ORIENTATION 2012
116 Columbian Traditions............................ 2 Recent Columbian Controversies............... 4 Stories to Watch..........................................6 The Escape Plan...........................................8 Where to Eat................................................10 The Eye........................................................12
August 27, 2012 ILLUSTRATION BY IONE WANG
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TRADITIONS
AUGUST 27, 2012
116 COLUMBIA TRADITIONS 1. Enter the 116th Street gates and sing “Roar, Lion, Roar” on the first night of orientation. 2. Discover that your RA is useless (best case scenario) or a pain in the butt (worst case scenario). 3. Set foot in all five boroughs. Alternatively, set foot in four and look at Staten Island on the subway map. 4. Try to figure out the Barnard-Columbia relationship. Give up. 5. Lock yourself out of your room while in a towel and flip-flops. Proceed to Hartley or the security desk (normal people only). 6. Lock yourself out of your room while dressed. Borrow towel and cell phone from friend and call Hartley to say you are locked out and undressed (lazy bums only). 7. Enroll in an 8:40 a.m. or Friday class. Never go. 8. Get a Broadway shake at Tom’s. 9. Avoid Uni Café like the plague. You might catch it there. 10. Detach your closet door. Play beer pong on it. 11. Pretend to be interested in a club to get free swag. Get spammed for the next four years. 12. Forget to transfer at 96th Street and end up at Central Park North. 13. Catch someone moving your laundry. 14. Get excited about the new buildings on Manhattanville campus. Just kidding, you’ll never take a class there. 15. Learn what eminent domain means. 16. Spend a week eating nothing not in sandwich form. 17. Get sexiled. Sleep in the lounge. 18. Eat a slice of Koronet pizza after a long night of drinking. Return another day to discover it’s inedible when you’re sober. 19. Explore the tunnels. 20. Watch the Varsity Show all four years. Notice repetition of tired Barnard jokes. Also GS jokes. And SEAS jokes. 21. Never choose classes without using CULPA. 22. Take a class on the sixth floor of Hamilton. Hate yourself for it. 23. Get a fake ID. Still get rejected from Mel’s. 24. Go to a frat party. Just one. 25. Get an A without ever doing the reading (CC only). 26. Counterprotest something. 27. Get shafted in McBain. Make lame “shaft” jokes 10 times a day for the rest of the year. 28. Take the science or lab requirement. Almost fail out (nonscience majors only). 29. Eat at Sylvia’s in Harlem. 30. Go to Health Services with a cold. Leave with condoms. 31. Rock the Glass House. 32. Go to a campus group’s concert. 33. Go to Midnight Breakfast. 34. Make friends with the people in maintenance and with your security guards (and buy their CDs). 35. Join PrezBo’s 5K run. 36. Witness a Columbia athletics victory. 37. Believe at one point that race and gender are simply constructs. 38. Drink on Low Steps. 39. Read a text from every author on Butler. Find out who Demosthenes is and let us know. 40. Take a walk of shame. Run into your CC professor. 41. Complete the Set—a drink at Mel’s, the Heights, 1020, Cannon’s, and Il Cibreo in one night—and discover how much you love Columbia. 42. Change your major. Twice. 43. Go to services at Riverside Church or to the Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine. 44. Take part in 40s on 40. If it still exists. If not, pour out a 40 for another casualty of the War on Fun. 45. Volunteer with Community Impact. 46. See a movie filming on campus. When the movie comes out, go to see it and obnoxiously point out Columbia scenes to your friends. 47. Go to a fireside chat. Eat mini-burgers and chocolate chip cookies in PrezBo’s living room. 48. Sneak onto the roof of Mudd, SIPA, or Sulz for a picnic. 49. Take a class on something you know absolutely nothing about. 50. Eat brunch at Community while hungover, temporarily forget your woes until you receive the check. 51. Order the Spicy Special at CrackDel. Never actually find out its ingredients. 52. Take the M60 to LaGuardia. Take the train to Newark. Foot the taxi bill for JFK. 53. Pull an all-nighter with the rest of your floor studying for the Lit Hum final. 54. Find a study spot in Butler. Sleep there to keep it during finals week. 55. Go to Orgo Night.
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TRADITIONS / NEWS
56. Go to the Hungarian Pastry Shop. Realize Artopolis and Café Amrita are better. 57. Spend a vacation on campus while it’s empty. 58. Go to Postcrypt in St. Paul’s Chapel. 59. Quote a Core text outside of class. 60. Take a class that meets in 309 Havemeyer. Even if the class is awful, you won’t regret it. 61. Ignore the red flags on South Lawn. 62. Go to a World Leaders Forum event and shake hands with a foreign leader—preferably a brutal autocrat. 63. High-five Roar-ee. Don’t get kicked by the visitors’ mascot. 64. Forget your umbrella, pick up a copy of Spectator to protect your books. 65. Call CAVA for a friend. 66. Avoid getting CAVAed. 67. Start a CU Assassins team. Obsessively stalk your target. 68. Make a spare key with an old credit card and an X-Acto knife (VingCard dorms only). 69. Check out the view of campus from Butler’s roof, preferably at night and preferably sober. 70. Sled down Low Steps on a tray from Hewitt. 71. Start using Flex because it’s just like free money. Feel the wrath from your parents when it shows up on your tuition bill. 72. Get into museums for free using your CUID. Pay for the Frick. 73. Listen to your out-of-town friends call it the “red line.” Call them noobs. 74. Write a term paper in 12 hours. 75. Realize Williamsburg isn’t the only place in Brooklyn worth visiting. 76. Eagerly await the announcement of Bacchanal artists. Then complain that they suck. 77. Walk all the way up Lerner using only the ramps. Wonder why it’s built like that. 78. Hear Jeffrey Sachs speak. Experience liberal guilt. 79. Sample the various local supermarkets. Pledge your heart to Westside. 80. Pass without ever scoring above 60 on a test (SEAS only). 81. Protest something. 82. Get dragged out of bed at 4 a.m. for a fire alarm—three times in one week. Swear to savagely beat the person who set off the alarm. 83. Walk from Battery Park to campus or vice versa. 84. Wait an hour, in the cold, while drunk, for chicken and rice from the cart on 53rd and 6th. Shed tears of joy if it comes to campus. 85. Get a bagel from Absolute. Never go to Nussbaum again. 86. Get a coffee from Joe. Never go to Starbucks again. 87. Spend a month never going south of 107th Street (Absolute Bagels) or north of 120th Street (Joe). 88. Take Principles of Economics with Sunil Gulati. Become an econ major. 89. Discover econ majors have to take econometrics. Become an English major. 90. Try to go to a party in EC. Spend your whole night waiting to get signed in (Barnard/GS only). 91. Log into LionSHARE and realize that 90 percent of the internships are in consulting. 92. Get an “I love BC” T-shirt on Barnard Spirit Day. 93. Attend Homecoming once—the year you get free beer (seniors only). 94. Seriously consider dropping out. All the cool Columbians have. 95. Pledge to cook more. End up starting a line of credit at HamDel (cool kids only) or Milano (gourmet eaters only). Or Morton Williams (imbeciles only). 96. Attend a ceremonial religious meal, but not for your religion. 97. Have a drunken hookup. Awkwardly bump into said hookup everywhere. 98. Find the owl and then sit on Alma Mater. 99. Wait for Obama to acknowledge that he went here. Realize it’s never going to happen. 100. Join a campus tour and ask the tour guide awkward questions. 101. Go to the tree-lighting and Yule Log ceremonies. 102. Attend a WBAR-B-Q. 103. Go for a run in Riverside Park. 104. Run into a TA at 1020, awkwardly talk about your time in his section. 105. Spend one summer living and working in the city. 106. Make friends with a General Studies student who is 10 years older than you. 107. Lose friends in Senior Regroup. 108. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at night. Eat at Grimaldi’s. 109. See your name appear in a campus publication. 110. Realize the value of research librarians. 111. Check out Citi Field and the new Yankee Stadium. 112. Work an off-campus internship during the year. 113. Put off the swim test until second semester senior year (CC only). Consider inventing a water phobia to get out of it. 114. Hook up in the Butler stacks. 115. Remember that thesis you were supposed to write. Leave the stacks. 116. Graduate!
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Acronym guide
COLUMBIA SCHOOLS
COI: Committee on Instruction. Oversees all academic policies and curricular issues for Columbia College and the School of General Studies.
EPPC: Educational Policy and Planning Committee. A new administrative committee, composed of students and professors, that will address academic issues affecting schools within Arts and Sciences. PBC: Planning and Budget Committee, a new committee that will advise top administrators on the Arts and Sciences budget. Comprises the deans of all A&S schools, A&S Executive Vice President Nicholas Dirks, and two members of the Policy and Planning Committee. PPC: Policy and Planning Committee. A faculty group that advises A&S Executive Vice President Nicholas Dirks on all issues relevant to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. SAC: Student Affairs Committee. A University Senate committee that is composed of all student senators. Many university policies that directly affect students start here. USenate: University Senate. A university-wide governing body with representatives from just about every Columbia population—students, professors, senior administrators, administrative staff, research officers, librarians, and alumni.
CCE: Center for Career Education, the office responsible for doling out career advice and helping students connect with potential employers. Located on the lower level of East Campus. CPS: Counseling and Psychological Services, the office responsible for looking after students’ mental well-being. Located on the eighth floor of Lerner Hall. CSA: Center for Student Advising, the office responsible for academic advising for students in Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Located on the fourth floor of Lerner Hall. CUIT: Columbia University Information Technology, the office responsible for maintaining computer labs, printers, Internet access, and everything in between. Headquartered in an off-campus facility on West 131st Street. DSA: Division of Student Affairs, a unit which comprises several offices important to CC and SEAS undergrads, including multicultural affairs, student development and activities, student advising, residential programs, and judicial affairs. Located on the sixth floor of Lerner Hall. SSOL: Student Services Online, the website where you’ll sign up for courses and receive your grades.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY IONE WANG
Columbia can sometimes seem like a dense jumble of letters—if you don’t know your acronyms and abbreviations, that is. From student councils to the University offices you’ll have to deal with, here’s a guide to some of the most important shorthand. —BY SPECTATOR STAFF
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES
STUDENT SERVICES
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A&S: Arts and Sciences, an umbrella administrative unit that consists of Columbia College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of General Studies, the School of the Arts, the School of International and Public Affairs, and the School of Continuing Education. BC: Barnard College. CC: Columbia College. CUMC: Columbia University Medical Center, located at 168th Street and home to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the College of Dental Medicine, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the School of Nursing. GS: School of General Studies, an undergraduate school that caters to nontraditional college students. GSAS: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. SCE: School of Continuing Education. SEAS: School of Engineering and Applied Science. SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs. SoA: School of the Arts.
STUDENT GOVERNANCE ABC: Activities Board at Columbia, a student governing board responsible for cultural, publication, science, engineering, academic, pre-professional, dance, vocal, theater, and special-interest groups. Distributes student life fees to these groups. CI: Community Impact, a student governing board responsible for community service-oriented groups. CCSC: Columbia College Student Council, the elected student government body of Columbia College. ESC: Engineering Student Council, the elected student government body of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. F@CU: Funding at Columbia University, a two-day process through which student council members allocate student life fees to five student governing boards. The governing boards fund and oversee all clubs at Columbia. GSSC: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. IGC: InterGreek Council, a student governing board responsible for Greek life at Columbia. Oversees the InterFraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, and the Multicultural Greek Council. SGA: Student Government Association, the elected student government body of Barnard College. SGB: Student Governing Board, a student organization that oversees and distributes student life fees to political, religious, activist, and humanitarian student groups.
