The policies and procedures set forth in this section are presented in their entirety in FACETS, http://www.columbia.edu/cu/facets, and are excerpted here as an overview for student reference. P&S students, faculty, and staff are expected to abide by all University Regulations, including those set forth in FACETS.
This handbook is intended for the guidance of persons applying for or considering application for admission to Columbia University and for the guidance of Columbia students and faculty. The handbook sets forth in general the manner in which the University intends to proceed with respect to the matters set forth herein, but the University reserves the right to depart without notice from the terms of this handbook. The handbook is not intended to be and should not be regarded as a contract between the University and any student or other person.
According to University regulations, each person whose registration has been completed will be considered a student of the University during the term for which he or she is registered unless the student’s connection with the University is officially severed by withdrawal or otherwise. No student registered in any school or college of the University shall at the same time be registered in any other school or college, either of Columbia University or of any other institution, without the specific authorization of the dean or director of the school or college of the University in which he or she is first registered.
The privileges of the University are not available to any student until he or she has completed registration. A student who is not officially registered for a University course may not attend the course. No student may register after the stated period unless he or she obtains the written consent of the appropriate dean or director.
The University reserves the right to withhold the privilege of registration or any other University privilege from any person with an unpaid debt to the University.
With the passage of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 102-325), the University is required to implement a refund policy for students who do not register or who withdraw or otherwise fail to complete an enrollment period. Refunds are a percentage of charges (including tuition, dining, and housing) assessed to the student based on the date of the student’s last day of attendance (separation) as reported by the Dean of the School. All students will be charged a withdrawal fee of $75. A refund calculation will be based on the last day of attendance; however, a student may be charged for services (e.g., housing, dining) utilized after the last day of attendance. These charges should not be paid with Title IV funds.
Certain fees are not refundable; fees for services used prior to withdrawal, for materials and equipment purchased, for services that continue to be available after withdrawal, and fees paid to outside entities generally will not be refunded.
Fees not subject to refund include: health service, medical insurance/Blue Cross, course-related fees (labs, etc.), materials fee, international student services charge, late registration fee, late payment fee, finance charges, computer fee, withdrawal fee.
| First week 100% | Sixth week 60% |
| Second week 90% | Seventh week 60% |
| Third week 80% | Eighth week 50% |
| Fourth week 80% | Ninth week 40% |
| Fifth week 70% | After ninth week no adjustment |
Students will not be entitled to any portion of a refund until all Title IV programs are credited and all outstanding charges have been paid. Please note: A separate financial aid refund calculation will be made after tuition and fees have been adjusted. Once calculated, financial aid refunds will be credited in the following order: Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Supplemental Loan to Students (SLS), Federal PLUS Loans (when disbursed through the University), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Pell Grant Program, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, other Title IV programs, non-Title IV funds, and, finally, any remaining credit balance to the student.
All students withdrawing from their programs or taking a leave of absence must complete a Registration Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form, which must be signed by the Dean of Students and the Office of Student Administrative Services located at 1-141 Black Building.
The continuance of each student upon the rolls of the University, the receipt of academic credits, graduation, and the conferring of any degree or the granting of any certificate are strictly subject to the disciplinary powers of the University.
The Rules of University Conduct (Chapter XLIV of the Statutes of the University) provide special disciplinary rules applicable to demonstrations, rallies, picketing, and the circulation of petitions. These rules are designed to protect the rights of free expression through peaceful demonstration while at the same time ensuring the proper functioning of the University and the protection of the rights of those who may be affected by such demonstrations.
The Rules of University Conduct are University-wide and supersede all other rules of any school or division. Minor violations of the Rules of Conduct are referred to the normal disciplinary procedures of each school or division (“Dean’s Discipline”). A student who is charged with a serious violation of the Rules has the option of choosing Dean’s Discipline or a more formal hearing procedure provided in the Rules.
All University faculty, students, and staff are responsible for compliance with the Rules of University Conduct. Copies of the full text are available in FACETS, the University student handbook, http://www.columbia.edu/cu/facets/ and at the Office of the University Senate, 406 Low Memorial Library.
The University abides by the provisions of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This act ensures a wide range of rights, including but not limited to: information about student records that the University maintains, who maintains them, who has access to them, and for what purposes access is granted. The act also permits the University to release “directory information” without a student’s consent. In addition, the act guarantees students access to their records and restricts the access of others.
