including retirees) who visit RIT on an unpaid basis.

The visiting scholar is responsible for arranging their transportation, accommodation, visa (if applicable), and other practical considerations for the visit. However, RIT may be able to provide informational resources to assist this process.

Once the visiting scholar appointment is approved, visiting scholars sign an agreement with the academic unit hosting them (see section V.F). While at RIT, visiting scholars conduct their planned research and scholarly activities in collaboration with their RIT faculty host, and they shall notify the faculty host of any changes regarding their appointment.

Visiting scholars may use their RIT affiliation in disseminating their work, and they are encouraged to do so if data collection, research, or creative activities primarily happened at RIT. Visiting scholars may be able to participate in sponsored research or other collaborative research at RIT, subject to governing policies including but not limited to Policy C2.0 Academic Misconduct in Research and Scholarship, C3.0 Intellectual Property Policy, C4.0 Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy, and Administrative Policies and Procedures for Externally Sponsored Projects.

1. Faculty Host: Any full-time RIT faculty member may host a candidate meeting the criteria outlined in section II. RIT faculty are encouraged to host visiting scholars particularly if a collaboration promises to benefit their own research and scholarly activities. Faculty hosts play a pivotal role in the success of visiting scholarships, and agreeing to host entails a commitment to regularly interact with the visiting scholar, discuss their research, and, as suitable, introduce the visiting scholar to other RIT faculty, staff, and students. The faculty host should also understand and be willing to ensure compliance with RIT policies associated with the visitor’s activities, such as laboratory safety, intellectual property, conflict of interest, and export control. During the appointment, they shall notify their academic unit head of any changes or concerns related to the visiting scholar appointment.

2. Academic Unit Head: The academic unit head shall facilitate the appointment process and access to any approved resources to ensure that visiting scholars can join the RIT community and carry out proposed scholarly or creative work. At a minimum, the academic unit shall ensure that a visiting scholar is provided with an RIT Computer Account and access to a workspace for the duration of their visit. In collaboration with the faculty host, the academic unit head is also responsible for assuring that the visiting scholar receives any relevant training and is provided with a copy of this policy, and a link to the RIT Policy Library. During the appointment, the academic unit head shall notify the dean of any changes or concerns related to the visiting scholar appointment.
3. Dean: The dean approves visiting scholars to be hosted by academic units in their college, following the procedures laid out in section V below. Deans may consult with the VP for Research and others to assess the risks and benefits associated with a proposed appointment. During the appointment, the dean will work in collaboration with the academic unit head and other RIT offices, as needed, to address any issues that might arise related to compliance with RIT policies and, if warranted, end a visiting scholar appointment. If the dean is also the faculty host, then, during the appointment, the dean shall consult with the provost regarding any changes or concerns related to the visiting scholar appointment.

