Archive for June, 2010

B-School Trains Russian Spies!

Mata Hari was also a spy, but she didn't go to Columbia. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Cynthia Murphy, one of the Russian spies who has destroyed everything that is holy (Montclair, New Jersey) attended Columbia B-School, and got her MBA in May, Bloomberg (not the mayor) confirms. That means we all went to school with a SPY! The Kremlin probably has your UNI on file or something. Putin knows that you got a C in Principles!

In other news, our very own Jake Snider was one of four finalists in the College Battle of the Bands in Las Vegas this weekend. In other other news, the WSJ ranked Columbia the 19th best college at returning on investments. And that’s all for today, folks!

Update: Commenter ‘Russki’ (if that is your real name!) informs us that Columbia has a long tradition of training spies. Observe!

Update, 7/1: So turns out these jokes are kind of true! According to the NYPost (yes, we know) Murphy was instructed by “Moscow Central” to “to strengthen . . . ties w/ classmates on daily basis incl. professors who can help in job search and who will have (or already have) access to secret info.” AAAAAAAAAAAH!

Update 3: If you or anyone you know attended Columbia B-School from 2008-2010, lemme know ASAP! Eliza@bwog.net.


Mel’s Burger Bar…It’s A Thing!

Twitter!

Bwog got the inside scoop on Mel’s today from a former CC student working for the Mel’s Team. It will be open in late July (that’s soon!), they’ll hopefully be accepting Flex, and the food and beer selection will be “extremely high quality” (Dogfish Head and Kobe beef, riiiite?) and reasonably priced. Knees bent for this to go VIRAL: Mel’s has a Twitter and Facebook, and there will be special promotions for “early adopters” i.e people who follow and like (respectively) Mel’s on the Internet.

Mel’s still doesn’t have a website, but we learned that its owner is Nick Tsoulos, who also owns Goodburger, Patsy’s and Angelo’s. These are fine eateries, and we look forward to welcoming Mel’s to the hood. Last time we visited Tomo it was kind of a bummer, anyway.


Bwoglines: A Melange

Gulati, PrezBill and Landon in happier times. Photo via ohnotheydidnt

That means “a motley assortment of things.” Seatbelts, everyone!

Gulati says the U.S team was “capable of more” in the World Cup.

Columbia is a partner in a jargon-y, confusing government project called the “NYC Media Lab.”

Breaking: James Franco is self-important. He is also an artist.

Joseph Stiglitz makes $109,919 a year is the highest paid B-school professor in the country.

A look at how Columbia B School has changed (by not really changing!) post-crash.

CC alum create the Salsabol, which provides a new and revolutionary way to scoop salsa.

Procrastination o’clock? Watch this footage of Columbia going crazy in 1969 1968, even though it says 1969 for some reason.


BREAKING: NY Court of Appeals Upholds Eminent Domain

A scene from M-Ville. Photo by ESN

The New York Times reports that the NY Court of Appeals has just released its unanimous ruling to uphold eminent domain for Columbia, clearing Columbia’s way to the 17-acre, $6.3 billion project. The court based its ruling on the Empire State Development Corporation’s proof of blight in the neighborhood. Read more about the Court of Appeals and the case itself here, and more general background on Manhattanville here. The original AP story is here.

PrezBo issued the following statement: “We are gratified by the Court’s unanimous decision and look forward to moving ahead with the long-term revitalization of these blocks in Manhattanville that will create thousands of good jobs for New Yorkers and help our City and State remain a global center of pioneering academic research.”

Nothing new from PrezBo, but a whole lot new for Mahattanville. The Court of Appeals’ ruling eliminates the major legal obstacle from Columbia’s West Harlem expansion plans. Now, it seems, this is actually going to happen.

Update, 2:45: Some more comments from both sides: the EDSC released a statement saying that the ruling “confirms that the project complies with New York State law in all respects and that the acquisition of the holdout properties is essential to realizing the vision for the Manhattanville campus as it was approved by the state.” The EDSC also noted that the Manhattanville expansion will create thousands of construction jobs for local residents.

Sarah Martin, the chair of the Grant Houses Tenant Association and a member of the Local Development Corporation, was not so pleased, but not surprised, either. “I’m not surprised because of the powers that be,” she told Bwog, “[the expansion] goes against all that is holy as far as I’m concerned. As Robert Jackson says, Columbia is like a 400-pound gorilla stomping through our community.”

