lefile GRAPHIC rint - DO NOT PROCESS I As Filed Data - I DLN: 93493135038598 Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax OMB No 1545-0047 Form 990 Under section 501(c ), 527, or 4947 ( a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (except private foundations) 2016 ► Do not enter social security numbers on this form as it may be made public Department of the Trea^un Information about Form 990 and its instructions is at www IRS gov/form990 Internal Rev enue Ser ice ► A For the 2016 calendar y ear, or tax y ear be g innin g 07-01-2016 . and endina 06-30-2017 C Name of organization B Check if applicable D Employer identification number THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY q Address change IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK 13-5598093 q Name change % JULIA SHANAHAN q Initial return Doing business as Final - I II/ - I n naLeu I eiepnune nurnuer Number and street (or P O box if mail is not delivered to street address) Room/suite L q Amended return 615 WEST 131ST STREET MC 8741 (212) 854-4684 q Application pending City or town, state or province, country, and ZIP or foreign postal code NEW YORK, NY 100277922 G Gross receipts $ 7,49 8,913,953 F Name and address of principal officer H(a) Is this a group return for Lee C Bollinger 615 West 131st St MC 8741 subordinates? 2 No New York, NY 100277922 H(b) Are all subordinates included? q Yes o I Tax-exempt status R 501(c)(3) q 501(c) ( ) A (insert no ) El 4947(a)(1) or El 527 If "No," attach a list ( see instructions ) H(c) Group exemption number J Website : ► www columbia edu ► q q q L Year of formation 1754 M State of legal domicile NY K Form of organization 9 Corporation Trust Association Other ► NLi^ Summary 1 Briefly describe the organization's mission or most significant activities SEE ATTACHMENT 1 w q p 2 Check this box ► if the organization discontinued its operations or disposed of more than 25% of its net assets :7 3 Number of voting members of the governing body (Part VI, line 1a) . 3 24 '6 4 Number of independent voting members of the governing body (Part VI, line 1b) 4 22 v. 5 Total number of individuals employed in calendar year 2016 (Part V, line 2a) 5 34,811 6 Total number of volunteers (estimate if necessary) . 6 15,311 7a Total unrelated business revenue from Part VIII, column (C), line 12 . 7a -12,574,230 b Net unrelated business taxable income from Form 990-T, line 34 . 7b -16,579,632 Prior Year Current Year 8 Contributions and grants (Part VIII , line 1h) . 1 , 357 , 673 , 833 1 , 835 , 150 , 690 9 Program service revenue (Part VIII, line 2g) . 2,807,689,470 3,034,989,870 10 Investment income (Part VIII, column (A), lines 3, 4, and 7d . 367,880,785 667,385,182 11 Other revenue (Part VIII, column (A), lines 5, 6d, 8c, 9c, 10c, and 1le) 174,981,500 122,946,783 12 Total revenue-add lines 8 through 11 (must equal Part VIII, column (A), line 12) 4,708,225,588 5,660,472,525 13 Grants and similar amounts paid (Part IX, column (A), lines 1-3 . 596,757,558 651,189,270 14 Benefits paid to or for members (Part IX, column (A), line 4) . 0 0 15 Salaries, other compensation, employee benefits (Part IX, column (A), lines 5-10) 2,606,819,393 2,817,480,473 16a Professional fundraising fees (Part IX, column (A), line 11e) 814,808 2,174,516 b Total fundraising expenses (Part IX, column (D), line 25) 17 Other expenses (Part IX, column (A), lines 11a-11d, llf-24e) . 1,188,402,073 1,304,059,894 18 Total expenses Add lines 13-17 (must equal Part IX, column (A), line 25) 4,392,793,832 4,774,904,153 19 Revenue less expenses Subtract line 18 from line 12 315,431,756 885,568,372 T Beginning of Current Year End of Year 'M 20 Total assets (Part X, line 16) . 16,666,878,195 18,506,580,939 21 Total liabilities (Part X, line 26) . 3,450,377,869 3,820,539,048 Z1 22 Net assets or fund balances Subtract l i n e 21 from l i n e 20 13,216,500,326 14,686,041,891 Si g nature Block Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return, inclu knowledge and belief, it is true, correct, and complete Declaration of prepa any knowledge Signature of officer Sign Here BARBARA HOUGH VP,CONTROLLER & TRSR Type or print name and title Print/Type preparer's name Preparer's signature ERIC M MCNEIL ERIC M MCNEIL Paid Preparer Firm's name ► PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Use Only Firm's address ► 300 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 May the IRS discuss this return with the preparer shown above? (see instrui For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the separate instructio Form 990 ( 2016) Page 2 Statement of Program Service Accomplishments Check if Schedule 0 contains a response or note to any line in this Part III . 