Information for Current Postdoctoral Fellows at CU Denver | Anschutz

Welcome to CU Anschutz! We're excited to have you as part of our postdoc community and look forward to supporting you on your journey. Here is a brief checklist to help you get started.

Before Starting:

• Obtain housing
• Sign up for a local bank account
• Obtain a Colorado driver’s license or state identification.
• International Postdocs: Consult with your department and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to complete your visa requirements for yourself and your family, if applicable, and to determine next steps before and after arrival in Colorado.
• Learn about transportation options and plan your commute.
• Start exploring Denver and Aurora.

First Day:

• Work with your Department HR contact to establish your appointment, activate your CU Credentials, and obtain your University ID.
• Enroll in Duo multi-factor identification to be able to securely access CU web services.
• Set up your email in Microsoft Outlook.
• Ensure your employee information is correct on the MyCU portal.
• Bring appropriate documentation to your Department HR contact to complete your I-9 form.
• Fill out the appropriate tax withholding forms:
  • Domestic Postdocs: fill out W-4 on the MyCU portal.
  • International Postdocs: schedule a consultation with an international tax specialist.
• Fill out your direct deposit information on the MyCU portal.
• Have lunch with your coworkers, labmates, and/or mentor!

First Week:

• Complete the New Postdoc Entrance Survey.
• Meet with your mentor to discuss your career and project plans.
  • Understand your mentor's expectations and your responsibilities
  • Find out how your PI will measure your success and set some short-and long-term goals
  • Discuss how you and your mentor will communicate, including preferences, patterns, frequency
  • Ask questions about the lab group and department
  • Start thinking about your Individual Career Plan
• Work with your Department HR contact to enroll in New Employee Orientation.
• Complete the required HR trainings and any discipline-specific trainings (e.g. Biosafety, COMIRB, IACUC, etc.).
• Explore the CU Anschutz campus.
• Sign up for a parking permit and/or Eco Pass, if needed.
• Registers for CU Anschutz Alerts.

First Month:

• Enroll in benefits through the MyCU portal. For more information attend a Payroll & Benefits live webinar.
• RSVP for New Postdoc Orientation – you should get an email from the PDO inviting you to register within a month of your start date.
• Fill out your Individual Career Plan and discuss it with your mentor.
• Meet the Postdoc Association! Attend a PDA coffee hour or other upcoming event.
• Continue to familiarize yourself with all the perks of being a CU employee.
• Visit the Office of Information Technology (OIT) website to access tools and software for your research.

All HR-related issues are handled by the HR professionals within your Department or School, including each of the following items:

• ​Setting up your payroll and employment in University systems ​
• Assigning your workspace/lab and any equipment needed 
• Arranging for campus badge ID, key issue, parking permissions, etc. 
• Informing you of required training (e.g., new employee orientation, biosafety, entrance survey, postdoctoral orientation, IDPs, etc.). 
• Administering annual performance reviews 
• Completing reappointment paperwork and salary adjustments. 
  
  

​If you have questions about the appointment process, contact your departmental HR professional or Director of Finance and Administration (DFA).​

HR professionals and DFAs should reference the Policy for Research Postdoctoral Fellows/Trainees when making decisions and are encouraged to contact the Postdoctoral Office​​ with questions. ​​​​​​​​​

University Postdoctoral Policy

Guidelines for postdoctoral fellows’ salaries and benefits are described in the university Policy for Research Postdoctoral Fellows-Trainees.

• Postdoctoral Fellows are hired directly by their faculty mentors and the Department and School in which they conduct their training.
• Postdoctoral fellows must receive a salary at least equal to the zero year experience level of the NIH NRSA stipend scales (currently $62,232).
• All Postdoctoral Fellows employed 50% or more receive the same benefits, regardless of the source of their support.  You can find your full benefits eligibility on the CU Employee Services website.

Postdoc Benefits

Benefits include the standard employee offerings and are subject to the same eligibility and usage requirements as other employment classifications and include the following items:

• Group medical and dental insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Short and long-term disability
• Workers’ compensation
• Unemployment compensation
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• COBRA upon termination

• Discounted or free software packages

• Tuition waiver benefit – *note that you must first register as a non-degree seeking student in the graduate school and registration deadlines apply.
• Email for life! As a CU Anschutz alumni you may continue to use your cuanschutz.edu email address even after you've left the university.

Leave and Holidays

In addition to campus holidays, full-time postdoctoral fellows receive 12 working days of vacation and 12 working days of sick leave per fiscal year (24 working days total, or 192 hours), and are eligible for Family Medical Leave similar to the standard criteria used for other campus employees. Postdocs are also eligible for 6 weeks of paid Parental Leave. See the Policy for Research Postdoctoral Fellows/Trainees for full details.

Loan Deferment

Postdoctoral fellows are considered equivalent to medical residents for the purposes of loan deferment. If you would like to apply for loan deferment, please use this form and email the Postdoctoral Office at postdoc.office@cuanschutz.edu. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Student loan payments made (not deferred) while you are a CU employee may qualify you for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Visit employee services to learn more.

NIH Loan Repayment Program

The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRP) can help postdocs reduce student loan debt by offering up to $50,000 per year for conducting eligible biomedical or behavioral research. To learn more about the program, visit the LRP website. Interested in connecting with an LRP ambassador? Email the Postdoc Office, and we'll put you in touch.

During this extremely exciting, but stressful, time in your life, it’s important to remember to take care of yourself. Wellness encompasses many different aspects of your life (e.g., physical, mental, financial, spiritual, etc.), and the more you can incorporate wellness into your daily life, the happier and more productive you will be. CU Anschutz has a new tool to help you connect to resources and here are some other resources to help you maintain balance:

Physical Wellness 

As the adage goes, “a sound body equals a sound mind”. Whether it’s a weekend hike, an early morning spin class, incorporating walking meetings into your day, or simply standing up to stretch and move once an hour, physical activity is an essential part of wellness.

Campus Fitness Centers: 

• Anschutz Medical Campus: Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. Postdocs are eligible for the student rate, so make sure to let them know you are a postdoc when you sign up ($50/month).
• Denver Campus: Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center.
• In addition, the university has negotiated discounts at a variety of gyms, including 24 Hour Fitness and Life Time Fitness.
• Be Colorado Move Program: An incentive program to encourage physical activity. Sign up and then download the app (which will connect to fitness trackers such as Fitbit and Apple Watch). Log 30 minutes of activity at least 12 days a month to receive $25 per month!

Mental Wellness
Physical wellness is important for mental wellness, but the two are not synonymous. Mental wellness deserves explicit attention and should be part of your overall wellness plan. Whether it is formal counseling services, stress management, or just needing to talk with someone, everyone needs support from time-to-time. Make your mental wellness a priority and give it the attention it deserves.

• CU Anschutz Help Compass Resource Locator Tool
• CU Anschutz Faculty, Staff, and Postdoc mental health clinic
• CU Anschutz Campus Well-Being Resources
• Denver Campus Counseling Center: provides mental health and counseling services to CU Denver Students and the Denver Metro community. 
• Ombuds Office: provides confidential support for business-related concerns and conflict mediation.
• The Phoenix Center: provides free, confidential support services, education, awareness efforts, and resource referrals for issues of interpersonal violence (IPV). IPV is an umbrella term that encompasses relationship violence, sexual violence, and stalking.​
• In an emergency, call 911 or visit the Emergency Departments at the University of Colorado Hospital or Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Colorado Crisis Services provides free, confidential and immediate support from trained professionals and peer specialists, available 24/7/365 by calling 844-493-TALK (8255), or texting TALK to 38255.
• "Becoming a Resilient Learner" - Dr. Sharon L. Milgram, Director, NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education
• Watch the recorded talk
• View the presentation slides

With an average 300 days of sunshine a year and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, Denver’s appeal is not surprising. So now that you’re part of the city, here are some resources that may be helpful as you navigate life in the Denver Metro area:​

Housing

• CU Denver | Anschutz Off-Campus Housing Resource
• Housing Resources from the Office of Student Affairs
• Housing Resources from the Office of International Student & Scholar Services

Transportation

• Commuting to Campus
• CU Anschutz Interactive Campus Map
• CU Anschutz Office of Parking & Transportation: Regardless of whether you buy a parking permit, parking on the Anschutz Medical Campus is free after hours (6pm to 6am) and on weekends. Just visit the parking office in the Fitzsimons Building and request that evening and weekend parking access is added to your badge (one-time $10 activation fee applies).  
• CU Denver Campus Map
• CU Denver (Auraria Campus) Parking Office

Childcare

• Childcare Resources from the Office of Student Affairs
• CU Anschutz Childcare and Elder Care Resources
• Denver Preschool Program
• Universal Preschool Colorado

Fun!

• UniverCity Key: Discounts around the city for students, postdocs, faculty, and staff
• CU Advantage: Your one-stop-shop for CU perks, benefits, discounts, and more
• Employee Services Work/Life Blog
• Community and Campus Connections Newsletter