2011-2012 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

206
campus life
Columbia Engineering attracts
and admits an exceptionally
interesting, diverse, and
multicultural group of students, and
it takes steps to provide a campus
environment that promotes the
continued expansion of each student’s
ideas and perspectives. Starting with
the residence halls, in which nearly all
first-year undergraduate students live,
the University assigns rooms to both
Engineering and Columbia College
undergraduate students, ensuring that
all students will live either with or near a
student attending the other program.
Once students have moved into
their new campus home they will find
themselves part of a residential system
that offers undergraduates a network
of social and academic support.
Designed to make students aware of
the vast number of social and academic
opportunities available to them at the
University, these networks provide an
umbrella of comprehensive advising
to help students articulate and realize
their goals while at Columbia. More
information about the residence halls
can be found in the chapter “Housing
and Residence Life” in this bulletin.
Division of
Student Affairs
Undergraduate life is not confined to
the classroom. A blend of academic,
educational, social, and cocurricular
activities contributes to the Columbia
experience. While The Fu Foundation
School of Engineering and Applied
Science is large enough to support
a wide variety of programs, it is also
small enough to promote the close
interaction among students, faculty, and
administration that has created a strong
sense of community on campus.
With its mission of providing a wide
range of services designed to enhance
the student experience from the time
of admission through graduation, the
Division of Student Affairs is the hub of
undergraduate student life. Admissions,
Financial Aid and Educational Financing,
Center for Student Advising, Residential
Programs, Office of Multicultural Affairs,
Parent and Family Programs, Office
of Judicial Affairs and Community
Standards, Student and Alumni
Programs, Student Development and
Activities, and Office of Civic Action and
Engagement are integral components
of the Division. The integrated efforts
of these units assures that individual
students receive support in both their
academic and cocurricular pursuits. The
Division of Student Affairs is responsible
for assisting students in all matters
beyond actual course instruction,
helping to create a special spirit on
campus and a sense of community for
students.
Center for
Student Advising
403 Lerner Hall, MC 1201
Phone: 212-854-6378
E-mail: csa@columbia.edu
www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/csa
The Center for Student Advising (CSA)
reflects the mission of the University
in striving to support and challenge
the intellectual and personal growth
of its students and by creating a
developmental, diverse, and open
learning environment. Individually and
collaboratively, each advising dean:
• provides individual and group
academic advisement, exploration,
and counseling
• provides information on
preprofessional studies, study abroad,
and major declaration and completion,
as well as various leadership, career,
graduate school, and research
opportunities
• designs and facilitates programming
to meet the unique developmental
needs of each class and to enhance
community among students, faculty,
and administrators
• interprets and disseminates
information regarding University
polices, procedures, resources, and
programs
• educates and empowers students to
take responsibility in making informed
decisions
• refers students to additional campus
resources
Each student is assigned to an
advising dean who advises in his or
her academic area of interest. When
a student declares a major, a faculty
member is appointed to guide him or her
for the next two years. Depending on
their chosen major, students may also be
assigned to work with the CSA liaison to
their major’s department. Advising deans
regularly refer students to their academic
departments to receive expert advice
about their engineering course selections.
engineering 2011–2012