Onboarding and Payroll Resources

Last Updated: February 12, 2026

Incoming and returning rapporteurs are required to submit onboarding forms via Docusign. The forms required depend on the rapporteur's current employment status and other factors. The University Seminars hiring manager is Gesenia Alvarez-Lazauskas ([email protected]). Please get in touch with Gesenia directly with any onboarding or payroll questions.

After receiving a Rapporteur Registration form from the incoming or returning rapporteur, Gesenia Alvarez will follow-up with an email. New rapporteurs will be invited to attend an orientation at the beginning of the semester or around the time of hire.  The University Seminars office believes that the chair and rapporteur must have a mutually respectful relationship for seminars to thrive. Rapporteurs are encouraged to contact Pamela Guardia ([email protected]) to report any concerns or difficulties.

How to Report Work Hours

  • Rapporteurs typically report 2.5 hours of work per week or 10-12 hours of work per meeting. If more than 15 hours of work per meeting is reported, the chair will need to submit a justification for the extra hours. 
     
  • DO NOT COMBINE HOURS FOR DIFFERENT SEMINAR GROUPS. The Rapporteur must fill out a Rapporteur Hourly Report per seminar. Any questions, contact Gesenia Alvarez at [email protected].
     
  • The Rapporteur can report work hours even if the minutes are not finalized. 
     
  • Rapporteurs should not hold off on reporting work hours. Rapporteurs can always report any extra hours for a meeting at a later date. 
     
  • Rapporteurs MUST report hours within two weeks from their last seminar meeting. Failure to do so may result in delays with payment.  
     
  • Payroll may terminate payroll records that are more than one month inactive without warning. When this happens, Gesenia Alvarez will need to 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 a separate timesheet.

Per Meeting

Payroll Guidelines

  • 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 Gesenia Alvarez at [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. If you have any questions, contact Gesenia Alvarez-Lazauskas ([email protected]) for additional guidance.
     
  • University and academic holidays must be observed. Let the office know if your chair(s) are not observing university and academics holidays.

Hourly Rates for Rapporteurs

  • Graduate Student or Non-Student Officer – exempt
    A graduate student who holds a student officer appointment as a departmental research assistant, teaching fellow, teaching assistant, preceptor, reader, or other exempt work at the University.

    Non-Student Officers are CU employees who hold exempt full-time faculty/research/staff positions of Columbia University.

    Student Officers or Non-student Officers receive payment as added compensation. Timesheets should be submitted by the 5th (for payment in the middle of the month) and/or the 20th (for payment at the end of the month). Payment delays may occur because of appointment start and end dates (usually post Labor Day in September, mid-May for the spring, and mid-December for the fall). The Officer's home department approves all added compensation requests.

    Please be mindful of any changes to the Rapporteur employment. Gesenia may need to rehire a Rapporteur if their previous employment status changes (e.g., teaching appointment ends).
     
  • Student Admin Worker – non-exempt student support staff
    A non-exempt;. Student Admin Workers are typically student support staff. Some Student Admin Workers hold multiple casual jobs at CU. Typically, students who hold teaching or research positions are Student Officers. Payment is issued via the University Seminars payroll system. Multiple Job Grad Student Workers - payments may be issued by a home department other than University Seminars.
     
  • Short-Term Non-Student Casual Employee
    A short-term casual employee is a part-time student or non-student employee who performs non-exempt work for a limited period of-time. Casual employees are limited to 560-hours or 4 months of employment, whichever comes first. This excludes full-time and half-time Columbia University, Barnard College, and Teachers College graduate students.

New Rapporteurs

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 does not have a Social Security Number (SSN), they will need to make an appointment with Gesenia Alvarez-Lazauskas ([email protected]) to receive a signed Employment Verification Form on The University Seminars letterhead. This form must then be presented to an ISSO officer in order to receive a Social Security Card Application and instructions on where to submit the application. Please refer to the International Student and Scholars (ISSO) website for information.
     
  • Rapporteurs who are international students will need to present their immigration forms to Gesenia Alvarez. To make an appointment, email Gesenia at [email protected].

 

All new hires must complete the Federal Form W-4 and state tax forms before receiving a paycheck. These forms provide the University payroll system with the required information to set up the appropriate tax withholding from their paycheck.

  • Complete the Federal W-4 Form
     
  • Note: If the Rapporteur is an international student, the IRS has special instructions for Form W4 for nonresident aliens.
     
  • Complete the appropriate New York State tax withholding forms.

  • If the Rapporteur is a Non-Resident Alien, they may be eligible for a tax treaty exemption. See IRS Publication 901 on U.S. Tax Treaties to see if the Rapporteur's country is listed for students. Questions on eligibility for a tax treaty benefit and how to complete Form 8233 may be directed to the Human Resources Processing Center (HRPC).  

    • HRPC Walk-In Hours:
      Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
      Thursday: 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; 12:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
      Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
       
    • Location:
      Studebaker Building
      615 West 131st Street, 4th Floor
      New York, NY 10027
       
  • Gesenia Alvarez will send the Rapporteur instructions on where to submit both the completed and signed W-4 form and the appropriate NYS tax form or forms.

This will be provided to the Rapporteur by Gesenia Alvarez-Lazauskas. The Rapporteur must review the information, sign and return it as instructed. 

Student Officers are graduate student who hold a academic appointments as a departmental research assistant, teaching fellow, teaching assistant, preceptor, reader, or other exempt work at the University. Gesenia Alvarez may need to contact the Student Officers academic department for additional requirements.

Student Officers will be asked by Gesenia to complete the Casual Employment and NYS 195 forms.

if the Rapporteur does casual, support work at another CU department while working as a rapporteur, they are considered a Multiple Job Student Worker. 

Gesenia Alvarez will contact the Rapporteur home department for the paperwork on file. Multiple Job Rapporteurs will be asked by Gesenia to complete the Casual Employment and NYS 195 forms.

Returning Rapporteurs

  • Complete the Rapporteur Registration Form.
     
  • 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 will need to discuss their employment  plans with the departmental administrator in the department in which they hold the student officer appointment.

    Gesenia Alvarez 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.

    Gesenia Alvarez will contact the Rapporteur's home department for the paperwork on file. 
     
  • Some returning rapporteurs may need to update their I-9 forms. Gesenia will contact the Rapporteur if this is the case.
     
  • Returning rapporteur beginning their third year of service as Rapporteur will be asked to complete the Casual Employment and NYS 195 forms with an updated hourly rate of $30/hr.
     
  • If a Returning Rapporteur has recently changed their address or marital status, they may need to update their tax forms, Contact Gesenia if this is the case.