The Jewish Theological Seminary
JTS Faculty FAQs
The Basics
Courses
Equipment: Office, Fax, Telephone, Computer, Photocopier, and Supplies
Faculty Center
Requests: Dining Hall, Facilities, and Audiovisual
Miscellaneous
The Basics
How do I get an ID?
How do I ensure I get paid?
Whom do I call if my paycheck hasn’t arrived?
Whom do I call if my paycheck arrived but it’s incorrect?
To whom do I go if I get my paycheck and see that nothing has been deducted for TIAA-CREF?
Courses
How do I distribute handouts to my students?
What do I do with my syllabi and CV?
If I do not feel well, how do I cancel a class?
What is a standard amount of reading per class?
What grading scale is used?
Where do I find chalk and erasers?
How do I prepare my course packets?
How do I order books for my class(es)?
Can I require my students to buy books?
Is there a JTS campus bookstore?
How are course evaluations handled?
How do I arrange for an in-class final?
How can my students drop off their exams/papers on the eighth floor?
May my students take their exams in the eighth-floor Faculty Center?
Under what circumstances can a proctor be provided?
What do I do with my students’ papers and exams once I am done grading them?
When are grades due?
How do I submit grades?
What should I do if I want to sit in on a JTS course?
Equipment: Office, Fax, Telephone, Computer, Photocopier, and Supplies
Where do I get supplies?
What kinds of supplies are available?
Can I get printer/toner cartridges in the Faculty Center?
What if I need something and cannot find it in the supply closets?
Where are the photocopiers?
How do I make photocopies?
A photocopier that is near my office won't accept my copy code. What can I do?
What if I want to leave items to be photocopied?
How long does leaving items to be photocopied take?
Whom do I call if a non-Library copier is broken?
Are there copiers in The Library?
Do I have to borrow books from The Library in order to copy them?
Whom do I contact if a Library copier is broken?
How do I set up my JTS email account?
Whom do I contact regarding my login name and password?
How do I access my email if I’m off campus?
How do I set up an auto-reply message on my email?
What is JTS’s fax number?
How do I use the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
Where is the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
What if I have trouble with the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
Where are fax cover sheets?
How do I receive faxes?
Whom do I call if I can’t get in my office?
How can I make sure that I have a mailbox?
What if they tell me my office won't be ready for another six weeks?
Who gives me my copy code / long-distance code?
How do I get a computer?
Where do I get my postal mail?
How do I send mail? Where are mailboxes?
Who pays for the mail?
Do I need to write anything on the envelope?
What do I do if don’t have my own JTS telephone number but I would like a voice mailbox?
How do I set up voicemail?
How do I access my voicemail if I’m off campus?
How do I make an outside telephone call?
How do I make an internal telephone call?
How do I find someone’s telephone number?
Whom should I contact if my phone line isn't working?
Faculty Center
What are the names of the Faculty Center staff?
How do I reach the staff of the Faculty Center?
Where is the Faculty Center?
What is the Faculty Center?
How does the Faculty Center stay so neat?
How do I use the offices and desks in the Faculty Center?
How do I use a telephone in the Faculty Center?
How do I use the computers in the Faculty Center?
Requests: Dining Hall, Facilities, and Audio-Visual
How do I reserve a room?
What room should I request?
What if I want to publicize an event or lecture?
What kind of audiovisual equipment is available?
How do I submit a request for audiovisual equipment?
How do I scan articles?
How do I leave items in the Faculty Center for scanning?
How long does scanning take?
Miscellaneous
How do I contact the executive assistant to the provost?
Whom do I contact if I need help with typing?
Where can I get a cup of tea or coffee?
How do I pay a student worker?
How do I make travel arrangements?
How do I get reimbursed from my research and travel accounts?
How do I publicize my works?
How do I publicize my off-campus activities?
Do I have access to the Columbia library?
How do I contact the Columbia gym?
The Basics
How do I get an ID?
The Human Resources department issues ID cards. Their telephone number is (212) 678-8014; their office is Unterberg 108.
How do I ensure I get paid?
You must fill out requisite tax forms in Human Resources. If you think you will not be able to stop by their office, call them to see how they can help. Their telephone number is (212) 678-8014; their office is Unterberg 108.
Whom do I call if my paycheck hasn’t arrived?