Read the full NYT article here, which includes a quote from the property owners’ lawyer, Norman Spiegel, expressing that he is “extremely disappointed” with the ruling, and the Court of Appeals’ reference to its previous Atlantic Yards ruling in relation to Manhattanville: “We ruled for Atlantic Yards, and if we could rule in favor of a basketball arena, surely we could rule for a nonprofit university.”


Rachel Swett, C’11, Passes Away in New Zealand

Photo via Facebook

Tragic news for the entire Columbia community today: Rachel Swett, a rising senior in CC, died after a skiing accident in New Zealand, where she was studying abroad this semester.

Dean Shollenberger has just sent out the official notification of Rachel’s death. In his email, he noted Rachel’s commitment to her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, her passion for photography and travel, and her prowess at French and psychology.

The University encourages you, even if you are far from campus, to use Columbia resources for support. Contact the Center for Student Advising at 212-854-6378, Counseling and Psychological Services at 212-854-2878, the Office of the University Chaplain at 212-854-1493, or Residential Programs at at 212-854-6805.

Bwog was made aware of Rachel’s passing yesterday, and did not post at the request of University officials hoping to reach all of Rachel’s friends and family.

We send our deepest condolences to Rachel’s family and friends. We encourage everyone to share memories of Rachel in the comments so we can remember her together.

Shollenberger’s email after the jump.

Read more…


An Email You Should Actually Read: Aetna and Continuum Part Ways

There have been lots of health care changes in the past few months. Yesterday, they got even more local.

If you are on the Columbia health care plan, like almost all of you are, you are covered by Aetna Student Health. Aetna is the company that makes sure you don’t have to pay a lot of money for a real-doctor or hospital visit after the folks in John Jay tell you to take two Advil and suck it up, is experiencing some changes. Over two months ago, on April 5, Continuum Health Partners (which includes St. Lukes Hospital, Roosevelt Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center – Petrie Division, Beth Israel Medical Center – Kings Highway Division, New York Eye & Ear Infirmary, and Long Island College Hospital) “terminated its relationship with Aetna.” You will have all gotten a rather long-winded email about this in the last day or two.

But what does it mean? If you go to the hospitals in Continuum (that’s after August 5, you will have to pay a whole lot more for whatever help you get there than you would have last year. Hospitals not included in Continuum will still be covered by Aetna, as will 80% of emergency services at all hospitals. You may still be eligible for “transitional services,” which depends entirely on the Continuum hospitals accepting the same rates that were in place before this change, and the hospitals accepting your request for transitional coverage.

So this is a big deal, and we have some questions. How likely is it that these transitional services will be granted, and for how long? Are there any other changes afoot? How much can we expect to pay for a CAVA call next year? We called Health Services to try to figure this stuff out, but they referred us to a “Media Request Form” that Bwog is filling out now. We’ll update you if and when we get answers.

Update, 6/25: At last, a response from Health Services. Doesn’t tell you much that’s not in the email, but take a look:

Health Services recognizes and shares students’ concerns about the message sent by Aetna Student Health on the contract termination between Aetna and Continuum Health Partners. The notice was intended to provide information on care that a student may receive at a Continuum hospital, laboratory or outpatient clinic.

Please be assured that students’ insurance coverage has not been terminated. Also please note that services provided by Continuum physicians within the Aetna Student Health network are not affected by this change.

Services provided by Continuum facilities including hospitals, labs and radiology are still covered by Aetna, but at the lower out-of-network rate. This may increase out-of-pocket expenses, and students should keep that in mind if they receive care at any of the Continuum sites listed. We regret that we cannot be more precise about the effects on out-of-pocket costs, but the terms are still being negotiated by Continuum and Aetna. Students have the option of seeking services at other facilities within the Aetna network. Students can find alternatives by linking to the Aetna Student Health “Docfind” site from the insurance section of the Health Services website at www.health.columbia.edu. As always, it’s recommended that students verify their financial responsibility for services in advance.

Read the full email from Aetna after the jump. Read more…


Lerner Piano Lounge Dwellers: Take It Outside!

Play Me, I'm Yours!

If you are in Morningside Heights right now and have nothing to do, or something okay-not-great to do, go to St. John the Divine to listen to people play the piano.

But wait! These aren’t just people, and this isnt just any piano! Professional musicians will be playing music all day at the Cathedral in celebration of the fourth annual celebration of Make Music New York, a celebration of free music on the Summer Solstice. Today is also the first day of Play Me, I’m Yours, a new public music initiative in which pianos are placed all around the city for anyone to play. Check out the schedule for St. John here (music till 8 tonight) and the full schedule of events for Make Music New York here. The pianos will be hanging out on street corners in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn until July 5; click here for more information about the project and a list of piano locations.


