Michael Ira Sovern

Michael Sovern joined the Columbia faculty in 1957. Served as chairman of the Executive Committee of the Faculty, 1968-69; dean of the School of Law, 1970-79; executive vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University, 1979-1980; president of the University, 1980-93. He was a founding member of the board of directors of Mobilization for Youth’s Legal Services Unit; the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund; the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund; and Helsinki Watch. Chairman, New York City Charter Revision Commission, 1982-83. Chairman, State-City (New York) Commission on Integrity in Government, 1986. His many honors include Commendatore in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy (1991); recipient, Citizens Union Civic Leadership Award (1993),  Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan (2004); Centennial Medal, American Academy in Rome, 2006; Lawrence A. Wien Prize for Social Responsibility (2010).

His books include Legal Restraints on Racial Discrimination in Employment, Tewntieth Century Fdn., 1966;  Law and Poverty (with others) West Pub. Co., 1969; Of Boundless Domains, University Press, 1994; An Improbable Life: My Sixty Years at Columbia and Other Adventures, Columbia University Press, 2014.