Approval Process for Faculty Members who are Offered Appointments at Foreign and Domestic Institutions 

Stony Brook University (SBU) faculty members’ achievements in research, education and clinical care may lead to opportunities to visit, collaborate, and engage in scholarly work, with colleagues at other domestic and foreign institutions. (“Institutions” refers to universities, institutions of higher education, research institutes, and similar organizations.) A SBU faculty member’s primary obligation is to SBU.  When an Institution offers to appoint a SBU faculty member to that Institution’s faculty, the principles outlined below will apply and the approval process below must be followed before a SBU faculty member may accept such an appointment.

1. Acceptance of an appointment at another Institution (including appointments that carry adjunct or “courtesy” titles) must be reviewed and prospectively approved by both their respective Department Chair/Director and the Dean to ensure that it does not interfere or conflict with primary obligations.

   In general, SBU recognizes that faculty being hired may need to maintain temporary adjunct status at their previous institution to conclude ongoing obligations to grants and continue advising graduate students. These types of arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the Department Chair/Director and Dean and should be limited to the time needed for faculty to transition their research activities to SBU.

2. In the request for approval, there must be clear, written delineation of the scope of the appointment at the other Institution, the obligations associated with the appointment, and proposed compensation and/or expense reimbursement or other support (including non-monetary), if any, from the other Institution to the SBU faculty member. The scope must explicitly outline any proposed research, teaching, patient care, and/or administrative responsibilities to be carried out at the other Institution.
3. SBU faculty offered such appointments at another Institution may wish to consider:
   1. Requesting a professional leave (unpaid) or requesting a sabbatical under the provisions of the Policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees; or
   2. Reducing their appointment to part time at SBU in order to work part time at the other Institution. The request for reduction to part time is a discretionary decision for the respective Department and Dean's office.
4. SBU faculty members with an appointment at another Institution approved through this process must notify the other Institution of their status at SBU.
5. SBU faculty must disclose compensation and other forms of support received from any Institution through myResearch COI, including honoraria, travel expense reimbursement, and non-monetary support associated with their relationship with the Institution. Faculty may also have to report this to the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. Please also refer to  Standard Operating Procedures: Researchers Component of Disclosure of External Interests & Commitments Policy.

The following additional considerations apply to approved appointments at foreign Institutions.

1. SBU faculty holding an approved appointment at a foreign Institution may not bring students or trainees from that Institution to SBU for research and educational opportunities, regardless of the duration of such student visits to SBU, unless there is a University-level agreement signed by an authorized signatory or their designee between SBU and the foreign Institution, and there is prior compliance with necessary export control reviews. Please note that requirements for domestic students are identified under Stony Brook University Guests/Visitors Policy.
2. SBU faculty may not list their SBU-conducted research on a foreign Institution's website, and may not carry out SBU research (particularly federally funded research) at the foreign Institution without prior approval of the foreign component and review of any export control matters that are needed. Further instructions on obtaining approval for possible foreign component of federal grant activity may be obtained from the Office of Sponsored Programs and the Export Control Office.
3. Engagement with foreign Institutions may present export (or import) control concerns. Any transfer of funds, or the exchange of materials and information (e.g. data, technology and know-how), associated with the SBU faculty member's appointment at the foreign Institution must be reviewed by the Export Control Administrator, and the SBU faculty member will be personally responsible for ensuring compliance with the U.S. import/export control laws when engaged in their duties as an appointee of the foreign Institution.

SBU has an obligation to ensure that the interactions of its faculty comply with the requirements of applicable laws, regulations and guidance from our funders. Faculty are reminded that NIH, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense have all issued guidance and notices about limitations for some types of foreign support received by researchers who simultaneously receive funding from foreign sources. Faculty are advised to carefully consult these guidance documents, and seek advice from the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Export Control Administrator, the Provost, the Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine or the Office of Faculty Affairs if they have further questions.