Catch up on the latest gossip from CCSC as they discuss campus resources, appointment processes and Center for Career Education developments.

Nothing like cozying up to Zoom CCSC on a chilly Sunday night. Hopefully you love to read all these accomplishments and projects that CCSC is constantly laboring over as much as I love to sit and listen to them as my Sunday evening entertainment. Read on for exciting news and juicy administrative gossip!

VP Policy Rads Mehta (CC ‘22) kept herself busy this week meeting with administrators to discuss expanding campus services in light of more students living close or on campus this semester. VP Mehta spoke specifically to administrative VP of Campus Services, Scott Wright, about allowing students living off campus to be tested more than twice a week. VP Mehta also advocated for less strict COVID testing compliance rules, especially regarding tardiness to a test. The hope is that with further advocacy from CCSC, students who are ten or fifteen minutes late to their scheduled test will still be able to take it rather than having to reschedule or wait for their next appointment. Given increased student presence around campus, VP Mehta is also looking into increasing the number of campus shuttles running at a time after student complaints of long wait times and inaccessibility. In addition, access to campus buildings, when they are open, and who they are open to appears to be a mystery to many students so VP Mehta along with CCSC will be putting together a cohesive list of buildings open to undergrads and their respective hours. 

Academic Affairs Representative Zayba Qamar (CC ‘22) made the exciting announcement that after much hard work the major-specific Peer Mentorship Program pairing has been completed and the program has begun! There are still some majors that are lacking mentors, so if you are a math, slavic studies, linguistics, or sustainable development major consider volunteering as a mentor! 

In other news, three at-large representative positions have opened up in CCSC and the appointment process will begin this week. CCSC is looking for a Class of 2023 Representative, a Pre-Professional Representative, and a Student Services Representative. While there will be appointment committees composed of multiple general body members to make the final decision, CCSC voted last night on which general body member will be the at-large representative for the appointment committees. Among three volunteers, Race and Ethnicities Representative Colby King (CC ‘22) was elected to lead the appointment processes. Applications and interviews will run for the next couple of weeks at which point the new appointees will be announced. 

Disabilities Representative Blake Jones (CC ‘22) gave some exciting updates on new CCSC partnership developments with the Center for Career Education (CCE). Thanks to his advocacy, CCE will be hosting a “Diversity Microfair” for students who identify with or come from backgrounds that may benefit from more tailored career guidance, specifically in preparing for career fairs. CCE will be hosting a career fair preparation event designed specifically to help students with disabilities navigate resume building and interview skills. Given that this concept came from one of CCSC’s own, Blake Jones, CCE has asked for a casual working partnership with CCSC on this project in the form of marketing, advertising, and publicity help. CCSC has accepted this offer and Representative Jones will continue his work of incorporating disability-related issues and their solutions into Columbia’s career preparation services.

Finally, the question that everyone has been asking: “What is the pass/fail policy this semester?” Well, apparently the Dean of Academic Affairs Lisa Hollibaugh is asking that same question herself. Although more than two weeks into the semester, Dean Hollibaugh is waiting to make a final decision until the data of last semester’s pass/fail numbers has been collected and analyzed from each department. According to VP Mehta who met with Dean Hollibaugh last week, the dean is waiting to see how many students uncovered their pass/fail grade before finalizing this semester’s policy. Hopefully by next week there will be an answer.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more CCSC updates on student services and resources being offered.

almaaaaa via Bwog Archives