1 Briefly describe the organization 's mission COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST IMPORTANT CENTERS OF RESEARCH AND AT THE SAME TIME A DISTINCTIVE AND DISTINGUISHED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR UNDERGRADUATES AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN MANY SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL FIELDS THE UNIVERSITY RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS LOCATION IN NEW YORK CITY AND SEEKS TO LINK ITS RESEARCH AND TEACHING TO THE VAST RESOURCES OF A GREAT METROPOLIS IT SEEKS TO ATTRACT A DIVERSE AND INTERNATIONAL FACULTY AND STUDENT BODY, TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AND TEACHING ON GLOBAL ISSUES, AND TO CREATE ACADEMIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANY COUNTRIES AND REGIONS IT EXPECTS ALL AREAS OF THE UNIVERSITY TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND TO CONVEY THE PRODUCTS OF ITS EFFORTS TO THE WORLD 2 Did the organization undertake any significant program services during the year which were not listed on the prior Form 990 or 990-EZ? . q Yes 2 No If "Yes," describe these new services on Schedule 0 3 Did the organization cease conducting , or make significant changes in how it conducts , any program services? . q Yes 9 No If "Yes," describe these changes on Schedule 0 4 Describe the organization ' s program service accomplishments for each of its three largest program services , as measured by expenses Section 501 (c)(3) and 501( c)(4) organizations are required to report the amount of grants and allocations to others , the total expenses , and revenue , if any , for each program service reported 4a (Code ) ( Expenses $ 1,691,617,926 including grants of $ 509,975,552 (Revenue $ 1,480,467,907 See Additional Data 4b (Code ) ( Expenses $ 945,100,869 including grants of $ 3,540,052 (Revenue $ 1,178,125,032 See Additional Data 4c (Code ) ( Expenses $ 575,547,590 including grants of $ 131,534,268 (Revenue $ 198,043,661 See Additional Data See Additional Data Table 4d Other program services ( Describe in Schedule 0 (Expenses $ 1,085 ,252,617 including grants of $ 6,139, 398 ) (Revenue $ 178,353,270 4e Total program service expenses 11o, 4,297,519,002 Form 990 (2016) Form 990 (2016) Page 3 Checklist of Req uired Schedules Yes No 1 Is the organization described in section 501(c)(3) or 4947(a)(1) (other than a private foundation)? If "Yes," complete Yes Schedule A . 1 2 Is the organization required to complete Schedule B, Schedule of Contributors (see instructions)? °^ . 2 Yes 3 Did the organization engage in direct or indirect political campaign activities on behalf of or in opposition to candidates No for public office? If "Yes," complete Schedule C, Part I °^ . 3 4 Section 501(c )( 3) organizations. Did the organization engage in lobbying activities, or have a section 501(h) election in effect during the tax year? If "Yes, " complete Schedule C, Part II . 4 Yes 5 Is the organization a section 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) organization that receives membership dues, assessments, or similar amounts as defined in Revenue Procedure 98-197 N o If "Yes, " complete Schedule C, Part III . 5 6 Did the organization maintain any donor advised funds or any similar funds or accounts for which donors have the right to provide advice on the distribution or investment of amounts in such funds or accounts? Yes If "Yes, " complete Schedule D, Part I ti) . 6 7 Did the organization receive or hold a conservation easement, including easements to preserve open space, N o the environment, historic land areas, or historic structures? If "Yes," complete Schedule D, Part II tj . 7 8 Did the organization maintain collections of works of art, historical treasures, or other similar assets? Yes If "Yes, " complete Schedule D, Part III . 8 9 Did the organization report an amount in Part X, line 21 for escrow or custodial account liability, serve as a custodian for amounts not listed in Part X, or provide credit counseling, debt management, credit repair, or debt negotiation N o services7If "Yes," complete Schedule D, Part IV °^ . 9 10 Did the organization, directly or through a related organization, hold assets in temporarily restricted endowments, 10 Yes permanent endowments, or quasi-endowments? If "Yes," complete Schedule D, Part V 1i . 11 If the organization's answer to any of the following questions is "Yes," then complete Schedule D, Parts VI, VII, VIII, IX, or X as applicable a Did the organization report an amount for land, buildings, and equipment in Part X, line 10? Yes If "Yes, " complete Schedule D, Part VI .