Looking down at the handful of unclaimed name tags minutes before the start of the VIP-only groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of NYU’s new campus in Washington, D.C., Gustave Fleury, NYU’s Senior Director of Stewardship and Special Events, clearly annoyed by the no-shows, sighed, “These people are unbelievable,” as the thirty or so attendees schmoozed and sipped champagne behind him. Four photographers roamed the crowd snapping pictures as a local ABC cameraman set up his gear.
The guest list was a serious who’s-who of NYU’s elite, bringing together the full university leadership team, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, DC campus planners, top donors, and the heads of the construction crew. All were gathered to celebrate the beginning of construction on NYU’s newest study-away site, the Constance Milstein and Family Academic Center (henceforth NYUDC), just blocks from the White House in the heart of the city.
Marty Lipton, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, spoke first. Lipton (whom NYU President John Sexton, appealing to his Brooklyn roots, called “a brother by another mother”) started with a familiar theme: the global network university. “[NYUDC] fits in with this concept that John Sexton has brought to fruition,” said Lipton. “But we have a great deal more to go.”
Sexton, speaking next, continued in that vein. “At first we thought ‘global’ was the most important of the three words…but we came to realize that the real word is university,” he said, stressing the ‘universe’ portion of university. He added that there should be “no barriers” within the school’s network and that NYUDC would help knock more of those down.
After a short speech from Dr. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Congressional delegate representing the District of Columbia, Sexton led the symbolic “groundbreaking,” complete with hardhats and shovels emblazoned with the purple NYU torch. Sexton had to pause for a moment to adjust his hardhat – “they don’t make these big enough for a presidential head,” he joked.
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The actual groundbreaking should begin soon on the 12-story, 75,000 square foot building, which will include dorms on the upper floors for 125 students. Up to 150 students will have the opportunity to study in DC each semester, where regular coursework will be combined with an internship in the city. This is, obviously, ideal for students studying politics, economics, journalism, and history.
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After the groundbreaking, the VIP crowd walked to the nearby St. Regis hotel, where around 400 other guests, mostly alumni, enjoyed catered food and an open bar. After a brief introduction mostly asking for donations to the new campus, Connie Milstein stepped up to the podium. Milstein, a real-estate manager and NYU trustee, donated $10 million to the project, earning her name in the building’s title and a lot of praise from Sexton, Lipton, and others throughout the night. Long a strong proponent of a DC branch, she spoke about the need for an NYU campus in the nation’s capital and echoed the evening’s excitement about NYU’s global push. “[Sexton’s] vision of the ‘global network university’ is no doubt one of the most brilliant ideas of our time,” she said.
Sexton then gave a 20 minute speech explaining that vision. He spoke with charisma and passion about the DC site, the expanding NYU network, and the new Abu Dhabi campus – “the world’s honors college.”
“Of every 50 students we accept at NYU New York, only one would get into NYU Abu Dhabi,” he bragged.
He also gave some advice to the Beltway crowd. “Sometime when you’re in an elevator going down and everyone is silent, you can break the silence with: ‘Really something that NYU’s global network university is here…,’” he said to laughter.
The celebration concluded with more mingling and more drinks. Dozens of people swarmed Sexton, clearly the star of the night, to hear him chat about his travels, his earlier teaching career, and his family. They were also rewarded with some photos from his iPhone that he shared intermittently.
One was of him wearing a turban, posing with three young burqa-wearing women. And, really, that sums up the night and highlights one of Sexton’s greatest skills: he’s never off message.
Roll over photos for descriptions. Click to expand.
Map of the location of the new campus (red) in relation to other landmarks:
View NYUDC in a larger map
Hmm. Does anyone else find this all quite obscene?
We aren’t the first “global university.” Most great universities have a presence in every city – they just don’t need a building to prove it. I lived and interned in DC for two summers and I learned two things very quickly. First, NYU does not have an official student-alumni network in DC. Second, the best universities commit to their official alumni networks (Yale, Columbia, etc.) by holding events and so on.
Yes, if you build it, alumni will come, but NYU has never made it a priority to grow its network without first constructing multimillion dollar buildings. NYU seems to be better at throwing money at a building than growing a community. The new NYUDC can and will provide a “home-base” for students and alumni in DC (much like the centers owned by Cornell and the UCs already do), but a multi-million dollar building is not the only means to that end.
Very good point, Max.
The next step, and something I really can’t wait to do, is start asking the faculty of the NYUDC campus what they can help me with, as I plan to do with Wasserman and CAS after I graduate.
I think this facility is a great step, and anyone who suggests that spending millions on a building was unncecessary doesn’t know real estate or architecture.
The prevailing sentiment has been that NYU doesn’t care about its alumni, and until we demand it, that probably won’t change.
Is this man Lipton like Lipton Tea Lipton?
