Campus Life
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science attracts and admits
an exceptionally interesting, diverse, and multicultural group of students, and it takes
steps to provide a campus environment that promotes the continued expansion of each
student’s ideas and perspectives. Starting with the residence halls, in which nearly all
first-year undergraduate students live, the University assigns rooms to both Engineering
and Columbia College undergraduate students, ensuring that all students will live either
with or near a student attending the other program.
Once students have moved into
their new campus home they will find themselves part of a residential system that offers
undergraduates a network of social and academic support. Designed to make students aware
of the vast number of social and academic opportunities available to them at the
University, these networks provide an umbrella of comprehensive advising to help
students articulate and realize their goals while at Columbia. More information about
the residence halls can be found in the chapter ‘‘Housing and Residence Life’’ in this
bulletin.
Dean of Student Affairs Office
Undergraduate life is not
confined to the classroom. A blend of academic, educational, social, and cocurricular
activities contributes to the Columbia experience. While The Fu Foundation School of
Engi- neering and Applied Science is large enough to support a wide variety of programs,
it is also small enough to promote the close interaction among students, faculty, and
administration that has created a strong sense of community on campus.
With its mission of providing a
wide range of services designed to enhance the student experience from the time of
admission through graduation, the Dean of Student Affairs Office is the hub of
undergraduate student life. Admissions, Financial Aid and Educational Financing, Center
for Student Advising, Residential Programs, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Family
Programs, Office of Judicial Affairs, Special Events, Student Development and
Activities, and Academic Success Programs are integral components of the Office, and the
integrated effort of these units assures that individual students receive support in
both their academic and cocurricular pursuits. The Dean of Student Affairs Office is
responsible for assisting students in all matters beyond actual course instruction and
helping to create a special spirit and sense of community for students.
Center for Student Advising
The Center for Student Advising reflects the mission of the University in striving to support and challenge the intellectual and personal growth of its students and by creating a developmental, diverse, and open learning environment. Individually and collaboratively, each center:
• provides individual and group academic advisement, exploration, and counseling• provides information on pre-professional studies, study abroad, and major declaration and completion, as well as various leadership, career, graduate school, and research opportunities; refers to additional campus resources
• designs and facilitates programming to meet the unique developmental needs of each class and to enhance community among students, faculty, and administrators
• interprets and disseminates information regarding University polices, procedures, resources, and programs
• educates and empowers students to take responsibility in making informed decisions
Each student is assigned to an advising dean who will work with him or her during the undergraduate years. When a student declares a major, a faculty member is appointed to guide him or her for the next two years. Advising deans regularly refer students to their academic departments to receive coordinated expert advice in their engineering course selections.
Pre-Professional Advising
The Office of Pre-Professional Advising works closely with the Center for Student Advising and with the Center for Career Education to provide information for students who plan a career in law or the health professions. The Office advises and assists students throughout their four years, but works most closely with students during their application year and with alumni who apply for admission after graduation. Information sheets, forms, and helpful resources are available in the Office of Pre-Professional Advising. Students will work with their advising deans as primary pre-professional advisers; these advisers will be instrumental in writing committee evaluations for some professional schools.back to top
Student Development and Activities
Knowing that student learning continues beyond the classroom, Columbia University strongly encourages students to become involved in programs and activities to enhance their educational experience and personal growth. A wide array of student organizations address both student interests and professional concerns, including the arts, politics, identity, culture, and religion. Joining such groups offers an exciting and dynamic opportunity to develop leadership skills that will serve students well throughout their lives.
Orientation
All new students are required to participate in an Orientation program that is designed to acquaint them with the University, the administration and faculty of The Fu Foundation School of Engineer-ing and Applied Science, upper-class students, and New York City. The New Student Orientation Program for new undergraduate students begins the week prior to the start of the fall semester. Orientation is intended to assist all new students with the transition to college life.
Orientation is busy, exciting, and a lot of fun, but it is also a week in which important academic decisions are made. Scheduled into the program are information sessions and opportunities to meet with academic advisers. Through large group programs and small group activities, students will be introduced to faculty members, deans, resident advisers, and other students. Orientation includes walking tours of New York City, social events, and information sessions on University services and co-curricular opportunities. During Orientation, new students have the campus to themselves, providing a unique opportunity to make friends and settle into life at Columbia before classes begin.
Orientation for graduate students
is scheduled during the week prior to the beginning of each semester. For more
information on orientation for graduate students, contact the Office of Graduate Student
Services.
Undergraduate students may e-mail
or call 212-854-5808 for additional information.
