SMDEP and Computing at CUMC

SMDEP students have access to a variety of technical resources at CUMC during the course of the program. They are provided for academic purposes, and students must comply with CUMC computer and network use policies while using these resources.

• Columbia University Network ID or UNI - your UNI provides access to many of the technical resources including the campus network. Please activate your UNI at http://uni.columbia.edu as soon as possible, it is required to pre-register your computer for the wired network.
• Wired network - once you have activated your UNI, please submit the online "Bradford" form using the computer that you will be bringing to campus to register for wired network access: http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/it/bradford
  Registering for wired is done via the Bradford Campus Manager tool, which does require downloading and running a small, non-permanent program on your computer to verify that it has all of its operating system updates and working antivirus and antispyware programs. For complete information please see How Does Bradford Campus Manager Work?.
  NOTE: if you do not register prior to arriving on campus, your computer's web browser will automatically be directed to the registration form when you plug into the wired network in campus housing.
• Wireless network - Bard Hall Housing, the CUMC IT Service Desk area, the Health Sciences Library and other locations on campus have wireless access points available. You must first configure your computer to connect, please visit our wireless page for instructions.
• Technical Support - SMDEP students receive free technical support for the duration of the program. To reach us, you can contact the service desk at extension 5-Help (212-305-4357), visit eSupport to instantly connect to a technician online, email 5help@columbia.edu, or come by the Service Desk on the 2nd floor of the Hammer building, above the Health Sciences Library.
• Printing - the NINJa printing system at the Library and Bard Hall requires a printing quota and UNI login. SMDEP students receive a 700 printer page quota and can purchase more pages if needed. Please see our Printing on Campus page for complete information.

The following includes important information to help you keep your computer and data safe both on and offline. When you activate your UNI and connect a computer to the CUMC network, you gain many privileges - which come with considerable responsibility. Being informed and responsible when using the network prevents your computer from falling prey to malicious behavior. In addition, you must be aware of certain legal issues related to network activity, or you risk running into legal and/or academic trouble.

• Computer Security is Your Responsibility - The security of the Columbia network depends on the security of each computer connected to it. You are ultimately responsible for all of the network traffic that passes through your system and must maintain the security of any computer you connect to the campus network. If you fail to do this, your system could become infected with a malicious program that might destroy data or steal financial and other personal information.
• The Columbia University Computer and Network Use Policy, which governs all online activities at Columbia University, can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/policy. In addition, because the CUMC campus shares its network with New York Presbyterian Hospital and must comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, there are further security procedures that must be followed:
  • No gaming or networking devices (routers, wireless access points, etc.) can be set up on the CUMC network.
  • All systems must run current antivirus and antispyware programs.
  • All systems must run operating system updates to ensure that any critical flaws are patched.
  For additional information regarding network access please contact the CUMC IT Service Desk directly.
• Be aware of copyright and intellectual property laws. If you purchased an item, such as a pre-recorded CD or DVD, you may keep an electronic copy on your computer. If you do not have a purchased copy, you may not have a copy on your computer - that is copyright infringement, a federal crime. Even if you own a copy of an item, it is illegal to download or share it.
• Do not enable file sharing on your computer if it allows access to others' copyrighted works. In the past few years, Columbia University has received hundreds of complaints of copyright infringement from the music, software and motion picture publishing associations as a result of people sharing or possessing copyrighted material on their computers. You can immediately lose access to the Columbia University network if you violate copyright laws. In addition, you can be sued by the copyright holder for damages if you are found possessing and/or sharing copyrighted material that is not legally yours. Please see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/policy/copyright-info.html for more information.
• Unacceptable behavior in a non-cyber setting is also unacceptable in a cyber setting. The consequences of harassing, stalking, or threatening someone online result in the same legal consequences as they do offline. Attempts to compromise systems and networks are also considered serious offenses, and can result in suspension from the University and even criminal prosecution.