Students at Columbia University Medical Center may restrict access to their directory information at the Registrar’s Office located in 1-141 Black Building. The guidelines are available on ColumbiaWeb and in FACETS, the University student handbook, http://www.columbia.edu/cu/facets Questions about the interpretation of the guidelines should be referred to the University’s General Counsel, 412 Low Library.
To comply with current and anticipated Internal Revenue Service mandates, Columbia University requires students who will be receiving financial aid or payment through the University payroll system to report their Social Security number at the time of admission. Newly admitted students who are eligible but do not have a Social Security number should obtain one well in advance of their first registration.
Columbia University, recognizing the increasing need for electronic communication with students, has established email as an official means of communication with students.
An official Columbia University email address is required for all students. The University has the right to send official communications to the University email address, which is based upon the University Network ID (UNI) assigned to the student.
The University expects that every student will receive email at his or her Columbia University email address and will read email on a frequent and consistent basis. A student’s failure to receive and read University communications in a timely manner does not absolve that student from knowing and complying with the content of such communications.
Students may elect to redirect (auto-forward) email sent to their University email address. Students who redirect email from their official University email address to another address do so at their own risk. If email is lost as a result of forwarding, it does not absolve the student from the responsibilities associated with communications sent to their official University email address.
All use of email will be consistent with other Columbia University policies including the Acceptable Use Policy; http://www.columbia.edu/cu/policy.
Peer-to-peer file sharing technology has made it much easier for individuals to make and share unauthorized copies of copyrighted works, such as music, games, and motion pictures. Such activity is against the law and exposes both the individual and the University to legal liability. Students are legally liable if they download music, movies or other files without permission from the copyright owner. All network users must comply with federal copyright law. Violations of copyright law are also violations of University policy. By using University electronic resources and services, whether from the library, a lab, a public workstation, or residence, etc., students assume personal responsibility for appropriate use and agree to comply with all relevant University policies, as well as State and Federal laws and regulations. Violations of these policies are handled by the Office of Student Affairs; suspension of computing privileges is immediate until the Dean has addressed the matter with the student. Repeat infractions can lead to dismissal.
Columbia University is committed to providing a learning environment free from unlawful discrimination and to fostering a nurturing and vibrant community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members. Consistent with this commitment and with applicable laws (including those listed below), it is the policy of the University not to tolerate unlawful discrimination in any form and to provide students who feel that they are victims of discrimination with mechanisms for seeking redress.
Columbia University does not discriminate against any person in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other University-administered programs or permit the harassment of any student or applicant on the basis of race, color, sex, gender, pregnancy, religion, creed, marital status, partnership status, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military status, or any other legally protected status.
Nothing in this policy shall abridge academic freedom or the University’s educational mission. Prohibitions against discrimination and discriminatory harassment do not extend to statements or written materials that are relevant and appropriately related to the subject matter of courses.
Columbia University’s educational mission is promoted by the professionalism in its faculty-student and staff-student relationships. Faculty and staff are cautioned that consensual romantic relationships with student members of the University community, while not expressly prohibited, can prove problematic. While some relationships may begin and remain harmonious, they are susceptible to being characterized as non consensual and even coercive. This sometimes occurs when such a relationship ends and is exacerbated by the inherent power differential between the parties. A faculty or staff member involved in a consensual relationship with a student is expected to remove him/herself from academic or professional decisions concerning the student. This expectation arises because the relationship may impair, or may be perceived as impairing, a faculty or staff member’s ability to make objective judgments about that student. The Provost has authorized some departments and schools to adopt more restrictive policies, given the special nature of the relationship between their students and faculty or staff. Individuals are, therefore, encouraged to contact their department head if they have any questions about whether a more restrictive policy applies to them. Departments that wish to establish more restrictive policies should contact the Associate Provost for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action before implementation. Should a romantic relationship with a student lead to a charge of sexual harassment against a faculty or staff member, the University is obligated to investigate and resolve the charge in accordance with the Equal Employment Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policies and Procedures on Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment and Sexual Harassment. Questions regarding this Advisory Statement may be directed to Susan Rieger, Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 103 Low Memorial Library, Mail Code 4333, 535 West 116th Street, New York, NY 10027; 212-854-5511.