CSSW Student Life Newsletter

In the Office of Student Affairs, we deeply believe in the potential of our community. We face challenges, celebrate accomplishments, and strive to learn and grow together. Every voice in this community matters, and every story adds something special. As we look ahead, our commitment remains: to support students by providing the tools, opportunities, and experiences that enrich their academic journey, all while fostering a community of growth and understanding.

Do you know about something cool happening? Share your event here!

UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Newsletter Flyer Submission Reminder:

If you’d like your flyers to be included in the CSSW newsletter, please make sure to share them by the Thursday of the week before. This ensures we have enough time to prepare and include your content.

Thank you for your cooperation!

CSSW Community Weeks:
Mar. 24-Apr. 4
Community Weeks are school-wide, annual weeks that bring together the Columbia School of Social Work community!

WORKSHOP/ACTIVITY PROPOSAL INFORMATION

We encourage and invite interested parties (students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members) to submit a proposal for a workshop/activity for community-based programming. Examples include (but are not limited to): arts-based programming – creating something together; community-based discussions; music-based programming; self/community care based programming; volunteer opportunities; etc)

There are a number of ways for students, faculty, administrators, and alums to be involved in CSSW Community Weeks:

-Host an event during Community Weeks (Mini-grants (up to $200) are available for workshops!)

-Share an idea for Community Weeks

-Attend events during Community Weeks

Timeline:

Monday, February 10th: Event proposal form for CSSW Community Weeks opens.

Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59 PM (ET): Event proposal form closes.

March 10th: CSSW Community Weeks calendar and list of events released.

March 24-April 4: CSSW Community Weeks

Proposals are due on Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59 PM (ET). Applicants will be notified of the status of their proposal by Thursday, February 27th.

Proposals can be submitted through this link: https://forms.gle/3h9MRyQjtrfHfdpM6

Questions? Contact [email protected].

Zoom: bit.ly/3EAskGn

Zoom: bit.ly/3COW15Y

Follow us on Instagram:

@studentlife.cssw

https://forms.gle/E2vdKdf6r16gPNVU6

*Submit an idea and your name will be entered into a raffle to receive CSSW merch!*

We want your feedback! https://forms.gle/hRoSc9PfER1tShCx5

CSSW Events

All events in E.T.

Remembering with Joy and Love, JJ Oesterle

Time: Mar 12, 2025 12:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/94038511129?pwd=h41bxFawue8lpFCJXsi1VbJZohUQXA.1

Please join us on either Wednesday, March 5th or March 12th at Noon ET. Use the links below to register.  Registration is required. 

March 12: Student Town hall meeting 
https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/PuYWKfUzRcSr8WmZQXNUmg
Meeting ID:  933 3295 7823
Passcode:    318124

Narrative Write & Share

In this weekly space, we’ll practice telling stories through writing—whether creative, academic, or professional. The “write and share” format includes a mix of focused writing time and shared discussion. In each session we’ll workshop sample writing, respond to a generative writing prompt, and share out/reflect on what we produce.

When: Tuesdays, 12-1 PM ET; 3/11, 3/25, 4/1, and 4/8

Where: CSSW Room 402 or Online via Zoom

Register: https://forms.gle/khyxHzmVfYtnys4A7

Zoom: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/99157882298?

pwd=4iefJzpcKZgXkdpYPg7kLNBy5W81cb.1

RSVP: https://mar25inpercommcouncilny.splashthat.com/

 

Register Here: https://bit.ly/3Q1Z5OZ?r=qr

RSVP: https://forms.gle/Bodb9nYdVvKHCxFt6

Opportunities

All events in E.T.

Student Life is committed to understanding and supporting the DACA student community. We invite you to share your experiences and insights by completing this anonymous feedback form. Your input is invaluable in helping us improve our services and support.

Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/UJcVAsVU613frB9E6

https://linktr.ee/mindbodynaturecaucus

Resources

CPS is starting to offer weekly or monthly in-person support groups again, while continuing to offer virtual spaces as this modality remains quite popular and accessible to many students. Explore support groups and learn how to register here.

CPS has programming for veterans called Veterans Concerns, which consists of 5 counselors on staff with training from the VA and experience working with veterans; including 2 counselors on staff with experience in the Israeli Defense Force. Please visit their site for more information.

Support groups are open to Columbia students on the Morningside/Manhattanville campus who have paid the full Columbia Health and Related Services Fee. For a full list of spaces and groups, visit the CPS website.

For emergencies, please call 911 or Columbia Public Safety at (212) 854-5555.

For after-hours mental health concerns, please contact CPS at (212) 854-2878.

For immediate psychiatric care, go directly to Mt. Sinai – St. Luke’s Hospital Emergency Room at 113th Street and Amsterdam Avenue or call (212) 523-3347.

Did you know that Columbia University has our very own food pantry? Any student who has any level of food insecurity can reach out to Columbia to get a disbursement catered to your individual dietary and household needs.

The Food Pantry is open on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:00–6:00 PM on the 5th floor of Lerner Hall. You can pre-order food and skip the line!

Visit the Food Pantry webpage for more information and stay connected on social media (Facebook and Instagram)! If you have questions, please email [email protected].

Resources beyond Columbia’s campus:
 
      • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits
        SNAP Benefits are now available for college students (who are eligible for federal work-study or who have an Expected Family Contribution of $0)! Find help applying for SNAP Benefits and visit the USDA FAQs for Students.
      • Get Food NYC
        Locate free meals, food pantries, and food distribution sites. GetFood NYC also provides helpful information about Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
      • God’s Love We Deliver 
        Apply to receive meal deliveries from God’s Love We Deliver, a nonprofit serving people who are living with chronic illnesses or disabilities.

