It’s okay to ask for help. 

You’re going to struggle. As a Columbia student, as a college student, as a person. Throughout life, you’re not only going to need support, but will have a difficult time finding it. Luckily, being enrolled in university opens you up to a lot of free and personalized resources. Read on to learn about all the support structures available to you here. Click here for a tl;dr. 

As a preface, this list only includes resources for undergraduate students on the Morningside campus. Many items are only available to students from certain undergraduate colleges. Barnard students especially should understand that many of the below Columbia resources either are or aren’t available to them, while you may think the opposite. Things will be intentionally vague, so be sure to check if a service applies to you, which may require you emailing someone to ask. 

The below list is non-exhaustive and not foolproof. During your time at Columbia, you’ll learn that many institutions you rely on will fail you. However, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t familiarize yourself with the below resources and use them when you need them. Take advantage of what’s available to help you, but trust your gut if something feels weird. The same goes for all of life. Don’t think you can go through all of college relying only on yourself, because if you try to, you’ll end up cracking. There’s no such thing as having too much pride to rely on any of the below, and there’s no penalty for needing extra support. The steps you take to achieve wellbeing is not a race nor a test. 

Emergency Resources 

  • CUEMS (Columbia University Emergency Medical Service): 212-854-5555
    • Free ambulatory and emergency medical service. Available 24/7. 
    • If you’re on campus and need emergency medical help, it’s better and faster to call the CUEMS number as opposed to 911, as CUEMS knows locations of dorms and entry points (and the service is free). 
    • Definitely save this number to your contacts on your phone in case of emergency. Tell all your friends to do the same. 
    • To our knowledge, CUEMS is not punitive in cases of underage alcohol/drug use. 
  • Blue Light Emergency Call Boxes
  • Columbia clinician-on-call: 212-854-7426
    • For after hours urgent medical concerns. 
    • If the clinician-on-call cannot be reached, Columbia recommends calling the triage specialist at 855-779-7132. 
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS): 212-854-2878
    • Available 24/7. Confidential unless emergency circumstance arises. For after hours urgent mental health concerns. 
  • Barnard clinician-on-call: 855-622-1903 
    • For after hours urgent medical or mental health concerns. 
  • Barnard Community Safety: 212-854-6666
    • For immediate safety help on campus. 
    • Can also dial 4-6666 from a campus phone. 
  • Columbia Sexual Violence Response (SVR): 212-854-4357
  • Mount Sinai Morningside Emergency Room: 113th and Amsterdam
    • Nearest emergency room to campus
    • Emergency room: 212-523-3335
    • Psychiatric Emergency Room: 212-523-3347

Mental Health Resources 

Columbia/Barnard departments

  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS)
    • For CC, SEAS, and GS students. 
    • Confidential unless emergency circumstance arises. Provides psychological and emotional support to the Columbia community. Includes therapy, psychiatric medication services, support groups, diagnostic services, self-assessments, etc. Specialists (e.g. trauma support, sexual and gender identity issues, etc) listed online. Can view various appointment types online.
    • 212-854-2878. Can call to schedule appointment during business hours or reach urgent mental health phone support 24/7. 
    • Walk-in hours (Alfred Lerner Hall, 5th and 8th Floors) for urgent mental health concerns during the academic semester. 
    • Walk-in hours (Alfred Lerner Hall, 5th and 8th Floors) for problem solving/coping skills during the academic semester. 
    • Couples counseling (both Columbia and Barnard students)
    • Support groups updated each semester. Usually includes topics such as bereavement, eating disorders, problem solving/coping skills, etc. 
    • Workshops and trainings
    • Students are eligible for therapy if they have paid the Columbia Health and Related Services Fee. Students seeking long-term care will likely eventually get referred to an outside provider for greater frequency of care. 
  • Furman Counseling Center
    • For Barnard students. 
    • Confidential unless emergency circumstance arises. Offers therapy, medication, support groups, workshops, etc for the Barnard community. 
    • Can schedule same-day appointment if urgency is specified. 
    • Therapy is short-term—students will be referred to outside providers after several sessions. Based on word of mouth, it seems to be that you can have eight free sessions through Barnard before getting referred, but that if you’re receiving financial aid and wouldn’t be able to afford outside therapy you have a bit more leeway and can get more free sessions. However don’t quote us on this. 
  • Columbia Health Wellness Coaching 
    • Assistants students with healthy living, personal development, body dysmorphia, concerns about self-image, etc. 
    • Allegedly both Barnard and Columbia students can access. Don’t quote us. 
  • Wellness Spot 
    • Health/wellness promotion at Barnard. 
    • Has workshops during the semester. 
    • Peer educators help with information dissemination. 
  • Being Barnard 
    • Barnard wellness program. Focuses on sexual violence but also advocates taking care of oneself mentally and physically, tending to all spheres of health (physical, mental, sexual, nutritional, sleep, hobbies, etc).
    • Has workshops during the semester. 
  • Columbia Sexual Violence Response (SVR) 
    • Barnard and Columbia.
    • 212-854-4357 24/7 hotline. Drop-in hours Lerner 700 Monday through Friday, 9 am through 4:30 pm. 
    • Confidential unless emergency circumstance arises. Provides support for survivors and co-survivors of gender- and power-based violence or harassment, including sexual assault and harassment, intimate partner violence, stalking, etc. Pairs students with an advocate. 
    • Leads prevention programming. 
  • Columbia Office of the University Chaplain 
    • Provides spiritual care and counseling regardless of religion. 

