The final year at Columbia for the class of 2024 has been marked by the devastating war in Gaza and its rippling effects on campus and throughout the world. As our community mourned and protested the violence—which for many, impacted their family, friends, and homes—students were expected to attend to their academics, extracurriculars, and lives as if it wasn’t at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Black History Month honors the lives, legacies, and contributions of Black Americans in shaping U.S. history. Every February, Spectator dedicates a special issue to the Black Columbians and residents of Morningside Heights and West Harlem whose voices, stories, and accomplishments make up the very fabric of our community.

This year’s special edition comes at an exciting time for the Columbia basketball program. After making history last season, the reigning Ivy League women’s basketball champions have roared into conference play, currently riding a 10-game win streak. The men’s program, which has struggled with a shoddy record for the past few seasons, has had its best campaign of non-conference play since 2015 this season. While the road ahead will be challenging for both teams, there is no better time to follow Columbia Lions basketball.

Students, parents, alumni, and other Columbia affiliates have flocked to campus for Homecoming, coming together in a moment of school spirit to celebrate the Columbia community. Whether you are the biggest Lions fan out there, or have never stepped foot in Wien Stadium, we hope this edition illuminates the spirit of Homecoming.

October is LGBTQ History Month, a time to celebrate queerness in all its forms and the contributions queer people have made to our world. Columbia itself has been the site of much of this history, and this special edition is intended to highlight the ways lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Columbians have played integral roles in shaping our community, both in the past and today.

Dear class of 2027, welcome to Columbia—we are so excited to have you! You have a busy week ahead of you, and as you settle into your new home and get acquainted with campus, you probably have some lingering questions about what the years ahead will look like. Inside this special issue—our first of the year—you will find everything we at Spectator think every first-year student should know.

This year’s graduating class is special. The class of 2023 was the last class to experience the “old” Columbia. It is also the first to begin rebuilding a new one. This Spectator special edition celebrates the culmination of that class’s four long years at the University and the conclusion of the 2022-2023 academic year, one of unparalleled change for Columbia.

Every February, we celebrate Black History Month by coming together to highlight the voices, stories, and accomplishments of Black Americans and Black culture at Columbia and in West Harlem. We hope you’ll join us in this annual tradition with Spectator’s 2023 Black History Month edition.

Last year, after almost two years of no competitions, Ivy League basketball returned. Following initially-limited attendance, Levien Gymnasium eventually welcomed back crowds of fans to cheer for the Lions as conference play picked up. In the previous season, the women’s team saw its most successful season to date, while the men’s team limped into last place in the Ivy League. While the teams’ seasons tell opposite tales, one thing is certain: Columbia basketball is back.

Nemat “Minouche” Shafik will serve as Columbia’s 20th President, the University announced Wednesday morning, marking the first time in the institution’s 269-year history that a woman or a person of color will hold the top post.