Faculty Onboarding Resources
New faculty have a number of tasks to complete in order to be ready for their first semester teaching at TU. Links to forms, resources, and other documents that will help you prepare for success are found below.
New Faculty Resources
Early Provisioning
Early provisioning allows new faculty to get access to key work-related tools (such as email and Blackboard) prior to completing the new employee onboarding process. Please read the instructions below before completing the attached . This form is to be completed by new regular faculty, new lecturers, and new adjunct faculty. Please do not submit the early provisioning form more than 120 days prior to when the contract will be created.
- Enter full legal name, including middle name
- Verify the academic department and faculty status (regular/lecturer or adjunct) before making a selection
- A valid email address is needed to complete the early provisioning process
Email and NetID setup
Students, faculty, staff members, retirees, faculty emeriti, and certain guests each use a NetID. Your valid NetID and password allows access to TU's computing services. You can activate your NetID by clicking .
Need assistance? Contact the Help Line at 410-704-5151 or visit the Technology Support Desk
Accepting your contract (Adjunct faculty only)
Your adjunct contract will be created by the department where you will be teaching. This cannot be done until you have completed Early Provisioning and have set up a campus email.
Instructions for accepting your contract are found here, starting on page 9.
Additional information about the Faculty Automated Contract System (FACS) is found here.
I-9 Verification
Form I-9: You will receive a separate email from HireRight so that you can fill out your I-9 verification. Please complete Section I online. Section II will be completed in-person at the Office of Human Resources on the TU main campus. Please schedule your visit by emailing hrtu AT_TOWSON your availability. The Office of Human Resources will send you an invite confirmation once the day/time is confirmed.
When you arrive for this visit, you will be required to provide original versions of documents that can prove your identity. These documents can include (but are not limited to):
- A driver’s license/ID card and social security card
- A driver’s license/ID card and birth certificate
- A U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
- Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
A full list of acceptable documents is found .
New Hire Packet
You will need to complete and return forms included in the New Hire Packet. These include your W4 and State tax forms, as well as a direct deposit form, TU Policy Acknowledgement, Maryland New Hire Registry Reporting Form, New Employee Demographic Form, and Voluntary Self-Identification of Disablity. You can find the New Hire Packet here.
HireRight Background Check
New faculty will receive an email from HireRight to fill out their background check information. The background check looks for records in the following areas:
- Criminal Felony & Misdemeanor
- Social Security Number Validation
- Social Security Number Trace
- National Sex Offender Registry
- Widescreen Plus National Criminal Search
This background check must be completed prior to your employment with Towson University. Additional information about background checks at TU can be found here.
Blackboard
Blackboard is TU's method of delivering Fully Online, Hybrid, and Web Supported Classes. Instructors can use a few or as many of the tools available within the Blackboard environment as needed.
Support for Blackboard is available via phone, , workshops, or . Learn more.
Towson University One Card
The OneCard is the official Towson University ID card, and provides access to many university services: library privileges at Cook Library, use of the university's athletic facilities, free or reduced-priced tickets at Towson University cultural and athletic events, access to recreational facilities, and more! With two debit spending accounts, the OneCard provides cashless access to goods and services campus wide. If linked to a valid PNC account, cash withdrawals may be made from PNC ATMs.
If you already have a OneCard from previous employment, you do not need to replace it. If you need to apply for your first OneCard, you can watch of the process, then to start the online application and photo upload. Please note, the OneCard application will not be available until about 1-2 days prior to your start date.
Additional information about the OneCard can be found at .
Parking
All faculty and staff must have a valid parking permit from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. If you plan to park a vehicle on campus, you will want to obtain a parking permit on your first day in your new role.
Parking permit rates are determined by the previous year's salary. For new hires, the permit rate is determined by the anticipated salary. The permit rates for the current academic year are found here.
Towson University uses a license plate recognition (LPR) system. This means no need to worry about a hang tag or sticker for your vehicle. Your license plate is used to verify that you have a valid parking permit. Make sure you enter your license plate information correctly on your permit application (include all letters and numbers on the plate).
To purchase a parking permit or add a new vehicle onto your existing permit, visit the . Login with your NetID and password. Permits can be purchased using Visa, Master Card, Discover, payroll deduction (for regular faculty and staff), installment plan, OneCard Doc Dollars or cash on delivery (COD). If you choose the C.O.D. option you must pay for the permit within five business days of your purchase date or the first date of classes, whichever is later. Payments are made in person at the Auxiliary Services Business Office (ASBO), located in the lower level of the University Union. Effective August 2021, Auxiliary Service Business Office may relocate to West Village Commons Suite 309. Failure to make payment will result in the permit being canceled and a prorated charge for the time the permit was valid will be assessed. Permits cannot be purchased by phone.
Benefits
You are eligible for health, prescription drug, dental, accidental death & dismemberment, and term life insurance benefits if you are:
- A regular faculty member. Rates for regular faculty are found .
- A contractual/variable hour staff or faculty member (contingent I, contingent II, adjunct) working at least 30 hours/week or an average of 130 hours/month, and under contract for more than 90 days. Rates for those who fall into this category are found on page 1.
- A contractual/variable hour staff or faculty member (contingent I, contingent II, adjunct) working less than 30 hours/week or 130 hours/month, and under contract for more than 90 days. Rates for those who fall into this category are found on page 2.
You have 60 days from your first day of employment to enroll in benefits. After that, you may only make changes during open enrollment in the fall of each year, or if you've had a life event, such as a birth, death or divorce, which qualifies you for a status change.
You will receive an email from Shared Services - DBM within 2-3 weekls afer your first day of employment. You are not able to sign up for benefits until you receive that email, which contains your Benefits ID number. Once you receive the email, you may visit Workday to enroll in benefits. Additional enrollment information for new-hires is found here.
Click the links below for more information on benefits options.
- Health, wellness, prescription drug and dental benefits
- Life and disability insurance
- Flexible spending accounts
Some employment classifications are eligible for additional benefits, such as tuition remission and retirement. For more information about benefits, visit our benefits website at /hr/current/benefits/.
Payroll
The Payroll Office processes payment and oversees timekeeping for all faculty. The Payroll Office is available 8:30am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday. For assistance, questions, or concerns, you may contact the Payroll help line at 410-704-5599 or send an email to payroll AT_TOWSON. More information about the payroll office, payroll address changes, direct deposit, W2 tax statements, and other related items can be found at /financialservices/payroll/.
Adjunct and contingent lecturers are paid according to the Towson University Contingent Payroll Schedule, found here.
Regular faculty are paid according to the Towson University Regular Payroll Schedule, found here.
Title IX Training
All new faculty and staff are responsible for completing two training courses related to Title IX within the first 60 days of employment. You will receive an email from our training vendor, Safe Colleges, within 2 weeks of your start date. This email will provide you with login information to complete these courses.
The required courses are:
- Title IX and Sexual Harassment
- Title IX: Roles of Employees
You may also use the same login information to access a number of other health, safety, and compliance training courses. Your department will instruct you if any other courses are required for your specific role.
LinkedIn Learning
All students, faculty, and staff at Towson University are provided with free access to the online tutorial service, LinkedIn Learning. Benefits to faculty include:
- Access to a wide range of topics and subject categories
- The ablility to supplement coursework
- Maximization of instructional time
- Search course transcripts for quick answers
- Download exercise files and reinforce retention
Information about logging into and using LinkedIn Learning is available here.