Clubs

Guides provided by Columbia/Barnard

Medical Resources

Columbia/Barnard departments

Clubs 

  • Columbia Recovery Coalition 
    • Support for students in recovery from substance abuse or trauma. 
    • Holds Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on campus. 
    • GS-focused but open to all students. 

Guides provided by Columbia/Barnard

Accommodations/Disabilities 

  • Columbia Disability Services 
    • For Columbia students. 
    • Accommodations include assistive technology/alternate format resources, ADHD support, foreign language substitution, housing resources, learning specialists, note-takers, service animal support, sign language and speech-to-text, testing support, etc. 
    • Offers workshops and trainings. 
  • Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services (CARDS)
    • For Barnard students. 
    • Spheres of accommodations include academics (testing, note-taking, coaching), housing, dining, etc. Can request accessibility resources. 
    • Offers peer mentoring. 
  • Disability & Access @ Barnard resource list

Academic Resources

  • Use office hours and your TA. Seriously. 
  • Have a question about your major/minor? Contact the department chair.

Career Resources

  • Columbia Center for Career Education (CCE) 
    • Career resources. Offers practice interviews, workshops (networking, resume/cover letter writing, interviews skills, etc), a suit rental system, etc. 
    • Students can use the Columbia job/internship portal LionSHARE to gain access to exclusive openings. 
    • To our knowledge, Barnard students cannot use this service. 
  • On-campus jobs at Columbia
  • Columbia Work Exemption Program
    • Offers stipends for unpaid internships for financial aid recipients. 
  • Beyond Barnard 
    • Career resources. Can schedule a meeting with a member of the faculty, a peer career advisor, and get help with resumes/cover letters. The newsletter also has information on getting internships. 
    • Barnard’s Handshake job/internship portal provides access to exclusive openings. 
    • Offers stipends for unpaid internships through the Beyond Barnard Internship Program during the academic year and summer. Various summer programs (e.g. Summer Research Institute) for unpaid internships and research opportunities. 
    • Barnard Babysitting is a very popular way to get money on the side—families post babysitting gigs on Handshake that you can apply for. 
  • On-campus jobs at Barnard
  • Columbia/Barnard Bartending
    • Extremely difficult entrance exam to pass in order to participate, but pays very well. 
  • Popular ways students earn money on campus includes being a tour guide, RA, or TA. Some other random positions are advertised on career office emails. 
    • Note: While tour guide (Columbia/Barnard Admissions) and RA positions are usually advertised, TAs are not. If you want to be a TA, you need to be proactive and ask a professor (whose class you’ve taken before and have participated in) if they have any openings, usually a month before the end of the semester. 

Financial Support 

  • Barnard Bursar
    • Responsible for tuition and loans. 
  • The 116th Initiative
    • Student-run mutual aid organization on campus. Barnard and Columbia. 
    • According to their Instagram, the 116th Initiative helps financially struggling students with rent, food, tuition, medical and psychiatric care, personal hygiene, and transportation, among other things. Students who apply for funds must abide by the organization’s policy. 

Safety 

  • Via 
    • Free evening shuttle service. Wait times can be long so request ahead of time. Stay mindful of coverage area and hours of operation, listed online. 
  • Barnard mobile safety escort
    • 212-854-3362. CARES staff member will stay on the phone with you until you get to your destination. 
    • Barnard service but it’s a phone service so a Columbia student could allegedly use it. 
  • Safe Havens 
    • Neighborhood businesses who have been screened to provide safety assistance to students in need. Businesses with a red lion sign will call Public Safety or the police for you if you feel unsafe. 
  • Barnard list of educational safety tips
  • Columbia crime protection tips
  • Don’t go into unlit, sparsely-populated parks after dark. Washington Square Park is fine. Don’t go into Morningside Park after dark unless during the Morningside Lights Festival, but don’t let fearmongering get to you and definitely explore the park during the day! 
  • It’s also a good idea to share your location with a few trusted people at college. 

