Columbia’s Community Citizenship Initiative starts today!

Dear Students,

I hope you are well and enjoying your time as part of the Columbia community. I write to share that the Community Citizenship Initiative starts today and runs through November 3. All students who are new to their school at Columbia are required to take the Initiative, and all students are welcome and encouraged to participate. 

What is the Community Citizenship Initiative (CCI)?

The goal of the Initiative is to empower you to support one another and provide you with information on where and when to get help if you need it. The Initiative consists of two modules – Sexual Respect and Inclusion & Belonging  – which ask you to explore what it means to belong to and co-create an inclusive University culture. 

Our value of Inclusion & Belonging is about cultivating an inclusive community, considering the impact of bias, and strengthening resilience – individually and as a community. Our value of Sexual Respect asks each of us to promote a culture that unequivocally rejects all forms of gender-based misconduct. 

How do I get started? 

You can complete the modules via the self-paced Courseworks pages below.* Additionally, our website offers a full schedule of workshops, online tutorials, video/podcast collections, independent projects, and more that will count toward completion.

*Please note: Your school may require you to attend a live workshop to fulfill your requirements. Please check in with your school to confirm if there are mandatory workshops. 

Inclusion & Belonging Courseworks Pages

• Undergraduates
• Morningside & Manhattanville Graduate and Professional Students
• CUIMC Graduate and Professional Students 

Sexual Respect Courseworks Pages

• Undergraduates
• Morningside & Manhattanville Graduate and Professional Students
• CUIMC Graduate and Professional Students 

Upcoming Events That Count Toward CCI Completion

All events below are in ET, open to all students, and fulfill one of the requirements for the Community Citizenship Initiative.

• Connection, Communication and Consent - Thriving Relationship Skills
  Thursday, September 28, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM 
  Virtual
  This event fulfills the Sexual Respect component.
   
• Social Justice Series Workshop: Unpacking Identity
  Thursday, September 28, 2:00 - 3:00 PM
  In-Person
  This event fulfills the Inclusion & Belonging component.
   
• Film Screening: My Name is Andrea by Pratibha Parmar
  Thursday, October 12, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
  In-Person
  This event fulfills the Sexual Respect component.
   
• The Art + Science of Flirting
  Monday, October 23, 5:30 - 7:00 PM
  In-Person
  This event fulfills the Sexual Respect component.
   
• Campus Conversations
  Dates will be announced soon.
  In-Person and Virtual
  These events fulfill the Inclusion & Belonging component.

Additional Resources for Promoting Social Justice and Combating Bias

In an effort to further support University Life’s commitment to the value of Inclusion & Belonging, we have created an ever-evolving list of resources focused on combating bias and promoting social justice at Columbia and beyond. 

We’re excited to have you take part in this important Initiative. Thank you for doing your part to make Columbia an inclusive environment for all.  Our campus culture is shaped by you. 

If you have questions, feedback, or need assistance you can reach us at [email protected].

Take care,

Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D. (He/Him/His)
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs
University Life, Columbia University
Connect with me: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn