<p>I’m aware that Barnard and Columbia have a close/joint relationship. I am just wondering- how connected are they? You can take colleges at either if you go to Barnard but do Barnard kids consider themselves part of the Columbia community? For example, would they wear a Columbia University sweatshirt or go to a Columbia event. Would it be okay to say you go to Columbia University? Thanks!</p>
<p>Have the same problem… Deciding duke or barnard…</p>
<p>It totally depends on the student. I would say almost everyone would consider themselves part of the Columbia community. So many of the events and traditions are open to both schools, in addition to the facilities and classes, it would be hard to conceive of a Barnard experience entirely autonomous from Columbia. The degree to which people identify as a student of Columbia University varies, but everyone goes to events at Columbia. I would say that it’s less likely that a Barnard student would wear a Columbia sweatshirt, but that largely stems from the fact that not many people wear sweatshirts.</p>
<p>As for saying that you go to Columbia…that’s a bit more touchy. Obviously, you’re free to identify yourself as you feel appropriate. However, some people would accuse you of being disingenuous. Also, it depends on the situation. When the cab driver asks you if you go to Columbia? Way easier to say yes. If someone from home (provided you live somewhere where Barnard isn’t well known) asks? It’s a little trickier, but if it’s just an acquaintance, it might just be easier for you. On a resume? Most people put Barnard College, Columbia University. Meeting people on campus? Not really okay. Basically, it depends on what you feel comfortable doing, and what’s best for the situation.</p>
<p>Personally, I identify much more strongly with Barnard than I do Columbia, and, as such, I almost always say that I go to Barnard. If the person I’m talking to hasn’t heard of Barnard, then it gives me a chance to tell them a bit about it, and to demonstrate why it’s an exceptional educational environment. If they have, then chances are good that they regard it as an institution of excellence. Rather than letting the reputation of a school cast associations on you and your education, claiming Barnard gives you a chance to define the qualities others associate with Barnard women. I’ve given up on the taxi cab thing, though…too much effort.</p>
<p>Do whatever feels comfortable for you, and don’t feel the need to lock in to a specific view of your Barnard/Columbia identity–it’ll evolve constantly over your four years here…</p>
<p>yes Barnard students can and do wear Columbia University shirts and they most definitely attend Columbia campus events and are a part of the university community. They hold SGA office, they are on the student newspaper, they hold offices in clubs, etc. Most clubs and all sports are Columbia University wide. My D is a Barnard graduate and she says that she is a Barnard graduate. If the person to whom she is speaking has never heard of Barnard (which happens often in Georgia), she might explain that Barnard is the Women’s college affiliated with Columbia University.</p>
<p>You really should visit. It’s a unique arrangement and you need to see and judge for yourself!</p>
<p>Best to you…</p>
<p>Thanks to you both- extremely helpful. Another question, what is the best way to fit in with the Columbia community? I just want to avoid coming across as a femi-Nazi who guys wouldn’t date. I mean, I’m all for womens rights/education but I am interested in meeting guy friends too. How can I avoid being stereotyped by Columbia guys and girls. Thanks!</p>
<p>emmalin, just be yourself. Nobody wears a sign that says “Barnard Student” (well, unless you are wearing the sweatshirt we talked about earlier). And by no stretch are Barnard students known as “femi-Nazis” at any rate.</p>
<p>No one really expects to find femi-Nazi’s at Barnard. If anything, CU guys expect to find girls who are quite fun to hang out with. (: </p>
<p>I joined the marching band, which isn’t really a marching band but more of a comedy group. They made me feel super included in the CU club… apparently being some of the only school-spirited people on campus will do that to you.</p>
<p>Just join whatever organizations you are interested in. </p>
<p>They don’t care whether you are Barnard or not. They won’t even ask, at least not as a condition for joining. I mean - typically you will find out about an organization and it will be having some sort of meeting – you’ll show up to the meeting. If it is a campus organization, the people at the meeting are just going to assume that everyone there is a student affiliated with Columbia in some way (including Barnard). Depending on how formal the set up is for the organization, at some point you might have to sign some sort of form or roster to become an official member, and that process might entail revealing specifically which school you attend (unless it’s Philolexian Society, in which case you’re kind of stuck being a lifetime member once you’ve shown up to that first meeting).</p>
<p>My guess is that when mysteryflavored showed up to her first marching band meeting, the first question asked was probably “what instrument do you play?” (Or not, as apparently one not actually required to play an “instrument” to be part of the marching band – [Instruments</a> of the Marching Band | Columbia University Marching Band Legacy](<a href=“http://www.cumb.org/instruments/instruments-of-the-marching-band/#more-210]Instruments”>http://www.cumb.org/instruments/instruments-of-the-marching-band/#more-210) )</p>
<p>There is no separation. Really. You can’t be part of Columbia College student government and you can’t join a male-only fraternity … but other than that, it’s really up to you.</p>
<p>Just as an aside, that website does NOT belong to the CU marching band. The domain was hijacked by some other guy we have NEVER met and he creepily put up info and pictures of us. Don’t read it. ):</p>
