Advisory Deans

Since 2003, the Advisory Dean program has provided medical students at P&S academic, career, and personal support through regularly scheduled group and individual meetings. The Advisory Deans create opportunities for students to gather to discuss the unique concerns that arise during medical school, such as the importance of mentoring relationships, academic concerns, recommended changes in the curriculum, and residency and career plans. The Advisory Deans are liaisons to faculty and administrators at P&S and thus have direct access to the numerous services available to students. At the twice-monthly lunch meetings in first and second year, Advisory Deans invite many of these representatives from the University, and the Medical Center, as well as students in more senior classes, to meet with their advisees.

Students are strongly urged to contact their assigned Advisory Dean for any questions about progress through P&S and for mentoring needs. They are expected to attend their Advisory Dean lunches and meetings. This successful program has already enriched the lives of P&S students and continues to evolve based on student feedback.

Big Sibs

Each incoming first-year is matched with a second year student based on one or more demographic parameters. Big Sibs act as initial social, academic and personal contacts, and are available to offer advice, answer questions, and generally ease the new students’ transition into P&S. Big Sibs contact their little sibs before or at the beginning of the academic year to arrange to meet, and often remain in contact throughout the year. This is a student-run, long-standing tradition at P&S that fosters interaction among classes and provides new students with a personal peer resource.

 

Black and Latino Students Organization

Current BALSO officers are: President: Felicia Rosario, Vice President: Julie Gonzalez,Secretary: Shenecia Beecher, Treasurer: Etan Eitches, Events Coordinator: Nneka Edwards-Jackson, SNMA co-president: Damani Taylor, NBLHO co-president: Hector Perez, Community Service Chair: Daniel Neghassi

The Diversity Affairs Office at P&S works closely with and supports the Black and Latino Student Organization (BALSO) which is committed to the recruitment and retention of qualified minority students, the nurturing of minority students through counseling and support mechanisms involving faculty and BALSO students, sponsorship of programs that expand awareness of health and health policy issues and community service. For further information call 305-4157.

Student Success Network

Regardless of individual talent and prior experience, medical school can at times be overwhelming for anyone. The Student Success Network (SSN) offers services to help make first-year students’ adjustment to medical school a smooth one. SSN promotes a sense of teamwork through regular small-group review sessions, facilitated by second-year students who know what to learn and remember how to learn it. Tutors are also available free of charge.

We hope to enhance both study skills and teaching skills; fundamental to our philosophy is putting into action the tenet of learning from (and thus teaching) your colleagues. It sounds intimidating, but it’s actually fun and a great way to learn. We encourage first year students to come to our workshops early in the semester to see if they can be of assistance.

Residency Advisors

At the start of their fourth year, each student selects a residency advisor, usually in the field in which the student hopes to specialize. The role of this advisor is to review the student’s performance, discuss their interests and goals, and advise the student in which hospitals he/she might logically expect to match for postgraduate education.

The AI:MS Program at P&S

Daniel W. Morrissey
Advisor in Residence

Office: Bard Hall, Room 102
Email: dwm3@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 305-3989
Fax: (212) 305-0428

AI:MS (Addiction Illness : Medical Solutions) began in 1986 when a student died from an untreated addiction disease. Students asked for a new way to address their questions about lifestyles which may put them at risk. Under the supervision of Daniel Morrissey, AI:MS is a safe place for students to raise concerns about alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, computer usage, and other compulsive behavior with elected peer representatives rather than with faculty or administrators.

AI:MS hears a variety of student concerns. For example:

• My roommate drinks every day, but he says it’s not a problem because he has not failed anything.
• Twice I’ve had to bring a friend home after a party. She doesn’t remember anything she did. She says she can take care of it herself and that it’s not my business.
• I spend a few hours every night on line playing poker.
• The balance on my credit card is now in five figures.
• When I told my roommate I didn’t like the way he used drugs, he reminded me that he got honors in Pharm and that he knew exactly what he was doing.
• I want to stop smoking.

What AI:MS can do

AI:MS members are here primarily to listen. AI:MS does not diagnose or treat, but provide triage to professional therapy. AI:MS is a bridge to specialists who are trained in the treatment and care of many different forms of dependency. These therapists can help prevent abuse from growing into serious addiction. AI:MS can help a student find a professional evaluation and advice, off campus if desired. AI:MS will pay the expenses involved.

