Zvi Galil Announces Departure to Tel Aviv U.

The School of Engineering and Applied Science felt a changing of tides in November, when Zvi Galil announced that he would leave his position as dean of the school during the summer to take over as president of Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Galil, known for his candid nature and camaraderie with students, has been at Columbia for 25 years and served as dean for over a decade, after heading the department of Computer Science. During his tenure, the school's U.S. News and World Report ranking rose, its admissions rate reached a record low of 18.1 percent for the class of 2011, and the chemical engineering and earth and environmental engineering departments expanded.

As the calendar drew closer to summertime, the search committee for an interim dean-comprised of department heads, Galil, and SEAS vice dean Morton Friedman-made three candidate recommendations to University President Lee Bollinger and Provost Alan Brinkley. In April, Bollinger announced that Gerald Navratil of the applied physics and mathematics department would fill Galil's spot for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Bollinger and Brinkley will set up a search committee for a permanent dean over the next few weeks, but the committee won't start its search process until the fall. By spring of 2008, a permanent dean will be appointed.

Galil said that he will use his remaining months to "show the ropes" to Navratil, and he hopes to make frequent visits to Columbia while at Tel Aviv University. In a fireside chat last semester, Galil said that he hopes the new deans will be able to continue the success that SEAS has experienced over the past decade. "Many achievements that we achieved, we can slip back and lose," he said. "We have a wonderful momentum, and I hope the successor will maintain it."

Over the coming weeks, as Galil packs his bags and says goodbye, one thing remains apparent: Navratil and the future permanent dean will have big shoes to fill. Perhaps this became most evident on Wednesday at the dinner to honor Galil, hosted by the Engineering Student Council classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010. As 700 students, faculty, and members of the SEAS community stood up for a toast, Dean of Student Affairs Chris Colombo raised his glass and said it best: "Here's to Galil."