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ALUMNI CORNERYear in Review: The Upward Trend ContinuesBy Brian C. Krisberg ’81 The 2006–07 academic year — Columbia College’s 253rd — has come to a close, and I would like to take a few moments to appreciate the year’s positive momentum and achievements. When I applied to college 30 or so years ago, Brown was the “hot” school. The simple fact is, today Columbia is the “hot” school. Friends, family and clients with high school and college-age kids tell me this all the time. I was not sure I would hear that in my lifetime. Applications have gone through the roof, reaching 18,000 for the Class of 2011. Selectivity is at an all-time low of 8.9 percent, the lowest in the Ivy League. This is a testament to the vision and hard work of many College administrators and staff, led by Dean Austin Quigley. To all of you, as the president of the Alumni Association midway through my two-year term, I say thank you. I have written in this column about the College’s ambivalent history with alumni relations. That history is becoming a distant memory. There are so many ways now for alumni of all ages and generations to connect with the College, from Homecoming in the fall to the various mini-Core courses in the winter to Dean’s Day in April. These opportunities extend beyond New York City. In January, for example, I traveled with officials from the alumni office to a Florida College Day program and had a blast. The sessions were well attended, the lectures modeled after Dean’s Day were great and the feeling in the room was upbeat. Next year, I hope to tag along to the California College Day programs, which I missed this year but understand went well. 
Students and alumni are more excited about their years at Columbia, and more proud to be associated with the College, than I have ever seen before.  Alumni Reunion Weekend 2007 was another success story. I stopped by the Lower East Side Thursday night cocktail party for the Class of ’87, which was packed, and migrated to the crowded 25th reunion Class of ’82 cocktail party at Reuters. I’m happy to report the Class of ’82 easily outdid my Class of ’81 with its generous reunion gift, which set a record for gifts and pledges to the College’s annual fund for any 25th reunion class. It is clear the College is finally building a culture of participation, involvement and caring about alma mater. Our graduating seniors once again demonstrated their unity and loyalty to Columbia by registering an 84.5 percent participation rate in the Senior Fund, a record for Ivy League liberal arts colleges. I attended the Senior Dinner under a huge tent on South Lawn on May 1 and could not help but be impressed by the group of thoughtful, soon-to-be-alumni. More alumni should experience the vibrance and quality of today’s graduating classes. I also attended the beautiful Class Day festivities on May 15, where actor Matthew Fox ’89 gave a rousing speech about pursuing our passions. Our seniors left Morningside Heights on a high note and represent a strong foundation for future College alumni. There was good news on the fundraising front from alumni, too. In the spring, the University announced the extraordinary $400 million estate gift from John W. Kluge ’37 for financial aid, a gift that will be a difference maker for future Columbians. Earlier, the University had announced that it would help those who need it the most by replacing loans with grants for students from families that earn less than $50,000. And the Columbia College Fund set a goal of $11.6 million for unrestricted gifts to the College, which would be a record for the fund. The growth of the fund, which has nearly doubled in unrestricted funds raised during the past seven years, demonstrates how school loyalty-based fundraising is the most effective means of reaching our alumni. Our traditional Alexander Hamilton Award and John Jay Awards dinners were successful, as well. Last fall, in Low Rotunda, former Alumni Association President Bob Berne ’60 received the Alexander Hamilton Medal for his years of service and commitment to the College and gave a great talk about how alumni are the University’s conscience. (Mark Thursday, November 15, on your calendar, which is when University Trustee and Columbia Campaign Co-chair Mark E. Kingdon ’71 will receive the 2007 Hamilton Medal.) In March, more than 600 people filled Cipriani 42nd Street as the professional achievements of Lisa Landau Carnoy ’89, Eric Foner ’63, David A. Paterson ’77, Paul C. McCormick ’78 and Charles W. Santoro ’82 were celebrated at the John Jay Awards Dinner. If you have never participated in one of these exciting events, I encourage you to do so. Last winter, the CCAA Board of Directors, our leadership group of roughly 55 alumni, met with University E.V.P. for Development and Alumni Relations Susan Feagin and engaged in an extended discussion of the $4 billion Columbia Campaign’s priorities and focus. In the spring, the board met with Senior E.V.P. Robert Kasdin and had a lively conversation on University and College priorities, including the need to improve the space occupied by the Center for Career Education. Board Member David F.A. Walker ’80 and CCAA President Emeritus Jerry Sherwin ’55 have been working with the alumni office to develop an alumni survey to help formulate strategies for building participation. Coaches like to say, “You are what your record says you are.” As a dedicated College observer for many years, I believe the record as we head into 2007–08 is on an upward trend. Students and alumni are more excited about their years at Columbia, and more proud to be associated with the College, than I have ever seen before.
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