Additional Dept. Lists

Sign up to the list serv using your UT email to continue to receive departmental announcements.  Log into the UT List Serv at: https://utlists.utexas.edu/sympa and search for the department distribution list to request access.

Only UT emails will be approved for all list subscriptions. If you need an email list created, send an email to PhysicsABS@physics.utexas.edu and one will be created for you. 

• Faculty (T/TT) – includes tenured and tenure-track faculty members
• Faculty (adjunct) – includes adjunct faculty members
• Faculty (instructional) – includes instructional faculty members
• Faculty (research professors) – includes research professor faculty members
• Faculty (emeritus/retired) – includes emeritus and retired faculty members
• Physics Friends – includes alumni and affiliated faculty
• Advisory Council – includes members of the department Advisory Council
• Learning Assistants – list includes current department learning assistants

Email Policy

Email Policy

Physics communicates with its department members (faculty, staff, students, research staff) via their  official university email address in accordance with email policies set forth by the Provost Office and Information Technology Services (ITS).  Non-UT emails will be removed from department email distribution lists and you must update your Workday profile with your UT email and re-subscribe to departmental distribution lists.  

Visit this site to claim your UTmail.  To update your official address, visit UT Direct.

Policy References:

• Provost Office – University Email Policy
• Information Technology Services –  University Electronic Mail Student Notification Policy

Payment Processing

Payment Processing

• Email Dale Campbell your receipt/invoice and account to be charged. If you are a student or employee of a faculty member, the qualifying faculty member should provide their approval for the reimbursement or otherwise acknowledge the charges.
• Processing documents: travel (VP5), gift/cash deposits (VC1s), reimbursements (VPE), corrections (VT6), PBU, VP1s, VP2, and VP7s
• H1B1 Visa Fees
• Payee Information Form (PIF)

Domestic Travel

Refer to the General Information Travel Tab regarding processes. 

• Email and paper requests for an RTA will not be processed
• Submit your RTA using the Travel Authorization Request System, at minimum, two weeks prior to travel
• Questions or need assistance? Email: travel@physics.utexas.edu

Car Rentals

• A rental car is recommended for use with business-related travel. If you drive a personal vehicle, the vehicle owner - NOT THE UNIVERSITY – is liable for any injury or damage to your person, car, and any injury or damage to other vehicles, property, or persons outside your vehicle which may occur as a result of an accident.
• Rental car options which include insurance coverage: https://travel.utexas.edu/travelplanning/rentalcars
• If you are renting a car yourself for travel within Texas, you are required to fill out the Motor Vehicle Rental Tax Exemption Certificate.  Submit form to the rental company.

Travel within Texas

• Prior to traveling, if you are staying in a hotel and/or renting a car, you are required to fill out the following forms:
  • Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate
  • Motor Vehicle Rental Tax Exemption Certificate
  • You will provide the signed forms to the hotel and/or rental company. Contact, travel@physics.utexas.edu for an authorized signer of each form
• You will not be reimbursed if you are charged taxes within the state of Texas unless you use these forms when checking in/picking up your rental
• Reimbursements for travel to a Texas city for any county not listed in the federal rate tables are limited to actual expenses

Travel within the United States

• Effective 6/24/21: Domestic travel no longer requires Dean approval
• Air travel and rental cars may be booked using UT Contracted travel agencies or an online reservation tool (e.g., Expedia, Southwest)
• The university will not provide reimbursement without an exception from the CNS Dean for travel booked outside of the university’s contracted rental car and travel agencies.

International Travel

Refer to the General Information Travel Tab regarding processes.  Email and paper requests for an RTA will not be processed.

Plan Ahead!  Most international travel requires pre-approval to travel to a Restricted Region, refer to the list here.  This process requires a MINIMUM of 5 weeks PRIOR to date of travel.   

Faculty, research staff, students (grad and undergrad), and administrative staff are required to follow the steps below to successfully submit international travel requests.

• If your destination is not listed as a Restricted Region, complete steps #3 and #5.  