Start with either the executive assistant to the provost, or the Faculty Center office manager, either of whom can try to track down what has happened.
Whom do I call if my paycheck arrived but is incorrect?
Start with either the executive assistant to the provost, or the Faculty Center office manager, either of whom can try to track down what has happened.
To whom do I go if I get my paycheck and see that nothing has been deducted for TIAA-CREF?
Contact Human Resources. Their telephone number is (212) 678-8014; their office is Unterberg 108.
Courses
How do I distribute handouts to my students?
Please give your materials to one of the Faculty Center staff. Students can pick them up from the vertical organizer out front on the eighth floor.
What do I do with my syllabi and CV?
The Office of Academic Affairs (acadaffairs@jtsa.edu) is required to have on file electronic copies of your syllabi and CV. Please be sure to email them a syllabus for every class you are teaching and, even if you have sent them a CV in the past, please be sure to do so on an annual basis.
If I do not feel well, how do I cancel a class?
If at all possible, please call the Faculty Center at (212) 678-8966 as soon as you can so that signs can be posted. Furthermore, please inform that office when you intend to make up the cancelled session. If your class meets before 9:00 a.m., you might try calling the Registrar’s office—(212) 678-8007—to see if someone is there and available to make an announcement.
What is a standard amount of reading per class?
Graduate School: 100–125 pages. List College suggests that for every hour of class, up to two hours of homework is acceptable.
What grading scale is used?
A letter scale is used: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, poor; F, failure. No credit is given for grades of C- or lower. For comparative purposes: A+, 4.3; A, 4.0; A-, 3.7. B+, 3.3; B, 3.0;
B-, 2.7. C+, 2.3; C, 2.0; C-, 1.7. D+, 1.3; D, 1.0; D-, 0.7; F, 0.
Where do I find chalk and erasers?
In the classroom or in the Faculty Center, Kripke 801. The gray supply cabinet is on the right. Each cabinet also has a list of its contents taped to the door.
How do I prepare my course packets?
There are four ways for students to access materials:
1. E-readings on Blackboard
To the degree that JTS can get course materials into electronic readings, that is the preferable method. Because of the nature of electronic reserves, your syllabus has to be submitted well in advance of the beginning of the semester. You can submit your course materials for electronic readings as long as you (a) complete the e-reading form (sent via email from The Library) and (b) submit an electronic copy of your syllabus. Information about e-readings for the spring semester should have been emailed to you mid-semester. Please keep in mind that the deadline for the fall semester is around the middle of June; the deadline for the spring semester is around the end of November. If you have any questions regarding e-readings, please contact Rena Borow in The Library by telephone at (212) 678-8970 or by email at ereserves@jtsa.edu.
Faculty members who have elected to participate in the Blackboard e-readings project are also highly encouraged to attend a Blackboard orientation session (learn your user name and password, how to log on to Blackboard, how to view your electronic readings, post your syllabus online, etc.). To schedule a one-on-one or group training session, or for further questions specific to Blackboard, please contact Elizabeth Taylor at (212) 280-6109 or blackboard@jtsa.edu.
2. Paper reserves
You should have already received an email from The Library with information about paper reserves. If you have not yet received this information, please contact The Library at (212) 678-8082 or circulation@jtsa.edu. Please keep in mind that if you wish articles to be placed on paper reserve, you need to submit a copy of the article.
3. Course packet made by the Village Copier
The Village Copier
2872 Broadway (east side of Broadway, between 111th and 112th Streets)
New York, NY 10025
Phone: (212) 666-0600; fax: (212) 666-0691
villagebroadway@nyc.rr.com
A. Contact the Faculty Center staff for a file called "Packet Permission: VillageCopierForms.doc" that contains the three forms you will need for the Village Copier. They can email you that file.
B. Four weeks (ideally) before the packet is needed, complete a permission form and send it to the Village Copier. The Village Copier will then take care of getting permissions.
C. Two weeks before the packet is needed, you need to send the Village Copier a hard copy of the materials.
If you have questions about what is in compliance with the copyright law, please contact JTS's counsel’s office at (212) 678-8804.
Students go to the Village Copier to buy the packets.
