Coronavirus and Maintaining an Inclusive Campus Community

February 03, 2020

Dear Students, 

In recent weeks as the Coronavirus has spread, there has been an increase in reported experiences of hostility and bias directed toward Chinese, Chinese-American and other Asian students and community members, both on and off our campus. We write to ask you to keep closely in mind our core value at Columbia — of treating all in our shared community with respect and recognizing the dignity and humanity of each individual here. This is especially important at a time when fears about the virus can too easily foster suspicion without regard for facts.

Please keep in mind that you have a ready source of up-to-date information available on Columbia’s Preparedness website, which is being updated regularly. Columbia Health is monitoring the situation continuously and will continue to provide community-wide updates, including information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you or someone you know has experienced bias, please reach out to your Dean of Students. For questions or concerns regarding discrimination, please contact Student Conduct and Community Standards.

We understand this may be a stressful time for many. As always, campus resources — including health and counseling services on the Morningside and CUIMC campuses — remain available to you, and you can always contact us at University Life by emailing [email protected].

The University will continue to update you on this situation, and campus resources are ready to support you. Please take good care of yourself and also of each other.

Sincerely,

 

Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D.
Pronouns: He, Him, His
Vice President for Student Affairs
Office of University Life, Columbia University