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NEWS
AUGUST 27, 2012
TIMELINE: COLUMBIA CONTROVERSIES DECEMBER 2010: DRUG BUST BY YASMIN GAGNE Spectator Senior Staff Writer After a five-month undercover investigation carried out by the New York Police Department, five Columbia students were arrested in December 2010 for selling thousands of dollars worth of drugs out of fraternity houses and dorm rooms. The students, who became known in the press as the “Columbia Five,” originally pleaded not guilty to selling cocaine, marijuana, MDMA, Adderall, and LSD to undercover officers, but all of them eventually accepted some form of plea bargain. Only Harrison David, SEAS ’12—the only one of the five students to have sold cocaine— ended up serving time in prison. Prosecutors said that the students sold most of the drugs out of common areas and bedrooms in their fraternity houses on 114th Street, as well as rooms in the Intercultural Resource Center and the East Campus residence hall. Altogether, the students sold nearly $11,000 in drugs to undercover officers. The University sanctioned the three fraternities—Alpha Epsilon Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Psi Upsilon—that three of the students belonged to, kicking the organizations out of their 114th Street brownstones and putting them on extended social probation. Those brownstones will be back up for grabs this semester, with an application process that is scheduled to wrap up in November. yasmin.gagne@columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: Five students woke up in Columbia housing yesterday. Some of them may have woken up this morning on Rikers Island. As much as we feel like college students insulated from everything beyond the 116th Street gates, we are also adults. This happened at Columbia, and it’s a shame that we had to be reminded in such a startling way that Columbia is part of New York City—a city in the real world, with real laws to which society is all too ready to hold us accountable. But to what extent will we hold each other accountable? Reactions on campus ranged from hysterical to bemused, from saddened and bewildered to self-righteously enraged. The most common and most visceral reaction seems to have less to do with the drug dealing itself and more to do with the stunning invasion of the real world into our collegiate bubble. How do we begin to respond to the situation when the question it raises is what, exactly, just happened?... Columbia’s reputation will remain intact. The media attention will fade. These five of our peers will be found guilty or not guilty, but their lives will never be the same. The rest of us will watch this turn from scandal to lore, but we should not forget that it happened. And it happened here. We, as a community, are complicit in this. The actions of these students had wider consequences, but so, too, will whatever steps we take from here. And we need to consider that, and all of the implications thereof, no matter what happens next. “It happened here,” Editorial Board, Dec. 8, 2010
2009
2010
MAY 2011: ROTC RETURNS TO COLUMBIA DECEMBER 2008: EMINENT DOMAIN IN MANHATTANVILLE BY JILLIAN KUMAGAI Spectator Senior Staff Writer Columbia has a serious space crunch. That’s why, in 2003, University President Lee Bollinger invested in building a 17-acre campus along Broadway from 125th to 133rd streets in Manhattanville, a former manufacturing neighborhood. But the decades-long expansion faced much local opposition before it got off the ground. Through negotiations following the announcement of the expansion in 2003, Columbia purchased almost every lot on the site but two holdouts. In December 2008, the Empire State Development Corporation approved the use of eminent domain to seize private property in Manhattanville and transfer it to Columbia’s ownership. To justify this, the ESDC conducted a study of blight, which determined that poor or critical building conditions, high rates of vacancy, and underdevelopment existed within the site, and could therefore be improved by a large development project such as Columbia’s campus expansion. The two holdouts, Tuck-It-Away Self-Storage owner Nick Sprayregen and gas station owners Gurnam Singh and Parminder Kaur, filed lawsuits against the ESDC. In the first ruling by the New York State Supreme Court, the use of eminent domain in Manhattanville was declared illegal—a decision that was reversed in 2010, ending the legal dispute in the courts. Organizations like the Coalition to Preserve Community, a longtime opposition group, have held sporadic protests and meetings for years, arguing that Columbia’s expansion has displaced and harmed residents who once lived in the neighborhood. Protests against eminent domain continued into last semester, when local protest groups staged an occupation in front of one of Sprayregen’s warehouses. For these protesters, there may be reason to celebrate this year as Ramon Diaz’s well-known Cuban restaurant Floridita approaches a possible reopening. Two years ago, Floridita was demolished where it stood in the footprint of the expansion, and Diaz moved to a new location on the corner of 125th Street and 12th Avenue. Diaz’s original plans to reopen the restaurant exactly a year after its demolition were derailed when he learned that his Columbia-owned storefront was exposed to asbestos, but with cleanup finished and construction advancing, the former Manhattanville landmark could be making its return. The businesses owned by Sprayregen, Singh, and Kaur have yet to be demolished to make way for the expansion. When they are, it will mark the definitive end of the legal battle, though many Manhattanville residents remain uneasy about their future. jillian.kumagai@columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: I grimly accept that eminent domain places a burden on the owners of the two businesses in question. I acknowledge, with heavy heart, that the planned expansion will require the limited residential population of Columbia-owned apartment buildings in Manhattanville to move. While I would point out Columbia’s commitment to facilitating their relocation, in part through the construction of a new apartment building, I do not pretend that the tenants will not face difficulties. Yet we, and the court, must recognize that the matter at hand has effects that extend far beyond this time and this place. “The devotion of John B. Pine,” Samuel E. Roth, Dec. 10, 2009
BY SAMMY ROTH Spectator Senior Staff Writer For four decades, Columbia was known for not allowing a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program on campus. That changed in May 2011, when, exactly four months after President Barack Obama signed the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy into law, Columbia officially agreed to recognize a Naval ROTC program. ROTC had not been recognized by Columbia since 1969, when protests over the Vietnam War led to the dissolution of the University’s long-standing Naval ROTC program. But over the years, on-campus opposition to the military softened, and by 2008, 49 percent of undergraduates said they supported the return of ROTC. Most of the opposition in 2008 centered around the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which prohibited gay soldiers from serving openly. So when DADT was repealed in December 2010, the University Senate decided to revisit the debate, setting up a task force to study the issue and host town hall-style discussions. While most students seemed to support ROTC’s return—a survey of students in five schools found 60 percent of respondents supportive and 33 percent not supportive—there was a small but vocal opposition movement. Some ROTC opponents argued that the program’s return would amount to a militarization of Columbia’s campus, and others made the case that ROTC would violate the University’s nondiscrimination policy because the military continues to bar transgender individuals from enlisting. During a tense moment at the second town hall, veteran Anthony Maschek, GS, who was awarded a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq, was heckled after saying, “Other parts of the world are plotting to kill you right now when you go to bed. It’s not a joke … these people, seriously, are trying to kill you. They hate America, they hate you.” Many students applauded Maschek, but several booed or shouted “racist,” leading to media coverage portraying Columbia as unfriendly toward veterans. Ultimately, the University Senate voted 51-17 to authorize Bollinger to negotiate ROTC’s return to Columbia, and within a month, Bollinger had an agreement in place with the Navy. He officially signed the agreement with Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus atop the flight deck of the USS Iwo Jima. sammy.roth@columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: I’ve heard some persuasive arguments being made against reinstating ROTC in American universities, but also one very bad one: that keeping the military “bacillus” off campus helps to resist militarism. Just the opposite is the case. Historically, democracies with strong civilian control of, and wide participation in, the military are less likely to conduct wars than countries with a distinct military class. We are quickly developing such a class today, with uneducated soldiers drawn from the most disadvantaged parts of the country, and officers drawn heavily from areas of the South and West that are narrowly religious, suspicious of educated elites, and without access to our best universities. At the same time we are shielding students at our best institutions from any contact with military life, which only deepens their ignorance of political realities and encourages their single-minded focus on getting rich. It’s a very unhealthy situation. “Why I signed,” Mark Lilla, professor of humanities, March 1, 2011
AUGUST 27, 2012
NEWS
PAGE 5
JUNE 2011: ADMINISTRATIVE TURNOVER
MAY 2012: BARACK OBAMA COMES TO CAMPUS
BY MARGARET MATTES Spectator Senior Staff Writer
BY BEN GITTELSON Spectator Senior Staff Writer
Columbia has undergone an administrative transformation during the last year, with several top administrators resigning under controversial circumstances between last summer and this one. The turnover began in June 2011, when Provost Claude Steele—the University’s top academic officer—resigned abruptly after just two years on the job to become dean of Stanford University’s School of Education. University President Lee Bollinger replaced Steele with John Coatsworth, who was then dean of the School of International and Public Affairs. Then in August 2011, things heated up when Columbia College dean MicheleMoody Adams sent a fiery letter to a group of alumni explaining that she planned to resign, also after two years on the job. Moody-Adams wrote that impending structural changes to Columbia’s administration would “ultimately compromise the College’s academic quality and financial health,” and while students and most professors still don’t know what specific changes Moody-Adams was referring to, by most accounts they were never implemented. Bollinger chose chemistry professor James Valentini as interim Columbia College dean, and in June Valentini was given the job permanently after being unanimously selected by a search committee of professors and students. Feniosky Peña-Mora’s resignation as dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science was similarly dramatic. Engineering professors grew increasingly frustrated with Peña-Mora during his three years as dean, saying he had worsened SEAS’ long-standing space crunch, sacrificed graduate students’ education for short-term profits, and compromised the quality of the faculty. The faculty’s intense criticism of Peña-Mora drew national attention, and in May the school’s tenured professors voted overwhelmingly that they had no confidence in the dean, all but forcing his July resignation. SEAS professor Donald Goldfarb has been serving as interim dean, while Peña-Mora remains at the school as a professor. margaret.mattes@columbiaspectator.com
President Barack Obama, CC ’83, returned to the steps of his alma mater in May to speak at Barnard’s commencement, but for many students, excitement was tempered by controversy. Obama’s decision to speak to Barnard students sparked a wave of sexist comments online, and the security measures necessitated by his presence on campus forced the School of General Studies to move its graduation ceremony on short notice. Hundreds of students attacked Obama’s decision to speak at Barnard, rather than at Columbia College, by writing misogynistic online comments critical of Barnard students. University President Lee Bollinger and Barnard President Debora Spar both condemned the comments, but some students felt that they did not go far enough, prompting the creation of a Facebook group and a Change.org petition calling for university-wide support of Barnard students. The stringent security surrounding Obama’s appearance—the entirety of Lower Campus was locked down for 24 hours, among other measures—also resulted in administrators’ decision to move GS’s graduation ceremony, which was previously scheduled to take place just before Barnard’s. The last-minute change, which forced some GS families to change their travel plans on short notice or miss the ceremony entirely, drew widespread criticism from students across all four undergraduate schools. Administrators responded by starting a small fund to help pay for families’ travel expenses, and two Engineering Student Council members created a website where students could offer their couches to GS students’ guests who had to change their travel plans. ben.gittelson@columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: Obama doesn’t have one reason for speaking at Barnard. He has 815 reasons. That’s how many comments alone were on the Bwog post about the announcement. That’s the number of nauseatingly mean things that have been said in only one part of campus life about our sisters at Barnard. Reading only a sampling of the comments on the post is enough to leave you doubting your peers’ humanity. Regardless of the original reason for the President speaking at Barnard, the response by the Columbia community is now probably his best reason. Some have speculated he is coming because of recent controversies about women’s issues. That may be true, and it is only enforced by the fact that his decision to speak at Columbia’s women’s college evoked a flood of outright hateful responses from Columbia students. Their words only affirm why places like Barnard are natural places for such prestigious speakers.
