CCSC Roone Event Provides Warm Watching Venue, Despite Mixup with Local School

Students unwilling to face the winter chill to watch the inauguration at Low steps found an alternative viewing area yesterday in Roone Arledge Auditorium thanks to the Columbia College Student Council. But unlike the crowd on the steps of Low, the audience in the auditorium did not include local community members, due to a change in the plans of a local junior high school.

Democracy Prep Charter School had originally reserved the auditorium for their own inauguration event, but a last minute cancelation left the space solely to Columbia students.

According to Robyn Burgess, CC ’10 and CCSC Vice President of the campus life, Democracy Prep had reserved the room nearly a year in advance in for the day. But as the Obama-hype grew over the months leading up to his swearing in, the junior high school began planning an alternative celebration at the Harlem Armory, located between 142nd and 143rd streets.

The program at the Armory, entitled “Inauguration of a DREAM,” was open to students and families of Democracy Prep, as well as elected officials and members of its Harlem community.

CCSC had anticipated an inaugural viewing where Columbia students and Democracy Prep students could come together and celebrate the historic day. The plan fell through due to the conflicting event in Harlem.