<p>I have to agree with the original posts. Columbia’s administration really could care less about anything other than them. I’ll never forget my freshman year when there was a guy who live in my dorm, Carmen, and he harassed this girl to the point where she was forced to move out of room. Later, the same guy harassed another student in another college at Columbia. When the victim complained, the administration appointed an attorney, Morgan Levy, to protect the harasser. One of the victims wanted to file a complaint, but because the jerk’s father was a prominent alum of the school, the administration ended up harassing the victim. Everyone from the chief of staff to the deans of the colleges treated him like dirt, and they were all in on it. One of the deans, Mary McGee, re-wrote school policy to the point where it was unrecognizable. Anyway, the victim was forced to transfer, and re-started at another school, but lost forty credits in the process. Fortunately, he filed a law suit, which was one of the things that precipitated McGee’s departure from Columbia. The point is, Columbia’s administration all know each other, and when things like this happen, they all get together and create road blocks against any student with a valid complaint or concern that might disturb their precious status quo. I’ve seen it happen more than once. There are complete slime balls. </p>
<p>Campus Security did nothing to help the victim mentioned above, or other students in similar situations. They were just a mouthpiece for the administration. Regardless, there is crime on campus ranging from typical things like stolen computers to harassment and rape. Even if a report is taken, Campus security rarely includes it in their final yearly safety report in order to give the illusion that Columbia is safe. Also, the north and east sides of campus adjoin some of the worst neighborhoods in New York City. I won’t even walk to the A train because you have to pass through several crime ridden blocks, and a housing project. Last year, a student was killed on the north side of campus, as a result of a botched robbery. Moreover, NYC is definitely NOT the safest place. Politicians will say and do anything, including skew police reports, or re-write the definition of a crime, to spin numbers and give false impressions. Of note, the 26 precinct works in conjunction with Columbia not in terms of effectively combating crime, but covering up crime. Students who filed harassment reports with the NYPD were ignored, and their valid reports were not included in the 26 Precinct’s yearly report. So much for ethics. </p>
<p>Overall, if you are considering an Ivy League school, and are concerned about safety you may want to look at another university. This is because if something happens to you, you are harassed, mugged, raped, or personal property is stolen; don’t expect Columbia’s administration or the NYPD to help. They work together to protect themselves by giving false senses of security. As mentioned by numerous commentators, the whole place is corrupt.</p>