Resources for Spouses/Partners and Family Members of Columbia University Faculty, Staff, and Students
- Columbia University strives to be a family-supportive institution. The following is a listing of Columbia resources that are available to spouses and domestic partners of faculty, staff, and students.
The Office of Work/Life has many programs and services that are available to spouses and partners of University faculty, staff, and students. These programs and services include:
- Backup Care is intended to provide backup support for dependents of Columbia University faculty, staff, and doctoral students when normal arrangements are disrupted and/or when short-term care is needed. Please review the website for eligibility requirements and program details.
- The Breastfeeding Support Program is available for both access to lactation rooms and sale of breast pump attachments while visiting Columbia University campuses.
- The Office of Work/Life Bulletin Board is accessible to spouses and partners if requested by someone with a Columbia University ID. This site can be used to post apartment listings, search for child care, arrange carpools, and more.
- Discounts have been made available to the Columbia community by many local and national organizations. Please review the website for more information.
- Dual Career Services assist the accompanying spouses/partners of newly recruited faculty who are interested in pursuing careers in NYC metro area. In addition, the Higher Eduaction Recruitment Consortium (HERC) is a good resource for academic and non-academic careers in the greater New York metropolitan area and southern Connecticut.
- Housing Information and Referral Service provides individual consultations on renting or purchasing apartments and homes within commuting distance of Columbia University campuses.
- School and Child Care Search Service offers personalized assistance and advocacy to parents who are researching and applying to child care and K-12 schooling in and around the New York area.
- A workshop series each semester covering a variety of work/life topics, including adult and elder care, personal wellness, housing, schooling, child care, and more.
There are many events, including seminars, lectures, concerts and other performances, at Columbia that are open to the public. Please review the Columbia University Events calendar, as each event will specify eligibility.
The Columbia Libraries have various policies regarding the use of the libraries by spouses and domestic partners of Columbia University students, faculty, and staff. Depending upon eligibility, spouses or domestic partners can be issued a borrower’s card or a reader’s card, which can be used at any of the Columbia Libraries. Please review their website or call (212) 854-7309 for more detailed information on obtaining library cards, cost, and proof of eligibility.
TIC sells discounted tickets to the movies, theater, and special events. Tickets are sold to anyone with a Columbia University ID card and most event sales allow ID holders to purchase two tickets per ID.
Family memberships are available to members of Dodge Fitness Center. Eligible family members include spouse and domestic partner and/or children ages 6-19. Please review their website for information on how to join and membership rates.
The Office of the University Chaplain has several services and events that are open to Columbia spouses and partners.
- Music at St. Paul’s: a weekly concert featuring New York City musicians
- Chapel Religious Services: St Paul’s Chapel offers a wide-range of weekly services
- Counseling from Religious Life Advisors: Contact the United Campus Ministries for more information about counseling services.
HR: Benefits - Working at Columbia
This website provides useful information about life at the University as well as living near Columbia’s Morningside and Medical Center Campuses.
HR: Benefits - Tuition benefits
Columbia University offers tuition benefits to spouses and partners, as well as dependent children, of University officers and some staff. Please visit the Human Resources tuition benefits webpage for more detailed information about the benefits and eligibility requirements.
Spouses and partners of faculty and staff are able to take any fee-based courses offered by HR Learning and Development. These courses vary each semester and cover topics such as communication skills, time management, leadership and management development, interviewing skills, and more. Please refer to the website for a complete course listing and registration information.