An article in today’s New York Times takes a step back to look at President Bollinger’s track record on dealing with free speech issues in the last few years, given a run of pesky controversies. Why doesn’t Yale ever have to deal with this kind of thing? 

…maybe because they’re having too much fun following the exploits of a certain pathological liar.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people learned yesterday about October 4th at an immigrants rights rally in Union Square, where media darlings Monique Dols and Karina Garcia spoke to a throng of signwaving protesters and hipster NYU kids. Definitely friendlier turf than Morningside Heights: their speech met with cheers, and members of the International Socialist Organization racked up signatures on a petition in support of the protesters. At the very least, people weren’t surprised.

“It’s Columbia,” said one woman who identified herself as an alumna. “What do you expect?”

The Columbia contingent at the event was small, perhaps because the Chicano Caucus had chosen this weekend to host the East Coast Chicano Student Forum, where people like former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castaneda spoke in Earl Hall. So much solidarity, so little time…

– Lydia DePillis