Hey Columbia, meet Columbia 311, CCSC's latest problem-solving apparatus. It's like a giant customer service hotline where you can dump all the ideas and complaints you've ever had onto one brave soul a small number of brave souls, including Ali Raza, CC '09 and Director of Technology for the CCSC Executive Board, who has already sent his email.

Raza promises that if contacted, "about any issue pertaining to life at Columbia, I will make every attempt to reply back within 48 hours either answering your question directly or providing you with the contact information of somebody who can."

Raza's full email after the jump.

The Columbia College Student Council (CCSC) has just launched the
Columbia 311 program. Columbia 311 is your personalized,
comprehensive connection to Columbia University. Modeled after and
similar to NYC's 311 service, every student, part of student group or
not, can feel comfortable contributing their ideas to our campus and
engaging the council. Want your favorite area restaurant to accept
Flex? Columbia 311. Need help with a fellowship or internship for the
summer? Columbia 311. Wondering how to check if campus printers are
functioning? Columbia 311. Disappointed they took away the Chicken
Club at 212 or Spicy Chicken strips at JJ's? Columbia 311. An idea or
an issue that once seemed completely out of your hands will be in the
hands of a student council that can get things done. No issue is too
big or too small for Columbia 311. (However, I suppose Columbia 311
cannot be used as a dating service or to find you a party on a weekend
night.)

My name is Ali Raza and I'm a senior in the College. I am the
Director of Technology on the CCSC Executive Board and I will be your
personal CCSC representative for your needs. I'm also a Biology major
(and more or less pre-med). I live in Texas right now, but I grew up
bouncing around several states in the South and jumped at the chance
to attend college in NYC. Also, I just joined CCSC this year. As more
or less of an outsider to CCSC, I completely understand if you are
hesitant or skeptical about the council. However, don't let that stop
you from using me as a resource, as a fellow student if not as a CCSC
representative.

If you contact me at asr2120@columbia.edu about any issue pertaining
to life at Columbia, I will make every attempt to reply back within 48
hours either answering your question directly or providing you with
the contact information of somebody who can. I hope you will utilize
the Columbia 311 system by contacting me when an issue arises. Please
hold on to my contact info and shoot me an email whenever you have a
question, concern, or comment. For general information about the
Columbia 311 program, please contact VP of Communications Ian Solsky
(ibs2102@columbia.edu). Hope you're enjoying the semester so far.

Best,

Ali Raza

PS: Although you will receive no more than two unsolicited emails per
semester from me as part of the Columbia 311 system, if you would like
to be removed from this program, please let me know and you will not
receive any future emails.