Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The appointment dates provided on contracts are for payroll purposes and are not the days you will teach.

Yes, the form I-9 is a federal requirement. All employees must present original, valid, unexpired documents in person to a representative of the university at the time of hire. If the employee is outside the NYC area, a remote I-9 can be arranged. These instructions are included with your hiring paperwork sent via DocuSign.

Returning more than 3 years after completing the original I-9 :Faculty and staff returning to the University after any break in service must complete a new Form I-9 if the original I-9 was completed more than 3 years ago.

Expired documentation for non-resident aliens: If the work authorization on the original I-9 has expired, then the rehire must go to one of the I-9 centers on campus to complete section 3 with the new original, unexpired documentation (for example, a new EAD card).

Your UNI will grant you access to all of Columbia’s online systems, including Canvas, and Clio (the library online catalog), once you’ve completed all documents necessary for employment, including the I-9. To activate or manage your UNI, please visit http://uni.columbia.edu. Please connect with your Faculty Affairs contact directly if you have not yet received your UNI.

Your Columbia Email ([email protected]) can be accessed through Gmail by typing in your full email address on the login page. You will be redirected to Columbia’s CAS system to login in with your UNI and password. Please note that this email now serves as the primary contact for all employment-related matters.

You can create an email alias (ex. [email protected]) at https://uni.columbia.edu. Your actual email will still remain the original [email protected] but will allow you to have emails sent to and from a more standard address.

Faculty Affairs is not permitted to reactivate a faculty’s UNI if they will not have an active appointment in a given term. Your UNI expiration date will vary depending on your appointment type. Please ensure that any email communications you might need access to after the end of your teaching contract are not housed in your Columbia inbox, as we cannot maintain your UNI access past this time frame.

Faculty Affairs will grant faculty who’ve completed all hiring paperwork access to Canvas within a month of their start date. 

Please submit your photo through the portal at the following link: webphoto.columbia.edu. To pick up your ID card, you must visit the ID Center at 210 Kent Hall. 

ID Center Hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

You can reach out to your Program admin who will be able to assist you with coordinating a time for you to pick up your ID. Before picking up your ID, you MUST upload an ID photo here. Please confirm this has been completed before presenting yourself on campus.

**Until further notice, when gaining entry to campus and the ID Center, you MUST present a form of government-issued identification along with a copy of your faculty appointment offer letter. A digital copy of the offer letter is sufficient.

To replace a lost or stolen University ID card on Morningside campus, you must come to the ID Center in 210 Kent Hall during regular business hours with a valid photo ID.

We will need a social security card (with your new name), marriage certificate, or court order to change your name in the payroll system officially. Please reach out to us with the details about the name change so we can support you.

We can add a preferred name to an employee record while submitting payroll documents for each semester. Please let us know if you have a preferred name you’d want added to your record.

All new hires must have a Social Security number. If they are on a visa and do not have an SSN yet, they are required to provide a copy of the SSN receipt before Faculty Affairs processes their academic appointment. Please reference this article to view the requirements to apply for a Social Security number. 

On-Campus Employment Letter - Depending on your visa category, you may require this letter when applying for your SSN. Please set up a time with your Faculty Affairs contact to pick up the on-campus employment letter. An appointment is required to obtain this letter. Faculty Affairs recommends setting up an appointment as soon as possible to avoid payment delays.

All employment training can be found here. Required trainings will be assigned to you by Central HR once your appointment becomes active. 

Part-time appointments are not eligible for health insurance. 

However, if you have W-2 earnings, you can contribute to a Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan

All new hire’s first payments will be mailed. The University will electronically deposit semi-monthly paychecks into bank account(s) at no charge.

To sign up for direct deposit, log into the myColumbia portal and click on the option, View Your Direct Deposit Information. Please contact the Human Resources Service Center to confirm direct deposit is set up or to track a payment, as Faculty Affairs does not have access to this information.  Log an incident or request a service by using a self-service web form, or contact the Service Center by phone at (212) 851-2888 Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm; Wednesday, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm; Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.  

If there has been more than a three-month break in service between your appointments, you will be required to re-register for Direct Deposit. Please check the status of your direct deposit at my.columbia.edu through the 'Payroll and Compensation' tab or contact the Human Resources Service Center at (212) 851-2888.

Each semester has a different number of pay cycles:

Fall - 8 Pay cycles
Spring - 10 pay cycles 
Summer - 6 pay cycles

Visit my.columbia.edu and select “View Your Paycheck."

Due to the complexities of U.S. tax law and legal restrictions, university staff are neither qualified nor permitted to advise on taxes. Please review the instructions included with your tax forms or reach out to a tax professional for assistance.

Visit my.columbia.edu and select “My W-2.”

For Former Employees, https://www.finance.columbia.edu/content/access-your-w-2-information

• Go to the "MyColumbia" Portal.
• Log in with your Columbia UNI and password.
• Confirm access through multi-factor authentication (DUO) if needed.
• Click on  "Former Employee" at the top of the page.
• Scroll down the page, and on the "Personal Data" option under the "Resources" section, click on "Tax Forms (View your W-2 Tax Form via Paperless Employee)".
• You will be transferred to Columbia's page on our vendor's website (Paperless Employee), where you can print your own W-2 form. See the sample screenshot above under current employees.

Former employees who no longer have secure access to our web portal can go to www.paperlessemployee.com/columbiau and create an account. If you have questions or issues creating an account, please contact the HR Service Center at 212-851-2888. If you need a copy of your W-2 and are unable to access it online, please call the vendor's toll-free number at (800) 360-1265. Our vendor-supported, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system will assist you with your request. You can also speak to a customer service representative if needed. The form can be faxed or mailed via USPS. If there is a charge, this can be paid via credit card/debit card or personal checking account.