Archive for April, 2012
Administration should embrace @students
I’m so glad @LEE_BOLLINGER, is on Twitter. His poignant and candid remarks on his day-to-day life have truly opened up students’ eyes to an entire world about our president.
Wait, that’s not PrezBo? Well that’s disappointing…
Almost all of our professors are instantly accessibly through seeing them in class or email afterwards. Why can’t the same be said for our school’s administrators?
Dean of Student Affairs Kevin Shollenberger is online, taking questions, concerns, and suggestions from students, and instantly available. Ditto for Dean of Community Development and Multicultural Affairs Terry Martinez.
There are other organizations like CU Student Affairs, Alice!, and the Columbia Alumni Association that have done a solid job of getting the word out about their events and programs, but granted, they don’t have the personal charm of an individual face or name.
But what about the rest of the administration? More »
10 reasons why this year was pretty good
Sure, this year has had it’s scandals, problems, and controversies, but all in all, looking back in retrospect—wait, if I write this according to the Uwriting rubric, can I submit it as my last essay?
Thesis: This year was pretty damn good.
Stakes: The fate of the universe depends on my opinion? I don’t know. I always get graded down on this part anyways.
Claim 1: There are cool people (in the world) at Columbia, and they’re doing stuff.
Supporting evidence: People who care and create couch exchanges, people who bring puppies or good cheer to our campus, and show support for bold beautiful women on both sides of Broadway.
Claim 2: Aki Terasaki’s entertaining and highly creative emails.
Supporting evidence: Check your inbox. It’s the one @columbia.edu address that doesn’t get marked as spam and then tossed directly to my trash folder. Sorry Neee-eeeve. More »
Varsity Show review (spoilers!)
Don’t read this unless you’ve seen the show already/aren’t planning to see it at the 2 or 8 p.m. showing today. But you should really go see it. Get tickets here.
The 118th reincarnation of the V-Show portrays the struggle of classics/philosophy major Phineas, played by Sean Walsh, CC ’14, to defend the Core Curriculum against the corporate reform efforts of Columbia Career Education Director Niamh (pronounced “Neeeeev”) O’Brien, played by Rebekah Lowin, CC ’14. O’Brien, in an effort to enhance post-graduation employment rates, institutes the “Corporate Core.”
To humanities geeks like Phineas, the regimen of classes on sleaze and business protocol is intolerable, and he forms a protest coalition under the banner of Alma’s Army.
Thematically, the show does a good job of touching on hot-button issues of the past year such as Occupy Wall Street and the McKinsey report without resorting to the tired 99 percent jokes that killed every Halloween party. More »
Off to Dallas Jeff Adams maybe goes
Although senior offensive tackle Jeff Adams didn’t get drafted this weekend, he was apparently signed by the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.
Based on the strength of his past workouts, which included one for the Jets at their private facility, it was thought possible that Adams could have been a late-round pick.
If Adams had been drafted, he would have been the first to do so in the NFL since Marcellus Wiley, who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round in 1997. Still, getting signed by the Cowboys, even if it wasn’t during the draft?
Not a bad graduation present.
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Payback’
“Payback” has a singular, expansive mission: address the concept of “debt” in all of its forms.
Through the concept of debt, the film explores and connects the many meanings of payback, which range from repayment of a loan to revenge in a blood feud.
The documentary is directed by Jennifer Baichwal and features several stories, each involving a different kind of debt. Baichwal does not search for conclusions or solutions to debt, but explores debt in all of its intricacy and variety.
Issues of environmental debt are examined through an investigation into the aftermath of BP’s oil spill in the Gulf and the story of a blood feud and longtime land dispute in Albania is particularly interesting.
Barnard announces Commencement lottery
According to an email from Dean Hinkson, a select number of tickets to Barnard’s 2012 Commencement are being given away in a lottery [insert Hunger Games joke here].
But don’t fret Columbia students– there’s good news ahead! It turns out you don’t even need to win a lottery ticket for the pity party going down from now until Barnard’s commencement!
Dear Barnard Student,
With all the excitement about having President Obama speak at Barnard’s 2012 Commencement, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to put your name in a lottery for a ticket to attend the Ceremony on May 14th. Please complete the survey https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dEk2TFBuSTNDNzlSRk1Hck04UWpoM2c6MQ to participate. The Lottery will close on Wednesday May 2nd at 5pm. Winners will be notified via email by Monday May 7th. More »
The love song of C. Robert Kroeger
In honor of Nickelback’s Here and Now Tour kicking off this month, the Eye has prepared a little quiz to distract you from studying real art.
Out of the following 10 quotes, six are from Nickelback songs, and four are from the poetry of T.S. Eliot.
But don’t be fooled—this is a lot harder than you think. Post your scores in the comments.
a. And would it have worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while
b. So I would have had him leave,
So I would have had her stand and grieve
Watermelons are chairs
It’s late, you’re up, and you’re thrilled for reading week.
News:
Adoption: This WSJ article details adoption in of children in Ethiopia by American families.
Chen Guangcheng: This Chinese activist, who had a big role in exposing the flaws in China’s family planning laws, has escaped house arrest. Also, the US government may or may not know where he is. More »