Confidentiality

When people say they do not know the names of those who have used AI:MS, that is because of the importance of confidentiality. All contact with AI:MS is in total confidence. The only possible exception would be a case of imminent serious danger to individual safety. That instance is most rare. AI:MS is not affiliated in any way with the Dean’s Office. It does not receive any funding from the Dean’s Office and keeps no records. AI:MS cannot refer students for disciplinary action. Communication with the Dean could be initiated only if a student’s health and well-being were in immediate jeopardy, and even then only after extensive discussion with the student.

How to reach AI:MS

Each class has several representatives, elected by their peers for a four-year term. Their 24/7 contact information is in the AI:MS section of the Student Resources website (http://columbia.edu/cu/aims/contactus.html) Daniel Morrissey both lives and has his office in Bard Hall so that students may reach him on campus at almost any time. His office hours are posted on the door of Bard 102, and he will also make appointments at students’ convenience.

Center For Student Wellness

Director Center for Student Wellness: William David Kernan, Ed.D., CHES
Email: dk2002@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 304-5564
Fax: (212) 544-1967
Location: 107 Bard Hall

Assistant Director for Health Promotion: Deborah P. Levi, LMSW
Email: dpl2002@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 304-5560
Fax: (212) 544-1967
Location: 107 Bard Hall

The Center for Student Wellness (CSW) was founded on the belief that even the most successful and dedicated student occasionally can use guidance and support. Designed as “one-stop shopping” for student support, the Center for Student Wellness provides free, broad-based support to enhance the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and academic well-being of CUMC students through individualized consultation services, targeted community outreach, and collaboration with faculty and staff.

CUMC students may seek out assistance at the Center for Student Wellness for virtually any concern, big or small. Based on the nature of the concern, the Center staff will assist the student in the development of an individualized action plan to address the concern.

With the outreach program Wellness Works!, the Center for Student Wellness serves as the health promotion division of the CUMC Student Health Service (SHS)

Guiding principles

The Center for Student Wellness (CSW) at Columbia University Medical Center is:

OPEN: The CSW is open to all students attending any school at the medical center regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran.

SAFE: The CSW is a safe space where students should feel free to discuss personal matters without fear of judgment or retribution. Accordingly, the CSW acts in partnership with a number of Columbia University and community resources to ensure that all students receive appropriate assistance.

CONFIDENTIAL: The CSW assures confidentiality - no records of specific issues, complaints or problems are kept. The CSW will not report the names of visitors to the office and will not act without permission, except in cases of imminent serious risk to individual safety, or if required by law.

Stay well informed! To learn more about Wellness events and related services at CUMC join our wellness list serve, by simply sending an email to:

Message: subscribe cumclumbia.edu
Subject: (leave subject line blank)
Address: majordomo@cowellness

Getting help...

The Director for Student Wellness and the Assistant Director for Health Promotion hold regular afternoon walk-in office hours. Appointments are available at other times. A complete listing of current walk-in hours is posted outside the Center for Student Wellness and on the Center’s website at http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/students/wellness

Ombuds Office

Ombuds Officer: Marsha Wagner 

Columbia University Medical Center Campus
Email: ombuds@columbia.edu
Location: 101 Bard Hall
Phone: (212) 304-7026

Associate Ombuds Officer: Bathabile Mthombeni-Njenga

Morningside Campus
Location: 660 Schermerhorn Mail Code 5558
Phone: (212) 854-1234
Fax: (212) 854-6046

The Ombuds Officers are confidential and neutral complaint-handlers serving all campuses - Medical Center, Morningside, Lamont, and Nevis - who seek fair and equitable solutions to various problems through informal processes. The Ombuds Office is available to the entire Columbia University community: students, faculty and employees.

Confidentiality

The Ombuds Officers will not report the names of visitors to the office and will not act without permission, except in cases of serious threat to individual safety. The Ombuds Officers keep no records of specific complaints or individuals.

Neutrality

The Ombuds Officers report directly to the President, not to any administrative office. The Ombuds Officers do not take sides and will not testify; the Ombuds Officers have no decision-making power and do not arbitrate or adjudicate.

Informal Process

The visitor to the Ombuds Office can confidentially voice his/her concerns, evaluate the situation, and plan a particular course of action - if any. The Ombuds Officers will listen, offer information about Columbia University policies and procedures, and present a range of options for resolving a problem. The visitor selects the option he or she prefers.

