Information for New Faculty

Welcome to the College of Charleston.

We are committed to creating the best possible environment for you to conduct your scholarship, to inspire students through teaching, and to serve your discipline, our campus, and global communities. To help with your transition, please read the information provided in your appointment and below. If you have any questions, please contact your department, dean, or the Provost's Office.

New Faculty Resources

Orientation New Faculty Orientation is held at the beginning of each semester. Check your email for an invitation.

Parking & Buses Limited parking and free commuter buses are available. Apply for a parking permit or learn bus and carpool options through Campus Services HQ.

Locate Your CWID to look up your Campuswide Identification Number (CWID). Your CWID is created only after your complete your HR requirements. Your supervisor will send you an email when your CWID is active with instructions on how to set up your accounts on MyPortal and Office 365 for the first time.

Email and Password Visit the internal Directory (log in required) and enter your name. If a campus account has been created for you, your email appears beside your name. If you do not have a Directory email, the College has not yet completed your appointment in our employment database. Contact your department if you need assistance. Note: ALL employees use a username@cofc.edu account, and all employees must set up multi-factor authentication for this account.

Ordering Textbooks Please submit your textbook orders, including the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), as quickly as possible through the Adoption and Insights Portal for Barnes & Noble at the College of Charleston. At the College, students are automatically enrolled in our course-material program, called Cougar Complete, upon registering for classes. (They can opt out until Drop/Add.) This program offers all required materials as rentals for $22 per credit hour versus paying by the book. By submitting your orders on time, the CofC bookstore can ensure it has everything students need before the first day of class, and students can make an informed decision about the most cost-effective way for them to get course materials. To determine your textbook list, you may visit their textbook search to get a list of the books students will need for their courses. For assistance, contact your department chair or Emilee Opoien, the College's textbook manager, at opoienep@cofc.edu.

CofC ID Card You'll get your CofC identification card (your Cougar Card) at Campus Services HQ. After your appointment is activated in our employment database, go to Campus Services HQ (162 Calhoun Street) with your government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, get your picture taken, and immediately receive your Cougar Card. A Cougar Card is required to enter the College of Charleston Libraries and use their services.

Setting up your class Your department will assign you to your course(s). You may view your course assignments and class rosters on OAKS. Your department's instructional technologist and our entire Teaching and Learning Team (TLT) are here to help you get started. 

MyPortal Explore MyPortal, your secure gateway to the College's online services, including channels for Faculty, Library, Employees, Accounts, and Advising, as well as the shortcut to OAKS, our learning management system. 

Using Library Services The College's Libraries collaborate with faculty of every discipline to teach students research, information, and digital literacy skills. Visit Library Faculty Services to get started.

International Faculty Please reference our International Faculty site. If you are not currently eligible to work in the U.S. or need assistance transferring your eligibility to the College, please contact the Center for International Education and your department chair to discuss the College's requirements as soon as possible.

Affiliate Faculty and Researchers Affiliate faculty given a courtesy appointment should contact their department/program about the onboarding requirements as they may vary depending on their affiliation with the College and/or teaching and advising responsibilities. Affiliates are required to submit the Affiliate Faculty Personal Data Sheet and Background Check form. If you are teaching or serving on a thesis or research section for a student, you must also submit academic credentials (your official transcript(s) and CV to your department chair or director. Affiliates (unpaid) typically do not need to complete the employee eVerify process or report to HR in person.

New Faculty Orientation

Getting here

For those of you who wish to ride a CARTA bus to campus, you may present your CofC ID Card to the driver to receive complimentary bus rides during orientation or anytime throughout the year. The Express Buses are a very popular choice for CofC and MUSC employees. These buses pick up at several park-and-ride locations in the Charleston area. Please visit Ride Carta for route information. The nearest Express Bus drop-off spot on campus is at the intersection of Calhoun and St. Philip Street. 

For those of you who wish to drive to campus, the Office of the Provost will distribute at orientation parking passes valid only on the day(s) of orientation to the following on-campus parking garages: St. Philip Street Garage (PG) and the Coming Street Garage (adjacent to CVS). Please see the campus map for directions. Parking passes will not be provided for any additional days. If you plan to purchase a parking pass for the academic year, it will be valid starting at the beginning of the academic year. If you wish to park in the PG garages (only) before the activation date of your parking pass, you may use your CofC ID to receive the daily discounted faculty rate of $10.00 per day. To take advantage of this benefit, the Cougar Cash account is the required form of payment upon exit from the garage. Simply pull a ticket when entering the garage, and then present the cashier with your ticket and your Cougar Card upon exit. The parking fee will be withdrawn from your Cougar Cash account on your card. You must add at least $10 to your card prior to exiting the garages. To add money to your card, please visit Cougar Card Services or add it to your account on MyPortal. Please note that the garages do not have in-and-out privileges with the daily rate.