Opinion’s take: Having a strong provost is in the best interests of the faculty and students, ensuring that their concerns are taken into consideration by top administrators … We hope to see the office of the provost grow and to see a healthy relationship emerge between it and the office of the senior executive vice president. This office’s growth will be most meaningful if Coatsworth engages with the faculty and students he must represent … Coatsworth was appointed from within Columbia’s ranks, but his time here has been relatively short and has mostly been spent as an administrator. He must make an effort to understand the culture of the Columbia faculty and interact with the students. “John Coatsworth must shape the role of Columbia’s provost,” Editorial Board, April 13, 2012
2011
COURTESY OF ASIYA KHAKI / BARNARD COLLEGE
“Obama’s best reason for choosing Barnard,” Derek Turner on Spectrum, March 7, 2012
2012
FEBRUARY 2012: POLICE SURVEILLANCE BY YASMIN GAGNE Spectator Senior Staff Writer
JANUARY 2012: ATTACK OF THE MEDIA BY SAMMY ROTH Spectator Senior Staff Writer When you applied to Columbia, you probably envisioned the University as a glorious place, a bastion of liberal arts education where you would have your assumptions challenged, become part of a community of motivated peers, and generally start making your mark on the world. But a big chunk of the national media has seen a very different Columbia: a morally bankrupt wasteland, where anything goes and hating America is a way of life. That perception was in full effect last January, when several tabloids outlets slammed Columbia for plans to offer an Occupy Wall Street class that would involve field work. The New York Post sarcastically asked, “Does getting pepper-sprayed count as extra credit?” while the Daily Caller was a bit more effusive, writing that “students at an Ivy League university will soon be able to earn course credit by participating in the anti-capitalist protests under the tutelage of one of the movement’s veterans.” But for veteran Columbians, stories like those were nothing new. When the University invited Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak as part of the annual World Leaders Forum in 2007, for instance, commentators went on the attack, with Michelle Malkin saying on Fox News that “basically what we have here is tea with terrorists on the campus of Columbia University.” When the University prepared to implement a pilot gender-neutral housing program in December 2009, the Post wrote that Columbia students “will soon be able to live in sin—on their parents’ dime.” And that Occupy Wall Street class? It turned out all the hubbub was for nothing—the class hadn’t yet been approved by the proper committees, and it was never held. sammy.roth@columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: Fox News says we’re locked in the grip of a licentious and dangerous hookup culture, but Trojan Condoms congratulates us on being the most sexually healthy campus in the United States. Rumors of public sex in the stacks imply a student body entirely free of social limitation, but are directly contradicted by the shocking number of people in Butler in the first place. On the Internet and TV, college is sold as four years of freewheeling experimentation—an endless orgy of young and beautiful people having lots of young and beautiful sex. But this turns out not to be the case, and not just because most of us are rather plain. “Sex more, sex harder,” Alex Collazo, Feb. 13, 2012
An Associated Press report that the New York Police Department monitored Columbia’s Muslim Students Association sent shock waves across campus last semester. The report, which was published in February, stated that the NYPD conducted surveillance of Muslim student groups at New York City schools and at schools well outside of the city, including Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. According to the report, police had monitored the MSA’s publicly accessible website as recently as 2007. A November 2006 “Weekly MSA Report” stated that officers from the NYPD’s Cyber Intelligence unit visited the websites of various Muslim student groups, including Columbia’s, as part of a “daily routine.” University President Lee Bollinger and Barnard President Debora Spar condemned the NYPD’s actions. Students expressed outrage about the surveillance at a town hall hosted by the MSA, a fireside chat hosted by Bollinger for a group of invited students, and a town hall hosted by University Chaplain Jewelnel Davis that was open to all students. Many students spoke about the traumatic effects that the reported surveillance had on Muslim students. Some expressed a fear of speaking in class, in case they were recorded on a laptop or cell phone, and others said that they were being more cautious about whom they spoke to, what they talked about in normal conversations, and what they searched for on the Internet. yasmin.gagne @columbiaspectator.com
Opinion’s take: The University community at large grew stronger. In what can only be interpreted as a remarkable display of solidarity, Columbia affiliates of all ages, races, creeds, and colors filled Earl Hall auditorium for a town hall discussion on NYPD surveillance. Members of the Columbia Muslim Student Association sat beside students from various political, activist, and religious organizations. Barnard and Columbia administrators shared space with staff and faculty from the Mailman School of Public Health and SIPA. One after another, representatives from Columbia’s vibrant civil society affirmed support for the CU Muslim community. These representatives underscored that NYPD surveillance is not a Muslim student issue—it is a campus-wide issue. It is an issue for any student, faculty member, or administrator who upholds the tenets of security, equality, and academic freedom. It is an issue for future parents, concerned about the precedent the NYPD is setting for the complete abrogation of civil liberties. It is an issue for any and all students of color, whose opinions and beliefs may run counter to those of a privileged establishment. The diverse audience at Wednesday’s town hall is an indication that this community will not sit idly by as basic rights are trampled upon. This turnout is a testament to the success that a broad-based coalition of concerned community members will achieve on this matter. It serves as a reminder to all frustrated Muslims that a 100-strong crowd of students from all backgrounds does not think that the NYPD is simply following leads or doing its “due diligence.” “A community united against discrimination,” Rhonda Shafei, Mona Abdullah, and Maliha Tariq on behalf of the Muslim Student Association, Feb. 23, 2012
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NEWS
AUGUST 27, 2012
Stories to watch this year 1 Student affairs changes
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BY MARGARET MATTES Spectator Senior Staff Writer Four student services offices have undergone extensive review over the last year, the results of which will be seen this semester. The Center for Student Advising, the Center for Career Education, and the undergraduate financial aid and admissions offices have conducted reviews or made structural changes as they attempt to respond better to student needs. The decision this summer to combine the undergraduate financial aid and admissions offices, under the leadership of former admissions dean Jessica Marinaccio, is only the latest development in the transformation of these offices. An internal review of the financial aid office, composed of surveys, focus groups, and informal discussions with administrators, took place last semester, and Marinaccio is hoping to present a report on the findings to Columbia College Dean James Valentini and School of Engineering and Applied Science Interim Dean Donald Goldfarb this fall.
Additionally, a new advisory committee on financial aid and admissions will likely be formed this semester. Valentini, Goldfarb, and Provost John Coatsworth are currently working to identify faculty members to sit on the committee, but it’s unclear whether there will be student members. A review of the Center for Career Education, during which CCE Dean Kavita Sharma and a consultant compared peer institutions’ career centers to Columbia’s, was also recently completed. The review was inspired in part by a perception that CCE is too focused on the finance sector, and Valentini is reviewing the findings. The Center for Student Advising—the first of the four offices to complete a review—underwent significant changes between 2009 and 2011, and, according to a recent survey, most students are now satisfied with its services. All advisers are now located in a central office in Lerner Hall, and this semester the CSA is implementing a pilot peer advising program. margaret.mattes @columbiaspectator.com
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Manhattanville
HENRY WILLSON / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
STUDENT CENTER | The financial aid office for CC and SEAS undergraduates is located on the sixth floor of Lerner Hall.
(Continued on page 13) Globalization
MELISSA VON MAYRHAUSER FOR SPECTATOR
FILE PHOTO
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW | Columbia is building a campus expansion in Manhattanville, a neighborhood just north of Morningside Heights. BY JILLIAN KUMAGAI Spectator Senior Staff Writer This year, Columbia will inch closer to the completion of two buildings in Manhattanville, the Jerome L. Greene Science Center and the Lenfest Center for the Arts, both set to open in 2016. Above-ground foundation work began this summer for Greene and Lenfest. Preliminary foundations will soon be set for the two buildings designated for the Business School and for one undesignated building—but not until Columbia acquires a few final properties. TuckIt-Away Self-Storage owner Nick Sprayregen and gas station owners Gurnam Singh and Parminder Kaur failed to stop their land from being given to Columbia after a legal battle over eminent domain, but they have yet to vacate all of their properties. This summer, the mayor’s office awarded $15 million toward a tech campus
at Columbia, but it won’t be constructed as part of the Manhattanville expansion, as originally proposed. That leaves just one Manhattanville building site for the School of Engineering and Applied Science, while campaigns to raise hundreds of millions of dollars continue for the Business School, the School of International and Public Affairs, and the School of the Arts. Demolition of remaining buildings on the construction site was slowed when a building being demolished collapsed in March, killing one worker and injuring two others. Columbia parted ways with Breeze National, the demolition firm that was carrying out the work, but the firm sued Columbia in June for slander and breach of contract, alleging that its contract was wrongfully terminated and that it was falsely blamed for the accident. jillian.kumagai @columbiaspectator.com
WELCOME TO JORDAN | Columbia’s global center in Amman opened in 2009 under the patronage of Queen Rania Al Abdullah. BY MELISSA VON MAYRHAUSER Spectator Senior Staff Writer Columbia is kicking off several globalization programs this semester, the latest steps in an effort to make a Columbia education a more global experience. In September, the University will launch its newest global center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, adding to a list of centers that already includes Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Mumbai, Nairobi, Paris, and Santiago. University President Lee Bollinger has said that eventually, he wants all students to spend time at the global centers, which serve as research hubs rather than branch campuses. The centers’ directors will assemble in New York next month for a conference, as part of newly appointed Vice President for Global Centers Safwan Masri’s agenda of increasing communication between the centers and the
Morningside Heights community. The directors also plan to speak at the World Leaders Forum, an annual series of events during which heads of state and other international leaders convene at Columbia. Meanwhile, a group of six students participating in a new fifth-year study abroad program will set off on their globe-hopping independent research projects in October. And in March, Barnard will hold a women’s leadership symposium in São Paulo, Brazil, as part of its ongoing efforts to increase its international reach. Additionally, General Studies students will be required to take Global Core courses for the first time this fall, as students at Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science are already required to do. Committees have also formed to discuss the idea of offering Core Curriculum classes at the global centers. melissa.vonmayrhauser @columbiaspectator.com
AUGUST 27, 2012
NEWS
PAGE 7
Names and faces: People you need to know Lee Bollinger
James Valentini
Donald Goldfarb
Peter Awn
Avis Hinkson
Job: Interim dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science
Job: Dean of the School of General Studies
What you need to know: Having been appointed interim dean in July, Goldfarb is largely an unknown to students. His predecessor, Feniosky PeñaMora, resigned after a faculty revolt, and Goldfarb was bumped up from executive vice dean, a faculty affairs-focused position he had held since November. This is Goldfarb’s second stint as the engineering school’s interim dean.
What you need to know: Awn is a 15-year fixture at GS and a popular figure among students, known for his sharp wardrobe and sense of humor. A longtime religion professor—he’s been at Columbia for more than three decades—Awn still teaches a class on Islam every spring, pulling in solid student reviews on CULPA, the Columbia Underground Listing of Professor Ability.
What you need to know: During her year and a half as dean, Hinkson, BC ’84, has mostly made news for a series of controversial policy changes. She came under fire from students last fall when Barnard decided to start charging part-time students full-time tuition, and again last month, after a severe housing shortage prompted the college to revoke the housing guarantees of students returning from academic or medical leaves of absence.
Michael Bloomberg
Job: University president
Job: Dean of Columbia College
Job: Dean of Barnard College
What you need to know: You’ll rarely see him around campus, but Bollinger—a.k.a. “PrezBo”— has made a big impact in his decade at Columbia’s helm. He’s been the driving force behind the University’s expansion into Manhattanville, pushing the satellite campus from idea to reality despite years of local opposition and court challenges. He’s also overseen the development of Columbia’s burgeoning network of global centers.
What you need to know: Valentini, a chemistry professor, was named dean last September, following Michele Moody-Adams’ sudden resignation after just two years as dean. Valentini has made himself a student favorite by increasing transparency, supporting mentalhealth initiatives, and embracing his nickname, “Deantini” ( just see the engraved nameplate on his desk). It didn’t hurt that he handed out candy canes in Butler Library during finals last December.
Jessica Marinaccio
Kevin Shollenberger
Terry Martinez
Charles Rangel
Job: Dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid
Job: CC and SEAS dean of student affairs
Job: Dean of community development and multicultural affairs
Job: U.S. Representative for Harlem and Upper Manhattan
What you need to know: You might recognize Marinaccio’s name from your long-awaited Columbia acceptance letter. She’s been in charge of CC and SEAS admission since 2004, but when the admissions and financial aid offices were consolidated this summer, Marinaccio was pegged to run them both.
