Onboarding and Payroll Resources

• Make sure you us your CU email account — a non-university email will not be accepted.
• Know which seminar number/name you worked for (see the full list at https://universityseminars.columbia.edu/seminars/). If your seminar isn't listed, select "Add New" and type it in.
• Know the dates and exact hours you worked, rounded up to the nearest 15-minute increment.
• The Rapporteur can report work hours even if the minutes are not finalized.
• Reference the "Minutes" page for instructions on how to submit your seminar's minutes.
• There are two different student employee timesheet system. The Rapporteur Hourly Report form is designed to direct you to the appropriate system.
   

Keep these policies in mind as you report:

• All rapporteurs MUST submit a Rapporteur Hourly Report form within four weeks from their last seminar meeting. Failure to do so may result in delays with payment.
• Rapporteurs at Teacher's College, Union Theological Seminary, and Barnard College are considered non-CU casual part-time employees.
• Rapporteurs should not hold off on reporting work hours. Rapporteurs can always report any extra hours for a meeting at a later date.
• Payroll may terminate payroll records that are more than three months inactive without warning. When this happens, the University Seminars will initiate the rehiring process.
• Orientation hour (for new rapporteurs). New Rapporteurs should report the orientation hour or two to their first meeting timesheet.
• Summer Prep (if applicable): Rapporteurs who have supported their chairs during the summer months, should report those hours in their first hourly report

• Full-time Columbia University graduate students may not work more than 20 hours per week across all CU positions held. Many rapporteurs hold multiple positions at Columbia in a given semester.
   
• Ideally, a rapporteur can complete work for a seminar meeting in 6 - 12 hours. If your seminar requires more than 15 hours, your chair will need to send a written justification for the additional hours to [email protected].
   
• Rapporteurs who also hold student officer appointments (teaching fellows and assistants, research assistants, preceptors, readers, etc.) must disclose their rapporteur work with their academic or CUIMC departments. Some departments may request additional documentation, others may have limitations on work hours. 
   
• University and academic holidays must be observed. Let the office know if your chair(s) are not observing university and academics holidays.

The Form I-9 is required for all newly hired employees who will be working in the United States to verify that they are eligible to work in the United States. See Rapporteurs page for more details.

As soon as the Rapporteur has accepted their new position, complete Section 1 of the I-9 Form.

Within 3 business days of their start date, visit an I-9 Service Center to complete Form I-9, Section 2. There are I-9 center locations on the Morningside, Manhattanville, CUIMC and Lamont-Doherty campuses.

• Rapporteurs should remember to bring the appropriate original documents with them, as listed in Section 1 of the I-9 online. The list of acceptable documents can be found on the USCIS website.
   
• Rapporteurs should use the date they complete the I-9 for as their date of hire. This date is required for the Form I-9.

• If the Rapporteur holds a Student Officer appointment they cannot work more than 20 hours per week in all positions. If they would like to continue to hold their position as Rapporteur in addition to their student officer appointment, they must discuss their employment plans with the departmental administrator in the department in which they hold the student officer appointment.
  
  The University Seminars office will contact the Student Officers academic department for the paperwork on file.
   
• if the Returning Rapporteur is a casual, support work (non-exempt) at another CU department while working as a rapporteur, they are considered a Multiple Job Student Worker and should abide by the 20-hour per week rule.
  
  The University Seminars office  will contact the Rapporteur's home department for the paperwork on file. 
   
• Some returning rapporteurs may need to update their I-9 forms. The University Seminars office will contact the Rapporteur if this is the case.
   
• If a Returning Rapporteur has recently changed their address or marital status, they may need to update their tax forms, Contact The University Seminars office if this is the case.