Undergraduate Student Life is pleased to open the brownstone selection process to all Columbia College and Engineering residential students with guaranteed housing. This exciting and distinct opportunity offers students the ability to create a living and learning environment in a brownstone on 114th Street. The deadline to apply is Monday, January 23 at 11:59pm. 

The following brownstone will be available for residency, beginning in the 2023–24 academic year:

• 538 West 114th St: 19 beds (7 singles and 6 doubles)

Notes: 

• A resident adviser (RA) will be placed in the brownstone so only 6 singles are available to the incoming group. If a fraternity or sorority is selected, efforts will be made to choose an RA from the organization.
• The brownstone has a kitchen and laundry facilities. 
• There is NO common space within the brownstone. As such, groups will not be able to register events to be held within their space. 
• Group representatives on each application must be CC/SEAS undergraduate students. 
• Only current student groups (including fraternities and sororities), current Special Interest Communities, or other established organizations/groups will be eligible for this space. New groups will not be considered.
• Only existing Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) communities or Special Interest Communities (SICs) with current housing allocations in the residence halls in which the Columbia University/Barnard College exchange applies may include Barnard College students at the existing cap.
• Personal/group items will not be able to be stored in the brownstone over the summer as it will be used for summer housing. 

Please contact Associate Dean Tara Hanna at tkh2105@columbia.edu with any questions about this application.

About This Opportunity

Brownstones provide unique facilities for groups to create integrated educational or service experiences in a residence-based community. Recommendations will be made by the Brownstone Review Committee to the dean of Undergraduate Student Life, who will make the final selection in consultation with the associate dean of Undergraduate Student Life. 

Application Guidelines

Applications should not exceed five (5) total pages in length and should be double-spaced. Responses to each question should be thorough, yet concise. Please be sure to indicate each of the four sections below in your application.

Introduction 

• Provide a description of your group’s role at Columbia to including a description of the group's on-going benefit to the Columbia community including evidence of any previous achievement in meeting its goals.

Mission and Values

• Explain how your group plans to use the brownstone to advance the mission/values of your organization.
• Describe how the brownstone will increase a sense of community, both for your group or the greater Columbia community.
• Explain how the group’s goals extend beyond the community.

Membership and Expectations

• Describe the expectations of group members with regard to participation in the group’s activities.
• Explain how members will be held accountable for participation by the organization.
• Provide information on how members of your group will be selected to live in the brownstone.

Housing

• Explain why living in a brownstone will benefit the group.
• Organizations with other housing assigned should explain why the brownstone will be a better option for housing.