What I Dislike about Columbia

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Let me preface this by saying that for the most part, I've been thoroughly enjoying Columbia. Classes are (for the most part) engaging, taught by knowledgable, and often extremely entertaining professors. I've met some extremely talented people, friends, and found several clubs/teams that are simply awesome. And most of you here know that I'm usually a staunch advocate about anything Columbia.</p>

<p>But... one thing that is dampening my experience here is the, for the lack of better terms, INSANE amount of controversy/activism. Sure Ahmendinejad was amazing. Seeing CNN, ABC, Fox, and all those newstruck lined up outside not to mention the President of Iran coming on campus inspired a sense of "Wow, Columbia." That's wearing off quickly though. </p>

<p>When I arrived at Columbia, I hoped to find a group of people that were proud of their University, her accomplishments, and her deep-rooted history. However, in the last two months (basically ever since arriving), it's been one controvery after another. I can not walk from Butler to Carman without seeing a bazillion flyers about Iran, Islamofacism, homosexuality, lesbians, manhattanville, bias attacks, hunger strikers and the list goes on and on... I care about these things. But I don't want my experience at Columbia to be DEFINED by them. I came to Columbia to learn, not to be stuck in the middle of some never-ending rally for this and that. </p>

<p>I long for the day where Low Plaza is clear-- as in, not huge banners being taped to the walls or the grounds delivering yet another complaint, often against the University. I think the defining moment for me was on Columbus Day, as I was musing how ironic it was that Columbia doesn't have off on the day the country honors its namesake, I find a Big Fat Poster on Low Plaza lamenting how Columbus should be viewed as a malicious conquerer. I mean, really???? We're going to go back 400 years now and complain that Columbus discovered the new world??? And now. Now, I have to walk past freakin' tents perched up smack dab in front of Butler, with a giant Octopus detailing complaints against the University. </p>

<p>Which brings me to my ultimate question... is this a TYPICAL columbia experience? I've heard that Columbia students love to protest this and that... but I always thought that was a bit exaggerated. Now it seems to me that while these people here are eager to invoke their Columbian identity whenever socially convenient, at least within the university themself, they completely are against it. I mean really--- do they think BOLLINGER is causing these bias crimes? Maybe this is un-PC, but I think I would rather my fellow students be united with the university in stuff like Manhattanville even though some deem it "wrong" (besides the fact that Columbia owns 90% of the land already...). The problem isn't so much the lack of social atmosphere--- just visit carman on any given weekend. It's more that there's no overt expression of Pride by the undergraduates about being part of COLUMBIA. </p>

<p>::big sigh:://endrant</p>

2

<p>Oh and the second part of my question was is this typical of colleges in general? Somehow I’d have a hard time imagining half this stuff going on @ Dartmouth. I bet if Columbia and Dartmouth students switched positions, Manhattanville will begin construction next week. </p>

<p>To summarize: “Why the heck do people here seem to complain about EVERYTHING?”</p>

3

<p>I remember you. You posted something about your chances in transferring to Yale a while back, and created a number of prestige-related threads that reeked of social anxiety and class-consciousness. I was, of course, amused, and still am.</p>

<p>I think it’s pretty easy to ignore the ridiculous protests. I’m not trying to call you out, although perhaps I am, in effect. Is this really what you dislike about Columbia?</p>

4

<p>Sounds like the Columbia that I know. Vibrant, bright, activist students. Similiar to Berkeley. Did you consider the University of Chicago? It may be what you are seeking for your undergraduate years.</p>

5

<p>@musil, in the interest of full-diclosure…</p>

<p>I applied ED to Columbia for pragmatic reasons that if you look on other threads, you’ll find. Did I really love Yale also in high school? Yup. Did I apply? Nope. Do I wonder what it would’ve been like if I did apply? You betcha. But enjoying Columbia and liking yale aren’t mutually exclusive.</p>

<p>And yes this is my main complaint. I really wished Columbia had more of a sense of… being proud of their university and administration. The vibe I get here is “us” (students) vs. “them” (the administration) mentality. Every step the administration takes, some automatically complain. Do these protesters really believe that Bollinger is the problem behind EVERYTHING? Anyway… yea no but aside from this I’m having a really good time.</p>

