Message to our community

Dear SIPA Community:

As a dean, member of the faculty, and alumna, I am heartbroken by recent events on our campus. I know they have affected all of you deeply, as well. 

This is a time of great difficulty for so many of us here at SIPA. I want to acknowledge and thank everyone—students, faculty, and staff—for the flexibility and sensitivity you have shown in meeting this moment and in supporting one another. I know that many of you are feeling a deep and broad range of emotions. You are not alone. I encourage us all to approach each other with empathy, compassion, and a shared commitment to mutual support. It will take time to process and reflect on all that has occurred. My fervent hope is that working through this period will ultimately bring us closer together rather than drive us apart. 

To our students, I understand the pressure of finals and finishing academic deliverables for this term has been significantly amplified. Here are some academic updates:

• Students will be able to elect the Pass/Fail grading option for all courses. The deadline for doing so will be two weeks after grades are published and you will receive guidance on how to make the request shortly.
• Final exams will be remote and instructors will communicate specifics with their students.
• For final assignments, the deadline for the deliverable will be no earlier than May 6 and instructors will communicate further details with their students.

Here are some additional pertinent updates:

• As the University shared this morning, we are committed to ensuring that all Commencement and Class Day ceremonies run smoothly and that all of our students and their families and friends enjoy the celebration their hard work has warranted. We don’t have details yet but look forward to sharing more as soon as we have new information.
• The DEICE Committee and Associate Dean Rodriguez will be hosting a virtual community gathering for all community members at SIPA to discuss recent events. More information on this gathering will be shared soon.  

At the School of International and Public Affairs, the most global policy school, we bring to our shared community the most profound asset of all – views enriched by experiences from the far reaches of the world. With this gift comes an innate responsibility to not only respect one another but to debate and engage with one another's viewpoints on the most pressing and complex issues of today. These are the skills that you, the policy leaders of tomorrow, will need to take with you into your future careers.

In the face of unprecedented challenges this academic year, I am moved by the resilience and strength of our community. I firmly believe that we will emerge from this moment stronger and more united than before. Rebuilding trust and healing will undoubtedly take time, but I have unwavering faith in all of us at SIPA that we will come together to do so.

Thank you. 

Keren Yarhi-Milo
Dean, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)
Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Relations

Additional resources:

• Disability Services is available to assist students with final exam accommodations, campus accessibility concerns, and other accommodation needs. Virtual drop-in hours are available daily. Email [email protected] or call 212-854-2388 for assistance.
• The Public Safety team is available at any time of day, every day. We have increased the presence of public safety officers across all of our campuses.
• If you need to request a safety escort—available to members of the Columbia community at any time of day—call 212-854-2797.
• We have resources for reporting behavior that violates our standards.
• You can access health, well-being, and counseling offices and resources across the Columbia, Barnard, and Teachers College campuses:
  • Columbia Health for Morningside, Manhattanville and Teachers College students (most services provided via telehealth and virtual options; walk-in not available). 24/7 phone support available:
    • For urgent medical concerns, call Medical Services at 212-854-7426.
    • For urgent mental health concerns, call CPS 212-854-2878.
    • For survivor advocacy and intervention, call SVR at 212-854-4357.
  • Faculty and staff can find mental health resources here.
• University Life provides additional well-being resources and tips.