Cecile-Richards

Sophia Richards, BC '18, wanted a women's magazine that wasn't trying to sell her something. So she went out and created her own: Mythos Magazine.

Amid congratulations and sentimentality, around 100 members of Barnard's class of 2014 walked onstage at Radio City Music Hall with strips of red tape on their caps during Barnard's commencement ceremony on Sunday to show support for those working to change Columbia University's sexual assault policies.

Barnard's selection of Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, as commencement speaker and its decision to remove a preapproved Students for Justice in Palestine banner from Barnard Hall reveal a double standard in Barnard's commitment to free speech. Both actions have sparked debate and furor about the issues themselves, but the disparity in Barnard's treatment of political speech and the idea of "endorsing" speech should be the real controversy.

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, will speak at Barnard College Commencement on May 18, Barnard President Debora Spar and Dean Avis Hinkson, BC '84 and TC '87, announced in an email to students Thursday.

On May 18, Barnard's commencement speaker will be Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. For some, her speech will be an inspiring moment from an admired hero. For others, it will be an experience of profound alienation.

When the speeches end, Frank Sinatra's iconic "New York, New York" will play, and Barnard's class of 2014 will finally graduate—off to "make it anywhere." This is the moment that they will remember from their commencement, for all of the bittersweet emotions that come with it.

To the Editor:

The selection of Cecile Richards as this year's Barnard commencement speaker has been nothing less than divisive. Many at Columbia agree that this divide is detrimental to our community, regardless of their feelings about Richards. I'd like to show you that we agree on more than just that.

Happy Thursday, Columbia! Get out of the science requirement and enjoy your week of freedom. Today will only have a high of 32 degrees, but who cares when you can sleep all you want? Columbia news: