Class Day and Summer Updates for GS Undergraduates

Dear GS Students,

I write to you knowing that we are reaching the stage in this pandemic where we are all being affected on very personal levels. While some of us are still in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan areas, many have left for homes throughout the U.S. and the world. Regardless of where we are, at this point, it is likely that most of us know people who have been directly impacted by this highly contagious disease. I am thinking about all of you, and especially those of you with family members on the frontlines as health care physicians and other providers—we are so grateful for everything they are doing. I am also mindful of our Postbaccalaureate Premedical students, some of whom have been assisting with our city’s response through their clinical positions, and all of whom will be part of the upcoming response to this global health crisis. I wish you all strength and comfort in the weeks ahead. 

These last weeks have forced everyone at Columbia and GS specifically to rapidly adapt to a new learning format, new ways of connecting with each other, and new and changing access to resources and opportunities. We have also had to face a very difficult and shifting financial future for each of us as individuals, but also for our School, our University, as well as the country and the world. I assure you that our team is working hard to address and adapt to our shared new reality and is dedicated to supporting you to the best of our ability. As I have said before, the resilience and dedication of our GS family is unparalleled and I know that we will continue to lean on each other and lift each other up as we make our way through this crisis.

There is much we do not know about the weeks and months to come, and over the course of the coming weeks we will have to adjust and adapt as the situation develops.  When we do have information to share, I will reach out and we will do our best to answer your questions. There are two important updates that I can provide now. First, on the summer term and our support for students taking courses over the summer, and second, on Commencement and Class Day for our incredible Class of 2020. 

I know how critical the summer is for GS students—for working, pursuing internships and other resume-building activities, and for so many GS students, continuing your studies. I also know that the plans you may have made for summer are now, likely, no longer possible in the way that you originally conceived. As you may have heard, the University has made the decision that all Summer 2020 courses will be hosted online. While in some ways this seems like a continuation of our current online approach, it actually marks more of an evolution. The decision to move the entirety of the summer session online has allowed faculty members and administrators to begin planning a robust offering of courses designed specifically for online instruction. This will allow for the introduction of courses that have not previously been offered in the summer and some innovative approaches to remote learning. It will also provide an opportunity for many GS students to make progress toward completing their degrees that might have otherwise had to be completed during the fall or spring semester.  Since faculty have more time to plan these online courses and incorporate pedagogical best practices, and because students have time and options about enrollment, the conditions are appropriate to restore our regular grading practices.  

The full list of summer courses will be shared soon, but I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some courses that will be available to you this summer. They include Professor Brent Stockwell’s Biochemistry class, Origins and Meaning with Professor Brian Greene, Professor Donald Green’s Experimental Methods in the Social Sciences, Virology with Professor Vincent Racaniello, and History of Pandemics with Professor Kavita Sivaramakrishnan.

As a result of these changes, and because we anticipate students taking more credits than they normally would during the summer term, we have enhanced our summer financial aid for students who take nine points or more of enrollment. While this change will not alleviate the complicated and difficult financial circumstances some students are dealing with in this crisis, it is recognition that the alternatives available to GS students this summer are more limited, and this is one small way we are trying to provide support.

For our May 2020 graduates, President Bollinger announced last week that Columbia University will be hosting a virtual Commencement ceremony and degree conferral in May. As such, I am announcing that we will host a virtual GS Class Day ceremony for all graduating seniors. GS Class Day will be held on Monday, May 18 as planned, but we have moved the start time to 11 a.m. EDT to make the event accessible for students in as many time zones as possible.

In addition to this virtual ceremony, I am firmly committed to holding an in-person Columbia GS Class Day for our 2020 graduates as soon as it is safe to do so. It is too early to definitively announce when this will occur but we plan to coordinate the timing of this very important event with the other undergraduate schools at Columbia University. We recognize that our GS Class Day is such a treasured day for our graduates, their families and friends, and our faculty and staff of GS who have supported you and have been your biggest champions during your time studying at Columbia.  This day is also of great significance for our alumni who are beyond excited to officially welcome you as the newest alumni of Columbia University.  

For now, please know that we are working closely with colleagues from across campus to coordinate the logistics for the new May 18 virtual ceremony and are committed to celebrating this special day for our graduating seniors and to ensure that this ceremony recognizes your many accomplishments and achievements during your undergraduate studies at Columbia. Graduating seniors should closely monitor your inboxes for upcoming emails from the Student Life team and event vendor, MarchingOrder, with urgent instructions for students to register and participate.

In closing, I would like to thank and celebrate all the staff and students who have risen to meet this challenge and figured out novel ways to connect and support each other. Your commitment and ingenuity are truly extraordinary and I am so proud to be your dean.
 

Sincerely,

Lisa Rosen-Metsch
Dean, Columbia University School of General Studies
Professor of Sociomedical Sciences