1-6 Joint/Interdisciplinary Appointment

Policy

Officers of instruction at the rank of Assistant Professor or above are eligible for a joint or interdisciplinary appointment. An appointment is joint when an officer is qualified in the discipline of two (or more) schools/departments and fulfills significant functions and responsibilities in each school/department. An appointment is interdisciplinary when the officer is qualified in one discipline, fulfills significant functions and responsibilities in more than one school/department of instruction or in a school/department and in an institute or center. The privileges and duties of CUIMC officers of instruction with interdisciplinary and joint appointments and the division of responsibility for their salaries and space are defined in a memorandum of agreement that is signed by the chair, director, dean, and, where appropriate, vice president of each of the units as well as the individual.

Joint and Interdisciplinary Appointments - Best Practices

Requirements and Workflows – choose the appropriate transaction

• Requirements – for officer at the rank of Assistant Professor at CUMC and Assistant Professor (on tenure track)
• Requirements – for officer at the rank of Professor and Associate Professor at CUMC, Associate Professor (tenure track), and Professor (tenure track)
• Requirements – for officer at the rank of Professor (with tenure) and Associate Professor (with tenure)

Officer at the rank of Assistant Professor at CUMC and Assistant Professor (on tenure track)

Department submits the following:

• Letter from chair to Dean recommending the appointment and including the officer’s name, title, and effective date of the joint or interdisciplinary appointment
• Officer’s CV, using the COAP format as a guideline
• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the home and host school (if applicable), department, institute, or center, signed by the chair, and including:
  • Proposed title of the nominee
  • Specification of the home/host/administrative and position school/department
  • Source of the nominee’s salary, indicating percentage per source
  • The space assigned to the nominee during the period of the appointment
  • The nominee’s teaching, research, service, and clinical (if applicable) responsibilities in each school/department
  • The nominee’s voting rights in the home/host departments, in accordance with the school/department bylaws
  • For tenure track faculty only, a statement indicating that the appointment falls under the eight- or eleven-year rule for tenure
• TBH (new hire with interdisciplinary appointment), Paper Nomination (joint appointment), or PAF reflecting action/reason codes DTA/Complete University Title (existing employee with interdisciplinary appointment)

• Voluntary Self-Identification of Race and Ethnicity form

• Pre-Hire Attestation Form

Workflow

Path 1 – Submission via TBH (for new hires with an interdisciplinary appointment)

• The OFA Representative reviews the submission, including the signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), and submits it to the SVP for approval.
• The SVP reviews the submission and, if acceptable, approves the hire paperwork and signs the MOA.
• OFA approves and submits the transaction electronically, which then informs CUIMC Payroll.

Path 2 – Submission via Paper Nomination (for new hires with a joint appointment and for current CU OOIs obtaining a new joint appointment)

• The OFA Representative reviews the submission and submits it to the SVP.
• The SVP reviews the submission and, if acceptable, signs the MOA.
• OFA approves and submits the Paper Nomination to CUIMC Payroll.

Path 3 – Submission via PAF (for current CU OOIs obtaining an interdisciplinary appointment)

• The OFA Representative reviews the submission and submits it to the SVP.
• The SVP reviews the submission and, if acceptable, signs the MOA.
• OFA approves and submits the PAF to CUIMC Payroll.

Officer at the rank of Professor and Associate Professor at CUMC, Associate Professor (tenure track), and Professor (tenure track)

Requirements

Department submits the following:

• Letter from chair to Dean recommending the appointment and including the officer’s name, title, and effective date of the joint or interdisciplinary appointment
• Officer’s CV in COAP format
• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the home and host school, department, institute, or center, signed by the chair, and including:
  • Proposed title of the nominee
  • Specification of the home/host/administrative and position school/department
  • Source of the nominee’s salary indicating percentage per source
  • The space assigned to the nominee during the period of the appointment
  • The nominee’s teaching, research, service, and clinical (if applicable) responsibilities in each school/department
  • The nominee’s voting rights in the home/host departments, in accordance with the school/department bylaws
  • For tenure track OOI only, a statement indicating that the appointment falls under the eight or eleven-year rule for tenure is required
• The school COAP approval letter and report (if applicable)
• TBH (for new hire with interdisciplinary appointment), Paper Nomination (for joint appointment) with action/reason codes HIR/MJB, or PAF reflecting action/reason codes DTA/CNW and DTA/Complete University Title (for existing employee with interdisciplinary appointment)
• Pre-Hire Attestation Form
• Voluntary Self-Identification of Race and Ethnicity Form

Workflow

• The OFA Representative reviews the submission, including the COAP report, and submits it the Faculty of Medicine COAP chair and SVP for review and signature.
• The OFA Representative sends the fully executed MOA to the school/department.
• The school/department prepares the Paper Nomination (for new joint appointment) or PAF (for interdisciplinary appointment) and submits the documentation to OFA
• OFA approves and submits the paper nomination or PAF to CUIMC Payroll.

Officer at the rank of Professor (with tenure) and Associate Professor (with tenure)

Requirements

Department submits the following:

• Letter from chair to Dean recommending the appointment and including the officer’s name, title, officer’s research background, and detailed information on the joint or interdisciplinary appointment, including an explanation of the significance of the appointment
• Officer’s CV in COAP format
• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the home and host school, department, institute, or center, signed by the chair, and including:
  • Proposed title of the nominee
  • Specification of the home/host/administrative and position school/department
  • Source of the nominee’s salary indicating percentage per source
  • The space assigned to the nominee during the period of the appointment
  • The nominee’s teaching, research, service, and clinical (if applicable) responsibilities in each school/department
  • The nominee’s voting rights in the home/host departments, in accordance with the school/department bylaws
• The school COAP approval letter and report (if applicable)
• Paper Nomination (for joint appointment) or PAF (for interdisciplinary appointment) reflecting action/reason codes or HIR/MJB (for joint appointment) or DTA/TTL (for interdisciplinary appointment)
• Pre-Hire Attestation Form
• Voluntary Self-Identification of Race and Ethnicity Form

Workflow

• The OFA Representative reviews the submission, including the COAP report, and submits it the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) COAP chair and SVP for review and signature.
• OFA submits the documents (chair’s letter and candidate’s CV) to the Office of the Provost.
• The Office of the Provost reviews the documentation and prepares for Trustees' review and approval.
• The Trustees approve the joint or interdisciplinary appointment of the tenured officer.
• The Office of the Provost forwards to OFA the monthly Trustees Report with the resolution approving the joint or interdisciplinary appointment.
• OFA notifies the department of Trustees' approval.
• Upon receipt of the notification, the department submits a Paper Nomination (for joint appointment) or PAF (for interdisciplinary appointment).
• OFA approves and submits the Paper Nomination or PAF and Trustees Report to CUIMC Payroll.

Resources

CU Action and Reason Codes for Personnel Transactions

CU Completing a Personnel Action Form (PAF) - Job Aid

CU Faculty Handbook

CU Paper Nomination Form

CUIMC COAP CV Format

Joint/Interdisciplinary Appointments and MOA guidelines

Pre-Hire Attestation Form

Voluntary Self-Identification of Race and Ethnicity form