It seems that Barnard’s new president, whose coronation inauguration tomorrow will effectively shut down campus west of Broadway, is a “Person of Interest” in the mind of Daily Beast, who published an interesting profile, calling her a gamble (but a good one) for a woman’s college, having never attended or taught at one. 

Kate Taylor thinks that she does, however, have invaluable experiences in being not only an academic (as Judith Shapiro no doubt is), but also an expert on the political economy from her time at Harvard Business who has the marketing know-how to restore Barnard’s standing among liberal arts colleges.  Only time will tell if she can make good on the predictions, but she has already been hob-knobbing with the all-important New York media, and they control the image of her fair institution.  Bwog is just hoping that she isn’t made into a Varsity Show character.

Political clubs pay attention to politics!

Lauren Salz…she’s everywhere! 

The Hawkmadinejads will take care of this

JShap rides off into the sunset to bright new career as a lounge singer

Political science becomes even less of a real field

Earlier this morning, Barnard students received a message from outgoing President Judith Shapiro informing them that their would-be Vag will not be completed by its scheduled Fall 2009 date — something about subcontracting gone awry — but will instead open in January 2010. 

But there are silver linings abounds: Starting this fall Lewis Parlor will function as a cafe/student lounge, and Shaprio promises that student-oriented events will receive a higher priority when assigning space. The fully functioning Vag, Shapiro assures us, “will definitely be worth this uncomfortable wait.” Oh, we have no doubt.

Full email after the jump.

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Bwog apologizes for the delay in Barnard class day coverage.  Our camera wasn’t working and we couldn’t have you just take us at our word.

On Tuesday morning, as a faint drizzle turned into a steady downpour, 597 “awe-inspiring women” graduated from Barnard, along with their president.  Let me the spare you the burden of reading the rest of this post: Barnard class day won this year.

Although the college had boasted of a star-studded class day with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Billie Jean King (tennis star), David Remnick (New Yorker editor-in-chief) and Thelma Adair (Head Start founder), only hizzoner addressed the graduating class.  The rest received Barnard medals of distinction.  New Yorkers are accustomed to seeing Bloomberg on TV for the occasional press conference, and he usually appears somewhat lovable, schlumpy and uninspired.  But during his class day speech he was practically animated—funny at all the right times, legitimately inspiring at others—and reminded everyone why he’s Joel Klein’s boss and not vice versa.

He began by mocking JShap’s poodle, Nora, who he called a “one poodle canine security patrol” and questioned the dog’s legal right to parade about an otherwise dog-free campus.  He then addressed the subject of the wall around the Vag’s construction zone with the tone of an amused civil servant.  “You’ve all spent your senior year learning to be graffiti artists,” he said. “May I remind you—your tagging days are done.  What happens at Barnard stays at Barnard.”  Read more…

It’s not only seniors who are receiving diplomas this week, outgoing President and Varsity Show protagonist Judith Shapiro (pictured with her signature sass at right), will be receiving an honorary Columbia University Doctor of Laws degree, presented to her tomorrow by none other than PrezBo. In a press release, PrezBo commends JShap on doubling BC’s endowment, instituting the Nine Ways of Knowing, and launching construction on the Vag. 

Congrats, JShap!