Betcha Didn’t Know These Facts.

The article written about Columbia University is a “Good Article.” Wikipedia describes this as “​​an article that meets a core set of editorial standards, the good article criteria, passing through the good article nomination process successfully. They are well written, contain factually accurate and verifiable information, are broad in coverage, neutral in point of view, stable, and illustrated, where possible, by relevant images with suitable copyright licenses.” Good Articles are a precursor to becoming a featured article (the highest Wikipedia honor). Columbia’s Wikipedia article has the distinct prestige as the only “Good Article” amongst the Ivy League Wikipedia pages; the other pages are apparently not up to snuff  (Harvard’s is semi-protected so only specific IP addresses can edit it, though). 

Columbia was one of Two American Royal Colleges: Anyone who knows a little bit about its history might know that it was originally granted permission with a royal charter. I like the feel and think students should just say we never stopped being a Royal University. For anyone curious, the other Royal College was the College of William and Mary.

Masers? Apparently Columbia scientists “played a pivotal role in scientific breakthroughs” like the laser and maser. Had no clue masers existed. They’re “microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” Apparently, lasers are a specific type of maser in the wavelengths of light they amplify.

Columbia gave the first evidence of tectonic plates and continental drift: Crazy! Groundbreaking! (haha).

President FAP! lmao. Frederick Augustus Porter (F.A.P.) Barnard was President of Columbia in the latter half of the 19th century. He actually shaped the modern Columbia university but the name is just something; I’m immature. 

Seth Low Junior College: In 1928, Columbia created a two-year community college “in order to mitigate the number of Jewish applicants to Columbia College.” This was a part of the trend of Jewish quotas frequent amongst higher education institutions in the 19th and 20th centuries.    

Late Co-education: In 1983, Columbia College admitted its first women. Columbia was the last of the Ivy League to become co-educational. The university had been in discussion about the merging of Columbia and Barnard for a decade but with plans that would end Barnard’s role as an autonomous university. 

A lot of rooms: Columbia “owns over 7,800 apartments in Morningside Heights, housing faculty, graduate students, and staff.” That’s MASSIVE! (Like… almost more people than my hometown). 

Butler’s Full Name: Apparently, it isn’t just Butler Library. It’s the Nicholas Murray Butler Library. Low, on the other hand, is just Low Memorial Library. Nicholas Murray Butler was the President of Butler from 1902 to 1945, serving a total of 43 years. He was also a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and was “so well known and respected that The New York Times printed his Christmas greeting to the nation every year.”

Wallach’s Old Name: Wallach Hall was originally named Livingston Hall. It was named after Robert R. Livingston, a drafter of the Declaration of Independence. It was renamed when Ira D. Wallach gave around $2,000,000 to renovate it. Also, Jack Kerouac moved there from Hartley. Preferred it. Hartley has always been a struggle.

Perpetuation of Furnald Hate: Furnald is the only Freshman dorm that doesn’t have a Wikipedia article. 

Inaugural Radio: According to the Wikipedia page, WKCR claims to be the oldest FM radio station because Edwin Howard Armstrong, the man who developed FM radio, did so at Columbia. That’s pretty rad! Tune in at WKCR FM New York, 89.9 on the dial, or WKCR HD. You can also tune in at WKCR.org.

First Televised Sporting Event: A Doubleheader between Columbia and Princeton was “the first televised regular athletic event in history” in 1939! What a touchdown!

Gay Rights! The Columbia Queer Alliance “is the oldest gay student organization in the world, founded as the Student Homophile League in 1967.” Word! It would hold meetings and dances in Earl Hall, which is actually how Earl Hall got on the U.S. National Register of Historica PLaces.

Cool Alumni. Amidst a list of like, billionaires and Obama, I learned that Art Garfunkel (From Simon and Garfunkel) and Georgia O’Keeffe went to Columbia! Didn’t realize Langson Hughes attended Columbia or Upton Sinclair either! Amelia Earhart was also a student in the School of General Studies!

Actually Cool, like Temperature-wise: There is a glacier in Alaska named after Columbia!

Columbia’s Wikipedia Page via Columbia’s Wikipedia Page