Columbia College Chicago Digital Commons @ Columbia College Chicago Alumni Newsletters Alumni Fall 1975 Columbia College Alumni News Columbia College Chicago Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.colum.edu/alumnae_news This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Columbia College Alumni News (Fall 1975), Alumni Magazine, College Archives & Special Collections, Columbia College Chicago. http://digitalcommons.colum.edu/alumnae_news/15 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Alumni at Digital Commons @ Columbia College Chicago. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni Newsletters by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Columbia College Chicago. alumni news Fall 1975 I 2nd Issue Columbia College Purchases Nevv Home at 600 S. Michigan Ave. By Connie Zonka proximately 27 per cent of the total Wednesday, October 8, 1975 Col­ $2,500,000. From other sources, we expect to raise 2 per cent from alumni, umbia purchased a 15-story "campus". The building occupies 160,000 square 17 per cent from friends, and 27 percent from local and national cor­ feet at 600 South Michigan Ave., porations. according to Alfred B. Perblan, chair­ "We have reasonable expectations man of Columbia's Board of Trustees, of assistance from local and national and Mike Alexandroff, president. granting agencies at the end of the In a press conference Wednesday campaign, a completion fund estima­ (Oct. 8) at the site of Columbia's new ted to cover the final 27 per cent. We home, Chairman Perlman and Presi­ need first to obtain the requisite funds dent Alexandroff announced the to assure achievement of the goal in college will begin to occupy approxi­ order to secure these matching comple­ mately 120,000 sq. ft. in the 600 S. tion funds. We have confidence that Michigan Ave. building with the start Columbia will be able to reach its goal of the 1976-77 academic year next and complete this program," said September. Perlman. The building, formerly the Fairbanks Columbia president, Mirron Morse Building, was purchased for Alexandroff, commented on the need $1,500,000 from a group of whom for the college's purchase of the 600 Joseph Shapiro, founder of Chicago's S. Michigan Ave. building. "Columbia's Museum of Contemporary Art, and dramatic growth - our enrollment is Kenneth Newberger, civic leader, are up one-third in just two years - is an principals. acknowledgement of the college's "We have raised approximately ability to serve uniquely many hundreds $500,000," said Perlman, "of which of students who are, as much as $300,000 constitutes initial commit­ Columbia itself, a part of Chicago. ment of the college's Board of Trustees Members of our board, the adminis­ and $200,000 from friends of the tration, the faculty, the students, the college as well as corporations and the large growth of enrollment at Col­ alumni - all are deeply committed to foundations including Continental Il­ umbia outgrew the capability of the enabling the college to continue this linois National Bank and Trust Co. of building we had negotiated. The service to Chicago. Chicago, The First National Bank of campaign now continues; the objec­ "The new building and campus we Chicago, Harris Trust and Savings tive has changed. purchased is ideally and economically Bank, Sun-Times/ Daily News Charity "Our goal now is to raise an addi­ suited to the immediate and longer Trust, Commonwealth Edison Co., tional $2,000,000 during the next three range needs of our college. It is per­ Oscar Meyer Foundation, International years. Half of that sum will complete fectly located within a growing com­ Harvester Co. and Universal Oil Pro­ the cost of purchasing the building. munity of colleges, and the city's major ducts Co., among others. The remaining $1 ,000,000 is urgently cultural institutions are close by. Its " We did launch a campaign in Dec­ needed for initial essential remodeling acquisition permits us to continue to ember, 1973," continued Perlman, costs. Our projection is that the Board imaginatively serve an unusual student "but it had to be suspended because of Trustees will ultimately commit ap- population and the larger city com- munity. We needed and got a building each year as enrollment grew, since largest part of the new Michigan Ave. that will do the jo~. not a show-place 1964. When Columbia first moved to building when classes begin in Sept­ of college vanities. We are very re­ N. Lake Shore Dr., it had less than ember, 1976. spectful when we ask for money and 200 students. Enrollment for 1975-76 Columbia will continue its two neigh­ we'll be wise and careful about how is almost 1, 000, representing the great­ borhood performing arts centers, the we spend it," said Alexandroff. est increase of any independent college Theater-Music Arts Center at 3257 N. Columbia will