THECOLUMBIANEWSLETTERn e w s f o r o u r n e i g h b o r s SPRING 2008

University Completes Public ReviewProcess for Campus Expansion PlanThe New York City

Council’s approval lastwinter of Columbia’s

proposed Manhattanville, WestHarlem, rezoning marked thecompletion of the city’s rigorousUniform Land Use ReviewProcedure (ULURP) and sig-naled the start of the formaldesign process.

Immediately following the impressive 35 to 5 favor-able vote, President Lee C.Bollinger said he was “thankfuland appreciative” for the council’s strong support, whichrecognized the crucial role universities can play in a city’sintellectual and economicgrowth.” Bollinger alsoexpressed gratitude to U.S. Rep. Charles B.Rangel, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg andthe many local elected officials who supportedColumbia’s proposal, most notably SpeakerChristine Quinn, Councilmembers InezDickens and Robert Jackson, and ManhattanBorough President Scott Stringer.

Although the new campus will eventuallyextend from 125th Street to 133rd Street

and from Broadway to 12th Avenue, thefirst phase of construction will cluster alongthe 125th Street corridor and include newhomes for Columbia Business School, Schoolof the Arts, School of International andPublic Affairs, and the Jerome L. GreeneScience Center for the interdisciplinaryMind, Brain, and Behavior Initiative. In addition, it is expected that the campus

will provide a perma-nent site for theColumbia SecondarySchool for Math, Scienceand Engineering — a public school.

The Universitymade a number ofadjustments to itsplans in response tocommunity concernsand recommendationsfrom the city’sPlanning Commission.To ensure thatManhattanville’smakeover enhances the quality of life ofColumbia’s neighbors,the University has

agreed to measures aimed at increasing andpreserving affordable housing in the areaand extending educational and recreationalopportunities to local residents. CU contin-ues to work with the West Harlem LocalDevelopment Corporation to delineate other“community benefits.” As part of Columbia’s“green building” commitment, theUniversity will use sustainable design to

meet the Leadership in Engineering andEnvironmental Design (LEED) SilverStandards. The University is also working in partnership with the EnvironmentalDefense Fund to develop a model approachto reducing emissions during construction of the new facilities, especially importantbecause of high asthma rates in the neigh-borhood.

Internationally renowned architect RenzoPiano has been joined by the award-winninglocal firm Davis Brody Bond to design threeof the phase one buildings. Max Bond Jr., alongtime Harlem resident and former CityCollege dean, serves as the lead partner onthe project, and the Harlem-based architec-tural firm Body Lawson Associates will workclosely with the team. Community memberscan follow the progress of this project bylogging on to the Neighbors Web site at www.neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/index.html

Contractors, venders and others interestedin providing services for Manhattanville or for other University projects should complete Columbia’s online Application for Qualification at www.columbia.edu/cu/purchasing/vendors.html

A Year of Firsts for Columbia Secondary SchoolBy Ernest Beck

Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science andEngineering, a unique collaborative projectbetween Columbia University and the New York

City Department of Education, opened its doors last fallwith high hopes of fulfilling its mission of providing achallenging college prep academic program for studentsin northern Manhattan. Looking back on the first semes-ter, the principal, Dr. Jose Maldonado, says it was no easyfeat — but help from Columbia Teachers College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and AppliedScience, among other faculties, “allowed us to gear up ata speed that would otherwise have been impossible.”

Currently, 94 sixth-grade students have been enrolled,part of a seven-year phase in of classes that will go to12th grade, and a faculty of five full-time teachers hasbeen engaged. More importantly, a curriculum has beendeveloped that offers a college-level liberal arts and sci-ence model for middle school students, including coursesranging from science fiction literature to marine biologyand environmental science. Helping all along wereColumbia teachers and students working as volunteers,interns and advisers. An architecture graduate student,

for example, taught an architecture class, and now, thekids themselves are designing a sustainable “dreamschool.” Engineering faculty provided support develop-ing a core engineering curriculum and are now workingon an astrophysics course.

Not surprisingly, the school, a public selective school,was flooded with applicants: more than 1,000 potentialstudents started the rigorous testing process, which wasopen to residents who live above 96th Street. “There is atremendous need for this type of school in this neighbor-hood,” Maldonado says. The diverse student body, he adds,includes “children of Columbia science professors as wellas local kids from Washington Heights, all of whom areincredibly talented. This mixes kids together who wouldotherwise never sit together learning at such a high level.”

Columbia also contributed grant money to cover some of the startup costs, and a plot of land on the cornerof 125th and Broadway, which will be the site of theschool’s permanent building (they are currently occupy-ing a transitional space in another school). Much of whathas been accomplished so quickly, Maldonado says is “a result of our special relationship with Columbia.”

Columbia UniversityGovernment and Community Affairs309 Low Library535 West 116th StreetNew York, NY 10027

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Students from the Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science and Engineeringparticipated in an event at Barnard College celebrating Hispanic culture.

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Columbia University Events CelebrateNeighbors, Community Outreach

2 | SPRING 2008 THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS www.neighbors.columbia.edu

Every fall, the Office of the President, with the Office of Government and CommunityAffairs, celebrates the University’s partnerships within the community with abrunch in the rotunda of Low Library.

This year’s “Neighbor’s Brunch” was the largest to date with more than 200 electedofficials, community leaders and friends representing 112 community organizations gatheringto enjoy dishes prepared and served by Spoonbread, Inc. President Lee C. Bollinger openedthe brunch on a note of thanks to the community, and Maxine Griffith, executive vicepresident for Government and Community Affairs, highlighted the various partnershipsthat are the basis of the University’s commitment to its neighbors.

