"I'll be your cuddle buddy"

Senior Satow Correspondents Sarah Ngu and Maren Killackey report from this week’s CCSC meeting. They recap a student-run wellness initiative, financial aid communication and reform, the possibility of junior regroup during housing, a vegan composter, and brownstones for general lottery.

Student Wellness Project

Karishma Habbu, the Student Services Rep, and Wilfred Chan, yourCCSC.com webmaster, unveiled the Student Wellness Project to CCSC. Chan and a number of students met soon after the death of Tina Bu to discuss how to best address long-standing wellness issues on campus. “Wellness is basically you at your best… It is marked by balanced quality of life and a sense of well-being,” Chan told CCSC at Sunday’s meeting, listing all the dimensions of wellness (mental, physical, financial, spiritual, social, etc). He continued, “A lot of students tend to take [wellness] for granted,” accepting it as a reality of life at a tough school like Columbia. But wellness, as the SWP aims to emphasize, should instead be thought of as a fundamental right.

They have already met with Dean Valentini, Dean Shollenberger, Dean Martinez and Dr. Richard Eichler (the director of Columbia Psychological Services) and have been personally recruiting interested students; it’s open for anyone to join in. The Project’s long-term aim is to provide a bridge between students and resources available to them, and further to improve these resources.

A few goals that are currently underway:

• Student-run wellness website that centralizes resources and encourages discussion
• Student-led committee that publishes an annual report on Columbia’s community wellness
• Improved wellness training programs for NSOP and ResLife
• Peer-to-peer mentoring
• Puppy therapy!

The SWP meets every Tuesday at 10pm in 522 Kent. Contact Wilfred or Karishma for more information on SWP and how to join in. The Student Wellness Project is involved with the CU Student Forum, a growing gathering of individual students who want to address major issues on campus like lacking student space.

Financial Aid

750 students were unable to register for classes this semester because they had a $1,000 unpaid balance for tuition payment—this is a standard Columbia policy. The Financial Aid office sent multiple e-mails notifying students of the outstanding bill, but most ignored them. A Council member countered, saying that when he tried to rectify the situation he was redirected to three different offices, none of whom really knew what was going on. Some students said that although they received the email they didn’t know it meant that they couldn’t register.

Student Development Affairs and Financial Aid are partnering with the councils to submit the Financial Aid Office to a systematic review process similar to that conducted of CSA last semester. It would include discussions, surveys and focus groups.

Housing

Junior Re-group

Council voiced near unanimous support for an option that would allow Juniors to regroup at the end of suite selection and double up to take remaining suites. It remains to be seen if administration will implement such a policy.

Composting

The long-awaited composter, destined for installation in the basement of Ruggles, will be up and running sometime next year. Only vegetable waste —no dairy, meat, or oil—can be used. The composter will first be opened up to dining halls, then to campus groups, and after a few weeks, to individuals.

Brownstones

The brownstones that Columbia just acquired will not be opened up for general lottery. Located on 113th St. between Broadway and Riverside, the former nunnery will be re-designed to create singles and doubles for 70 people. KevSho previously stated that these would be Student Affairs confirms that these will be reserved for new Living Learning special interest housing.

Furnald: Not zoned for intercourse.

Think your first round of midterms is stressful? At least your parents aren’t in town—note the following exchange between a macho-looking father and his Furnaldian son. The dialogue took place in a Furnald hallway, whilst the father pointed toward the dorm’s notorious resident condom bag.

Father: So, have you been utilizing these condominiums?

Son: Uhh, yeah. Sure.

One kind of “high-rise” via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo from Spec

Columbia will renovate the former St. Hilda’s House convent for undergrad housing, Spec reports. The convent’s three white brownstones at 113th between Broadway and Riverside won’t be available until Fall 2013, so only underclassmen will get to make Hamlet references.

Administrators eagerly anticipate the new digs. “I think it’s going to be prime space,” Dean of Community Development and Multicultural Affairs Terri Martinez told Spec. Look at those architectural flourishes! You could, like, write an Art Hum paper about it.

