Dear CBS community,
Welcome back. 2021–2022 is a transformative year for the school—a milestone year in CBS’s history. First, I want to acknowledge the difficulty of these past 18 months and thank you for your help and commitment to ensure our return to campus life and in-person education. As always, the health and safety of our CBS family remains our top priority, and we are committed to keeping you updated and informed during this time. Second, we have an incredibly exciting year ahead of us, one that enhances the intellectual life and thought leadership of our School, furthers our cutting-edge curriculum, reinforces our commitment to a broader, more representative community, and will literally and figuratively transform the CBS experience for our community and our partners.
New curriculum and courses
The world of business is rapidly transforming and so is our innovative curriculum, which prepares students and alumni to successfully navigate the future of business. In the next two semesters, we will launch new courses in technology and digital transformation, leadership and team dynamics in the digital world of business, the future of work, climate change and business, and business and society. Ambitious curricular efforts are also underway in digital transformation, global business, and experiential learning. We know our students—including our largest MBA class in history, representing 6 continents, 61 countries, and 27 states—will find significant value in our continuously evolving coursework.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion
The future of business belongs to a complex, multicultural world, and diversity of perspectives and participation is essential to driving the future of business education, scholarship, and leadership. After 12 months of intense work, the DEI Task Force has developed a comprehensive set of recommendations for students, staff, and faculty. In the coming weeks, we will issue a report that shares those conclusions and outlines next steps to further embrace our accountability and leadership on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Thought leadership
CBS continues to produce critical research that furthers insight and knowledge, shapes policy, and influences business strategy. This year, we are proud to welcome several new faculty members in finance, economics, management, and marketing. We are also piloting new research initiatives focusing on critical areas shaping business and society, including climate and energy, digital tech analytics, and more. Lastly, to expand our promotion of our thought leadership to practice, we are introducing a comprehensive program that includes new mechanisms and events to amplify the research we produce on an ongoing basis. Manhattanville In a truly transformational move for CBS, at the end of fall semester we will say farewell to Uris Hall and Warren Hall and transition to the Manhattanville campus, with two new facilities that physically embody our vision and values. Our new state-of-the-art buildings will double our space and unite faculty, students, and staff in open, light-filled spaces designed specifically to encourage interaction and collaboration. In addition to flexible classrooms, we will have dedicated spaces for socializing, recruiting, events with business leaders, and more. My hope is Manhattanville will become a lifelong home for the CBS community. It is a new era—an opportunity for us to shape the future of CBS and its legacy. These are just a few of the many important initiatives happening across CBS. To learn more about what’s new in the year ahead, please visit the links below.
Wishing you good health and great adventures in the momentous year ahead,
Costis Maglaras
Dean, Columbia Business School
A LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD
New Faculty and Leadership New faculty members joined CBS this summer in the Marketing, Finance, Economics, and Management divisions. Crucial appointments were also made in leadership, including a new Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and a new Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. Teaching and Learning This year’s curriculum offers a new program on climate change and business, new courses on technology, data and advanced analytics, and enhanced career education. CBS continues to build students’ digital fluency with the number of electives in this area increasing fivefold over the past seven years.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The new year brings new leadership, new programs, an increase in financial aid, and an upcoming report from the DEI Task Force.
Research and Thought Leadership Resources to facilitate thought leadership continue to cover new ground and enrich the student research experience this year.
Alumni and Community One of the year’s biggest events is taking place on October 11 as we celebrate our amazing alumni at the 44th Annual Dinner virtually. A new digital alumni community was launched, and lifelong learning opportunities continue to be offered through Alumni Edge.
Executive Education New leadership, a revamped Advanced Management Program, and programs on some of the hottest topics in business are underway for the ‘21–’22 year.
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