Step 1 - Complete Restricted Regions Form

• Graduate & Undergraduate students: complete the student restricted regions form
• Faculty, Research Staff, Admin Staff: complete the faculty/staff restricted regions form
• Forms must be typed, handwritten will not be accepted
• Email completed, unsigned form to travel@physics.utexas.edu.  The travel team will route for signatures including submitting to Texas Global for review and approval.

Step 2 - Register your trip and complete remaining steps outlined by Texas Global

• Graduate & Undergraduate students: review and complete steps 2-4 found on this link for student travel
• Faculty, Research Staff, Admin Staff: review and complete steps 3-5 found on this link for faculty/staff travel

Step 3 - Submit Travel Authorization (RTA) Request 

• All travelers must submit their RTA using the Travel Authorization Request System to allow the traveler to book airfare and/or car rentals.
• This step can be completing while awaiting approval of your restricted region form

Step 4 - Notify Travel Team of Restricted Region Decision by Texas Global

• All travelers are required to submit the approval memo from Texas Global with their decision to approval or deny your travel.  The memo is required as supporting documentation. 
• Questions regarding Texas Global's decision? Email: grs@austin.utexas.edu 

Step 5 - Traveler submits Export Controls form

• All travelers taking or shipping UT owned or personal technology is required to complete the Export Control form.
  • Export Control defines technology as: laptops, cell phones, hard drives, USB drives, etc.  Includes items purchased with university funds, sponsored/grants, and your personally purchased technology items.
• Email the completed form directly to David Ivey – Export Control Officer at ivey@austin.utexas.edu
• If approved, email signed form to travel@physics.utexas.edu for inclusion as supporting documentation for your RTA.
• Questions? Email David Ivey directly for clarification any issues/questions

Hiring Research Titles

All persons whose primary activities are to conduct research at The University of Texas at Austin (“University”) will be assigned an appropriate research title. These titles are for an employee in a professional position that normally holds a Ph.D.

The HR team will assist you with determining the appropriate research job profile, posting, and recruitment (if needed).  Please submit the Hiring Research Staff Request form at least 4 weeks in advance to the HR team.  

Each research position will have varying recruitment requirements, refer to each position in the table below for specifics:

Temporary Paid Research Positions

When an applicant is identified, provide the HR team their name and email.  The HR team is responsible for drafting the offer letter and assist the new hire with their visa (if applicable).

Regular Paid Research Positions

Hiring - Other

Hiring a Research Employee?

• Refer to the Hiring Research Titles tab for details.

Classified Employees

• Administrative and shops hiring is handled by Department Administration and Physics HR.

Graduate Student Employees

• Assignment process is coordinated on a semesterly basis with the Physics Graduate Program Administrator, Finance, HR teams and graduate supervisors.
• Each semester, graduate supervisors will be emailed to identify and request their graduate students be assigned as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA), Teaching Assistant (TA), fellowship, or graduating.
  • Graduate supervisors are provided financial obligations for a GRA assignment and deadlines.
  • Changes to student assignments submitted after the deadline must be approved by the Graduate Program Advisor.
• Physics HR team processes all student assignments in Workday and coordinates onboarding of new student employees.

Undergraduate Student Employees

• Undergraduate student positions include the following:
  • Academic job titles (Undergraduate Research Assistants or Learning Assistants) are limited to a maximum of 20-hours per week
    • Learning Assistants – refer to this link for process to request/hire an LA.
  • Non-academic job titles (Student Assistant or Lecture Demo) may work more than 20 hours per week
  • Work-Study employees must provide proof of work study award and are limited to 19 hours per week
• Physics HR team processes all student assignments in Workday and coordinates onboarding of new student employees
• Timesheets must be submitted weekly in order to be paid (semi-monthly)
• Eligibility: students must be enrolled in 12-hours per semester; exception may be approved for students in their final semester
• Background Checks: new student employees must pass a background check prior to starting their position with Physics. Please allow up to 2-weeks for the background check to clear
• To request an undergraduate student hire, email the Physics HR team:
  • Position title (URA, Student Assistant, etc.)
  • 10-digit account paying for their salary
  • Student’s name, EID, and their UT email
  • Number of hours student will work per week
  • Hourly pay rate
  • Start date and duration (end date)

New Hire Tasks

Information for New Hires

• Timesheets – all employees in a monthly or hourly job are required to complete timesheets in Workday.