4. Faculty Center makes copies
The fourth option is the least desirable path and involves asking this office to make copies for your students. Please keep in mind that this office can copy only those items which are no longer (or never were) protected by copyright or for which you have permission. When you ask the Faculty Center staff to make copies, we will ask you to sign a form representing that there are no copyright problems and accepting personal responsibility for securing any permissions that may be required. Again, if you have questions about what is in compliance with the copyright law, please contact JTS's counsel’s office at (212) 678-8804.
One further note: students can receive forty free pages per class. After that, they must pay this office for copies. Submitting a few pages per week for photocopying makes it very difficult to keep track of the total number of pages so if you plan on taking advantage of this option, please submit a packet for the entire session at one time well before the first day of class. Please be sure that all pages are numbered, in the correct order, and facing the desired direction. Packets will be sold in this office for the first three weeks of the semester.
How do I order books for my class(es)?
Use this form: fill it out, save it, and email it to the address on the form.
Can I require my students to buy books?
While you are not expected to provide all course materials to the students, you cannot require them to buy books. You should request either electronic readings or paper reserves.
Is there a JTS campus bookstore?
The JTS Campus Bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble, is located on the second floor of The Library building between the Seminar Room and Berman Boardroom. The JTS Bookstore is a fully stocked university bookstore, offering required textbooks and recommended readings for classes in all of JTS's five schools. It also carries Jewish literature; Judaica; magazines; maps and city guides; stationery and school supplies; JTS logowear; gifts; and Barnes & Noble gift cards that can be used at JTS, bn.com, and any Barnes & Noble retail location.
In addition to individual purchases, the JTS Bookstore is able to process large, special project, event, and group orders from members of the JTS community. Books of interest to JTS students, faculty, researchers, staff, and supporters will now also be available at various Barnes & Noble consumer outlets.
The JTS Bookstore will be open Mondays through Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; it will be staffed by Barnes & Noble personnel. Books and merchandise purchased can be mailed from the JTS mailroom; all usual postage costs, fees, and terms apply. Online service is under consideration.
How are course evaluations handled?
Evaluation forms are filled out online. The Office of Academic Affairs (acadaffairs@jtsa.edu) emails the students with the instructions.
How do I arrange for an in-class final?
The Registrar’s Office sends out a sign-up form for in-class finals in October or November. If you don’t receive that form, please contact the Registrar's Office by email at registrar@jtsa.edu or by telephone at (212) 678-8007.
How can my students drop off their exams/papers on the eighth floor?
You are welcome to have your students drop off papers in the Faculty Center. Please give the Faculty Center staff the following information: the course name and number, the deadline by which the students must deliver their papers to us, and an estimate of the number of students in your class. If you do not inform us that you want us to accept papers, we direct them to your mailbox.
Please be sure to ask your students to give their papers directly to the Faculty Center staff so that we can note on the paper the date/time it was received. In addition, if you have a mailbox on the eighth floor, this will ensure that your students' papers reach the correct mailbox.
If you wish to pick the papers up yourself, please make arrangements with the Faculty Center staff.
May my students take their exams in the eighth-floor Faculty Center?
Unfortunately, the eighth floor does not have enough space to allow students to take exams there and the Faculty Center staff cannot proctor any exams. However, there are two alternatives, both of which require some forethought. First, the Faculty Center staff can work with the Department of Facilities and Maintenance to reserve a room. Second, they can also give a student an exam, note what time the student picked up the exam, and then note what time the student returned the exam to the Faculty Center staff.
Under what circumstances can a proctor be provided?
Proctors are rarely provided. For finals, the Registrar's Office might be able to help. Please contact that office at (212) 678-8007. For an exam over the course of the semester, please contact your department chair for suggestions.
What do I do with my students’ papers and exams once I am done grading them?
Students’ exams and work should be sent via interoffice mail to Box 65 or brought to the eighth floor. When you have student papers to return, please alphabetize them if at all possible. With so many papers to file, it is a big help to the Faculty Center staff. All papers should be in the Faculty Center by the date that grades for the semester are due.
When are grades due?
They are generally due a week or two after the semester ends. Please check the Academic Calendar online.
How do I submit grades?
Log in to my.jtsa.edu/ics, pick the correct semester, pick the course for which you wish to enter grades. In the drop-down box, choose “Grade Entry,” and then enter a grade for each student. The following instructions came from the Registrar’s Office in June 2008:
1. Log on to my.jtsa.edu/ics
2. Enter your user name and password (you may change your password to a more user-friendly word or number once you log on by clicking "Personal Info" on the very top of the page and clicking the password tab).
