Purpose
To establish a common procedure for inviting and hosting international scholars and/or creative artists visiting Penn State Harrisburg, the Capital College.
Introduction
The Capital College welcomes international guests to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the college and its many communities. Such visits can contribute significantly to the college and university goals of increasing international understanding, fostering the appreciation of creativity and artistic expression, facilitating the exploration of the social/political history of other nations, and encouraging respect for the culture of other countries.
Penn State AC01 Visiting Scholars policy states that Visiting Scholar designations are for a maximum period of one year. The following guidelines apply to visiting scholars present for fourteen consecutive days or more.
These guidelines establish the basic procedures all Schools and administrative units must use before, during, and after the visit of an international guest.
The Provost and Dean have the primary responsibility for ensuring that all university policies and applicable federal laws are observed.
Guidelines
The following actions must be initiated by the academic or administrative unit serving as the host for an international scholar or creative artist at Penn State Harrisburg prior to extending an invitation. No invitation will be processed without the written approval of the School Director or supervisor of an administrative unit and the Office of the Chancellor and Dean or Designee (Designee will be the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs).
- Faculty/staff seeking to invite an international scholar to the College must discuss the invitation with the School Director before contacting the Capital College’s Global Engagement Office. The faculty/staff member must submit a written proposal, which must contain the following information:
- A memo from the school or administrative director; indicating approval of the proposal
- The name of the exempt staff or faculty member who will serve as the scholar’s individual host.” Since the scholar is being invited by Penn State Capital College, the “administrative host” (e.g., school or unit) has a responsibility to ensure that someone is assigned as the “individual host” to coordinate the scholar’s arrival, housing and orientation to Penn State Capital College;
- Scholar’s name and short vita;
- Dates of proposed visit;
- Scholar’s activities and duties (lectures, classes, community meeting, workshops, etc.);
- Source(s) of funding;
- Payment of an honorarium (yes, no) and the amount;
- Reimbursement of expenses (up to what limit);
- Travel and lodging arrangements;
- Identification of spouse/companion and/or children accompanying the scholar. If the visitor is accompanied by other guests, the school or administrative unit must indicate who is paying the expenses for those other guests;
- Determination of whether the scholar has a U.S. Social Security Number. If yes, what is the SSN?; and
- Availability of health insurance for the scholar (and family). Health insurance is mandatory for invited international guests of the Capital College
- The Global Engagement Office will review the proposal, make a preliminary determination of the proposed scholar’s visa eligibility and forward a recommendation concerning the proposal to the Office of the Chancellor and Dean Designee.
- Upon approval of the proposal by the Office of the Chancellor and Dean (Designee), the Global Engagement Office will work with individual and administrative hosts to extend an invitation to the scholar following the Penn State University guidelines. Procedural guidelines provided in the appendix material, and key information provided in web sites below:
- Visiting Scholars at Penn State
- Visiting Scholars Host Guidelines
- iStart (secure immigration management system)
- J-1 Scholar Advising Training Materials
- If Scholar requests J1 visa, confirm that scholar has received funding. Do not move forward with request until the scholar has confirmed their funding source and awarded amount if not self-funded. Domestic scholars do not need to provide proof of funding. Must also have approval from scholar host and school or administrative unit head.) Visiting Scholars are governed by policy AC01, and overseen by the Office for Faculty Affairs (OFA)
- If scholar is not seeking J1 Visa, you may skip all instructions for iStart/Global Programs
- For Fulbright scholars a separate process is used. Contact the Fulbright office in Penn State Global, [email protected].
4. Receiving the scholar:
- Upon the scholar’s arrival, the “Individual Host” is responsible for meeting and transporting the Scholar to their lodging and to and from the campus;
- During the first business day following the scholar’s arrival, the scholar and the “Individual Host” must meet with Penn State Harrisburg Global Engagement Office for a “Check-In” session to discuss the scholar’s arrangements and schedule; and
- Within the same time period, the scholar and the “Individual Host” must visit the Office of Human Resources to complete appropriate forms.
Approved: Academic Council July 9, 2002
Approved: Dean July 9, 2002
Revised: Academic Council April 8, 2009
Revised and Approved by Academic Council May 8, 2025; corrected on 9-11-25 based on changes in University Policy and procedures with the consent of the Academic Council