Columbia and its affiliates are responsible for about $2 billion worth of direct and indirect spending in the City's economy. Despite an already significant impact (most of Columbia employees live in the City; most institutional spending occurs in the City), the University has identified three areas where the University is working to increase its impact: employment, construction spending and purchasing.

Andre Whitaker was hired as a Columbia University handiman through Job Connections. Pictured here with housing supervisor Peter Hoff.

Employment: Columbia is trying to make it easier for local residents to apply for jobs at Columbia through Morningside Area Alliance's new program, Job Connections. The program matches Upper Manhattan residents with local institutions that are hiring and collaborates with social services agencies and community development organizations. Fifty-seven people have been hired at Columbia as clerks, secretaries, food service specialists, maintenance workers, custodians, etc. Over 15 of those have moved on to permanent positions within the University.

Construction spending: Government projects often have minority hiring goals, but it is rare for an institution to voluntarily adopt these standards. For the past three years, Columbia has used the following goals as a guide to hiring in construction : 15% for minority-owned subcontractors, 5% for women-owned and 5% locally-owned businesses; 20% for minority work force composition, 5% for women and 5% for local residents in the work force. Columbia also encourages all our contractors to buy from local merchants.

Sixty-eight percent of Columbia's prequalified task order contractors, who routinely perform small to medium-sized projects on campus, are minority, women or locally-owned firms. Task order contractors perform $7-8 million in projects annually.

On average the workforce of Broadway Residence Hall, Columbia's most recent major new construction project, was 27 percent minority and 5 percent local. The workforce on the Butler Library Renovation project is 38 percent minority, 8 percent women and 11 percent local. Percentages fluctuate with the natural ebb and flow of construction needs during the academic year.

Administrators believe that this program not only makes good business sense, but it is the "right" thing to do. Especially as the demographics of the city change, it is in the interest of institutions in this city to help train a hometown, skilled trades workforce.

Purchasing: Columbia is increasing outreach to local business in Harlem and Upper Manhattan to aid them in becoming Columbia Vendors and is making an effort to enter into master agreements with local vendors for services such as car services.

Searchable Online Local Purchasing Directory: This new site highlights 120 businesses in northern Manhattan. It is now available on the web and is easily accessible by University employees. Interested businesses can register via the Internet at http://chaos.cpmc.columbia.edu/purchasing/localven/

The Procurement Card: A pilot program currently underway in four University departments is the first step to a University-wide launch of Columbia's new purchasing initiative that will enable Columbia employees to make local purchases with a credit-like card. This Procurement Card will enable payment to be made to local vendors within a 72 hour time period instead of waiting the normal payment cycle, which can last from 30-60 days. Because of its convenience for Columbia staff, it is likely to increase the number of purchases made locally.