Dear faculty, staff, and students:
 
As we approach the end of another remarkable semester, I’m filled with gratitude for our vibrant Cooper Community and the incredible work we’ve accomplished together in the School of Architecture.
 
We kicked off the fall semester with the departure of President Laura Sparks, who concluded an impactful seven-year tenure. In one of her final acts as Cooper Union’s thirteenth president, she made the momentous announcement that every senior class in the next four years will be tuition-free, starting with this year’s seniors. This achievement significantly enhances The Cooper Union’s momentum toward restoring full-tuition scholarships for all students, bringing us closer to realizing Peter Cooper’s founding vision of a free center of learning for all.
 
Building on that energy, we launched our design studios, courses, and public programming, addressing critical issues and empowering students to explore new ideas while collaborating across disciplines. We also announced two new faculty appointments: Mersiha Veledar as Acting Assistant Dean and Associate Professor Michael Young as Coordinator of Graduate Studies. Both have already made remarkable contributions in their new roles.
 
Recognizing the importance of site visits and travel as a community-building endeavor, our second-year students visited Toronto to study the scale of city blocks in the Riverdale neighborhood. Alongside their studio faculty, they explored the relationship between urban morphology and architectural typology, participating in architecture tours led by local architect Brigitte Shim. The experience was further enriched by evening cookouts led by chef Nader Tehrani, complemented by the warm Canadian hospitality provided by Nima Javidi. 
 
Our public programs continue to play a vital role in cultivating a vibrant intellectual culture within the school. This semester, Assistant Professor Ben Aranda coordinated an extraordinary series of lectures, book launches, and conversations. In addition to our regular lecture series, we have launched a collaboration with the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum titled The Making Home With lecture series. This initiative features four public lectures that pair participants from the Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial exhibition with designers, artists, professionals, and Cooper Union faculty to explore the exhibition's themes related to home, design, data, justice, history, and building. 
 
The Third Floor Hallway Gallery showcased three outstanding exhibitions this semester, organized by Chris Dierks, who in September was promoted to Associate Director of the Architecture Archive. The first exhibition, AA Folios: 1983–1985, curated by Chris and mounted in partnership with The Cooper Union Library, presents the first seven of fourteen AA Folios—a publication series produced by the Architectural Association in London from 1983 to 1991. The remaining seven will be featured in a second exhibition in the spring of 2025. The second exhibition, Zachary Mollica: Other Wood Pieces, displayed twenty-three unique wood pieces, including a variety of salvaged materials and large-format drawings. The third exhibition, Self-Assembly Lab, MIT: Experiments in Programming Matter, highlighted the work of Skylar Tibbits, founder and co-director of the Lab, showcasing innovative approaches to adaptive materials and self-organizing environments.
 
In the 41 Cooper Gallery, Anthony Candido—Selected Works featured the impressive body of work by former faculty member Anthony Candido, who taught at The Cooper Union from 1959–2015. His collection includes oil and acrylic paintings, as well as sumi ink brush strokes on handmade papers. 
 
In support of its work, the Architecture Archive received a $10,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts through its Support for Organizations grant program. These funds will support special projects conducted by the Archive, including exhibitions, publications, and digital initiatives. Caitlin Biggers has also rejoined the Archive staff, in the role of part-time Archivist.
 
Looking ahead to the second half of this academic year, we are excited to announce a new collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art for their upcoming exhibition on West African Modernism. Through elective courses in spring and fall 2025, Cooper Union students will design and fabricate museum-quality models of several buildings that will be featured in the exhibition, set to open at MoMA in May 2026. We will also continue our partnership with the Storefront of Art and Architecture with an exciting public event planned for the spring in the Great Hall.  
 
We are eagerly preparing for the spring visit by the NAAB visiting team on March 16-19, 2025, following the approval of our Annual Program Report. As part of our re-accreditation efforts for the 2024-25 academic year, we will introduce an advisory board to provide guidance to the School of Architecture. This initiative aims to engage distinguished scholars and practitioners across three areas: Design, History/Theory, and Environmental Technologies. Through intimate meetings and public discussions, we hope to gather valuable feedback and insights to shape the School's vision.
 
Lastly, in celebration of our extraordinary faculty, we will host an exhibition in the Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Gallery featuring the work of Professor Diana Agrest and her practice, Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects. We look forward to welcoming many alumni back for the opening reception in April.
 
As finals week concludes, I hope winter break offers you the chance to unplug, unwind, and reconnect with family and friends. 
 
Best wishes for a joyful holiday and I look forward to seeing you in 2025!
 
Warmly,
Hayley