Office of Public Affairs
Columbia University
New York, N.Y. 10027
(212) 854-5573
Alan Stone, Vice President
Virgil Renzulli, Associate Vice President
July, 2000
GEORGE RUPP
George Rupp became the eighteenth President of Columbia University on July 1, 1993.
At Columbia he has focused initially on enhancing undergraduate education, on strengthening the relationship of the campus to surrounding communities and New York City as a whole, and on increasing the international orientation of the University.
A native of New Jersey, Dr. Rupp was graduated with high honors in the Princeton University Class of 1964. He also received the Bachelor of Divinity degree magna cum laude from Yale University. Following studies at the University of Sri Lanka, he was awarded the Ph.D. in the study of religion from Harvard University.
Dr. Rupp came to Columbia from the presidency of Rice University. At Rice, he launched a reform of the undergraduate curriculum and developed six multi-disciplinary research institutes. During the eight years of his presidency applications for admission almost tripled, federal research support more than doubled, and the value of the Rice endowment increased by more than $500 million to $1.25 billion.
Before going to Rice, Dr. Rupp was the John Lord O'Brian Professor of Divinity and dean of the Harvard Divinity School. Under his leadership, the School's curriculum was revised to address more directly the pluralistic character of contemporary religious life. Further developments included new programs in women's studies and religion, Jewish-Christian relations, and religion and medicine.
Dr. Rupp is the author of four books, including Beyond Existentialism and Zen: Religion in a Pluralistic World and Commitment and Community.
The parents of two adult daughters, Dr. Rupp and his wife, Nancy, live in the President's House on the Columbia campus.