2011 Visiting Scholars Program Frequently Asked Questions

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1 2011 Visiting Scholars Program Frequently Asked Questions Q: What kind of work am I likely to do? A: The work is entirely dependent on the needs of ETS programs. Most assignments involve working in the Assessment Division developing items and reviewing items and tests. Some Scholars may work in the Educational Policy area, where they will work with their mentors on policy issues, or in the Research and Statistics area, where they will work on psychometric or research activities. In each case, ETS s needs and your expertise will dictate placement and assignments. You also will have an opportunity at several symposia during the month to tell ETS staff about what you do and what is important to you. Q: How will my work assignments be made? A: You will apply to one or two posted projects. We will make every attempt to match your skills, expertise and interests with a suitable mentor in a particular area (e.g., GRE Literature, TOEFL, Praxis Spanish). It is extremely important that your application indicate the area in which you have the most relevant skills and experience. Q: How can I learn about all of the work that ETS does? A: Information on various ETS programs is available on the ETS website at. In addition, we will send you some testing program and orientation materials in advance. Once you arrive at ETS, a series of seminars will introduce you to the processes involved in item writing and review, fairness review, statistical analysis, self-audits and other essential aspects of test development. You will also attend seminars given by directors or managers of all of the major ETS programs. Further, research seminars are publicized in advance and you will be welcome to attend any that interest you. Finally, if there is a particular ETS staff person you would like to meet with or a particular ETS program or process you would like to learn about we will assist you in facilitating meetings with those staff.

2 Q: Is attendance at all of the seminars required of the Scholars? A: Yes. We want to be sure that Scholars get a thorough introduction to ETS its programs and its processes so that Scholars will be in the best position to provide valuable input to ETS and to serve as information resources to their home educational communities. Q: What is the daily work schedule? A: The workday starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. We recognize that this may be different from the typical academic schedule, but the Program is demanding, and therefore, requires that you be on the ETS campus for a full day each weekday for all four weeks of the Program. Your application to the Program signifies your commitment to spend 40 hours every week for the duration of the Program attending seminars or meetings or working on your chosen project. Q: Can I work from the hotel or from home? A: No. Of principal value to the Program is the shared learning that occurs as a result of interaction among Scholars and between the Scholars and ETS staff. Because we have planned a number of training and orientation sessions that require ETS division leaders and other speakers to schedule time to meet with you, and because you will be meeting regularly with your mentor to confer about your project, Scholars must come to the ETS campus every day and remain from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Q: Can I do my own work during the day while I am at ETS? A: No. The Program is quite demanding and requires Scholars to be fully engaged from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday attending seminars or meetings or working on chosen projects. Therefore, it is impossible to honor your commitment to the Program while simultaneously doing other work (e.g., online teaching) during the four weeks you are in Princeton. Q: Can I arrive a few days before the Program begins? A: If you choose to arrive more than one day before the Program begins, you will be responsible for your hotel costs. Q: I have a commitment that conflicts with the Program dates. Can I leave a couple of days before the Program ends? A: No. Scholars are expected to participate for the full four weeks, until the last day of the Program, unless they have made prior arrangements with the Visiting Scholars staff.

3 Q: Will my stay at ETS involve evening or weekend work? A: No. Your evenings and weekends are free. Scholars are entirely free to do what they want when they are not at ETS during the work week. Q: How many other Visiting Scholars will there be and what are they like? A: There will be approximately Visiting Scholars, representing a mix of schools (e.g., public university, private college, community college), geographic areas, subject-matter disciplines, gender and ethnicity. Q: What kind of office space and equipment will I have? A: You will work in a cubicle or in a shared office. You will have the use of an ETS desktop computer, all necessary supplies and ETS-approved software. For security reasons, we cannot supply you with a laptop computer. If you need one, please bring your own. Q: Can I have visitors at ETS? A: Visitors can come to ETS on a limited basis. ETS corporate policy dictates that supervisors (in this case, mentors or Visiting Scholars staff) be notified in advance, that the length of stay be relatively short and that you stay with your guest at all times. Q: What kind of work might I continue to do after the Visiting Scholars Program is over? A: Ideally, while you are here, your mentor and the Visiting Scholars staff will try to arrange in advance for work in the future, such as item writing and reviewing, passage identification, test reviewing, serving as a member of a committee or advisory panel, serving as an external auditor, collaborating on research or collaborating on a project report. ETS values this continuing set of contributions and will make every effort to have your work with ETS continue. Q: Do I need to bring any academic materials with me? A: ETS will provide you with the materials you need to work on your chosen project. However, since you will be given the opportunity in symposia to tell ETS staff what you do and what is of interest to you, you may want to bring some favorite reference materials from your field or research you have done that you would like to share. You can mail these materials to the Marriott Residence Inn in advance if you would like. So that you do not have to worry about accumulating too many papers and books while you are here, we will make arrangements to mail up to two boxes back to you at your address when you leave ETS at the end of the Program.

