Job Aid: Recommendation Form

Purpose:  Generate a postdoctoral appointment offer letter

Confidentiality: Web forms are part of Student Records. Do not enter confidential or sensitive information.

Processing Timelines:

• U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and F1 OPT visa holders: 5-7 business days in advance of the requested appointment start date
• J-1 scholars / DS-2019 holders: A minimum 8 weeks (9-10 weeks preferred) is required for DS-2019 processing in advance of the requested appointment/visa start date
• H-1B visa holders: 3-4 months with premium processing in advance of the requested appointment/visa start date (requires premium processing fee)

Recommendation forms submitted with insufficient proof of doctoral degree or incomplete supporting documents will result in processing delays in the timeframes noted.

To Create a Recommendation Form:

• In AXESS:  click the OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoctoral Administrative Forms > Recommendation Form
• Click “Add” (leave search fields blank)

Recommendation form data entry

• POSTDOC TRANSACTION DETAILS BOX

  • Select Postdoc Information Sheet (Data Form) field:  Click the magnifying glass to "Look Up" the data form

    • Enter the postdoc candidate first and last names, click “Look Up”

    • From Search Results, click the postdoc candidate's name

    • The Transaction Details Box is populated

  • Postdoctoral Request Type field:  Click on the dropdown menu arrow and select “Clinical” or “Research” type, as appropriate to your postdoc candidate

    • Appointee Information, Department Applied, and Education Details Boxes are populated from the approved data form

      • Postdoc admin must check the accuracy of the pre-populated information

  • Is this request for Department Transfer field:  Defaults to “No”

    • If the postdoc candidate is transferring to your department from another Stanford postdoc appointment, click the drop down arrow and select “Yes”

    • It is important to coordinate the transfer start date with the transferring department to comply with visa policies, ensure continuation of pay, benefits, and ID Card privileges, and to avoid a gap in dates from the end date to the new start date

• TRANSACTION DETAILS LINKS
  • Offer Letter link:  enter all appointment information and click “Save” to review the offer letter
    • Review all areas highlighted in yellow to ensure the data you entered is grammatically correct, include proper punctuation, and flows with the other text of the letter
  • View Data Form link:  return to the data form, if needed
• ACADEMIC INFORMATION BOX
  • Academic Career field:  Click the magnifying glass
    • Click “Look Up"
    • Click the appropriate career (GR or MED)
  • Academic Program field:  Click the magnifying glass
    • Click “Look Up”
    • Click on the appropriate Academic Program Description (must use Academic Program of the faculty sponsor)
  • Academic Plan field:  Click on the magnifying glass
    • Click “Look Up”
    • Click on the Academic Program Plan Description (search results will be blank if Academic Program field is blank)
  • Academic Sub-Plan field:  For School of Medicine only
    • If the program has a sub-plan, repeat the same steps above to enter a sub-plan
  • Other Stanford Affiliation field:  Non-degree granting programs only (Independent Labs, SLAC, BioDesign, etc.,) use this field
    • Click on the magnifying glass
    • Click “Look Up”
    • Click the appropriate unit affiliation
• APPOINTMENT INFORMATION BOX
  • Area of Research/Training - Position Description field:
    • Enter a brief job description that will complete the sentence that begins “During this appointment you will be involved in…”
      • DO NOT CAPITALIZE the first word of your entered text (as it populates the offer letter in mid-sentence)
      • DO NOT ENTER A PERIOD at the end of your text (as it is hard-coded in the offer letter text)
  • Appointment Start Date field:  Enter the requested appointment start date, if not pre-populated from the invite
  • Appointment End Date field:  Enter the requested appointment end date, if not pre-populated from the invite
  • Offer Letter Date field:  Enter the preferred date of issue of the offer letter
  • Will the postdoc conduct research outside of Stanford campus field:  Defaults to “No”
    • If “Yes,” please enter the research location(s) and travel dates
  • Will the postdoc work in a laboratory field:  Defaults to “No”
    • If “Yes,” click yes and complete the follow up question
  • Is this a joint appointment Instructor/Clinical Instructor field:  Defaults to “No”
    • If “Yes,” click yes and complete two follow up questions
• PRIOR RESEARCH EXPERIENCE BOX (displays only for Request Type: Research)
  • Admin Explanation field:  If a discount is applied or a correction is made (see below), please enter an explanation
  • Research experience since last doctoral degree:  Research experience is pre-populated based on work experience entered in the data form by the postdoc candidate
    • CAREFULLY REVIEW the CV and compare to the pre-populated number to ensure the correct number of months of research experience is displayed
      • For calculation help, visit the calculating research experience page
    • Research Experience noted by department field:
      • If the pre-populated research experience is correct, re-enter that same number in this field
      • If the pre-populated research experience is incorrect or discounted, enter the correct number of research months and provide an explanation 
  • If postdoc is an MD will they have patient contact field:  Defaults to “No”
    • If “yes” click yes and complete the Additional Information regarding Patient Contact field
  • Additional Information regarding Patient Contact field:  SOM only:  complete if postdoc candidate will have patient contact
  • Additional details are in the offer letter field:  Text entered here creates a new paragraph(s) in the offer letter
• FUNDING DETAILS BOX
  • Funding Description field(s):
    • Funding types are Salary, Stipend/Fellowship, or Outside Support
    • Enter the name of the funding source for each funding type that will be paid
    • The text entered in each description field will populate the funding sentence of the offer letter as the source(s) of funding
      • If no funds are paid from a particular salary type, LEAVE THAT DESCRIPTION FIELD BLANK
        • Do not enter “None” or “N/A” as that text will display in the funding sentence of the offer letter
  • Amount fields:
    • Enter the funding amount(s), ensuring that the total (or combined total) meets or exceeds the Required Salary listed
    • If funding data is entered in the Outside Support field, a copy of the outside funding letter must be uploaded
      • Outside funding letters must provide an award start and end date and a specific funding amount
      • Funds must be stated in U.S. dollars, or upload a currency conversion
      • Outside support must be entered in GFS as Outside Funding lines
      • Departmental quarterly review of currency exchange rate is required to ensure funding does not fall below the required minimum in any given quarter
      • Outside funding must be supplemented by department funds when exchange rate fluctuations result in funding falling below the required minimum in any given quarter

