This morning the 11-person SIC committee announced the names of the student organizations whom they chose to live in two EC townhouses, a spiffy Wallach suite, and the Convent (“Special Interest Community House”). The lucky winners have until tomorrow at 5 pm to accept the offers. Congrats to the following groups!
Wallach 2C:
- Writer’s House
SIC House:
- Floor 2: Pre-Health
- Floor 3a: Student Wellness Project
- Floor 3b: Creative Commons
- Floor 4: Manhattan House
- Floor 5: ADI
EC Townhouses:
- 1003: Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi)
- 1004: Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)
Library via The Community of the Holy Spirit
103 Comments
@Hey GUISE! Too late to troll?
@Everyone should join my SIC It’s called Beyonce House. We just really like Beyonce.
@aepibroseph sick bro this is absolutely sick
can’t wait to buy drugs from pike again, they had the best keys on morningside. i had to suck too much D with creeps to get my coke these past two years
@The Greeks make the money and the donations. Why? Because we’re normal — we don’t throw bitch-fits like the morons above. White privilege? Columbia bending over to Greeks? Are you idiots kidding? Listen, stop whining and stop being so fucking weird, and then maybe Columbia can reach its full potential as a school. Until then, don’t worry, the Greeks will keep carrying us and will keep training Columbians to be leaders in the world beyond this strange, radicalized pit. Many of the most prominent Columbians of the past have been Greek — Nicolas Butler, Marcellus Hartey Dodge, etc — there’s a reason for that. And that won’t change.
@I'd wager you were paddling a pledge’s behind with your right hand while writing this paragraph with your left. You people sicken me. It’s only a matter of time before Greek life is eliminated and we can look back on this period as a dark stain on Columbia’s history.
@And by "this period" You must mean the last 150 years? Because that’s how long Greeks have been around at Columbia. Pretty sure the great strides we’ve taken in that time aren’t a “dark stain.” Moreover, the moments in history that Columbia has held the highest degree of national prestige — now and in the 1940’s, 50’s, early 60’s — correspond with the highest percentage of Greek population. The school was nearly 50% Greek when we overtook our peers as a science hub with the Manhattan Project, etc in the mid-20th century.
@Anonymous We should totally go back to the 1950’s. Money, power and reputation justify everything!
@GSAS '13 I’m not sure if the Manhattan Project ought to be a point of pride for Columbia, massive scientific accomplishment notwithstanding.
Being a member of the very first Greek fraternity in the U.S., I can understand why you’re connecting Columbia’s past prestige with its Greek organizations. The problem, of course, is that Greek life at Columbia back in the 1950s was very different from what it’s like now, and we can’t justify the worst attitudes and actions of the fraternities by appealing to some lost Greek academic ideal. If some Greeks on campus want to change the perception of their frats for the better, they need to do more work in preventing hazing, racism, sexism, and other forms of violence within their ranks, not appeal to the past as an excuse!
Not to mention that calling anti-Greek attitudes “strange” and not “normal” is pretty suspect, but I don’t need to point that out.
@get it right HAHAHA that is one of the most naive things I’ve ever heard. Enjoy doing whatever you do but the fact is fraternity members all across the nation in general tend to be the most successful. Why do you think all but three presidents have been in a fraternity or some kind of Greek organization (since the founding of the first fraternity of course). Greek life, as much as you may hate it, will never leave Columbia. Good luck buddy.
@Anonymous “Like fraternities, their ranks are also riddled with thugs; although, unlike the spoiled, rich, sadistic, bottom-feeding wimps that call themselves fraternity men, the MGC groups are polluted with a different form of thug closely resembling in character members of street gangs.”
Please tell me you’re not serious.
@Columbia I'm ashamed that you are bending over for the Greeks yet again. It’s time to end the barbaric, antiquated nonsense known as Greek Life at Columbia University. The system brings nothing but pain, humiliation, and stress to members of the Columbia community. This news is especially disconcerting in light of the recent, horrifying hazing scandal that has just surfaced (which the administration is desperately attempting to sweep under the rug). We want answers and we want justice.
@curious could you please enlighten us as to the hazing scandal that’s surfaced?
