Transactions Manual

7-3 Designated Academic Colleagues

Policy

The Designated Academic Colleague (DAC) designation is meant to support scholarly engagement between Columbia personnel and their non-Columbia colleagues in the field.

This new status enables non-Columbia individuals — whether fully employed elsewhere, self-employed, or retired — to consult and engage more easily with Columbia University faculty and researchers who are their established colleagues in a given field. With the DAC designation, the colleague can access campus for short-term periods on occasion and/or for intermittent periods during a semester or academic year. 

The DAC designation lasts a maximum of one year and is eligible for renewal. 

 

The DAC designation is: 

  • A mechanism that allows access to campus for short-term periods on occasion and/or for intermittent periods for those who engage in activity to facilitate research with their Columbia colleagues.
  • A way to grant limited privileges (UNI, email, ID Card, building access, library access, VPN, and access to Rascal).
  • Valid for a maximum of one year, with an option for renewal.
  • A replacement for former zero-salary officers of research or as “contractors” via the Delegated Identity Management (DIA) system.

 

  • Not an employment relationship or a formal Columbia appointment.
  • Not eligible for compensation or benefits.
  • Not a substitute for other visitor categories (Visiting Student Intern [VSI], or Short-Term Visitor [STV]).
  • Not eligible for Columbia-sponsored visas.
  • Not a pathway for individuals to conduct independent research; conduct research training or engage in collaborative activities connected to their prospective degree, or train or observe research activities.
  • Not appropriate for individuals participating in classrom instruction or patient care services.

Requirements

Departments prepare and submit the following with the DAC request ticket in JIRA:

  • CV
  • Active Contract or Subaward Agreement*
  • Visual Compliance Screening **

* If an active contract or subaward exists with the DAC's current organization

** Non-Resident Alien

Additional Requirements

Additional clearance requirements include: 

  • Criminal Background Check***
  • Medical Attestation***
  • Medical Surveillance***
  • Drug Test***

*** If DAC meets the criteria listed in the CUIMC DAC Clearance Requirements

Workflow

  1. CUIMC full-time faculty or professional officers of research who wish to sponsor a DAC notify their department of their intent to designate one.
  2. A department representative with JIRA access completes and submits a ticket in JIRA, attaching all required documents.
  3. OFA reviews the request.  
  4. If:
    1. No additional clearance is required, the OFA approver completes the process by updating the workflow status to Complete. 
    2. Additional clearances are required (e.g. medical clearance, background checks, etc.), the OFA approver routes the ticket to the CUMC HR Review queue following OFA approval. 
      1. Upon approval, CUMC HR completes the process by updating the workflow status to Complete.
  5. Once the DAC request is approved, the department emails the DAC Disclaimer Template Letter to the DAC.
  6. Finally, the department requests access for UNI, email, ID card, building access, library access, VPN, and access to Rascal - as needed.

Resources