Student Organizations
Programs and activities at
Columbia are primarily shaped by students who assume leadership and volunteer positions
in hundreds of organizations across the campus. The Engineering Undergraduate Student
Council is the schoolwide elected representative body of The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science. Its members represent interests on committees and
projects addressing a wide range of issues facing the Columbia community and help shape
the quality of life for Columbia students.
Working in conjunction with the
Student Council, the Activities Board at Columbia (ABC) and Student Governing Board
(SGB) oversee the management and funding of student groups. The ABC provides information
for students on campus organizations and events and offers office support to the over
150 student groups that operate directly under the ABC. Another 100 student-run
organizations operate from other parts of the campus—including the Inter-Greek Council,
club sports, and the Earl Hall Center. Of special interest to engineering students are
the pre-professional societies, recognizing the various academic disciplines. These
societies, which include the Asian-American Society of Engineers, National Society of
Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Society of Women
Engineers, provide many networking opportunities for students.
Graduate students can participate
in University-affiliated organizations and activities. As a Columbia University student,
you can participate in and enjoy hundreds of diverse social, religious, cultural,
academic, athletic, political, literary, professional, public-service, and other
organizations. At SEAS, graduate students are encouraged to become active members of the
Engineering Graduate Student Council (EGSC). The EGSC is a recognized group that
consists of representatives from each of the nine academic departments at SEAS. The
objectives of the EGSC are to foster interaction among graduate engineering students, to
serve as a voice for graduate engineering students, and to sponsor social and
educational events of interest to the graduate engineering community.
Office of Student Development and
Activities
The Office of Student Development
and Activities (SDA) provides programs and services designed to help build a sense of
community, support responsible student governance and cocurricular activities, and
further students’ leadership development and personal growth.
Student Development and Activities
staff members advise all ABC/SDA-recognized organizations and serve as resources for
event planning, organizational leadership, and budgeting. The Office of Student
Development and activities offers leadership training workshops and helps networking
among student leaders. In addition, the Office administers the Urban New York Program,
the New Student Orientation Program, and the various Columbia Outdoor Orientation
programs.
Residential Programs,
Faculty-in-Residence Program, and Gateway Residential Initiative
The commitment to student life at
Columbia has been strengthened in recent years by refocusing on the Residential Life
System. The Residential Programs staff, supervised by the Assistant Dean/Director of
Residential Programs and consisting of professional staff and graduate students as well
as selected undergraduates, contributes to the growth, well-being, and personal and
intellectual development of students. The Residential Programs staff strives to enhance
the quality of residential life by cultivating an atmosphere conducive to educational
pursuits and the development of community within the student body. These contributions
form an integral part of a Columbia education by stimulating mutual understanding and by
fostering an atmosphere based on the appreciation of the differences and similarities
characterizing such a diverse cultural community.
The Residence Life and the
Faculty-in-Residence programs provide a powerful and unique synergy in Columbia’s
residence halls. They offer students intellectual stimulation, social interaction, and
cultural awareness—all important parts of a rewarding undergraduate experience. The
success of these programs will continue to strengthen not only the sense of residential
community that students enjoy, but also the academic and intellectual atmosphere of one
of the world’s preeminent educational institutions.
The well-known and highly
successful program of Faculty-in-Residence allows students, alumni, and faculty to meet
formally and informally throughout the year for conversations, guest speakers, and other
activities. These faculty members live in several of the residence halls throughout the
year, establishing mentorships with residents that often endure long after graduation.
Resident professors invite students to dine in their apartments; organize special
programs around issues of interest; provide opportunities for academic growth and
challenges within the residence halls; and help students establish links with major
cultural, political, and professional institutions in New York City.
Begun in fall 2006, the Gateway
Residential Initiative allows SEAS first-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors to live
together clustered in the Hartley and Wallach Living Learning Center (LLC). This
initiative seeks to bridge the academic and cocurricular experience for SEAS students.
Mentorship between students, connection among the class years, and alumni interaction
are the foundations for the success of the program.
Fraternities and Sororities
Columbia has a diverse Greek
system that includes fourteen men’s fraternities, four coed fraternities, and five
sororities. A majority of the organizations have brownstones near the campus, and most
of the organizations without brownstones have a suite within the residence halls. There
is a full-time Assistant Director for Greek Life and Leadership. back to top
The Office of Judicial Affairs
The Office of Judicial Affairs was created to assist students in the maintenance of a safe, honest, and responsible campus community. To achieve this goal, the Office of Judicial Affairs partners with various offices on campus to create programs designed to educate students regarding the potential impact of their actions on both their individual lives and the community at large. In addition, the Office of Judicial Affairs works with student groups to facilitate the development of skills and processes students can use to hold each other accountable when they encounter inappropriate behavior. The Office of Judicial Affairs also holds students accountable for inappropriate behavior through the Dean’s Discipline process when necessary.back to top
Multicultural Affairs
Multicultural Affairs is devoted
to promoting a just society and exploring issues of interculturalism and diversity
within and beyond the Columbia University community. By promoting forums that address
diversity issues, self-discovery takes place along with a greater awareness and
appreciation of cultural history within and between communities on campus. We endeavor
to empower students, faculty, and staff with the tools to be able to successfully
navigate their environments and thus be able to positively change and impact the
community at large.
