SEAS Student Handbook

STUDENT SERVICES
University Housing
Undergraduate Housing
The residence halls are an important focal point of campus life outside the classroom,
with the University housing more than 95 percent of the undergraduate population in
residence halls on or near the campus. A trained Residential Life staff lives with the
students in the halls. They work to create an atmosphere conducive to educational
pursuits and the development of community among the diverse student body. Throughout
the year the Residential Life staff presents programs in the residence halls and off campus
that are both social and educational.
Columbia guarantees housing for all undergraduate students (except 2 nd Year Combined
Plan students and visiting students) who have filed their intent to reside on campus by the
stated deadline and who have continuously registered as full-time students. Each spring,
continuing students participate in a room selection process to select their
accommodations for the next academic year. Students who take an unauthorized leave of
absence are placed on the nonguaranteed wait list upon their return and are on the wait
list for each subsequent year.
A variety of residence hall accommodations are available to Columbia students. Carman,
John Jay, Wallach, Wien, Furnald, McBain, Schapiro, Harmony and Broadway
Residence Halls are traditional corridor- style residence halls. Of these, all but John Jay
and Carman have kitchens on each floor. East Campus, 47 Claremont, Hartley (which,
together with Wallach, comprises the Living-Learning Center), Hogan, River, Ruggles,
600 West 113th Street, Watt, and Woodbridge offer suite-style living, and all have
kitchens. All residence hall rooms are either single or double. Both single and double
rooms are available in all halls except Carman, which has only doubles, and Hogan,
which is all singles.
The residence halls are also home to a variety of Special Interest Communities. These
communities provide an opportunity for students with a common interest to live together
and develop programs in their area of interest. The themes may vary from year to year.
First-year students are not eligible to live in Special Interest Communities but are
welcome to attend events.
Upperclass Columbia students also have the option of living in brownstones, a limited
number of fraternity and sorority organizations, and certain Barnard College halls. These
rooms are also chosen through a room selection process, which takes place each spring.
Graduate Housing
Graduate students have a number of housing opportunities in the Morningside Heights
neighborhood. The three main sources are Columbia Residential, International House,
and Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA). Columbia Residential operates Columbiaowned
apartments and dormitory-style suites in the Morningside Heights and Manhattan
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