[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 111 (Tuesday, September 19, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H7844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN B. DUFF, PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Wilson). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Dr. John B. Duff, who is retiring as President of Columbia College 
Chicago after 8 successful years and an illustrious career in both 
academia and the public sector.
  Prior to Columbia, Dr. Duff served as commissioner of the Chicago 
Public Library system, where he supervised construction of the Harold 
Washington Library, the world's largest public library. His academic 
positions include serving as the first chancellor of the Board of 
Regents from Massachusetts' newly reorganized system of public higher 
education; president of the University of Lowell, Massachusetts; and 
lay provost, executive vice president and processor of history at Seton 
Hall University.
  Founded in 1890, Columbia College Chicago is an undergraduate and 
graduate college in downtown Chicago, dedicated to communication arts 
as well as media arts, applied and fine arts, theatrical and performing 
arts, and management and marketing arts. It is the fifth largest 
private institution of higher education in Illinois and the largest and 
most comprehensive arts media and communications college in the 
country.
  More than one-third of Columbia's 9,000 students are minorities, the 
largest minority enrollment of any arts and communication institution 
in the country.
  Columbia today is 50 percent larger than it was 9 years ago. In terms 
of physical space, under Dr. Duff's leadership, Columbia acquired 
650,000 square feet. During this time, the first residence hall and new 
film stage facilities were opened, a new home for the music department 
was purchased, a new dance center was built, the 33 East Congress 
Building was purchased to house the English Department and the Radio 
Department, and Chicago's historic Ludington Building was acquired 
providing gallery space, student space, the Film/Video Department, and 
the Center for Book and Paper Arts.
  The college has played a major role in the revitalization of the 
South Loop and, working with its neighbors, arts organizations, 
entrepreneurs and the city is spearheading the development of a Wabash 
Avenue Arts Corridor.
  The growth of Columbia's faculty was also a priority for Dr. Duff 
during his tenure. The college added more than 100 full-time faculty 
positions to enhance curriculum development and management, to give 
more continuity to the educational programs, and to increase student 
contact with faculty.
  Dr. Duff also reinforced the college's commitment to its students by 
strengthening developmental education programs, to help students stay 
in school and graduate. Open-admissions arts colleges are rare, but one 
as academically strong as Columbia is truly unique.
  Today, thanks to Dr. Duff's leadership, Columbia remains secure in 
its mission and traditional commitments to opportunity, diversity, and 
professional education in the arts and communications.
  Madam Speaker, I invite all Members of the House to join with me in 
recognizing Dr. John Duff's many contributions to higher education to 
the City of Chicago and to the State of Illinois and in wishing him and 
his wife, journalist Estelle Shanley, our very best as they join one-
fifth of the rest of the population in this country and move out to 
California to spend the rest of their days.

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