Programs and services provided by
Multicultural Affairs include Student and Alumni Mentoring Programs; Respecting
Ourselves and Others Through Education (ROOTED), a peer diversity faciliation program;
Dessert and Discussion, the signature lecture series; and the Inter-cultural House
(ICH), a unique residential experience that is supportive of Multi-cultural Affairs’
goals.
Office of the University Chaplain
The Office of the University
Chaplain is located in the Earl Hall Center and includes the United Campus Ministries,
the Common Meal Program, and “Music at St. Paul’s.” The mission of the Center is to
build community within the University and with its neighbors while providing students
with an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and learning. The Center
is as diverse as the university it serves. United Campus Ministries, which includes
denominations of Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Eastern practices, provides students
with individual counseling, religious and nonreligious group support, referrals, and
personal assistance.
The University Chaplain is the
director of the Earl Hall Center. As University Chaplain, Jewelnel Davis supports the
coherence and unity that connects the University. She focuses on a nexus of issues
including religion, spirituality, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender, social
justice, and community service.
One point of focus for Chaplain
Davis is accessibility to students. Students often e-mail her, make appointments with
her individually or in groups, or speak with the chaplain associates or program
coordinators—student liaisons who work directly with Chaplain Davis on student
programming initiatives. The Common Meal Program is a weekly gathering to which student
leaders from Columbia College, Barnard, SEAS, General Studies, and the graduate schools
are invited along with faculty and senior administrators to discuss ideas and opinions
about Columbia’s past, present, and future.
In addition to student
programming, community service is also a main function of the Center. As a center for
all undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools at Columbia, the Earl Hall Center
offers any student a number of great opportunities. Columbia University’s largest
community service program, Community Impact, which is located in the Earl Hall Center,
involves more than 900 student and neighborhood volunteers in twenty-six programs,
including GED, Earth Coalition, Peace Games, a soup kitchen, and student help for the
aging.
Besides Earl Hall, the Center
includes St. Paul’s Chapel. One of Columbia’s oldest and most beautiful buildings, the
Chapel not only hosts weddings and various religious services, but also features many
speakers and performances. The Postcrypt Coffeehouse at St. Paul’s Chapel is a favorite
spot for artists to play music, read poetry, or exhibit artwork.
The administrative offices for the
Center are open during regular business hours, but the buildings have more extensive
hours—as late as 11:00 p.m. on weekends. For more information, please call the Earl Hall
Center at 212-854-1474 or 212-854-6242.
Lerner Hall
Columbia’s new student center,
Lerner Hall, officially opened in the fall of 1999. Located on the southwest corner of
campus, this 225,000-square-foot student center was designed by Bernard Tschumi, the
former Dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.
Architectural features of Lerner Hall, such as the glass facade and ramps, allow the
campus to clearly view the activities within the building, and offer those within Lerner
scenic views of the campus.
Undergraduate students are likely
to visit Lerner to check the mail from the 7,000 student mailboxes located along the
ramps. Students may check their e-mail in Lerner’s computer center or by plugging in
their laptop computers at one of Lerner’s Ethernet-outfitted lounges. Students will also
visit Lerner to interact with one another in various ways. They may strategize and plan
events with their student organizations in one of the student club offices, or in the
meeting rooms designated for student club usage. Students may also meet friends in one
of Lerner’s two dining locations, for an event in the auditorium, in various lounges, or
in one of the building’s multipurpose spaces that are ideal for exercise classes.
In addition to providing spaces
for student interaction, Lerner is home to the Columbia University Bookstore. Lerner
also features retail services, including a travel agency, a copy center, and an
electronic banking center. Included in the building are orchestra/band rehearsal and art
exhibition spaces, and various administrative offices (Student Affairs, Student
Services, Residential Programs, Judicial Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, Center for
Student Advising, Financial Aid, and Educational Financing). These offices also include
Student Development and Activities, the Double Discovery Center, Columbia TV, WKCR,
Disability Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Columbia’s Alice! The
Health Education Program.
