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inFO: CUFO e-Newsletter, March 2024

inFO is a monthly email with news from across Columbia University Facilities and Operations. Check out the March 2024 edition.

Columbia University Facilities and Operations (CUFO) celebrated Black History Month on February 20, 2024, with a tribute to the remarkable contributions of Black construction pioneers. In collaboration with Skanska, CUFO’s Equity and Inclusion (EI) Council hosted the event, paying homage to these trailblazers whose impact reverberates not only across Columbia's campuses but also throughout the broader construction industry.

Columbia Operations recognizes the importance of maintaining indoor air quality and follows the guidelines and positions of the leading industry association for building systems, ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). 

Yesterday’s severe winds broke the upper portion of the flagpole located on the west side of Low Library flying the American flag.

inFO is a monthly email with news from across Columbia University Facilities and Operations. Check out the March 2024 edition.

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Columbia University has initiated a program to provide free menstrual products in 39 buildings across its three main campuses.

Columbia University Facilities and Operations has partnered with the New York City Small Business Services (SBS) to support the launch of a new cohort for Pathways to Apprenticeship’s (P2A) Direct Entry Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship, a workforce development program that provides New York City residents from socially and economically disadvantaged communities a pathway toward a stable job with benefits in the construction industry. 

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Columbia University Facilities and Operations (CUFO) employees were invited to attend the Women Builders Council’s (WBC) AIM 2023 Leadership Forum, focused on the impacts the pandemic had on the construction industry and the different tools available to “reset” in a post-pandemic world. 

Spring break is not only looked forward to by Columbia's students, but Facilities and Operations as well.  While most are away, Facilities and Operations takes advantage of the reduced campus population to complete a number of projects across campus.

The CU Grow: Vendor Development Program welcomed 21 new firms at its matching ceremony in February, launching the program's seventh year supporting minority-, women- and locally owned (MWL) businesses in strategizing their business growth. 

On March 21, Jessica Prata from the Office of Sustainability participated in an Energy Week @ Penn panel discussion on the role of higher education institutions in Boston (MIT), New York City (Columbia), and Philadelphia (Penn) and how these institutions are advancing decarbonization efforts in the context of their communities.

What does the celebration of Black History Month look like to a food-driven organization? For Columbia Dining, it's an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions made to the culinary world by Black Chefs both within and beyond our team. Our Black History Month events included special menus and dishes curated by our own talented Black culinary staff, as well a feature event with a local Black chef and restaurateur. 

inFO is a monthly email with news from across Columbia University Facilities and Operations. Check out the March 2023 edition.

Fifty-five Facilities and Operations employees who celebrated their 25-year milestone anniversary in 2021 and 2022 were celebrated at an event on March 6 honoring faculty and staff across the University who marked their 25th year, and at a separate event on March 8 for the Facilities and Operations honorees. 

Executive Vice President for University Facilities and Operations David M. Greenberg was named to New York Build’s “Construction Idols” shortlist for 2023, recognizing leaders in New York City’s construction industry. 

Columbia University Facilities and Operations has completed a pilot program to replace incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs in eight campus buildings – comprised of nearly 1.2 million square feet and 11,000 fixtures – to help reduce the University’s energy consumption.

On February 28, the dining halls competed in an epic food showdown: Battle of the Dining Halls.

Columbia’s Office of Alumni and Development (OAD) hosted a diverse vendor fair on February 8 to introduce University departments to a new pool of local Minority- Women- and locally owned businesses (MWLBEs). 

Ban Ban Shop, a new Southeast Asian restaurant under the culinary direction of Michelin star chef Nils Noren, is the latest Columbia University retail tenant to open in Morningside Heights.

In honor of Black History Month, on February 22, 2023, the Columbia University Facilities and Operations (CUFO) Equity and Inclusion (EI) Council hosted an event to celebrate Black architects and engineers who have positively impacted the built environment at Columbia’s campuses and beyond.