Seth Low

Seth Low

Seth Low was president of Columbia College, then of Columbia University. As you may have guessed, he had a lot to do with the name change. Oh, and the campus moved from Midtown to Morningside Heights under his watch. He also built Low Library, in memory of his father, Abiel Abbott Low.

In 1902, he left Columbia to become mayor of New York City, paving the way for Nicholas Murray Butler to take charge.