3. Click on the "Faculty" tab (on top of the page)
4. Click on "Grade Entry" (on left of the page)
5. Click on "View Course List"
6. Change term to "2007–2008 Summer Session 1" and click "Search"
7. Click on "BIB 1013"
8. Enter grades from the drop-down list in the "Final Grade" column.
If you don’t know your login name and/or password, please contact the Department of Information Technology at support@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8901.
What should I do if I want to sit in on a JTS course?
1. First of all, no one is permitted to sit in on a JTS course without registering for it. Full-time faculty, however, may register for courses with full tuition and fee exemptions: they will be charged neither tuition nor the student service fee. Part-time faculty may be exempted from the tuition charge (eligibility to be determined by the provost or the dean of Academic Affairs), but not from the service fee.
The following two paragraphs apply to full-time faculty only:
2. Faculty must obtain permission both from the course instructor and from the provost or the dean of Academic Affairs to register for the course. The latter permission is to confirm that the course is being taken for the purpose of professional development. The administrator who approves the request will inform the registrar in writing (via e-mail with a copy to the faculty member) that the permission has been granted.
3. The faculty member must contact the JTS registrar to complete the registration process. The Registrar's Office will register the approved faculty member through the VIP registration process, adding the faculty member's name to the class list, and forwarding a tuition-and-fee exemption form to the chief operating officer for signature. Faculty will not have to submit any additional paperwork once they have received approval to take the course.
Equipment: Office, Fax, Telephone, Computer, Photocopier, and Supplies
Where do I get supplies?
The two gray closets in Kripke 801.
What kinds of supplies are available?
Pens, pencils, paper, labels, envelopes, staples, tape, Wite-Out, paper clips, binders, hanging and manila folders, and more.
Can I get printer/toner cartridges in the Faculty Center?
If you need a toner cartridge for a printer here at JTS, ask the Faculty Center staff to order one for you. If you can read the identifying information from the cartridge, please submit that information with your request. If you no longer have that information, please submit the brand name and model number of your printer.
If you need a replacement cartridge for a printer at home that you are using for JTS work, you should buy it and submit an expense report for reimbursement from your research funds. Please see below for more information on how to do that.
What if I need something and cannot find it in the supply closets?
The Faculty Center staff regularly checks the closets, but please let the Faculty Center staff know if something is running low or if you need something that you do not see.
Where are the photocopiers?
Two photocopiers can be found in the Faculty Center in Kripke 801. There are also copiers on the fifth and sixth floors of Brush, as well as the second floor of Unterberg that accept your copy code.
How do I make photocopies?
Your individual long-distance code operates the photocopiers. If you are a visiting faculty member and have not already done so, please ask the Faculty Center staff for their code. Other professors should contact the Office of Facilities at (212) 678-8095. This code is not to be distributed to students.
If you need copies made for class, please see the question about making course packets. You can make copies yourself at any copier where your copy code has been entered. You are also welcome to come to the eighth floor and leave them for the Faculty Center staff to copy. Visit Kripke 801 (the copy room) and, on the bookcase to the right of the door, there is a copying/scanning form and a small bin. Fill out a form, attach it to your materials, and put the combination in the metal bin.
A photocopier that is near my office won't accept my copy code. What can I do?
Email facilities@jtsa.edu, identify the photocopier that you would like to regularly use, and ask them if it is possible to add your copy code to that machine.
What if I want to leave items to be photocopied?
Visit the copy room (Kripke 801) in the Faculty Center. Request forms and a photocopying bin are on the bookcase in the photocopy room. For each job, please fill out a request form, attach it to your materials to be photocopied, and put the materials in the photocopying bin.
How long does leaving items to be photocopied take?
Ideally, originals of fifty pages or less should be submitted at least three days prior to the date they are needed. Jobs larger than fifty pages must be received at least one week in advance. As a general rule, the Faculty Center is able to complete those copies faster than the above timetable. Please note that the Faculty Center has priority access to the machines, especially during the first month of the semester. While the Faculty Center staff ask for adequate lead time, the office is usually able to handle last-minute requests; however, no same-day requests will be filled during the first two weeks of the semester. You are encouraged to submit your materials in advance.
Whom do I call if a non-Library copier is broken?
Duplicating at x8096.
