HEALS Survey
Overview
The Harmful Exclusion Alleviation Longitudinal Study (HEALS) was developed by the National Opinion Research Council (NORC) and Columbia's Antisemitism Task Force and ran for the first time in summer 2024. It was a centrally administered survey designed to systematically assess students’ experiences and attitudes with respect to inclusion, belonging, acceptance; cross-cultural interactions; antisemitism; Islamophobia; and freedom of expression. In 2025, OPIR invited all Columbia students to complete the second HEALS survey and share their 2024–2025 academic year experiences. The survey started on June 26, 2025 and closed on August 8, 2025.
Participation was voluntary, responses were private, and the results are used exclusively for assessment purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- All responses remained strictly private.
- No individually identifiable data was reported. Data was only reported in the aggregate. In aggregate reports, cell sizes fewer than five were masked.
- OPIR securely houses the row level data. Identified survey response will not be shared beyond OPIR.
- Identifiers were removed as soon as the survey closed. Any personally identifiable information (e.g., email address) was permanently removed from survey responses.
Yes, this survey was completely voluntary. Respondents could have answered as few or as many questions as they wished.
All students at Columbia University, 18 or older, who were enrolled in the 2024–2025 academic year.
As a token of appreciation, students who complete the survey could have chosen to enter a random drawing to win one of the following prizes:
- 10 x $200 Visa gift card
- 20 x $100 Visa gift card
- 50 x $50 Visa gift card
- 100 x $25 Visa gift card
Note: The incentive survey to enter the random drawing was not connected to specific survey responses.
It took approximately 10–15 minutes to complete. If you were unable to finish the survey in one sitting, your progress was saved. You could have used the unique link in your email to access it later.