• VISA DETAILS BOX (For international scholars only): Click the drop down arrow and select the visa type the postdoc candidate will hold
• SPONSOR INFORMATION BOX (displays only for Request Type: Clinical)
  • Post Graduate Year field: Click the drop down arrow and select the appropriate PGY
  • Questions with Radio Buttons:  Select the relevant answer 
• POLICY EXCEPTIONS BOX
  • ​The recommendation form is programmed to find data that may not meet postdoc policy
  • A warning message will display to indicate that further review is needed for any data found not meeting postdoc policy
  • Postdoc admin may select any of the following policy exception request types and enter detailed responses to each of the five questions that support the policy exception request
    • Conditional DS-2019 approval in advance of the appointment approval
      • NOTE:  OPA will NOT conditionally approve a DS-2019 when the doctoral degree institution has an extended doctoral thesis evaluation process (3+ months). In these cases you can:
        • Delay the appointment start date until proof of degree is uploaded, or
        • Appoint as a Visiting Student Researcher until proof of degree is uploaded
      • Purpose:  Starts the 8 week DS-2019 processing clock while awaiting proof of degree from the doctoral institution
      • Supporting web forms and document(s):
        • Recommendation web form
        • DS-2019 web form
        • Uploaded letter of progress toward degree issued by the doctoral institution
    • Short-term ( < 9 months) appointment (for Stanford PhD grads only)
      • Purpose:  Provides Stanford PhD graduates a university affiliation to bridge a short gap to a new position elsewhere
      • Supporting web forms and document(s):
        • Recommendation web form
        • If international: DS-2019 web form or other proof of valid work status
    • Appointment approval 3+ years (PhD) or 6+ years (MD) after doctoral degree conferral
      • Purpose:  Allows training for postdocs whose doctoral degree was conferred 3+ years ago, or MD was conferred 6+ years ago
      • Supporting web forms and document(s):
        • Recommendation web form
          • Accurate research experience calculation with no more than 51 months of previous research experience at start of Stanford appointment
          • Current CV
        • If international: DS-2019 web form or other proof of valid work status
    • Other Policy Exception (request a policy exception based on a postdoc candidate's specific circumstances)
      • Purpose:  OPA review of other circumstances that may justify a policy exception
      • Supporting web forms and document(s):
        • Recommendation form
          • Upload any relevant document(s) that support the reason for the request
        • If international: DS-2019 web form or other proof of valid work status
• SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS BOX
  • The Supporting Documents box displays a list of required documents that must be uploaded for submission to OPA for review
• ​DOCUMENT TYPE / UPLOAD FILE
  • NEW!Until the recommendation form is approved by OPA, the postdoc candidate may return to SecurePortal to upload documents not in hand when the data form was submitted
  • NEW! Postdoc admin may upload documents directly in the recommendation form
  • PDF is the only compatible document file type; incompatible file types such as JPEG, PNG, DOCX, will not open and must be uploaded again in PDF
    • ​Document Type dropdown menu:  Select the document type being uploaded
      • Click "Upload File"
      • Click "Choose File" to select the document from your hard drive; click "upload"
      • Confirm the document title displays in the Attachments box; click "View File" to confirm document opens
• ATTACHMENTS BOX
  • Review all uploaded documents by clicking "View File"
  • Compare the Supporting Documents list to the Attachments "Document Type" column
    • All Supporting Documents listed must appear as that document "type" in the Attachments box (missing document "types" will trigger an error message)
      • ​e.g., if the Supporting Documents list says CV and proof of doctoral degree, then the Attachments box must show uploaded document "types" for both CV and proof of doctoral degree
      • A CV categorized as an "Other document" rather than as a "CV" will trigger an error message; a new CV must be typed as a "CV" and uploaded to Attachments to remove the error 
  • Postdoc admin uploads additional documents (as applicable):
    • Any required documents not uploaded to the data form by the postdoc candidate
    • Currency conversion printout (when outside funding is paid in foreign currency)
    • Outside-funded benefits coverage approval email (if applicable)
    • Clinical appts only:  Patient Care form; signed Clinical Scholar letter
  • International scholars must include:
    • Passport:  Postdoc candidate uploads a copy of the bio-demographic page (with picture)
    • J-1 visa holders:  Postdoc admin submits a DS-2019 request web form
    • F1 OPT visa holders:  Postdoc candidate uploads a copy of EAD card (application/receipt if card is not yet issued)
    • H-1B visa holders:  Postdoc candidate uploads a copy of the most recent I-797
    • Permanent Residents:  Postdoc candidate uploads a copy of the permanent resident (green) card
    • J-1 visa sponsored by other institution:  Postdoc candidate uploads a copy of the current DS-2019 AT issued by the other institution
• PREVIEW AND CERTIFICATION BOX
  • Click “Save” and then click “Preview Offer Letter”
  • Review the offer letter for punctuation, grammar, and any text you entered
  • Click the Certification Box to confirm you have reviewed the offer letter text
  • Click “Submit"

