SEAS of change

Columbia, as the common perception goes, is a bureaucracy where the divide between students and administrators often runs deep. There are signs of change, however, as new faces at Columbia become more familiar. The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers an example of such changes.

SEAS is witnessing a tide of increasing collaboration. Dean Feniosky Peña-Mora has created a new advisory council in which SEAS students can meet with the dean and critique the administration in an open, unrestricted way. This group not only can facilitate communication at SEAS, but also act as an agent of change. For example, engineers may notice that, as its online calendar indicates, the Science and Engineering Library in Mudd will be open until 3 a.m. starting this week, extending hours in response to student concerns. This is a welcome sign of the results that come from effective communication. As those who attended his Sept. 10 welcome picnic can attest, Dean Peña-Mora is a charismatic and personable natural leader who seems genuinely invested in making Mudd and its school a place where student voices are heard.

The changes that Dean Peña-Mora and other SEAS leaders have effected are just a few examples of improvements across Columbia. Though no administrator can suddenly appear and resolve all students’ concerns on campus, decision-makers must always consider the wishes of students and seek to cut the Columbia administration’s notorious amount of red tape. The strides that have been made are commendable and give us hope for a future of greater transparency and collaboration.