Frequently Asked Questions

The University has launched a dedicated payroll process for Student Officers as of July 1, 2024. This enhancement ensures that new appointments, particularly at the busy start of each semester when many students are hired in a short time, are included in payroll quickly and accurately. With this improvement, Student Officers can expect a smoother and more timely payroll experience when initially hired. Under the new process, student officer payroll is processed after the pay period ends. This timing is consistent with the student casual payroll and many other University employees, and for appointed students, it provides additional time for new hires to complete required paperwork including an I-9, and make their decisions regarding withholding elections. This has no impact on stipends of students who are not appointed.

In our ongoing efforts to improve accuracy and efficiency, the University has updated the payroll cycle so that processing now occurs after the close of each pay period, aligning with other student pay schedules across the University. This adjustment allows for improved payroll administration while still ensuring that payments reach Student Officers promptly—generally about three to five business days after the end of the pay period. See question six for information about the payroll calendar.

The University’s commitment to on-time payment is reflected in the data: This semester (fall 2024), 94% of Columbia PhD students on appointment were paid promptly on their first eligible pay date, and 99% received payment within an additional pay cycle. These timely payments reflect a significant improvement in the University’s payroll process, improving support of Student Officers.

The University’s goal is to ensure every Student Officer receives timely payment. The University promptly reviews and resolves all reported cases of late pay by ensuring Students Officers receive their pay. Some reported delays were due to incomplete appointment paperwork, which needs student involvement to resolve. Regardless of reason, the University works with every Student Officer with a payment issue to make sure they get paid. The University is working to streamline the onboarding process to make it even easier and more efficient. If you experience a pay-related issue, call Columbia’s Human Resources and Finance hotline at (212) 854-5000.

Columbia’s Human Resources and Finance divisions have a hotline specifically to assist with student questions related to payroll and stipend payments, including timing of disbursements. For assistance, please call (212) 854-5000.

Alternatively, you may submit a ticket by visiting Stipends: Inquiries on Student Payroll and Stipend Payments, with both options reaching the same dedicated team. 

For inquiries related to student accounts, tuition and fees, refunds, or transcripts, the Student Service Center remains available to assist.

The payroll calendar outlines the schedule for payroll processing and pay dates throughout the academic year. For Student Officers, the 2024-25 payroll calendar follows the "Semi-Monthly Other" schedule (the red row in the table), with payments processed after each pay period closes.

This calendar is an essential resource to stay informed about payroll cycles and can help you anticipate pay dates. If you have questions, please reach out to the Human Resources and Finance hotline at (212) 854-5000, or contact your departmental administrator for additional guidance.

All salaried PhD students, DMAs, and MFA students who are instructors in the University Writing Program are eligible to request an advance for any amount up to $3,000. The advance carries no fees, is interest-free, and not subject to tax withholding. If these students experience other unexpected one-time emergency expenses, they can contact the Dean’s Office of their school to apply for emergency funds, or apply to the Student Workers Health Fund. International students from countries undergoing hardship as identified by the US State Department and the World Health Organization may also draw on the University International Student Hardship Fund announced recently by President Armstrong.  These funds are intended to support specific emergencies.

Students on appointment as student officers have teaching or research duties for their departments, in addition to their academic program requirements.

Students who are not on appointment are provided support so that they can focus entirely on their academic program as well as their own scholarly research. Students who are not on appointment have no teaching or other work obligations.

There are a number of types of campus jobs: appointed academic student officer positions and student casual jobs. Student officer appointments include Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, Graduate Research Assistants, and Department Research Assistants. Student officers are appointed for at least one semester, whereas a student casual job may be shorter term.

Some student casual jobs are Federal Work-Study and are available to students as part of their financial aid package. The financial aid award determined by FAFSA will indicate whether a student is eligible for a Federal Work-Study job. For more information, visit Columbia Financial Aid and Education Financing's On-Campus Jobs page. 

Any student who is included in the bargaining unit defined by the National Labor Relations Board is eligible to join the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers union (SWC-UAW).

The bargaining unit includes:

• All students on teaching appointments, whether PhD, Master’s or undergraduates
• All Departmental Research Assistants and Graduate Research Assistants
• Certain student employees employed on a casual basis

Student employees in the unit may elect to join the Union. Students may pursue work and study at Columbia regardless of whether they choose to become members.

Yes. The provisions in the labor contract negotiated by the SWC-UAW will apply to all student employees in the certified unit.