F@CU Makes It Rain

Wikimedia Commons has its limits, kay?

Today is a big day! F@CU has just released their 2010-2011 allocations for your governing boards. Let’s talk big numbers and little percentages, shall we?

Activities Board: $393,459 granted, 7.4% increase from last year, 4.4% cut from requested allocation, which was $411,568

Club Sports Governing Board: $206,200 granted, 17% increase from last year’s allocation, $213,800 originally requested

Community Impact: $84,765, 23.6% increase from last year’s allocation, $86,440 requested

Inter-Greek Council: $9,680.56 granted, 47% decrease from last year’s allocation, 63% decrease from original request, which was $26,164. This bummer-rama is partly due to Barnard’s relative lack of involvement in Greek life the fact that Barnard students do not pay student life fees to the IGC. Part of F@CU’s reasoning:

Following much deliberation, the committee has decided to allocate a total of $9,680.56 to the Inter-Greek Council for the 2010-2011 academic school year. This represents a 47.0% decrease from the previous year’s allocation and a 63.2% decrease from the original allocation request. The decrease above is very significant and the committee would like to stress that this is not a reflection on the performance of the IGC. The cut is mostly due to the cut in funding from CCSC, ESC, and GSSC proportional to the percentage of Barnard students in the IGC. Given that Barnard students are not paying student life fees toward the IGC (as Barnard has not recognized the IGC and does not participate in its funding), CCSC, ESC and GSSC have decided only to fund their own constituencies and thus reduce IGC’s allocation to reflect that decision. Please refer to SGA’s supplemental letter for more details on their intended $1000 gift to IGC which is not part of F@CU.

Student Governing Board: $208,156 granted, 18% increase from last year’s allocation, $292,014 requested

Take a look at last year’s numbers here (all governing boards got a baseline 15.08% cut for 09-10) and check F@CU’s site for published letters to each governing board explaining the allocations. May you be spared from math until first semester rains Calc II down on you!


Here Is An Email Bwog Got Today

We’re gonna sit this punchline out.

NEW STUDY: BOTOX AFFECTS REAL EMOTIONS

Barnard Psychology Professors Lead Study Finding Botox Users Feel Weaker Emotions

New York, NY – Botox users are often ridiculed for stiff faces that appear unable to express emotions. Researchers at Barnard College recently found that Botox users may not only be hindered in their ability to make facial expressions, they may actually in fact feel and experience weaker emotions.

The study, led by Barnard psychology professors Joshua Davis and Ann Senghas, suggests that facial expressions themselves may influence emotional experiences. In short, Botox not only changes one’s appearance, it also affects real emotions.

Read more…


FoodStuffs: Good News for Vegetarians; Bad News for New York

Save food trucks! Photo via MidtownLunch's flickr stream

Good news first: Zen Palate, a reasonably priced Asian-fusion-y (contemporary, right?) vegetarian restaurant is opening on 105th and Broadway. Zen Palate is replacing Metisse, a French-Brazilian-something-fusion restaurant. ZP has yam fries as well as weird and enticing kinds of tea. Read the menu here. Construction has just started, but hopefully it’ll be ready come NSOP.

Bad news second: NYC food trucks are in danger! City Council members Jessica Lappin (from the UES, duh) and Karen Koslowitz (from Queens) have proposed a bill that would give the Health Department the right to revoke the permit of any food truck that gets more than 3 parking tickets a year. The owner of Wafels & Dinges tells Gothamist that he gets ~3 tickets a month. The foodie blog consensus is that if the bill is passed, food trucks are dunzo. Nom^3, we barely knew yee! The bill only includes food trucks, not food carts, but it still demands action. Read the bill here, write or call Lappin and Koslowitz and tell them to spend their time doing something useful and not detrimental to New York food and street life, visit the Facebook group here, and sign the petition against the bill here. Vive la food truck!

Unrelated: readers,  tip us! We know a lot of you are hanging out on campus, tell us what’s really good!


Call for Measure for Measure!

The Blue and White is looking for poems and short fiction for our upcoming issues. We’re also investigating the possibility of publishing personal essays with some sort of Columbia/New York spin (broad thinking encouraged): help convince us and send some our way at bweditors@columbia.edu.


Bwoglines: Alumni Do Things Of Merit

Huzzah, Jeff! Photo via gocolumbialions.com

CC’10 Salutatorian and baller fencer Jeff Spear has been named the Academic All-American of the year by ESPN.