Columbia Health has several helpful videos explaining available resources, as well as insurance basics.

The Interfaith Prayer and Quiet Room is located in Room 410 of the Columbia School of Social Work building. This room accommodates students who wish to participate in worship, reflection, and meditation while on campus. The room is intentionally dressed with simple furnishings. The Office of Student Life manages the space and can work with individual students to make a schedule that accommodates all. The room is open during building hours and limited to CUID holder use.

Please contact [email protected] for any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding the space.

Interfaith Prayer and Quiet Room Guidelines

      • The room is to be used for prayer/meditation and religious observances and not as a lounge, study room, meeting room, or for other purposes not involved with prayer/meditation. Please respect the requirement for a peaceful, quiet atmosphere.
      • Shoes are to be removed and placed on the provided racks immediately upon entrance.
      • For students who need to perform a ritual cleansing prior to practice, there are bathrooms and a kitchen outside of the space.
      • The use of fire, including lit candles or incense is not permitted.
      • No food or beverages are allowed in the room. Exceptions due to religious ceremony may be permitted, as approved by Student Life.
      • Please keep the room clean. All personal and group materials are to be removed from the space after use. Mats, carpets, and pillows need to be returned to the allotted location. Items must remain in the facility and be restored to their original position.
      • Symbols of faith must be removed after each individual or group usage, and the overall tone of the room shall be religiously neutral.
Disability Services facilitates equal access for students with disabilities by coordinating accommodations and support services. During the current pandemic, Disability Services continues to provide accommodations and services to eligible students, both virtually and in-person, dependent upon student’s location as well as the classroom setting.

Students seeking accommodations or support services from Disability Services are required to register with the office in advance of any referral for an assessment.

Amid the continuing public health issues facing all of us, please be sure to refer to the latest guidance from the University and the Monkeypox Information page and the COVID-19 Resource Guide. Please also encourage students and colleagues to stay up-to-date with emails from the Public Health Working Group.  

As of this writing, polio has been reported in NYC and surrounding counties. FYI, this secure message was sent to all students last month with information about risk and vaccination.  

As we continue to grapple with the reduction of abortion access throughout the country in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson, Columbia Health reaffirms its commitment to supporting students’ reproductive rights, via expedited referrals, factsheets and web content, consultations with confidential resources, and coverage of procedures on the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan.

A student group dedicated to supporting anyone in the Columbia community who identifies as being in recovery or seeking recovery from any condition. To find out more information about check-in meetings and open AA meetings, email them at [email protected]

Part of the Dean Hope Center at Teacher’s College, The Resilience Center provides counseling and free psychological assessments. For an assessment, please register and obtain a referral from DS first.

The Resilience Center for Veterans & Families pairs groundbreaking research on human emotional resilience with clinical training of therapists to assist veterans and their families as they transition back to civilian life.

The center studies the experiences, strengths and difficulties of veterans and their families, while researching and assessing intervention programs that can best enhance their health and well-being.

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 on the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members.  Included in this is our commitment to fostering an environment free from sexual harassment and assault, and all other forms of gender-based misconduct. 

Here’s where you can go to ask questions or get help:

      • In an emergency, dial 9-1-1 or call Columbia Public Safety (212-854-5555). Public Safety also provides assistance with law enforcement.

      • Report an incident online, here. Reports are routed promptly to the relevant office. Anyone can report discrimination or harassment using the “Report an Incident” button in the upper right corner of the University Life website.

      • Speak directly with someone in an office that handles your question or concern.

Learn more about Columbia’s resources.

      • The Intercampus Shuttle runs Monday to Saturday (excluding University holidays) among Columbia’s Morningside, Manhattanville, and CUIMC campuses.
      • The Manhattanville Loop connects frequently visited places on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses and operates Monday to Friday (excluding University holidays).
      • The Passio Go! app allows you to track University buses in “real-time” as they travel.
      • The On-Demand Evening Shuttle provides transportation around the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses until 3:00 AM. Learn more about how it works and get a unique promo code to ride (UNI login required).
      • Safety Escorts are available to walk with you across the Morningside, Manhattanville, and CUIMC campuses and surrounding areas.
      • Neighborhood merchants serving as Safe Havens are here to help if you ever feel uneasy about walking home, waiting for a bus, or walking to a car. The businesses are easily identified by a “Safe Haven” placard prominently displayed in their front window.
      • Blue Light Emergency Call Boxes, placed in various locations, provide an immediate response to you if you need assistance.
 
 For more information on transportation services visit the Columbia Transportation website.

Alice! Health Promotion is pleased to launch Wellness Coaching for Columbia students, a program that partners a student with a certified Well-being Advocate to define what living well means for them and to co-create a plan to make that vision a sustainable reality.  

Wellness Coaching takes a positive approach to personal development. It centers individual strengths, values, and motivations to support behavior change(s) through a collaborative and non-judgmental partnership with an advocate who is trained to be your ally in this journey to living a well life. It is not therapy or counseling. 

Wellness Coaching @ Columbia Health is available to any currently enrolled Columbia University student at the Morningside/Manhattanville campuses.

Students who would like to learn more are invited to visit virtual drop-in. Students who would like to get started can fill out the intake form.