2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

The Faculty in Residence Program
allows students, alumni, and faculty to
meet formally and informally throughout
the year. Faculty members in residence in
three residence halls 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. In addition,
the faculty member in residence partners
with the SEAS alumni office to provide
opportunities for students to network and
gain exposure to a variety of careers.
Begun in fall 2006, the Gateway
Residential Initiative allows SEAS firstyears,
sophomores, juniors, and seniors
to live together clustered in the Living
Learning Center (LLC) housed in Hartley
and Wallach Halls. This initiative seeks to
bridge the academic and co-curricular
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
Fraternities and sororites have brownstones
near the campus and some of
the organizations without brownstones
have a suite within the residence halls.
There is a full-time Assistant Director for
Greek Life and Leadership Development.
The InterGreek Council (IGC) is the
self-governing student organization that
provides guidelines and support to the
three Greek councils: The Interfraternity
Council (IFC), Panhellenic Council, and
Multicutural Greek Council (MGC).
There are thirty-three recognized Greek
organizations whose membership totals
over one thousand undergraduates.
Fraternity and sorority members share
in service, scholastic, philanthropic, cultural,
and leadership experiences. This
active and vibrant community adds to
the diversity of the residential experience.
OFFICE OF JUDICIAL AFFAIRS
AND COMMUNITY STANDARDS
The Office of Judicial Affairs and
Community Standards 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 and Community
Standards 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 and Community
Standards also holds students accountable
for inappropriate behavior through
the Dean’s Discipline process when necessary.
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.
209
SEAS 2009–2010