And future residents won’t be subject to the whims of the housing lottery. Only special applicants can snag the coveted convent rooms. Ke$ho explains, “It will be another Living Learning special interest house since it’s a small residence hall.” He wants students to dream up new themes, so start brainstorming.

The Columbia Housing Gods have upgraded your digs. Much thanks to the lovely Joyce Jackson for sharing this definitive list of renovations. Here’s what you can expect

• Carman: Freshies are in for a treat: a glistening new fitness room. Couch muffins can enjoy True Blood marathons on the flat screen televisions just installed in all floor lounges.
• River: Fancy flooring in rooms, hallways, and lounges. Goodies abound with new flat screen TVs and cushioned furniture in the lounges. Pianists, sick of Schapiro, be merry! There’s a new practice room AND fitness room.
• Printing: There is no less of a chance you’ll be stuck in line behind a dance leader printing 100 flyers with spanking new print stations in River, Watt, and Nussbaum. Also, that sauna of a computer lab in Hartley is moving a few doors down.

Interlude in honor of B’s bun in the oven: (The rest of the upgrades after the jump)

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Time to celebrate!

Hey all of you sophomores who had a bad time of housing—you’re finally off the waitlist! A tipster has informed us that although Housing has not yet emailed him, he has seen his assignment on the one and only Star Rez.

Frog w/ champagne via Wikimedia.

Seniors that just found out about this

Lucky seniors! Today, Housing sent out an email to members of the Class of 2012 describing a “special housing opportunity” for those that felt the wrath of the Housing Gods earlier this spring. Housing is offering rising seniors, starting with those that received the worst lottery numbers, the option to transfer to apartments with either two bedrooms or a single-bedroom double. The apartments will be on 113th and 114th (it’s not clear which buildings), and sample floor plans indicate these new apartments will all have kitchens, private bathrooms, and ample living/lounging space—according to Housing, they are largely comparable to Watt apartments, only nicer.

For the non-seniors, this likely means that a few rooms will be freeing up in some of the worse senior housing options: Woodbridge, River, or Broadway. It’s all a little vague and last-minute, but Bwog has contacted Housing for clarification and will provide updates.

But for those that want to transfer, act fast! Spaces are limited, and whether someone will get a spot will also depend on when the student submitted the application, due this Friday, August 5th, at 9 a.m.

Update, 8/4: Executive Director of Housing Joyce Jackson has told Bwog that the spaces vacated by seniors will now be up for grabs in general for Summer Transfer and will be doled out based on student preferences and lottery number. Furthermore, we can confirm that the floor plans that are labeled as being on Riverside and between 108th and 109th are accurate; these are open rooms within the Carlton Arms that seniors can transfer into.

An anonymous tipster just let the more fortunate and securely-housed-since-April Bwog know that summer transfer assignments have been released. Go forth and find your fate.

Update as of 07/18: Several commenters have replied that they have not yet received their new and improved homes. We can confirm that some have indeed already been released, so the only thing to do is wait. And listen to LCD.

Freshpeople hankerin' for a little fraternité

In an apparent effort to jade our incoming 2015 prefrosh before, rather than after, NSOP, Housing has already let down our youngsters. Last year, 14ers got their assignments on July 2nd. This year, Housing only finally released a few today—and then stopped. Predictably, a shitstorm ensued on the 2015 Facebook page.

One student posted, “Housing is up already?!? I’m serious!” Some students disbelieved her, others demanded screenshots, still more condemned her as a troll. But it was true: some freshlings have received their housing assignments and others have not. Freshpeople, after your heart rate falls, check out our first-year housing reviews so you can agonize more. We’re sorry: Wallach doubles are just the worst.

Here are some flavorful highlights from the thread. At the time of posting it was at 291 comments and still growing. This manic activity would suggest that there are bitches going crazy way before they even arrive at Columbia, which could shed new light on the debate over whether Columbia destroys our souls. Just kidding ’15ers! Correlation does not imply causation.

