February 14, 2024

Jane Spinak’s book The End of Family Court exposes the failures of America’s juvenile court system, tracing its origins to optimistic social reformers at the turn of the twentieth century. Despite their vision of a compassionate, therapeutic approach to juvenile justice, the reality has fallen short, perpetuating systemic injustices against children and families. Professor Spinak dismantles the court’s flawed foundations, rooted in racism, poverty bias, and assimilationist ideals. She advocates for a radical shift away from court intervention, proposing community-centered solutions and due process protections that sustain meaningful solutions for families. (Read More)

Jane M. Spinak is the Edward Ross Aranow Clinical Professor of Law Emerita at Columbia Law School. She co-founded Columbia Law School’s clinics focused on representing families and children.

Three copies of The End of Family Court will be

awarded as “door prizes.”

On January 26, the EPIC Steering Committee unanimously passed these two motions: 

• Motion: To further improve the system of retiree medical insurance at Columbia, in light of recent experience, and to do so in a cooperative spirit, the EPIC Steering Committee strongly urges the University administration to move this process speedily forward and to provide relevant information in a timely fashion.
• Motion: The University’s contribution to retiree medical benefits should be upgraded to $3,500 for each retiree and $1,750 for the spouse, which would place Columbia in the middle range of peer institution contributions. The same benefits should be extended to all eligible Columbia retired officers, regardless of date of retirement. Access to Columbia benefits should be available to support all available Medicare supplement policies and not conditional on Via enrollment.

Unleash your inner thespian with the EPIC Drama Society! Whether you’re a theater enthusiast, a storytelling lover, or simply enjoy great company, our Drama Society is your stage. We’ll gather EPICureans to read plays aloud, taking on character roles for an intimate theatrical experience. Professor Connie Nathanson guides our journey. Thinking about joining? Newcomers always welcome. Contact epic@columbia.edu for more information.

10–11 am Class practices breathing techniques and moves through some basic yoga poses, concentrating on alignment, balance, and flexibility.

11:15 am–12:15 pm Gentle/chair yoga, ideal for those of more limited mobility or flexibility.

Professor Emerita Ginny Papaioannou, a registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance, leads EPIC Yoga. No prior experience is required to join.

Renew securely online by making your annual

tax-deductible contribution to EPIC. Your contributions fund the

Douglas Chalmers Graduate Scholars Lectureship.

Or mail a check to:

Emeritus Professors in Columbia (EPIC)

202A Philosophy Hall, 1150 Amsterdam Avenue

Mail Code 9215

New York, NY 10027

Emeritus Professors in Columbia (EPIC) brings Columbia academic retirees together in professional and social fellowship with regular talks, fall and spring receptions, music performance, yoga and wellness sessions, and collaborative Columbia community initiatives,

such as the Douglas Chalmers Graduate Scholars Lectureship for young doctoral and post-doctoral scholars. EPIC is your powerful advocate for the retiree community.

Do you have questions about EPIC? Email us at epic@columbia.edu.