The annual holiday toy drive, sponsored by Government and Community Affairs, alsohad another successful year with more than 500 new toys collected from Columbia facultyand staff. The donations, collected at the President’s holiday party in Low Library, weredistributed to local organizations that provide services to children including the SummerYouth Art Club, St. Luke’s Hospital/The Addiction Institute of New York, West HarlemGroup Assistance, Inc., Hale House, St. Mary’s Manhattanville Episcopal Church and theMarine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots.

In the KnowCOLUMBIA ALUM DAVID PATERSON SWORN IN ASGOVERNOR OF NEW YORK

On March 17, 2008, David A. Paterson was sworn in as governor of New YorkState, making him both the first African American and the first legally blindperson to rise to that office. In 1985, he became the state’s youngest senatorwhen he was elected to represent the 29th Senate District in Albany, and hebecame lieutenant governor in 2006. He has used public life to increase aware-ness of domestic violence and environmental issues and promote the interests ofminorities and women in the business community. Paterson earned a bachelor’sdegree from Columbia College in 1977 and was recently awarded its prestigious

John Jay Award for Distinguished Alumni. He also holds a law degree from Hofstra Law School.

MAPPING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PASTThanks to a $200,000 grant from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, the Columbia Center forNew Media Teaching and Learning has developed a Web-based teaching tool, Mapping theAfrican American Past (MAAP), designed to enhance understanding of the history of AfricanAmericans in New York from the early 17th century through the recent past. MAAP will feature an interactive map highlighting people, places and events of significance to AfricanAmerican history. Project partners at Columbia University’s Teachers College will developmodel lesson plans for use by educators throughout New York State. Visit the site athttp://maap.columbia.edu/.

BARNARD NAMES NEW PRESIDENTThe Barnard College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the appoint-ment of Debora L. Spar as the next president of Barnard College, effective July1, 2008. Spar is the Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration andhas been senior associate dean for faculty research and development at HarvardBusiness School. She is the author or co-author of six books including her latest,“The Baby Business,” which explores the economic, political and social issuessurrounding reproductive technologies. Spar is a frequent guest speaker andteaches and consults for a number of multinational corporations, governmentagencies and nongovernmental organizations.

COLUMBIA ADMINISTRATOR TO C0-CHAIR HOUSING TASK FORCEMaxine F. Griffith, executive vice-president of Columbia University’sOffice of Government and Community Affairs, and former HousingPreservation and Development Commissioner Felice Michetti have beenselected by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to lead a high-level taskforce on affordable housing in New York City. The task force, announcedby Quinn in her State of the City address in February, will be chargedwith the development of a comprehensive plan to create permanentlyaffordable housing for middle income New Yorkers. “If we are going

to hold on to our middle class and those striving to join it for the long term,” Quinn said,“we have to expand our focus and even the definition of affordable housing.” Griffith formerlyserved as HUD’s assistant department secretary during the Clinton administration.

COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS FILMMAKERS HONORED AT SUNDANCEFor the second consecutive year, a film by a Columbia University School of the Arts Film Divisionalumnus has won the top prize for dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival. “Frozen River,”the first feature length film by Courtney Hunt (MFA ’94), won the Grand Jury Prize in DramaticCompetition; last year’s winner was “Padre Nuestro,” which was written and directed by ChristopherZalla (MFA ’04) and produced by Ben Odell (MFA ’04). Other Columbia-associated projects hon-ored this year included: “The Wackness,” produced by Felipe Marino (GS ’02); “Trouble the Water,”directed by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal (JRN ’94); “Man on Wire,” co-produced by Maureen Ryan(SoA ’92); “American Teen” by Nanette Burstein (former SoA faculty member); “Ballast,” pro-duced by Nina Parikh (GSAS ’05); “Sleep Dealer,” directed by Alex Rivera and Eric Mendelsohn(SoA faculty); Jess Levin (SoA ’02), associate producer; Anthony Bregman (SoA faculty), producer.

Columbia Forty Years After 1968By Daniel Rivero

It was only four decades ago that Jamal Joseph led outraged protests againstColumbia University’s plan to build a gymnasium in Morningside Park. Theyear was 1968 and Joseph, 15 at the time and the youngest member of the

Black Panther Party, stood in front of Alma Mater on College Walk and proclaimed:“Brothers and Sisters, you’ve got to do more than take this place over — you’ve gotto burn the damn place down!”

Joseph led an army of students and friends who stormed Low Library, theUniversity’s administrative headquarters, and held a sit-in in the Office of thePresident. It was the climax to a series of demonstrations that dominated the campuslandscape throughout the ’60s and included protests against the Vietnam War andrallies to free political prisoners.

Joseph’s sentiments about the University have changed dramatically since thosedays, and for the past decade he has been a professor of practice at Columbia’s Schoolof the Arts and currently serves as chair of its Film Division.

So what’s changed? “The University has worked extraordinarily hard to establishrelationships with people in the community, whether it be civic, cultural or businessleaders,” said Roger Lehecka, who graduated from Columbia College in 1967 and hasserved as an administrator since returning to CC in 1975 to serve as its dean of students.

Lehecka credits President Lee C. Bollinger, and his two immediate predecessors,for improving the University’s rapport with its neighbors.