What you need to know: Shollenberger is one of the most visible Columbia administrators and can be seen at shows, concerts, and performances, or handing out cookies in Lerner. He’s run the Division of Student Affairs since 2008, and he was immortalized in 2010’s Varsity Show as Ke$ho: dean by day, pop singer by night.
What you need to know: If you want to get something done on campus, talk to Martinez. One of the warmest Columbia administrators, she is here to “develop community”—meaning, whether it’s an outing to a Broadway show or an ethnic restaurant tour, she’s all ears. She’s had the job for three years.
What you need to know: The third-most senior member of the House, Rangel is a powerhouse and the face of Harlem politics. Not even an ethics investigation in 2010 could dethrone him. Many find his blunt candor divisive, but he is known for getting fellow congresspeople to compromise.
What you need to know: This summer, Bloomberg gave Columbia $15 million to fund a data sciences institute. He’s known for his controversial laws—he successfully pushed to ban smoking in restaurants and parks, and he’s working to eliminate the sale of sodas in large containers—as well as his big personality (and checkbook). He’s been mayor for 10 years.
TEXT: SAMMY ROTH AND FINN VIGELAND PHOTOS: FILE PHOTOS; HENRY WILLSON / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
On Twitter: @KShoAtColumbia
On Twitter: @DeanTMartinez
On Twitter: @cbrangel
On Twitter: @MikeBloomberg
Job: Mayor of New York City
Debora Spar Job: President of Barnard College What you need to know: Spar said in her 2008 inauguration speech that one of her main goals would be expanding Barnard’s global presence, and so far she’s followed through, with the college starting a Visiting International Students Program and hosting women’s leadership symposia around the world. Spar is an expert on the economics of human fertility and a member of Goldman Sachs’ board of directors.
Karishma Habbu, CC ’13 Job: Columbia College Student Council president What you need to know: Habbu is president of one of four undergraduate student councils. The other student council presidents are Tim Qin (Engineering Student Council), Jennifer Wisdom (General Studies Student Council), and JungHee Hyun (Barnard’s Student Government Association. All four were elected in April and have previous experience in student or University government.
All trains on the line stop at these stations
Local stops only
The Broadway Line N Q R
The L Line L
Lexington Avenue subway 4 5 6
7th Avenue subway 1 2 3
8th Avenue subway A C E
Key:
If you’re waiting at 96th Street and it’s a while until the next 1 is scheduled to arrive (an all-too-common occurrence late at night), you can just walk the 20 blocks back to campus, which isn’t as long a trek as it seems. But another good method is to use your free subway-bus transfer to board the M104 at 97th Street and Broadway. It goes straight up to campus along Broadway and runs fairly frequently. People often complain that the buses are slow, but two good ones to know are the crosstown M4 and M60. Both stop at 116th Street and Broadway, and the M4 goes across 110th Street and eventually turns down Fifth Avenue, making it a good means of accessing the East Side, with direct transportation to Museum Mile. The M60 goes across 125th Street, which makes it an easy way to get across Harlem (and ideal for group outings to Sylvia’s or Red Rooster). It also takes you directly to LaGuardia Airport. Unless you have an internship or another reason why you’d be on public transit more than twice a day, you should invest in a $50 MetroCard (as opposed to an unlimited one) and just keep refilling it. Unless you’re a Morningside Heights maniac, you’ll get out enough that you’ll use all those swipes. On a MetroCard, each swipe is $2.25. The lesson from all of this? Taxis are generally not the way to go. If you’re going in a big group that will split the cab fare, or you want to get somewhere a little faster, maybe it’s worth it. But for the most part, it’ll wind up being too expensive, or you’ll get stuck in traffic. finn.vigeland@columbiaspectator.com
Columbia is most directly served by the 1 train, which makes all local stops from South Ferry (where you can board a boat to Staten, Ellis, or Liberty Islands) to 242nd Street-Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx (a beautiful and huge alternative to any of our local parks). Running alongside the 1 for much of Manhattan are the 2 and 3 trains—also colored red—which make express stops from Chambers Street to 96th Street. The best way to learn the subway is from your mistakes. Most people unfamiliar with transferring to a train across the platform will wind up taking the 2 or 3 north of 96th, leaving them at the wrong 116th Street stop—at Lenox Avenue, about a 20-minute walk from campus. Once you’ve made that mistake once, you’ll never forget to get off the 2 and 3 at 96th and transfer to the 1 before continuing north.
Scared of boarding the wrong train and winding up hours away from Columbia? New York’s subway system may look daunting, but it’s fairly simple once you get out on the rails. If you’ve made friends with any native New Yorkers, take the subway with them, but don’t let them tell you when you’re supposed to get off—you be the guide.
BY FINN VIGELAND Spectator Senior Staff Writer
116th St - Columbia University
Broadway
Take the train: How to get around underground
Amsterdam st
34th St - Penn Station
42nd St - Times Square
66th St - Lincoln Center
81 St - Museum of Natural History
Broadway
1
7th Ave
14th St - Union Square
Grand Central
GRAPHIC BY ISAAC WHITE / FILE PHOTOS
Archery, men’s and women’s basketball, fencing, men’s and women’s squash, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s track and field, and wrestling
WINTER SPORTS:
Coach: Willy Wood, 19th year Last season: Finished second in the league by taking second place at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Who to watch: senior Mike Murphy, sophomore Waverly Neer
CROSS COUNTRY
Baseball, Men’s and women’s golf, lacrosse, heavyweight and lightweight rowing, women’s rowing, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field
SPRING SPORTS:
Coach: Ilene Weintraub, CC ’02, sixth year Last Season: 13-6 overall, 4-3 Ivy. Tied for third place in the standings with Harvard, its best finish in the team’s history. Who to watch: senior Nicole Bartnik, junior Bianca Sanon Where they play: Dick Savitt Tennis Center, Baker Athletics Complex
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Coach: Bid Goswami, 31st year Last Season: 18-4 overall, 5-2 Ivy. Led by senior Haig Schneiderman and freshman Winston Lin, finished second in the Ivy standings and received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Who to watch: sophomore Winston Lin Where they play: Dick Savitt Tennis Center, Baker Athletics Complex
MEN’S TENNIS
Coach: Brett Boretti, eighth year Last Season: 21-24 overall, 12-8 Ivy. Finished third in the competitive Lou Gehrig division, while finishing with 20 or more wins with a winning Ivy record for the second time in three years. Who to watch: senior OF Nick Ferraresi, senior RHP Tim Giel Where they play: Robertson Field at Satow Stadium, Baker Athletics Complex
Some need-to-know tips about Columbia sports and using NYC mass transit
BASEBALL
Coach: Kyle Smith, third year Last season: 15-15 overall, 4-10 Ivy. Despite a seasonending injury to star point guard Noruwa Agho, finished with a .500 overall record, with many of the games decided by nine points or fewer. Who to watch: senior point guard Brian Barbour, junior guard Meiko Lyles Where they play: Francis Levien Gymnasium, Dodge Fitness Center
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Coach: Jon Wilson, fourth year Last Season: 15-10 overall, 9-5 Ivy. Finished the year in third place, after contending for the top spot for most of the season. Who to watch: senior Heather Braunagel, junior Savannah Fletcher Where they play: Francis Levien Gymnasium, Dodge Fitness Center
VOLLEYBALL
Coach: Marybeth Freeman, third year Last Season: 9-8 overall, 5-2 Ivy. Tied for third place with Dartmouth, after suffering a crushing defeat to Yale that knocked it out of first. Who to watch: sophomore Lauren Skudalski Where they play: Columbia Field Hockey Venue, Baker Athletics Complex
FIELD HOCKEY
Coach: Kevin McCarthy, 19th year Last Season: 6-10-1 overall, 3-3-1 Ivy. Finished year in a fourth-place tie with Brown. Who to watch: junior Chelsea Ryan, sophomore Alexa Yow Where they play: Columbia Soccer Stadium, Baker Athletics Complex
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Coach: Kevin Anderson, fourth year Last season: 8-7-2 overall, 4-2-1 Ivy. Finished third in the Ivy League. Tied Cornell in season finale to lose its chance at a share of the Ivy title. Who to watch: junior David Najem, junior Henning Sauerbier Where they play: Columbia Soccer Stadium, Baker Athletics Complex
MEN’S SOCCER
Coach: Pete Mangurian, first year Last season: 1-9 overall, 1-6 Ivy. Winless until the final game of the season, a double-overtime thriller that saw Columbia best Brown. Who to watch: senior quarterback Sean Brackett, senior defensive lineman Josh Martin Where they play: Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, Baker Athletics Complex
FOOTBALL
Columbia Sporting Events
THE ESCAPE PLAN
Park Ave Lexington
PAGE 10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
AUGUST 27, 2012
Morningside Restaurant Guide By Jade Bonacolta and Allie Carieri Pisticci $$$
best place to bring a classy date 125 La Salle St (between Broadway and Claremont Ave) Offering live jazz on Sundays and a gourmet Italian menu, Pisticci is an upscale yet casual restaurant to bring family or friends. While a bit pricier than some of the neighboring eateries, share the fresh insalata caprese, roasted garlic bread, and the famous “La Spaghettata” with your dinner companions.
Nussbaum & Wu $$
more Convenient Bagels 2897 Broadway (at 113th) It isn’t Absolute, but if you want something a little closer, Nussbaum & Wu will satisfy your bagel cravings. Besides bagels, Nussbaum & Wu offers everything from smoothies to sandwiches to cupcakes.
Community $$$
best brunch 2893 Broadway (between 113th and 112th) While Community serves a full menu of seasonal, local, and organic dishes, it’s the brunch that sets it apart. Every brunch dish you can think of can be found on the menu with blueberry pancakes and eggs benedict are served on a whole wheat buttermilk biscuit. For something more adventurous, try the crispy potato pancakes, served with smoked salmon and caviar cream.
Le Monde $$$
for when your parents come to visit 2885 Broadway (between 113th and 112th) When you’re feeling especially chic (or rich), Le Monde’s French menu and warm ambiance will take you away from the hustle of Morningside Heights. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as weekend brunch, Le Monde is great for when your parents want to foot the bill, with dinner entrees ranging from $17 to $24. To be whisked away to a café on the Seine, try the mussels prepared mariniere style.
The Heights $
Best Margaritas to Drink on a Rooftop 2867 Broadway (between 111th and 112th) Named one of the best rooftop bars in NYC, The Heights’ two daily happy hours and hopping atmosphere make it a popular spot. While the food is decent, the frozen margaritas steal the show. From 3-7, and from 11-close, enjoy $4 drafts, wine, and well liquor, and $5 frozen margaritas.
Kitchenette $$
best gourmet brunch 1272 Amsterdam Ave (between 122nd and 123rd) This delightful cafe is perfect for a classy afternoon. Savor the herb and goat cheese omelet or the red velvet pancakes with peach iced tea for a reasonably priced brunch that doesn’t disappoint. You’ll soon find yourself returning to Kitchenette.
Joe the Art of Coffee $$
best place to “study” 550 120th (2nd floor of Northwest Corner Building between Amsterdam and Broadway) If you like to people-watch, Joe in NoCo might be your new favorite place. Find great coffee—Joe’s lattes are smooth but strong—sit at one of the many tables facing the wall-towall floor-to-ceiling windows, and don’t get a lot of work done. With eclectic music selections, bearded baristas, and well-dressed clientele, Joe will make you feel particularly hipster, even if it’s only while you wait in line.
Hungarian Pastry Shop $
best place to bring a book 1030 Amsterdam Ave (at 111th) Beloved by Columbia students and aspiring writers for generations, the bakery and cafe’s quaint tables are laden with people simply looking for a cozy place to enjoy coffee and dessert. Bring a novel or a good conversationalist and allow your taste buds to devour a decadent chocolate mousse or raspberry almond pastry. Pair it with bottomless coffee or organic tea for the full Hungarian experience.
