Gender Neutral Housing closer to reality

This past week, CCSC & ESC passed resolutions in support of adopting gender-neutral housing policy, forwarding the resolution to the Housing Advisory Board, which also approved the measure. The gender neutral housing resolution will provide students with the option of residing with an individual of the opposite sex in a double for upperclassmen next fall. CTV News spoke with Barry Weinberg of Everyone Allied Against Homophobia and Sarah Weiss, Vice President of Policy CCSC.

"Gender-neutral housing really affects two populations: One, it affects the LGBT and transgender community and maybe someone who is transitioning from male to female or female to male who identifies with a gender that is different from the one biologically given to them."

While many students applaud the attempt to provide gender-neutral housing for transgender individuals, students and administrators have expressed concerns about the policy's effect on the housing process as well as the possibility of it being used by couples who wish to live together.

"There is concern from the Housing piece about what will happen if a boyfriend and girlfriend are living together and they break up but they're living in the same room. How are they going to get out of it?" explained Sarah Weiss.

"The biggest concern that people have come up to me to to talk about is 'Will I be put in a room with someone of the opposite sex?' And that's not what the policy does at all. In regards to blind doubles when students don't enter in with a roommate but are randomly assigned a roommate, it will still be a same sex assignment. It just removes the prohibition about opposite sex people living in the same room," said Barry Weinberg.

Although many student groups had a hand in drafting the new policy, some students feel the changes will affect not them.

"Personally, it wouldnt effect me but I can see how it would definitely effect fellow classmates in that classmates who identify with different sexes would be able to be more comfortable in different bathrooms and different living spaces is obviously a priority in just making students feel more home here at Columbia."

"We're all 'young adults' and I think that each of us are able to make that decision for ourselves if we want to live with someone of the opposite sex or the same sex."

"Gender neutral housing would be a good thing, I think. If two people are friends, and they don't really have an issue with it if they're just going to live together."

Student leaders expressed their happiness in jointly working with administration and will continue to do so as they begin to educate students and implement the new policy.

"The has been really a case where the councils worked very well, the administration so far has worked very well, student groups have worked really well and really the last sort of test for this, if it is actually adopted and implemented, is how well can the student groups educate and inform the students about what has happened," Weinberg said.

Although the resolution was passed the student councils and the housing advisory board, the final decision to implement the new measure still lies with Dean Kevin Schollenberger and Vice President of Auxiliary Services Scott Wright.

We were unable to get comments from university administrator before our production deadline. However, we will have those interviews for you on our next broadcast.

Access Denied for GS

The General Studies Student Council met with administrators to discuss the limited residential hall access of GS students.

With various public facilities in residence halls - including Columbia Psychological Services - GSSC fears that GS students are being prevented from using the services they pay for. The administration refused to allow access due to security concerns, arguing that Columbia Psychological Services are also located outside of residence halls, and that activities taking place in residence halls can ask to be relocated. GSSC has stated that they will not give up on gaining access to residence halls, but the administration argues that even if the four undergraduate student bodies protest on behalf of GSSC, the University will not revise the current policy.

Barnard reviewing Ways of Knowing

The Columbia Spectator reported this week that Barnard is taking a closer look at the nine Ways of Knowing, which are a key part of the curriculum.

The ways of knowing require students to take courses in different academic fields and are intended to provide intellectual breadth. The three ways of knowing up for review are Cultures in Comparison, Reason and Value, and Social Analysis.

The Committee on Instruction regularly reviews the ways of knowing, and this latest review comes as Barnard goes through re-accreditation.

The foreign language and science components of the curriculum are also getting attention as students complain about the length and challenging nature of the courses. SGA plans to hold town hall meetings next semester to discuss the science requirements.

Ancel Plaza welcomes Barnard

Barnard President Debora Spar announced that this year seniors will graduate on Ancel Plaza outside the International Affairs Building. The ceremony normally takes place on Lehman Lawn, but construction of the Diana Center has forced Barnard Commencement to be relocated to South Field in the last several years.

Administrators announced earlier this semester that Barnard Commencement would take place in Dodge’s Levien Gym, but student protests encouraged Spar to renegotiate the location. Ancel Plaza became the new choice location after a class-wide survey showed Barnard seniors favoring this venue.

Unveiling the Diana

Opening next semester, the Diana Center will take its place as Barnard's new student center, replacing MacIntosh. As construction wraps up, Barnard students are growing more excited.

Freshmen Alex Eduque and Karen Baruch expressed their excitement.

"I heard that it's a really big student center that was patterned after Lerner and that it's going to be a really cool hang out place."