@LOL @ IFC orgs To say IFC orgs do not haze is a joke. Sorry, I would rather keep my dignity than have to clean someone’s shit and pay tons of money to call someone my brother. I got it! The MGC orgs should get together and start selling drugs.. Maybe then they would generate enough revenue for Columbia to care about them. By the way, what is EAB?
@Newsflash The MGC groups did (do) still sell drugs. They are no better than fraternities — in fact, they are worse as they hide behind their diversity to circumvent disciplinary action. Like fraternities, their ranks are also riddled with thugs; although, unlike the spoiled, rich, sadistic, bottom-feeding wimps that call themselves fraternity men, the MGC groups are polluted with a different form of thug closely resembling in character members of street gangs.
@someone educate me what is the Creative Commons group?
@Sigh Guys, as someone who’s not even for frats, I don’t see the big deal? Why are we still rehashing this? Why has this become a conversation on racism? Did anyone think Pike would be denied a suite? I mean they already have a suite in EC, so nothing has changed. ADI, SWP, an Creative works all got suites which is cool. But no one is interested in, for example, what Creative works is all about. It’s all frats, frats, frats, racism. I gave up on this discussion long ago, they will always be here and so will privilege. In the meantime, can we think about other things????
@Anonymous yo people still comment on bwog articles?
@seems like.. you dont understand the concept of “longstanding existence and tradition of wealth and (white) privilege.” when compared to mgc orgs
@Anon Congratulations Pike and AEPi! Greek solidarity on this ridiculous campus. Amazing how full this thread is of hypocrites who preach diversity yet are not accepting of a strong, vibrant, and GROWING community. All students should be treated equally, unless of course they’re Greek. Please keep whining about the ABSOLUTELY nonexistent white man’s privilege at Columbia. It’s really entertaining.
@"ABSOLUTELY nonexistent white man's privilege at Columbia" I take it you’re a white man?
@Anon Wow, how’d they let me into Columbia when there are geniuses like you out there? Based off your comment, I take it that you’re not white. So tell me, when have you felt discriminated against at this place that takes every pain possible to accommodate non-whites. If you could find one tangible example of discrimination at this place against minorities I would be awestruck.
@CC '13 come child, let me teach you
@Anonymous OMG how do I get a bid from one of the shitty fraternities in EC?!?!
@how in the hell is ADI going to fill 19 beds??
@Dug With servers obviously.
@in the know its only 15 beds
@Anonymous with virgins, of course
@sigh SWP had nothing to do with the puppy coalition people who brought therapy dogs to campus.
@"White Privilege" I am not sure about diversity in Pike’s membership (although I know they do boast some), but from what I understand, AEPi is almost entirely comprised of Jews and Latinos. You really want to talk to these two groups about “White Privilege”? Are people ignorant of the 20th century, or do they choose to ignore it when it doesn’t fit their argument?
@Beyonce Pad Thai I’m pretty sure many Jews are white.
@AW SHIT CONGRATS, MANHATTAN HOUSE.
@Anonymous All we want is a space and to be duly represented by the faculty and administration hired to do so. Is that so hard to ask?
@Nerd Congratulations, ADI!
@Duh Beacause a house that would cost $100,000 in alabama costs $10 million in Manhattan #econ
@Anonymous So? There are rich alumni bros.
@Columbia bought the houses, along with just about all the property they could get away with in MoHi.
@Disappointed I’m disappointed to see MGC orgs shut out of the townhouses in the years to come. Not sure why both of the townhouses went to IFC orgs
@Keeping it real White privilege at its best.
@Anonymous Except that half the students are minorities.
@Except... not.
@From someone who is not white White privilege? Why don’t we try leaving race out of the conversation for just once? Not everything is about race, not every white person is trying to squash you down. If you make everything about the color of your skin or someone else’s, you will always be dissatisfied.
@also from someone who is not white pike is extremely multicultural fyi stop grouping all the frat members as white and privileged?????
@CC '13 “not everything is about race”
says the kid who prefaces a comment by saying that he’s not white…
@Anonymous Why don’t the frats seek donations and buy their own houses or spaces like everywhere else? Why does Columbia offer them university space? Do their national organizations pay Columbia a fee?
