Dear Members of the Barnard Community,
I want to add my welcome as many students, faculty, and staff return to campus for the Spring Semester. As we begin to gather again, I want to remind us all of some steps we can take to keep ourselves and one another safe. I also want to offer an advance look at some of the changes the College is making this semester to cultivate a welcoming campus that promotes well-being for all through our new CARES office and initiative.
- This year it will be more important than ever for each of us to have our current Barnard identification card with us at all times. Access to campus is significantly more limited than during pre-pandemic times, and you will need your ID card for access to campus and most campus facilities.
- As always, it is still important for all of us to remain vigilant and observe the same basic safety practices.
- Always secure your belongings, protect your personal information on the web, and look for Red Lion safe haven signs in the neighborhood;
- Consider using Barnard and Columbia transportation options, including the on-demand transportation service - free neighborhood VIA service in the evenings - sign up with the promo code; even if you did sign up in the fall, log in to update or begin as there is a spring 2021 promo code;
- Consider opting in to receive Columbia Alerts to supplement Barnard Alerts by logging in with Columbia UNI to the Columbia SSOL; and
- Use the blue light emergency boxes, in the event of emergency, found across the Barnard and Columbia campuses and neighboring areas if you are in need of or are reporting an immediate need for assistance.
We will be building out the new CARES response team and approach throughout the Spring Semester, as we hire and train new staff and refine our new processes with feedback from the community.
As a reminder, in December President Beilock introduced our new approach to enhance safety and well-being across campus — a newly restructured department known as Community Accountability, Response, and Emergency Services (CARES). As President Beilock announced, CARES brings together under one umbrella (a) a new CARES response team, designed to address a wide variety of personal and community issues; attend to fire safety, emergency preparedness and other preventive efforts, (b) our existing Community Safety unit; and (c) our Nondiscrimination & Title IX unit.
A few numbers/emails for you to keep in mind:
- Beginning January 11, 212-854-3362 will become the new CARES Call Line. This line will be answered 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday by CARES trained call takers who will connect callers to the appropriate CARES responder or other College resources. While we build our CARES response team, current staff (following new protocols) will assist with non-emergency call taking and response beyond these hours.
- Community Safety will continue to operate security and emergency response, using the Emergency Line 212-854-6666.
- Nondiscrimination questions, concerns, consultation, and assistance is provided by contacting the Nondiscrimination Director at 212-854-0037 or via email at nondiscrimination@barnard.edu.
An important goal of the CARES office and initiative is to provide comprehensive and coordinated safety structures. This includes a dedication to on-going assessment and accountability and clear avenues for feedback, review, and course correction as needed.
Throughout this spring we will continue to provide more detail about the next phases of our rollout and how each of you can best engage with CARES for assistance and contribute to the growth of these efforts.
I invite your help in our development and implementation of CARES. Over the coming months I will be meeting regularly with the Community Safety Group and campus stakeholders to hear your perspectives and answer your questions. Members of the campus community can also provide feedback to me directly through this online form. Together, I believe we can make Barnard a national model for a holistic approach to safety and well-being. More importantly, we can reduce barriers to seeking the support and assistance you need, while reinforcing your experience of belonging to a community that cares deeply.
Sincerely,
Dr. Amy Zavadil,
Associate Vice President for CARES
Community Accountability, Response, & Emergency Services