Austin E. Quigley
Austin E. "Danger" Quigley is the 14th Dean of Columbia College. A professor of English dramatic literature prior to his elevation to the deanship, he has the most charming British accent. He will be succeeded by Michele M. Moody-Adams on July 1, 2009. Quigley's 14 year tenure as dean is second only to Herbert Hawkes.
Taking over as dean following the abolition of the Columbia College Faculty and years of administrative turmoil thanks to repeated restructurings at the end of Michael Sovern's university presidency and the beginning of George Rupp's (a chaotic period during which, in 1997, he was briefly fired and then rehired [1]), Quigley made securing money for the College's needs a priority. At that task Quigley excelled, earning a reputation as a "champion fundraiser" for the school. He has argued that funding fundraising for the College, which is the university's most high-profile organ, benefits the other schools in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences more than equal allocations would.
Perhaps unfortunately, Quigs also developed a reputation as an absentee dean during the later years of his deanship. Most students only saw or heard from him on their first day at Columbia at Convocation, and on their last at Class Day and Commencement. An exception to the lack of mingling was Senior Dinner, at which Quigley turned on the charm with a routine speech. The speech was evidently recycled, as he asked the Class of 2007 to reflect on their time growing up "in the seventies". However, he has participated in theatrical events, notably playing himself in the 2004 Varsity Show.
You were more likely to see him as an alum, especially if you're in the check-writing mood. He will stir your heartstrings with talk of an "intergenerational community" of Columbians extending back to 1754.
Quigley lives next door to 47 Claremont, and making enough noise would rouse his secretary into sending threatening emails.
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| Preceded by Steven Marcus |
Dean of Columbia College 1995-2009 |
Succeeded by Michele M. Moody-Adams |
