Health Services
Primary Care Health Service (PCHS)
The PCHS, nationally accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, provides primary care and specialist referrals for all registered Barnard students. It offers a wide range of general services, with a particular emphasis on the developmental needs of college-aged students. Entering students must submit a proof of immunization as required by New York State Health Laws. All students are entitled to all services at the PCHS, regardless of the type of insurance they carry.
Staff
The clinical staff consists of full-time physicians, nurse practitioners, a nurse, a nutritionist and a health educator (shared with the Wellness Spot). The PCHS collaborates with major New York medical teaching centers to provide advanced clinical training in college health to Adolescent Medicine Fellows.
After-Hours Care
At all times when the college is in session and during winter and spring break there is a Clinician-on-Call phone service nights and weekends for after-hours urgent medical advice. There is always a PCHS clinician on backup call for the answering service as well.
Fees
There is no per-visit charge at the PCHS, and the number of visits is unlimited. Medications are available for discounted fees from our on-site dispensary.
Health Insurance
All enrolled students at Barnard must carry health insurance while they are a student at the College. Students have two options: They can either carry the school's insurance plan, implemented by Aetna Student Health, or waive out of the student health insurance plan with their family's insurance plan. The waive-out period occurs during certain times of the year and must be approved. All outside insurance plans must be ACA compliant. Students should carry their insurance cards with them at all times.
For additional information about services provided and the Student Insurance Plan, students are encouraged to visit the Health Services website.
Rosemary Furman Counseling Center
The Rosemary Furman Counseling Center, accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, provides FREE short-term counseling, medication evaluations, referrals, and crisis intervention services for all registered Barnard students. They see students with a full range of problems from adjustment issues, relationship problems, eating and substance issues, mood disorders, trauma, stress related to oppression, and other emotional/mental health concerns.
Staff
The clinical staff consists of psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists and trainees in these fields.
After-Hours Care
An After Hours Psychological Emergency Line provides emergency assistance on nights and weekends.
Referrals
Because the clinic offers only short-term treatment, all students requiring long-term care will be assisted in finding a therapist or psychiatrist in the city.
Mental Health Insurance
All registered Barnard students are required to have health insurance which includes mental health benefits for in-patient and out-patient treatment in New York State. The student insurance may be waived if the family policy meets these requirements.
Tuition Insurance
Tuition insurance, offered by a variety of companies, reimburses for tuition costs if a student needs to leave college. This offers financial protection for families, especially with students who have physical or mental health concerns that could impact their ability to remain in school.
Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program
The Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program (ASAP) works with the Barnard community to provide drug and alcohol education, prevention, and intervention on campus. Its purpose is to promote the healthy development of students and to encourage students to explore their options and ultimately make choices that are positive for them as individuals.
ASAP offers individual and group counseling. All services are confidential and free of charge. Outreach and educational programs are offered on related topics including: consequences of alcohol use, Barnard norms, women and alcohol, alcohol and relationships, alcohol and stress, abstinence, drug use, safe spring break and media literacy.
Health Education and Promotion
The health education and promotion department promotes the health and wellness of Barnard students through peer education, educational programming, individual health behavior consultation, campus-wide health campaigns, community outreach, and advocacy. We are a resource for students to learn about their physical, sexual, mental, and spiritual health, and we work to support women’s individual self-care and the health of the community. We also educate students about how to find and use health resources at Barnard and in the community. The department comprises two programs: the Wellness Spot and Being Barnard.
Well-Woman peer educators are student volunteers who are trained to present workshops and campus events on sexual health, nutrition, fitness, body image, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, stress management, sleep, healthy relationships, and communication (and more), in residence halls, to clubs and organizations, and to teens in the surrounding community. Peer educators present education sessions to students having their first-ever GYN exam, and are available to answer student questions during evening office hours.
Being Barnard is the college's sexual violence education, prevention, and outreach program. The mission of Being Barnard 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. As such, it is our hope that by addressing a multitude of interwoven topics, such as healthy relationships and sexuality, affirmative consent, personal boundaries, self-care, bystander intervention, and social identities and power, that we may help reduce, and one day eliminate, sexual assault and violence from our campus and global communities.
Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services
In 1978, Barnard established a program to provide services for students with disabilities, which enhances their educational, pre-professional, and personal development. The Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services (CARDS) serves students who have different types of disabilities such as mobility, visual, hearing loss, as well as students with invisible disabilities, such as learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD, chronic medical conditions, psychological disabilities, and substance abuse recovery. CARDS works with other administrators and members of the faculty to assist students with disabilities in participating equally in college. Students who wish to seek accommodations at Barnard should fill out an online application, submit supporting documentation, and schedule an intake meeting with their designated CARDS coordinator. Accommodations are not granted retroactively, so it is best to register with CARDS early on. Accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, according to the type of disability a student has, information shared by the student during their meeting, and the recommendations of the student's documentation. The buildings on the Barnard campus are wheelchair accessible. CARDS staff can assist students with determining the best access routes on campus. CARDS maintains a comprehensive webpage, which includes important information about accessing accommodations, how to register, and policies related to accommodations.
Student Experience and Engagement
The mission of the Department of Student Experience and Engagement (SEE) is to create accessible, dynamic, thought-provoking co-curricular opportunities for Barnard students to explore purposeful involvement, self-discovery, and the development of meaningful relationships with their peers and the greater Barnard community. As an integral part of the student experience, SEE aims to connect students not only to resources available within the Department but all resources available at both Barnard and Columbia. Students who engage with SEE will strengthen their leadership skills to transform themselves, Barnard, and their communities both now and in the future.
Vision:
Student Experience and Engagement envisions a Barnard where every student feels welcome, supported, is engaged, and becomes an agent for social change.
Values:
Student Experience and Engagement values the following:
● Knowledge
● Equality
● Community
● Integrity
● Responsibility
● Social Justice
Functional Areas:
● Arts Education
● Campus-Wide Programming
● McAC *Student-Programming Board
● Experiential Learning Initiatives
● Glicker-Milstein Theatre (GMT)
● Identity & Inclusion Initiatives
● Leadership Programs
● New Student Orientation (NSOP)
● Recognized Club and Organization Support and Management
● Student Leadership Group Advising
● Student Government Association (SGA)
● Governing Board at Barnard (GBB)
Student Experience and Engagement serves the entire Barnard community including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and parents and families. As the hub for student engagement, SEE is a great place to both promote and learn about what is going on in the Barnard community. In partnership with the Division of Campus Life and Student Engagement, SEE will do the following:
● Encourage deep consideration of ideas, interests, and needs
● Advise students on the breadth of College resources to leverage during your experience at Barnard;
● Connect students to departments and individuals to help them reach their goals;
● Celebrate student accomplishments; and
● Share assessments of how the Department has done this work
Arts Education
The Program Coordinator for Arts Education advises Barnard-recognized student groups that self-identify under the larger umbrella arts education. This includes performance arts groups, visual arts groups, and groups that have an arts education focus. Additionally, the Program Coordinator coordinates arts education programming including the annual Arts Education Week in the spring semester.
Campus-Wide Programming
SEE supports campus-wide programming via the McIntosh Activities Council (McAC), a student-driven programming board responsible for upholding and celebrating Barnard traditions like; Big Sub, Midnight Breakfast, Emily Gregory Ceremony, Spirit Week and the Barnard Greek games. The work of each functional area within the Department is designed for the entire campus community and programs, events, and activities can be found on the Department supported online platform MillieLINK.
Experiential Learning Initiatives
The Program Coordinator for Experiential Learning advises Barnard recognized student groups that self-identify under the larger umbrella of experiential learning. This includes service learning or volunteer-based groups, philanthropic or humanitarian groups, and/or groups focused on practical applications of vocational interest.
Glicker Milstein Theatre (GMT)
The Glicker-Milstein Theatre functions as an artistic performance space and creative outlet that provides priority to the Barnard College Theatre Department, SGA recognized organizations as well as other academic departments. The GMT will facilitate the mission of Barnard College and Student Experience and Engagement by presenting enrichment opportunities through performances open to the student body and the College community. The Theatre Directoris responsible for all facets of scheduling and programming in the GMT year-round.
