Access Barnard

Access Barnard is an institution-wide initiative established in Fall 2020 for a broad range of student support. It offers an integrated approach to supporting students who identify as first-generation, lower-income, and international. Access Barnard's support is tailored to the diversity of identities represented within these groups and serves as the hub of college efforts to enhance the academic experiences, and promote the inclusion and excellence of these populations in their transition to and persistence through the Barnard experience.

For questions about Access Barnard, please contact accessbarnard@barnard.edu.

Keywords: FLI students; first generation; low-income; international students; International Student Services; Opportunity Programs; HEOP; CSTEP; administrative support; student resource; peer mentoring; equity and accessibility

Supplemental Academic Support Application

The Supplemental Academic Support Application (SASA) provides students with a single point of access to apply for supplemental academic grants (average financial grant awarded is $50-350) for emergent academic needs to support their educational progress during their time at Barnard. SASA also supports students through the Access Barnard Lending Library and specialized advising. Additionally, SASA is a way to connect students with referrals to non-financial resources at Barnard, Columbia, and within New York City. SASA funding is available to all Barnard students. Applications are reviewed by the SASA Committee. Please note: SASA is not suited to address significant long-term financial deficits. SASA does not support tuition of any kind, ongoing living expenses such as rent (housing or storage), utilities, lifestyle expenses, nor fund non-emergency personal and/or pleasure travel without clear academic justification.

For questions about SASA, please contact sasa@barnard.edu.
Link to application.

Keywords: lending library; textbook lending; loaner laptops; administrative support; emergency funding; disability testing; student resource; advising

Barnard FLI Partnership Library (FLI Library) 

As a part of the Barnard Library, the Barnard FLI Partnership Library is dedicated to lending textbooks to and in collaboration with first-generation and/or low-income undergraduate students, and supports the sharing of textbook resources between first-generation and/or low-income undergraduate students. The FLI Partnership Library collection adds materials to their collection based on the assessment of required courses for Barnard majors, and is updated based on the frequency with which the materials are used in courses and their cost. As a result, the collection's main focus is on expensive textbooks for STEM and language learning classes. Link to Find and Borrow Course Materials.

Keywords: textbook lending; course materials; FLI students; textbook access; peer textbook sharing

International Student Services

The Office of International Student Services (ISS) at Barnard is dedicated to serving the needs of F-1 and J-1 visa students and is also a resource for self-identified international students at the College. ISS provides a wide array of services and programming to new, continuing, and visiting international students. International Student Services is a unit within Access Barnard.

Please contact ISS by phone at (212) 854-1777 and by email at iss@barnard.edu

Keywords: international students; international student visas; academic programming; cultural programming; advising

BCIT Student Computing

BCIT Student Computing provides computing resources and support to all current Barnard students, assisting students with a wide range of technological issues, including software installation, computer security, and network configuration. BCIT supports the computer labs on campus and helps to disseminate information about technology through special events and workshops. 
 

Get Help; New Student Information

Keywords: technology support; software; technology education; peer education

Barnard Speaking Fellows

The Barnard Speaking Center aims to foster intellectual connection through dialogue, listening, and active engagement. Speaking Fellows help their peers tackle challenges such as presentation clarity and apprehension about public speaking, with the belief that there is not one type of “good speech.” 
 

Make an Appointment with a Speaking Fellow or Apply to be a Speaking Fellow. For questions, please contact the Program Coordinator, Isabelle Eshraghi (ieshragh@barnard.edu). 

Keywords: Speaking skills; peer support; academic support; peer learning 

Science Fellows

The Science Fellows are a subset of the Writing and Speaking Fellows program, made up of students pursuing majors in a wide variety of subjects who have taken rigorous science courses and pursued their own research interests. They work closely with science professors across departments to support every student in developing tools to describe and interpret data, use scientific language clearly and concisely, and blend the skills learned in humanities classes with scientific ones. 

Meet with a Science Fellow. For more information, please contact Pam Cobrin at pcobrin@barnard.edu.

Keywords: Speaking skills; peer support; academic support; STEM; STEM communication 

Barnard Writing Fellows

The Barnard Writing Fellows Program, founded in 1991, is designed to help students strengthen their writing in all disciplines. The Program views writing as a process that happens in stages and in multiple drafts. Writing Fellows are educated readers, specially selected and trained Barnard students who participate in a semester-long workshop in the teaching of writing. After their training, they staff the Erica Mann Jong '63 Writing Center and work with courses across the disciplines. They conference with students about written assignments to help clarify, organize, and strengthen content, so that a non-expert can understand the assignment.