Are there copiers in The Library?
Yes. Take your JTS ID card to the circulation desk and ask for a Faculty Photocopying Card. You will get a free (and refillable) card worth $20 that can be used in the copy room of The Library.
Do I have to borrow books from The Library in order to copy them?
No. Take your JTS ID card to the circulation desk and ask for a Faculty Photocopying Card. You will get a free (and refillable) card worth $20 that can be used in the copy room.
Whom do I contact if a Library copier is broken?
The circulation desk in The Library.
How do I set up my JTS email account?
The following information is from Dr. Stephen Garfinkel, dean of Academic Affairs:
"I wanted to make you aware that each JTS faculty member is entitled to a JTS email account. In order to use your JTS email account, if you have not already done so, please contact the Computer Operations help desk at support@jtsa.edu or visit them in order to activate your account. They can be found immediately down the hall, just after getting off the elevator on the seventh floor of the Kripke Tower. It is important for you to check your JTS email on a regular basis for faculty announcements and other important information. If the staff at the help desk informs you that you do not have a JTS email account, please contact Roberta Feinsmith at x8064 (rofeinsmith@jtsa.edu). She will arrange for an account to be created for you."
Whom do I contact regarding my login name and password?
If you do not know your login name and password, please email support@jtsa.edu.
How do I access my email if I’m off campus?
Visit http://webmail.jtsa.edu and log in with your login name and password. If you do not know your login name and password, please email support@jtsa.edu.
How do I set up an auto-reply message on my email?
Click here for a link to the site where you can set that up.
What is JTS’s fax number?
There are a number of faxes around JTS. The fax number of the machine in the Faculty Center is (212)678-8961.
How do I use the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
There are instructions taped right behind the machine. If you run into trouble, you are always welcome to ask the Faculty Center staff to help you.
Where is the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
The fax machine ([212] 678-8961) can be found in the back of the Faculty Center, on the southern desk (the desk on the left as you walk down the hall from the elevator). The fax machine is in a public area and is accessible twenty-four hours a day.
What if I have trouble with the fax machine in the Faculty Center?
Feel free to ask the Faculty Center staff for help. You can also ask the Faculty Center staff to send a fax for you (be sure to include your long-distance code).
Where are fax cover sheets?
You can create one on your computer or use one of the cover sheets that are in a folder to the right of the fax machine.
How do I receive faxes?
Incoming faxes are generally held until the end of the day and then sent to your mailbox.
Whom do I call if I can’t get in my office?
If you have locked yourself out, call Facilities at x8095. If it is after hours and they do not pick up, you can call Security at x8087.
How can I make sure that I have a mailbox?
If you are a part-timer, you have a mailbox in the Faculty Center at the end of the hall. To determine which box is yours, please consult the list taped above the mailboxes. Remember that your mail can be found beneath the number. Please note: do not give anyone that mailbox number. Your mailbox number, from the perspective of JTS, is "65." Those sending you mail from outside JTS should also address your mail to "Box 65." The Faculty Center staff retrieve the mail once a day and deliver it to your mailbox.
In addition, please do not ever direct students to your mailbox. They inevitably get confused and put mail in the wrong place. If you wish students to deliver anything to you, please have them speak to one of the Faculty Center staff here in the office. Similarly, if you have handouts to distribute, please give them to one of us; students can pick them up from the vertical organizer out front.
If you are a full-timer, the executive assistant to the provost will have submitted a form asking Facilities to assign you a mailbox. If you have not yet heard back, check in with the executive assistant to the provost, who will try to track down what has happened.
Whether part-time or full-time, please check your mailbox once a week.
How do I send mail? Where are mailboxes?
There are wooden mailboxes scattered throughout JTS. There is one on the eighth floor of the Kripke Tower, right by the elevator. Others can be found on the fifth floor of Schiff in the middle of the floor and on the fifth floor of Brush near the elevator. They all have two sides: one for internal mail (mail that is going to another person or department within JTS) and one for outgoing mail (mail that is leaving the building and requires postage).
If you need special delivery, please visit the mailroom in the basement of the Schiff building. If you are sending out personal mail, the mailroom staff will tell you how much it costs. Then, pay the Bursar and bring the receipt back down to the mailroom.
Who pays for the mail?
