Before You Arrive
HR/Pay | Email/ID Card | Benefits | IT | Calendars | Policies | Parking | Public Safety | Relocation | Headshots
HR/Pay
- Complete and Submit the New Employee Information Form
Your department administrator will send you this form to complete. If you do not yet have a Nashville address when you complete the form, you will need to update your address in Oracle once you relocate to Nashville to avoid income taxes related to your old address. This can be done in Oracle under Personal Information > Contact Info.
- Confirm That All Initial Appointment Requirements Have Been Completed
Check with your appointing department to make sure that all appointment requirements have been completed, including your background check.
Please note: the background check includes both a criminal background check and degree verification. Under no circumstances can a faculty member begin employment until all appointment requirements have been met.
- Complete Both Parts of the I-9
Both parts of the I-9 MUST be completed before your first day of work. You will not be entered into the Vanderbilt systems until the I-9 is completed. The I-9 process will be initiated by the Office of People, Culture, and Belonging at the same time as your pre-employment background check. This is conducted by our vendor, HireRight, so please be on the lookout for an email from them. Read more details about the I-9 process. If you have questions regarding your I-9, please contact:
Office of People, Culture, and Belonging
(615) 343-4788
i9@vanderbilt.edu
- Complete Your W-4
Once you receive your VUnetID (see ‘Email/ID Card’ section below), you can complete your W-4 in Oracle under the Pay tab > Tax Withholding.
- Set Up Direct Deposit
Direct deposit must be set up through Oracle. Read instructions for setting up direct deposit.
International Faculty
- Work Authorization
If work authorization is needed, please refer to your appointing department for questions regarding visas and costs associated with work authorization. For further support regarding work authorizations, both the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) and Employee Immigration Services can assist you with any questions you may have.
- Employment Visas
For more information regarding employment visas, refer to Employee Immigration Services or email them directly.
- J-1 Visas
If you have a J-1 visa, please contact International Student & Scholar Services:
(615) 322-2753
ISSS@vanderbilt.edu
- H-1B Visas
If you have an H-1B visa, please contact Employee Immigration Services:
(615) 343-9046
ois@vanderbilt.edu
Email/ID Card
- Establish Your Vanderbilt User Account (VUnetID)
Your VUnetID is required to access VU services, including email. Please note that access to VU systems is dependent on your completion of the I-9 form. You can claim your VUnetID through Vanderbilt University Information Technology (VUIT).
Once you have a VUnetID, then you can set up the rest of your IT needs.
- Claim Your Vanderbilt ID Card
To obtain your physical ID card, call or email the Card Services Office to make sure they can recognize you in the system before proceeding to their office to have a physical card made. You can also claim a digital Vanderbilt ID card, which can be loaded to your smartphone’s wallet, through Card Services.
VU Card Services Office
(615) 322-2273
commodorecard@vanderbilt.edu
Sarratt Student Center, Room 184
Benefits
You will receive an email from the Office of People, Culture, and Belonging (PCB) with enrollment information after your home department confirms your appointment with the benefits team. Please email your home department’s administrator with questions. You can access all benefit information along with vendor presentations at your own pace. Review the Vanderbilt benefits information and enroll within 30 days of your hire date.
NOTE: If you are an incoming tenured or tenure-track faculty member who is hired in the summer (inclusive of unpaid continuing-track appointments that begin in the summer to receive benefits and moving bonus funding), you will have 30 days from your earliest appointment start date to enroll for benefits. Failure to do so will result in you defaulting into the Choice CDHP medical plan at the employee-only coverage if you are fully benefits-eligible for the remainder of the plan year.
Open enrollment takes place in October each year. PCB offers multiple open and individual sessions for employees to review insurance options. The benefits team is always available to answer questions regarding benefits and can be contacted at benefits@vanderbilt.edu.
Non-Medical Benefits
The Provost’s Office has collated an extended list of faculty benefits, including information about retirement programs, the Faculty Home Purchase Plan, and the Tuition Benefit Program.
IT
Purchasing a Computer via Vanderbilt University IT (VUIT)
To initiate the process of purchasing a computer, work with your home department administrator to submit a SerVU ticket. The full process—including ordering, system setup, and delivery or pickup—typically takes one to three months.
All computers must be purchased through Vanderbilt University Information Technology (VUIT). Accessories such as monitors, docking stations, printers, scanners, and storage devices (physical or virtual) may be purchased via your departmental administrator.