Make an appointment with a Writing Fellow or Apply to be a Writing Fellow. For more information, please contact Pam Cobrin at pcobrin@barnard.edu or email writing@barnard.edu.

Keywords: Writing skills; peer support; academic support

Peer-to-Peer Learning

Peer-To-Peer learning offers weekly help rooms in a variety of subjects like chemistry, mathematics, computer science, physics, Spanish, and more. These rooms have open drop-in hours where anyone in the course is welcome to come and get help with an assignment, receive clarification on a topic, or review for a test. Students who are interested in more personalized and structured support can request an individual or small group tutor. These tutors will meet with you weekly to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while reviewing material for a course. 

For questions and to learn more about Peer-to-Peer Learning or to become a Peer-to-Peer Tutor, please email peertopeer@barnard.edu

Keywords: peer learning; peer tutoring; subject tutoring; test preparation 

Individual & Small Group Tutoring

Students have many academic resources to support their in-class learning which include Faculty & TA Office Hours, review sessions, and Help Rooms. If additional support is needed beyond these resources, students may request an individual peer tutor after the second week of the semester. In order to provide the most effective peer tutoring experience, students should be able to clearly articulate why they need a peer tutor for a specific course. 

Peer tutors, when available, will be assigned as quickly as possible beginning after the end of the Add/Drop period. To be matched with a peer tutor, please send an email to peertopeer@barnard.edu with your request. 

Please contact peertopeer@barnard.edu if you are interested in becoming a tutor and visit the site to learn the academic requirements for peer tutors.

Keywords: peer support; peer tutoring; academic support; academic resource 

The Wellness Spot Health Promotion Program

The mission of Barnard’s Health Promotion Program is to promote the health and wellness of the Barnard student body through peer education, educational programming, individual health behavior consultation, campus-wide health campaigns, community outreach, and advocacy. The Wellness Spot supports wellness as an integral component of learning. Their programs aim to help students achieve their academic and developmental potential while at Barnard, and to prepare them to make positive health decisions throughout their lives so they can fully engage in the world.

Please contact staff via email at TheWellnessSpot@barnard.edu

Keywords: student health and wellness; health education; community outreach

Being Barnard Violence Prevention Program & Sexual Violence Response at Columbia

Being Barnard is the college's sexual violence education, prevention, and outreach program. Its mission is to provide a holistic approach to sexual violence prevention through campus-wide campaigns, educational programming, one-on-one health consultation services, community building, outreach, advocacy, and intervention. Sexual assault and interpersonal violence affect students of all genders, identities, and backgrounds and are widely recognized to not be isolated issues but part of a much larger societal picture. 

Virtual appointments are available Monday - Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and can be made by emailing beingbarnard@barnard.edu. The Columbia Sexual Violence Response is available for in-person appointments; please call (212) 854-3500 to make an appointment with an advocate.

Keywords: sexual violence; violence prevention; educational programming; student and outreach and advocacy; intervention 

Denise LeFrak Foundation Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program (ASAP)

The ASAP program provides drug and alcohol education, prevention, and intervention efforts to the Barnard community. Its purpose is to promote the healthy development of students enabling them to reach their full potential to explore their options and ultimately make choices that are positive for them as individuals. They offer both individual and group counseling at no charge; all services are confidential. ASAP is part of the Rosemary Furman Counseling Center. 

To schedule an appointment with a member of the ASAP team, please call the Rosemary Furman Counseling Center at (212) 854-2092, or email counseling@barnard.edu.  Make sure to say that you are calling to schedule an ASAP appointment.  

Keywords: drug and alcohol education; substance abuse prevention; intervention

Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office provides a confidential and informal environment in which possible options for dealing with a variety of Barnard-related issues and concerns can be explored. As a confidential and impartial third party, the Ombuds Office is a uniquely positioned, independent resource within the College. 

Additional confidential resources can be found here. To schedule a confidential meeting: email to ombuds@barnard.edu or call (212).853-.1352

Keywords: confidential campus resource; mediation; college resource