Archive for March, 2011
Day three recap, day four preview
The third day of suite selection brought an influx of mixed-point groups and juniors looking to grab what the seniors had left over. As expected, pairs finished off the brownstone, the two remaining Watt one-bedrooms, and Woodbridge, the last of which was taken by group 1080. It’s interesting to note that despite the huge increase in seniors who formed groups of two, the Woodbridge cutoff was mostly unaffected. They also began to choose the Watt studio doubles, a few of the walk-through doubles in Nussbaum, and the lone walk-through double in River.
Outside of these doubles, the groups ravaged Ruggles, leaving just a single 6-person suite on the first floor. All fourteen of the 8-person suites were taken with a final cutoff at 20/1402. It’s remarkable how these suites continue to get more and more difficult to get into—expect this trend to continue next year. The rest of the major action surrounded the former EC exclusion suites, which were taken throughout the day by groups who were simply grateful that they were still around.
So what’s on tap for tomorrow? Predictions (and an explanation of that whole BC housing cap thing) after the jump. More »
In Focus: Is Teachers College Doing Its Job?
Teachers College at Columbia is one of the most highly regarded institutions of education in the world—in the U.S. News & World Report, it has topped the “Best Education School” rankings—yet it is surrounded by some of the toughest public schools in the nation. In the current education climate, with the rise of programs like Teach For America and intensifying criticisms of educational schools, TC is facing increasing pressures to prove its relevance and its worth, professors say. In this context, many educations experts, inside and outside TC, are questioning whether the school’s leadership is doing enough to improve public education in Harlem.
- Sam Levin, from this week’s Eye
Check out Daphne Chen’s videos of Teachers College programs in action:
More video coverage of the TC program after the jump. More »
Admission rates around the Ivy League
With acceptance letters mailed out, the anxiety of students everywhere has subsided. However, it’s clear that there won’t be a huge number of happy seniors. With an increase in application numbers, the percentage of students admitted into the Class of 2015 was quite low. Across the board, the acceptance rate ranged from 6.2 percent to 18 percent.
- Harvard: 6.2 percent
- Columbia: 6.9 percent
- Yale: 7.35 percent
- Princeton: 8:39 percent
- Brown: 8.7 percent
- Dartmouth: 9.7 percent
- Penn: 12.3 percent
- Cornell: 18 percent
Floor plans after day three
Check to see if your desired room/suite is still available. Check back for a full breakdown of today’s events later tonight from Housing pro Eric Feder. As always, comments and questions are welcome.
Claremont
There are EIGHT seven-person suites left. For those of you who followed the liveblog closely, this may seem odd because we started out the day with nine suites and finished with seven. HOWEVER, one of the groups who picked into Claremont actually was ineligible and thus will be dropped down to General Selection.
The eight available seven-person suites are: 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42, 61, 62. Specifically, 51 has been taken, but is not shown on Housing’s floor plan and 62, which the above suite took, is actually available.
Floor One
Floor Two
Floor Three
Floor Four
Floor Five
Floor Six
East Campus
Slim pickings left. The six remaining doubles are all on the sixth floor. The ECXs are all on the eighth and 18th floors.
Floor Six
Floor Eight
Floor 18
Nussbaum, Ruggles, and Watt after the jump. More »
Now playing: DJ Alpaca
Due to the positive response from DJ Alpaca’s remixed Thursday pregame playlist, we’ve decided to start up a bi-weekly series that showcases mixes put out by the Columbia’s most well known DJs. Every other Thursday, a new DJ will be highlighted. More on DJ Alpaca and full mix after the jump. More »
Barnard accepts record low 24.9 percent
Barnard accepted a record-low 24.9 percent of all applicants this year, after accepting 27.8 percent the year before. Barnard released its decisions via snail mail—it’s one of the last universities that still maintains that tradition—earlier this week.
This year, Barnard received 5,154 total applications and accepted 1,284 prospective students. As a fun fact, Dean of Admissions Jennifer Fondiller personally signed each letter. Cheers for traditions!
Courtesy of Barnard College
Check for more photos after the jump. More »
Day three: The juniors are here!
Third day of selection, and we’re still here. It’s the juniors up to bat now, ready to devour the remainder of Watt, Woodbridge, and Ruggles. A slight correction from yesterday’s recap—there are 23 ECX suites left, not 16 as previously noted. We would say they’d eat up those as well, but, well, there just aren’t enough five person groups—only 18 picking today. Live from John Jay—the count’s still on our board, and liveblog and questions in the comments are after the jump. More »
Going green and looking good too
As spring approaches and you begin to peel away the layers of turtlenecks, sweaters, and winter coats you have been living in all winter, do you find yourself fantasizing about a brand new wardrobe for the upcoming season? April showers bring May cravings for online shopping and a fashion facelift, isn’t that how it works? For anyone who can relate or who longs to awaken their hibernating sense of style, why not do so by going green—fashionably green that is. More »
Eye Drop: Highlights from this week’s magazine
Is Teachers College doing its job? With a new elementary school in Harlem on the horizon, TC pushes to prove its worth. [In Focus]
Spirituality in the city? Joseph Cassara cooks with the Bhakti Center in the East Village. [Arts + Culture]
A mysterious roommate’s story, told through things left behind. [View From Here]
Angela Ruggiero-Corliss on Nicki Minaj, the alter-egoed, pink-wigged queen of this decade’s female rappers. [Music]
Julia Miller speaks with acclaimed artist and Barnard professor Nicolas Guagnini. [Eye to Eye]
USenate finalizes ROTC resolution—Vote likely to happen tomorrow
The USenate has finalized the resolution it will vote on at tomorrow’s meeting. It’s mostly the same to the draft resolution that circulated amongst members a few weeks ago.
Below are the most relevant passages of the proposed resolution:
Be it resolved that:
That it is in the interest of Columbia University to continue to constructively engage with the Armed Forces of the United States and to educate future military leaders, subject to administrative, logistical, and legal concerns
Be it resolved that:
That Columbia University welcomes the opportunity to explore further mutually beneficial relationships with the Armed Forces of the United States, including participation in the programs of the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
Check the full resolution here.