The Lions come home

Homecoming is a time for food, face paint, and football. This year, the Lions faced off against the Penn Quakers. And though the current generation of Columbians has yet to see a homecoming victory, the early success of the Columbia football team made this year's homecoming match a much anticipated event.

"This is the culmination of the football events and that's why people come out, that’s why people are excited."

"I need to get one of those bear claws. I’m so ready to go at it."

"It's crazy. Everyone's really excited and we think Columbia has a really good chance this year."

"There's definitely been more athletic excitement this week than I’ve ever seen at Columbia before."

Despite the intensified excitement, people feel there is still something missing from the college homecoming experience.

"It's definitely different than high school in the sense that there’s not really the whole spirit week isn't really completely embraced."

"Homecoming week has been a little different than most weeks here at Columbia. Definitely not as big a buildup as we had in high school...but it sounds like the football team is actually good this year, and so it’s at least a little bit exciting."

Though homecoming festivities were lacking around campus, Columbians displayed their abilities to be nonconformists, this time by embracing the Columbia school spirit.

"People are coming together, we’re drinking together, we're getting free stuff together."

"Of course they’re excited. There’s kids in body paint."

"Everyone that’s in there seems to be having a good time, so I’m looking forward to today."

"In this communal spirit, we will fight to defeat Penn."

Penn defeated Columbia, 27-13.

Turmoil at the Columbia Daily Spectator

On Friday this week, Columbia's Spectator website looked unusually bare. Unhappiness with the leadership of editor-in-chief Melissa Repko and managing editor Elizabeth Simins prompted former Online editor Ryan Bubinski to take the website down. In Bubinski's resignation letter, he cited Repko and Simins' refusal to allow discussion of proposals for changes to the managing and corporate board structures as the reason for his actions. The website is now back up, but the legal and advertising implications of this internal fiasco remain to be seen.

Journalism School honors Latin American reporters

On Wednesday night, the Journalism School honored some outstanding reporters. The Maria Moors Cabot Award, the oldest international prize in journalism, honors outstanding work in and about Latin America.

Although the prize was awarded to four journalists, only three were in attendance. The Cuban government denied permission for blogger Yoani Sanchez to travel to new York to receive her citation.

This year also marked the first time in the award's 71-year history, that one of the prizes was presented to a blogger.

Before presenting the awards, President Lee Bollinger spoke at length about the importance of alternative media outlets in countries lacking an established free press.

"The truth is, in some places in the world, bloggers have become the one reliable alternative source of uncensored and honest reporting."

This year's gold medalists are Anthony DePalma, correspondent for The New York Times, Christopher M. Hawley, correspondent for USA Today and The Arizona Republic and Merval Pereira, columnist for O Globo.

Columbus Day Controversy

The Native American Council of Columbia University gathered on Low Plaza to hold a vigil and protest against the values that Columbus Day perpetuates. The council sought to raise awareness about the issue and promoted the replacement of Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s day. Members claimed that celebrating Columbus Day downplays the mistreatment and disease the Indigenous peoples of the Americas suffered as a result of European colonization.

"As a Mexican-American, I feel very strongly on the issue. Celebrating Columbus Day as the discovery of the New World is very culturally ignorant, assuming there was already 8 million native inhabitants before Columbus even came. And the consideration of a new world implies that the world we previously had was inferior in some way."

"In my old school system, there were a lot of Native American kids there and Columbus Day was still celebrated. You got the day off and everything. A lot of them didn’t even want to take the day off because they didn’t feel like they should take the day off for a day like that."

"I agree that it should be renamed, but I don’t know if Indigenous People’s Day is necessarily the thing that rolls off the tongue best. But, it definitely should be stressed that not only did Columbus not necessarily find the U.S., but there were a lot of people living here beforehand."

Other students felt less passionate about the issue, especially since Columbia itself, unlike many other academic and public institutions, does not celebrate Columbus Day.

"tradition that we’ve been keeping going, and it celebrates explorations. There were some unfortunate side effects, but thus is history."

"To me, it’s not a big deal. I don’t pay attention, to it. I’m in school, so if have the day off, of course, I’m going to enjoy it, but if not, I’ll do whatever I have to do. I had a midterm that day, so that wasn’t even my main concern."

The protest on Low steps and the controversy over Columbus Day are not unique to Columbia. Groups nationwide have voiced their concerns about the observance of Columbus Day, as well as campaigned for establishing Indigenous Peoples' Day. Columbus Day has been a national holiday since 1934 and no efforts have been made to alleviate the controversy surrounding the event. Multiple Latin American countries have changed the focus of their celevrations, yet it remains to be seen whether action will be taken to resolve the issue here in the United States.

