2020 Year End Message to Students

Dear Students,

As we near the end of the fall semester, I would like to take a moment to recognize all that you’ve overcome during this challenging semester and applaud your focus, determination, and strong sense of community. GS students truly are the most resilient and supportive students at Columbia and I am proud to be your dean. I congratulate those of you who completed your studies this semester and welcome those of you who will begin your GS journey at Columbia University in January. Before we leave for the winter break, I would like to share several important updates.

First, as you know, this year has been difficult in so many ways and has required extraordinary measures to support GS students who have been directly impacted by the pandemic. This is especially true for our students with financial need. Three measures taken this last year are worth highlighting. First, financial aid for full-time students was enhanced in the summer of 2020 as the pandemic took firmer hold on the world. Second, we created the GS COVID Support Fund to fund eligible GS students taking more than 12 points in a term. And third, emergency grant programs—some funded by new donations—supported GS students in distress. These measures came on top of the University’s decision to freeze tuition for undergraduates in the 2020-2021 academic year—a measure that helps every GS student who enrolls this year. Throughout, we have been working closely with the Arts & Sciences and University leadership to identify additional resources to support GS students directly and indirectly in their academic programs.

Given the ongoing challenges our students face as we look ahead, I am pleased now to announce several new initiatives that will provide further resounding support for GS students in the spring and summer of 2021.

Columbia University School of General Studies announces the opportunity to apply for a distinct one-time emergency grant paid directly to students. We understand many are experiencing challenges in finding work or other funding sources generally used to support items such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care, and this grant is intended to assist students in overcoming those challenges. Priority will be given to students who currently receive aid. For students eligible for US federal financial aid programs, funding will come from the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. Those students who are not eligible for CARES funding may apply and other institutional sources will be considered. The application process for emergency aid will be posted in the week of January 4 on the GS website.

We will also be able to address the issues raised by students regarding the upcoming summer term. I am pleased to share with you that the Arts & Sciences and University have provided additional resources for GS students who have been enrolled at Columbia in the fall and spring semesters and plan to take additional courses in the summer term. Students who complete a total of 30 Columbia points or more in the fall and spring semesters combined will receive a one-time grant to be used to cover up to four points of tuition in the summer term. The summer course grant will be applied against tuition charges on the student account automatically following the summer change of program periods. In addition to this grant, we remain committed to providing enhanced financial aid in the summer 2021 term, as we did in the summer 2020 term, for all students who maintain enrollment of 9 points or more.

We believe that these measures will help GS students in very meaningful ways and give GS students much-needed support to navigate the remainder of the 2020-2021 academic year, including the summer 2021 term. When considering the emergency resources now available from the CARES Act, as well as additional resources from the University and the Arts & Sciences, last summer’s additional financial aid, and the GS COVID Support Fund funded for the current academic year, Columbia GS students are receiving access to funding that represents a significant and substantial increase in emergency support available in the academic year. After the holiday break and in the coming weeks you will receive updates from the GS Office of Educational Financing on these initiatives. Still, I am so very pleased to be able to share the good news with you before the winter break.

I am also happy to announce that Columbia GS has donated $5,000 to The Food Pantry at Columbia to help them continue their amazing work assisting students facing food insecurity. Originally founded and still managed by GS students, the Food Pantry is a wonderful example of our students’ empathy and dedication to the Columbia community.

With a shortened winter break, I know that many of you will soon begin preparing for spring classes. While I can share that nearly 200 spring classes will include some options for in-person instruction and engagement, all instruction will remain virtual for the first two weeks of the semester. In addition, dining halls will not open on campus until January 17. These decisions were made to ensure the safety of the entire Columbia community and to allow all students, faculty, and staff who will be accessing campus to complete their gateway testing. As announced by Dr. Melanie Bernitz from Columbia Health, anyone who wishes to access campus in the Spring 2021 semester will need to complete gateway testing, regardless of whether they have already been tested.

For those students who anticipate returning to campus for the spring term, please review all required protocols on the Columbia COVID-19 Resource site and plan accordingly. Finally, I again encourage all students to be cautious and conscientious in considering travel plans and potential social gatherings over the break.

I look forward to connecting with you in the new year.
 

Be well and safe,

Lisa Rosen-Metsch
Dean, Columbia University School of General Studies
Professor of Sociomedical Sciences