Office of Graduate Student Services
The Office of Graduate Student Services at The Fu Foundation School of Engi-neering and Applied Science is integral to the School’s teaching, research, and service mission, and works to enhance the educational opportunities available to students. This Office provides leadership for the integration of educational programs and services that enhance recruitment, retention, and quality of campus life for graduate students at SEAS. It strives to demonstrate sensitivity and concern in addressing the needs of the School’s population. The Office is dedicated to providing service to prospective, new, and continuing students pursuing a graduate education in engineering or applied science.back to top
Intercollegiate Athletics Program
Columbia has a long tradition of
success in intercollegiate athletics, and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and
Applied Science has always been an active participant in these programs. While
Columbia’s intercollegiate athletic program is governed by Ivy League regulations,
Columbia is also a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the National
Collegiate Athletic Association. Columbia sponsors men’s varsity teams in baseball,
basketball, women’s and men’s rowing (heavyweight and lightweight), archery, cross-country,
fencing, football, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (indoor
and outdoor), and wrestling.
Women in all undergraduate
divisions of Columbia and in Barnard College compete together as members of
University-wide athletic teams. The arrangement, called a consortium under NCAA rules,
is one of only three in the nation and the only one on a Division I level. Currently,
there are women’s varsity teams in archery, basketball, crew, cross-country, fencing,
field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and
field (indoor and outdoor), and volleyball.
Columbia’s commitment to success in intercollegiate sporting competition has been matched by the determination of alumni and administrators to upgrade the University’s sports facilities. The Baker Field Athletic Center, a few miles up the Hudson River on the northern tip of Manhattan, has been completely rebuilt and expanded. The Center features a precast concrete football stadium capable of seating 17,000 spectators; an Olympic-quality synthetic track; a 3,500-seat soccer stadium; softball and baseball fields; and a “state of the art” Astroplay practice field. At the Columbia Tennis Center, adjacent to the Baker Field Athletic Center, Columbia maintains eight hard tennis courts, which are covered by an air dome for winter use. The 1929 Boathouse includes a three-bay shell house, complete with an upper level that includes an erg and weight room.
Columbia’s Dodge Physical Fitness
Center draws thousands of students each day for recreation, physical education classes,
intramural play, club competition, and varsity sport contests and practices. The Dodge
Center houses most indoor sports and is available to all registered students. Major
athletic facilities on campus include two full-sized gymnasiums for basketball,
volleyball, and badminton; twelve squash and handball courts; the eight-lane Uris pool
with three diving boards; a fully equipped three-level exercise and weight room
facility; two aerobic dance/martial arts rooms; a fencing room; a wrestling room; an
indoor running track; two fully equipped saunas; and two full-size tennis courts.
Eligibility for Intercollegiate
Athletics
Any student in the Engineering School who is pursuing the undergraduate program or a combined program toward a first degree is eligible for intercollegiate athletics. To be eligible for athletic activities, the student must:
• be a candidate for a
bachelor’s degree
• be registered for at least 12
points of credit
• make appropriate progress
toward the degree as defined by the NCAA, the Ivy League, and Columbia University. These
criteria are monitored by the Director of Compliance and certified by the Office of the
Registrar.
• have attended the University
for not more than eight terms
• not have completed the
requirements for the bachelor’s degree
Questions about
athletic eligibility should be referred to the appropriate academic adviser or the
Director of Compliance in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical
Education.
Recreational Programs
In addition to the activity
courses, described here, the Physical Education Department offers a comprehensive
Intramural and Club Sports Program. Through intramurals, the student has the opportunity
to participate in both individual and team sports. Individual activities function
through tournaments, while the team activities feature both league and play-off
competition. Club sports are designed to allow groups of individuals who share a common
athletic interest to organize and collectively pursue this activity. Clubs are organized
on recreational, instructional, and competitive levels, and their activities range from
informal play to regular practice or instruction and intercollegiate and tournament
competition. A list of the intramural activities and sports clubs as well as all
information regarding the program can be obtained in the Intramural Office, 331 Dodge
Fitness Center or on the Web site, www.gocolumbialions.com. back to top
Campus Safety and Security
At Columbia University, the
safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is a priority. Columbia’s
campuses and their environs are safe and have a very low crime rate for an urban
university.
The University is required by federal law to publish an annual security report containing information with respect to campus security policies and statistics on the incidence of certain crimes on and around our campuses. This information is available in FACETS, the University student handbook (www.columbia.edu/cu/facets); at the Web site for the United States Department of Education (ope.ed.gov/Security/search.asp); by requesting a copy of the report from: Campus Crime Report, Department of Public Safety, Columbia University, 111 Low Library, Mail Code 4301, 535 West 116th Street, New York, NY 10027 (Attn: Mr. Rocco Osso); or at the Web site for Public Safety (www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety).
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