B&W alum Marc Tracy talks to B-Baller Bruce Robbins about the sacredness (and Jewishness!) of Ulysses. More for Joyce-devotees and regular people: Tablet is hosting a Bloomsday celebration next Wednesday.

Six CU alumni and faculty pwned The New Yorker‘s “20 Under 40″ fiction writers worth watching list. (Click for Q&A’s with authors) That’s about 25% 30% of the whole list.

See Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg talk about nuclear proliferation! Tonight, 1501 IAB, 6PM. Facebook event here.

PSA! Click your way to a good conscience: the Nourishing Kitchen in East Harlem, a longtime friend of Columbia’s, is eligible to win a $25,000 grant. The Kitchen “works to alleviate the strong correlation between poor nutritional health and low-income status through health hot meals, produce distribution, community nutrition classes, and yoga classes.” All you have to do is vote to secure $25,000 for the program. Do it do it, kids.


Dean Denburg Is Not Your “Friend”

Photo via Dean Denburg's Facebook page (the part that's visible to the public)

We know that Double-D always calls the shots when it comes to friendships and girly bonding. This was confirmed yesterday when Dean Denburg rebuffed the friend request of Bwogger and current Barnard student Hannah Goldstein:

Hi Hannah –
I would be happy to accept your friend invitation but I never “friend” students, just alumnae or friends of my daughter’s. As [sic] me again after you graduate :-)
Best,
DD

Bwog doesn’t know which is more wounding: Dean Denburg’s clear preference for alums over current students or her revelation that her daughter, a sophomore at Penn, does not consider us friends.


2 BR, Prez Ex-Occ: 142 W 109

THE KITCHEN WHERE OBAMA ATE FOOD!!!! Photo via citi-habitats.com

In need of summer housing? Re-thinking that Schapiro walk-through? Rent Obama’s former apartment on 109th between Amsterdam and Columbus. Yessiree: Apartment 3E in 142 West 109th Street is available, and will cost you $1,900 a month, a pretty steep increase from our Commander in Chief’s 1981 rent: $360. Gentrification is a thing!

As David Remnick reported (and told Bwog!) in his recent Obama biography, The Bridge: “the apartment’s charms included spotty heat, irregular hot water, and a railroad-flat layout. They adjusted, using the showers at the Columbia gym and camping out for long hours in Butler library.” Citi-Habitats, which has the listing, describes the apartment a little differently: “PRESIDENT OBAMA LIVED HERE AND YOU CAN TOO !!!Central Park ! Yes just few steps from central Park is this great two bedrooms for only $1900. The unit features hardwood floors,exposed brick, nice bathroom, high ceilings, big windows.”

Peruse pictures and video of the apartment, and call Dalila Bella, the luckiest broker in Manhattan this week, for a tour.


Breaking: Dean “Double D” Denburg Steps Down As Dean, Assumes New Role

But who will tuck us in at night?! Photo via barnard.edu

Dean Denburg, we barely knew ye! “DD” has been Dean of Barnard for seventeen years, but became a part of the Columbia psyche (because she got a nickname) with a sort of tiresome sub-plot in V116. As of July 1st, Dean Denburg will become Vice President of Barnard College Relations to focus on the relationship between students and alum. Denburg is herself a BC alum; she graduated in 1970. Double D will continue to serve as Dean until a new one is appointed, and will continue to teach her first-year seminar. Read the whole email below, in which Denburg assures us that she isn’t leaving, but merely “changing hats.” Phew!

Dear Students,

I want to share with you some important news. After serving for seventeen years as Dean of the College, President Spar has asked me to assume a new role that will allow me to focus more fully on the connection between Barnard students and alumnae. I am excited to be taking on the position of Vice President for College Relations, effective July 1. As VP for College Relations, I will oversee Alumnae Affairs and Career Development, work closely with all of our Pre-College Programs, and help with follow-through on our global initiatives.

Being your Dean has been a privilege, something I will always cherish. You are remarkable young women and I am immensely proud of who you are and what you do. The relationships that I have had with several decades of Barnard students are very dear to me. So please note, I am not going anywhere, I am simply changing hats. I will continue to work on programs and planning, now with the goal of linking our alumnae to our students, and our students to our alumnae. Of course, I will serve as Dean until a new dean is appointed, and will advise students and teach a first-year seminar in my new role.

I look forward to seeing you in the fall semester and engaging with each and every one of you in my new position as VP of College Relations. You’ll know where to find me, I promise. And, of course, I will always know where to find you.

Have a wonderful summer and I’ll see you in September.


58 °F, Cloudy

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