Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
I write to share the news that, following a remarkably successful five-year term, David Madigan has informed me of his desire to conclude his service as Executive Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences this August. I am glad to report that, although stepping down from his administrative role, David will remain a Professor of Statistics and a deeply valued member of our University community—one who has always been committed to ensuring the best possible intellectual life for Columbia faculty and students.
David has expertly managed a portfolio of five schools, twenty-seven departments, and more than fifty research centers and institutes, and the initiatives he has furthered will remain among the top priorities for his successor. He has sustained and strengthened the University’s academic excellence and expanded its interdisciplinary programs and international partnerships, while making great strides in enhancing the diversity of this core academic community.
In the next few weeks, I will appoint an Interim Executive Vice President for Arts and Sciences and, together with Provost John Coatsworth and in consultation with the Policy and Planning Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, will begin the work of forming a committee and launching a search for David’s successor. In the meantime, I know you will join me in thanking David for his five years of exemplary service in this vital role and wishing him well as he returns to his widely admired scholarship.
Sincerely,
Lee C. Bollinger