Columbia will roll out a revamped MyColumbia student information system in mid-August, introducing a mobile app and updated academic tools.
The redesigned portal will give the campus community a single platform for registration, rosters, grading and other core functions, replacing older systems later this month.
The Office of Academic Affairs sent an email to faculty earlier this week to let them know that the project was “on track to deliver the full MyColumbia experience” by the time they return to campus ahead of the fall semester.
The changes will make it easier to navigate academic tasks and improve how the college serves its students, according to the email.
Students got their first look at an initial redesign in Spring 2025 when registering for fall courses. But the other features had not yet been developed.
The previous registration process had been a source of confusion and frustration for years because of a clunky user interface and technical difficulties, as the Chronicle previously reported.
Junior film and television major Alex Hampton said the new registration system “made what is usually a stressful day, an extremely simple process.”
“I think the new MyColum system will help students assure that they get all the classes they need,” Hampton said. “I know multiple people that have missed out on classes that were required for them because the old system was kind of clunky, but having a central page where the course schedule and registration portal is combined will help eliminate some of that.”
The second phase of the project launched in July and gave faculty access to the new self-service portal with course catalogs, rosters, grading tools and waitlists. They also gained access to a fully integrated Canvas system that syncs accurate class rosters.
The new system is in beta testing with small groups of faculty and students this week to make additional tweaks, according to the email to faculty.
Senior communications major Ashley Milon said she feels “uneasy” about MyColumbia becoming a mobile app because returning students have already gone through so many changes.
“I think something like this would help out new students a lot more than continuing students, who have been there for all of Columbia’s changes since entering the college,” Milon said. “In the end, I do hope everything goes smoothly as it rolls out; having everything in one place makes it easier for students to see different services the school offers.”
Senior fashion design major Jenna Vandiver said having access to all things Columbia related in the new app will be “super helpful in the long run.”
“I know for me, it’s a whole lot less stressful to think about everything school related to be in one place instead of needing to follow three to four different links to find one thing, and another few links to find another thing.”
Copy edited by Manuel Nocera
