New Student Convocation this year was held in the Student Center instead of the usual Grant Park location due to budget cuts, setting the stage for what’s to come: a year of more challenges, but, most importantly, an opportunity for resilience; a quality that emerged as the core of our community these past couple of years.
Incoming students had no point of comparison to what convocation used to be like. They filled the Student Center and adjacent parking lot with their excitement over being at Columbia, even as staff and faculty there to support them were smaller in numbers and anxious about what’s ahead: next week, the results of the program review will start the conversation about which majors and degrees may be merged or cut.
Resilience will be desperately needed to make it through that process and through the next few semesters. We’ve had changes, from leadership transitions to major cuts, all while trying to maintain our commitment to the arts and the creative environment we foster. Interim President Jerry Tarrer’s recorded welcome emphasized this resilience, prioritizing attracting new students, supporting returning students and addressing the fiscal challenges facing Columbia.
He delivered a similar message at New Student Convocation, as the Chronicle reported. “Me, and the staff, and the faculty are going to do everything we can to support you while you’re here at the college and see you over the finish line so that you can leave here and go out into the world and make a difference, make a change.” said Tarrer.
These can’t just be administrative goals. They have to be everyone’s goals.
Resilience within our community is already evident in the way we support one another. Whether it’s through collaborative projects, peer mentorship or just being there for a friend or colleague during tough times, Columbia students, faculty, and staff show up even when we don’t want to. This energy was highly visible at this year’s convocation, where new and returning students were welcomed not just as individuals but as important parts of the community that values creativity, diversity and mutual support.
Resilience within the college isn’t just about bouncing back from difficulties, it’s also about evolving through them, and as members of the community we sure have had a lot to bounce back from. It’s been painful, with departures of faculty and mass layoffs of staff, as the Chronicle
previously reported over the summer. We’re still waiting for the college to honor these departing community members like librarian Kim Hale.
At the faculty meeting in May, Tarrer was pressed by faculty not to let people go without recognizing their long-time contributions, and yet the college has done just that. So even as we press for resilience, we have to do better about honoring each other and acknowledging the painful parts of what is happening. The changes may be necessary to keep Columbia from closing, but it doesn’t mean they won’t be extremely difficult.
As we begin the semester, let’s remember that the strength of Columbia lies in its people, in the students who bring their unique perspectives and personalities to the classroom, the faculty who challenge and inspire us and the staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
In a time where the school’s future often feels uncertain, Columbia College Chicago’s community can stand as an inspiration, a place where creativity and resilience flow to create something extraordinary despite the unrest within. Let’s continue to build on this legacy, by supporting one another and embracing the power of our community as we navigate the year ahead together and with full transparency.
