Hello [FIRST_NAME],
Happy To-Do Tuesday! We hope you are doing well and enjoying the summer weather. Student Health open enrollment begins next week, so please take a look at the information provided. Your Columbia University ID photo is also due next week. For those of you who are supported by accommodations, registration with the Office of Disability Services should be submitted by July 21.
|
|
August 24–26—Orientation 2026
The Law School offers many opportunities to connect with your peers, but one of the first is at our In-Person Orientation! More information, including a schedule, will be shared in August.
|
|
Connecting Columbia: A Friday for Firsts
As you begin your 1L journey, do you identify as a “first,” whether you are the first lawyer, the first professional, or even the first from your family or among your friends or network at a school like Columbia Law? Would you enjoy taking part in a pre-orientation program where you could meet other “firsts,” and learn about how the Columbia Law community seeks to support you in 1L year and beyond? If yes, then please join us for our “Friday for Firsts” on Friday, August 21. Registration details TBA.
|
|
Professional Advancement: Meet Your Career Deans Video
Our three career offices - Office of Private Sector Careers (OPSC), Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS), and Office of Judicial Careers (OJC) - are excited to meet you! These teams will partner closely with you to chart your career path, and will provide many resources that will help you to explore the various opportunities available to you.
In this brief video, you will meet the leaders of these offices: Dean Danielle Schweiloch (OPSC), Dean Erica Smock (PI/PS) and Dean Dianisbeth Acquie (OJC).
And be sure to keep an eye out for more Professional Advancement resources in upcoming To-Do Tuesdays!
|
|
Student Health Insurance Open Enrollment begins Tuesday, July 15
Having insurance is key to helping cover some predictable health care costs and to support students in the achievement of their personal and academic goals. In an effort to reinforce this aim, Columbia requires most students to have comprehensive health insurance as part of enrollment in the University.
You must enroll or waive your Columbia Student Health Insurance by September 30.
|
|
July 15—Open Housing Selection Begins
Open Selection offers eligible students another opportunity to secure housing in units that remain available after the standard selection process.
Columbia Residential will notify applicants who have not yet been officially approved of their eligibility for Open Selection. This notification—along with the Open Selection start time—will be sent at least one week before July 15. Students are encouraged to review the Open Housing Selection information in advance.
Tips for Success
- Plan ahead: Consider your preferred location, budget, and desired amenities before this selection window opens.
- Use filters strategically: Narrow your search to find the best-fit units quickly.
- Stay persistent: Inventory may decrease as selection progresses, but new units can occasionally become available—check frequently, including during off-peak hours (early mornings, late nights, and weekends).
Important Notes
- Technical issues: If you experience difficulties accessing the Open Selection page on July 15, contact residential@columbia.edu.
- Declining an offer: Choosing “Decline” will deactivate your application. To reenter Open Selection, you must submit a new application, which may take 2–3 days to process.
|
|
Due Tuesday, July 21—Accommodations Registration
Disability Services (DS) facilitates access to Columbia’s academic programs, campus resources, and activities by coordinating accommodations and support services for students with disabilities. DS works with students with all types of disabilities including, but not limited to physical, psychological, sensory, learning disabilities, AD/HD, temporary and chronic medical conditions.
Accommodations are determined on a case by case basis and students seeking them are required to register with the office. The registration process related to academic accommodations can take three weeks to complete for incoming students and can be initiated any time. However, it is strongly recommended that you contact DS no later than July 21 so accommodations can be determined prior to your arrival on campus for the fall. The deadline for requesting housing accommodations for incoming fall Law School students was May 2.
Please contact the Office of Disability Services by calling 212-854-2388 or emailing disability@columbia.edu.
To learn more about the resources available to support students with accessibility or health-related needs, temporary personal challenges, or to discuss which accommodations would best support you during your time at the Law School, please contact Lauren Levy, the Law School's Associate Director of Academic Counseling and Student Support.
|
|
Accommodations Webinar—July 15 at 1 p.m. EDT
Come to a joint webinar with Disability Services and Student Services to learn more about the accommodation registration process. Please make every effort to attend to get your questions answered. The webinar will be recorded for those who are unable to attend. Sign up for the webinar.
|
|
|
DUE NEXT FRIDAY, JULY 17—Columbia ID (CUID) Photo Submission
The University ID card is your passport to Columbia. Your ID card grants you access to the library, secure campus locations, allows you to purchase services at campus cafes and the University bookstore, and enables you to conduct other business at the University and the Law School.
In order to receive your ID card upon arrival to campus at Orientation, you must electronically submit a photograph to Columbia University by 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 17.
To submit a photo, first make sure you have activated your UNI, then log into the secure site to submit your ID photo.
To submit your photo, please visit the Online Photo Submission Service.
In addition to your University ID card, your photograph will be used by professors to prepare classroom seating charts and for other official Law School purposes, including the Student Facebook and the secure online student directory.
If you have any questions please email helpdesk@law.columbia.edu.
|
|
Office of Student Services—July Hours of Operation
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. EDT
Early Closure: 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, and 7/31 - Office Closes at 1:00 p.m.
|
|
 Danielle Schweiloch is the Assistant Dean for the Office of Private Sector Careers. Before joining Columbia Law School, she practiced law in the public and private sector and also worked at other law schools. She practiced in the trial departments of Dorsey and Whitney and McDermott Will & Emery, where she was active on the recruiting and pro bono committees. She also clerked as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and for Judge Saliann Scarpulla of the First Department of the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division. Most recently, she served as assistant dean of Career Services at Temple University Beasley School of Law. Previously, she was director of private sector careers at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and an associate director in the Career Planning Center at Fordham University School of Law. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Rutgers College.
Fun Fact: When Danielle is not at work, she enjoys exploring different New York neighborhoods and taking hikes with her family. She also enjoys baking, and she is always excited to try a new recipe.
|
|
|