The appointment of former New York City Mayor David Dinkins to the facultyraised the University’s esteem in the eyes of many community members, saysLahecka. He also credits services offered through the Medical Center, and the lawand business schools aimed at improving public health, and issues surroundingemployment and tenant’s right in the community. “They establish goodwill and thecommunity sees us as neighbors, not as combatants,” he says.

Joseph agrees. Columbia often lends his IMPACT Repertory Theatre space oncampus for workshops, which he says encourages the kids to apply to Columbiawhen it’s college time.

“We no longer feel like trespassers,” he said.

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, C. Virginia Fields, Dr. Rafael Lantigua,and Assemblyman Thomas Alfonso

The Columbia Newsletter309 Low Library

535 W. 116th St., MC 4319New York, NY 10027

The Columbia Newsletter is published quarterly by the Office of Government and Community Affairs.

Maxine GriffithExecutive Vice President for Government and Community Affairs and

Special Adviser for Campus Planning

Editorial Committee:Kevin Brannon, Orit Darwish, Lauren Feighan, Kathleen Gaspard,

Theodore J. Gershon, Karen Jewett, Lamar Lovelace, Victoria Mason-Ailey,Yanira Rodriguez, Marcia L. Sells, Ellen S. Smith

To receive a copy of The Columbia Newsletter,contact the Office of Government and Community Affairs at (212) 854-5915

or send an e-mail to communitynewsletter@columbia.edu.

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www.neighbors.columbia.edu THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS SPRING 2008 | 3

Fu Foundation’s Jack McGourty: Engaging the Communitythrough Outreach, EngineeringBy Ernest Beck

In 2001, when Jack McGourty, associatedean of undergraduate studies atColumbia’s Fu Foundation School of

Engineering and Applied Science, firststarted discussing the idea of engagingengineering students — and the schoolitself — more with the community, somepeople were skeptical. They wondered howengineers could bring practical benefits tothe community. But now, with a host ofactive programs in place, and with a require-ment that all SEAS undergraduates mustengage in service learning projects, there isno doubt that the engineering and communityservice partnership is a productive relation-ship. “Authentic, project-based work is agreat way to take knowledge and to applyit to a real situation, and to transfer or integrate that into learning,” McGourty says.

On a broader scale, McGourty believesthat service learning — or community-basedlearning, as it is called — fits into severalwide-ranging educational objectives atSEAS, which has 1,250 undergraduates.One is to create technological leaders whohave “an immense sense of social responsi-bility, ethics, and a true long-term feel forthe community,” he explains. “We feel it isimportant to understand how to applytechnical skills in social settings.” Moreover,

because engineers by definition build andfix things and solve problems, it is criticalfor them to focus on tackling issues thatconfront their neighbors in Harlem. This,McGourty adds, “allows us a tremendousopportunity to engage with the community.We are driven by the community and whattheir needs are.”

Several SEAS initiatives reflect thatengagement. Over the last 10 years, SEASstudents have been involved with mentoringprograms at around 40 different schools inthe neighborhood, under the K-12 program;meanwhile, SEAS students have workedwith teachers to create lesson plans in science and math. There is also a summercamp for local students, created by under-graduates, and a summer high school pro-gram, which provides a high school versionof a core engineering design class, as wellas the Middle School Robotics Competition(see related article on this page).

Separately, several years ago SEAS established a program known as SLICE, orService Learning in a Community Environ-ment, a 16-month certification programthat can lead to careers in information tech-nology. The idea came about after discus-sions with community leaders about whatprograms are needed beyond K-12; the

answer was clearly training in developmentskills that lead to jobs. SLICE helps localpeople with limited computer skills andteaches them Web applications that enablethem to be employed at technology-orientedcompanies. The program has been enor-mously successful, McGourty says, with 99 percent of graduates finding jobs.

Students have taken on a wide varietyof projects as part of their first-year designcourse, all based on community needs. Atthe Harlem Y, for example, students helpeddesign a retail incubator space. At a localLutheran church, they were involved withdesigning a food pantry for the homeless.In another project, they helped a local studentwho had lost a leg and wanted to ice skatecreate a mechanism to skate on one leg andstay balanced. “Most students appreciatesuch projects and like project work, ratherthan sitting in a lecture hall,” McGourtysays, noting that Columbia is the onlyengineering school in the country with amandatory community learning program.

With such extensive outreach initiatives,community service has become a draw forprospective students to SEAS. That has ledto an increasingly diverse student popula-tion — including 37 percent women —who are attracted to the school’s service

learning curriculum and stay through grad-uation. In the future, programs will beexpanded to focus on encouraging entrepre-neurship as part of work force development.With so many initiatives under way, com-munity service, McGourty concludes, “hasbecome a major part of the culture and thefabric of our school.”

Harlem Middle School Kicks Off Inaugural Robotics Challenge

On Saturday, Nov. 17, more than80 students from public middleschools throughout Harlem gath-

ered at the Frederick Douglass Academy at 2581 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. for the inaugural Harlem Middle SchoolRobotics Challenge.

Sponsored by Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering andApplied Science and the Morningside AreaAlliance, this event was the first of manyengineering challenges that will allowteams of Harlem middle school students to face off with small robots they will build using Lego Robotics.

Jack McGourty, associate dean of theengineering school, said, “Robotics is a terrific entry point for students of all ages— especially middle and high school students — into the world of science, engineering and mathematics. Roboticshelps get them to become engaged in science and engineering because it allowsthem to apply what they’ve learned to areal problem, making a functioning robot.”

