WELCOME

Dear Friends:

Welcome to the Columbia University Medical Center's Office of Government & Community Affairs (GCA) web site.  Government & Community Affairs represents the interests of Columbia University Medical Center before the federal, state, and city governments.  This office also develops and implements programs with the communities surrounding Columbia University Medical Center and serves as the primary liaison between the Medical Center and the external community. 

GCA coordinates information on services and programs available at the Medical Center campus.  The office responds to and engages community stakeholders, local residents and community based providers as they seek to learn more about the various medical center programs, services, events and activities.  We work with various elected officials, medical associations and other organizations to advocate and educate policy makers on areas ofinterest of our faculty and staff.

If you have any need or desire to work with elected officials or community based organizations, I strongly encourage you to contact us to see if we may be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Ross A. Frommer

Deputy Vice President and Associate Dean

Medical Center Public Safety Director Testifies at City Council Hearing

On April 24th, Jeannine Jennette, Executive Director of Public Safety at  Columbia University Medical Center testified at a hearing held by the Consumer Affairs Committee of the New York City Council.  The hearing looked at several bills that would change City rules and regulation governing street vendors.  Ms. Jennette testified in support of bill 0789 which would prohibit vending on the sidewalk abutting no standing zones that are adjacent to hospitals, noting that in recent years, there has been a significant growth in the number of vendors, both general and food, in the area surrounding the medical center.  She also introduced into the hearing a record a copy of letter that Dean Lee Goldman sent to Councilman Daniel Garodnick in support of bill 0789.  Councilman Garodnick is the lead sponsor of the bill and Chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee.

Ms. Jennette testified that of the nineteen vendors located on the superblock, half were located adjacent to a no standing zone, including two that were parked directly next to a fire hydrant, and several located close to the emergency room entrance where the ambulances pull up to bring in patients.  This cluster of vendors, especially towards the corner of 168th Street and Broadway, creates tremendous traffic problems, both pedestrian and vehicular, near the carts, and makes it more difficult for staff, students, visitors, ambulances, and especially patients, many of whom are disabled and limited in some other way, to access our facilities.  Brad Beckstrom of Mount Sinai Medical Center also testified in favor of the bill.

Councilman Daniel Garodnick Letter

Jeannine M. Jennette Testimony

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