Terrace-in-the-Sky

On July 10, University President Lee Bollinger announced the opening of the Columbia Climate School. He based the decision on Columbia’s commitment to public life, writing: “We are not free to ignore the issues of our age and pursue whatever we want. We are ultimately responsible to our societies and the world. To that end, we must answer the call to serve.”

“You say you like to tan because it’s fun / But half the time you burn yourself; how is that fun?” Grace Victoria D’Haiti, BC ’21, asks in her song “Black Looks Better on Me.” The song is simultaneously a Black cultural anthem and a commentary on the phenomenon of “blackfishing,” which is when non-Black people pretend to be Black or alter their appearances to look ethnically Black.

Content Warning: This episode discusses Columbia’s history with eugenics, sterilization, and the Nazi Party.

The iconic Hollywood sign is more than a strange group of letters that overlook Los Angeles; this sign represents all the glamour, fame, and industry the city has to offer as a titan of American film. Yet those stark white letters reveal a truth about Hollywood’s exclusivity—often of marginalized groups.

Until quite recently, I had never really been anywhere. New York is a cluttered place where everything I could ever need is in the palm of my hand.

The black-and-white checkerboard floors, exposed brick walls, red leather booths, and shining red lights displaying “MEL’S.” The dartboard, wooden chairs, and the cramped and dark interior of 1020. The long bar counter, antique light fixtures, and abstract paintings of Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor. These are the staple campus bars for many Columbia students today—places to de-stress, mingle, and enjoy drinks and classic bar food.

In front of an array of posters emblazoned with red and black slogans, the Columbia-Barnard Young Democratic Socialists of America mounted a rally in support of its tuition strike. The rally began with a press conference in front of University President Lee Bollinger’s 60 West Morningside Drive home and culminated in a march to the steps of Low Library.

Columbia School of the Arts promotes its film master’s degree program with a skillfully produced trailer that offers a seductive sales pitch to prospective applicants. The school boasts that students’ films play at “every major film festival you can think of: Telluride, Berlin, South by Southwest and Tribeca, Cannes.” Deans and professors tout the program’s focus on practical training and portfolio development set students up for industry success: The school proudly announces that students are “making things from the first day they come here and they’re making things as they walk out the door.”