Eligibility
Contacts, Forms
Am I Eligible for a CTS?
YES if:
- You’re a full-time salaried officer of administration, instruction, the libraries, or research or you’re a member of the United Doctors Association (UDA); and
- You or your spouse/same-sex domestic partner has a dependent—a natural or adopted son or daughter—who is a candidate for an undergraduate degree at an accredited college or university other than Columbia or Barnard College.
- Note: Your dependent’s eligibility is not affected when you are on a leave of absence other than for lack of funding.
NO if:
- You are a visiting officer of instruction or research; or a postdoctoral scholar, researcher, or fellow.
How Soon Am I Eligible?
It depends on when you’re hired. To receive a CTS for a given term, your hire date has to be on or before:
- September 1 for a Fall Term benefit
- January 1 for a Winter or Spring Term benefit
- May 1 for a Summer Term benefit.
What If My Employment Status Changes?
Layoff
If you are laid off during a term, a CTS for that term will not be revoked. However, you won’t be eligible for a CTS for any subsequent term. This policy also applies to leaves of absence due to lack of funding.
Retirement
Upon your retirement, your or your spouse’s/same-sex domestic partner’s dependent remains eligible for a CTS under the terms in effect for active officers at the time the application is submitted.
Note:
To retire, officers must be 55 years or older and must have completed ten years of full-time service.Leave of Absence (other than for lack of funding)
Your dependent’s eligibility for a CTS is not affected when you’re on a leave of absence other than for lack of funding.
Death
If a deceased officer had completed ten years of full-time service at death or retirement, any dependent of the officer or of the officer’s spouse/same-sex domestic partner is eligible for a CTS under the terms in effect for active officers at the time the application is submitted.
If a deceased officer had completed less than ten years of full-time service at death, the dependent may receive a CTS only to complete a degree program started before the officer’s death.
Resignation, Discharge or Release
If you resign, are discharged or released, or switch from a full-time to part-time appointment during a term, you must refund to Columbia a portion of any CTS benefit received for that term. The accompanying tables tell you what portion of your CTS you’re entitled to retain if you leave in a given month. Note that it doesn’t matter which day of the month marks the end of your eligibility; only the month matters. (Eligibility officially ends at the close of business on the last day of the officer’s active employment with the University.)
Refund checks should be sent to:
EBPA
,
Reimbursement Account
P.O. Box 1140
Exeter
,
NH
03833-1140
1-800-258-7298