<p>Darn, now I’m going to have to go read it.</p>
<p>Is there a web site for the marching band that is official? I just looked at the first one that came up in Google and assumed it was legit. (There was nothing about the site to indicate that it wasn’t). I didn’t expect to necessarily see an organization being affiliated with the columbia.edu or barnard.edu domain – I know that Barnard Radio (WBAR) has a .org domain, and Columbia Spectator has a .com domain name – so I kind of assumed that it was common for student organizations to set up their own independent web sites).</p>
<p>cumb.org used to be our site, but when it came time to renew the ownership on the domain it got stolen by someone who was more timely with a payment. We really don’t know why they took it.</p>
<p>We then had cuband.org, but there are problems with the website and it keeps crashing. It’ll now direct you to the band’s blog. We’re working on the website issue… hopefully it’ll be resolved soon.</p>
<p>There’s no such thing as “more timely” – you either pay for renewal on time or you don’t. It sounds like someone dropped the ball and let the domain lapse --and then it was probably picked up by someone who was waiting for it to lapse. </p>
<p>I understand how those things can happen with a student-run organization. I’m just pointing this out because these things don’t just “happen” – they happen as a result of a lapse somewhere along the chain of responsibility. I mean, my daughter held the position of treasurer for one CU organization… I would hope that no matter what else happened or did not happen with that particular organization, that its bills got paid on time.</p>
<p>All I’ll say is that there was a miscommunication. It happens. Whatever.</p>
<p>For now, anyone who wants to read up on the band can look here: [Columbia</a> University Marching Band - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia](<a href=“http://www.wikicu.com/Columbia_University_Marching_Band]Columbia”>Columbia University Marching Band - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia)</p>
<p>As told by President Sparr:
Barnard’s mission is enhanced by its relationship with Columbia University. Barnard avails itself of the resources of a major research university—the extraordinary library, specialized courses that augment those offered at Barnard, the presence of graduate students and graduate-level courses, and the professional schools—to enlarge the educational opportunities of its students in ways that are simply not possible at most liberal arts colleges. The proximity of Columbia allows these interactions to occur with regularity and geographical ease. These opportunities flow in both directions: several distinguished undergraduate programs available to Columbia students are housed only at Barnard. Barnard also offers Columbia students the chance
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to study in a more intimate setting, typically with closer relationships to faculty. Annually, there are approximately 6,900 Barnard student course registrations at Columbia and 6,300 Columbia student course registrations at Barnard (Exhibit: Cross Registration Data). In academic terms, the partnership is expressed formally in ways that also contribute to the unique experience of Barnard undergraduates: some study in Barnard departments that invite majors from Columbia (which does not offer study in those fields), while other choose majors that are only offered at Columbia; some study in departments that are complemented by a similar, freestanding department at Columbia; and some study in departments that are effectively unified with their counterpart department at Columbia.</p>
<p>USofArugula has some great insight.
As for the boys, you need not worry. They seem to generally be pretty ok with the 2000 or so females across the street. At the clubs fair, the CU programing initiative (which was full of nerdy but generally very cute guys) approached me because I “looked like I might be interested in being awesome.” They told me what they were all about, and I told them I have some graphic design experience but that I didn’t know as much as I’d like to, and two of them high-fived and another fistpumped. I asked if it was OK that I was from Barnard, and the guy who initially approached me pulled me in for a hug and goes “boys, we found her. she’s perfect.” I can PM you more info if you want me to get a little more personal, but I learned a lot at open house.
Just in general though, the best way not to be seen as a crazy feminist is not to be a crazy feminist, and not to say doesn’t have it’s share of them, because like any school (especial an urban one) they do, but Columbia and Barnard students alike will for the most part accept you for who you are, and as far as I can tell, the student body as a whole is pretty open to whoever that might be.</p>
<p>Just wondering figureskater, what exactly is the CU programming initiative?</p>
<p>figureskater: thanks for the valuable information, I appreciate it. Barnard remains a strong contender on my college list- thank you!</p>
<p>The term “femi-nazi” was coined by Rush Limbaugh to delegitimize women activists and distort feminist position. It is as offensive as asking whether minorities at Barnard are “uppity” or whether gay students at Barnard “flaunt their lifestyle.” While I sympathize with the concern that the campus be tolerant of diverse attitudes and lifestyles, that doesn’t make it appropriate to validate a Borat-esque attitude toward students who identify with feminism.</p>
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<p>haha, CU programming initiative is like a computer science society. Superduper nerdy, but apparently friendly. You’re welcome! Like I said, I’m BC '15, but I know a decent amount about the school.</p>