LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Real New Yorkers

A real New Yorker

Ken Jackson's "History of New York City" class has influenced me in ways I never could have imagined at the time. His walking tours have led to a decade of exploring different neighborhoods, and my desire to know every corner of the city played a major role in my choice to become a New York City real estate appraiser. My discovery of Jane Jacobs, Robert Moses and the Crabgrass Frontier in his class has evolved into an ardent belief in the superiority of urban living. His class was the beginning of my life as a "real New Yorker."

Amanda Aaron '93
BROOKLYN, N.Y.

Regarding the article about Prof. Ken Jackson, it seems that I have read in an earlier CCT (Summer 1996) about another famous Columbia expert on the history of NYC. I forget his name. Shenson, Shenton? If I remember, this other guy also took students on walking tours of Manhattan, etc.

Carl Witkovich '53
SAN MATEO, CALIF.

Diversity?

The letter by Gene F. Straube '49, '50E in your February 2001 issue titled "Diversity?" seems to miss the mark on understanding what diversity is. Mr. Straube feels that since 71% of Columbia undergraduates favored Gore and only 7% Bush, compared to national results of about 48% for each, the applicant pool, admission policies, or teaching program lacks diversity.

This is drawing the wrong conclusion from the facts. The students at a very selective Ivy League school in the most cosmopolitan city in the United States will have very different opinions from a national average on almost any subject. If the undergraduate survey revealed results very similar to the national average, that would be cause for concern.

Michael I. Frischberg '54
ABERDEEN, N.J.

Wrong Underpinnings

I was delighted to read in the February CCT of the Presidential Citizens Medal awarded to my colleague Jack Greenberg '45, but dismayed that, according to CCT, he was honored for "help[ing] break down the legal underpinnings of desegregation in America." I hope the error was CCT's, rather than President Clinton's, because at this point it's easier for CCT to make a correction than to undo the former President's mistakes.

Gerard E. Lynch '72, '75L
PAUL J. KALLNER PROFESSOR OF LAW
U.S. DISTRCIT JUDGE, SDNY

Editor's note: Correction made. Those were the legal underpinnings of segregation that Greenberg helped break down.

A Digital Idea

For many years I have encouraged more support for the continuing education interests/needs of College alumni, many of whom live at great distance from campus. Would it be possible to offer Columbia College teaching materials online, not only to current students, but also to alumni? This should be done with password access to protect intellectual property issues.

This might be coupled with alumni contributions. Password access could be provided to those who contribute: alumni who want to both support Columbia and also benefit from this on-going educational experience.

This would strengthen the reality of a lifelong educational partnership, and the importance of actively staying part of the Columbia family.

Edward Anthony Oppenheimer M.D.
'58, '62P&S
LOS ANGELES

Regional Club Network

I read with interest my good friend and CCAA President Jerry Sherwin '55's Alumni Corner article (February 2001) and share his enthusiasm for alumni participation through the National Council. I think it important also to acknowledge, recognize and indeed thank the many other College alumni who are giving of their time, energy and emotion to Columbia University whose regions are not specifically included in the College's National Council.

Many of those alumni cited are active officers and members of the Columbia University Regional Club Network, a long-standing, integral part of our University community that was developed and is coordinated under the aegis of the Office of University Alumni Relations. Many of our Regional Club Presidents and officers are not College alumni, such as Jude Kelly '93L, who serves as the Chicago University Club president, and Herb Rose '66E, who spearheads the University's Southern California Alumni Association's program committee. The Regional Clubs, both domestic and international, have long been a University-wide function and serve as the template for this office's National Alumni Program, which brings Columbia University faculty, deans and administrators from every school of the University to alumni near and far.

Part of the rich fabric and a significant strength of Columbia College is its lifelong continuum and integration with alumni of the other 14 schools of the University. The Alumni Survey reported in the same issue of CCT indicated that one of the suggested initiatives of alumni interests would be "an event near their homes." This initiative has been well and dynamically functioning for many years, and to that end, I would encourage all College alumni to join and actively participate in the Regional University Club network.

Laurance J. Guido M.D. '65, '69P&S
DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI RELATIONS