Filing Complaints and Reporting Incidents 

  • Columbia Title IX
    • Students can report an incident (e.g. discrimination, sexual harassment/assault) and speak with a case manager. The University can provide resources such as changing dorms or schedules and making academic assistance available. Students are able to use their own attorney-advisor or one provided by the University if necessary. 
    • Different options for resolving an incident include restorative justice, mediation, administrative resolution, or investigation and adjudication. Those who violate the Title IX or Gender-Based Misconduct Policy or the Interim Title IX policies will receive sanctions (e.g. various forms of disciplinary action). 
    • Title IX also provides pregnancy accommodations. 
    • Not confidential but privacy is protected as much as possible. 
    • Title IX FAQs
  • Barnard Title IX
  • Office of Multicultural Affairs
  • Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
    • Students can report an incident regarding discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, etc. Not confidential but information is kept between the staff working on the case.
    • FAQ
  • The Center for Student Success and Intervention
    • Handles student conduct, intervention case management, and student support (including managing basic needs). Not confidential. 
    • Students can file a report regarding discrimination, bias, gender-based misconduct, violations of the Rules of University Conduct (e.g. academic misconduct), suspected child abuse or maltreatment, and other general areas of concern. 
  • Columbia Ombuds
    • Aims to prevent conflict, evaluate policy, and maintain ethics and respect. 
    • Students can discuss issues they have with academics, interpersonal conflict, bureaucracy, the workplace, and Columbia policies. Offers conflict coaching, facilitation and mediation services, and workshops. 
    • Confidential. Independent of the Columbia administration. 
  • Barnard Ombuds
    • Available for students to discuss Barnard-related concerns, including questions about policies, conflict resolution, facilitation and mediation, etc. 
    • Confidential. Independent of the Barnard administration.
  • Public Safety 
    • Crime reporting. Non-confidential. 

Experiencing Community 

Food Insecurity 

  • Columbia Food Pantry 
    • Link doesn’t work as of August 2024 but students can supposedly register and place an order for food. Emailing might do the trick. 
  • Emergency Meal Fund
    • CC, SEAS, and GS. Not a long-term solution. Eligibility is very limited. 
  • NYS SNAP information 
    • As shared by Columbia. According to University Life, students may qualify for SNAP if they are enrolled in college at least half-time, are eligible for work-study programs, and do not have an Expected Family Contribution. 
  • Center for Student Success and Intervention
    • Students can meet with a CSSI specialist to discuss getting their basic needs met, such as food. 
  • Columbia Health list of food security resources
  • At the end of each semester, Barnard’s Hewitt Dining Hall (available to both Barnard and Columbia students) allows students who have run out of meal swipes to use free swipes (we believe the number is about 15 maximum), taken from a bank of donated meal swipes from other students. 
  • Free food is often given out at campus speaker events, club meetings, and departmental events. Student councils will also advertise free food. 
  • Some people say it may be easy to steal from Diana. 
  • Buy cheap tupperware and take a lot of food from the dining halls, but be sneaky about it. 

Pregnant Students/Students With Children 

Veteran Support

Housing Insecurity 

Undocumented Students 

We hope this list was useful! If you think of any other Columbia resources we didn’t mention, please write it in the comments below. 

Out of the above list, some of Bwog’s personal recommendations include: 

  • Use the career office. Seriously, it will make a difference. There are so many opportunities available to you that you don’t even know about. 
  • Go to office hours! Talk to your TAs! If your homework seems impossible, going to office hours and speaking to your TAs will solve all (or most) of your issues. Who better to ask for help on academics than the people grading you? 
  • Go to therapy! No matter who you are or what is going on in your brain! Seriously, it’ll be free here. There’s no reason not to at least try out a few sessions. 
  • Literally, if you have any medical issue you typically wouldn’t go to the doctor for at home due to cost/inconvenience/not wanting to tell your parents, go to Columbia Medical Services/Barnard PCHS. This especially goes for birth control. 
  • Take college as a trial run for living on your own on your own. Succeed. Fail. The above resources form a safety net for you, so now is your time to try things out. Develop the skills you’ll need after college and build yourself into a more resilient person.  
  • Ask. For. Help. It’s not embarrassing, it’s smart and cool. 

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