" "

Payroll Requirements

Payroll Forms & Documents

W-4
Form IT-2104 - NY State Tax Form
Form IT-2104.1 - NY State Non-resident Tax Form
Voluntary Race and Ethnicity Form
Form I-9 - Section 1

New faculty should expect to come to campus to complete the hiring process, unless they live outside of the tri-state area and will be working remotely. An overview of the hiring process is included below. If you have any questions about these steps, please reach out to your program's Faculty Affairs Representative directly, or by emailing [email protected].

Faculty Affairs Office Hours

Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Please note that due to a high volume of visitors, the Faculty Affairs office operates on an appointment only basis. Appointments with Faculty Affairs experts can be scheduled here. 

Required Paperwork

Once an initial offer has been extended, you will receive an email requesting a few documents be completed before the hiring process can begin. These documents must be submitted before a formal offer can be issued by the Faculty Affairs department.

  • Instructional Eligibility Form: This form verifies faculty course load for the fiscal year, and ensures that we remain compliant with the university's faculty workload policies
  • Personnel Information Form: This form provides the Faculty Affairs department with important information necessary for processing your employment. This form will be provided to you at the time that your Instructional Eligibility Form is distributed to you. You will only need to complete this form once; you are not required to resubmit this information at the start of each semester.
  • Resume: An updated resume is required each semester a faculty member teaches with the school. Native PDF or word documents are required, scanned copies will not be accepted. 

Federal and state tax forms are required for all new employees, and those who have had a break in service greater than 12 months. 

*Please note that Faculty Affairs is unable to assist with filling out tax forms. For questions on completing the W-4, please contact your tax professional or visit the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov. For questions on completing the NY State tax forms please contact your tax professional or visit the NY State website at https://www.tax.ny.gov/.

The Form I-9 is a federal requirement used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. Each employee is required to complete this form by presenting their identity and employment authorization documents in person. To complete this form, please follow the instructions below.

  1. Complete Section 1 of the I-9 electronically here.
  2. Complete Section 2 of the I-9 on campus, by presenting your identity and employment eligibility documents to an on-campus representative.
    1. Acceptable documents can be found here.
    2. Original, unexpired documents are required; copies or expired documents cannot be accepted as verification of identity or work authorization.
    3. You can choose to present a document from list A, or documents from both list B and list C.

In compliance with federal regulations, Section 2 must be completed in person within 3 business days of your contract start date.

 

*If you do not live in the tri-state area and will not be coming to campus for your classes, this process can be completed remotely. Please let your Faculty Affairs Representative know, and they will provide this information during the hiring process. 

In addition to the documents listed above, the following documents must be submitted in order for our team to process your faculty appointment and be included with university payroll.

  • Ethnicity Form: This form is voluntary, however, if you choose not to disclose your race and ethnicity this should be written on the form and returned with the rest of your hiring documents. This is required in order to acknowledge that you received this document and were offered the opportunity to complete this information. 
    • Please note that both questions should be answered. 
  • NYS 195.1 - Wage and Labor Agreement: This document is created by Faculty Affairs and sent with the remainder of your hiring paperwork. It lists the amount you will receive per paycheck for the duration of the semester. 
    • This document is required to be signed and returned to Faculty Affairs for each semester a faculty member is hired. 
  • Offer Letter: This document is created by Faculty Affairs and sent with the remainder of your hiring paperwork. It lists the duration of your contract, and your total salary for the semester. 
    • This document is required to be signed and returned to Faculty Affairs for each semester a faculty member is hired. 

There may be additional documents required in order to process your payroll paperwork. If necessary, your Faculty Affairs Representative will reach out to obtain the supplemental paperwork.

Coordinating Logistics

University Network IDs (UNIs) are issued during your hiring appointment with Faculty Affairs. Your UNI consists of your initials plus an arbitrary number. It is the key to accessing computer services and electronic resources at Columbia. You may use your UNI to gain access to restricted library information, payroll and benefits information, Canvas course sites, and other university systems. Please remember to type your UNI in lower case when you log in.

 

Your Columbia email address (ex: [email protected]) is the primary form of communication for all things related to employment. If you do not plan on checking this email on a regular basis, we recommend forwarding it to your personal email to ensure you receive important information in a timely manner.

