Now Bwog editor emeritus Chris Szabla reports on some of the more ridiculous elements of today’s pomp and circumstance. Things being thrown/held by various schools: CC: apple cores SEAS: paper airplanes/annoying plastic clapping devices GS: racing flags (because, I guess, they finally made it to the finish line) Barnard: flowers and confetti Nursing: pompoms (just…not […]

The GW Hatchet, George Washington University’s student newspaper, is reporting that GW President (and ’59 Columbia grad, pictured) Stephen Joel Trachtenberg will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Commencement. The list of recipients also includes Aharon Barak, former Israeli Supreme Court President, and CNN correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. UPDATE: According to the official list, […]

Julia Kite emails us with the following tip: “The Journalism School’s graduation speaker will be Ben Bradlee…yes, THE Ben Bradlee who was editor of the Washington Post during the Watergate Scandal and one of three people who knew the identity of Deep Throat, à la All the President’s Men.” According to a recent Gawker post, […]

While we’re still anticipating who will be speaking at Columbia’s commencement this year, Bwog tipster Julia Kite notifies us that the crimsonites in Cambridge have invited none other than Harvard drop-out/Microsoft mogul Bill Gates to speak on June 7th. On top of that, Billy’s finally getting his diploma too — Harvard is presenting Gates with […]

One of our more distinguished alumni (excerpted): “I’m a liar and a cheat and a thief and the ultimate manipulator. … I tell lies every day, man,” the 40-year-old actor says in the February issue of Men’s Journal magazine. “And when I say I’m phenomenally manipulative, I am.”   Fox, who is now starring opposite […]

It’s Matthew Fox, of Lost fame. We hope this is a joke. (Though some of you commenters in the other thread seemed prescient…) A genuine teevee celebrity! Chris Szabla reports: “The general mood among seniors: either appalled, or wondering if Quigley and Chait were playing an extended joke. Even the video montage of headshots from the likes […]

Columbia College Dean Austin Quigley is hosting a senior class reception tonight at 5:30 in Lerner’s Satw Room. The event announcement mentions a “SUPER SECRET-HUGE-AMAZING announcement at 6:00pm sharp,” which, Bwog hears, is the identity of the 2007 Class Day speaker. We’re hoping for a speaker who’s a bit more Tony Kushner than John McCain […]

Many of us think of Columbia as a nurturing mother, sheltering us from the vissicitudes of adult life. One Columbia senior expected her to protect us from the rain as well…and took PrezBo to task for failing in this final act of devotion. Her e-mail follows, with the administration’s response after the jump. ——– Original […]

Admit it, you’re glad you didn’t have to sit out in the rain for the class days and Commencement, but you kind of want to know if anything interesting happened during the graduation festivities. As usual, Bwog’s got you covered. Precipitation: It rained, dulling the much-ballyhooed McCain protest (sez the NY Times), and giving rise […]

Commencement is being webcast (rather well) by the school here.

According to a sign in Bwog’s elevator, the going rate for Commencement tickets is $80. Or, at least, some poor fool thinks it’s $80. But before you fork over any cash to your orphaned classmates, you should check out this ticket exchange. Why buy the cow when the milk comes for free?