Thanks for hosting! We rely on hosts like you to give our speakers a great visit. This page will walk you through what to do before, during, and on the day of the seminar, as well as provide info on budgets and reimbursements. 
 
If you have any questions at any point, please reach out to our seminar chair, Satoshi Namekawa, or the seminar team:

CBS Graduate Seminar Policy     IGG Honorarium and Meal Reimbursements

Planning for Your Speaker's Visit

Travel

In an effort to streamline the booking process and avoid the delays often associated with institutional travel and reimbursement restrictions, we now require speakers to book their own travel arrangements. The graduate group provides speakers with a set honorarium after the seminar to thank them for the effort put towards the seminar and offset travel costs. Speakers can find their honorarium amount in their confirmation email. 

Schedule

One of the most important duties of hosts is arranging the schedule for the seminar speaker. At least a month before the seminar, we recommend you reach out to the speaker to see if they would like to meet with any specific faculty or students during their visit. You can then email those people to arrange meetings for the seminar speaker. 

We have a sample schedule template to help you with scheduling. Remember to include time for breaks and meals. 

Meals

Please be sure to ask your speaker if they have any dietary restrictions when planning their visit to Davis.

The IGG graduate group does not provide funding for speaker breakfasts or lunches. The cost of these meals is factored into the honorarium amount. 

The IGG graduate group does budget for a hosted meal with the speaker. Please check your host confirmation email for the dinner budget. The CBS Graduate Seminar Policy has full information about what is and is not reimbursable (please refer to the IGG Honorariums and Meal Reimbursements Guidelines for graduate group approved honorarium and meal reimbursement amounts). 

Max reimbursement: $35/person, up to budgeted amount; includes tax and tip

Non-reimbursable: Alcohol purchases, non-UC affiliated guests (other than speaker), meals with a single guest (i.e. the seminar speaker alone)

All reimbursements must include an itemized receipt, list of attendees, and seminar advertisement. Reimbursement requests should be submitted as soon as possible after the visit and no later than 30 days after the visit's conclusion.

Request a meal reimbursement here! 

Seminar Advertisement

Amanda Haydon Turner will email seminar announcements to the graduate group. The seminar will also be advertised on the College of Biological Sciences website and weekly events emails. 

Graduate Group advertisements will be sent to IGG listserv's. Hosts should forward out announcements to additional listserv's as they see fit. 

If you wish to send out an additional advertisement for meeting sign-ups with the speaker, please email Amanda the message you would like forwarded at least 2 weeks prior to the speaker’s visit. 

Final Preparation

At least one week in advance, check with the speaker about any special A/V needs. The room has a projector and speakers already set up. Confirm if the speaker is comfortable having the seminar on Zoom or recorded; campus policy requires we have written consent before recording meetings. 

At least three days in advance, email the final schedule to the speaker and all participants. Please include locations and notes on who will escort or pick up the speaker from each location. In this same email, we recommend sending the speaker information about wireless permissions and parking. 

During the Visit

Welcome the speaker, help them get settled, and manage any last-minute schedule adjustments.

Arrive to Green Hall 1022 by 3PM to help set up the speaker's laptop and projector. If you can, bring a pointer and water for the speaker. 

The seminar starts promptly at 3:10PM. Be sure to prepare and present a brief (1-2 minute) introduction of the speaker. The speaker should plan for a 40-minute talk. You will moderate a short 10-minute question session after the speaker's talk. 

After the Visit

Honorariums will be processed and will be mailed directly to the speaker.  

Speaker hosts should submit meal reimbursement requests (including a copy of the itemized receipt, list of attendees, and seminar advertisement) within 30 days of a speakers visit. 

Thanks again! Your effort ensures a smooth and welcoming visit. For questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to our seminar team.