UCARE Program Student Handbook for 2012-2013

Contents

bulletWelcome to the UCARE program

Congratulations on receiving funding through the UCARE program! We're delighted to begin working with you.  We hope this brief overview of how UCARE works will be helpful to you as you get started.


bulletUCARE Program Description

UCARE provides funding for undergraduates to participate in the research and/or creative activities of the faculty and in projects under the direction of a faculty sponsor. UCARE is organized as a two-year program. During the first year, the student works as a research assistant for a faculty member on the faculty member's ongoing research or creative activity project(s). During this first year, the student engages in "learning by doing" -- learning why and how the faculty member does research and creative activities by assisting the faculty member in completing research tasks. The student may learn such skills as how to conduct library literature reviews, code or retrieve data, work in a research laboratory, undertake research techniques specific to a project or discipline, assist with an experiment, work in a studio, and so on.

In the second year, the student advances to a project proposed by the student and sponsored by the faculty mentor with whom the student worked during the first year. Ordinarily it is expected that the project will be an extension of or related to the student's first year UCARE experience, but the key factor is that the faculty member sponsors and serves as a mentor for the project, which the student will have primary responsibility for completing.

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bullet Expectations of All UCARE Students

Updates on all Information

Keep the UCARE office updated as to your telephone number and email address. There are times during the year when we need to contact you with reminders of deadlines, events, and other information pertinent to your experience. 

UCARE Website

  • UCARE's website is updated frequently. This is another area where information will be posted and you should check it periodically.

If you find that you can't participate

  • Students: Notify the Director of Undergraduate Research immediately if something comes up and you can no longer participate in the UCARE program.

Participation in UCARE supported events

  • Attend UCARE events. The UCARE Fall Kick-off, informal get-togethers, and the Undergraduate Research Conference in the spring are examples of such events.

Program Assessment

  • During the spring semester, you'll receive an email request to complete an assessment of the UCARE Program.  We're interested in learning more about how the UCARE Program has helped you develop your research skills and if the Program has influced your post graduation plans. Please complete and submit this questionnaire.

Publicity

  • In order to advertise and support the program and to seek additional funding, we may occasionally call upon you for publicity purposes. We hope that you will actively participate and welcome the media attention should the occasion arise. At times, we may request pictures of you and/or your projects in order to enhance our web pages.
  • When possible, please acknowledge the UCARE Program at all formal presentations and in any publications resulting from the support provided you through the UCARE Program.

Reminders

  • A successful UCARE partnership begins with open communication between you and your faculty sponsor. Make time iin your schedule to be responsible research assistants. If you have a problem that cannot be resolved as a result of talking with your faculty sponsor, please contact the UCARE Office for additional assistance.

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Research Compliance

  • All UCARE students are required to complete the online “Responsible Conduct in Research” (RCR) training module offered through the Office of Research and Economic Development.  The training program can be accessed through Blackboard (it should be listed as a "course" in your Course Listing.)  

    The training doesn’t demand a lot of time—only about one hour to complete. It covers seven topics of RCR that apply to all student researchers.   You'll receive a completion certificate when you've finished.

  • All research involving human subjects at or associated with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) before research can proceed. Human research includes everything from surveys to physical testing. Any human research that is conducted without IRB approval can place the University, its faculty, staff, students and human research participants in jeopardy. Further information can be accessed from the Research Responsibility website.

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bulletREQUIREMENTS FOR UCARE STUDENTS

Research

UCARE students are expected to work an average of 6-10 hours/week on their research projects and to establish regular working hours. The faculty sponsor in consultation with the student determines the hours.

Academic Credit

In some cases it may be possible and appropriate for the student to receive course credit (e.g., under internship or independent study course numbers) for the work being done. All such arrangements should be worked out between the student and his or her faculty sponsor, subject to the department's and college's rules and expectations.

Updates on all Information

If your telephone number and/or email address changes, let us know. There are times during the year when the UCARE Office may need to contact students with reminders of deadlines, events, and other information pertinent to their experience. 

UCARE Website

The UCARE website is updated frequently. This is another area where information is posted and it should be checked periodically.