Morehouse College bans cross-dressing

An all-male college in Atlanta, Georgia, has banned the wearing of women's clothes, makeup, high heels and purses as part of the institution's newly-unveiled "Appropriate Attire Policy." The school administration feels that such policy is in line with upholding the legacy of distinguished Morehouse men like Martin Luther King Jr., but the student body has had mixed responses to the crackdown.

RPI warns against beer pong

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is asking students to avoid sharing cups after a group of students contracted the swine flu during a weekend of beer pong. The latest cases were tied to social events and a school football game, after which students found themselves playing drinking games. RPI has cautioned students that alcohol does not kill the flu virus and that it is important during social events to wash hands and avoid close contact.

Campus clubs and organizations may find more meeting places available for student use as renovations on the fourth and sixth floor create more space in Lerner Hall. CTVNews Producer Janelle Mills has more.

Spacing out on campus

As advising centers migrate into the fourth floor of Lerner Hall, new space will become available -- and student clubs are eager to get their hands on it.

"The spaces in Broadway and Shapiro are going to be open to student groups and for student usage," explains Whitney Green, President of ESC.

The student councils have been lobbying for the space for two years, and now they'll decide how the space is used.

"We really want to hear what students want, whether it be more meeting space, more lounge space, more study space, anything like that," elaborates Sue Yang, President of CCSC. "We will have to take other things into consideration too like funding and also space restrictions. Certain walls can't be knocked down because they are structural. There might not be electricity running in a wall, etc."

The student councils aren't just saying they want students opinion -- they're conducting a formal survey to see what kind of space student groups need.

"Hopefully by the end of the month, they will be sending out a survey where students can give their feedback as to what they want with those spaces." says Sana Khalid. "Do they want it to be Lerner meeting spaces? Or do they want it to be more programming spaces?"

"We did have a town hall but the turn out was not so high for that. However, we make ourselves available at CCSC Cafe on Mondays from 6 to 8pm where they can definitely come by and tell us any of their heartfelt concerns."

"So, get that message out there. Tell your friends. Tell anyone you get into contact with. Take the survey and if not always feel free to stop myself, stop anyone on council, stop Sue, stop anyone in CCSC, stop anyone on the governing boards and make sure you talk to someone so that your voice is heard."

Right now, not many students have come forward to offer their ideas. But you can bet that if students don't decide how to use the space now, administration will. Janelle Mills, CTV News.

Barnard gets into hairy issues

On Thursday, Barnard College hosted a panel discussion which examined how women's hair choices are rooted in identity and culture. According to panelists Atoosa Rubenstein, BC ’93, Ayana Byrd, BC ’95, and Anne Kreamer, hair can reflect women’s social aspirations, and insecurities. Amongst other issues, they discussed society's current stigmatisation of gray-haired women as well as the perception of hair along racial lines.

Sports Roundup

The Columbia Football team lost its Homecoming Day match-up against Penn, 27-13. The loss brings the Lions’ overall record to 2-3, the first time this season the team holds a losing record. The women’s volleyball team split their two matches this weekend, beating Brown on Friday 3-1 before losing to Yale on Saturday by the same score. The men's soccer team lost at Princeton 3-0.

Making major declarations

As SEAS students prepare to declare their majors this week, you'd think they'd be streaming into the Center for Student Advising for advice on a critical decision. But Columbia's academic advisers are fighting an uphill battle -- they've got a bad reputation, and many students say they rarely see their advisers.

One student said, "I went to the career center, I talked to my adviser, I went to those things that you have to attend for Gateway. I personally feel like they didn't help too much." But the Advising office is trying to be more helpful. Recently, they've hosted some new events, hoping to give sophomores extra guidance for their major decision. And the center's programs are helping some Columbians.

"I'd say they definitely give a lot of insight that the bulletins alone or the faculty members couldn't give just because you get to see and hear what the former students themselves have to say about choosing their majors."

"They can't harm you. so you might as well give it a try."

"This program that we have now the Just Desserts, with an opportunity to speak to recent alums and alums in the different departments is invaluable. Last week my office sponsored a program Major Mentor Night, where first years and sophomores could come and meet with current students juniors and seniors in SEAS representing all of the different departments."

While the CSA might be a good place to start, most students don't depend on it alone when they're selecting an engineering major.

"Personally I think the most effective way of deciding on your major is talking to the professors."

"It's really just about talking to a lot of people and getting their take on it."

So, the pressure is on for SEAS students. But in a week filled with anxiety, give the CSA a chance -- maybe the advisers can make major declaration a little easier.