Since JTS pays for outgoing mail, please be sure to put a stamp on any personal mail. There is also a US Postal Service mailbox just outside JTS's main entrance.
Do I need to write anything on the envelope?
You should put your last name or write your box number (Box #XX) above the return addess on the envelope. If your last name is common, please be sure to write your first name as well.
What if they tell me my office won't be ready for another six weeks?
The Faculty Center on the eighth floor of Kripke Tower has a few offices and four seats (at two desks) for faculty. These are generally used by the part-time professors, as they have no other office space. Spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are not generally used for longer than a few hours at a time. You can also try speaking to any professors you know to see if you can borrow an office.
Who gives me my copy code / long-distance code?
If you are a full-timer, please contact the Office of Facilities and Maintenance at x8095 ([212] 678-8095) or facilities@jtsa.edu. If you are a part-timer, please contact the Faculty Center staff.
How do I get a computer?
Contact the executive assistant to the provost. (This has to be requested in the list of job/office requirements sent to Human Resources.)
Where do I get my postal mail?
Part-Timers: If you are a part-time professor, those sending you mail from outside JTS should address your mail to "Box 65," but your physical mailbox is in the Faculty Center at the end of the hall. To determine which box is yours, please consult the list taped above the mailboxes (remember that your mail can be found beneath the number). Please check your mailbox once a week.
Note: please do not ever direct students to your mailbox. They inevitably put mail in the wrong place. Please have them deliver their materials to one of the Faculty Center staff on the eighth floor.
Full-Timers: Please contact the executive assistant to the provost.
What do I do if don’t have my own JTS telephone number but I would like a voice mailbox?
You can choose to have a voice mailbox set up (simply let the Faculty Center staff know that you desire one), but it will not ring anywhere. You must be sure to check that voice mailbox at least once a week. We recommend not giving yourself one more thing to be responsible for; feel free, instead, to give students your email address or an alternate telephone number. Please let the Faculty Center staff know how you would like callers to reach you so that we can direct them appropriately.
How do I set up voicemail?
The first time you call in, the system will prompt you to set up your account. Dial x8899 to get into the system. Then press "##" to get to JTS's auto-attendant. When you hear, “Shalom. You have reached the . . . ,” dial "9," followed immediately by the last four digits of your telephone number. The system should then prompt you with whatever else you will need to do.
How do I access my voicemail if I’m off campus?
Dial (212) 678-8899, press "##" to get to JTS's auto-attendant. When you hear, “Shalom. You have reached the . . . ,” dial "9," followed immediately by the last four digits of your telephone number.
How do I make an outside telephone call?
For long distance calls, dial "9" to get an outside line, followed by "1-area code-telephone number." You will hear a long tone and will need to put in your long-distance code. Visiting faculty should ask the Faculty Center staff for their code. Other professors should contact the Office of Facilities at (212) 678-8095 or facilities@jtsa.edu. This code is not to be distributed to students. For local calls in the 212 area code, dial "9," followed by the seven-digit phone number; you need not enter the area code nor your long distance code number. For other local numbers in the 917, 646, and 718 area codes, dial "9," then 1-(area code)-phone number; you need not enter your long distance code number.
How do I make an internal telephone call?
JTS typically uses three exchanges: 678, 870 (usually for the dormitories), and 280. They can all be dialed internally by using just the last four digits of the number. Telephone numbers for everyone at JTS can be found online at: http://access.jtsa.edu/access. Please note that this site works only if you are on campus.
How do I find someone’s telephone number?
The JTS telephone directory can be accessed online at http://access.jtsa.edu/access. Scroll down to the bottom half of the page to use it. If you are accessing it off-campus, click on the word “Login” at the top of the page in the gray bar and then put in your JTS user ID and email password.
Some common numbers you might need are:
Registrar: x8007
Human Resources: x8014
Faculty Center: x8966
Provost: x8064
Whom should I contact if my phone isn't working?
First, be sure everything is plugged in. Then see if anyone else in the building is also having trouble. If not, call Facilities from another phone at x8095 or email them at facilities@jtsa.edu to request their help.
Faculty Center
What are the names of the Faculty Center staff?
Miriam Goldberg and Jeanette Bland.
How do I reach the staff of the Faculty Center?
Phone: (212) 678-8966
Email: jebland@jtsa.edu, mirgoldberg@jtsa.edu. Please note that Ms. Goldberg’s email address does not follow the JTS standard of the first two letters of your first name followed by your last name.
