finances

As racial and economic disparities both within and outside of the Columbia community continue to be exacerbated by the worsening public health crisis, the tuition strike has gained considerable traction, even capturing the attention of national news outlets. The demands being made of the University are comprehensive, such as a 10 percent reduction in the cost of attendance, more satisfactorily meeting its obligations to the West Harlem community, and more widespread recognition of student workers. These demands have found widespread support in the University with nearly 2,000 students already pledging support, myself included.

Yep—college is expensive, and Columbia is no exception. Tuition, housing, and meal plans can add up, even if you don’t factor in another expense that is often underestimated is textbooks. Sure, you may have enrolled in that one lecture everyone is raving about, but maybe that $300 textbook from Book Culture is making you second-guess that decision (with good reason). We here at Spectrum believe that pricey textbooks shouldn’t be hindrance for any college student, so with that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of places where you can get textbooks for free or at a reduced price. That way, you can feel free to take absolutely any class you want.

One of the best things about being a college student is definitely the discounts. Here’s a complete list of all the amazing discounts you can get as a student in NYC—for everything from Broadway tickets to promo codes—to help you shop. There’s no need to worry about being extremely broke and, therefore, being stuck on campus all the time. With these amazing discounts, you’ll still be able to get the full NYC experience.

Finances have long been a source of difficulty for Barnard. Though the endowment, at $240 million, is the highest it has been in recent years, the college has still had to make cuts to stay afloat. These cuts include reducing the gym requirement to one semester, closing Barnard's pool, and requiring that all students be registered full-time. Additionally, over the past 15 months, Barnard has successfully incentivized 16 administrators, 10 professors, and five clerical workers to retire early as part of efforts to cut up to $8 million from the college's operating budget. Now, the most senior administrator responsible for Barnard's financial well-being is also leaving the school.

As modern-day college students, applications are the new school supplies. They'll help you organize your files, your calendar, your finances, and even your grooves. Check out the ten apps that, as a student at CU, you absolutely must own.

My Contemporary Civilization class meets from 6:10 to 8 p.m., commonly known as the "hunger time slot." Who gets dinner at 6 p.m.? Who gets it at 8 p.m.? It's a big problem. My professor, who graciously attributes our sometimes-tepid discussions to this poor state of affairs, just decided to petition the University to give us a small food stipend. He told us about it the day we were covering A Vindication of the Rights of Women. "We have a multi-billion dollar endowment," he said, one elbow resting on Mary Wollstonecraft's face, "I mean ..." Everyone laughed.