In This Issue:

More Than A Council of Engineers

Low Rotunda Teems with Job Seekers

Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ciechangover Speaks to SEAS Students and Alumni

Columbia Video Network Circles the Globe

Dean's Engineering Council Members, Spring 2005

Columbia Increases Services to Alumni

CESAA Creates Medal to Honor SEAS Alums in Non-Engineering Posts

Your Gift Planning Can Help the School

Art and Science of Folding Structures

Schulz, Shinozuka Receive Awards

Your Gift Planning Can Help the School

“Since arriving at Columbia about a year ago, I have received calls every week from alumni and friends who ask how they can include Columbia in their wills. Many of those calls come from Engineering alumni,” says Fred Hartwick, the Executive Director of Gift Planning.

Hartwick, an attorney, specialized in estate and tax planning at two large law firms before joining the planned giving staff of a California university prior to coming to Columbia. “I learned sophisticated estate planning when I drafted hundreds of wills and trusts and I now use my expertise to help people achieve their goals and support Columbia.”

As an expert in the field of planned giving, Hartwick offers alumni ways of maximizing a gift to Columbia, while still supporting their family. “One of the most cost-effective ways to make a charitable gift is to use assets held in a retirement plan,” he said. “People often don’t realize that money left in an IRA or 403(b) or 401(k) plan can be subject to both estate tax on the entire amount, and income tax paid by the beneficiary when he pulls out the remaining balance from the plan.” These taxes can consume up to 70% of the money in the account. By naming SEAS as the beneficiary of a retirement plan, neither estate nor income taxes will be due, and the full amount will come to Columbia. “Essentially you can choose to transfer to Columbia the 70% that would have been paid to the government in taxes,” he said.

Providing a bequest to SEAS can be as easy as including the following language in your will or living trust:

I give __________ (a specific dollar amount, or a percentage of the residue of my estate) _________ to THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK to support The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

If you would like to direct your gift to a certain program or purpose within the School, or if you would like to endow a fund that will last in perpetuity, please call Fred Hartwick. His phone number is 800-338-3294 or 212-870-3559.