Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
I write to share that I have appointed Susan Glancy Secretary of the University. Susan has served as Chief of Staff to the President for 18 years—17 of those under my predecessor, Lee C. Bollinger, and this past year with me. Since former Secretary Jerome Davis’s retirement from the position in January, Susan has been serving as both Secretary and my Chief of Staff. She will transition full-time to the role of Secretary once a new Chief of Staff is in place.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize Susan’s long and meaningful service to Columbia. She has been a member of the administration for 25 years. After demonstrating unique talent during a six-year tenure in human resources at Columbia Business School and then as Executive Director of Special Projects in Central Human Resources, President Bollinger wisely selected her to serve as his Chief of Staff. We are all familiar with the transformative accomplishments of Lee’s tenure as President, and he would be the first to acknowledge that Susan played a part in each. She not only thoughtfully and carefully structured the Office of the President team to best advance Lee’s priorities, but became a trusted advisor to him, and to his deans and cabinet, providing vital strategic service in support of the University’s mission.
It has been a pleasure getting to know Susan over the course of my transition and during this past year. She is passionate about Columbia and is widely respected and appreciated for her intelligence, integrity, kindness, and consistent commitment to Columbia’s highest ideals. There is no one better suited to the role of Secretary of the University, and I am grateful she has accepted the position.
I am currently working to identify Susan’s successor as Chief of Staff to the President and will share more in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please join me in thanking Susan for her remarkable contributions to Columbia over the last 25 years and for her continued service as Secretary.
Sincerely,
Minouche Shafik
President, Columbia University in the City of New York