1. Invitation Letter: In some situations, prospective visiting scholars may require an invitation letter from a faculty host and/or academic unit at RIT for purposes such as applying for external funding to financially support their visit. In these cases, the actual visit may be contingent on funding or external approvals or subject to other changes. Such a request shall undergo expedited review in order to issue an invitation letter. The prospective visiting scholar shall provide basic information about the proposed visit, including intended duration, timing, and anticipated activities and resource needs at RIT. This request will be jointly reviewed by the prospective faculty host and their academic unit head and dean within five (5) business days. If conditionally approved, an invitation letter will be provided. However, once the visiting scholar and faculty host are ready to plan the actual visit to RIT, they shall follow the procedures listed below to receive final approval.
2. Initial Consultation: The evaluation of an appointment under this policy begins with the prospective visiting scholar and faculty host discussing the nature of the visit, the timing and duration of the visit, the scholarly activities to be carried out while at RIT, and the resources needed for these activities as outlined in C.1 below. At this point, faculty hosts should also consult their academic unit head and dean’s office to assess if RIT and the academic unit have necessary resources and can make them available to support the proposed activities. Should these proposed activities directly involve any other faculty or staff, for example through the use of shared laboratory or office space or other facilities, they shall be identified to be asked for their support (see section V.C.2).
   If an academic unit head or a dean serve as faculty host, they shall follow established policies and procedures to avoid conflict of interest when approving department or college funds that benefit their own research or scholarly activities.
3. Application: The faculty host shall then submit the following to their academic unit head:
   1. An email requesting approval for appointment of the visiting scholar, stating support from the RIT faculty host and explaining the potential benefit to the hosting academic unit. The email shall specify the duration and timing of the visit, the planned scholarly activities during the visit, and all RIT resources that would be involved to support the visit. Such resources might relate to the planned activities, such as access to lab, studio, and computing facilities, or may relate to practical aspects of the visit, such as library, parking, building, and/or workspace access.
   2. Emailed communication of support from any other faculty or staff who were identified as being involved with activities associated with the visiting scholar appointment (see section V.B).
   3. A communication from the visiting scholar candidate confirming the intent of the visit, planned financial support, and confirming they will have their own health insurance for the duration of the visit.
   4. The candidate’s current CV.
4. Recommendation by Academic Unit Head: Within five (5) business days of the complete submission from the host (see section V.C), the faculty host’s academic unit head shall review this request and submit the following to their dean:
   1. An email summarizing their review of the planned visit and clearly stating whether they support the appointment.
   2. A copy of all documentation and communication provided by the faculty host (see section V.C). 
   3. If the faculty host is the academic unit head, the dean shall select a full professor from the academic unit to review the application and make a recommendation (see section V.D). If no full professors are available in the academic unit, the dean shall select another academic unit head from the college. If the faculty host is the dean, the head of the dean’s academic home unit reviews the application and makes a recommendation (see section V.D).
5. Appointment Decision by Dean: Within ten (10) business days of receiving the submission from the unit head (see section V.D), the dean shall review the documentation and notify the faculty host and academic unit head by email whether the appointment has been approved.
   1. If the appointment is approved, the notification shall specify the term, resources that will be made available to the visiting scholar, any other conditions of the appointment, and any requirements specific to the academic unit.
   2. If the appointment is not approved, the notification shall specify the reason(s) why it was not approved and whether concerns can be mitigated or negotiated in a resubmission.
   3. If the dean approves the appointment despite a negative recommendation of the academic unit head, the dean shall specify the reason(s) for overriding the academic unit head.
6. Notification and Visiting Scholar Agreement: If approved, the faculty host or suitable RIT representative shall notify the candidate of the appointment and provide the visitor with a visiting scholar agreement to be signed by the visiting scholar, faculty host, and academic unit head and dean. This agreement shall include: duration and timing of the visit, the planned scholarly activities during the visit, and all RIT resources that would be involved to support the visit (see sections V.C.1 and V.E.1). This document shall also set forth any requirements on the visiting scholar to comply with RIT policies.
7. Visiting Scholar Arrangements: In advance of the visiting scholar’s arrival, the academic unit head shall work with the faculty host to arrange for the approved resources, ensuring that visiting scholars can join the RIT community for the joint benefit of all parties. Academic units may refer to information provided by RIT Global on arrangements for hosting visiting scholars, as well as to information available from the International Student Services with regards to various types of visas that are appropriate for international visiting scholars. The day-to-day collaboration and communication between the faculty host and visiting scholar will be left at the discretion of these two parties to set up and ensure consistent and productive communication.
8. Appointment Terms: Typically, visiting scholar appointments are self-terminating terms of up to twelve months. However, visiting scholars and their faculty hosts may submit subsequent requests for additional term(s) by repeating the process above. Under specific circumstances, when it can be expected that making a subsequent request would be infeasible or detrimental to the planned activities, a longer-term appointment (up to 24 months) may be considered by the unit head and dean. The cumulative maximum term for a visiting scholar shall be 24 months.

Responsible Office:
Faculty Senate and Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Inquires may be directed to:
Faculty Senate - facultysenate@rit.edu 
Office of the Provost - academicaffairs@rit.edu

Effective Date:
Approved May 11, 1994

Policy History: 
Edited September 2010
Edited October 2010
Revised November 15, 2012 - Review process revised
Revised March 29, 2018 by Faculty Senate
Approved as an interim policy June 2018

Edited February 3, 2026 to update pronouns and correct grammar

Revisions (throughout) approved by Faculty Senate on April 16, 2026 and given final approval by the president on August 19, 2026 with some minor language changes approved by FSEC that do not impact the meaning or intent of the policy. Interim status also removed.