Also, NYU should expand the Tisch school of the arts to LA starting in 2010. Then NYU will really have covered the world. They could also probably start NYUAir to make it easier for students and faculty to get from one school to another.
I like the trend of spending our tuition money on hiring more esteemed faculty to boost the school’s ranking better than constructing more esteemed buildings to boost the school’s “global presence”.
Of all the collegiate races (and this expansion trend does indeed seem to be a competition), the rankings race has the benefits I’d like to pay for–I’d study in a shack if it meant being mentored by a brilliant, revered professor…
[...] NYU Should Fix in NY Before It Moves To D.C. Broken @ NYUThis week NYU broke ground on its new campus in Washington D.C. and I died a little bit inside. I’m not one of those [...]
Martin Lipton is a NYU Law alum and founder of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lipton
Funding for capital expenditures like NYU DC and other buildings generally comes from donations from people like Connie Milstein, not tuition.
As a former employee of NYU Alumni Relations and Development and a dual-degree alum myself (CAS ’03, Steinhardt ’08), I can attest that NYU is working very hard to develop alumni networks here in NY and in various cities across the country and around the world. I’ve attended events and seen alums networking and making connections. Alumni Relations at any school is a long, slow process of building relationships and engaging people. It’s happening-it just takes time. If you want to ensure its success, make sure you’re involved alums, yourselves!
Ryann,
I respectfully disagree.
But, what I mean by *alumni-Student* network is that NYU should engage with its alumni to create a meaningful group of graduates that are willing to help out other NYU students (graduated or not) look for jobs or provide advice.
The key is that I am not talking about a network that is just for alumni. I am not speaking about a group of 65 year old NYU graduates milling around a banquet room trying to decide how much of their life savings they want to put in NYU’s pockets. Yes, I agree, that takes a long time and is necessary.
I believe that today’s reality of tuition debts will usher in a new type of alumni support. A 25 year-old who just paid $200,000 for college – and is very likely still paying off those debts – is probably not going to give any more monetary contributions for a very long time. However, what that recent graduate *can* give back to fellow NYU students is his/her jobs search experience, job referrals, or advice.
I know from personal experience that many universities utilize recent graduates in this particular way. Yale and Columbia alumni regularly host events for current students of their alma mater who are interning/working in DC. It’s my understanding that the university will pay a staff member, recent graduate, or graduate school student to reach out to these alumni, then host and plan events. A building in DC can be a catalyst for this type of interaction, but it is not completely necessary.
Honestly, if I graduated tomorrow, I wouldn’t know how to help any classmates or current students other than sending a check.
Max,
Opportunities for alums to mentor/provide internships for/interact with current students is part of the conversation NYU is having with alums. Again, it takes time to build those kinds of programs. You have to remember that NYU has a very different history and culture than Columbia or Yale. NYU was more of a commuter school in the 70s and 80s and those alums didn’t have the same college experience and connection to NYU you’re having. And past administrations didn’t make alumni engagement as high of a priority, so there is a lot of ground to make up for.
But there have been several Alumni-Student mentoring events on campus with many members of the Young Alumni Leadership Circle in attendance. Wasserman has a mentor network that alums and students can sign up for. And there are probably even more school-based initiatives-I know Tisch does a great job with connecting alums and students in LA. So hopefully there’s more to come in NY and other cities!
“At first we thought ‘global’ was the most important of the three words…but we came to realize that the real word is university,” he said, stressing the ‘universe’ portion of university.”
NYU MARS CAMPUS 2035!
[...] regimes?’ It’s a real concern.”NYU President John Sexton endorsed the move at the Washington DC groundbreaking last week. He also approvingly quoted Levin.“In a letter to the Yale community, Yale’s [...]
[...] regimes?’ It’s a real concern.”NYU President John Sexton endorsed the move at the Washington DC groundbreaking last week. He also approvingly quoted Levin.“In a letter to the Yale community, Yale’s [...]
I think you’re lying. And if not, can you please tell miss Milstein to pay for teachers and a renovation of the closet I lived in freshman year (3rd North South Tower, represent) rather than build new buildings? I’m a dual major too!
[...] expansion here at home in their 2031 plans or abroad in Abu Dhabi. We’re also expanding into Washington DC and Australia — and we’re thinking about [...]
[...] has taken over much of lower Manhattan and opened an NYU portal campus in Abu Dhabi, with more in Shanghai, Washington D.C., and Europe in development. J-Sex calls it making NYU “a global [...]
I would like to know the employment opportunities full/part-time that will be available at this new Washington, DC location.
I worked in the building right next door, Franklin Square Bldg. and am interested in applying at this new location for a part-time position.
I’ve worked in the University atmosphere for 20 years at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA
Please let me know how I can apply. Thanking you in advance,
Veronica Toran
Sr. Administrative Assistant/Office Manager