@Many of the houses used to be owned by the fraternities themselves. The university purchased them one from the fraternities one by one and has been lording this over them ever since.
@CC '13 well, to be fair, you release claim to a property once you’ve sold it. at least that’s how the real world works.
@Anonymous They don’t have the money to do that…only St. A’s does
@also ADP and Beta.
But yea, buying your own house = expensive.
@Teacher's College '87 Where is the spec sucks suite?
@lawl Once upon a time there was frat row. Then shit happened, and everybody became FIJI. The end.
@Anonymous Frat row used to be all of 113th street. Now it is EC.
@CC '11 Seriously though…no more frat row?!
@dude @Oh really?: Yes, as are beatings, going a month without being allowed to shower, shaving heads and other such degrading tasks.
@Or singing for your house.
@dude Probably because MGC chapters are notorious for the worst kind of hazing far above and beyond anything seen from IFC/Panhell chapters.
@Oh really? A combination of absurd amounts of liquor, having to wear stupid outfits/sweaters, and other self-degrading tasks isn’t a form of hazing?
@Oh... And remember you said this when news comes out in a couple of days.
@oooooooh the suspense is killing me! which one is it?
@Anonymous money’s on Lambda
@think first I wish you knew everything before you made idiotic remarks that only show your ignorance to the community, then maybe you would feel less stupid. Good job for making me believe there is still a need for education.
@So... What were you saying about the MGC being a bunch of hazers?
@cc There is no support for the Multicultural Greek Council whatsoever on this campus and am shocked–while I shouldn’t be– at the perpetual institutional (and blatant) racism on this piece of shit campus.
@Wow “Blantant racism on this campus”!!! An MGC was just awarded a Brownstone, and CU is the epitome of reverse discrimination.
@Also The Manhattan house was just awarded space, how is that racist?
@get your basic ass out of here hey dumbass, the opposite (or “reverse”) of discrimination is neutrality. “Reverse Discrimination” isn’t real, and even if it was, it wouldn’t mean what you think it does. Bye.
@yea The organizations in the MGC lack the financial and institutional support that organizations such as Pike and AEPi receive due to the IFC’s longstanding existence and tradition of wealth and (white) privilege. The fact that one MGC organization was given a brownstone does not justify/make up for the de facto racial injustices that occur on a daily here at Columbia( and in the United States). This decision only shows the lack of support organizations such as the MGC receive and perpetuates the institutional racism that exists strongly within our community.
@You obviously don't know anything.. It’s probably weird, then, that MGC organizations receive more than 500 dollars a year for funding to do programming whereas IFC chapters have to pull everything out of their own pockets..
@Ask Ask an MGC organization what our financial situation is right now. Ask us how many members we have and how “easy” it is for our members to pull out dues, even if they are much less than those of IFC and Panhell organizations. Ask us how many times a semester we get tank tops and sweaters, whether our organizations pay for our alcoholic needs during homecoming, whether we even do homecoming like IFC and Panhell orgs do, and whether our pins are made of gold and diamonds. Then go ahead and ask us how many events we throw on each semester, what our chapter dues go towards, the proportion of our money that goes towards philanthropy relative to the number of members that we have, and what are socio-economic backgrounds are.
ASK THAT and then complain about us getting a small amount of funds from Columbia.
@You obviously don't know anything.. Maybe if you didn’t haze so hard, your numbers would increase, you would get more dues, and you wouldn’t have to deal with a weak organization
@Because their members are all Latin Kings and Gangster Disciples. Everybody knows it, and I said it.
@Anonymous Why do we need a “Pre-Health House”?? Isn’t that just Columbia?!!?
@Anonymous Either way, so glad that Student Wellness Project is just above them. The pre-health kids always forget their health is a thing too.
@Anonymous Ugh. I’m sorry, I am done with SWP. I get that they’re trying to be helpful, but a bunch of popular kids telling you to cheer up and shoving a puppy in your face is not helpful. They are so far removed from the kids that actually need help, it’s comical.
@sigh @Anonymous: SWP had nothing to do with the puppy coalition people who brought therapy dogs to campus.