The Harlem Middle School RoboticsChallenge Program is designed to facilitateinteraction among middle school studentsusing these interactive robot-building sets

and provide students with a foundation insimple programming logic and engineeringdesign skills. The students get to work ona shared goal in an environment thatencourages teamwork, critical thinking andproblem-solving skills. Students and theirteachers work directly with Columbia engi-neering students during the program.

In addition to Frederick DouglassAcademy, teams of students from the

Columbia Secondary School for Math,Science and Engineering, P.S. 125 (TheRalph J. Bunche School), I.S. 195 (TheRoberto Clemente School), and M344 (TheAcademy of Collaborative Education) par-ticipated in the challenge.

“It’s tremendously gratifying that theengineering school can help make theseHarlem robotics challenges a reality. It’sone more way that Columbia University

can reach out to its neighbors in a mean-ingful way,” said McGourty.

The competitions are organized by theCenter for Technology, Innovation andCommunity Engagement (CTICE) atColumbia’s School of Engineering andApplied Science in partnership with theMorningside Alliance.

Jack McGourty

The cultural richness of Harlem, Washington Heights and surrounding neighborhoods is an essential part of what makes

Columbia a great place to work and study. To support these communities, the University partners with local organizations —

providing funding and faculty, staff and student volunteers — to deliver services that improve the quality of life in our community.

To find free or low-cost education, health, legal and other services, visit our Web site, www.neighbors.columbia.edu,

or call us at (212) 854-1324.

www.neighbors.columbia.edu

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Columbia SoA Stages James Baldwin’s “Another Country”In the fall, Columbia Stages, the pro-

duction arm of Columbia University’sSchool of the Arts Theatre Division,

presented an original theatrical adaptationof James Baldwin’s classic novel “AnotherCountry.” Set in Harlem, among otherlocales, this unflinching examination ofrace, sexuality and love still resonates asdeeply today as it did when first publishedin 1962.

“ ‘Another Country’ is a history lesson oflife in America, one that is filled with out-rage, brutal honesty and searing passion,”said Diane Paulus, a renowned theatre andopera director who has brought the currentadaptation to the stage. Paulus herselfgraduated with an M.F.A. degree fromColumbia’s theatre program in 1997.

“In staging ‘Another Country,’ I foundguidance in Baldwin’s own words about thetheatre,” said Paulus. “Baldwin was, in hisown words, ‘born in the church.’ He spentmany years as a child preacher. Baldwinwrote: ‘I knew that what I wanted to do in the theatre was to recreate moments Iremembered as a boy preacher, to involve

the people, even against their will, to shakethem up, and hopefully, to change them.’”

His compelling stories were vividlybrought to life by the actors of theColumbia M.F.A. Acting Class of 2008.“This production is the culmination ofthree years of intense vocal and physicaltraining,” said Steven Chaikelson, chair ofthe Columbia School of the Arts TheatreDivision. “It’s thrilling for our actors to beable to devote their considerable talents tosuch a significant ensemble piece.”

A panel discussion analyzing and com-paring “Another Country” and its relation-ship to themes of race, gender and sexualityin Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”took place on Nov. 13 at the Malcolm X &Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and EducationCenter. The panel featured Paulus, andMarcellus Blount and Brent Edwards, bothprofessors of English and comparative literature at Columbia University.Columbia, the Upper Manhattan branchesof the New York Public Library and the New Heritage Theatre Company co-sponsored a monthlong series of

events around “To Kill a Mockingbird” aspart of the National Endowment for theArts’ Big Read program.

Given his portrayal of adult themes and his frank discussion of racial and classconflict in America, Baldwin has often beenat the center of controversy. “Most of the

controversy surrounding his reception as an author,” said Professor Blount, “stemsfrom the fact, put simply, that he was awriter ahead of his time. For that reason,especially, Baldwin’s work continues to berelevant today — his Harlem is still ourHarlem.”

The Great Read Draws Thousands toColumbia Campus

Tonya Jones in Columbia Stages’ adaptation of James Baldwin’s “Another Country”

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Thousands of young readers and their parents flocked to Columbia University’sMorningside campus on Oct.14 for the New York Times’ Great Children’sRead. The event featured celebrity readings of New York’s Top 20 All-Time

Favorite Children’s Books and live musical performances by They Might Be Giants andothers. Clockwise from top left: New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kellyreads Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham”; actress Julie Andrews and her daughterEmma Walton Hamilton; Mariska Hargitay, of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,reads from “Charlotte’s Web”; a father and son enjoy a day of reading together.

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www.neighbors.columbia.edu THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS SPRING 2008 | 5

In the fall, Columbia University played host to a distinguished panel of Latin American writers who gath-ered at the University’s Graduate School of Journalism to discuss contemporary Spanish-language litera-ture and the significance of the United States in the global Hispanic cultural network. The discussion

was one in a series of events planned as part of the Columbia University Hispanic New York Project (HNYP).The panel included Chilean author and professor of Latin American Literature at the University of Iowa,

Roberto Ampuero; Argentine writers Pablo de Santis and Maria Negroni, who is also a professor of LatinaAmerican literature at Sarah Lawrence College, and award-winning novelist Jorge Franco of Colombia.