• Exception:  Faculty, TA, GRA and Assistant Instructors
• Instructions on completing timesheets can be found here.  

• UT Email Policy– all UT Austin students and employees are required to use a UT email address as their primary work email. Please follow these instructions to claim and login to your UT Email.

• Student Employee Resources

• New Student Employee Checklist
• Physics Department Graduate Student Resources
• Graduate School Academic Employment

• Research Employee Resources:

• Postdoctoral Fellow Handbook
• New Employee Checklist
• Benefits Information

• Staff Employee Resources:

• New Employee Checklist
• Benefits Information

New Hire Tasks to Complete – Day 1

• Set up Duo – UT requires Duo authentication to access our systems and applications. Visit Duo Set Up, login with your UT EID and password to begin.
• Upgrade your EID Upgrade and obtain your UT ID Card –instructions to upgrade your EID and obtain your physical UT employee ID care are available on the ID Center’s service page.
• Log in to Workday using your UT EID and password. Click on the welcome message or go to the upper right corner of the page and click on your inbox.  Here you can:
  • Update your personal information
  • Complete required new-hire forms.
  • Complete Section 1 of Form I-9 Authorization to Work – no later than first day of work. You will need provide original documents from this List of Acceptable Documents.
• Attend PN 1000 – New Employee Welcome & Orientation (NEWO) – NEWO is hosted by UT Human Resources (HR) and provides you a comprehensive introduction to employment and benefits. Go to UTLearn using your UT EID and password.

New Hire Tasks to Complete – Week 1

• All employees are required to complete the following training modules within their first week:
  • Intro to the Compliance & Ethics Program
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
  • Information Security Awareness
  • Title IX Basics (sign up for a class within the first week)
• Go to UTLearn to access these training modules

Leaving UT/Physics?

Supervisors should notify Physics HR team as soon as they become aware of a resignation or retirement.  The supervisior must respond acknowledging resignation or retirement.  Physics HR team will coordinate the separation process with employee, supervisor, and Executive Assistant or Center Admin.

Retiring?

• Refer to UT’s Retired Employee site and follow all the necessary steps to retire from the University.  Send an email to your supervisor and Physics HR team informing them of your retirement and provide your last day of work.  The supervisor must accept your retirement date with an email response to the employee and Physics HR Team.

Resigning?

• Employees will need to submit a letter or email to their supervisor resigning their position and include their last day of work
• Supervisor must accept their resignation by email and courtesy copy hr@physics.utexas.edu in this correspondence
• Employees must complete all timesheets by end of the day on their last day of work
• Executive Assistant or Center Admin will coordinate all remaining off-boarding tasks
  • Research Exit Checklist
  • A&P–Admin and Classified

Undergraduate Student Employees

• Student employees who lose eligibility may not continue to work. Physics HR will notify supervisor and employee of loss of eligibility and end assignment.

Graduate Student Employees

• Physics HR is notified by the Graduate Coordinator of students who will be graduating each semester.
• If they have questions regarding, last day of work, final paycheck, benefits, etc., they can email hr@physics.utexas.edu prior to the end of their final semester.

Visitors

Visiting Researchers and Scholars

Designed as Research Affiliates and collaborate with faculty and research scientists.  Research Affiliates can be granted privileges that allow them access to University of Texas at Austin libraries, buildings, offices, and/or labs during their collaboration.  If you have invited a visiting researcher, the HR Team will work with you establish their assignment in Workday. 

To get this process started: 

• Email hr@physics.utexas.edu with their name, dates of visit and a brief description of research collaboration
• Have the visitor complete the Visiting Researcher Scholar Form
• Submit requests, at minimum, three weeks in advance to provide sufficient processing time
  • If your visitor is international and requires a visa, you must provide two-months advance notice. HR team is not responsible for delays with governmental offices in processing visas.