Where is the Faculty Center?
On the eighth floor of the Kripke Tower. As you enter JTS, the elevator banks will be directly in front of you. Simply take the elevator to the eighth floor.
What is the Faculty Center?
The Faculty Center is a place for you to:
get supplies
relax in the lounge
send and receive faxes
work on the computers
use the offices (if you do not have an office)
How does the Faculty Center stay so neat?
With your help. Please do not leave things here. If they are not quickly claimed or we cannot determine whose they are, they swiftly make their way to the recycling bin.
How do I use the offices and desks in the Faculty Center?
If you are a part-time professor, the Faculty Center will be your office. The four offices not assigned to full-time faculty as well as the four desk seats in this office are available for use each day on a first-come, first-served basis. They are intended primarily for faculty who do not have offices elsewhere. The offices are not locked. Please be aware that if you leave personal items in an office or cubicle, you may not be able to return to that particular spot. This setup can present difficulties if you need to arrange a meeting with a student or colleague. We suggest that you get to the floor a few minutes early so that you can pick an office and then meet your student out by the elevators.
Keep in mind that if you wish to conduct oral midterms or finals, you should not conduct them in the Faculty Office; it is easy to request a room in which you can meet. For midterms, be sure to give Faculty Center staff at least two weeks’ notice. For finals, be sure to fill out and return the form that the Registrar’s Office sends out asking professors if they intend to administer a final.
How do I use a telephone in the Faculty Center?
Each office or desk has a telephone. The telephones do not have voicemail. If you wish outside callers to call you while you are working here, be sure to give them the number that is taped to the telephone.
How do I use the computers in the Faculty Center?
Each seat has a computer with email, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Two computers have Nota Bene for Windows. Please do not save files to the hard drive as it clogs up the drive. Feel free to ask the Faculty Center staff for a disk to use for your personal files.
Requests: Dining Hall, Facilities, and Audio-Visual
How do I reserve a room?
The Faculty Center staff is happy to fill out the appropriate forms. Please give them the date, purpose/title of the get-together, the start and end times, expected number of attendees, and, in the case of room requests, first, second, and third choices for a room. Please note that last-minute requests are difficult for the departments to fill. Please give the Faculty Center staff at least one-and-a-half week’s lead time. If you wish to make the request on your own, please note the following instructions:
While on campus, in Microsoft Office 2007, open Word, go to the big circle at the top left of your screen, click on "New," choose "JTSA templates," then click on "Room Request" in the middle part of the screen, and then click on the "Download" button on the bottom right of the screen.
If you are still using an earlier version of Microsoft Office, open Word, click on the "JTSA" menu, and choose "Room Request Form."
What room should I request?
The room you need depends on how many attendees you expect. Mendelson Convocation Center, the Private Dining Room (either half or the entire PDR), and the Seminar Room are the standard lecture rooms. The sixth-floor conference room is nice for meetings of eight-to-sixteen people (depending on the setup you need). Classrooms can be reserved only once the rooms for the semester are finalized and released by the Registrar’s Office so that Facilities can “lend” them out. That usually happens about three weeks into the semester. In addition, 12:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. are the typical lecture times, so rooms at that time are often already assigned.
What if I want to publicize an event or lecture?
Please let the Faculty Center staff know if you want an event announced internally only or if you would you like it posted on the JTS website as well. The Faculty Center staff can contact the JTS Office of Public Events to have the event posted on the website and included in our Calendar of Events. We send the information to the Student Life newsletter, Divrei HaYamim, for inclusion there as well. In addition, we send Student Life some hard copies of the flyers so that they can post them on their bulletin boards and we ask them to send the announcement to the JTS community too. Lastly, this office distributes flyers in the cafeteria about a week and half before the event.
What kind of audiovisual equipment is available?
A TV/VCR, screen, slide projector, tape recorder, and laptop projector. Please see the JTS Audio-visual Request Form in Microsoft Word to see what is available.
How do I submit a request for audiovisual equipment?
You can request it through the Faculty Center staff which will forward the request. Please submit a list of the equipment that you need along with the date for which you need it, start and end times, and room number. That department requires at least five business days’ notice and will not honor late requests. In addition, we need time to take care of the requisite forms. So please plan ahead. If you wish to make the request on your own, please note the following instructions:
While on campus, in Microsoft Office 2007, open Word, go to the big circle at the top left of your screen, click on "New," choose "JTSA templates," then click on "AV Request" in the middle part of the screen, and then click on the "Download" button on the bottom right of the screen.