“HOLD” Recommendation Form While Awaiting Final Proof of Degree:

• Begin the appointment process by sending the invite
• After review, if all else is in order on the data form, approve it without proof of degree
• Create and submit the recommendation form for department manager approval to generate the offer letter for postdoc acceptance
• Postdoc admin will be unable to submit the form to OPA until proof of degree is uploaded

Search for a Saved or Submitted Recommendation Form:

• In AXESS:  click the OPA/Bechtel tab > Postdoc > Postdoc Administrative Forms
  • Click the “Recommendation Form” radio button
  • To search for all recommendation forms, click “Search”
• To search for a specific recommendation form:
  • In the search criteria fields, enter the postdoc’s first and last names, and click “Search”
  • From the Search Results, click the Transaction ID of the recommendation form

After Postdoc Admin Submission of Recommendation Form:

• The recommendation form routes to the next approver, e.g., department manager/DFA
• After DFA/department manager approval, the postdoc candidate receives an email with instructions for accepting the offer letter
• The Postdoc admin receives an email to return to workflow to verify the recommendation form
• The postdoc admin's "Approve" button is disabled until the postdoc accepts the offer letter
• After the postdoc admin verifies and approves the recommendation form, it routes to OPA

Search for a Student ID:

Please allow 24-48 hours (longer during high volume times) for Student IDs to be created after appointment approval

If you do not have access to PeopleSoft or GFS to search for a Student ID, use this method:

• In AXESS:  click the OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoctoral Administrative Forms
• Click the "Change Transactions" button
• Click "Add"
• Click the magnifying glass to the right of the Student ID field
• In the Look Up box, enter the postdoc’s first and last names
• Click "Look Up"
• The student ID is displayed in the Search Results
• Write down (or copy and paste) the ID number
• Exit the look up box
• Exit the change form without saving or submitting

Return a Recommendation Form to Yourself for Editing (must be pending your final review before submitting to OPA):

• In AXESS:  click OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Visit Workflow Home Page
• In the Work Flow Transaction list, click "My Approvals"
• In the Activity list, click on PD-REC-SHEET-PD-INTRNTNL or PD-REC-SHEET-PD-CTZN
• Scroll to find the recommendation form transaction
• Click on the postdoc candidate name to open the recommendation form
• Scroll to the Approve – Return - Decline buttons
• Click “Return” to return the recommendation form to yourself for editing
• Exit OPA/Bechtel Center workflow

Then:

• In AXESS:  click OPA/Bechtel Center tab > Postdoc > Postdoc Administrative Forms
• Click on the "Recommendation Form" button
• Enter the postdoc candidate's first and last names in the corresponding search fields
• Click on the postdoc candidate name in the search results to open the editable recommendation form
• Edit the recommendation form and resubmit to workflow
• The full approval process repeats, including postdoc candidate acceptance of the revised offer letter

Rejected Offer Letter Return to Workflow:

• When a postdoc candidate rejects the offer letter, the recommendation form returns to the Admin Verify role in workflow
• Postdoc admin will follow the instructions above to return the recommendation form to him/herself 

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