Appointment process & forms

Below is a general outline of the appointment process for SCE faculty, graduate student lecturers, and TAs. Please contact the SCE office if you have questions.

  • Check with your college or school to be sure your curriculum vitae (CV) is on file with them. If you are a visiting faculty member who has not taught during a previous Summer or Winter Session, or whose appointment status has changed, your department will be required to submit an updated CV to the SCE office in B20 Day Hall.
  • Your school or college must approve your class offering and submit a class proposal request to SCE. Once SCE grants approval, SCE will send you an appointment letter and instructions via email. Cornell students will receive appointment letters in the Workday Inbox. Confirm your acceptance by checking the box on the Workday review screen.
  • Review email instructions and follow the steps outlined. Failure to complete all steps or return documentation in a timely manner may delay your appointment and receipt of your first paycheck. Attached to the email will be an appointment confirmation letter, including the salary payment schedule, if applicable. Please sign and return your appointment letter as soon as possible to Beth Beach at eh85@cornell.edu. This will be considered a firm commitment from you.

Additional forms and processes may be required for some positions (e.g., visiting faculty positions, temporary positions, and/or returning faculty with a break in employment with Cornell).

Some faculty may also be required to:

  • Activate your Cornell NetID. Faculty members, graduate student lecturers, and TAs need a NetID in order to use Cornell email, view online course evaluations, and access services and systems, including the Faculty Center. The Faculty Center provides a single entry point to the tools faculty need to advise students and to view class information (i.e., teaching schedule, class rosters, and grading information). New hires receive their NetID as part of the appointment process. A text message will be sent to your cell phone in conjunction with an email message sent to your preferred email address, or a letter will be sent by U.S. mail with your assigned NetID, an activation code to set your password, and activation instructions. The NetID and activation code cannot be sent by email (solely) or fax machine.
  • Enroll in Two-Step Login. All university employee NetID accounts require enrollment in the Two-Step Login service. This action was adopted to protect your pay and tax information from criminal activities. If you have not already done so, please enroll now in Two-Step Login. If you have questions about how Two-Step Login works, and why it is essential for keeping your pay and tax information safe, or would like help changing your device settings, please contact the IT Service Desk.
  • Log into the HR payroll system, Workday, and complete Section 1 of the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form. IMPORTANT: You will be required to bring proof of identification to an HR representative on the Cornell campus. Please review the list of acceptable documentation to be presented. The I-9 process is not complete until you have met with an HR representative, which must be done by your third working day.
  • Review and sign the electronic forms in your Workday inbox. Documents may include:
    • Inventions and Related Property Rights Acknowledgement (IRPA) form
    • Confidentiality agreement
    • W-4 Payroll Tax Form
  • Update personal information in Workday.
  • Complete the Building a Culture of Respect training, if not done when last hired. This web-based training is mandatory for all new and visiting faculty, graduate student lecturers, teaching associates, and staff.
  • If you are visiting foreign faculty, check with your sponsoring department to be sure they file Cornell’s Request for Issuance of Form IAP-66 with the Office of Global Learning as early as possible and send a copy of that to the SCE office.

Faculty working with precollege (high school) students

Faculty and TAs working with precollege students will also be required to complete the following prior to the start of their appointment:

  • Cornell University is committed to providing a safe environment for children and youth (minors) who participate in Cornell programs. Thus, in accordance with the University Policy 8.8. Children and Youth Safety and Policy 6.6.2 Reference Checks, Information Verification, and Background Checks, we will initiate background checks for instructors, TAs, and graders supporting courses that are open to minor students. Pending policy updates, background checks will be conducted once for faculty/staff and annually for students.
  • In addition, all will be required to complete the CULearn Trainings "RMI 101: Protecting Children: Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct" and "RMI 103: Boundary Training for Educators."

Work location

Cornell expects that all faculty, teaching assistants, student workers, and guest speakers will be working either in person (in Ithaca or New York City) or remotely from within the U.S. during the duration of their summer/winter appointment.

Cornell is a U.S.-based employer and generally unable to support remote work outside the U.S.

It is important to note that exceptions are not granted for personal preference and/or convenience. Only for limited reasons (required on-site research, study abroad with prior permission, etc.) does Cornell permit employees to work in another country.

Cornell and its employees are obligated to comply with numerous legal, tax, and other employment-related laws. If you are planning to work outside New York State during the summer/winter term, please share your work address with Ruby D. Brown (rdb6@cornell.edu) by as soon as possible. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if you are working temporarily outside New York State.

For more information about possible tax implications for those working remotely outside of New York State, please visit Cornell’s flexible work website.