If you are still using an earlier version of Microsoft Office, open Word, click on the "JTSA" menu, and choose "AV Request Form."
How do I scan articles?
The Faculty Center has a scanner but it is not available for public use. The Faculty Center staff ask for three days' lead time but this office is usually able to handle last-minute requests. Please note that no same-day requests will be filled during the first two weeks of the semester or the first week of a summer session. In addition to these scanning capabilities, the IT department on the seventh floor of Kripke Tower (a big window on the left, just after you exit the elevators) has a scanner. The IT staff wants you to know that you are welcome to simply stop by there and, as a general rule, they will be able to scan short items for you on the spot.
How do I leave items in the Faculty Center for scanning?
Request forms and a request bin are on the bookcase in the photocopy room. For each job, please fill out a request form, attach it to your materials, and put the materials in the bin.
How long does scanning take?
The amount of time needed varies depending on the Faculty Center’s other obligations. However, some guidelines follow:
*fifty sheets of paper (that can be fed through the feeder) can be scanned in approximately thirty minutes
*forty pages of a book can be scanned in approximately sixty minutes
Sometimes staff will be able to scan items on the spot. Much of the time the staff will need to keep your items and return them once they have been scanned. Please allow three days to one week for the task to be completed.
Miscellaneous
How do I contact the executive assistant to the provost?
Roberta Feinsmith can be reached at (212) 678-8064 or rofeinsmith@jtsa.edu.
Whom do I contact if I need help with typing?
Given the time and personnel constraints, the Faculty Center staff can help with a limited amount of typing. Feel free to have the Faculty Center staff type letters, faxes, syllabi, and tests. They are happy to keep boilerplate on file. Please try to give the Faculty Center staff a week’s notice for English typing and more lead time for Hebrew typing.
Where can I get a cup of tea or coffee?
The Faculty Center Lounge has instant coffee and regular teabags, and you are welcome to come by anytime. The JTS Dining Hall is open throughout the semester. Their hours vary but are roughly 8:00 to 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is also a small café on the east side of Broadway, between 121st and 122nd Streets. Exit JTS and walk down the same side of Broadway (toward Columbia) half a block. It will be on your left. If you reach 121st Street, you have gone too far. And if you are on the side of Broadway with only stone or brick buildings and no storefronts, you are on the wrong side of Broadway.
How do I pay a student worker?
Do not pay the student directly if s/he is doing research for you. Instead, submit the student invoice to the provost's office and have the provost's office pay the student out of your account.
How do I make travel arrangements?
Contact JTS's travel agent, currently Planetarium Travel, (212) 595-1567, to book your flight.
How do I get reimbursed from my research and travel accounts?
All requests for reimbursements are processed through the Provost’s Office. You will need to submit original receipts. Please note that you will need to fill out an expense report. While on campus, in Microsoft Office 2007, open Excel, go to the big circle at the top left of your screen, click on "New," choose "JTSA templates," then click on "Expense Report" in the middle of the screen, and then click on the "Download" button on the bottom right of the screen. If you are still using an earlier version of Microsoft Office, open Word, click on the "JTSA" menu, and choose "Expense Report."
How do I publicize my works and off-campus activities?
All faculty members have access to their biography and speakers' bureau pages on the website and can make updates and add links to books, etc. For any questions about using the website, please contact Information Technology (training@jtsa.edu). To publicize any speaking engagements or to add news to Focus on Faculty, please contact Elise Dowell, Chief Communications Officer of JTS (eldowell@jtsa.edu). (Please visit the JTS online directory for all contact information.)
Do I have access to the Columbia library?
Reading privileges are granted to everyone with a valid/current JTS photo ID. Just go to the library office in Butler 201, show them your valid JTS ID, and they will take care of the arrangements. As you enter the doors of Butler Library, Butler 201 is on your left before you go through the turnstiles. Their telephone number is (212) 854-2271.
How do I contact the Columbia gym?
JTS faculty are considered a Columbia University neighbor and are entitled to a discount. You can get more information about the gym here. Please see page eighteen of this brochure.