In the event of a direct conflict between this handbook and university, campus, and college policies and procedures, the university, campus, and college policies and procedures will control. A mentor relationship normally exists between the postdoctoral appointee and the faculty member or equivalent senior scholar. If the training and mentor aspects are missing, the postdoctoral title may not be appropriate. Appointments may not extend beyond five years past conferral of the doctoral degree. Exceptions for other reasons are rare.
Most postdoctoral appointees are university employees.
Funding sources for their appointments include grants and departmental funds. These appointees receive the health benefits for which visiting appointments are eligible. Since these postdoctoral appointees are university academic employees, APM policies apply for corrective action and dismissal, vacation and sick leave, and other actions. Some postdoctoral researchers receive funding from a granting agency. The granting agency provides the funding to the university, and the university issues stipend or fellowship payments to these postdoctoral appointees each month on behalf of the funding agency.