FAQ

Each seminar has a different policy on guests. Graduate students may be invited by their professors to participate in seminar meetings with the consent of the seminar.

No. Honoraria are not permitted under any circumstances. There are limited funds for travel and accommodation. See also: Belo Award.

Yes. Dinners at Faculty House are catered and offered to members at a subsidized rate. The University Seminars office is charged for each seat. Dinners outside Faculty House are, likewise, reserved. RSVPs are collected by the rapporteur the week prior to the meeting.

Seminar members and guests are expected to pay for dinner. Speaker & respondent, rapporteur, and chair meals are covered by the office.

Most seminars meet at the Columbia University Faculty House about once a month during the academic year. Each seminar has a page on The University Seminars website with a schedule.

Each seminar has a different privacy policy. Although complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, some seminars choose to keep their minutes private for five years prior to their inclusion in The University Seminars Archive. To encourage an unfettered exchange of ideas, each seminar decides whether minutes are “closed” or “open.” If the minutes are “closed,” they are not to be posted online, emailed, or otherwise distributed.

No. A University Seminar is not a public event. If a seminar would like to reach a broader audience, The University Seminars encourages seminars to plan a conference or symposium.

No. Recordings of Zoom meetings are for the rapporteur’s use only and must be deleted once the minutes are completed. Recordings may not be shared with anyone, including the speaker. Minutes may be distributed in accordance with the seminar’s privacy policy if the policy is open.

Even if a seminar has an open policy, The University Seminars office will not post minutes on the department website. Should a seminar wish to publish additional material, Columbia University’s Information Technology Department (CUIT) offers various options for members of the Columbia community. After five years, minutes are included in The University Seminars Archive.

Anyone with UNI/password access can visit the digital archive here: The University Seminars Digital Archive

Columbia members may be added to the seminar’s roster at any time. The central office must be notified of the addition. An entry form for new Columbia Members must accompany the letter of nomination. Blank entry forms for both types of membership are available on The University Seminars website.

Every seminar has a different procedure, but most will have you attend as a guest for a trial period before you can apply for formal membership. If you have attended a few meetings and the chair invites you to become a member, the chair can submit a letter of nomination to Susan Boynton. Once the nomination is accepted, you will be sent a link to our UNISEM Membership Form via Google. 

Associates have free reading and borrowing privileges at the University’s libraries; these privileges include physical access (with CUID), off-campus access to online resources (with UNI and password) and borrowing privileges with no monthly fees. With a valid CUID, seminar associates are eligible to use Dodge Fitness Center for a monthly fee.

Email Susan Boynton the following: full name, date of birth, and name of the seminar. Susan will confirm the active status of your membership and, if necessary, update you in the system. Once you receive confirmation from Susan, you may go to the Columbia ID Office in 204 Kent Hall to be issued a new ID card.

Members, Associates, Rapporteurs, regular guests, and speakers who have presented work at a seminar which has subsequently been accepted for publication may apply through our online submissions manager.

Seminar chairs may apply for conference funding through our online submissions manager. A conference proposal must come from the work of a seminar. All or some of the members of the seminar must be committed to being central to the conference and the organization of it, and members must agree on the basic need and goal of the conference.

The Belo Award aims to encourage participation in The University Seminars by emerging and independent scholars, as well as non-tenured professors. Awardees can use the funds for expenses related to attendance, including dependent or elder care and other incidentals. Applications for the Belo Award will be reviewed by a committee. For questions about this award, contact Susan Boynton: slb184@columbia.edu.

Chairs apply on the participant’s behalf.