As usual, admins gave statements and updates about things at the Columbia University Senate plenary today. It was shorter than usual, but we’re sure that you’ll find what the admins said interesting. Brought to you by Joe Milholland. “One of the things we will be announcing, probably today, is a major effort to do research […]

If you’re dreaming of one day making a trip to North Korea, you’re probably going to be disappointed. However, Google chairman Eric Schmidt and his daughter Sophie were recently invited there, and Sophie wrote an interesting account of their strange visit. (Sophie in North Korea) You probably could’ve guessed this, but Obama’s second inauguration was […]

Last night, lucky students (along with invited guests like CCSC President Karishma Habbu, ESC President Tim Qin, and members of the media) spent an evening in PrezBo’s house for one of his famous “Fireside Chats,” dining on fine cuisine (mini hot dogs, mini burgers, regular size chicken fingers, and cookies) and discussing the state of […]

  Columbia Global Centers (CGC) have been busy establishing themselves.  With eight centers across the world in Chile, Brazil, France, Jordan, Kenya, Turkey, India, and China, the directors are finding exactly how they can best fit in to the Columbia sphere.  To that end, a week-long Directors’ Summit was held last week, closing with a […]

Last night, Vice-President of the Arts & Sciences Nicholas Dirks delivered the annual University Lecture, entitled “Scholars and Spies: Worldly Knowledge and the Predicament of the University.” The following classified report was submitted by Bwog’s own scholarly spy, Peter Sterne (who—full disclosure—is in Dirks’ CC class). Classical music came from the speakers as people scrambled […]

As he does from time to time, last night PrezBo opened the doors to his grandiose abode on Morningside Drive to a number of students and administrators for the latest in his Rooseveltian series of fireside chats. A pair of Bwog editors were in attendance, and positioned themselves on a soft couch to listen in on the night’s […]

Columbia is rolling out a brand new program for this year’s class of graduating seniors. The program (first hinted at by PrezBo at a Fireside Chat last Febrary) offers an opportunity for up to 10 students to become “Fifth Year Fellows” by “adding a year of liberal arts education” at one (or more!) of Columbia’s […]

Today, PrezBo announced the opening of Columbia’s sixth global center in Istanbul—joining the Beijing, Paris, Amman, Mumbai, and the month-old Santiago centers. To kick off the launch, the Columbia Alumni Association is presenting two webcasts of panel discussions coinciding with the launch: “Is the Internet Too Free?” and “Egypt and Turkey: Comparative Perspectives on Democratic Transitions.” The press release makes it […]

PrezBo generously shared his mansion and manservant with some lucky lottery winners at his first Fireside Chat last night from 6 to 7:30 pm. Bwog’s Conor Skelding, ever eager to enter 60 Morningside Drive, stopped by to watch his fellow students waffle between demonizing and deifying their president-for-life. 5:57 to 6:35 pm was spent mingling around a central snack […]

Yesterday, in the land of swanky catering that is the Columbia Faculty House, PrezBo announced Columbia’s latest move toward international expansion—a Global Center in Santiago, Chile. Joining Columbia’s four other centers in Beijing, Paris, Amman, and Mumbai, the Santiago global center will be Columbia’s first in Latin America. This initiative, co-established by President Bollinger and […]

Does anyone know what the global centers do? In the larger sense, aside from hosting a program here and an event here, what is their sinister purpose? Yesterday administrators, students and scholars converged on Low Library to explain what it means in a conference entitled “Columbia Goes Global: The Next 50 Years.” Semi-pro Low Rat […]

The new issue of The Blue and White can be found around campus.  Today, Claire Sabel reviews the a book on how the global reach of universities is changing the world. Ben Wildavsky The Great Brain Race: How Global Universities are Reshaping the World Princeton University Press April 2010 / $26.95 Coming in fourth nationally, […]

Gothamist cites Bwog comments. (So you could be famous!) HuffPo defends Women’s Studies at Columbia. The City comes to an agreement to develop Ground Zero. (Times) Columbia opens ‘Global Centers’ in Mumbai and Paris. Debate continues over the Jail-themed playground in Brooklyn. (Times)