"I heard that it's going to be a center for all the extracurricular activities at Barnard and it's going to enrich our community."

The 70,000 square foot building promises to have plenty of space and resources for students to take advantage of.

"A black box theater, a cafe, piano practice rooms, club meeting rooms, programming space..." suggested senior Ashley Lannquist when asked about the resources that will be available.

And Vivian Taylor, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Community

Development suggested "More classes, more places to eat, more places to do activities."

Originally known as the Nexus, the Diana Center came to be after Diana Vagelos made a $15 million contribution to the new building. The architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi were careful to design the Diana so that it wouldn't block the sight lines between both sides of the campus. Construction of the building began in 2007, but plans for its establishment have been ongoing for much longer. With the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 3rd, the preparation for events celebrating the Diana's opening are well underway.

"It's going to be drumming and dancing and singing as we have a sort of finale to the opening of the building." said Vivian Taylor about the celebration of the opening of the center.

The Diana Center is a much anticipated addition to the Barnard campus and its presence is bound to have a positive effect on the community.

"Well I heard many wonderful things about its architecture like there's a green roof, and the color and the architecture is really amazing with the space that's available for the students. So I'm really excited for it to open." shared senior Lan

UC tuition hike incites protests

About 70 UC students avoided arrest earlier today after surrendering the administration building they had occupied for nearly four days at the University of California-Santa Cruz. On Thursday, the University of California's regents board approved a 32 percent increase in tuition for all UCs. This move sparked demonstrations on the various campuses, with over 100 arrests taking place between Thursday and Saturday. Protesters are afraid the hike will hurt working- and middle-class students. However, university officials have declared that students eligible for financial aid and whose families make less than $70,000 a year will have their tuition covered.

Conrad Lung honored at Hamilton dinner

On Thursday evening, Columbia College honored Conrad H. Lung with the Alexander Hamilton Award. The award is presented on the basis of "distinguished service” and is the highest honor given by the College.

Lung was born in China and attended school in Hong Kong before coming to Columbia. He majored in Oriental Studies and went on to earn advanced degrees from Yale before finding success in the corporate world.

Lung sits on the Board of Directors of the Columbia Alumni Association and is an emeritus member of the Board of Visitors. In 2002, he recieved the John Jay award for "distinguished professional achievement."

Lung met his wife while at Columbia and his three children have all attended the university as well. His daughter Stephanie is now president of the Columbia College Young Alumni Association.

Sports Roundup

It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, but the Columbia football team ended the season on a good note, defeating the Brown Bears on Saturday, 28-14. The Lions pounced on Brown’s weak ground defense, out-rushing the opponent, 288-83. First-year quarterback Sean Brackett proved too much for the Bears to handle, gaining a combined 322 yards rushing and passing; but the day went to those playing in their final game, as the Lions celebrated Senior Day with a victory. Columbia, tied for fourth in the Ivy League, will finish with its best conference standing since 2001. The Lions basketball team is looking for similar success this season, after winning their home-opener against the Longwood Lancers, 72-61. Columbia returns to action at Levien Gym on Tuesday against Bucknell, with tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m.

Hot (or not) dogs

Earlier this year, Columbia's Office of Housing and dining added a hot dog vending machine on the fourth floor of Lerner Hall, replacing the Tasti Delight that moved out last year. In an eye-opening investigation that has lasted over a month though, CTV has failed to find a single student who has actually purchased a hot dog.

Our investigation found that though most students know about the machine, few have tried its hot dogs. Many had many questions and concerns about its placement on campus. One student asked, "How do they keep them fresh? How do they keep them from going bad?"

Another chimed in, "The University should try to offer something that's not revolting."

Junior, an employee of Cafe 212, noted, "You don't know how long it's been there; you don't know when they put it on, if they change it every week." When asked if the machine threatened his business, he answered, "no."

One student wondered, "Why serve meat in a machine? That's my question." She also said, "I think they should replace it with something that has a little variety."

Scott Wright, who oversees the Office of Housing and Dining, says there is not yet sufficient data to rule on whether or not the hot dog machine is a success. He explained, "There's been some interesting editorial feedback, but I'm not sure what sales are. Certainly we would look at that as something that may need to be changed; we'll see how many people agree with the 'ewwwww' comment on the blog."

Despite the seeming lack of student support for the machine, CTV has found that it is frequently out of hot dogs, begging the question: just who is eating them? The answer may well rest with this hot dog machine employee, caught refilling the machine and sampling its product. Though he refused to speak on camera, he implied that Columbia's hot dog machine is one of the most successful hot dog machines in operation.