Chill, Bro

• “SUCK MY DICK COLUMBIA”
• “how hard can it be?”
• “GOD I’M FUCKING PISSED”
• “if ur trolling i will b very mad”
• “well, if other people actually get it, start a doc” [As in, have a Google Facebook document into which every freshling would enter their Housing data, presumably so they can then rate every first year floor by attractiveness and depth of literary pursuits.]

So Much To Learn (They Will Never Email You)

• “I haven’t heard too much about Wallach aside for it being the LLC. Do you know if it’s fairly social and what not? I never really looked into it a wallach double wasn’t in my first eight choices…”
• “i don’t think these are real. columbia wouldn’t give you something that’s not in your top 8 choices and they would have e-mailed us.”
• “I keep refreshing cubmail because we’re supposed to get emails with all this stuff.”
• “NOT OKAY. I’m supposed to be at work.. But I just keep refreshing my Housing App…….”
• “sooo I got a Wallach double… anyone know what this meansss?”

Getting It Already

Kids, we’re reaching out to our friends at Housing for an explanation assure us that all freshmen assignments will be completed by the end of the week. No word on why there was such a holdup. You should check back with the StarRez on Friday for your assignments.

UPDATE: Housing assignments have been released. Any estimations on the cumulative volume of tears of joy/relief/anguish being shed right now?

Historic moment via Wikimedia

UPDATE, 4/9: Housing has posted a list of General Selection times by priority number and by UNI. Go find out how many people pick before you!

UPDATE: General selection appointments have been emailed out, so go fret!

UPDATE: Housing just released a list of of all currently available and already assigned rooms (UNI Required), broken down by building and type!

Housing just revealed that not all juniors will be able to pick into singles in General Selection this year. There are currently 1123 juniors and seniors registered for General Selection and only 987 singles available during General Selection. This means that up to 136 juniors (though more likely 100-120, since not all upperclassmen will pick) will have to pick into the worst blind doubles left over from Suite Selection. Housing stressed, however, that those juniors will be able to get singles through Summer Transfer. The brownstones the frats were kicked out of (approximately 50 beds), graduate housing (at least 60 beds, all near campus), and some Barnard housing (14 beds) will be available for juniors.

The luckiest 40 sophomores (with lottery numbers under 440) will be able to pick into Furnald. Another 20-30 will end up in terrible blind doubles, and the rest (approximately 200) will be put on the Sophomore Waitlist. Those on the list will be transferred into the blind doubles vacated by the juniors when they are transferred into the Brownstones or graduate housing over the summer.

You’re not so fucked actually. Housing assures us that everyone will be given the best housing possible, by seniority. Juniors in particular should not worry if they have to pick a blind double in the McBain shaft during General Selection; they will not be there when September rolls around. Housing also announced that they are hoping to have info sessions to assuage juniors’ fears, hopefully sometime late next week.

In related news, General Selection appointment times will be posted soon.

We’ll try to answer as many questions as possible, but we may not be able to tell what what your specific lottery number means at a certain moment. General debate, advice, and chatter about the housing process is highly encouraged. Plus, you can always stop by in person! We’ll be cheerfully chomping on Sour Patch Kids, grooving with Housing staff, and neglecting our studies with abandon. Bwoggers will be more than willing to chat about the current situation… and of course, we’re still handing out Housing stickers. Happy picking and best o’ luck, all!

Mobile viewing

Need to check in during class? Just point your mobile device to http://bit.ly/bwoghousing2011-day6 for our chart!

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Pairing up... two is better than one seven

We’ll try to answer as many questions as possible, but we may not be able to tell what what your specific lottery number means at a certain moment. General debate, advice, and chatter about the housing process is highly encouraged. Plus, you can always stop by in person! We’ll be cheerfully chomping on Krackels, grooving with Housing staff, and neglecting our studies with abandon. Bwoggers will be more than willing to chat about the current situation… and of course, we’re still handing out Housing stickers. Happy picking and best o’ luck, all!

