Columbia University
EN-13: Community Stakeholder Engagement

The University’s framework for partnerships, outreach and engagement with surrounding communities was established a generation ago, with the creation of three campus-wide community service organizations that continue to thrive: Community Impact (CI), the Double Discovery Center (DDC), and Columbia Community Service (CCS). Through Community Impact, approximately one thousand Columbia University student volunteers work every year with some 25 community service programs to serve more than 8,000 people in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Morningside Heights. At the Double Discovery Center of Columbia College, our students, alumni, and faculty provide after school and summertime academic enrichment to prepare low-income and at-risk high school students for higher education. Columbia Community Service raises funds from faculty and staff to support more than 50 local not-for-profit organizations, including soup kitchens, childcare centers, and community gardens in northern Manhattan. Columbia University has a long tradition of civic engagement by its students, faculty, staff, and alumni, who provide numerous direct services to city residents through hundreds of local partnerships and programs and play leadership roles in public service and the professions, the arts, and the sciences. The Office of Government and Community Affairs (GCA) provides information on and access to the University for local residents, community and civic organizations and others. The Office works to establish and maintain community partnerships, in addition to addressing issues of interest and concern. GCA is the University’s primary liaison to local Community Boards and represents the University on the boards of several other community organizations. The office tracks and monitors the Manhattanville Campus Expansion Project, responding to community inquiries and providing the University with timely information on neighborhood issues. The Office also serves as the University’s primary link to the West Harlem Development Corporation and participates in the implementation of the historic West Harlem Community Benefits Agreement and related programs.

For the academic year 2013-14, two Community Impact groups with over 80 volunteers, informed 1200 local residents about signing up for health insurance, food stamps and other social service benefits. The environmental group, Earth Coalition organized 4 workshops during Earth Week, on Recycling, Energy, Food and Water, reaching about 200 individuals. See more at: http://communityimpact.columbia.edu/issues-impact/our-impact#sthash.SReCcSdv.dpuf

See community stakeholders listed on the Columbia Community Service (CCS) website: http://communityservice.columbia.edu/whom-we-support

Comprehensive update on community engagement efforts over the previous three years: http://gca.columbia.edu/files/gca/content/Final%20Growing%20Together%20-%20Update%20to%20the%20Community.pdf