June 6, 2022

Dear GSAPP Community,

The young researcher’s watch band was eye-catching: its rainbow colors in a roomful of monotones, but more strikingly, this was in a country where same-sex relationships are not recognized by the law. It caught my eyes during a research assessment trip to Asia about two weeks ago. While we proudly celebrate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month in June, we must reckon with the fact that equal rights for LGBTQI+ individuals and their loved ones are hard-fought and remain elusive in many parts of the world. Stand firm we must, to safeguard these rights, especially against the onslaught of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation across many states.

In honor of Pride Month, I am sharing a selection of contributions and resources by the GSAPP community and beyond. Disappearing Queer Spaces, the latest publication of the Queer Students of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (QSAPP) documents seven key queer spaces from the peak of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City. Professor Andrew Dolkart will lead the Stonewall & Greenwich Village LGBT History tour of Greenwich Village on June 22 at 6pm for the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project (also browse over 350 sites on the Project’s Self-Guided Tour). Learn more about notable alumni from across GSAPP’s programs in a new Celebrating Pride profile series, which begins this week with Angelic Williams ‘13 MSRED and Ken Lustbader '93 MSHP. Take some time in the summer to watch the Stonewall 50: Defining LGBTQ Site Preservation symposium, hosted by GSAPP in April 2019, including three panels: Reinterpreting the House Museum, LGBTQ Site Preservation: An International Perspective, and Recognizing LGBTQ Sites in the United States. For more resources, visit Columbia News’ round up to learn about Columbia’s long history in the LGBTQ+ movement, events, and more.

I want to take this opportunity to welcome new students who have joined three GSAPP programs since last week: Class of 2023 in Advanced Architectural Design, in Real Estate Development, and in Urban Design. Enjoy the energy and encounters that fill the studios, classrooms, and gathering places. While doing so, please exercise the abundance of caution that has made in-person learning possible, outlined in the GSAPP COVID-19 Resources and COVID-19 Resource Guide. Take some time to become familiar with Columbia’s Use of Pronouns and associated resources. This week Columbia Irving Medical Center’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group is hosting a session to present The Trevor Project and discuss policies, access to care, and mental health issues surrounding the young LGBTQ+ community on June 8 at 12pm.

Also great news to share: Following the visit and review by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), the Master of Architecture program has been granted the maximum eight-year term of continuing accreditation. NAAB documents, including the most recent Architecture Program Report, Visiting Team Report, and the Decision Letter can be found here. This follows on the heels of the Master of Science in Urban Planning program being reaccredited for the maximum seven-year term about a year ago, by the Planning Accreditation Board (see PAB decision here). Thank you to all who have been engaged and supported the processes.

My best for an enjoyable summer,

Weiping Wu
Interim Dean