About
Our Mission
“The mission of The University Seminars collectively is to enable the intellectual missions of its individual constituent seminars.”
The University Seminars at Columbia University is an ongoing community of partnerships each of which is constituted by scholars from multiple academic departments and disciplines, often including experts from outside academia, and is devoted to the study of an institution, practice, or issue of theoretical and/or practical importance. The University Seminars originated in, and maintains its vitality through, spontaneous intellectual initiatives and is therefore considered a movement.
Core Values
We value equity, collaboration, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and openness, and we aspire to create a professional space hospitable to the diverse intellectual interests of our members. Each member of The University Seminars community has a responsibility to contribute to a working environment where every participant feels equally valued.
Guidelines
- Seminars are meant to foster unfettered intellectual exchange
- Meetings are private; they are attended by members and invited guests
- No honorarium is paid to any speaker
- Membership is voluntary; dues are not collected
- Membership is intended to create a collegial community through sharing ideas