HR Glossary
Human resources uses specific language to describe job classifications across different colleges and units. These classifications impact which benefits apply to your job, when you get paid, and applicable policies such as how you accumulate time off.
Academic/Non-Academic
Academic positions are generally faculty and research jobs; non-academic jobs typically refer to non-teaching positions. Impacts: Policies & Benefits
Bargaining Unit
Refers to union jobs, such as the CUPD, building trades workers, etc. Impacts: Policies & Benefits
College/Unit
Employees may work for one of Cornell’s colleges or schools, or for a particular unit, such as the Commencement Office, or Information Technologies. Each college and unit is served by HR representatives who specialize in the work and functions unique to that area of the university. Related: how to find your HR representative.
Contract College/Endowed
This classification refers to whether a position is part of the New York state (public) university system (ie, such as the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), or the privately endowed part of the university (ie, the College of Arts and Sciences, and units such as CU Information Technology). Impacts: Benefits
Exempt/non-exempt
This classification refers to overtime: a non-exempt employee is entitled to overtime under the Fair Labor Standards act, and is typically working on an hourly basis; these jobs are paid biweekly. An exempt employee is generally a salaried position which is paid twice monthly. Impacts: when you get paid
Individual Contributor/Management
Distinguishes whether a position involves managing projects and/or people (management), or primarily functions on an individual basis.
Job Family
Cornell divides jobs into 15 basic groups or families of similar types of work; for example, “Athletics” or “Library/Museum.” See the Career Navigator for more information This classification helps to describe positions in the Cornell job matrix.
Pay Band
Cornell has 9 regular staff pay bands which distinguish compensation ranges and progression within job families.