CCSC is funding thisSatow Room Bureau Chief James Downie reports with the latest from CCSC:

Without President Sue Yang in attendance, CCSC’s meeting proceeded with only a few updates of note (on the bright side, it was also done in time for most of the Oscars). First, the Elections Board discussed the progress of the elections, declaring there to be “more interest this year,” though they still suggested council members encourage people to run for less well-known posts. The only major change this year is that all the debates will be condensed into one three-hour extravanganza, in hopes of increasing attendance–and the chances of campus news outlets overdosing on student government news.

As for that smoking ban, 2011 VP (and rumored 2011 presidential candidate for next year) Sean Udell told the council that nothing “will happen anytime soon,” thanks to more “bureaucratic footdragging.”

After several weeks of noticeably worrying about the application rate for CCSC’s new individual project grants (aka “Free Money for Your Off-the-Wall Ideas”), VP for Finance Nuriel Moghavem proudly announced they had received 36 applications, from which six had been selected. Some of the specific projects include:

  • Live and Let Die Another Day: “A humorous Don Quixote story about two best friends at Columbia, Alex and Charlie, who imagine they live in the world of James Bond intrigue and suspense.” Moghavem admitted he actually hadn’t read the script, but that the students behind the project seemed very committed.
  • Our World, Our Campus: “This mural would be painted for one entire day in the Spring 2010, and then displayed in the windows of Lerner Hall on the side facing Journalism. The images and words represented on the mural would be Columbia students’ visions for how they can change the world, including environmental themes, humanitarian needs, educational policy, political reform, and any other topic Columbia students can think of.” Columbia’s sustainability housing community Greenborough is part of the project.
  • College Walk Foosball: “A plan to build a life-size human foosball on College Walk, which would be open to the Columbia community. Participants would be strapped in harnesses connected to PVC pipes and would link arms to move from side to side to kick an oversized ball into the opposing team’s goal. The PVC pipes would be held in place by plywood supports, while the walls of the foosball table would be painted with Columbia themed images, including Alma, Roar-ee, CC and Lit Hum writers, as well as iconic scenes from New York City.” A similar installment in Baltimore can be seen here.

Other projects include a mini-international food festival, a multilingual literary magazine, and an online magazine and discussion community centered around CC, called “Intellectual Intercourse” (a title that drew many an immature chuckle). Moghavem expressed satisfaction with the results, telling skeptical council members that this would not take up very much money, and would showcase student talents. If nothing else, they’ll certainly turn heads.