Nicole-Bartnik

Much to the sadness of the campus community General Studies senior and fellow Speccie, Nicole Orttung, GS '17, passed away last Tuesday in Washington, D.C. More information on Nicole's passing can be found in our news coverage. For friends on campus grieving the loss, there are resources and services available to you.

Crowded around a tiny orange table in the Diana Center sit "Beyond Cis-terhood"'s co-producers Casey Gilfoil, BC '16, and Nicole Blakeman, BC '16, and co-directors, Isa Johnson, BC '17, and Lhana Örményi, BC '17. With opening night on Thursday and tickets quickly selling out, the producers and directors of Barnard and Columbia's first show to shift from "The Vagina Monologues" to the newly created "Beyond Cis-terhood" sat down with Spectrum to reflect on their work so far and give a little info on what "Beyond Cis-terhood" will entail.

With many Light Blue squads on the rise and others looking to stay near the top, there are plenty of questions to be answered in 2013-14.

With its 7-0 sweep of Princeton on April 21, the No. 65-ranked Columbia women's tennis squad earned its first ever Ivy League title. Check out what three players—Kanika Vaidya, Bianca Sanon, and Nicole Bartnik—had to say about the accomplishment.

Junior Nicole Bartnik was unanimously selected as the Ivy League Player of the Year, announced yesterday. Bartnik was the first Lion to ever receive the award for women's tennis since it was first presented following the 1994-95 season. She proved undefeated in the conference and went 14-3 over the course of the season. more Bartnik also received first-team all-Ivy honors while fellow teammates and sophomores Bianca Sanon and Tiana Takenaga got second-team all-Ivy honors. This news comes two days after the No. 42 Columbia men's tennis team received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, where it will square off against No. 31 VCU in the first round. Not only that, but freshman Winston Lin was named the Ivy League Rookie Player of the Year this year. Looks like some publications might have some rethinking to do.

This morning we look at our default gray sky, feel the colder-than-it-should-be end-of-March nippiness, and sink back into seasonal depression. But the sun will come out tomorrow. No, seriously, it's supposed to be beautiful all weekend. Maybe we can put our urban beach to good use. Until then, we can take solace in the fact that Columbians everywhere are channeling their inner Robin Hoods, taking from the haves and giving to the have-nots.more More housing options. Brownstones aren't reserved for frats only. The new one on 113th is open to everyone in the housing lottery. [News] More money. Loans officially come from the federal government instead of private lenders like Citibank as of next year. [News] More academic options. Barnard gets an Ethnic Studies concentration, too. Hunger strikers (2007) give each other high fives. [News] More reason to cheer. Forget Cornell. Columbia's racking up victories. Fencer Nicole Ross wins NCAA championship. Women's basketball player Judie Lomax earns honorable mention All-American. [Sports & Sports] More insider city knowledge. Never know where to get your hair cut? We do. Here's a few ideas. [A&E]

Trying to get off campus? Don't. As of 6 a.m., the 1, 2, and 3 train service have all been suspended between Times Square 42nd St. and 96th St. stations due to a "water condition" at the 79th St. station (read: OMG SO MUCH WATER). And don't try heading uptown either. All 1, 2, and 3 service is expected to have "major delays" all day. And just when you thought those pesky service changes were over. [MTA] UPDATE (11:25): Service is no longer suspended, but there are still delays (but really, what else is new?).