COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY RECORD January 21, 1994 Vol. 19 No. 14 SOVERN HONORED FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP BY CITIZENS UNION Citizens Union has presented its annual Civic Leadership Award to Michael I. Sovern, president emeritus and professor of law at Columbia. Cited as a leader "whose career is the very definition of civic achievement," Sovern received the honor at Citizens Union's 96th anniversary dinner Dec. 7 at the Hotel Pierre. The non-partisan organization was founded in 1897 to promote honest and efficient city government. One of its first acts was to support Seth Low, then president of Columbia, in his successful bid to become reform mayor of the newly consolidated City of Greater New York. "The life of Michael Sovern can be described very simply--he is a contributor," said Richard J. Davis, vice chair of Citizens Union. "He is someone who at critical times finds ways to contribute to the fundamental betterment of the society in which he lives, whether as a leader of the Columbia faculty helping heal the wounds of the late 60's, as Dean of the Columbia Law School or as President of the University, as a major force in such organizations as the Mobilization for Youth legal arm, the NAACP, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Funds or the American Foundation for AIDS Research, as chair of the New York State/New York City Commission on Integrity in Government or as chair of the 1982 Charter Revision Commission, he has spent his life contributing to enriching the life of others as well as institutions which are so important to our city." The organization also presented its Business Leadership Award to Harry P. Kamen, chairman and chief executive officer of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.