Posts Tagged ‘jeffrey sachs’
What World Bank nominations say about Columbia—Part I
The search for the next president of the World Bank would normally fall outside of Spectator’s purview. The Bank’s headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., not Morningside Heights. The department of economics probably spends a lot of time disagreeing about how effectively its loans reduce poverty in the developing world—while that might make for an entertaining office dynamic on the 10th floor of IAB, there is little else that might concern the average Columbia undergraduate.
But on March 1, Jeffrey Sachs nominated himself for the position. Today, President Obama nominated Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim instead. Hours after news broke, Sachs withdrew his candidacy to throw his support behind Kim.
Knee-jerk reactions about Obama’s constant ploy to spite Columbia aside, much of the coverage I have seen in national and international media has brought two genuine and Columbia-relevant concerns to mind.
1. Administrator personalities.
2. How we should think of Jeffrey Sachs? More »
Updated: Jeffrey Sachs overlooked by Obama but Ocampo still in the hunt
President Obama’s back in news that’s relevant to Columbia. However, today’s news has got nothing to do with the sensitive subject of his travel plans for the month of May.
Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia professor and director of the Earth Institute, had made his desire to be the next leader of a famous institution public: “I am seeking to be President of the World Bank so that together we can end extreme poverty in our time,” appeared on the Jeffrey Sachs Facebook page last week, with a link to his op-ed in the Washington Post.
However, Sachs will not be the next head of the international finance institution that aims to assist developing countries. The POTUS made headlines today by selecting Dartmouth’s President Jim Yong Kim as the US’ choice to lead the World Bank. One of the two other contenders is Jose Antonio Ocampo, a SIPA professor. Check after the jump for more on the three candidates (including a video of Kim that you won’t want to miss) and reaction to the news.
More »
Are You Afraid Of the Dark? still terrifying
It’s late. You’re up sorting through the deluge of Halloween costume photos flooding your news feed.
Best Part: Looking forward to post-Halloween candy sales.
Worst Part: Heartbreak experienced at news of Kim Kardashian’s filing for divorce. [NYMag]
James Franco in the News: “Morons in the blogosphere” are bound to misinterpret his doll orgy installation.
From Flaunt magazine’s description of the project in “The Orgiastic Education of James Franco:”
Franco, who is in the middle of the action, begins to record himself on an iPhone, repeating, “I’m a rebel, I’m a rebel, I’m a rebel, I’m a rebel…” His eyes are closed. There is no irony in his voice.
Sad: Barnard alumna and real estate executive Marion Hedges is in the hospital after a shopping cart was dropped on top of her by 12-year-olds on the Upper West Side today. [DNAinfo, Gothamist]
Ivy Face-Off: Watch our very own Jeffrey Sachs debate Harvard’s Niall Ferguson on Occupy Wall Street and the 1%. [Washington Post]
Incidentally, Kim Kardashian on Occupy Wall Street: “That cake looks so good.” [WSJ]
The End: Short answer: yes.
Occupy Wall Street with Jeffrey Sachs!
We all came to Columbia for different reasons: the superstar faculty, to be in the city, see and be a part of what will be on tomorrow’s New York Times, to be intellectually engaged, or protest against the ills of society. This Saturday students will have a chance to do all of those.
Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia, is hosting a discussion open to all students about economic inequalities in America. Afterwards, he is planning to join protestors at Zucotti Park and invites students to come with him. In recent weeks, Sachs not only praised Occupy Wall Street saying that “social movements take off when people see that other people are suffering,” but he also joined in last Sunday to be a part of the protest.
What: Occupy Wall Street with Jeffrey Sachs
Where: Lerner Hall, Satow Room (5th floor), then Zucotti Park
When: Oct. 15, 11 a.m.
Jeffrey Sachs will host a discussion on unemployment, economic justice, and the rise of inequality in America since 1980 in Lerner’s Satow Room. After the discussion, students are invited to travel with Professor Sachs to the Occupy Wall Street demonstration, where he invites others to continue the conversation.
See more coverage on Occupy Wall Street in the paper and on Spectrum.
Jeffrey Sachs agrees to extension as director of Earth Institute
Jeffrey Sachs, economist extraordinaire and perpetually tossed out answer to ‘Why Columbia?’, has agreed to extend his term with the Earth Institute. Sachs started his position as director in 2002, and has received an extension of unspecified length. Sachs is happy.
In related news, check out our series of Senior Spotlights—which we’ll get rolling in a few days—to learn which senior would like to see Sachs without clothes on.
BloggerHeads: Who would win Columbia Celebrity Deathmatch?
Today we present the sixth installment of BloggerHeads, a weekly feature in which our bloggers sit down to debate or discuss an important issue at Columbia.
It’s December, we’re still recovering from our Thanksgiving turkey comas, and finals are almost upon us. It’s time to relax for a moment. So this week, we asked Nuriel Moghavem and Neil FitzPatrick who would win Columbia Celebrity Deathmatch. More »