Student Representatives on Faculty Curriculum Committees

Student representatives on faculty committees provide the points of view of students who are currently engaged with the coursework, the programs of study, and the overall academic experience designed for Columbia College students. Student representatives are not voting members of a curriculum committee and they do not put motions before a committee for consideration, but their thoughts and opinions are considered crucial to any discussion of the curriculum and of the academic life of undergraduates.

There are four faculty curriculum committees that manage the academic coursework offered to Columbia College students (please note their respective meeting schedules, included below):

Joint Columbia College – School of General Studies Committee on Instruction

This committee reviews all new undergraduate courses, considers new programs of study (majors, concentrations, or special concentrations) or changes to existing programs of study, and determines policies that govern the ways in which students engage in their coursework. The committee also considers the overall academic experience of Columbia College and General Studies students and offers guidance that may be useful to undergraduates in both schools.

The Committee on Instruction meets from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday morning of the academic year, with a few exceptions, beginning September 25. Students must be able to commit to regular attendance.

The Committee on the Core Curriculum

This committee considers the special role of the Core Curriculum in the experience of undergraduate students. Student representatives on the Committee on the Core Curriculum not only contribute to committee discussions, but also manage the selection of the Preceptor Prizes in Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization and the selection of Core Scholars.

The Committee on the Core Curriculum will meet Thursday, October 1 from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon; Friday, October 23 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm and Friday, November 20 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm (The spring schedule of meetings will be determined at a later date). Students must be able to commit to regular attendance.

The Committee on Science Instruction

This committee considers the courses that are approved to fulfill the science requirement, as well as the overall experience of students in the sciences, whether majors or non-majors.

The Committee on Science Instruction will meet Wednesday, November 4 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm and Friday, December 4 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm (The spring schedule of meetings will be determined at a later date). Students must be able to commit to regular attendance.

The Committee on the Global Core

This committee considers the courses that are approved to fulfill the Global Core requirement, as well as the overall experience of students in these courses.

The Committee on the Global Core will meet from 12:00 to 1:30 pm on the following Mondays: October 19, November 9, December 7 (The spring schedule of meetings will be determined at a later date). Students must be able to commit to regular attendance.

Other Committees

Applicants interested in serving as a student representative on these committees will also be considered to represent Columbia College students on the Arts & Sciences Educational Policy and Planning Committee (EPPC). This committee coordinates educational policy across the schools that make up Arts & Sciences, and includes student representatives from Columbia College, The School of General Studies, and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. EPPC considers instructional matters that affect all of these schools; recent topics have included the processes for course evaluations, the promotion of innovative teaching and learning projects, and global opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. The schedule of meetings for EPPC has yet to be determined.

Criteria for Involvement

To be eligible to be a Columbia College student representative on a faculty curriculum committee, a student must:

• Be a current sophomore, junior or senior in Columbia College;
• Have been enrolled in Columbia College for at least one full academic year;
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher;
• Have a history of good academic standing and good community standing; and
• Be able to commit to regular attendance at committee meetings for the full 2019-2020 academic year.


The selection of student representatives is based on merit, without regard to age, color, disability, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

To express interest or ask questions, please email cc-academic@columbia.edu.