In this section you can find links to general information and important dates that apply to all the CUNY campuses, information regarding union membership for both teaching and non-teaching appointments, CUNY wide technology like Blackboard and CUNYFirst, and general information about health insurance benefits.

If you spot inaccurate information, dead links, or just want to suggest more information, don’t hesitate to contact us at gradcentertlc@gmail.com.

Calendars

The CUNY academic calendar is available at the following link, along with links to all the campus calendars: Academic Calendars

Pay Schedule Information

• For adjuncts
• For Grad A, B, C, D’s and student employees
  • For students who receive stipends as a part of the fellowships, stipend payments are paid out in lump sums at the beginning of each semester, as long as students are registered before the registration deadline. Registering late causes stipend payment to be late.
• For federal work-study
• For hourly employees

PSC/Union Information

• Dues 
  • As the CUNY is a closed shop,  you are by nature of getting a paycheck from the Grad Center or any of the colleges a member of the PSC. All GC students on fellowship are technically part-time employees, so your dues will be 1% of your total earnings, deducted from each paycheck.
  • Just because you pay dues, however, does not mean that you can vote during union elections you need to fill out a union card. You can request an application here.
• Calendar 
  • The PSC’s calendar page is a one stop shop for all union related meetings and events.
• Rights/Benefits 
  • The PSC’s website has extensive documentation for both your rights as union members and the the benefits you are entitled to as a union member. For information specifically on your eligibility for NYSHIP health benefits you can go here and here.
• Work Rules 
  • How many classes/units can you teach?
    • Adjuncts can only teach 9 credit hours a semester at one college and one class at another CUNY school (not to exceed 6 hours). For more specifics visit the PSC’s website. Other non-CUNY schools have their own restrictions but teaching outside of the CUNY system does not impact workload calculations at CUNY.
  • When will you be observed? 
    • Observations should happen within the first 10 weeks of the semester and you should have at least 24 hours lead time. For a more detailed account of what you’re entitled to in the observation process see the PSC’s website.
  • Office Hours
    • If you are teaching at least 6 hours as an adjunct at one school, you are paid for one additional hour at 100% of your current adjunct pay rate. For more details visit the PSC’s website.
  • College Assistants
    • If you are a College Assistant you are represented by DC 37 Local 2504. In order to be eligible for benefits as a member of the union you need to work a certain amount of hours for a certain amount of time. In order to check your eligibility, contact your individual campus’s Human Resources department.
    • For a general overview of the College Assistant benefits and policies at the Graduate Center consult the “College Assistants Fact Sheet” on page 36 of the College Assistant New Hire Pack.

CUNY First

• CUNYFirst is CUNY’s “Fully Integrated Resources and Services Tool.” All of CUNY’s student administration, human resources, and finance processes are, over time, being integrated into this tool. You will be able to find guidance for how to use CUNYFirst on the campuses where you are working or studying.

Blackboard

• Blackboard is the proprietary Learning Management System (LMS) that all the campuses use. It is not required that you use Blackboard to administer your courses, but doing so does have some advantages. Each campus offers support and workshops for faculty and students. For more information, visit the CUNY website’s Blackboard page or consult this very helpful wiki on the CUNY Academic Commons.
• Depending on which campus you’re teaching at there may be an alternative LMS available. You can consult our overview of these here.

Health Insurance

• In order to qualify for NYSHIP health insurance, students must meet the following qualifactions:
  • First, the students must be matriculated in a doctoral program at the Graduate Center
  • Second, they must be employed in one of the following Professional Staff Congress (PSC) titles: Graduate Assistant A, B, C, or D; Adjunct Instructor; Adjunct Lecturer; Adjunct College Laboratory Technician (CLT); Non-Teaching Adjunct I or II
  • Third, they must earn a least $4,122 per year in one of those titles; or must earn at least $2,061 per semester if they are employed for just one semester
• To see more information on qualifications and signing up, visit this page. The NYSHIP website for graduate students is here.

Adjunct Project

• The CUNY Adjunct Project is a DSC chartered organization whose mission is to empower GC student workers. Visit their website for more information.