The following was shared by President Lee C. Bollinger.
Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
I write to share that, following twelve years of exceptional leadership of the University’s Office of Government and Community Affairs, Executive Vice President Maxine Griffith is transitioning into a new role at the University. Maxine will serve as a Special Advisor to me, with a focus on Columbia World Projects and its engagement with issues around government, city planning, and urban design. And, she will maintain her position as Adjunct Professor of Urban Planning at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.
When Maxine joined Columbia University in 2005, she brought a wealth of experience and knowledge in city planning and community development. At that time we were just beginning to plan for one of the largest and most ambitious projects in Columbia’s history—the development of our new Manhattanville Campus in West Harlem. To achieve this we needed a wise and politically astute person to help work with all levels of community members and official institutions. Maxine fulfilled this need perfectly, and, in the process, became an indispensable and cherished colleague, to me and others. Over this last year, as the first Manhattanville buildings have opened and the campus has begun to come to life, I have been reminded time and again of Maxine’s remarkable contributions to this historic and transformational growth of the University.
While she is stepping away from her role as Executive Vice President, I am deeply grateful that Maxine will remain at Columbia as an advisor to me and I look forward to our continued work together. I have begun a search for the next leader of our Office of Government and Community Affairs, who will face the unenviable challenge of following in Maxine’s footsteps, and I hope to share news with you about that in the coming months. For now, please join me in thanking Maxine for her invaluable and innumerable contributions to our University community.
Sincerely,
Lee C. Bollinger
