There are some programs (Council on Undergraduate Research, Sigma Xi for
example) that provide fellowships or expense funding directly to students
to enable them to work with faculty members on research projects, usually
during the summer.  The faculty member has to contribute to the student's
application and the work is usually of a collaborative nature, often
forming the basis for a student's required senior research paper.  But the
funds come to the student so there is no financial relationship between the
student and the institution (and the student is not registered for any
summer course, because we don't offer any).

Our insurance administrator is questioning whether our coverage extends to
students who are working as unpaid (from the College perspective)
assistants to our faculty during the summer.

Has this come up at your institutions?

Please reply directly to me -- I'd be glad to summarize any replies I get
for the list.

Frances Vinal Farnsworth
Coordinator of Sponsored Research
Grants Office - Forest Hall
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753

email:  xxxxxx@middlebury.edu
phone:  802-388-3711x5889
fax:  802-388-6436