Mobile viewing

Need to check in during class? Just point your mobile device to http://bit.ly/bwoghousing2011-day5 for our chart!

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Snoop. Things to expect out of the juniors and lucky sophomores today: the last 6-person suites are going to be gone in the morning, and the dregs of the former exclusions will go too. Look for Watt to be a battlefield today, and groups may start picking into the bigger rooms in Nussbaum and McBain.”>

Might have to drop to General; only a few ex-ECX left

We’ll try to answer as many questions as possible, but we may not be able to tell what what your specific lottery number means at a certain moment. General debate, advice, and chatter about the housing process is highly encouraged. Plus, you can always stop by in person! We’ll be cheerfully chomping on Mr. Goodbars, grooving with Housing staff, and neglecting our studies with abandon. Bwoggers will be more than willing to chat about the current situation… and of course, we’re still handing out Housing stickers. Happy picking and best o’ luck, all!

Mobile viewing

Need to check in during class? Just point your mobile device to http://bit.ly/bwoghousing2011-day4 for our chart!

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HEY JUNIORS, come get these

We’ll try to answer as many questions as possible, but we may not be able to tell what what your specific lottery number means at a certain moment. General debate, advice, and chatter about the housing process is highly encouraged. Plus, you can always stop by in person! We’ll be cheerfully chomping on Reese’s Minis, grooving with Housing staff, and neglecting our studies with abandon. Bwoggers will be more than willing to chat about the current situation and/or our hopes for the Bacchanal lineup… and of course, we’re still handing out Housing stickers. Happy picking and best o’ luck, all!

Mobile viewing

Need to check in during class? Just point your mobile device to http://bit.ly/bwoghousing2011-day3 for our chart and go to http://coveritlive.com and search for “Bwog” for our streaming liveblog.

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Barnard has reached its housing cap—that is, the maximum number of Barnard students who can live in Columbia housing. For Barnard students who picked a backup room are OK-ish, but those who didn’t are going onto the ominously-named Guaranteed Wait List.

We are investigating just what this means for Columbia students who went into Suite Selection with Barnard students. Full email below.

Dear Barnard student:

According to our records, you registered as part of a group over at CU Suite Selection.

Unfortunately, we have reached the the point at which the maximum number of Barnard students who may select at Columbia (i.e. the ”cap”) has been reached.

We apologize for not being able to know in advance what the final cap would be, but the number depends on a formula which takes into consideration how many CU students who registered at Barnard were able to successfully select with their BC group (the total number of Barnard students who get to live at CU may not exceed the number of CU students who live at Barnard).

Hopefully you registered for Barnard Room Selection and selected your backup room at Barnard. If you did not select a backup room at Barnard (or did not register for Barnard Room Selection), your option now is to sign up for the Guaranteed Wait List.

We’re attaching a Guaranteed Wait List form for you to fill out and submit by 4pm on Monday, April 4 (if you need to do so). When you submit the Guaranteed Wait List form to the Residential Life & Housing office (110 Sulzberger), you will need to additionally sign a Barnard Housing Contract. Students on the Guaranteed Wait List have until August 2 to be able to cancel their housing contract, should they wish, without incurring the $1000 late cancellation charge.

Please let us know if we can answer any questions — Residential Life & Housing

Feel free to comment on this post! We’ll try to answer as many questions as possible, but we may not be able to tell what what your specific lottery number means at a certain moment. General debate, advice, and chatter about the housing process is highly encouraged. Plus, you can always stop by in person! We’ll be cheerfully chomping on Swedish Fish, grooving with Housing staff, and neglecting our studies with abandon. Bwoggers will be more than willing to chat about the current situation and/or our hopes for the Bacchanal lineup. Oh, and in case you didn’t hear… We have stickers! Happy picking and best o’ luck, all!

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