Hosted by Columbia University’s American Studies Program and its director, noted literary critic andscholar Andrew Delbanco, the Hispanic New York Project has as its main goal the development of an academic and cultural center at Columbia that promotes the Latino and Latin American cultural heritage ofNew York City. In its second year, the HNYP serves as an avenue for communication and collaborationamong artists, writers and intellectuals representing those cultures and the communities of Upper Manhattan,Harlem and Washington Heights. The Hispanic New York Project is directed by writer and journalistClaudio Iván Remeseira, an alumnus of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. For informationabout upcoming HNYP events and programs, please visit http://www.hispanicnewyorkproject.blogspot.com/.

Columbia Launches Hispanic New York Project

The popular Shall We Dance series is back fora second year! Last summer, building uponexisting visual and performing arts commu-

nity outreach projects, Columbia University hosted aseries of free dance tutorials and movie screenings ina pilot program entitled Shall We Dance. The pro-gram, combining dance instruction with popularfilms about dance, created a highly interactive meansof connecting Columbia students, faculty and staffwith residents of the Upper Manhattan community.Each evening, participants were treated to a dancelesson in a particular style, i.e., swing, salsa andsamba, followed by a screening of a film (“Mad HotBallroom,” “Take the Lead” and “Favela Rising”)

highlighting the style of dance they had just learned.The result was three truly wonderful nights of inter-generational community fun.

This year’s Shall We Dance will incorporate feed-back received from last year’s program and will com-bine live musical performances with screenings ofdance-oriented documentary films. It will continueto be free and open to the public, and will exploreselected styles of Latin- and African-based music,with special attention to forms that are not particu-larly mainstreamed such as bomba and Chicago-stylesteppin’.

Please visit www.neighbors.columbia.edu in Junefor more information on actual dates.

I n the mid 1990s, Jamal Joseph,known for his prolific filmmakingcareer as much as for being the

youngest member of the Black PantherParty, noticed an emerging threat of civilinjustice blanketing New York City.Financial cutbacks in the public schoolstargeted the art and music curriculum andthe after school programs simultaneously,so-called unnecessary expenditures thatbecame casualties of a budget crisis.

But to Joseph and his friends, AliceArlen, Joyce Joseph and Voza Rivers, thiswas a direct attack on the future ofHarlem’s most talented and gifted. In a

city renowned for its prodigal art scenes, itwas not just ironic that the city’s politicianswere cutting back on the very foundationthat gave birth to those scenes; it was adirect call to arms. Joseph and his wifeJoyce, along with Arlen and Rivers, decidedto establish the IMPACT RepertoryTheatre in 1997, in what is now consideredto be one of oldest nonprofit black theatregroups in the country.

A decade later, IMPACT has more to celebrate than the 10th anniversary benefitit held on Nov. 19. Joseph, Columbia’sSchool of the Arts Film Division chair, was nominated for an Academy Award for

co-writing “Raise It Up,” a song performedby members of Impact in the movie“August Rush.” Although the Oscar wentto someone else, IMPACT did have thehonor of performing the song at the awardstelecast, which was beamed to billions ofpeople around the world.

“The nomination was totally unexpected,”said Joseph. “We just worked to write a song and IMPACT was asked to play agospel choir. We just wanted to write asong for the kids that reflected their storiesof alternative families and not giving up.The nomination belongs to the kidsbecause they told us what to write.”

Joseph says that performing for televi-sion and in front of live audiences does notmake the group nervous at all. It has doneso throughout its history, including appear-ances on “Good Morning America” (mostrecently) and also on the floor of the UnitedNations, on the stage at Lincoln Center, forAIDS clinics, and in the crowded sheltersof New York’s homeless.

“The model of using creative arts to educate and create an encouraging environ-ment is very important for our community,”added Joseph. “Kids love to play. Theatre at best is a form of playing. It’s the humanspirit at play.”

IMPACT Repertory Theatre Gets Oscar NodFor “August Rush” SongBy Daniel Rivero

Shall We Dance Returns for Second Year

Together we can make a difference.

Community ImpactCommunity Impact at Columbia University operates 27 programs serving homeless and low-income families and individuals in Harlem, Washington Heights and Morningside Heights. Nearly 1,000 Universitystudents provide food, clothing, shelter, education, job training and companionship to 8,000 people, in collaboration with more than 100 community organizations. Together we are making a difference.

Community Impact105 Earl Hall, MC 2010Columbia UniversityNew York, NY 10027Tel: (212) 854-1492Fax: (212) 854-5951www.columbia.edu/cu/ci

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Panelists (from left to right): Roberto Ampuerp, Jorge Franco, Pablo De Santis and Maria Negroni

6 | SPRING 2008 THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS www.neighbors.columbia.edu

Erick Linton remembers life beforethe dog run at 114th Street inMorningside Park. He and his wife,

Gail Karp, rescued a dog from the citypound shortly after moving to Morningsideseven years ago, only to realize that therewere no dog runs in West Harlem. But inthe course of their evening walks withOtto, who is part ridgeback, part shepherd,they soon stumbled upon a community ofdog owners who gathered on a hill in thepark at 113th Street to let their dogs enjoysome play time off the leash.

“It was great,” Linton said. “It was apretty diverse group of people fromColumbia, Morningside and Manhattan-ville. It was a lot of fun.” But it was alsoillegal, and police would routinely sweep

through, issuing tickets for leash-law viola-tions. Occasionally, repeat offenders wouldbe sent to jail.

