Healthy Relationships of All Kinds - Resources and Support for You

Dear Students,

I write to share resources to support you in building healthy relationships and maintaining an inclusive University community, as well as information about a survey on your experiences at Columbia.

LENS Survey - Check Your Email

Last Friday, February 9, you received an email from Qualtrics/Isobar ([email protected]) inviting you to complete the Columbia LENS (Lived Experiences & Needs of Students) Survey. This is an opportunity for you to let us know how Columbia can support you. By completing the survey, you will also receive a $10 gift card and be entered to win additional prizes.

Your responses will inform resources, policies, programming, and services for current and future Columbia students (including emails like this one). Learn more.

Maintaining an Inclusive University Community

We all play an important role in ensuring Columbia is an inclusive community where we can all learn, live, work, and express ourselves. Reporting incidents of bias, discrimination, and harassment allows the University to conduct a full review and address violations of University policies and Title VI. Below are resources should you experience or witness a bias incident:

• Report a Concern. Anyone can make a report at any time.
• The Reporting Help Desk and hotline are resources to address your questions about the reporting process and resources available to you.
  Available weekdays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  Drop by Lerner Hall or call the hotline (212) 853-5000.
• Review student conduct policies. The University is committed to enforcing all policies fairly and thoroughly, which takes time. Due to privacy considerations, the outcomes of disciplinary proceedings are not shared publicly.

Healthy Relationship Resources

All relationships impact our well-being – friendships, mentorships, relationships with roommates and family members, and romantic ones.

• What is a healthy relationship? Love Is Respect outlines the spectrum from healthy to abusive.
  • Take their quiz to see if you’re a respectful partner.
• Morningside/Manhattanville students: Columbia Health Counseling and Psychological Services offers Enhancing Your Relationship: A Workshop for Couples.
• CUIMC students: Student Health on Haven Counseling Services hosts a Creating Fulfilling Relationships group.
• Sometimes the only relationships that get any attention are romantic ones, but being single can have some great perks.
• Strong communications skills are at the heart of healthy relationships.
  • This recorded workshop, Connection, Communication, and Consent, from Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response (SVR) will help you evaluate and improve your relationship and community building skills. Enter your UNI and password to view.
  • Become a Campus Conversations Facilitator to develop your critical listening skills, ability to dialogue successfully across differences, and to help others learn to do the same.
• Making friends and nurturing relationships around campus can be tough, especially if you commute. Go Ask Alice! has some tips.
• Want to know more about how to support a friend? Consider attending a Friend2Friend Training (Morningside/Manhattanville students) or a Campus Connect Training (CUIMC students).
• Having a mentor in your corner can make all the difference. This article breaks down how to find one.
• If communicating with professors feels confusing or intimidating, check out this guide from Columbia Health.
  • You might also want to attend the Black and Latinx Roundtable with Columbia Faculty on February 27 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. – a great opportunity to meet faculty outside of class.
• Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response (SVR) supports survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and other forms of gender-based violence.
  • 24/7 support is available 365 days a year via the SVR Helpline at 212-854-4357.
  • Check out their Peace & Presence Workshop Recordings for a space to relax and heal.

Student Spotlight

Maggie Salinas on Finding Motivation and Community as a First-Gen Student

"Find your own people. Find a group of friends. It makes things so much easier... Just having someone in your presence is comforting, especially if you come from out of state or feel homesick." -Maggie Salinas, CC. Read more.

Upcoming Events to Connect with Others:

Thriving Relationships Valentines
TODAY, February 14, 2 - 4:30 p.m.
Hosted by Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response
Open to All Students

Crafternoon: Affirmation Pillowcases
Thursday, February 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Student Health on Haven
Open to CUIMC Students

Pet Therapy with Leeloo
Monday, February 19, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Hosted by Student Health on Haven and CUIMC Office of Housing Services
Open to CUIMC Students

Graduate Hangout: Black History Month Game Lounge
Thursday, February 22, 5 - 7 p.m.
Hosted by University Life
Open to All Students

Take care,

Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D. (he/him/his)

Senior Vice President for Student Affairs
University Life