University Policies

Reservation of University Rights

These policies are intended for the guidance of persons applying for or considering application for admission to Columbia University and for the guidance of Columbia students and faculty. The policies set forth generally the manner in which the University intends to proceed with respect to the matters set forth herein, but the University reserves the right to depart without notice from the terms of these policies. These policies are not intended to be and should not be regarded as a contract between the University and any student or other person.

New York State public health law requires documentation of immunization for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and meningococcal meningitis. New students must provide documentation of these two immunization requirements 30 days before they plan to register for classes. The Columbia Health office will place a hold on a student's account if they do not receive the required documentation from the student.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

New York State public health law requires that all students points provide documentation of their immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) before their first term of study. There are several ways to document immunity. In all cases, the Columbia University MMR form must be completed and submitted to the Immunization Office in John Jay Hall. Please note that the MMR form requires a physician's signature.

Meningococcal Meningitis Decision

New York State public health law requires that students receive information from their institutions about meningococcal meningitis and the vaccine that protects against most strains of the disease that can occur on university campuses. Columbia students must make an informed decision about being vaccinated and certify their decision online. Students must formally indicate their decision about being vaccinated before they will be permitted to register for classes.

Immunization Recommendations

In addition, Health Services at Columbia recommends that all students be properly immunized against or have immunity to the following: hepatitis B (three-dose series), varicella (chicken pox), tetanus, diphtheria, and all routine childhood diseases. These immunizations are available at Primary Care Medical Services.

Students who have paid the Columbia Health and Related Services Fee are eligible to receive several vaccinations free of charge. Vaccinations are also available for a minimal cost to students who have not paid the Columbia Health and Related Services Fee.

Columbia University is committed to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from discrimination, harassment, and gender-based and sexual misconduct. Recognizing that no campus community is removed from the larger systemic issues that give rise to incidents of discrimination, the Dean of Students Office in the School of General Studies works to proactively promote awareness of, and respect for, difference. We have also worked with students and with other University stakeholders to develop a protocol for responding to acts of hate, bias, and discrimination in our community.

Students who have been impacted by harassment, discrimination, or gender-based misconduct are encouraged to file a report. Reports alert the University to the incident and allow the University to investigate and respond. The following reporting channels are available.

Public Safety

The Office of Public Safety works to ensure the University campus and its surrounding environs are safe and secure. Students who witness, hear of, or are victim to acts of bias and hate should immediately contact Public Safety at 212-854-5555.

GS Dean of Students Office Bias Response Team

The GS Dean of Students Office Bias Response Team is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable community that works to address the effects of discrimination, harassment, and/or gender-based misconduct in the GS community. The Bias Response Team works in partnership with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA), the Center for Student Success and Intervention (CSSI), and the Office of Public Safety to address these concerns and ensure that GS community members involved have an opportunity to receive support and engage in education and advocacy. This includes:

  • Responding to reports of bias via the GS Bias Response and Support System Report (see below to file a report) using a restorative justice framework
     
  • Creating dedicated programs and resources to support students from underrepresented communities, focusing especially on those that have experienced institutionalized and/or historical marginalization and/or vulnerability
     
  • Working with campus partners to streamline reporting processes and access to support
     
  • Tracking incidents and incorporating student feedback into strategic priorities for the Dean of Students Office, and more broadly, the School of General Studies
     
  • Developing community outreach and educational programming

In addition to these efforts, team members are also available to work with individual students and/or student groups upon request to facilitate conversations, workshops, and support community outreach and advocacy efforts.

The Bias Response Support System is not a disciplinary office and does not replace reporting options through the department of Public Safety (report an issue to Public Safety), the office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (report an issue to EOAA), or the Center for Student Success and Intervention (report an issue to CSSI). Reports submitted to the Bias Response Support System may include referral to our campus partners listed above. The Bias Response Support System centers support, education, advocacy, and community impact by using a reformative justice lens and framework.

Team Members

  • Marlyn Delva, Dean of Students
  • Sean Trulby, Associate Dean of Student Life
  • Amber Griffiths, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Wellbeing
  • Ashley Moody-Astwood, Assistant Director of Multicultural and Social Justice Initiatives
  • Jonathan Wiggins, Assistant Director of Residence Life and Housing

Note: All staff in the Dean of Students Office are mandatory reporters, which includes staff members in the GS Academic Resource Center and GS Student Life.

Filing a Report

If you are a GS community member who has experienced or witnessed an act of bias, or a faculty member who has witnessed or been made aware of an act of bias directed toward a GS student, please consider the following options:

If you are unsure of where you should report a specific incident of bias, please reach out to [email protected].

Emergencies

If the situation involving bias is an emergency and you or another member of the community is in danger, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 212-854-5555 or call 911.

Contact

[email protected]

Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards / Gender-Based Misconduct Office

Students who experience or have knowledge of incidents of discrimination, harassment, or gender-based misconduct also have the option to file a report directly with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS), which enforces the community standards for University students broadly and includes the Gender-Based Misconduct Office. SCCS reviews all reports to determine whether or not a Dean’s Discipline Process is appropriate, and refers reports to other offices as appropriate. The reporter does not participate in the hearing process, but may be contacted for additional information. To file a report, visit the Student Conduct and Community Standards website and choose “Report” from the main menu.

Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) has overall responsibility for the management of the University’s Employee Policies and Procedures on Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking. Students who experience or have knowledge of incidents of discrimination, harassment, or gender-based misconduct concerning faculty or staff at the University can file a report directly with EOAA. To file a report, visit the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action website and choose “Report an Incident.”

Additional Resources

In addition to filing a report, Columbia University has available a number of confidential support resources.

Columbia University is committed to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from discrimination, harassment, and gender-based and sexual misconduct. Consistent with this commitment and with applicable laws, the University does not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or gender-based or sexual misconduct in any form and it provides students who believe that they have been subjected to conduct or behavior of this kind with mechanisms for seeking redress.

All members of the University community are expected to adhere to the applicable policies, to cooperate with the procedures for responding to complaints of discrimination, harassment, and gender-based and sexual misconduct, and to report conduct or behavior they believe to be in violation of these policies to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action or the Gender-Based Misconduct Policy. For information on these policies and resources, please visit the Sexual Respect website.

Complaints Against Students

Gender-Based and Sexual Misconduct

Complaints against students for gender-based misconduct are processed in accord with the Gender-Based Misconduct Policies for Students. Students who attend Barnard College, Teachers College, or Columbia University are covered by these policies. The use of the term "gender-based misconduct" includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, stalking, and intimate partner violence.

Other Forms of Discrimination and Harassment

Complaints against students for other forms of discrimination and harassment should be filed with the Dean of Students Office of the school in which the accused student is enrolled.

Complaints Against Employees and Third Parties

Complaints against employees and third parties affiliated with the University for discrimination and harassment are processed in accord with the Policies and Procedures on Discrimination and Harassment. The use of the term "discrimination and harassment" includes discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

Consensual Romantic and Sexual Relationships

Columbia University maintains policies regarding consensual romantic and sexual relationships between faculty and students as well as and staff and students.

The Faculty-Student Relationship Policy states that no faculty member shall have a consensual romantic or sexual relationship with a student over whom he or she exercises academic or professional authority. It is also the University’s policy that no faculty member shall exercise academic or professional authority over any student with whom he or she has or previously has had a consensual romantic or sexual relationship.

The Staff-Student Relationship Policy states that no staff member at Columbia should participate in supervision, employment actions, evaluation, advising, or mentoring of any Columbia University student with whom that staff member has or has had a consensual romantic or sexual relationship, except in unusual circumstances. In the event that a personal relationship of this kind does exist in a supervisory, advisory, or mentoring context, the supervisor must disclose the relationship and initiate arrangements to address any issues of conflict of interest.

Non-Discrimination Statement and Policy

Columbia University is committed to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment and to fostering a nurturing and vibrant community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members.

Consistent with this commitment, and with all applicable laws, it is the policy of the University not to tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment in any form and to provide those who feel that they are victims of discrimination with mechanisms for seeking redress.

Also consistent with this commitment, Columbia University prohibits any form of discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence, citizenship or immigration status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, partnership status, military status, or any other applicable legally protected status in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other University-administered programs and functions.

Nothing in this policy shall abridge academic freedom or the University's educational mission. Prohibitions against discrimination and discriminatory harassment do not extend to actions, statements, or written materials that are relevant and appropriately related to course subject matter or academic debate.

This policy governs the conduct of all Columbia University students, faculty, staff and visitors that occurs on the University’s campuses or in connection with University-sponsored programs. This policy also governs conduct by Columbia University students, faculty, staff, and visitors that creates, contributes to, or continues a hostile work, educational, or living environment for a member or members of the University community.

Inquiries or complaints regarding any form of discrimination or harassment may be directed to:

Marjory D. Fisher
Title IX Coordinator
Associate Vice President
The Interchurch Center, Room 3121
61 Claremont Ave, Room 312i, New York, NY 10115
[email protected]
Office: (212) 853-1276
Mobile: (917) 509-0405

Laura Kirschstein
Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Section 504 Compliance Officer
102 Low Library
(212) 853-4677
[email protected]

Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights (New York Office)
(646) 428-3800
[email protected]

Confidential Resources

Columbia offers a number of confidential resources to students who believe they were subjected to discrimination, harassment, or gender-based or sexual misconduct and who do not wish to report to the University:

Counseling Services
Morningside Campus: (212) 854-2878
CUMC: (212) 496-8491

Sexual Violence Response (SVR) & Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center
Helpline: (212) 854-HELP (open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year)
CUMC: (212) 305-1721

Office of the University Chaplain
(212) 854-6242

Health Services*
Morningside Campus: (212) 854-2284
Morningside Campus Clinician-On-Call: (212) 854-9797
CUMC: (212) 305-3400
CUMC Clinician-On-Call: (212) 305-3400

*Medical providers are considered confidential resources in the context of providing medical treatment to a patient.