Hello [FIRST_NAME],
Happy To-Do Tuesday! Make sure to complete the mandatory University Life tutorial and get to know our various CLS departments.
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Pre-Orientation Office of University Life Tutorial—Due Friday, August 14
Every student who is new to a degree program at Columbia must complete this required tutorial, which conveys values that are foundational to being a member of the Columbia University community and introduces important University policies and valuable student resources that will help you excel during your time here. You must complete this training before arriving on campus.
This training is an important foundation to your membership in the University community; it reviews the many resources available at Columbia, important policies that shape your daily life on campus, and guidance for living in New York City.
Access the training at preorientation.universitylife.columbia.edu. Log in with your Columbia UNI and password.
If you have any questions about the tutorials or require any assistance, please reach out to
preorientation@columbia.edu.
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Orientation Survey—Help Us Get to Know You
Please fill out this quick, three question survey to help us get to know you and finalize orientation programming. Complete the survey by Wednesday, August 5.
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Columbia Health advances the well-being of the Columbia University community and the personal and academic development of students.
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IT Configuration
The IT Helpdesk is available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., to provide you with any support you may need with your laptop, for example: connecting to the wi-fi network, printing to our high-speed black and white and color printers, installing anti-virus/anti-malware software, and more.
For general assistance with configuring your laptop, you can stop by in-person during normal office hours at Jerome L. Greene Hall 131.
For assistance with printing-related issues (restocking toner, restocking paper, help with sending a document to print, etc.), you can stop by in person at both Jerome L. Greene Hall 131 and William and June Warren Hall 203. Please note that our office in William and June Hall 203 has extended hours for printing support: Monday through Friday from 8am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm.
We can also be reached via email (helpdesk@law.columbia.edu) or phone (212.854.1370).
- Do-it-yourself laptop configuration guides for both Windows and MacOS can be found here.
- A map to various printing locations around the Law School can be found here.
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Columbia Transportation
Columbia Transportation has partnered with Public Safety and Via to provide on-demand transportation service as an alternative to walking alone at night. Using the Evening Shuttle app is the easiest and most effective way to get a ride, but if you cannot use the app, you can call Via at 646-692-0576 to schedule a ride.
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What You Need To Know About Your Financial Aid Bill
The first bill will be posted on August 17 for the fall semester. You can find the billing schedule here. Questions about your financial aid bill? You can find helpful information on the Student Financial Services web page. To learn more about the full extent of financial aid options, please contact the Law School’s Office of Financial Aid.
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Get to Know Student Orgs
Columbia Law School has over 85 student organizations. Director of Operations in Student Services Jeffrey Bagares supports and manages all of the Law School’s student organizations.
Find a list of student organizations here.
As a Law School student, you have been subscribed to student organizations’ email lists.
To add or remove yourself from student organization communications, you can:
- Follow the subscribe/unsubscribe instructions here.
- Click the “unsubscribe” link in the footer of an email from a student organization to remove yourself from that organization’s list.
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Plan your visit or your first few days on campus!
- Review these resources from Columbia University’s Visitors Center
- Take a look at the official guide for New York City tourism.
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Pronouns
Earlier this month, we asked you to indicate your pronouns on LawNet. If you haven’t done so already, please do so as soon as possible.
The Office of University Life’s pronoun guide serves as a resource to learn more about pronoun use. In addition to LawNet, you will also have the opportunity to register your pronouns in CourseWorks to share with faculty, teaching staff, and classmates for all available courses.
For more information about pronouns, visit the Office of University Life’s website, and watch the video “Why Pronouns Matter."
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 | | Why Pronouns Matter |
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PAST DUE: July 15—Open Housing Selection
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.
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Office of Student Services—August Hours of Operation
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. EDT
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 Andrea Cristina Saavedra ’06 is the Associate Dean of Student and Registration Services. Dean Saavedra is privileged to lead a team of administrative professionals whose mission is to provide academic, social, and extracurricular support to Columbia Law students.
Saavedra’s distinguished legal career spans private practice (firm, in-house, and business roles), public service (as a law clerk and pro bono practitioner), and higher education (as a lecturer-in-law and now as an administrator). She was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, in a close-knit Bolivian-Cuban American family that includes several educators, and she frequently spent time in Miami and the Dominican Republic, all places she considers home. She is a proud graduate of the International Baccalaureate Program of Hillsborough High School. She majored in English and minored in economics at Wellesley College, where she also explored her love of Spanish literature, graduating magna cum laude after spending time in Córdoba, Spain. She lives now in New Jersey with her husband, two teen daughters, and one stubborn West Highland Terrier named Jasper. In her free time, Saavedra volunteers in her community, church, and various bar associations. Immediately prior to this role, Saavedra was the assistant dean of Judicial Careers, working with colleagues to grow the Columbia Law School judicial service culture and increase clerkship placements.
Hobbies/Interest: Dean Saavedra loves swimming, salsa dancing, and shopping.
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