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AROUND THE QUADSLong-Time Dean of Students Roger Lehecka ’67 Retires
Roger Lehecka ’67, ’74 GSAS, hailed by President Lee C. Bollinger as “someone who defines Columbia,” has retired after serving the College and University for more than 30 years in a variety of positions, including two decades as the College’s dean of students. Lehecka will continue to administer scholarship programs for several clients, including The New York Times, an opportunity “that fits into my career in a way that makes me very, very happy.” Several hundred alumni representing classes from the 1940s to the 2000s joined students, faculty, family and friends at a farewell celebration in Lehecka’s honor in Low Library on February 7. Janet Frankston ’95 and David Kansas ’90 announced the formation of an endowment in Lehecka’s name — Frankston called it “a living legacy” — that will enable one College student who otherwise could not afford it to take an unpaid internship in the summer following his or her junior year. Lehecka received a master’s in education from Harvard in 1968, joined the College dean’s office in 1975 and was dean of students from 1979–98, when he became director of alumni programs and special adviser to the dean. He later served as executive director of the Columbia250 celebration. Lehecka was the College’s third dean of students, following Nicholas McD. McKnight ’21 and Henry S. Coleman ’46; Lehecka was succeeded by Dean of Student Affairs Chris Colombo in a restructured office that also oversees admissions and financial aid for the College and SEAS. One of his first priorities as dean of students was to increase the College’s graduation rate, which climbed from 75 percent to 90 percent within just a few years. Additionally, he was among the founders of the Double Discovery Center, the National Opportunity Program and the Alumni of Color Outreach Program, and he helped the College transition to a coeducational institution in 1983, which he calls the “single happiest decision” made during his tenure. At the retirement party, Bollinger described Lehecka as a “lovable, intellectual, spiritual community person. He’s a person who lives in the world of ideas and also someone who cares deeply about social issues, about people and about his community.” Dean Austin Quigley noted that Lehecka’s style in dealing with students was to guide and not to govern, and to “be there when they needed you.” Other speakers at the party included Denise De Las Nueces ’03, her class’ salutatorian, who benefited from the Double Discovery Center as a high school student and remained active in the program after coming to Columbia as one of the first New York Times scholars; U.S. District Court Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. ’78, who helped form the Black Alumni Council with Lehecka’s assistance; and music professor Elaine Sisman, who called Lehecka “one of my heroes … who represents the core values of this institution.” One of Lehecka’s strengths was the vast number of personal relationships he formed and maintained with College alumni. “One of the great joys of being at Columbia as long as I have been,” said Lehecka, “is to see students grow and become colleagues and friends.”
Greenaway got a laugh from the audience when he described sitting down with Lehecka to get the Black Alumni Council going. “I discovered that Roger knew everyone — and I mean everyone!” Greenaway declared. “I’m proud and happy that our relationship went from teacher to mentor to friend. Thank you for devoting your life to Columbia.” Other alumni recalled Lehecka as an accessible administrator and a tireless advocate for undergraduate needs, ranging from residential life to pre-professional advice. In an interview with Spectator, Brian Krisberg ’81, ’84L, first v.p. of the Columbia College Alumni Association, described Lehecka as “the most giving and selfless administrator I ever saw.” Jeremy Feinberg ’92 remembers Lehecka as being “incredibly friendly, helpful to and supportive of the managing board of Spectator. I fondly remember eating home-cooked vegetarian chili at his residence with the other Spectator editors and discussing a number of issues that were percolating around campus at the time.” Though Lehecka notes that retirement will allow him more time to spend with his family, he plans to remain on the boards of Columbia Community Service, the Columbia Club of New York, the Double Discovery Center and several scholarship programs that he administers. Lehecka’s wife, Ria Coyne ’84 Barnard, ’85 GSAS, noted, “What Roger has always liked most about his job is his connection to the students, and working on these scholarships will give him a chance to maintain that connection.” Funds are still being collected for the endowment in Lehecka’s honor, for which $100,000 already has been raised, according to Frankston and Kansas. Checks made out to Columbia College, with Roger Lehecka Endowment in the subject line, may be sent to Andréa Nichols, Columbia College Office of Alumni Affairs and Development, 475 Riverside Dr., Ste 917, New York, NY 10115-0998. Alex Sachare ’71
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