VOLUNTEER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER PROTOCOL

Register an Undergraduate Research Volunteer Here

Penn State strongly encourages that undergraduate students who are working on research with a faculty member, graduate student, or post-doctoral scholar to be either enrolled in a specific course through which the student receives academic credit for those efforts, or be paid for their work as an intern, lab assistant, co-researcher, or other similar roles. 

The university acknowledges that not all undergraduate researchers can be paid or enrolled in credit-bearing courses and that some students will want to volunteer as a researcher to gain valuable experience. In those situations, units should put in place appropriate structures and parameters to promote positive experiences for both the volunteer and their supervisor(s). 

This protocol applies to all volunteer undergraduate researchers engaged by all colleges, campuses, schools, departments, and units at Penn State. Officially, an undergraduate is someone who has a career designation as undergraduate in the Student Information System (SIS, currently LionPath) at Penn State. Only undergraduate students enrolled in credit-bearing courses during the fall and spring semesters are eligible to serve as volunteer undergraduate researchers during those semesters.  Students who were registered in either the fall or spring immediately prior to the summer are eligible to serve in the summer.

This procedure is intended to clarify expectations for volunteers and their supervisors and to establish a process by which the university may track this engagement to accurately report participation to internal and external audiences.

Volunteer undergraduate researchers do not have an employment relationship with the University on any grounds or for any reason, are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act or Pennsylvania wage laws, and are not eligible for any University benefits, including Workers’ Compensation.  Students cannot and will not be paid retroactively for work completed as a volunteer.  At all times, the University has the discretion to select volunteers or end the volunteer agreement (see below).

General Parameters and Definitions

• Volunteer undergraduate researchers are students who do not receive academic credit and are not paid for their efforts and time.

• The amount of time a student spends volunteering for research should be reasonable and commensurate with other demands on their time. 

• Volunteer undergraduate researchers should have assigned duties that are not identical to those in paid positions and should not be responsible for highly sensitive or risky procedures.
• Volunteer undergraduate researchers are not eligible for any University benefits, including Workers’ Compensation.
• A university employee must be assigned as a supervisor to the volunteer researcher. The supervisor is the individual who oversees the volunteer researcher and to whom the volunteer undergraduate researcher reports and is the university’s representative for interactions with the volunteer.
• All volunteer undergraduate researchers must complete all training required by the supervising research unit (college, campus, department, or institute).
• All volunteer undergraduate researchers must complete research ethics training as required by the Office of Research Protections.
• It is best practice, and recommended, to have all volunteer undergraduate researchers placed on a registry of individuals filling the role.
• Arrangements with volunteer undergraduate researchers may end at any time with or without advance notice.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Supervisors are responsible for the completion of a written volunteer undergraduate researchers’ agreement (below) that will document:
  • Description of what the volunteer will be doing
  • Anticipated hours of service per week
  • Start date and end date of service time (this can be renewed should the agreement end)
• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring and documenting that undergraduate volunteer researchers receive the appropriate orientation and training
• Supervisors are responsible for determining whether the undergraduate volunteer researcher must be added to any required regulatory protocol or authorization (e.g., IRB protocol) and not allowing work to be done until such approval is granted by the appropriate oversight body (Note – as outlined in Research Protections policies, the Principal Investigator is ultimately responsible for all work performed on their approved protocols and authorizations)
• When an undergraduate volunteer researcher intentionally or unintentionally violates any policy applicable to the research or research setting, supervisors are responsible for appropriately resolving the violation with the volunteer and with any university entity responsible for addressing the policy violation. Appropriate resolution may, but need not always, include termination.
• Supervisors should share with volunteers their expectations regarding absences, discontinuation of work, and other scheduling matters.

Undergraduate Volunteer Researcher Responsibilities

• Volunteers must comply with all applicable University policies and procedures including the Penn State Values.
• Volunteers must complete all necessary trainings assigned by the supervisor.
• Volunteers working with or around non-enrolled minors (those under the age of 18), will have additional requirements to complete prior to working in the presence of minors.
• Any student volunteer who is under the age of 18 must receive parental permission to participate in the proposed University activity or experience.
• Volunteers will not work on any regulated research until they have been approved by the appropriate oversight body (e.g., IRB).

Volunteers should remain in consistent and regular communication with their supervisor, notifying them in a timely way of absences, discontinuation of work, and other scheduling matters.