BARNARD COLLEGE DEPARTMENT of C

BARNARD COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT of CHEMISTRY

Click on the links below to go directly to these sections:

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
(pdf versions)

2009	1993	1978
2008	1992	1977
2007	1991	1975
2006	1990	1974
2005	1989	1973
2004	1988	1970
2003	1987	1969
2002	1986	1968
2000	1985	1967
1999	1984	1966
1998	1983	1965
1997	1982	1964
1996	1981	1963
1995	1980
1994	1979

Chemistry Newsletter 2009

Hello again to alumnae and friends of the Barnard chemistry department. Exams are over and graded, the class of 2009 has graduated, and a busy summer of construction, writing, and student and faculty research is getting underway. As has been our tradition for more than 40 years, we pause to share with you some news of the college, the department, our students, and our many accomplished alumnae. We are always glad to hear from and to see you!

NEWS OF THE COLLEGE

The biggest news of the year is the arrival and inauguration of our new President, Debora Spar. The inauguration ceremony took place in Riverside Church on October 23 (mole day!) There was lots of music with warm greetings from many constituencies: faculty, students, staff, alumnae, and Columbia, with a wonderful address by Debora. Among the themes she articulated for her presidency are preparing Barnard women for leadership, increasing globalization of the community, and providing greater support for faculty research. A festive community street party on Claremont Ave. followed the ceremony.

One of President Spar’s first challenges this year was maintaining a balanced budget with declining endowment and other income. Nevertheless she managed to maintain an upbeat tone throughout the year. Indeed, Barnard’s modest endowment compared to its peers was actually a hidden blessing this year, since a smaller part of the operating budget comes from endowment income. For Barnard, the greater challenge is an increase in need for student financial aid. Everyone at the college has been working hard to find ways to save money without compromising quality. There is a freeze on salaries for the year, and some efforts to reduce staffing where possible, but unlike at some colleges, searches to replace key faculty are proceeding as needed. VP for Administration Greg Brown has done an excellent job keeping us all well informed about the budget situation.

We are two years into the construction of “the Diana” (formerly referred to as the Nexus), the multi-purpose building that replaces McIntosh center. We look forward to the January 2010 opening of this important addition to the campus. It is still mostly swathed in canvas, but the partially brick-colored glass façade is now being installed. We understand that the outdoor pathway between Milbank and the upper campus will be open in time for the fall semester.

With construction on campus, graduation ceremonies were held under a tent in front of Butler Library at Columbia. It is a nice venue, since there is plenty of space. This year’s festivities were a great success, with terrific student speakers and the graduation address by Hillary Clinton. Hillary’s energy is captivating. Her speech was full of good humor and important themes. President Spar also had an excellent encouraging message. Rather than trying to summarize, we suggest you visit the Barnard website to read or hear these.

The official portrait of Judith Shapiro was unveiled with a party the day after Barnard’s graduation. Depicted with her beloved poodle, Nora, Judith’s portrait joins those of other Barnard presidents in Sulzberger parlor.

click here to continue on to the "News of the Department" section