Resources: 

Additional information on Visiting Researcher/Scholars can be found on the VPR website.  

Guest Speakers, Symposium Guests, or Short-Term Visitors

Guests who do not need access to libraries, research labs or other privileges do not need an assignment in Workday.  HR does not need to be notified of these visitors.   

If the guest will be paid an honorarium, refer to the Travel Policies and contact the Physics Travel Team at travel@physics.utexas.edu for assistance.

Visas

Visa holders should give the HR Team at least 120 days’ notice before expiration of a Visa.  Failure to adhere to this timeline may result in the inability of Visa holders to work if the new or renewed Visa is not received prior to the original Visa’s expiration date. 

Please be advised that initiation of Visa requests is the responsibility of the individual named on the Visa, not that of the individual’s supervisor or the department.

Pre-award

Pre-award

• Proposal development support includes collaboration between the C&G team with PI to:
  • create detailed budgets & budget justifications;
  • draft, format and copy/edit proposal documents;
  • review proposals for compliance with sponsor, federal, state, local and university guidelines and regulations;
  • create electronic proposal review form;
  • upload proposal application packages to online sponsor interfaces; as well as ensure accurate and timely submission

• The C&G team will assist with the following pre-award activities:
  • Request PI status with OSP
  • Provide guidance for corrections when proposals do not meet criteria
  • Identify and email timelines to PIs
  • Liaise with the Office of Sponsored Projects and other research support offices on campus

• Principal Investigators are responsible for the following pre-award activities:
  • If your center has a dedicated admin, the center admin will provide the C&G team the following information when requested: CVs, Biosketches, Current and Pending Listings, Publications
    • If your center does not have a dedicated admin, the PI is responsible for providing the information.
  • PIs are responsible for ensuring their Current and Pending documents are accurate and complies with sponsor specific formats and requirements
    
  • PIs are responsible for ensuring to meet deadline & information requests
  • PIs are responsible for submitting their Financial Conflict of Interest and UT System’s Outside Activity portal in accordance to applicable handbook of operating procedures 5-2011 and 7-1210.
  • PIs are responsible for identifying direct costs, describing duties of personnel, writing Statements of Work, and identifying deliverables
    • Examples of direct costs include effort, travel, M&O, equipment and fabrication, tuition
  • Direct Cost Considerations
    • Computer/laptops must be essential, justified, and allocated proportionally to its use on the project
    • General office supplies are unallowable
    • Fabrication line items must meet institutional and federal requirements

Post-award

Post-award

• C&G team and PI will collaborate on the following closeout activities:
  • Verify expenditures are correct prior to expiration of award
  • Ensure equipment fabrication assets are completed and tagged

• The C&G team will assist with the following post-award activities:
  • PI updates/changes
  • Assist with PI/Award transfers
  • Budget transfers to clear overdrafts
  • Process corrections to remove incorrect or unallowable charges
  • Credit requests, No-cost extension requests
  • Address various sponsor requests for information and assistance

• Principal Investigators are responsible for the following post-award activities:
  • Completing Salary Compensation Reports
  • Technical progress/performance/ close-out reports required by Sponsor

Reporting

Reporting Team

• Primary contact: Christopher Carpenter – Sr. Financial Analyst

• Back-up: Virginia Hoskins – Assistant Director

• Send all questions or requests for assistance to: financials@physics.utexas.edu
  • Group email is monitored by the Reporting Team to ensure coverage, do not email staff individually 

Reporting team will assist with the following activities for grant and non-grant accounts:

• Processing salary updates or corrections in Workday (salary/cost allocations)
• Assistance with budget projections assistance, grant close-out reporting, and spend plan reports
• Ad-hoc reporting
• Semesterly graduate student assignments (Fall, Spring, Summer), faculty summer non-teaching assignments; and research staff assignments
• Process corrections to expenses including corrections to salaries for Salary Compensation Reports
• Audit & expense compliance verification