Hey Columbia, meet Columbia 311, CCSC’s latest problem-solving apparatus. It’s like a giant customer service hotline where you can dump all the ideas and complaints you’ve ever had onto one brave soul a small number of brave souls, including Ali Raza, CC ’09 and Director of Technology for the CCSC Executive Board, who has already sent his email. 

Raza promises that if contacted, “about any issue pertaining to life at Columbia, I will make every attempt to reply back within 48 hours either answering your question directly or providing you with the contact information of somebody who can.”

Raza’s full email after the jump.

Dear fellow Columbia students,

The Columbia College Student Council (CCSC) has just launched the

Columbia 311 program.  Columbia 311 is your personalized,

comprehensive connection to Columbia University.  Modeled after and

similar to NYC’s 311 service, every student, part of student group or

not, can feel comfortable contributing their ideas to our campus and

engaging the council. Want your favorite area restaurant to accept

Flex? Columbia 311. Need help with a fellowship or internship for the

summer? Columbia 311. Wondering how to check if campus printers are

functioning? Columbia 311. Disappointed they took away the Chicken

Club at 212 or Spicy Chicken strips at JJ’s? Columbia 311. An idea or

an issue that once seemed completely out of your hands will be in the

hands of a student council that can get things done.  No issue is too

big or too small for Columbia 311.  (However, I suppose Columbia 311

cannot be used as a dating service or to find you a party on a weekend

night.)

My name is Ali Raza and I’m a senior in the College.  I am the

Director of Technology on the CCSC Executive Board and I will be your

personal CCSC representative for your needs.  I’m also a Biology major

(and more or less pre-med). I live in Texas right now, but I grew up

bouncing around several states in the South and jumped at the chance

to attend college in NYC. Also, I just joined CCSC this year. As more

or less of an outsider to CCSC, I completely understand if you are

hesitant or skeptical about the council. However, don’t let that stop

you from using me as a resource, as a fellow student if not as a CCSC

representative.

If you contact me at asr2120@columbia.edu about any issue pertaining

to life at Columbia, I will make every attempt to reply back within 48

hours either answering your question directly or providing you with

the contact information of somebody who can.  I hope you will utilize

the Columbia 311 system by contacting me when an issue arises.  Please

hold on to my contact info and shoot me an email whenever you have a

question, concern, or comment.  For general information about the

Columbia 311 program, please contact VP of Communications Ian Solsky

(ibs2102@columbia.edu).  Hope you’re enjoying the semester so far.

Best,

Ali Raza

PS:  Although you will receive no more than two unsolicited emails per

semester from me as part of the Columbia 311 system, if you would like

to be removed from this program, please let me know and you will not

receive any future emails.