The CUID is the official identification card of Columbia students, staff, and faculty. Upon the start of your career at Columbia, your CUID will be issued at the Morningside ID Center, located in 204 Kent Hall. The CUID may be used as an identifier, an access key, and a payment type.

Your CUID allows you to access various campus locations, such as libraries and dining halls. It also provides free or discounted entry into certain off-campus locations.

On campus your CUID can be used to access the following:

  • Dodge Physical Fitness Center
  • Columbia University Libraries
  • Lerner Hall
  • Various other academic buildings during the day or after-hours
  • All Columbia athletics events for free
  • Off-campus, access includes Bobst Library at NYU and a host of other events, museums, and discounts to be found at the Arts Initiative Discounts page.

Your CUID may also be used to pay with Flex at local stores, restaurants, and the Columbia University Bookstores.

Employees are encouraged to sign up for the direct deposit program. Funds are automatically deposited to your bank account(s) each payday, instead of being delivered to SPS Offices. The university is unable to automatically mail paychecks to your home address. 

  • Employees can elect a single direct deposit bank account or multiple accounts. Accounts can be selected based on a percentage of the total, flat dollar amounts, or as the balance of pay.
  • Employees can enroll, edit, or inactivate current elections with immediate impact on future paychecks. Simply log into the MyColumbia portal with your UNI and password and choose "View Your Direct Deposit Information" on the Faculty & Staff tab.

For help, please see the Direct Deposit Instructions.

Disclaimer: Your appointment must be active in our payroll system before you are eligible to sign up for direct deposit. Typically this takes 4-6 weeks after your employment documents are submitted to Faculty Affairs, or 2 weeks after the start of the semester, whichever is later. Employees can view and print online pay statements for the current and historic pay periods at the MyColumbia portal. Online pay stubs are generally available to view 2 business days prior to payday. For more information on viewing your pay statement go to View Your Pay Statement.

In the event of an urgent situation, the University's Emergency Text Message Notification System is the most convenient and reliable means of getting real-time up-to-date information to you. Some possible scenarios for Columbia choosing to send you a text message include weather emergencies, major transit interruptions and campus closures.  

To register with the Columbia University Text Message Notification System, please follow the instructions below:

  • Log in with your UNI and password at https://my.columbia.edu.
  • Select “Faculty & Staff” at the top of the page.
  • Click "Update Personal Information.”
  • Select “Change phone numbers.”
  • Select “Add a phone number.”
  • Next, select one of the “Campus Alert” fields from the drop-down menu.
  • Enter your mobile number (University-provided or personal).
  • Use the remaining two “Campus Alert” fields to enter up to two other mobile numbers you would like to receive emergency notifications.
  • Click “Save.”

Text message notifications will be used only in rare circumstances to notify you of critical information regarding urgent situations.

The University typically conducts tests of the Text Message Notification System twice a year. Members of the community are notified of the test in advance. These tests will not require you to do anything, and will provide familiarity with the text message notification system in the event that we need to use it for urgent information.

 

Alternative means of receiving information about events that may impact normal University operations include: 

  • Checking www.columbia.edu and the Alerts and Announcements page on this site regularly.
  • Calling the Columbia main switchboard at (212) 851-1754 to hear recorded updates.
  • Tuning to local television and news radio for the most recent updates about any mass illnesses or weather situations and where to seek help.
  • Checking your Columbia email regularly.
  • During times of widespread danger, emergency phone numbers may be overwhelmed. Only call police or Public Safety if you are in immediate danger.

We recommend that all faculty enroll to receive an electronic W-2 for ease and convenience. To do so, please follow the instructions below.

  • Go to https://my.columbia.edu
  • Log in with your UNI and password
  • Select the tab ‘Faculty and Staff’
  • Under ‘Self-Service’ select ‘My W-2’
  • Under ‘Account Settings’ select ‘Manage Contact & Electronic Statement Options’
  • Complete requested information

Disclaimer: Your appointment must be active in our payroll system before you are eligible to enroll in this service. This cannot be done after employment has ended. 

If you choose not to enroll in electronic delivery, your W-2 will be mailed to the permanent address on file by January 31st of the following year. For questions regarding W-2 delivery, contact [email protected].

Questions? Concerns?

Contact us at [email protected]