4 Q: What if I become ill? A: We have a list of medical professionals and local hospitals in the area. If you need medical help, contact a member of the Visiting Scholars staff or your mentor. Q: What if I incur medical or dental expenses? Will ETS pay these? A: No. These are personal expenses that are your responsibility unless they are incurred as a result of your work at ETS. Q: What should I wear? A: Dress is business casual (except on the first day, when Kurt Landgraf, ETS President and CEO, will host a welcome reception). June in Princeton is on the warm and humid side, but rooms can be over-air conditioned; you might want to bring a sweater or jacket. It is also a good idea to bring an umbrella. Travel Getting to and from ETS: Our travel agency, Directravel, will make all of your travel arrangements, including pickup at the airport and return to the airport. You will be given directions on providing relevant information to Directravel in your orientation mailing. ETS pre-pays for travel, so once made, travel arrangements cannot be changed. Receipts for airfare and ground transportation (proof of travel) must be submitted to ETS. Travel in and around Princeton: ETS provides daily transportation between the Residence Inn and the ETS campus. In addition, the Residence Inn has shuttle service on weekdays to central Princeton and to supermarkets and malls in the area. Local Travel Allowance: You will be reimbursed up to $300 for expenses for local travel in the Princeton area, such as car rentals, taxis, tolls and gas. An envelope in which to retain and submit receipts to ETS for these expenses will be provided to you. Q: I would like to drive instead of fly to Princeton. Can I do this? A: Yes. ETS will pay mileage (at the prevailing IRS standard mileage rate) and tolls, plus food and lodging costs incurred by the Scholar en route, but the total reimbursement to you for all expenses may not exceed the cost of a round-trip coach airfare ticket from your local airport. Receipts must be provided for all travel expenses to claim reimbursement.

5 Q: How will I get to and from ETS every day? A: A van will pick you up at the Residence Inn each weekday morning at 8:00 a.m. and bring you to the ETS campus, then return at 5:00 p.m. to take you back to the hotel. Past Scholars have found that the interaction that occurs on these daily rides provides an excellent opportunity to develop camaraderie. Q: How can I make arrangements for a rental car? A: We will provide you with information on auto rental agencies and prices, and also with names of other Scholars with whom you might want to share a rental car. We suggest that you check the web for auto rental agencies. If you rent a car, be sure that you are up-to-date on car rental insurance. Accommodations Visiting Scholars stay at the Marriott Residence Inn ( ), approximately 5 miles from ETS. The standard room contains a bedroom area with a queen bed, an equipped kitchen and a sitting area with a pull-out sofa bed and a desk. You will have your own room, which can accommodate up to 4 people. For more information about the Princeton Marriott Residence Inn at Carnegie Center, please visit Q: Do I need to make hotel reservations? A: No. A standard room will be reserved by ETS in your name. No changes in arrival or departure dates can be made without your prior notice to ETS (contact Lew Shumaker or Sydell Carlton). Q: Can I bring a guest (or family members) with me? A: The Residence Inn allows guests at no extra charge. However, there is a limit of 4 persons per room. Additional rooms may be available at the ETS discount rate, and larger rooms (1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms) are available at higher rates, but we cannot guarantee availability. If you would like an additional room or a larger room, please contact the hotel directly. Room upgrade expenses are your responsibility, but ETS (Lew Shumaker or Sydell Carlton) should be informed prior to any changes due to specific provisions in the contract between ETS and the hotel.