Identity & Inclusion Initiatives
The Program Coordinator for Identity & Inclusion advises Barnard recognized student groups that self-identify as cultural or identity-based groups. The Program Coordinator also, in collaboration with students and our partners at Columbia University, supports heritage and cultural awareness programming including Hispanic Heritage month, LGBTQ+ History Month, Women’s History Month, etc. Additionally, the Department has a part-time Program Coordinator for LGBTQ+ initiatives specifically designed to meet the needs of Barnard’s LGBTQ+ community.
Leadership Programs
The College believes that leadership development doesn’t live in one specific area or department. In SEE, we recognize that leadership occurs in many settings. With this in mind, the Department is dedicated to identifying, reinforcing, and cultivating the skills that Barnard students need in order to be effective leaders on campus, in New York City, and throughout the world. We seek to accomplish this through signature initiatives which include the leadership program and workshops, lunches, and the Barnard Leadership Training (BLT) as well as many programs in collaboration with other departments on campus. The office’s holistic approach embraces the potential of co-curricular leadership development which creates well-rounded students who are ready to be engaged members of society.
New Student Orientation Program (NSOP)
SEE coordinates both fall and spring New Student Orientation Programs that welcome and introduce first-year, transfer, visiting and international students to the College. Building community is another essential part of this area which is primarily done through programming. On and off-campus programs are offered as ways of building relationships and gaining a sense of belonging at Barnard.
Student Records and Information
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (the Buckley Amendment/FERPA) stipulates that students may have access to their official files and that no transcripts may be issued without their written request. Barnard’s full FERPA policy can be found here.
Barnard College designates the following items as Directory Information: student name; class; home or college address and telephone number; email address; major field; date and place of birth; dates of attendance at Barnard; degrees, honors and awards received; previous school most recently attended; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; and photograph. Columbia and Barnard have public directories–online and by phone–that list the student name, department, email, phone and campus box number.
The College may disclose any of those items without prior written consent, unless a student files a request to withhold directory information with the Registrar each year by September 15.
Community Accountability, Response & Emergency Services (CARES)
CARES promotes safety for the Barnard community in every arena: physical; fire and safety; structural; interpersonal; and psychosocial. The department supports and contributes to a safe, healthy, and inclusive learning environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. It also plays a central role in preventative and protective measures to minimize the risk or impact of emergency situations on campus. To this end, CARES works closely with campus and community partners, including Columbia Public Safety and the New York City Police Department when appropriate and necessary. While all members of the CARES department receive training specific to their role, they are also committed to the philosophy that everyone on campus can contribute to a community that fosters the safety of all.
The CARES Department is comprised of these team members, all working collaboratively to promote safety for the Barnard community:
-
Community safety officers respond to serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situations requiring immediate action; such matters may pose an immediate threat to health, life, property, and environment with a high probability of escalating quickly and dangerously without rapid intervention. Community Safety Staff are not sworn law enforcement officers; rather, they are New York state certified security guards trained in security practices, risk reduction, fire safety, basic first aid, and CPR/AED.
-
Access attendants primarily monitor and provide access control measures of persons and materials at designated Barnard College access/egress, particularly the residential halls.
-
Dispatchers provide first-level support in receiving calls and effectively directing response to the team members who will address the need.
-
The Response Team is focused on supporting holistic approaches to safety and crisis response initial intervention, response, and/or referral to campus resources.
-
The Preparedness Team (fire safety and compliance personnel) embodies the college’s commitment to shared responsibility for the safety and welfare of the campus community. This team has primary responsibility for preparedness efforts related to fire and life safety, crime prevention, and emergency preparation. They inform students and employees of the resources available to them and remind them of their personal responsibility to take prudent precautions.
The CARES team can be reached by contacting either the emergency line at 212-854-6666 or the non-emergency line at 212-854-3362.
Community Safety is located just opposite the Main Gate at 117th Street and Broadway. in Barnard Hall Room 104. The Response team is located on Claremont and 119th Street in Elliot Hall.
For more information please visit the Barnard CARES website at barnard.edu/CARES.
Crime Statistics
In compliance with New York State Education Law Article 129-A, and the Clery Act, crime statistics for the Barnard College campus for the last three calendar years are filed annually with the United States Department of Education and are available for review on their website and on the Barnard College website. In addition, the Advisory Committee on Campus Security will provide, upon request, the Annual Security Report or campus crime statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education. Requests can be made by contacting the Department at 212-854-3362 or via email to CARESTeam@barnard.edu.