Union Theological Seminary supports the well being of students and the Union community.
In this section you will find information regarding, health insurance & immunization requirements, counseling and psychological services, disability services and general fitness information.
- Counseling/Psychological Services
- Spiritual Formation
- Disability Services
- Columbia-Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Title IX Support & Assistance
Union Theological Seminary’s diversity, academic rigor, and fast-paced New York City location make the Seminary an especially challenging place for students, faculty, and staff alike. Union students may obtain counseling and psychological services from Columbia University Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). Please check the Columbia University Health Services detailed guide to the Columbia Student medical insurance plan and its benefits for psychiatric outpatient benefits.
The following resources exist to assist community members requiring pastoral, spiritual or psychotherapeutic care:
Interim Associate Dean for Student Affairs: Bill Crawford
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs has responsibility for promoting the well-being of students at Union in collaboration with Student Life Assistants and the Director of Housing and Campus Services. These positions oversee the co-curricular and extracurricular programming of student activities at the Seminary to maintain a positive environment for living and learning. Appointments can be made by emailing Student Affairs at studentaffairs@uts.columbia.edu or by calling (212) 280-1555.
STUDENT LIFE ASSISTANTS
Student Life Assistants (SLAs) are available to provide peer support and mediate conflicts, as necessary. SLAs also facilitate community building and serve as advocates and liaisons for housing-related issues.
2018 – 2019 Student Life Assistants:
Hastings Hall: Roger Reisman
McGiffert Hall: Kiah Baxter
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Columbia University Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) supports the psychological and emotional well-being of students by providing counseling, consultation and crisis intervention — all of which adhere to strict standards of confidentiality. Counseling and Psychological Services offers short-term individual counseling, referrals for longer-term therapy, student-life support groups, medication consultation, and emergency consultation. Union students are welcome to select a mental-health clinician (bios and photos are available online). Some students may wish to select clinicians based on areas of special interest, among them Trauma Support, LGBTQ concerns, Religious/Spiritual Concerns, Multicultural Concerns, or Body Image issues/Eating Disorders.
Lerner Hall
2920 Broadway, 8th Floor
Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Appointments can be made by calling 212-854-2878. After hours you may contact an on-call clinician at 212-854-9797.
Please note that in order to use the outpatient psychotherapy benefit in the Student Insurance students must be seen, evaluated, and referred by CPS at Columbia Health Service.
Seminary offers multiple settings to explore spirituality and practices that nurture the life of the spirit. Union’s Office of Student Affairs takes the lead in organizing programs that are relevant and transformational. Students, staff and faculty listen to the spirit and work together to provide diverse and inclusive spiritual resources.
Please click here to learn more about the Spritcare Team and the services they provide.
Union admits students regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, national or ethnic origin, gender identities and expressions or disability to all the rights, privileges and programs generally accorded or made available to students at the seminary. It does not discriminate on the basis of any of these in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs or other programs administered by the seminary. Therefore, seminary policy ensures that no qualified student with a disability is subjected to discrimination. Students with disabilities are afforded full participation in the seminary’s programs and activities. In response to a request made by a qualified student with a documented disability, the seminary will provide health and disability-related services including reasonable academic accommodations in order to ensure students with disabilities have equal opportunity to attain the same quality of education and be assessed for course content and evaluated, in the same manner as students without disabilities.
Current Students: Click here for more information about Union’s Disability Services Policy and to access the Union Disability Services Request Form.
If you would like more information about Disability Services at Union, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@uts.columbia.edu.
Union students are required to carry adequate insurance as a condition of student enrollment and are also required to pay the Columbia Health Service Program Fee. For more detailed information about the Columbia University Student Health Plans, please see this helpful site from Aetna.
Current students can learn more about Union’s insurance requirements here.
Immunization forms are due for new students upon acceptance. Please download the Immunization Form here.
To view Union Theological Seminary Title IX Policy, click here.