Koronet $
best bang for your buck 2848 Broadway (between 111th and 110th) Picture a regular slice of pizza. Now imagine three of those slices combined into one. The slices are $3.75 but seeing as they are larger than your face, it’s so worth it. Conveniently located on Broadway between 110th and 111th, Kornet is the late-night, cheap pizza place. Stick with cheese.
Absolute Bagels $
best bagels. period. 2788 Broadway (at 108th) A not-so-hidden gem of Morningside Heights, Absolute Bagels is the place to find a great NYC bagel. While the long lines on weekend mornings or the trek to 108th Street may sound like turn-offs, the hot and chewy bagels, homemade cream cheeses, and speedy service will make you a regular customer. Try any bagel with flavored cream cheese and a cup of coffee for about $5. Just remember, cash only!
AUGUST 27, 2012
Arts tradi t i o ns By Olivia Aylmer
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Let’s face it: Many of you may have come to Columbia with plans to escape campus every weekend for the bright lights of Times Square, the hallowed halls of the Metropolitan Museum, or, for the more adventurous bunch, Brooklyn. But before you hop on the 1 train, why not learn a little about some of the beloved traditions the University has developed over its 258 years? Whether heartwarming or humorous, these annual events offer chances to bond with friends, faculty, and that guy you once borrowed a pen from in your Econ class.
Orgo Night
Midnight Breakfast at Barnard While late December holds the promise of hot chocolate for breakfast and family viewings of “Elf,” the bad news is that there will be many a long winter’s day holed up in the depths of Butler Library beforehand. The good news? Barnard’s faculty knows this, and thus plans an annual breakfast feast at midnight on the eve of the first day of finals to show their weary students that they really do care (housing aside). LeFrak Gymnasium transforms into a themed buffet (à la “Midnight in Paris”), where tables brim with the foods you’ve been craving for months. Picture powdered sugar doughnuts, scrambled eggs, an ice-cream sundae bar, and even vegan offerings. While Barnard students do get first dibs on the spread, the entire Columbia community is invited to join in the festivities soon after.
Tree Lighting and Yule Log Ceremonies Columbia really does shine in the traditions department when the first chill of winter hits campus. During the first week of December, students and faculty alike gather on College Walk to celebrate the illumination of its trees following speeches by special guests and performances of holiday favorites by a cappella groups (last year’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas is You” by the Kingsmen was a must-hear). The trees stay lit through late February, lending a festive glow to campus even after second semester commences. Immediately following the outdoor ceremonies, students head to John Jay Hall lounge to ring in the lighting of the Yule Log. And to top it off, who except the Grinch could resist sipping free cocoa in the presence of friends while listening to readings of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore, CC 1798, and “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by Francis Pharcellus Church, CC 1859?
The Annual Alfred Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest
Before you have your fill of processed sugar and comfort food at Midnight Breakfast, it’s essential to attend Orgo Night. Rowdy students pile into Butler Library, overheated and overflowing with crumpled papers in the wake of Reading Week. Soon after, the Marching Band (self-titled “The Cleverest Band in the World”) enters banging drums and blowing horns at 11:59 p.m. to ring in the organic chemistry final, billed as one of the most challenging classes offered. The comedy skit that follows is interspersed with rousing musical numbers, as students poke fun at the year’s events and campus stereotypes. Get your head out of the books, and join the band as it proceeds to host impromptu dance parties on both sides of the street before camping outside President Bollinger’s residence. For this free-spirited tradition, don’t worry about being too loud in Butler’s typically silent corridors—the faculty somehow lets this event continue year after year, to the delight of those experiencing it for the first (or eighth) time.
If your new best friend, a creative writing major, starts to get on your nerves with his constant fretting over whether their existential, thought-provoking poetry is really any good, kindly direct them toward the following tradition. The Philolexian Society hosts its Bad Poetry Contest a week before Thanksgiving and encourages participants to come up with their best, worst original poems in the hopes of receiving the title of poet laureate. If you’re hoping for a seat, arrive early, as it’s held in 309 Havemeyer, the classroom of “Spider-Man” and “Mona Lisa Smile” fame. If the concept of “bad poetry” is still fuzzy to you, you’ll just have to see for yourself. Cast any doubts aside—we promise it’s worth your time.
Bacchanal This spring concert held on the steps of Low Library is one of those traditions that students love to hate. For weeks, they gossip and speculate endlessly about who the artists asked to perform will be. But that’s beside the point. Bacchanal is simply an excuse to celebrate the end of the year with your friends on a beautiful spring day, whether or not you know or care about who’s performing onstage (let us not forget that past artists have included Snoop Dogg and Columbia’s own Vampire Weekend). So, come out in your best music festival attire, the colorful remnants of that morning’s Holi still dusting your hair, and revel in the music of that awesome band with that one hit song, you know the one…
The Varsity Show
Culinary Society’s Erotic Cake Competition If your idea of tradition errs on the side of obscure and a bit raunchy, look no further than the Columbia Culinary Society’s Erotic Cake Competition, held each winter. Whether you want to put those baking lessons from your great-aunt Stella to use ( just don’t go into detail when she asks what you’ve concocted), or taste-test a slice of “Come Pop My Cherry” cake, you won’t want to miss out on this epicurean treat. Last year’s champions won the highest tally with their “Berrylicious” creation, complete with a rich berry fondant that paired perfectly with the flourless chocolate cake. They went home with a whoopie pie cookbook and six bars of gourmet chocolate. Could next year’s kinky chef extraordinaire be you?
As the academic year draws to a close, this overthe-top musical production will make you strangely nostalgic for the silly stereotypes and politically incorrect incidents that unfolded over the past nine months. Clichéd Barnard digs and Bwog jokes aside, Varsity Show will also make you proud to call a campus filled with a bevy of insanely talented and creative students home. Founded in 1894, it is one of the oldest Columbia traditions and calls upon the skills of the entire undergraduate community to bring it to life each year. A long list of distinguished alumni, many of whom went on to Broadway and shows like SNL once wrote, directed, or performed in the musical extravaganza, including legendary lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and I.A.L. Diamond, the only individual to write four consecutive shows (talk about an over-achiever). Whether you join the cast or enjoy an evening laughing and applauding with your classmates, this is one tradition worth getting in on during your time at Columbia.
Holi
Trust us: By midway through second semester, a school-sponsored excuse to cover your body in rainbow colors and run around campus like a happy lunatic will come as a welcome reprieve. Columbia borrows the tradition of Holi, or the Festival of Colors, from a Hindu custom in which participants throw colored powder on each other to rejoice the onset of spring. Thanks to the Hindu Students Organization, 1,500 pounds of paint make their way to Pupin Plaza early in the morning, and very quickly onto the clothes, faces, and hair of the students in attendance. If nothing else, the event serves as one of the few equalizers on campus, inviting students of all religions and backgrounds to learn a little about Hinduism while acting like wonder-filled children in the process (and the puzzled expressions of passing tour groups are priceless).
PAGE 11
How to get involved with arts on campus BY LESLEY THULIN AND CHARLOTTE MURTISHAW Spectator Senior Staff Writers All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It’s a simple maxim that most Columbians choose to salve with extracurricular activity—not a tough task given the plethora of options at their command. Too numerous to detail in full, here’s a brief glimpse of the various offerings of Columbia’s artistic community, broken down categorically. THEATER Sketch Comedy/Improv For laughs, check out Chowdah, Fruit Paunch, and Control Top. Chowdah is Columbia’s “oldest, best, and only sketch comedy group,” according to president Lori Goldman, BC ’13. It performs twice per semester on-campus, with occasional gigs at the Upright Citizens’ Brigade. Fruit Paunch and allfemale Control Top are more spontaneous improv teams. Another fun fact: one of Fruit Paunch’s founding members is comedienne Jenny Slate, CC ‘04, of SNL and “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” fame. Musical Theater Wistful for doublethreats? Look no farther than the Columbia Musical Theatre Society or Crown and Scepter, two groups which not only walk and talk at the same time, but also sing and dance. CMTS’s past productions include “Urinetown” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Formed last fall, Crown and Scepter has put on “Sweeney Todd” and “Cabaret.” Columbians can also look to the traditional endof-the-semester musical for comic relief right before finals week with XMAS! and the Varsity Show. Traditional Drama More traditional options include King’s Crown Shakespeare Troupe, Columbia University Players, and the Black Theatre Ensemble. KCST produces its annual outdoor spring show in which everyone who auditions gets cast. This fall, spectators and performers alike can look for “Romeo and Juliet” and “Shakeshorts-Shortshakes,” consisting of “shaken up” scenes from Shakespeare. The Black Theatre Ensemble is an undergraduate organization dedicated to producing work written by and largely featuring people of color. Some theater groups on campus exist solely to showcase original student work. LateNight Theatre stages an anthology of short plays each semester that range from comic to serious, while New and Original Material Authored and Directed by Students, often referred to as NOMADS, produces student written works throughout the semester. DANCE Western/Modern The Columbia Ballet Collaborative was formed by professional dancers enrolled as students, and has since staged biennial performances and been written up in publications such as The New York Times and Vanity Fair. For a change of pace, try CU Ballroom, a club which welcomes all participants and ventures out to various local ballroom competitions. Last but not least, Orchesis stages a large showcase every semester that boasts a sort of dancer’s variety show, integrating multiple styles. Hip-Hop Stereotypes about nerds be damned, Columbia is home to multiple hiphop dance groups that know the Iliad and how to get down. Raw Elementz and Onyx are the two biggest student-choreographed hip-hop crews that dabble in popping, breaking, and house styles. Raw Elementz hosts the annual Rawcus, a showcase for campus hip-hop groups. Ethnic Multiculturalism is alive and well through Columbia’s dance groups. The East is represented by groups like Dhoom, CU Bhangra, Raas, a different Indian style, and CU Lion Dance, a type of traditional Chinese dance. Others include Sabor, a Latino dance team, and a Brazilian Capoeira group. LIT Literary Magazines Known for its literary legacy, the university counts Jack Kerouac and Zora Neale Hurston among its alumni. Published once per semester, the Columbia Review is known as the oldest college literary magazine in the nation and counts Ginsberg, CC ’48, and Lionel Trilling, CC ’26, as past contributors. It also publishes work by non-Columbians. Advised by faculty member Amy Benson, Quarto is the Undergraduate Writing Program’s official literary magazine, published every spring. Community If you want to eat, sleep, and breathe literature, consider applying to live in Writers House, a special interest community based in Harmony Hall that hosts biannual dinners with notable authors, including Mark Strand and Paul Auster. MUSIC/ART Radio Aspiring DJs have two outlets to hone their craft whilst at Columbia: WKCR, Columbia’s preprogrammed radio station, which broadcasts at 89.9 FM; and WBAR, Barnard’s freeform radio station which accepts DJs from both schools. WBAR hosts WBARB-QUE, a music festival held on Barnard’s campus. Performance The campus is rampant with a cappella groups, some laying claim to a specialized genre, such as Uptown Vocal, a jazz group. Others include the Kingsmen, Nonsequitur, Notes and Keys, Bacchantae, Clefhangers, and the Metrotones. However, the warring factions all join together once a year for Acappellalooza. Postcrypt Coffeehouse is a art/music venue founded in 1964. Coffeehouses are held weekly in the basement of St. Paul’s Chapel, and brings in both on- and off-campus musicians. Past performers include Suzanne Vega, Ani DiFranco, and Jeff Buckley. Musicians can find outlets through groups such as CU Classical, a classical music group that holds recitals throughout the semester.