6 Q: Can I bring my children? A: Yes. However, the hotel is located on a highway, approximately 4 miles from Princeton. It is not ideal for young children for extended periods of time. If you do bring children, you will need to provide your own childcare. Children under 16 years of age must be supervised by a parent or adult guardian at all times. Q: Can I bring my pet(s)? A: Yes. The Residence Inn s policy is that each suite can accommodate 1 dog or cat, with a maximum weight of 35 pounds (this is a firm weight limit). There is a nonrefundable flat fee of $100 per animal, payment of which is your responsibility. Please consult the hotel directly for further terms and conditions. Pets are not permitted in ETS buildings. There are a few kennels nearby for boarding dogs and cats. Q: What if I smoke? A: The Residence Inn is entirely smoke-free. If you smoke, we can try to arrange for a room near the hotel entrance. ETS is smoke-free indoors but has smoking sheds outside its buildings. Q: Can I cook in my room? A: Yes. Rooms at the Residence Inn are equipped with kitchen facilities. In addition, the hotel provides a full breakfast each day and a selection of light food Monday through Thursday evenings. Q: What about expenses for lunch and dinner? A: You are responsible for your lunches and dinners. You can bring your lunch to ETS (we have refrigerators and microwaves on the premises), or you can use one of the two on-campus ETS cafeterias. You can cook dinner at the hotel or eat at any of a number of restaurants or food courts adjacent to the hotel. Q: Is there shopping nearby? A: Yes. There are several supermarkets and shopping malls near the Residence Inn, to which the Residence Inn van makes regular runs. The town of Princeton, approximately 4 miles away, also has shopping opportunities. Q: Is there public transportation from the Residence Inn? A: Yes. There is regular shuttle service from the Residence Inn to the center of Princeton (but not to ETS).

7 Q: Will I have to leave a deposit or present a credit card when I check in or pay anything when I check out? A: Yes. ETS will pay all of your hotel expenses except for incidentals (e.g., longdistance calls, dry cleaning). You will need a major credit card when you check in to cover these incidentals. Q: Are there laundry facilities? A: Yes. The hotel has on-site coin-operated laundry facilities. Q: Is there a gym at the hotel? A: Yes. There is a small gym, along with an indoor swimming pool. There also is a gym on the ETS campus (and a small outdoor swimming pool) that is available for a nominal fee. The ETS campus has extensive walking trails on its property. The Princeton Area Q: How close will I be to the center of Princeton? A: ETS is approximately 3 miles away from the center of Princeton; the hotel is approximately 5 miles away. Q: What is there to do in Princeton? A: The Princeton area has the regular complement of malls, shopping areas and movie theaters. McCarter Theatre and other theaters have performances all summer. There also are several historical sites in and around Princeton. The Visiting Scholars staff will have information for you on what to do in and around Princeton. Q: What about travel to nearby cities? A: New York and Philadelphia are both relatively close. There is local train service to and from New York (slightly more than 1 hour) and regular bus service (about 90 minutes). There is train service to Philadelphia (under an hour); Washington, D.C. is less than 200 miles away (less than 3 hours by Amtrak, 3+ hours by auto); Boston is about 260 miles away (about 5 hours by Amtrak, 6+ hours by auto) doable on a weekend. In addition, the closest point on the Atlantic Ocean is about 35 miles away (an easy hour s drive), and Atlantic City is about 75 miles away.

8 Q: Will I have access to libraries? A: You can visit Firestone Library (the library of Princeton University) while you are here. For admission, you will need an ID card from your college or university and one other form of identification. You will not be permitted to borrow books, but you can use books and journals there and/or make photocopies. The Rutgers University library is about 20 miles away. The ETS Library is relatively small but has a vast collection of tests; it also can order books, journals, etc. from other schools through interlibrary loan, which typically takes about a week. The Princeton Public Library, located in downtown Princeton, is another available resource. Q: How and when will I get paid? Money Matters A: Your honorarium will be mailed to you at an address you designate two to four weeks after you complete the Program. Q: Where can I get cash? A: ETS has two Wachovia/Wells Fargo ATMs on its campus. There is also an ATM at the Market Fair Mall, adjacent to the Residence Inn. If you do not want to use ATMs, you will probably want to bring cash or traveler s checks. Q: Should I submit receipts for travel to ETS from my local airport? A: Yes. You should submit your airline receipt, your boarding pass and your limousine receipt. An envelope will be provided when you arrive at ETS in which to store your travel receipts. Q: When will I be reimbursed for travel expenses? A: Your travel expense reimbursement will be mailed to you at an address you designate two to four weeks after you complete the Program. Remember to submit receipts for all expenses you incur. Copyright 2010 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS)