FAQs: New Faculty

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Teaching Resources and Tools at Columbia

Department of Statistics – Teaching Support Contacts

  • Appointments, paycheck, and other human resources questions – Dood Kalicharan 
  • Ordering textbooks, software, and other supplies –  Anthony Cruz
  • Registration questions
    • Undergraduate Program  – Gabriel Young & Ron Neath 
    • MA Program – Chrissie Kong
    • Ph.D. Program – Dood Kalicharan 
    • General Questions – Anthony Cruz 
  • TA needs and issues –  Dood Kalicharan 
  • Student conduct – Dood Kalicharan
  • ODS accommodations – Dood Kalicharan

Courses 

How do I see who is registered for my class?

Log into either SSOL or Courseworks with your UNI. Note that SSOL updates more quickly than Courseworks.

I have a waiting list for my course in SSOL, but a student asked me to sign an add/drop form. Should I sign?

If your class has a waiting list in SSOL, do NOT sign the add/drop form without discussing it with Student Services. By signing the add/drop form, you are allowing the student to bypass the waitlist. 

Note that the wait list operates in two modes: by default automatic, where people from the waitlist get automatically added to the class as others drop, and in manual mode, where you explicitly promote selected people from the waitlist. The manual mode is often used to give priority to certain student groups (e.g., those who are in a priority group for the course or those who are in their final semester).

Students say they cannot register for the course as the course is restricted/blocked. What does this mean?

Some courses are reserved for students from a certain academic program only, and that is the most likely reason those students cannot register for the course. 

A student is requesting to drop a class after the drop date. What can I do? 

Registration issues such as this (or whether to allow an incomplete) are under the control of individual academic programs. Students should work directly with their academic advisors and/or program directors. 

What is the Change of Program Period?

It is the first two weeks of the semester during which students can add/drop courses without a financial penalty. Expect to see more students attending your class than what the roster says. If you have a large number of students on your waitlist, please communicate with them via SSOL and give clear instructions on whether they should show up to the first few lectures. 

How do I find out where finals for my class will be held?

Depending on scheduling, finals are sometimes held in classrooms other than the ones the class is being held. Classroom assignments are listed in SSOL. Log in with your UNI and locate your class by name (use the alphabetical letters at the top of the screen to list classes).

My classroom’s AV and/or software are not working. Who should I call? Technical support for hybrid/electronic classrooms (“eRooms”) is available from Monday–Friday, between 8 am–8 pm, and on-call during weekends. Please email erooms@columbia.edu for assistance, or call 212-854-3633.

I have serious issues with the assigned classroom. What can I do?

Consult the Registrar-Managed Classrooms web page to view the seating capacity and layout of classrooms in 22 buildings on the Morningside Campus. Review the Classroom Relocation Policy and e-mail us at registrar@columbia.edu with any questions.

How do I cancel classes in case of an emergency or inclement weather?

Send an email to students that the class will be rescheduled for another time or made up by extending the regular class by 15 minutes.

Can I allow students to audit my class?

This is entirely up to you. I have general questions about academic policy. Who should I contact?

The GSAS Policy Handbook will help you navigate all academic policy questions. 

What course management system does Columbia use?

Columbia uses Courseworks/Canvas for its online course management.

Please see this CTL page for more information. 

Academic Integrity 

It is highly recommended that you discuss general and your own additional academic integrity policy in the first class. This will provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and for you to clarify expectations. When you suspect an academic honesty policy violation contact SCCS.

Payment and Support 

Who do I contact for administrative/payroll questions not covered here?

Contact Dood Kalicharan for questions about reimbursement, payroll, tax holding, and your appointment. 

Where is my office?

Great question! Contact Dood Kalicharan for details. 

Is parking available on the days I teach?

Parking at Columbia is limited. Requests are directly managed by the Columbia Transportation Office

When, how, and how much will I be paid?

Salary is payable at the end of the month and is divided up into equal monthly installments; it is either directly transmitted to the bank via the direct deposit form or via a check delivered to the Department. The amount is dependent on many factors, including the size of the class. Contact Dood Kalicharan for more information.

I need a TA or want to change the one I have. Who should I contact?

Classes with at least 25 students will be assigned a teaching assistant. Smaller classes may share a teaching assistant with another class. The TA coordinator coordinates TA assignments based on current enrollment information and history. Contact Dood Kalicharan.  

How do I access the department’s HPC clusters? 

Read this and contact the Research Computing Service (RCS) team at CUIT