THE EYE
PAGE 12
the eye 20/20
GIRLS GETTING GROSS by
AUGUST 27, 2012
WHAT’S THE EYE? Every Thursday, Spectator puts out a magazine called the Eye, an arts and culture publication that likes to dabble in politics, religion, and the philosophical implications of Nicki Minaj. The staff of the Eye is devoted to putting out content every week, in print and on our blog, that keeps you at one with the zeitgeist and one step ahead of your noise-pop-loving friends down at NYU. Some of our favorite stories last year covered pop-up restaurants, Girls, and gay
hip-hop. Ultimately, the Eye’s about what’s important to us right now—whatever that may be. Each week we publish a lengthy lead story, several long-form features, an interview, and a personal essay or work of fiction. In addition, we write several bite-sized reflections on campus life and pop culture punningly called Eyesites and 20/20 (examples of which you will find below). Look out for our first issue on Sept. 13!
Anneliese Cooper
A
few weeks ago, a friend sent me a link to the trailer for Bachelorette—the latest buzzed-about summer comedy. Along with the link, a message: “I thought this would pertain to your interests.” Now, whether she meant “the way women are represented in media” or “chemical-fueled disaster-shenanigans in post-midnight Manhattan,” I can’t be sure—but either way, I ended up chipping yet another 80 minutes off my life to watch it. Though the film’s plot is fairly predictable— a wedding looms, everything goes wrong until it doesn’t, characters start flawed and end less so, etc.—the particular twists and turns of Bachelorette’s tale did make me think about a noteworthy comedy trend, one I both appreciate and wonder at—one I think can most easily be termed “Ladies Getting Gross.” Because we are—gross, I mean. We drink and drug and belch and bleed, talk frankly about sex as readily as we’ll talk about our feelings—and it’s not hard to imagine that a major reason we would ever feel obliged to act otherwise comes from the omnipresence of pristine media examples, women whose ickiest jams include misfired text messages and spills on their empire waist floral print. Recently, though, some welcome challenges have jumped into the mix—most notably with last year’s smash hit Bridesmaids, which features the now infamous scene of an entire bridal party explosively soiling their gowns with poorly digested Brazilian food. Though the film is plenty enjoyable in and of itself, it seems that a large part of its success came from its implicit recognition of this void in the comedy sphere—the oft-untapped gold mine that is femalehood in all its sometimes grody glory. Next to capitalize, it seems, was HBO’s Girls, which, though silly and problematic on a plethora of levels, can certainly be lauded for moments of crude clarity—e.g., a scene in which the perennially put-together Marnie follows flirtation by masturbating in an art gallery bathroom. Of course, this is not to say that this device has gone historically untouched—far from it. Take, for example, the scene from Larry Clark’s 1995 film Kids, in which makeupless, frizzy-haired teens swap cigarettes and locker-roomstyle banter—or 2002’s gal pal flick The Sweetest Thing, the climax of which involves Selma Blair in a tracheal jam with a Prince Albert piercing. Ultimately, though, it’s hard to deny that between these shining examples lies a no man’s land of Animal Houses and Superbads, movies in which women may occasionally partake, but it’s the boys’ debauchery we’re following. And still, even these newer offerings raise some questions. For example, I can’t help but notice a recurring theme of token, even parodistic femininity, tropes piled on as if to highlight via juxtaposition (or, perhaps, even to excuse) any rude behavior. I mean, does it strike anyone else as odd that both Bachelorette and Bridesmaids are wedding-centric—that each sets its antics against so fundamentally frilly a scenario? Then, of course, there are the cupcakes, predominant in Girls and Bridesmaids alike. Though certainly steps forward, these narratives still seem to balk at presenting uncharacteristic unfeminineness as a fact, instead of as a grating fall from our expectations (à la shitting in virginal white crinoline). What I’m waiting for, honestly, is the female equivalent of Comedy Central’s Workaholics, a show that revels in the grimy minutiae of three permastoned gents’ 20-something schlubdom—one that, for the record, is mainly a favorite of my female friends, who all spend episodes cackling in recognition. And it’s this affirmation that I’m after—the permission that a show like that would grant to we millions of XX chromosomians who, say, watch reruns in our underwear hung over and covered in Pirate’s Booty residue. Until that fine day, though, we ladies will just have to continue to fight for our ever-important right to party—and to be just as gross as the dudes while doing it.
FLOOR WARS
EYESITES
NSOP LOVE LETTER
Y
by
P.J. Sauerteig
ou told yourself you wouldn’t even think about dating until sophomore year (not after what happened senior summer...), but it turns out you simply can’t get that special someone from your NSOP group out of your head. So, how to tell them you care? You don’t want to come on too strong like a shmear from Uni Café, or too soft and lose your chance. Luckily, we at the Eye have been there, so here’s a crafty mad lib love letter for extending an NSOP crush beyond your first deceivingly stress-free week. Dearest ________, [name]
Light of my life, fire of my __________. It must have been the first time I saw you in your [body organ]
denim ______________, or was it when we were all going around in a _______ introducing [shape]
[ethnic clothing article]
ourselves and you said your favorite genre was _________________ ________________. [no-longer-existing country]
[pre-19th century music movement]
I felt my _________ tingling, and I lost my ___________. Then when that kid said he was from [body part]
[bodily fluid or vapor]
___________ and everyone laughed because they thought it was a joke; our ___________ met, [Great Plains state]
[sensory organs]
and I knew we were meant to ___________. It’s like that movie where the ___________ and the [cooperative verb]
[illegal career]
___________ have this ___________ bond without even really ___________ each other. I don’t [animal]
[adjective]
[cooperative gerund]
know, maybe this is silly, but I ___________ want to grab coffee or see a ______________ show [mainstream pop artist]
[adverb]
with you in Brooklyn. Anyway, can’t wait to _________ you again soon, and please ___________ my number some[mathematics verb]
[violent verb]
time! _____________________________,
[expression of affection in foreign language]
________________ [your name]
WORK FOR
ONE FLOOR TO RULE THEM ALL. IS IT YOURS?
CARMAN 8? JJ11? WALLACH 5? WHICH FLOOR IS BEST? SHOW US! MAKE A SHORT VIDEO TELLING US WHY YOUR FLOOR ROCKS. POST A LINK TO OUR FACEBOOK, TWEET IT TO US @CU_SPECTATOR WITH HASHTAG #FLOORWARS, OR EMAIL US AT FLOORWARS@COLUMBIASPECTATOR.COM.
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AUGUST 27, 2012
The 136th year of publication Independent since 1962 CORPORATE BOARD
ALEX SMYK Publisher
BY YASMIN GAGNE Spectator Senior Staff Writer
BY CASEY TOLAN Spectator Senior Staff Writer
With the number of students going Greek at an all-time high, there are plans to bring two new sororities and one new fraternity to Columbia. The Panhellenic Association has selected four sorority finalists—Alpha Omicron Pi, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Zeta Tau Alpha—from which it will invite two to establish chapters on campus. The first new sorority will form in spring 2013. The Panhellenic Association identified a need for more sororities after a multi-year review process. While the Office of Residential Programs has not released exact data, the association said in a statement that “over several years the community witnessed an increase in participants in Formal Recruitment and larger chapter sizes.” There are currently four sororities at Columbia. A new fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, will be also coming to campus this fall, at least temporarily. The InterFraternity Council gave its official approval in May for Sigma Alpha Epsilon to form a colony at Columbia, and it could become a fully-fledged chapter with approval from Columbia and from the fraternity’s national organization. There are currently 12 fraternities at Columbia recognized by the IFC. yasmin.gagne@columbiaspectator.com
Politics fans, you’ve come to the right place: Morningside Heights and West Harlem will play host to a series of contested elections this year. This summer, Rep. Charles Rangel—who has represented Harlem in Congress for four decades—faced the toughest re-election fight of his career, going up against Upper Manhattan State Senator Adriano Espaillat in a district that is majority Hispanic for the first tiem. (The 2010 redistricting process changed the demographics of Rangel’s district, and also moved Columbia out of Rangel’s purview and into a new district.) Rangel ultimately defeated Espaillat by a razor-thing margin, and as the Democratic nominee, Rangel is all but guaranteed to win the general election in November. Meanwhile, Espaillat now faces a primary of his own as he runs for reelection to the State Senate against State Assembly member Guillermo Linares in September. Still, local officials are calling for reforms to the city Board of Elections after a drawn-out and highly criticized vote-counting process in the Rangel/Espaillat primary, which took
MANAGING BOARD
ANDREA GARCÍA-VARGAS Editorial Page Editor LANBO ZHANG Editorial Page Editor ABBY MITCHELL Arts & Entertainment Editor REBEKA COHAN Sports Editor JUSTINE HOPE Multimedia Editor STEPHEN SNOWDER Spectrum Editor ASHTON COOPER The Eye, Editor in Chief CATHI CHOI The Eye, Art Director ANNELIESE COOPER The Eye, Managing Editor, Features MEREDITH FOSTER The Eye, Managing Editor, Optics ABIGAIL FISCH Head Copy Editor HENRY WILLSON Photo Editor MAYA FEGAN Design Editor ISAAC WHITE Design Editor JAKE DAVIDSON Online Editor TALA AKHAVAN Staff Director
6 Mental health and wellness groups
TREVOR COHEN Sales Director DANIELA QUINTANILLA Finance Director ROB FRECH Alumni Director
BY ABBY ABRAMS Spectator Senior Staff Writer
DEPUTY BOARD News Editors Jeremy Budd, Yasmin Gagne, Ben Gittelson, Jillian Kumagai, Gina Lee, Margaret Mattes, Casey Tolan Opinion Editor Grace Bickers Arts & Entertainment Editors Joseph Pomp, Katy Tong Sports Editors Steven Lau, Myles Simmons Multimedia Editor Naomi Cohen Copy Editor Emily Sorensen Photo Editors Hannah Choi, Alyson Goulden, Douglas Kessel, Ayelet Pearl Photo Training Deputy David Brann Graphic Design Editor Yuma Shinohara Sales Wes Rodriguez, Ethan Yee Finance Marilyn He, Noah Kolatch, Jiaqi Liu, Bruno Mendes, Kinno Norojono Alumni Audrey Greene, Amanda Kane, Kristine Musademba
Columbia is often ranked among the most stressful universities in the country. But last semester, students initiated a variety of grassroots projects designed to promote student wellness on campus. Campus interest in mental health grew after Columbia College junior Tina Bu committed suicide in October, and as the semester begins, wellness groups will be looking to maintain their momentum from last year and transform their ideas into tangible, long-term changes. Look for groups such as the Student Wellness Project, Active Minds, and the Student Space Initiative to have a strong presence on campus, as they work to foster
BY JEREMY BUDD Spectator Senior Staff Writer Columbia administrators are itching to bolster the University’s online education offerings, and Sree Sreenivasan might be the man to make it happen. Provost John Coatsworth announced in July that Sreenivasan would serve as Columbia’s first chief digital officer. Sreenivasan, who was previously the Journalism School’s dean of student affairs, is an expert in social media and digital journalism. According to Coatsworth, Sreenivasan will be responsible for developing more distance- and online-learning tools, both for Columbia students and for “learners outside the University.” The School of Continuing Education
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and the Journalism School already offer some online courses, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Jewish Theological Seminary offer online master’s degree programs. Peer institutions like Harvard, Yale, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford already have free lectures online, in disciplines ranging from philosophy to biology. Columbia’s first foray into the world of online education, the ill-fated Fathom.com, was shut down in 2003 after losing millions of dollars. Sreenivasan has yet to name a platform that Columbia will use to enhance its online education offerings, but he said in a July interview that he will try “to be as open-minded as possible” in choosing one. jeremy.budd@columbiaspectator.com
BY GINA LEE Spectator Senior Staff Writer From celebrity chefs to street vendors, West Harlem’s retailers are as diverse as its changing demographics. Economic development is bringing more options to the area, but small businesses are standing their ground against the big chains. Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson opened his first Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, nearly two years ago at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. The acclaimed restaurant has become representative of the rapidly developing 125th Street. The upscale supermarket Whole Foods Market may open along the corridor soon. According to Curtis Archer, president of the West Harlem Economic Development Committee, Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion is making the area’s demographics “more in line” with Whole Foods’ reputation. Other efforts for a healthier Harlem include Fresh Bodegas, a city initiative to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to bodegas, where many locals do their food shopping. But popular neighborhood spots Nectar Wine Bar and Society Coffee closed within the last year. Small businesses along Frederick Douglass Boulevard formed a business alliance in February to keep from losing customers to big chains. While some locals see the development as gentrification, others have called it an opportunity for West Harlem to catch up to the rest of the city. Heading into the semester, look for more developments on the Taystee Bakery site—a 126th Street complex that has been vacant for over 10 years—and in the city’s long-term zoning and transportation plans for the area. gina.lee@columbiaspectator.com
HENRY WILLSON / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
DEVELOPMENTS | A newsstand sits opposite a Modell’s Sporting Goods store on 125th Street in West Harlem.
