What is a VVSA?
Volunteer or Visiting Scholar Agreements (VVSAs) are agreements for visiting researchers or scholars who are not affiliated with Â鶹´«Ã½, but who are granted access, either in-person or remotely, to Â鶹´«Ã½ research facilities, information, materials or other Â鶹´«Ã½ premises that are not typically available to the general public. The VVSA is between the volunteer or visiting scholar and Â鶹´«Ã½. The purpose of the VVSA is to be mutually beneficial by supporting the instructional and research objectives of Â鶹´«Ã½, while furthering the knowledge, experience and skills of the Volunteer or Visiting Scholar. The VVSAs do not establish monetary compensation to the volunteer or visiting Scholar.
When would you need a VVSA?
If a volunteer or visiting scholar is seeking access, either in-person or remotely, to Â鶹´«Ã½ research facilities, other Â鶹´«Ã½ premises, information, or materials that are not typically available to the general public, a VVSA should be entered by Â鶹´«Ã½ with the volunteer or visiting scholar.
How do you initiate a VVSA?
If you are an Â鶹´«Ã½ faculty member who will be hosting a Volunteer or Visiting Scholar, who will be relying on either an F-1, J-1, H-1B or other nonimmigrant visa for his or her visit, please contact the Visa & Immigration Service Advising Office at email: intlstu@odu.edu to initiate processing of the VVSA for final signature by the Office of Research.
If you are an Â鶹´«Ã½ faculty member who will be hosting a Volunteer or Visiting Scholar, who will not be relying on either an F-1, J-1, H-1B or other nonimmigrant visa for his or her visit, please submit online the .
What are selected practices and principles of VVSAs at Â鶹´«Ã½?
Proprietary and Confidential Information
The volunteer or visiting scholar must agree to use all reasonable diligence to prevent disclosure of Â鶹´«Ã½'s proprietary and confidential material to any third party, unless so authorized in writing by Â鶹´«Ã½. The volunteer of visiting scholar shall not, directly or through others, allow such proprietary and confidential information to be disclosed, copyrighted, published, incorporated into any patent application or used for any purpose other than that explicitly allowed in writing by Â鶹´«Ã½.
Intellectual Property
The volunteer or visiting scholar must promptly disclose in writing to Â鶹´«Ã½ any intellectual property created (conceived and/or reduced to practice) as a result of his/her work at Â鶹´«Ã½. He or she must assign to Â鶹´«Ã½ all rights, title and interest in any intellectual property created (conceived and/or reduced to practice) as a result of his/her work at Â鶹´«Ã½. The volunteer or visiting scholar must agree to not file for any patent(s) related to his/her work at Â鶹´«Ã½ without the written permission of Â鶹´«Ã½. He or she must agree to execute and deliver to Â鶹´«Ã½ or its legal representatives any and all papers, instruments or affidavits required to apply for, obtain, maintain, issue and enforce any application, invention and/or Letters Patent and equivalents thereof. Each party shall retain for itself all rights, title and interest in any pre-existing background property owned by that party.
Assumption of Risk
The volunteer or visiting scholar may potentially work with dangerous equipment or materials, such as but not limited to, toxic chemicals and/or biological materials, high voltage electrical equipment, electrical plasma, and radioactive materials at Â鶹´«Ã½ while conducting experiments or other research, which can cause deterioration of bodily functions and organs, severe physical injury and/or death. The volunteer or visiting scholar must assume the risk and agree to hold Â鶹´«Ã½, its employees and others using the research facilities harmless.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about VVSAs?
No, the VVSA does not by itself create an employment relationship between Â鶹´«Ã½ and the volunteer or visiting scholar.
The following four signatures at Â鶹´«Ã½ are required (in the following sequence):
- Professor hosting the Volunteer or Visiting Scholar
- Chair of Department hosting the Volunteer or Visiting Scholar
- Dean of College
- Vice President for Research (or his/her designee within the Office of Research)
No portion of the research at Â鶹´«Ã½ or with Â鶹´«Ã½ facilities, materials or information can be published by the volunteer or visiting scholar without the express written permission of the Vice President of Research of Â鶹´«Ã½.
Yes, Â鶹´«Ã½ shall be free to publish the results of the research participated by the volunteer or visiting scholar. However, any publications shall give appropriate recognition to the contributions made by the volunteer or visiting scholar.