The Ombuds Officers also provide referrals to sources of expertise or decision-making on particular issues or procedures. With permission, the Ombuds Officers may conduct an informal and impartial investigation, facilitate communication, use shuttle diplomacy or mediate a dispute.

Promoting Constructive Change

The Ombuds Officers keep aggregate anonymous statistics of the types of complaints received by the office and - while maintaining individuals’ confidentiality - may periodically report problem areas to senior administrators and make recommendations for institutional improvements as appropriate.

Office of Disability Services

Director: Colleen Lewis

Assistant Director: Sarah Damsky
Senior Program Manager: Robyn Weiss
Program Coordinator: Neera Jain
Learning Specialist/First Year Coordinator: Michelle Witman
Assistive Technology Specialist: Christopher Doucet
Coordinator of Reasonable Accommodations: Eileen Lograno
Administrative Coordinator: Diane Raboud

Morningside Campus
Phone: (212) 854-2388
Phone (TTY):  (212) 854-2378
Fax:  (212) 854-3448
Email:  disability@columbia.edu
Web: www.health.columbia.edu
Location: 2920 Broadway,
MC 2605, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 801

Medical Center Campus
Location: 50 Haven Avenue, 101 Bard Hall 

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) facilitates equal access for students with disabilities by coordinating reasonable accommodations and support services.

Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to policy, practice, and programs that “level the playing field” for students with disabilities and provide equal access to Columbia’s programs and activities. Examples include the administration of exams, services such as note-taking, sign language interpreters, assistive technology, and coordination of accessible housing needs. Accommodation plans and services are custom designed to match the disability-related needs of each student and are determined according to documented needs and the student’s program requirements.

Registration includes submission of both the Application for Accommodations and Services and disability documentation. The application and disability documentation guidelines are available online and at the ODS office. Students are encouraged to register within the first two weeks of the semester to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be made for that term. Please note that students are not eligible to receive reasonable accommodations until the registration process is complete.

Disability Services Liaisons are representatives from the student’s respective school and assist ODS in coordinating the provisions of reasonable accommodations. The Liaison for P&S is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, P&S Room 3-401, 212 305-3806. You can also reach Dr. Carl Olsson, Chairman, President Advisory Committee on Disability for the Columbia University Medical Center, 212 305-7870.

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program

Director: Maura M. Bairley
Program Coordinators: Asere Bello and Anna R. Tekippe
Program Advisors: Suraiya Baluch and Rachel C. Efron
Administrative Program Coordinator: Helen V. Arnold

Morningside Campus
Location: 301 Lerner Hall

CUMC Campus
Location: 101 Bard Hall
Email: mb1106@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 854-3500

Men’s Peer Education Program
Phone: (212) 854-2136
Fax: (212) 854-8830

Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center
Location: Brooks Hall,

Barnard College Campus
Phone: (212) 854-4366

Peer Advocates
Hours: 24 hrs/7days
Phone: (212) 854-WALK

Peer Counselors
Hours: 7pm to 11pm/7 days
Phone: (212) 854-HELP

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program (SVPRP) educates students about consent and coercion, and promotes community standards for a respectful and safe campus. Through its programs and services, SVPRP fosters individual and collective action to end sexual and relationship violence by: Educating students and administrators about the dynamics and effects of sexual assault; Helping students develop the communication and assessment skills necessary to promote and maintain healthy and intimate relationships; and Advocating for appropriate support for survivors of sexual and relationship violence.

Programs

Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center provides peer counseling, advocacy, and education to survivors and co-survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, childhood sexual abuse, and other forms of violence.

Men’s Peer Education Program develops prevention strategies and provides educational events and leadership training programs to engage men to end sexual and relationship violence.

Workshops and Events present prevention and risk reduction strategies to men and women.

University Policy on Sexual Misconduct

The University’s Policy for Sexual Misconduct requires that standards of consensual sexual conduct be observed on campus, that violations of these standards are subject to discipline, and that resources and structures be sufficient to meet the physical and emotional needs of individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct.

Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct

Students interested in initiating the Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct should contact Helen Arnold, the Administrative Program Coordinator, by visiting room 701A Alfred Lerner Hall, calling 212 854 1717, or emailing hva2002@columbia.edu