This morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed former Dean of SEAS Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora as the new Commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction for New York City. Peña-Mora served as SEAS’s fourteenth dean from 2009 to 2012, when he abruptly resigned from office in an event we dubbed Peñamonium. For freshmen and sophomores out there, this all happened […]

Minutes ago, PrezBo and Coatsworth sent out the following email to the SEAS community, announcing Dean Peña-Mora’s sudden resignation. Could it have something to do with the faculty’s letters of no confidence last year (and this year)? Last fall, the Times reported that 80% of tenured faculty supported his replacement in a strongly worded letter. […]

As he does from time to time, last night PrezBo opened the doors to his grandiose abode on Morningside Drive to a number of students and administrators for the latest in his Rooseveltian series of fireside chats. A pair of Bwog editors were in attendance, and positioned themselves on a soft couch to listen in on the night’s […]

It seems like just yesterday that PrezBo anointed Feniosky Peña-Mora dean of SEAS. Back in 2009, that halcyon year, Feni was talked up by ‘Bo, wore a doofy tee shirt, and hell, even sat down with OldBwog. These days are a little less rosy—the Times, which first profiled the guy in ’09, has of late […]

The leadership of SEAS Dean Feniosky Peña-Mora was brought under intense scrutiny in an article in The New York Times today. The story notes the numerous resignations of department heads since his arrival, citing frustration with his direction. This semester, two letters of no confidence in the Dean—signed by the majority of tenured faculty in SEAS—have been […]

Sean Zimmermann gives you the scoop from last night’s ESC meeting. Dean Peña-Mora spoke to the council last night in search of student feedback. He first clarified that the Engineering Library in Mudd is not closing. The new Northwest Corner Building library does not have many books (it’s a “library for the 21st century”), but […]

Columbia University recently announced that Ralph Izzo, SEAS ’79, will deliver this year’s SEAS Class Day address. If you haven’t heard of him, let it be known that Izzo is kind of a big deal. With a BS and MS in mechanical engineering and a PhD in applied physics, Izzo has graduated from Columbia quite […]

Sean Zimmermann reports from Monday’s meeting of the ESC. SEAS Dean Feniosky Peña-Mora came to tonight’s Engineering Student Council meeting. President Christopher Elizondo introduced Dean Peña-Mora as “the greatest champion for engineering students that we have on campus.” The Dean opened by explaining that he had “no particular agenda,” for the meeting, but he wanted […]

Orientation Day One is hardly over yet—there’s still Class Act to see, Gates to run through, and high fives not to give. Here are some scenes from the first eight hours of this long trek of a day. 2014, you kids look good out there. Welcome! Pictures and video of Day One to come. Send […]

SEAS Classes of 2011 and 2012, be sure to join Dean Peña-Mora in Carleton Lounge in Mudd at 8:00pm tonight for an opportunity to meet him while grubbing on free pizza and drinks. Maybe even get his take on the swim test. And for the rest of us, Amir’s on 114th and Broadway is having […]

Dear readers, As you may know, Columbia’s gotten a few new bigwigs this semester, and for the first time, the administration’s letting us interview them. Yep, next week, we will be interviewing Provost Claude Steele, CC Dean Michelle Moody-Adams, and SEAS Dean Feniosky Pena-Mora. But rather than entrust the questions to our own journalistic abilities, […]

After two years with an interim dean, PrezBo announced five months ago that SEAS has a new dean.  Feni set up shop in Mudd this summer and to welcome him, ESC is hosting a picnic party on the plaza in front of Pupin from 4 to 6 this afternoon. This evening, when the indigestion from […]

You may have heard that SEAS is  bringing in an outsider, Feniosky Peña-Mora, to be its next dean. This may bring a tide of change for the oft-forgotten school on the windiest corner of campus, which has been governed for the last two years by a fatigued physics professor. Certainly, in his last email, PrezBo […]