Building a dog run in the park seemedlike an obvious solution for keeping thedog lovers out of the way of the law, butattempts to petition the New York CityDepartment of Parks and Recreation hadrun aground in the past. Seeing that a newstrategy was needed, Karp, who was work-ing from home as a freelancer at the time,dedicated herself to building a consensusamong local politicians and communityleaders, and the Build A Run Coalition,known as Morningside BARC, was born.

BARC was successful, in 2001, in per-suading the city to clear brush and install atemporary fence around an overgrown area

of the park at 114th Street. Converting thespace, which had been a magnet for drugdealers, into a dog run proved beneficial forboth the community and the city. Sevenyears on, says Linton, who is also BARC’streasurer, the organization’s major challengeis keeping people excited about devotingtheir time and energy to maintaining thefacility. “When the changes were going on,the membership was very active,” he says,adding that it’s more difficult to get peopleinvolved as Harlem becomes more gentrifiedand that the city is reluctant to commitresources to maintenance. “The ParksDepartment thinks it should be all volun-teer, so there’s a lot to be done in the wayof trash pickup, replacing the woodchipsand general maintenance.”

For more on Morningside BARC, visithttp://www.morningsidebarc.org/

Morningside Dog Run a Howling SuccessBy Kevin Brannon

As Government and CommunityAffairs’ assistant vice president forcommunity-based initiatives, and

special adviser for workforce development,Theodore J. Gershon is charged with thedesign and implementation of workforcedevelopment programs and the support of community generated projects. Drawingon his knowledge of the New York Cityand State departments of Education,Gershon provides a vital link between theUniversity, government and community on issues related to employment-focusededucation.

Over the course of his 40-year career,Gershon has consulted for the U.S.Department of Education’s Federal

Empowerment Zones and assisted theWhite House Community EmpowermentBoard in the design and implementation of workforce development programs inrural and urban communities. Additionally,he served as New Jersey’s deputy assistantcommissioner of education and was part of a management team responsible forstate-operated facilities including theKatzenbach State School for the Deaf, theRegional Day Schools for the Handicapped,as well as academic and vocational educa-tion for the state’s correctional and mentalhealth facilities, and New Jersey Job Corps.

Over the last 15 years, Gershon hasworked closely with elected officials andcommunity-based organizations to increase

employment opportunities for residents of Harlem.

He has a master’s degree in vocationaland technical education and a bachelor’sdegree in education of the handicapped andhas published numerous articles on work-force development.

Currently, he is focused on providingcapacity building and technical assistancefor community-based organizations, specifi-cally those that offer programming for out-of-school youth, for youth aging out offoster care, and pre-apprenticeship programsfor construction trades.

Ted Gershon Takes on Workforce Development in Harlem

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Enthusiasm and inspiration were inlarge supply at Siemens Science Dayheld at Columbia University last

fall. More than 1,300 students, parents andinstructors participated in 20-plus work-shops and exhibits, taught by Columbiafaculty and graduate students, as well asSiemens professionals and specialists, suchas criminalists from New York City’s owncrime lab.

From classroom to classroom, studentspracticed with robot snakes used for surgi-cal procedures, listened to earthquakes andlearned about endangered species. Localteachers had their own workshops,designed to provide them with curriculumideas to make science fun, with titles like“School of Rock Workshops.”

The Siemens Foundation is one of theprivate sector’s biggest proponents of mathand science education. Since launching SiemensScience Day in 2005, the program hasreached 30,000 children nationwide. Thiswas Columbia’s first time hosting the event.

U.S. Rep. Charles B.Rangel, whose congressionaldistrict includes Harlem andColumbia, lauded the scienceday as an investment ensuring“our young people becomepart of the most educatedworkforce in the world.” CityCouncilman Robert Jacksonalso welcomed participantsand presented a proclamationfrom Mayor Michael R.Bloomberg.

In the “Bath Bubblers”workshop, Aberdeen Allen, asenior research scientist atColgate-Palmolive, showedstudents how to make bath bombs — soapsthat fizzle and dissolve in bathwater. “I hadfun,” said Jazmine, 8, after attending theworkshop. “I also learned that scientistssometimes make mistakes. You shouldn’tget intimidated.”

Graduate student Andy Washkowitz’s

exhibit, “Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?” showed students how toanalyze DNA samples. He marveled at the wealth of interactive play at SiemensScience Day: “I would have found my wayto science a lot easier if I’d seen somethinglike this as a kid.”

During the opening ceremony, Nobellaureate Horst Stormer described one of hismost affecting childhood memories: hear-ing the “beep ... beep ... beep” of the SovietUnion’s Sputnik satellite on his radio 50years ago. Rather than competing in theinternational space race, this generationfaces another wake-up call. “Young peoplelike you will address global warming,” hesaid, adding that he hopes to see many ofthem at Columbia again — as students.The 2008 Siemens Science Day will beheld at Columbia’s Morningside campus on Oct. 18.

Siemens Science Day By Stacy Parker Aab

www.neighbors.columbia.edu THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS SPRING 2008 | 7

Linda Fried, M.D., M.P.H., has been named the next dean of theMailman School of Public Health. Fried comes to Columbia fromJohns Hopkins University, where she has spent the last 25 years,

starting as a fellow in general internal medicine in 1982. She has been dedicated to expanding health promotion and prevention for older adults,with emphasis on the causes of frailty and disability. She is currently professor of medicine, epidemiology, health policy and nursing at JohnsHopkins and director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health.

