{ Academic Life: sidelight }

Symbols in limestone

It seems that anywhere you look on the University of Chicago campus, there is a figure staring at you, a quote speaking to you, a symbol waiting to be understood. Even the stones talk. It was all very planned, of course—whenever a building was being erected, the president would appoint a faculty committee on symbolism to come up with figures and words appropriate to what the building was being used for. But as the campus has changed over the years, some of the symbolism no longer quite makes sense. Here are just a few examples of the meanings behind the limestone:

• Rosenwald: The weathered stone carving next to the door on the west side bears the motto, "Dig and Discover." Four of its gargoyles represent the winds (Boreas, Notus, Euros, and Zephyrus), and four represent the birds of the air (duck, eagle, albatross, and condor). The front of Rosenwald Hall includes stone carvings of philosophers, geographers, geologists, fossils, national floral emblems, and reliefs of the Eastern and Western hemispheres. These symbols don't make much sense now, given that this is a Graduate School of Business building—unless you know that it was originally built to house the departments of geology and geography.
• Stuart Hall: Because it was originally built as the Law School, the building features images of kings and magistrates and the scales of justice over the main entrance.
• Cobb Gate: The gate has accumulated an elaborate mythology sustained by generations of College students. It goes like this: At the base are the largest figures, said to be the admission counselor and College examiner defying ready passage. Above them are the first-years, struggling to keep their footing on the slippery academic slope. The second-years, looking slightly more stable, scurry ahead. Snarling at the second-year students to keep them at a respectful distance, the third-year students strain to reach the top. The fourth-years, of course, stand proudly at the educational pinnacle.
• Bartlett Hall: Because Bartlett was built as a gym, the mural in the foyer depicts athletic tournaments in the Middle Ages. The shield over the doorway represents physical education in the form of Vires, the lion, offering assistance to Scientia and Litterae, symbolized by two owls.

New leader for Chicago

When the Unversity of Chicago was searching for a new President in 2006, it turned to a familiar figure. Robert J. Zimmer, although most recently the provost of Brown University, had spent more than two decades at Chicago, starting as a math instructor and moving up to become a distinguished service professor and vice-president for research and Argonne National Laboratory. His academic leadership experience combined with his understanding of Chicago's unique culture added up to the perfect choice.

University of Chicago by the numbers

• 12,717 students on the quads
• 143,973 living alumni
• 8,409 benefits-eligible employees (including faculty)

I say B.A., you say A.B.

Chicago has a habit of calling a bachelor of arts degree an A.B., rather than today’s usual B.A. The A.B. stands for the Latin artium baccalaureus. Chicago’s diplomas—including the names of the graduate and of the University president— were originally printed in Latin. When the language on the diplomas was changed to the vernacular— thus, bachelor of arts—the abbreviation was kept the same. But whether it’s written in Latin or English, the diploma the president will hand you at your graduation will represent the same Chicago degree.