Monday, May 11, 2009

NEWS »

University endowment dips by about 22 percent from $7.15 billion

By Alexa Davis
May 9 09:44 pm ET

Seeping into all areas of planning and budgeting, the economic crisis and the damage it did to Columbia’s endowment was emblematic of the academic year.

Academics expand with globalization, contract with budget cuts

By Scott Levi and Amber Tunnell
May 9 09:47 pm ET

When Barnard history professor Owen Gutfreund, the popular, long-time director of the school’s urban studies program, was denied tenure in December 2007, many students and faculty argued that he deserved better. But in fall 2008, Gutfreund received news suggesting his fate had been rewritten.

Barack Obama, CC ‘83, becomes first Columbia College alumnus elected U.S. president

By Betsy Morais
May 9 09:57 pm ET

The presidential race that captivated the country for months held a special resonance on campus, as Barack Obama, CC ’83, became not only the first black person to win the office, but also the first Columbia College alumnus to do so.

Student councils face NROTC, election policy issues in 2008-2009

By Elizabeth Scott, Carly Silver, and Alix Pianin
May 9 09:58 pm ET

While Columbia College Student Council did not pass more than a handful of measures this year, outgoing president George Krebs, CC ’09, said that he was proud of the “wide breadth” of issues the council had the opportunity to address, and that he chalked up a largely smooth year to the council’s ability to dodge controversy.

After a year filled with appointments, Bollinger has yet to name his provost

By Alexa Davis
May 9 10:07 pm ET

For University President Lee Bollinger, the past academic year has been rife with challenges, both internal and external.

Spar’s first year features contact with students, economic crisis

By Madina Toure
May 9 10:09 pm ET

Debora Spar moved into Morningside Heights less than one year ago, bringing with her a family, a cat, and a chair from Harvard Business School.

Death catalyzes campus mental health discussion

By Alix Pianin
May 9 10:10 pm ET

A candlelit memorial service in February drew out hundreds—family, friends, and faculty—all of whom had circled outside Low Library to remember the life of Eric Harms, the School of Engineering and Applied Science first-year who took his own life this past winter. As his loved ones remembered a warm and funny friend, devoted student leader, and talented musician, they also had a plea for his fellow students: to never suffer a silence as he had, and to avoid the devastating consequences.

Campus Housing faces major changes on both sides of B’way

By Kim Kirschenbaum
May 9 10:12 pm ET

Columbia’s ever-evolving residential system changed drastically this year. In light of a dearth of dormitory space and flaws in the housing-selection process, students had a first taste of these changes as they lined up in John Jay Lounge and in Barnard’s James Room to make their housing selections under revamped systems in early April. These changes will continue to be felt as students move into newly furnished buildings—with even one entirely new residence hall—next fall.

UWS rents rise as resale prices decline in the wake of national financial crisis

By Katherine Meduski
May 9 10:19 pm ET

Financial crisis impaired the city’s housing market this year, and locally threatened the preservation of affordable housing—an increasingly vexing problem in the diverse neighborhoods of Morningside Heights and Harlem.

Facing a reduced budget, MTA strikes deal to reduce fare hike, service cuts

By Aaron Kiersh
May 9 10:22 pm ET

Faced with a nearly unprecedented deficit over the past year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is poised to raise its base subway fare and implement what MTA officials themselves termed “doomsday” service cuts.

Local retailers hit hard by recession

By Sam Levin
May 9 10:24 pm ET

Local business in Morningside Heights and Harlem has taken a hit by the year’s economic downturn, and many streets—with boarded up store fronts and fading signs of retail activity—have the scars to prove it.

Despite city approval, disputes continue over M’ville expansion

By Maggie Astor
May 9 10:25 pm ET

With the city’s approval process more than a year in the past, Columbia’s Manhattanville campus expansion has moved into new stages of planning.

After a slew of appointments, several fresh faces join Columbia administration

By Joy Resmovits
May 9 10:34 pm ET

Administrative resignations and hires became a recurring feature of the 2008-2009 academic year, signaling a substantial turnover of Columbia’s leadership. See full article to learn about newcomers such as Michele Moody-Adams and Feniosky Peña-Mora, and the administrators they are replacing.

Schools face budget cuts, debate over mayoral control, and charter school drama

By Jessica Hills
May 10 12:54 am ET

This spring, as students, teachers, and administrators at local schools pack up their books and head off for summer vacation, many will still be wondering where they will learn or teach next year, who will be in charge of the education system, and what programs may no longer exist at their schools.

OPINION »

A year in op-eds

By Opinion Staff
May 11 12:17 pm ET

The 2008 Presidential election got all of the nation buzzing, and Columbia was no exception.

A year in columns

By Opinion Staff
May 11 12:26 pm ET

Perhaps we should remember this year not as a string of events but rather as a collection of continually recurring thoughts and trends.

A semester in staff editorials

By Opinion Staff
May 11 12:27 pm ET

Since January, the editorial board has supported policies that it deemed constructive to the University and has served as an advocate for students on issues ranging from academics to student life.