In addition to her duties as Mailman’s dean, Fried will also be professor of epidemiology. Her leadership in geriatric health will also be of importance to the school’s academic and research initiatives. By 2030, approximately 71 million Americans will be age 65 or older —accounting for more than 20 percent of the projected total U.S. populationand a substantial population transition worldwide. This shift in demo-

graphics will lead to significant changes in health policy, resource allocationand the planning of public health programs.

“Throughout my career, I have been committed to ensuring better healththrough interventions in both community and clinical practice. At thesame time, ensuring diversity and inclusiveness has been a priority in mywork, with a particular focus on gender equity and other underrepresentedgroups in public health. I will remain committed to these values atColumbia,” Fried said.

Fried is also co-designer of Experience Corps, a community-based seniorvolunteer program that serves public school children in Baltimore whilepromoting better health for the older volunteers by fostering increasedphysical, cognitive and social activity through intensive civic engagementin public elementary schools.

School of Public Health Names New Dean

In a city where most roofs are barren,tar-topped eyesores, two ColumbiaUniversity-owned buildings now

feature rooftop vegetation that pleases theeye and provides a step forward, fulfillingthe University’s commitment to lower its carbon emissions. In early November,the Facilities Department and the EarthInstitute’s Center for Climate SystemsResearch (CCSR) installed “green roofs” at 423 W. 118th St. and 635 W. 115th St.,where the Office of EnvironmentalStewardship is located. Research has shown that green roofs reduce the “heatisland” effect created by heat-absorbingasphalt and concrete, lowering energy consumption.

But the greening of Columbia’s campusesisn’t confined to the rooftops. Elsewhere inthe University community, programs arespringing up to encourage recycling andraise awareness about the importance of

energy conservation. Recycle Bank, whichhas enjoyed a pilot phase in student dormssince February, is one of these. It’s designedto get students motivated to recycle moreof their paper, plastic and glass by reward-ing them with incentive points. Studentswho drop off their recycling bags atRecycle Bank kiosks rack up points, whichthey carry with them on bar-coded key fobsand which can be redeemed at retailers like Starbucks, Staples, and Bed, Bath andBeyond. For the less acquisition-driven,points can also be donated to the ColumbiaCommunity Service giving campaign. The program is the brainchild of ColumbiaBusiness School alumnus Ron Gonen (’04)and has been implemented in Wilmington,Del., as well as in part of Philadelphia.“What attracted us,” said Nilda Mesa,assistant vice president for environmentalstewardship, “is that recycle rates shot updramatically [in those areas].” The program

will roll out to the rest of the Morningsidecampus in the fall of 2008.

Mesa’s office is also working withColumbia College Student Council “eco-reps” on the “Do It in the DarkChallenge,” in which University dormito-ries compete to see which one can get byon the least amount of electricity. And thevarious student councils at the MedicalCenter have come together to organize awalk-through audit of the campus’s recy-cling areas, with the Business School andthe School of International and PublicAffairs following suit. EnvironmentalStewardship will work with the facilitiesteams at both campuses to address theresults of the audits.

“One big change this year is that wehave graduate students getting involved,”Mesa said, “and they can bring graduatestudent skills to bear on these issues.”

In Pursuit of a Greener Campus: ColumbiaRolls Out New Environmental Initiatives

Columbia Wins Best Urban Campus Prize

Linda Fried

On Oct. 27, 2007, Columbia University was recognizedby the Professional Grounds Management Societywith a Green Star Award for excellence in grounds

management for an urban university. The honor highlightsColumbia University Facilities for the creative methods itemploys to maintain 36 acres of highly trafficked lawns, side-walks, steps, and brick and asphalt pacers. As one example, thefacilities team has replaced sod in some areas with ground cover,such as purple-leaf winter creeper, not only reducing mowingbut water and fertilizer requirements as well.

8 | SPRING 2008 THE COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER: NEWS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS www.neighbors.columbia.edu

FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS

Sen. Charles E. Schumer757 Third Ave., Ste. 17-02New York, NY 10017Phone: (212) 486-4430TDD: (212) 486-7803Fax: (212) 486-7693www.schumer.senate.gov

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton780 Third Ave., Ste. 2601New York, NY 10017Phone: (212) 688-6262TDD: (202) 224-6821Fax: (212) 688-7444www.clinton.senate.gov

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (District 8)201 Varick St., Ste. 669New York, NY 10014Phone: (212) 367-7350Fax: (212) 367-7356www.house.gov/nadler

Rep. Charles B. Rangel (District 5)Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

State Office Building163 W. 125 St., Ste. 737New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 663-3900Fax: (212) 663-4277www.house.gov/rangel

STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS

Governor David A. PatersonState CapitolAlbany, NY 12224Phone: (518) 474-8390Fax: (518) 474-1513www.transitionny.orgcontact@transitionny.org

State Sen. Bill Perkins (District 30)163 West 125th Street, Suite 912New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 222-7315

State Sen. Eric Schneiderman (District 31)80 Bennett Ave., Ground Flr.New York, NY 10033Phone: (212) 928-5578Fax: (212) 928-0396schneiderman@senate.st.ny.uswww.nyssenate31.com

Assemblymember Daniel J. O’Donnell (District 69)245 W. 104th St.New York, NY 10025Phone: (212) 866-3970odonned@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblymember Keith L.T. Wright (District 70)Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

State Office Building163 W. 125th St., Ste. 911New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 866-5809wrightk@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblymember Herman D. Farrell Jr.(District 71)2541-55 Adam Clayton Powell

