Dear fellow members of the Columbia community,
We know that the restrictions on Columbia’s Morningside campus have been very difficult for many of you and we are working on a plan to reopen campus as quickly as possible. In that connection, as of tomorrow, Friday, May 3, faculty based on the Morningside campus will be able to access offices and other spaces on the Morningside campus. Please watch for an announcement with more details about access to Morningside campus shortly. We will continue to have only one gate open, at 116th and Amsterdam.
Please know that the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority. Our decision to restrict the campus temporarily is one we take fully aware that the loss of shared spaces, libraries, dining halls and offices has been a real hardship.
Tomorrow’s expansion of faculty access puts teaching, mentorship and research on a better footing for the end of the term. We will continue to restrict broader community access with specific carve outs for lab personnel and others engaged in practice-based work. By restricting the campus temporarily, we are able to keep the units of the University that cannot function remotely (dining halls, residential halls, research labs, and other entities) running smoothly.
We are guarding against further disruptions to our academic mission and carefully weighing the risk that tensions and activities in the City and around the country could spill over onto our campus and threaten the safety of our community. We are also concerned that Columbia remains a target for individuals and groups that do not have the best interests of our students in mind.
The Morningside campus is at the heart of our community, and we are committed to bringing it back to all of you as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and support.
Sincerely,
Cas Holloway
Chief Operating Officer