For security purposes, many of our systems require muti-factor authentication (MFA). You will need to enroll in OneVU to access Vanderbilt applications.
Please review the full A&S computer policy.
General IT Help
Vanderbilt IT is available to assist with any needs. You can chat with IT or submit a help request ticket online, or call (615) 343-9999.
Calendars & Events
Calendars
-
University Academic Calendar
Review the university’s academic calendar, noting semester dates, teaching deadlines, and exam schedules. -
College of Arts & Science Faculty Meeting Calendar
A&S holds monthly faculty meetings throughout the academic year to share important school updates, celebrate accomplishments, etc. Please mark your calendar with the meeting dates for 2025-26.
Upcoming Events
Provost’s Office New Faculty Orientation
Thursday, August 14
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Carmichael College Conference Center
Eligible faculty will receive an invitation via email for this Vanderbilt-sponsored orientation.
Teaching at Vanderbilt New Faculty Orientation
Thursday, August 14
2:30 – 5:00 p.m. (following the New Faculty Orientation)
Location: Buttrick Hall
Offered by AdvancED, this annual orientation provides an opportunity for new faculty to meet their peers and learn about the teaching resources available at Vanderbilt. TAV features interactive sessions that provide practical insights, evidence-based strategies, and tools to enhance teaching practice and foster an engaging learning environment. Register here. Questions: advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu
College of Arts & Science New Faculty Introduction
Tuesday, August 19
2:30 - 3:30 p.m., reception to follow
Location TBA
This is an opportunity to meet other new A&S faculty, briefly share your research and teaching areas of interest, and socialize over food and drink. More information to come.
First Day of Classes
Wednesday, August 20
College of Arts and Science Welcome Back Reception for Faculty & Staff
Wednesday, August 27
Time TBA
Location TBA
Fall 2025 Faculty Assembly (Chancellor Diermeier’s semi-annual address to the faculty)
Thursday, August 28
Time TBA
Location TBA
More information to come.
College of Arts & Science September Faculty Meeting
Tuesday, September 2
4:10 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location TBA
New Faculty Teaching Academy (NFTA)
Monthly from September 2025 - April 2026
Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
NFTA is a cross-disciplinary, cohort-based learning community for faculty in their first three years of teaching at Vanderbilt. In a supportive and collegial atmosphere, faculty will explore evidence-based teaching strategies through a series of seven workshops designed to help jump-start their teaching career. Apply here by August 29. Questions: advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu
Policies
- Vanderbilt Faculty Policies and Procedures
The Vanderbilt Faculty Manual is the governing document for all faculty members at the university. You will find helpful information about the standards and procedures for promotion and reappointment; benefits including the Vanderbilt mortgage plan and retirement incentives; conduct; grievances; leaves; and more.
- College of Arts and Science Policies and Procedures
The A&S Faculty Resources webpage has links to various college policies and procedures, including procedures for appointments, reappointments, and promotions (refer to the Guidelines and Call for Promotions and Reappointments document) and the travel and business expense policy.
Parking
The university requires that all vehicles operated on campus by members of the university community be registered with the Vanderbilt University Police Department (VUPD). More information on the parking policy and how to register your vehicle for parking on campus is available at Parking Services.
For alternative transportation options including carpool and public transit, please visit MoveVU.
Public Safety
Vanderbilt Public Safety offers AlertVU as a resource for emergency preparedness information. It is strongly recommended, although not required, to provide a mobile phone (voice or text), landline, or a personal email for campus public safety alerts in addition to your Vanderbilt email address. If you are interested in opting into these alerts on your personal phone or email, review and update your AlertVU information within Oracle Cloud to ensure that you receive these alerts via a point of personal contact.
Relocation Resources
If you are relocating to Nashville, there are many resources available to you. One is Fridrich & Clark Relocation Services (which provides information about schools, community links, and utility companies by county). You can also explore Greatschools.org.
Headshots
Vanderbilt provides professional headshots to faculty free of charge. Headshots will be provided to all new faculty at the Provost's New Faculty Orientation on Thursday, August 14. If you aren't able to get one there, you can reach out to the Division of Marketing and Communications to schedule a photo shoot in the photography studio. Once you receive your headshot, please provide it to your department administrator so that it can be added to your faculty bio page.