conti11ue operations 1~ Illinois. Sheffield Ave. and the Dance Center in its location at 540 N. Lake Shore During the months to come, Col ­ at 4730 N. Sheridan Rd. With these Dr. for the remainder of the 1975-76 umbia will begin renovation and nec­ two centers Columbia makes important academic year. The college has rented essary changes at 600 S. Michigan Ave. contributions to Chicago's culture and space at its present location, more to enable the college to occupy the the vitality of its neighborhoods. panded to a broadened education in last year's figure for a record total Did You Know? mass communications. of 1,602 students. The 1975-76 enroll­ ment increase is even more dramatic More than one-third of Columbia's President Mirron Alexandroff took paired with last year's figure when students are women. Thirty-five per over leadership of Columbia in 1962, enrollment jumped 26.5 per cent. In cent are Black, Latin, and native a time when its enrollment had two years time, Columbia's student American. Columbia's tuition of dropped to less than 150 students. body has grown more than one-third $1,900 per year is the lowest of all Developing and expanding its repu­ in size. Illinois private colleges. The great tation for educational innovation and majority of Columbia students have comprehensive national recognition In 1974 Columbia College was fully severe economic handicap. The aver­ and impressive growth. Columbia's accredited by the North Central Assoc­ age family income is approximately enrollment increased 13 per cent over iation of Schools and Colleges. $8,000. More than 75 per cent of Col­ umbia students receive state scholar­ ships and grants and federal benefits without which they could not be in college. All are commuter students. A Tribute to AI Weisman: Columbia has paid its own way during An Annual Luncheon: its remarkable growth. It did so with­ out the usual assistance of patrons, An Employment Service large grants, subsidies or public supports. The college has demon­ As you may know, AI Weisman gave the local news media with continued strated its ingenuity and prudence by over much of himself and his energies sponsorship from participating com­ living within tuition-related revenues to Columbia before his untimely death munications groups. (97 per cent of the college's income) . in March, 1974. For many years AI This Spring an Alumni Placement These have supported the college, in­ served on the Board of Trustees and office was reactivated in conjunction cluding instructional equipment, li­ taught advertising and public relations with the Alumni office. This Fall, with brary, neighborhood centers, and courses at the College. This past Spring the AI Weisman Memorial Employ­ extraordinary faculty and student aid. ten professional communications groups ment fund, we expect to gear up our decided to join together to pay tribute inquiry and promotion of the service to Now in its 85th year, Columbia was to AI with a memorial luncheon. prospective employers. But - we founded in 1890 as the Columbia The luncheon was held September need your help as well. If you know of College of Oratory in conjunction 10, 1975 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel job openings or can participate in the with preparations for the 1893 World's with ABC-TV's Frank Reynolds as employment service in any other way, Columbian Exposition. A pioneer in guest speaker, and Chicago Sun­ please call. speech arts education, it became Times columnist and TV personality, If you would like to be included in Columbia College of Expression in lrv Kupcinet, as master of ceremonies. the placement service, please send a 1907. In 1944 it was named, simply, Both men were longtime friends of AI. resume to the Alumni Office, Colum­ Columbia College. Originally situated The proceeds from the luncheon bia College, 540 N. Lake Shore Dr., on Chicago's South side, Columbia will go to establish the AI Weisman Chicago, II., 60611 or call467-0300 ex­ moved downtown in the 1930's and Memorial Fund at Columbia. This fund tension 507. The alumni office is open became a coeducational commuter will be used for student project scholar­ Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday college. With its academic strength ships and to finance the Albert P. from 10:00 A .M . to 6:00 P.M . and is in radio broadcasting, it survived the Weisman Memorial Employment Serv­ located on the second floor, 540 N. depression. During the 50's with a ice for students and graduates of the Lake Shore Dr. The service is still growing Gl population and the devel­ college. The luncheor• will be an growing; and now primarily covers the opment of television, Columbia ex- annual event to be announced through Chicago area. the west side Chicago mural painting Nevv and information center directed by muralist Mark Rogovin.