Columbia Spectator 04/30/08

Bon Appétit

Students have long complained about the University's meal plans, and with good reason. At the end of each year, students are reduced to swinging by the dining hall whenever they can in hopes of getting their money's worth. If the Columbia and Barnard Dining Services make their meal plans less rigid, no student will feel pressured to run to John Jay for only an apple or a drink.

Coatsworth Named Permanent SIPA Dean

After a year as acting dean of the School of International and Public Affairs, John Coatsworth has been named to the position permanently, University President Lee Bollinger announced in an e-mail Tuesday afternoon.

Ivy Champion Golf Team Qualifies for NCAA East Regional Chattanooga Site

After tremendous play at the Ivy League Championship last week, the Columbia men’s golf team has earned a bid at the 2008 NCAA regional qualifier.

Baur Moves From German Army to Harlem River

Timm Baur, CC ’10, is a 23-year-old heavyweight rower at Columbia University, formerly of the German army and national rowing team where he and his teammates won a gold medal at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2004. To say he brings “experience” to the Columbia varsity eights would be an understatement.

Boredoms Keep Things Lively, Both On Stage And Off

The Boredoms are a slippery bunch to pin down.

Coatsworth Appointment Comes After Controversial Year

When John Coatsworth invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Columbia last October, he knew there would be some fallout, but he could have been excused for not anticipating its extent. Coatsworth, then the newly-minted acting dean of the School of International and Public Affairs, was assailed by pundits from the left and the right. Adding insult to injury, Ahmadinejad’s appearance landed Columbia at the top of Time Magazine’s annual “awkward” rankings for 2007. For Coatsworth, it was a dramatic introduction to his new job.

Track Star Boylan-Pett Leads Lions to Success in Multiple Events

As senior co-captain Liam Boylan-Pett toed up at the Penn Relays Championship of America 4x800-meter relay heat, he awaited his handoff from freshman Jeff Moriarty with what could only be trepidation.

Boretti Hire Elevates Baseball Program

As members of the Columbia baseball team piled on one another in celebration of a 5-4 victory over Penn this past Saturday, they were quick to note that it was a reflection of how far the Columbia baseball program has come in its three years under head coach Brett Boretti.

To Listen, To Learn, To Speak

Storytelling is a tool like any other, useless in isolation, relying on other material to serve its purpose. One needs a story to tell. Thus, we must be two things at once—as described in the text of my first Lit Hum assignment, each of us must be “both a speaker of words and a doer of deeds.”

There Are Hoes Aplenty On This TV Farm

“I need something sexy, flashy ... Kind of farmer-y,” Josie tells a sales clerk.

Council Set to Vote On 125th Street Rezoning Plan

The New York City Council is expected to vote today on plans to transform Harlem’s “Main Street” at a moment of uncertainty for the future of the area and its residents.

And Chris Shrugged

Does the progressive escapism that we call a Columbia degree give someone the right to avoid all dissenting opinions? No. And this is where my fellow conservatives and I have succeeded.

Broadway’s Macbeth Hits the Damned Spot

Rupert Goold’s Macbeth is nothing short of terrifying.

New DOE Initiative Aims to Get Students Writing Poetry

The halls of New York City public schools have echoed with rhymes over the past few weeks, as many students greeted with enthusiasm the chance to compose their very own poetry. Thanks to the Department of Education’s latest literacy initiative—P.S. Poem—hundreds of students have now established themselves as published poets.

A Searing New Documentary Shows That In Swaziland, It Isn’t Good To Be The King

Mswati III is the King of Swaziland, the last absolute monarchy in Africa. He has 13 wives, seven royal palaces, a private jet, and an 11-figure Saudi bank account in his personal name.

50 States of Literature: Heading On Down to Colorado

Kent Haruf’s book Plainsong is true to its namesake, a “simple and unadorned melody or air” that is tender in its portrayal of three families in Holt, Colo.

SIPA Commencement Speaker Choice Draws Student Criticism

The choice of award-winning journalist Steve Fainaru as the School of International and Public Affairs’ commencement speaker has some students questioning whether Fainaru’s international clout is great enough to live up to SIPA’s prestige.

Students Not Deterred by Concerns Over Pinkberry Ingredients

Walk down Broadway on a warm afternoon and you will see hoards of people in line for some “swirly goodness” that will “indulge the senses,” according to the Pinkberry Web site. But—unknown to most Pinkberry enthusiasts—some recent close examinations have shown that the tangy frozen dessert, touted as healthy and natural yogurt, may not live up to its reputation.

Project Bluelight Drinks P.T. Anderson's Milkshake

“So if you do the math, numerically, we’re better than There Will Be Blood,” said Executive Producer Jeff Schwartz, CC ’10.

Carmines Provides Heaps of Food Without Costing Heaps of Cash

When it comes to celebrating the end of another school year, there’s nothing quite like a feast with friends. Maybe it’s the visions of banqueting Trojans in Carthage I’ve been having since reading the Aeneid—or maybe it’s my lingering mental picture of Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the Great Hall after another magical Hogwarts year—but there’s something about good friends, a lively atmosphere, and an inexhaustible supply of delicious food that come together to create the perfect dining experience. No, I’m not talking about John Jay.