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bulletExpectations for Second Year UCARE Students

  • You must reapply if you want a second year of funding. There is a separate YEAR 2 application form and applications for the second year are due at the same time as the new applications.  

  • Your responsibilities to the program are essentially the same as for first year students, with the addition of mandatory participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference in the spring.

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bulletHow to get paid

 

Payment Schedule

  • There is essentially one source of funding for UCARE, "Pepsi" funds," which runs on an extended academic year (funds are available from JUNE 1 until JULY 31 of the next year).
  • UCARE Research Assistants are paid $8.00 per hour. During the school year, it is suggested that the student work no more than 10 hours per week. During the summer, the number of hours worked can be more flexible.

  • IMPORTANT: If at the end of the academic year any of your UCARE money is still remaining, that amount will be returned to the UCARE Office. There is no rolling over of funds allowed from one Academic Year to the next.
  • You must have a United States Social Security Number to be paid for work completed.

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Departmental Contacts

  • Students need to visit their departmental office and meet the financial support staff well before they start working and expect to get paid. Be forewarned there can be a delay between the time that you fill out paperwork and actually get on the payroll.

  • In each department there is a financial support staff person who handles payroll for that department. (There is a list on the UCARE website: Financial Contacts.) Students need to meet with the support staff and fill out appropriate paperwork in order to be paid: Personnel Action Forms (PAFs), W-4, I-9, and direct deposit. Please bring the award letter that states the amount of the UCARE award, a picture ID, and your social security card to your departmental contact. (If you have been on the payroll at UNL before, it is important to tell the departmental contact. Much of the standard paperwork has already been done.)

  • Departments pay UCARE students as regular student workers. Students need to fill out time cards weekly that are signed by the faculty sponsor and are paid biweekly. UCARE money is considered income by the Federal Government.
  • Note: If you are a “second year student” working on an independent project, you will still need to fill out weekly time cards and be paid by payroll.

  • FICA: Students during the school year will not be charged FICA expenses by payroll as you should be a full-time student, but during the summer, FICA will be charged if you are not a full-time student. FICA expenses cannot be in addition to the original UCARE award amount, so either FICA should be deducted from the award or separately taken out of the departmental accounts.

  • Students: You should keep careful track of the hours you work. It is very easy to let this bookkeeping slide, but you must be diligent. This is how you get paid!
    • Note: If you are employed elsewhere at the University, you must keep your combined hours to fewer than 40 hours per week.
  • Important: IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU HAND IN TIME CARDS WEEKLY. The office must see financial activity on your account in the payroll system, or you and your faculty sponsor will be contacted. Failure to do so could result in the loss or in the reduction of your UCARE funds. (Please see the agreement form, item #1.)

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Other Expenses

  • There are no additional funds available.
  • The Maximum UCARE Award is $2400. Any other expenses students may have for their research must come out of the original award.

  • You can set up with your department to take minimal funds from the UCARE award for expenses; that will just decrease the amount that you will have available to be paid. You can also set up reimbursement for travel funds. Again these funds will have to come out of the original UCARE grant; they cannot be additional expenditures charged to the UCARE program.  PLEASE NOTE: The maximum travel and/or pre-purchase expense is $400.00.

    • Please do not buy equipment with your UCARE funding. If equipment is purchased, it will belong to the UCARE office, and not to the individual student or the department. This is in compliance with University policy.

  • There are two forms that address these other expenses: the UCARE Student Pre-Purchase Approval and the UCARE Pre-trip Request. They can be found online on the UCARE website:

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The process for reimbursement on Pre-Purchase and Pre-Trip Request forms is as follows:

  1. Estimate your expenses on the pre-purchase approval or the pre-trip request, sign the form and have your faculty sponsor sign the form.
  2. Submit the form to the UCARE Office for approval. 
  3. The UCARE Office will then email the approved form to your financial contact and faculty member in your department. 
  4. When you purchase your materials, save the receipts and then submit them to your department for reimbursement (unless other purchasing arrangements have been made within the department).

 


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