@not a popular kid @Anonymous: swp was not involved in bringing therapy dogs to campus. you’re mixing them up with a different group
@er What a helpful, optimistic person you are. If you’re so “done” with a group of students trying to help their peers, why don’t you try and assist them in improving their goals and efficacy instead of complaining about it online?
@this. THANK YOU.
@Anonymous and they’re resume stuffers
@ex ex wilfred chan
@why the cynicism? @Anonymous: i’m more interested in understanding why it’s hard to believe that a group of students could be moved by their personal struggles as well as the struggles of their friends and peers to try to make things different. what can be so self-serving about investing hours that could otherwise be spent doing homework or focusing on internship trying to do kind things for other people? there are probably better ways to build transferrable skills and pad a resume.
SWP wasn’t intended as a refuge for “unpopular” or “popular” or even necessarily “well” students. It was meant for anyone who wanted to join. Who are we to question the legitimacy of anyone’s need for wellness?
@Er How many SWP members do you actually know? I know this is a cliched thing to say, but you probably don’t know any of the members, or their stories, or their motivations for joining. You know better than this, so stop it.
@Anonymous thank you. thank you thank you. for those of us who feel they have nobody to talk to, that group really does nothing.
@'13 “They are so far removed from the kids that actually need help, it’s comical.”
Without giving away private details of any members’ personal health, I’d just like to say, this is so fucking far from the truth, it’s comical.
@'13 My indignant tone aside, I think this reveals a fairly dangerous perspective on your part — it seems that the members of SWP you’re familiar with seem to be in “no need of help,” according to you, because they appear well-adjusted, well-liked, successful, etc. etc.
A reminder to everyone who wants to be a friend to those of need, and considerate towards those with mental health issues — don’t EVER assume. Please. I can’t tell you how many times a friend has admitted to me in close confidence that they were in fact struggling with such deep-seated problems that appeared to need professional help. This has come from friends that I’ve envied and admired, who epitomized the phrase “have their shit together” to all they knew, and from people whom I would have thought the last people on earth to have any problems at all. Never presume that surface appearances or A+ resumes or cheerful social media profiles are rock-hard indicators of strong wellness. And bottom line, wellness varies but everyone hurts or struggles with at least a few demons inside. Always keep your eyes, ears, and heart open for those who may desperately need someone to open up to.
@dean martinez does not care about poor people
@dean martinez doesn’t even lift.
@EC AEPi and Pike, in addition to EAB, Pi Delta Psi, Psi U, and all the other fraternities and sororities without a brownstone already have townhouses (or other spaces, such as suites in Hogan or Ruggles) through the lottery and throw parties regularly. This won’t change much of anything.
@WTF is EAB? Do you know your greek letters?
@pretty sure they mean sigma lambda beta, a latino fraternity
@Not "latino" Latino-Based but multicultural. Thank you for the clarification though.
@Anonymous lmaooo wth. EAB?
@Anonymous I really would have liked for pike or aepi to get the Wallach suite. Just to see what they would do with it.
@Food for Thought I hope you guys sell drugs again! That’s the only reason you’re liked.
@Anonymous if only that were so. i am afraid that the NSOP exploits look pretty good to naive first-years who don’t yet know any better.
@Anonymous This makes absolutely no sense.
@Seriously pike with a townhouse. this should be thoroughly disastrous. but i suppose it will make it much easier for the university to monitor their every move and shut down their parties.
@EC Have you stepped inside EC for the past two years? Them living in a townhouse is nothing new, and sorry to burst your bubble, but frat parties in EC aren’t busted any more often than, say, CIRCA or band parties.
@Hater! PIKE and AEPi got another 5 Stars on Alpha Standards this year, they are jumping through all of CU’s hoops, you’ll see them both in a Brownstone in the next 3 years.
@Great... Maybe then the groups that actually deserve these townhouses will be granted this land by the almighty, endowment-concerned powers of Columbia University.
@get it right Pike had a townhouse last year: 2011-2012. Nothing happened.
moron
@Anonymous And a brownstone 2010 and before….A LOT happened there
moron.