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Columbia has been ranked fourth place in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of National Universities for the second year in a row. The "Best Colleges 2012" rankings were released on September 13.
Chemistry Professor James Valentini will assume the responsibilities of Dean of the College and Vice President for Undergraduate Education on an interim basis.
Columbia College welcomes the 1,074 students in the Class of 2015 to campus. Students moved in on Monday and Tuesday, a day or two late, after Hurricane Irene shut down New York City and much of the Eastern seaboard on Sunday.
The Columbia College Fund exceeded its Fiscal Year 2010–11 goal of $14.5 million and raised a record $15.6 million, thanks to the 11,000 alumni, parents, friends and Class of 2011 donors.
Dean Michele Moody-Adams addressed the topic, “Whatever Happened to Civil Disagreement?” and led a lively (but civil) question and answer session before an audience of more than 150 alumni and guests on May 24 at the Columbia Alumni Association’s fifth annual Spring Faculty Lecture at NYC’s Morgan Library. The evening, which was emceed by CAA Chair and University Trustee James Harden ’78 Business, ’83 PH, began with a reception and included tours of the Morgan Library and Museum.
Celebrating what Dean Michele Moody-Adams called “an extraordinary rite of passage,” members of the Class of 2011 began the transition from students to alumni at Class Day on May 17, a day that was marked by morning rains and blustery winds but calmer weather by the time Sans Souci and Roar, Lion, Roar were sung by the Clefhangers to conclude the ceremony.
More than 900 seniors celebrated the last day of classes, and their upcoming graduation, at the annual Senior Dinner on May 2 under a tent on South Lawn. A highlight of the evening was the announcement by Senior Fund Chair Scott Maxfield ’11 that the fund had achieved 95 percent participation, a College record. In addition, because the class surpassed its participation goal, Charles Santoro ’82 will contribute $50,000 to the Columbia College Fund.
Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced that Columbia and the U.S. Navy have agreed to officially reinstate Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Program enrollment opportunities at the University.
Under the agreement, Columbia will resume full and formal recognition of Naval ROTC after the effective date of the repeal of the law that disqualified openly gay men and lesbians from military service, anticipated to come later this year.
Most weeknights, students working in the Student Calling Center — located on the lower level of the Columbia Alumni Center — make telephone solicitations on behalf of 16 annual funds at Columbia. CloEve Demmer, University director of annual fund programs, announced that two veteran student callers, Brandon Lewis ’13 and Diane Jean-Mary ’13, had each crossed the $100,000 threshold in terms of the pledges they secured single-handedly. Lewis and Jean-Mary are both in their second year as student callers.
The Columbia College Student Council’s Academic Awards Committee announced this year’s winners of the Mark Van Doren and Lionel Trilling awards. The 50th annual Mark Van Doren Award, which honors a Columbia professor for his/her commitment to undergraduate instruction as well as for “humanity, devotion to truth and inspiring leadership,” will be presented to Holger Klein, associate professor of art history and archaeology; the 36th annual Lionel Trilling Award will be presented to James Shapiro ’77, the Larry Miller Professor of English and Comparative Literature, for his book Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare?