March 25, 2020 at 8:47 p.m.

CSSW FAQ Page for COVID-19

Dear CSSW Online Campus and Residential Campus Students,

I’m writing to share further updates with respect to CSSW educational programs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning. First, please let me thank you once again for your incredible response to the rapidly evolving changes in our environment. Your commitment and flexibility in the face of this crisis have been nothing short of outstanding. Second, I want to thank the Student Union for their detailed memo and follow-up Zoom conference with senior school administrators regarding questions on the minds of students. It’s been incredibly helpful to review a coordinated written message that represents many student voices. Based on our very productive meeting following receipt of the memo, we thought we would prepare an “FAQ” page to add to our existing website on COVID-19 resources. You can view the FAQs via this link:

https://socialwork.columbia.edu/cssw-covid-19-news/frequently-asked-questions-covid-19/

This will not be a static resource; rather, we will add to it and refine it over time as needed.

Please know that central administration continues to meet regularly to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on our educational programs and how best to sustain our educational mission, while also trying to minimize stress on students, staff and faculty. As circumstances continue to evolve, decisions on one day may or may not be appropriate on the following day. We pledge to make adjustments as needed going forward. As always, if you are a student needing additional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our excellent Office of Advising (swadvising@columbia.edu) for guidance and help.

With best wishes to all for your health, safety, and comfort at this time –

Melissa

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Melissa D. Begg
Dean & Professor
Columbia School of Social Work