SPORTS »

CU football ties for sixth in Ivy League standings

By Matt Velazquez
May 11 03:18 pm ET

The 2008 Columbia football season was bittersweet for the Light Blue. Its 2-5 Ivy League record landed it in a tie for sixth place in the Ancient Eight, which is a better than its last-place finish in 2007. But there is no doubt that the Lions could have achieved more.

Columbia women's soccer finishes third in the Ivy League as the title remains just out of reach

By Sarah Sommer
May 11 03:19 pm ET

Led by the eventual Ivy League Player of the Year, junior midfielder/forward Sophie Reiser, the Columbia women’s soccer team amassed a 4-2-1 record in conference play to finish third in the Ivy League. While their 2008 campaign was certainly noteworthy, the Lions had higher hopes after winning the Ivy title in 2006. Columbia headed into its final conference matchup with the chance to win at least a share of the championship, but fell short of the title at Harvard.

Men's soccer defeats No. 6 UCSB in home opener, finishes seventh in Ancient Eight

By Sabine Schulz
May 11 03:20 pm ET

The men’s soccer team finished its 2008 season seventh in the Ivy League with an overall record of 4-12-1 (2-5 Ivy). The team fought through a midseason slump, which culminated in a six game losing streak, to close out the season in a 2-0 shutout over Cornell at home.

Fencing excels in tough, injury-ridden 2009 season

By Jonathan August
May 11 03:22 pm ET

When a coach who just finished his 31st season at the helm of a team calls a season his toughest ever, you listen. For head coach George Kolombatovich and the Columbia fencing team, 2009 was one where injuries rocked many fencers over the course of the season, yet at the end the Lions finished in fourth place at the NCAA championships and second in the Ancient Eight.

Men's basketball overcomes early-season doubt to finish 7-7 against Ivy rivals

By Max Puro
May 11 03:24 pm ET

Coming off two consecutive 7-7 Ivy League campaigns and facing the loss of four senior starters, the men’s basketball team entered the 2008-2009 season with a bleak outlook. To make matters worse, junior transfer Brian Grimes tore his ACL five minutes into the team’s first practice. Grimes was expected to fill the role of departed three-time all-Ivy League performer John Baumann. With Grimes out for the season, the Lions were forced to rely on a number of inexperienced players.

Inconsistency plagues Lions during league play

By Sarah Sommer
May 11 03:35 pm ET

The Columbia women’s basketball team showed flashes of greatness during its 2008-2009 campaign, but the Lions were unable to dominate the Ivy League. Columbia (13-15, 6-8 Ivy) opened conference play with a hard-fought 47-44 win over Cornell, but the Light Blue faltered in the rematch, losing to the Big Red by a five-point margin in Ithaca. Inconsistency defined Columbia during league competition. In their first back-to-back Ivy games of the season, for example, the Lions lost a 63-61 heartbreaker at Yale but followed that performance with a 76-51 win at Brown.

It's lonely at the top: men's tennis wins another title

By Kunal Gupta
May 11 03:37 pm ET

The Columbia men’s tennis team had one of its most successful seasons in recent memory, culminating in its second Ivy League championship in three years. The Lions won the Ivy title in their final match, defeating Princeton 7-0 and moving on to the NCAA tournament.

Men's golf repeats as Ivy League champs, earns bid to NCAA championship

By Kunal Gupta
May 11 03:39 pm ET

The men’s golf team qualified for the NCAA championship in 2009 by winning the Ivy League for the second consecutive year. The Lions won the Ivy title in dramatic fashion, overtaking Penn, which led by three strokes going into the final round, on the last hole of the tournament. “The field that has been announced [for the NCAA tournament] is very talented,” head coach Rich Mueller said, “but we’re becoming more and more accustomed to playing with these teams in the regular season.”

Inconsistent baseball squad falls short in quest to repeat as league champions

By Jacob Shapiro
May 11 03:41 pm ET

Last season, the Columbia baseball team defeated Ivy League powerhouse Dartmouth en route to the school’s first baseball championship since 1977. But in their quest to defend the title, the 2009 team fielded a weaker squad that had trouble winning big games. Before stepping into Ivy League play, the Lions started the season with 18 nonconference games against tough opponents. Over the first few weeks of the season, Columbia battled Lamar and Charlotte and emerged with just one win in seven games.

Softball unable to overcome small roster, lack of clutch hitting in 2009

By Michele Cleary
May 11 03:42 pm ET

The Columbia softball team (16-34, 4-16 Ivy) had another disappointing season, finishing last in the Ivy League. Despite the subpar team performance, there were a few individuals who had successful seasons. Early on in the campaign, the Lions appeared to be playing better ball than last year. The Light Blue went 7-5 at the Rebel Spring Games this year, compared to 5-9 last season, but this strong spring break performance did not translate into success in the Ivy League as Columbia was only able to win one more Ivy game than last season.

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