Jr. Blvd.New York, NY 10039Phone: (212) 234-1430farrellh@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat (District 72)210 Sherman Ave., Ste. ANew York, NY 10034Phone: (212) 544-2278espaila@assembly.state.ny.us

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS

Mayor Michael R. BloombergCity HallNew York, NY 10007Phone: (212) 788-9600Fax: (212) 788-2460www.nyc.gov/mayor

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum1 Centre St., 15th Flr.New York, NY 10007Phone: (212) 669-7200 (General)Phone: (212) 669-7250 (Ombudsman)Fax: (212) 669-4701ombudsman@pubadvocate.nyc.govwww.pubadvocate.nyc.gov

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer1 Centre St., 19th Flr.New York, NY 10007Phone: (212) 669-8300Fax: (212) 669-3380bp@manhattanbp.orgwww.mbpo.org

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building

163 W. 125th St., 5th Flr.New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 531-1609Fax: (212) 531-1610

Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr.1 Centre St.New York, NY 10007Phone: (212) 669-3500/3916TTY: (212) 669-3450Fax: (212) 669-2707www.comptroller.nyc.govaction@comptroller.nyc.gov

City Council Speaker Christine C. QuinnCity HallNew York, NY 10007Phone: (212) 788-7210Fax: (212) 788-7207www.nyccouncil.info/rightnow/speakerspage.cfm

City Councilmember Gale A. Brewer (District 6)563 Columbus Ave.New York, NY 10024Phone: (212) 873-0282Fax: (212) 873-0279brewer@council.nyc.ny.uswww.nyccouncil.info

City Councilmember Robert Jackson (District 7)751 W. 183rd St.New York, NY 10033Phone: (212) 928-1322Fax: (212) 928-4177jackson@council.nyc.ny.uswww.nyccouncil.info

City Councilmember Melissa Mark Viverito(District 8)105 E. 116th St.New York, NY 10029Phone: (212) 828-9800Fax: (212) 828-9813viverito@council.nyc.ny.uswww.nyccouncil.info

City Councilmember Inez E. Dickens (District 9)Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

State Office Building163 W. 125th St.New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 678-4505Fax: (212) 442-2732 dickens@council.nyc.ny.uswww.nyccouncil.info

City Councilmember Miguel Martinez (District 10)601 W. 174th St., Ste. 1ANew York, NY 10033Phone: (917) 521-2616/2640Fax: (917) 521-1293martinez@council.nyc.ny.uswww.nyccouncil.info

COMMUNITY BOARDS

Community Board 7Represents the community between the HudsonRiver and Central Park West from 59th Streetto 110th Street; general meetings are held thefirst Tuesday evening of the month at the CB 7office.

1865 Broadway, 4th Flr. (Temporary Office)New York, NY 10023Phone: (212) 603-3080Fax: (212) 603-3082mailcb7@cb7.orgBoard Chair: Helen RosenthalDistrict Manager: Penny Ryanwww.cb7.org

Community Board 9Represents the community between theHudson River and Morningside/EdgecombeAvenues from 110th Street to 155th Street;general meetings are held the third Thursdayevening of the month at the CB 9 office.

565 W. 125th St.New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 864-6200Fax: (212) 662-7396nyc-cb9m@juno.comBoard Chair: Patricia JonesDistrict Manager: Lawrence T. McCleanwww.neighborhoodlink.com/public

Community Board 10Represents the community between FifthAvenue and Morningside/Edgecombe Avenuesfrom 110th Street to 159th Street; generalmeetings are held the first Wednesday eveningof the month at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr.Harlem State Office Building, 163 W. 125thSt., 2nd Flr.

215 W. 125th St., 4th Flr.New York, NY 10027Phone: (212) 749-3105Fax: (212) 662-4215info@cb10.orgBoard Chair: Franc PerryDistrict Manager: Yasmin H. Corneliuswww.cb10.org

Community Board 12Represents the community between the HudsonRiver and the Harlem River from 155th Streetto 215th Street; general meetings are held thefourth Tuesday evening of the month at the CB 12 office.

711 W. 168th St.New York, NY 10032Phone: (212) 568-8500Fax: (212) 740-8197Board Chair: Manny ValezquezDistrict Manager: Charles DeFinowww.cb12m.org

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Councilwoman Inez DickensElected to City Council in 2006, Inez Dickens representsDistrict 9, which encompasses Central Harlem, and parts ofMorningside Heights, the Upper West Side and East Harlem.She has been devoted to improving the quality of life in hercommunity through her commitment to issues such as housing,voter registration and education.

Now the highest-ranking African American woman in theNew York State Democratic party, Dickens serves as the City

Council’s majority whip and is the chair of the Standards and Ethics Committee. She also serves on many committees including cultural affairs, libraries, intergroupinternational relations, governmental operations, health, land use, planning, andrules, privileges and elections.

Assemblymember Daniel J. O’DonnellDaniel J. O’Donnell was elected to the 69th AssemblyDistrict in 2002, making him the first openly gay man toserve in the New York State Assembly. Born in Queens andraised in Commack, Long Island, O’Donnell holds a B.A. in public affairs from George Washington University and a law degree from CUNY Law School.

Representing Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side of Manhattan, he is the current

chair of the Subcommittee on Criminal Procedures and sits on committees for codes, judiciary, environmental conservation, arts and tourism, local governments, andoversight, analysis and investigation.

He lives in Morningside Heights with John Banta, his partner of 25 years.

THEY REPRESENT YOU