News Feature

Columbia College News

October 4, 2007

Saw the launch of the Columbia Campaign for Undergraduate Education, an $865 million effort for undergraduate students and the faculty who teach them. It’s the largest Morningside initiative in the Campaign.

The campaign’s first event took place September 8 in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration of Hamilton Hall, at which the College—joined by Arts and Sciences and University Facilities—will celebrated the completion of the final stages of the building’s renovation.

One of the University’s original McKim, Mead & White structures, Hamilton Hall has undergone a $25 million restoration that began in 1999, with nearly 60 percent of the support coming from 44 Columbia College alumni, parents, and friends—including a lead gift from Lisa and Richard Witten CC’75.

The renovation included a substantial renovation of 37 classrooms, with each one funded by a College alumnus/a, parent, or friend, as well as the dean’s office (with support from Michael Bruno CC’43) and the Office of Admissions (thanks to the generosity of Joel Hoffman CC’67). Arthur Rosen CC’65 supported the restoration of two vintage Tiffany stained-glass windows. Also upgraded were departmental and faculty offices housed in the building.

All told, the project underscores how alumni play a critical role in maintaining and renovating buildings on campus.

Campaign Publications

Now available are two publications that describe priorities of the Columbia Campaign for Undergraduate Education. One treats the need for endowment for financial aid and the other endowment for academic chairs.

“Columbia’s Cornerstone” addresses the vital role that financial aid plays in ensuring the College’s continuing excellence, underscoring the need to raise additional private money to build the financial aid endowment. “To Teach” highlights the strength of Columbia’s faculty, the unique character of the undergraduate classroom, and the importance of endowing professorial chairs throughout the Arts and Sciences.

Both are available by contacting Amy Delahunty.

Reunions

Columbia College also set an all-time high for attendance at its Alumni Reunion Weekend in June, with 990 alumni and 757 guests representing a 62 percent increase over the participating classes’ previous reunion cycle in 2002. Events were held from May 30 through June 3, with the classes of 1982, 1997, and 2002 setting individual attendance records.