Interested in writing, editing, coding, illustrating, ad sales, marketing, graphic design, blogging, development and more? Like free pizza? Come to a Columbia Daily Spectator open house! Saturday, Sept. 8, 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, 3 p.m.
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Our offices are at 2875 Broadway, at 112th Street (next to Pinkberry). If the door is closed, dial #11 and we’l buzz you up. Questions? Email us at join@columbiaspectator.com.
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Whi has form over d al re ey w ” rt ith it se ng s , sp m gh pu uc n fro ted lem a’s lo ho ed with never be , Jefferson the mos sa sta low the worl le she m igra egy de utemin an in of ha ith pu “She ed with ca ol , pr t. bl at th do ssm plan criti Thur men of th Su tis nd nu ar dupl s her an onito tio for r fir AirpFred tted for Wadopos ic or m and d, she has met ki mended bought a young Th e co es no ent ’s ci sd t of fic an inte vita inte ve im e DOrans fact ardi mbe e s, lo n, d sto ng many custome icated.” Cllane wom th said al te ze som he tio fo Pr ia re e ns t St En d ay rre r the book e thin po pr ky io ze rs “won that an w ayto er, ic on 114 e Pe leig is a br FILE ar and Ci ls st eq ad at vi Pr mpt po the in w pp r its oj rvie n, so zoni the derf rs over the gs from named fa rtunovemE ha sa n su d te in in at ue eq em ro th nigh ty gr ill no n k Do th rfo h Se no ‘The aw PHOT sa esid to rt U.S.- hiching vi ect w. ” Hazell. most mem ul and to cioe ng em nc ua en nm e g Po Secret’ t me, in culty iti en d id th rv xt en al adyear ill gi ha O l. im ca id en cr indi M er tsac w ug Stre rmin co ov an ric co ’s en es te t, en re t, orable inter eg la to her. and I gave m g, it an es ts pr at eys. scor rollel nd er w lestin th sg” no mig t is of ly law us he op t Ge oss vi ex volu al nt s relat to d tra al re no impa illions re ne ce l lass et g her a m ake di d fo , le ovid even es ev sa ta m pi hi t su ra So in e he po or illeg dual ico nt im e SEE BRO We just conn be e xt pt Jr. bo an be Arts—ary or d ad r ad ed hank , re a rezo alu ying l cs ns sour ic ct ee m ye an tw of Ac phhip e th no m st in m to re tio af fle ha ut po ce co on re Le H . ected. ie as a logift. a w se ge al s w bo OKLY rs sc Th su e sc t in ud ersh sa te Ed cord as iddl ar. y ne ulev d Ad een vi ningate ct rta s, nd H au g th di whan. Gi N, page ist s hern ra as “f d th W. ly. ho rder She cam to ad arlem ew of N pa ed e An Su hool e cces ho seem istra en ip fety r recomtio pu iti ar ar am sc e r Sh I uc im di at scus t lch JIM it ex desc La tiona or e Bu Form at B3 de sfu ol re scat er at ing ou scho d, w six ds ra hoback Ed th oah re n, bl on lem to ts, op of . GIL sio m ence , “I s CU ris zo te Ja ’s De to t. ci gr ta trem rib w l enfo proj sh on er — ol ael to iome am ic , w uc e D Go nts’ th “W nsky was sio l. dramposs r tra and ol by 20 th ni re m m ad na igra w do if he CR t sa CHRIS pr Su n de city po ants rget ist ed Po way rc ect ce on healt his- ’s ng d aa oc “w as atio ist tb ne ib gr 14 cis e jo he sa no n es ra vo te tio an n’ re w id lic ra s g ot h, SE T at le inad , ” it ve ,” ing be en ns pu Depa n ric aum eds H ha a io b do n a id. t to pr appl l N ratic ic to im “M cacy abou n, ts to t kn turn ill w he is E es “a Th ies.” ther “ind grou as rty and the ts ky ty he m cl al op au el m e ad t’s go gene Count 3 , a or in Bu n to ne sc RE Ce “r , th ch rtm ad os r is m y or .” t lawwhy he ow s, an ly ad de m citiz e gr os se son Distr ea th ivid p, a “n nt the no t e D g w t m m , we hool in ra ci Co m inpu ZO e th a m igra ga al , l co e m ance ent an ua m at er ne onito en ou I’m ar if lig e th tict l, m em t. cl Ot a fe d, g on l sc OE er an ake,” ha isn en N ss in e la isc tio niza ab th im l eani iv w that said ht e nc iddl lrin s’ vi p de IN m aim he w “T he feel said mun be , fo so ou e en ho ’s ef e un y pe he ve ’t as Am rg on n,” tio ly, m im ng er ca Gi an th , rc pa t G, g gi sc di ore ed rs year he re in th ity r ig ns e w ce ol w fo co op sa a to getti pa e em sPr CU er est cept he n is ra miqu mpu lchr d go im lanc rib pa ,” Su d. At su to said s ag deci is a g th ere ic ra io sa rt m ords resp ere rts nvin le at id. ugh ng as tio en es m es on CR ve ge a.” en s ist ci n id no ifk ig e ba cc te pp of th o.” sio sham at de t n th any w on ge to ce th st of W a, Pr t 2 pr de t of in 20 la rnm ra op itsel e ith de nu su d e n W se es nd or fe at ed fa th . “T an
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two weeks. “The Board of Elections has been a problem in New York for as long as I can remember,” Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault said. “It does not appear to be motivated by a desire to make it easy to vote or be very effective in collecting the votes.” But the real sparks will fly during city elections in 2013. “Next year will be more interesting,” Briffault predicted, as it will feature “wideopen” races for mayor and other city-wide positions. In Columbia’s neighborhood, veteran council members Gale Brewer of the Upper West Side and Robert Jackson of Harlem are vacating their seats to run for Manhattan borough president, and the races to replace them will be hotly contested. The race to replace Brewer includes former Community Board 7 chair Mel Wymore—who would be the first transgender member of City Council if elected—former CB7 chair Helen Rosenthal, Democratic District Leader Marc Landis, and Ken Biberaj, the vice president of the company that owns the iconic Russian Tea Room restaurant. casey.tolan@columbiaspectator.com
8 Harlem redevelopment
Tom’s
CORRECTIONS The Columbia Daily Spectator is committed to fair and accurate reporting. If you know of an error, please inform us at copy@ columbiaspectator.com. COMMENTS & QUESTIONS For general comments or questions about the newspaper, please write to the editor in chief and managing editor at editor@ columbiaspectator.com.
a dialogue about mental health and push for policy changes. Last semester, these groups brought therapy dogs to campus during finals week, participated in Columbia’s first-ever Mental Health Awareness Week, and discussed ways to reconfigure communal student spaces, among other projects. Columbia College Dean James Valentini has been a vocal supporter of these efforts, and he told Spectator over the summer that he plans to make student wellness and community-building a priority again this year. One project to watch this semester is the Pub, a lounge area proposed by the Student Space Initiative that would probably be located in Lerner Hall. The Center for Student Advising will also have a peer advising program for the first time this semester. abby.abrams@columbiaspectator.com
7 Online education
ASSOCIATE BOARD News Editors Abby Abrams, Lillian Chen, Avantika Kumar, Emily Neil, Jessica Stallone, Melissa von Mayrhauser Editorial Page Editors Luke Foster, Jessica Geiger, Joohyun Lee, Sonalee Rau, Alan Seltzer Arts & Entertainment Editors Jade Bonacolta, Allie Carieri, Stefan Countryman, Alison Herman, Charlotte Murtishaw, Lesley Thulin Sports Editors Muneeb Alam, Melissa Cheung, Alison Macke, Mia Park, Eli Schultz, Josh Shenkar, Eric Wong Copy Editors Abby Abrams, Laura Allen, Peter Andrews, Natan Belchikov, Augusta Harris, Megan Kallstrom, Hannah Laymon, Rukmini Mahurkar, Natalia Remis, Alexandra Salerno, Andrea Shang, Ben Sheng Photo Editors Maria Balsinde, Linda Crowley, Hannah Montoya, Jenny Payne, Kevin Roark Page Design Editors Lillian Chen, Diana Ding, Sarah Greenberg, Margaret Mattes, Regie Mauricio, Karen Nan, Malida Tadesse, Ryan Veling Graphic Design Editors Benjamin Bromber-Gaber, Celine Gordon, Sinjihn Smith Illustrations Editor Runtao Yang Staff Development Youjung Jun, Aigerim Saudabayeva Sales Shaun Ang, Erin Chuah, Nora Long, Rebecca Pottash, Jessica Skoczylas Finance Emily Aronson, Andrea Bonilla, Dat Dang, Jesse Garrett, Alex Ge, James Horner, Frankie Lam, Kevin Zhang Alumni Marquerite Horikawa, Maren Killackey, Rukmini Mahurkar, Danielle Ng, Moriah Schervone, Malina Welman, Diarra White
PAGE 13
5 Elections heat up local political scene
4 Greek life changes
MAGGIE ALDEN Managing Editor
FINN VIGELAND City News Editor
Stories to watch this year (Continued from page 6)
SARAH DARVILLE Editor in Chief
SAMMY ROTH Campus News Editor
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tio er f t DO ex ot d in CU d s pl th th he w .” in sc at w he tine CC es at as 06 st en re adlei ch Ac ees th r th th es as E’ pres boos d to e. ppor at arist e re “t ace e ev sd ’12 id di At te a CR , al appe t.” n, bu ion Th t th W sour gh arte adem ac an e e D s de se rs ro , sc th en ay , to en gr are do o Su siits ad ce ’s r sc y—cuse it ac scho OE us that stor wdyin an so at ared ou cis d and ra e au the e Un m disc is se t—w that ld t W se p Su bu leig s an build ho a d tu ol io conc ye ns di iv an us m hi th Sp ill n di d lls ky ev med braweven the on Do cc ild h. d in ol ne Har ally gl Gi ersit d th s este ch e pu ecta iam d noern , an ’s hi ent, th l t th retio ug ess Ac ing W spac g— that twor lem [im ad lchr y.” e acad r— coul rp to e st w at Sp BY s na lass ad w ad e of dr sh kr t truthat d fr ec YA in m to ist ee em wou d ta ose vi Gilc ag hen ta Ed “T l pu Ac em ith leig away aw ares to ig co sa ew hr e. to SM ly do ic ld ke ra M Fo uc he blic ad y bo h r Se IN m sp “O one.” tio mbi id he th sh fro ing s at is fr be sio an r sc em an nior GA io of ee n ne m eech ve SE on t n wa D ho y d Fr Har ares m tan n hatta Ch an th “w en rw th ep ol II ed St GN E d de t ho isn’t nv ris t ha on he e aff s w ar . , a er lem W fre ese ould Ed nt riz ju ille Co W E AD s be the lm tra ick ro tm e to be SE rit ng en tio ucatiat th on st an ca lang sp pi di LE en cam in gl E er ee cs n pr on e . Fo id mpu el to t GI co pu y, IG ch ap LC ca Th oje , th Scho r Co ea m s s o, H ] pr of on pr m ex , pa th H ov re pu e fir ct e ol lan om envi fr ee RI e ge bu ady s st is hi ongo of ge the pan- e ST ise ron3 we t Co fo aren build s job in Cont lo, a dis, pa d by th alt lan r stu ’t in . g co inui stu ge ns ng co e sit h of ge de ex gs on 2 tru w ns e. fir lo nt pe cen hile truc Co st- has use cted the co gine al tio lang hand alrea until to new he nt er so n el ex dy 20 be ro in ract fo wor ad o is po ha 16 gr ds sp or r th ki min st sure d a , ud ou th ec M EC or e ge ng as istr yi to et ar “I nd, at ar ts at ng th O -L ot e Gr an e cu m am e m et renc ec a st io IV fic d en t, ake on drill al h, hn af n ee IN no su g ot ed su w ic f ie nB G gi he al or | Re si Co nt,” ne mist re he in pp re ou M gn lang he erin ak no r du to or gh sid t an an sp en el said g de es ar co ties. the ec t Ad o sig “I hatta d . sig e rn er ZA ial a n thin nv ex prai n mad s in am RA CA BY is m lot stan k ill ec ut se te Fo su e, re rm STA KA Co la etho of in dp it’s e ca io d th fNY st lu N ar r, he ds no oint grea m n br ica / e m EI ow , CC SENIOR on At bi et e in m ,” he vativ , th t pus. of de a Da SH fr er co en ns th do 114 th A e ey om to ’13 STA e di wn th e Gr ily PA M “M of slurpor tio said cons ar a ne , in FF e Sp YT w scou th St ee on th PHOT ite an y rr atin ned . In truc usin deec ON m hen ra eir reet nBor 114 e ki OG y co d hatta ta g th pa ello to th tc RAPH in mpathus nv in vo wal a fu at rt tio g sh , re ou it’ ge r St he in Th w. s was ow sid gh no th ny fa ill lv l.” ll “t icu- n re n ER ye tin er en ho so e pe he r,” e ir ea gr Co t em do et of W Gr llo g ne ha ts GE rim y . ab meo t co lu ee te en ne year xt s he has en Li ith w, w tim w use y fo te ou ne vic gh on af mm mbi nB is s. co mor said be t th ater es rite SE we tor t Bl e wi dr Cu up e . en Ad nsel t it in rB in ter un a’s or st ey . An to ek y froue n ill rr le w “B lim in E am y, or is un th Br g, its the ities 10 ou ud en s. ig le ed en m or ut CO is d gh m on de e “T oa t th Fo H w ha EV PHO Co th r its co . sp pi tly on k to my ts LA it TOS ha is ho he rm ou or hous e of s be dw brow m An ecia , on rn BY NGE les fo all ths, do be ell hunt Tal ENTS ho ve us im ica se king e ZAR at the co ay an ns mun d th l in e live in forlt,A r a we’v if Co ec m th CAS pa use anyt e— port , CC co on kn ity re te LO as TAN Join k w ow ne un hi an an ’13 or lu o- e th d Ri tone ’s e ye re of ne e ma a sece lik Ru po Y , it co di m / DES st th pa it w ny on ism e th ls or iq ng d w t pa , sa na in s e em to ste gg bi ns e ph vers , be foun ar IGN h ge The d Dr.ISAA th ,” at co ue, th hile rt id. to Gr se r ne les a. cious ys ide tw d- s ine BY 2 r ica ee pe ings Form —is m in at Th w ab th ee vera xt is ge nt Ia C WHITE co l Driv n ye e for So vir th op w ica it’ post term mak e do ou pe ere’s nBor l ye wee tting nL m ne e, ut ars le olo s t ey e es m ni th s n’ he of mer gis un xus ip ng an ou ars k, pa a ne at ca did do said a so or an of ou t dic pr t an rn ki ity so r in . “S ci th m on y gr gh of rtl w tat esi cia Gr er e at n d Gr o al yt lar Tig or de ca ee re effo y th co ad to l en eenB e w to Cohom ee a lo orgahing sh nt m m n si vis er ip. of nB t of nm vi as pu pr de rt anks po e, er or Ch s, oj nt fro for sa we any ronm ou n’t a lum bu orou the ile ch ec s. m t th at fe to r-s of wi an t ha If e film en gh pl bia w gh ll ce w Gr sa avin its qu ta ’s br ace fo hen dis s ar pea ee y g lis un “C cu lth nB th tra irk m and for on d ss e tag his of or at fo ditio y w give of soit.” SE Joh ion co sm ou od ns at s ris E n Ja .” un GR al gh is . 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PAGE 14
NEWS / SPORTS
AUGUST 27, 2012
How to be a Lions fan BY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND Columbia Daily Spectator
Being a Columbia sports fan requires nearly as much perseverance, endurance, and pain tolerance as being a Columbia athlete does. Luckily, the Columbia University Marching Band is here to tell you everything you need to know about CU sports. • You will see things you have never seen before on an athletic field. Unfortunately, none of them are good. • Remember, it’s not football, it’s Ivy League football. • You like to win? Go watch fencing.
•
Nothing cauterizes the gaping wound of defeat like a free T-shirt. • The student section at Baker is a nice quiet place to do your homework. • Don’t tell the other team’s players they suck. Tell them WHY they suck. • They may be winning, but they live in a cultural wasteland. • Drink to forget the score. Trust us on this one. • You don’t have to drink, but all the cool kids are doing it. • Make sure to yell a lot. That always works. Remember, the only real way to measure who’s winning is by whoever is having the most fun. Unfortunately, this is almost always the team
with more points. At the end of the day, it’s not about loving to win. It’s not even about loving sports. It’s about loving Columbia. And making people from the other school cry. When you get to the games, come find us. We’ll show you a good time. about the cumb Columbia’s unique athletic culture comes with a unique fan experience, and at the center of it all is the Columbia University Marching Band. The CUMB (the “B” is silent, like in “bass”) is the nation’s pre-eminent scrambling humor force, as well as The Cleverest Band in the World (tm). To witness its antics, visit cuband.org, or come say hello any time during NSOP. They’ll be around...
Navigating the bureaucracy Academic advising:
The Center for Student Advising is located on the fourth floor of Lerner Hall. It’s a schlep, especially with the infamous Lerner ramps, but your mandatory advising appointment this week is not an activity you want to skip, because getting to know your adviser is worth the effort. Not all advisers will be as knowledgeable about the inner workings of Columbia as you want them to be—you might ask your adviser a question about an academic requirement, for instance, and see him or her search for the information on the same websites you’ve already searched. But if your adviser knows you well enough, he or she will usually go to bat for you, whether that means making a phone call to another office on your behalf, helping you sort through academic requirements, or finding the resources you’re looking for. Still, if you feel like your adviser isn’t cutting it, don’t be afraid to ask Monique Rinere, the dean of student advising, to assign you a new one—she’ll do it right away.
On-campus job-hunting:
Your first stop for finding an on-campus job should be the Center for Career Education’s LionShare website (listed below). LionShare may not be the easiest site to navigate, but its recent redesign helped, and it’s still the only comprehensive resource for on-campus jobs. If you have work-study, you can access the work-study-specific jobs listing (website listed below). Especially for students with work-study, the library jobs fair each September is also a good way to find employment. For science-oriented students, a paid research position might be the way to go. Columbia has dozens if not hundreds of professors actively conducting research in fields ranging from chemistry to nanotechnology—just make a list of professors whose work interests you, email them all, and try to convince one of them to hire you into his or her lab group. Past that, keep an eye on the many fliers plastered around campus, some of which advertise jobs with particular departments or offices. It also doesn’t hurt to approach professors and administrators directly, if there’s a particular department or office you want to work for.
Financial aid:
The financial aid office for students in Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science is located on the sixth floor of Lerner Hall. You can’t get there via the ramps—you have to catch an elevator or hike up the stairs. Every student on financial aid is assigned a financial aid adviser, and once you find the office, it’s worth setting up an appointment and getting to know yours. If a loan isn’t being disbursed, if you want to appeal for more financial aid, or if there’s a problem with your tax forms, your adviser is the person you’ll go to for help. If you ever have a serious problem and you don’t have an appointment with your adviser, you can always just show up and refuse to leave until someone helps you. And as with academic advising, you can request a new adviser if you don’t have a good relationship with yours. (Sometimes you won’t have a choice—whenever the office adds staff, it forces a reshuffling of advisers.) If you have work-study as part of your financial aid package, you’ll probably have to go to the work-study office to fill out some forms. It’s located on the second floor of Kent Hall.
Websites:
SSOL: ssol.columbia.edu Directory of classes: columbia.edu/cu/bulletin/uwb/ CULPA: culpa.info Maintenance requests: www.facil.columbia.edu/Services/
Campus map: columbia.edu/about_columbia/map/ LionShare: careereducation.columbia.edu/findajob/register Work-study jobs: https://columbia.studentemploy ment.ngwebsolutions.com/JobX_FindAJob.aspx
FILE PHOTOS
ROAR LION
|
Contrary to popular belief, Columbia students occasionally show off school spirit.
You’ll learn an important lesson about Columbia this week, if you haven’t learned it already: This is a complicated place. Everything from registering for classes to finding an on-campus job ends up being more difficult than you thought it would be, even if you’re well-prepared. —BY SAMMY ROTH
Registering for classes:
On the surface, registering for classes is easy: Log on to Student Services Online, check for your registration time, and figure out what classes you want to take using the directory of classes (websites listed below). If you need help choosing classes, check out CULPA (website listed below), which is basically a Columbia version of RateMyProfessors. It gets trickier, though. First off, be careful about using the CTRL-F function when searching through long lists of classes in the directory, because many class titles are abbreviated in surprising ways. When you find the classes you want, write down their five-digit call numbers, because that’s how you’ll look them up on SSOL. Be sure to be at your computer a few minutes before your assigned registration time, as classes fill up quickly, especially during orientation week. And if the registration website stalls, just keep trying—the traffic of everyone trying to register frequently overwhelms it. If you want to be absolutely sure to get into a certain class, ask a friend with an earlier registration time than you—or, ideally, an upperclassman—to register for a spot for you. That way, when the initial clamor of registration dies down, your friend can drop the class, leaving you to snag the suddenly open spot. It might be a little underhanded, but it works. You can add and drop classes online during the first two weeks of the semester, but after that, you’ll need to go to the second floor of Kent Hall to fill out an add/drop form. Be sure to keep your eye on the final drop deadline (this year it’s Oct. 9), and don’t forget that you can decide to pass/fail a class as late as mid-November (this year’s deadline is Nov. 15). Finally, don’t worry about adding or dropping classes a few weeks into the semester— reshuffling your schedule at the last minute is a rite of passage at Columbia.
Housing:
First things first: When your Resident Adviser tells you to fill out the Web Inventory Report for your dorm room, do it. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’ll be charged at the end of the year for a piece of furniture you didn’t know was missing. Also, if there’s anything missing from or wrong with your room, you should submit a facilities maintenance request online (website listed below), and someone from facilities will usually stop by to fix your problem in a few days. If no one shows up, don’t be afraid to call the facilities office to pester them. When you get locked out of your room—it’ll happen eventually—you can pick up a temporary room key at the Hospitality Desk, which is located on the first floor of Hartley Hall. (If you don’t know where that is, check out the online campus map—website below.) If you lose your ID card entirely, you can pick up a new one—for $20—at the ID Center on the second floor of Kent Hall. If you’re unhappy with your housing situation, you can always apply for a room-toroom transfer. Just find someone who wants to switch rooms with you, go to the housing office in Hartley, and they’ll probably make it happen. You can also apply to transfer without finding someone to switch with you, but your chances of success are lower. Of course, come spring semester it’ll be time to start thinking about where to live next year. The annual housing lottery takes place every April, with priority largely determined by class year (meaning first-years choose last).
AUGUST 27. 2012
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AUGUST 27, 2012