The relation type is one of the most confusing aspects of the INQUIR system. The set of relation types is based on the standard MIT job classifications, plus a few special cases that were necessary for technical or administrative needs at CSAIL. The relation types currently in use are as follows. "New users" refers to users first signing up to an account and does not affect editing existing users.
| Type | Flags | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Collaborating researcher |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; no IMAP by default; cannot become alum |
A Collaborating researcher is a guest user sponsored by a research group for the purposes of collaboration using CSAIL computing resources over the Internet. Collaborating Researchers will generally not have physical access to the Lab. For those with an official affiliation with CSAIL, see “Research Affiliate” and “Visitor”. |
| Contractor |
can be a supervisor; must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; no IMAP by default; cannot become alum |
A Contractor can be any long-term contract employee who needs access to CSAIL computing facilities. Contractors may only supervise other contractors, although this restriction is not presently enforced. |
| Faculty | can be a supervisor | Faculty includes all ranks of professor, plus professor emeritus (which is not considered a faculty position by MIT policy). For lecturers, instructors, and other non-faculty academic appointments, see “Instructional Staff”. |
| Graduate student |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire |
Graduate student includes primarily graduate students holding research assistantships or teaching assistantships with a CSAIL faculty member, or are otherwise engaged in CSAIL-related research. Students who are using CSAIL facilities as part of a course should instead use Student for course.
Incoming graduate students may get a CSAIL account prior to their arrival with the permission of their advisor. |
| Instructional staff |
can be a supervisor; must have a supervisor; no IMAP by default |
Instructional staff are employees with non-faculty academic apointments, such as instructors and lecturers. Those research staff with a joint appointment as a lecturer or senior lecturer will normally use their research staff title rather than their instructional staff title here.
For more details, see MIT Policies and Procedures, section 2.3. |
| Postdoc |
can be a supervisor; must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire |
Postdoc includes both postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral associates, but not research fellows (for which there is a separate category). Postdoctoral fellows are not employees of the Institute and may not be supervisors, but because INQUIR does not currently distinguish between the two, this is not enforced.
See MIT Policies and Procedures, sections 5.3.2 and 5.3.3 for more information. |
| Research Affiliate |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire |
A Research Affiliate is a non-employee affiliate of the Institute approved by a lab director. See MIT Policies and Procedures, section 5.3.5, for more details. |
| Research Fellow |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire |
A Research Fellow is an academic appointment for non-employees which is funded by an outside fellowship, similar to a postdoc but for researchers who do not hold a doctorate.
See MIT Policies and Procedures, section 5.3.3 for more details. |
| Research scientist/associate |
can be a supervisor; must have a supervisor |
Also includes Research Engineer. |
| Research staff |
can be a supervisor; must have a supervisor |
Research staff includes all research staff appointments not covered by a more-specific category, including Sponsored Research Technical Staff and Sponsored Research Administrative Staff. |
| Student for course |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; no IMAP by default; email must be forwarded; no certificates; cannot become alum |
Student for course should be used for students who require a CSAIL account for the purposes of a course, but have no other CSAIL affiliation. For non-course CSAIL students, see Undergrad and Graduate student as appropriate. |
| Support staff |
must have a supervisor; cannot become alum |
Support staff primarily includes employees whose duties are clerical in nature, such as administrative assistants, but also includes other kinds of non-exempt staff.
See MIT Policies and Procedures, section 6.2 for more information. |
| Temporary employee or intern |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; cannot become alum |
Temporary employee or intern includes all employees and contractors with short-term appointments (less than one year). |
| Undergrad |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; no IMAP by default |
Undergrad includes primarily undergraduate students working with a CSAIL faculty member as a part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Students who are using CSAIL facilities for a course should select Student for course instead. |
| Visitor |
must have a supervisor; new users automatically expire; no IMAP by default; cannot become alum |
Visitor comprises the temporary appointments Visiting Engineer, Visiting Lecturer, Visiting Professor, Visiting Scientist, Visiting Scholar, and Visiting Student.
See MIT Policies and Procedures, sections 2.3.4 [Visiting Professor], 2.3.10 [Visiting Lecturer], 5.3.4 [Visiting Scientist], and 5.5 [Visiting Student]. |