Columns was started in 1908 as the Washington Alumnus. Twice in the years since then, the magazine ceased publication entirely—during World War I and in the mid-1930s—only to be revived each time. For most of these years it was published by the UW Alumni Association and sent only to UWAA members. In 1989 the magazine was redesigned, its circulation expanded to cover all UW alumni, and the name changed to Columns (not to be confused with the campus humor magazine of that name formerly published by the ASUW through the School of Communications, a periodical of often questionable taste that died out in the late 1950s).
Columns is sent to every graduate of the UW living in the U.S. for whom an address is on file, to all dues-paying UW Alumni Association members living outside of the U.S., and to selected donors and friends even if they are not UW alumni. It is our policy to send one per household. If you receive duplicates, please send e-mail to columns@u.washington.edu.
Send e-mail to columns@u.washington.edu with your complete name, class year, major field of study and current address. You should start receiving the next issue of the magazine.
It is published four times a year: March 1st, June 1st, September 1st and December 1st. Due to its mail status, it may arrive a few days before or after that date.
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At present, circulation per issue is about 220,000 copies.
The magazine is co-published by the University of Washington and the UW Alumni Association. The magazine's publisher is the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations/Executive Director of the Alumni Association.
Opinions expressed are those of the signed contributors or the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the University of Washington. The magazine does not endorse, directly or by implication, any products or services advertised except those sponsored directly by the UW Alumni Association.
Tom Griffin has been editor of Columns since it was founded in 1989. During that time, the magazine has won 125 awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Washington Press Association and PRINT Magazine. Prior to joiningColumns, Griffin was the editor of University Week, the faculty/staff newspaper at the University of Washington; a daily newspaper reporter in Madison, Wis.; and an English teacher in Paris. He has both a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin. Send e-mail to griffin@u.washington.edu.
Ken Shafer has been the art director of Columns since its second issue was published in 1990. He runs Ken Shafer Design, a Seattle-based graphic design firm that has created logos for Disney, Microsoft, Nike and the NBA. He hold a bachelor of arts degree from East Texas University. Send e-mail to kshafer@msn.com.
Mary Levin, '82, has been the Columns primary photographer since 1993. She also serves as the University Photographer with the Office of News and Information. She has a master of fine arts degree in photography from the UW awarded in 1982. Send e-mail to mlevin@u.washington.edu.
Chair
Michael Bronsdon, '83, '89, Group Product Manager, Microsoft
Members
Gerald Baldasty, '72, Chair, UW Dept. of Communication
John Buller, '69, '71, Assistant VP and Executive Director, UW Alumni Association
Ronald B. Dear, Professor Emeritus, UW School of Social Work
Audrey Edwards, '69, Senior Editor, More Magazine
Greg Heberlein, '69, Retired Reporter, Seattle Times & King County Journal
Mary Keller, '81, '87, Visiting Scholar, CARTAH
Karen T. Lee, '94, President, UW Alumni Association
Sue Lockett John, '69, '80, Free-lance Journalist
Robert W. Merry, '68, President & Publisher, Congressional Quarterly
Shannon O'Leary, '89, Editor, Northwest Home & Garden
Robert Roseth, Director, UW Office of News and Information
Shelby Scates, '54, Retired Reporter and Columnist, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Greg Tamura, '92, Media Buyer, REI, Inc.
Hill Williams, '48, '66, Retired Reporter, Seattle Times
The mission of the Columns Advisory Committee is to support, monitor and provide direction to Columns Magazine through its editor.
The diversity and expertise of its representative journalistic, University and alumni membership shall assist it in discharging the following responsibilities:
