What is Columbia University?
{{onesource|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox University | name = Columbia University | image = View of Columbia University.jpg | caption = View of Columbia | motto = {{lang|la|In lumine tuo videbimus lumen}} | motto_lang = [[Latin]] | established = 1754 | type = Private | endowment = $13 billion | president = Minouche Shafik | staff = | students = 34,782 | undergrad = 6,668 | postgrad = 25,880 | city = [[New York City]] | state = [[New York (state)|New York]] | country = [[United States]] | campus = [[Urban area|Urban]] | athletics = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Division I FCS | nickname = Lions | mascot = Roaree the Lion [[Association of American Universities|AAU]], [[Ivy League]], MAISA | website = [http://www.columbia.edu/ www.columbia.edu] }} [[File:Columbia coat of arms no crest.png|thumb]] '''Columbia University''' (officially '''Columbia University in the City of New York''') is a [[research]] [[university]] in the [[United States of America|United States]]. It is an [[Ivy League]] university and often considered one of the best in the world. It is the fifth oldest college in the United States. It was ranked 2nd best college in the United States by Times Higher Education in 2017. It was ranked 8th best university in the world by U.S. News & World Report. The university was founded as ''King's College'' by [[royal charter]] from [[British monarchs|King]] [[George II of Great Britain]]. It was the first college in [[New York (state)|New York]], and the fifth college in the [[Thirteen Colonies]]. A lot of the money that paid for the school came from [[slavery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://columbiaandslavery.columbia.edu/content/1-kings-college-and-slavery |title=1. King's College and Slavery |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Columbia University and Slavery |publisher=Columbia University |access-date=2020-11-02 |archive-date=2020-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102060246/https://columbiaandslavery.columbia.edu/content/1-kings-college-and-slavery |url-status=dead }