<p>Edit:</p>

<p>And actually to add to that, now that you brought up yale and whatnot, one of the most vivid memories I have of my time @ Yale (during JSA for a month) was going into a bookstore and seeing a truly remarkable banner they sell. Embroidered onto a velvet blue background were the words, “For God, For Country, for Yale” and I remember thinking, “whereever I go, I hope I find that sense of community”. And for some reason, I don’t think Columbians quite have achieved the “For God, for Country, for Columbia” affection yet.</p>

6

<p>Sheesh, if you don’t like these things then just transfer…posting around CC won’t make any difference</p>

7

<p>truazn894532,</p>

<p>This is not new. Columbia has been a hotbed of activism since the days of yore. If it makes you feel any better/helps, one of my professors here at UCSD (economics) transferred out during the 60s to go to UW, because he felt it was to hard to get to class with the insane amount of activism at the time.</p>

<p>You, on the other hand, get a much tamer experience.</p>

8

<p>Is it always like this… or is this period just atypical?</p>

<p>Edit: Nvm guess that answers my question. </p>

<p>Well in any case, I guess it is what it is.</p>

9

<p>Columbia’s had a long history of activism. Nothing new.</p>

10

<p>[Columbia</a> Under Siege | Columbia Spectator](<a href=“Homepage - Columbia Daily Spectator”>Homepage - Columbia Daily Spectator)</p>

<p>This article actually just about sums up the disgust that a lot of students (judging from the comments) have about the recent protests.</p>

11

<p>truazn,</p>

<p>Notice, however, that this was happening in 1996 as well.</p>

<p>It’s not new. At all. This is part of what Colubmia’s known for.</p>

12

<p>During my days from 2002-2006, there were protests every couple of weeks. Usually anti-conservative stuff, or ISO (International Socialist Organization) stuff. At the time, the girl running the ISO was a stunningly sexy redhead, which no doubt increased turnout.</p>

<p>But I would never have characterized the protests as interfering with anything, except maybe the peace and serenity of Low Plaza. It was usually just something amusing to walk past and ignore. It’s like a hobo asking you for spare change - the first few times you pay attention and maybe give him a dollar, and after that you’re a jaded new yorker and barely acknowledge his existence.</p>

<p>One thing I won’t let stand is the idea that Columbia students (A) don’t have a sense of community, or (B) don’t love their school. All but the most vehement protesters, if you catch them when they’re not part of the mob, will freely acknowledge that they love it here, that they find many like-minded people and love their classes and love the city and columbia is such a great place and blah blah blah. When they’re home for the summer, they will brag about the place. When they graduate, they will miss it. When they’re older they will show up for alumni stuff. There is a sense of community here, you just can’t get caught up in the BS.</p>

<p>They may spend a lot of time protesting the administration (or just protesting things in general, like ‘capitalism’), but 99% of them love the atmosphere and feel part of a real community. Just because we don’t hang banners that say “For God, For Country, For Columbia” doesn’t mean we don’t have school spirit, it just means we’re more committed to actions than words or empty gestures. The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. You want a place that definitely does NOT love its administration, go to the University of Bridgeport, or any other “Ghetto U”-type place.</p>

<p>I feel like making a Jack-Nicholson-in-A-Few-Good-Men speech here, but let’s just say that this will become part of your backdrop for 4 years. In a way, you want them on that picket line, you need them on that picket line. And you may roll your eyes and go on to your nice wall street career, but you’ll never be able to forget those people out there protesting, and who knows, maybe one day it’ll soften your sympathies a little. I don’t know. But what I do know is that it definitely didn’t HURT my columbia experiences at all, and if it’s such a gol-dang inconvenience, maybe you should transfer to a place where students care less about fewer, less interesting issues, and have less going on and less attention spent on them.</p>

<p>Crikey.</p>

13

<p>Columbia was always a politically active campus, BUT from your description it seems much more robust now…could be because of a great many unique reasons, i.e. the war, increased media attention (since it was always around just not reported widely) on bigotry, contentious job market etc… I do not think that you entire four years at Columbia will be defined by these protests. The hunger strikers seem to come out every 4-5 years at CU for some cause…last time 1995/6 was ethnic studies, a worthy cause, but not terribly effective. Enjoy your friends, parties, and classes and wait the maelstrom out ;)</p>

14

<p>truazn, seeing that you’re so affected by the protests you probably (albeit inwardly) belong at columbia. it shows a lack of apathy to these issues, they too are unapathetic to these issues, but don’t believe in the same things as you, the hunger strikers might be with the tents, christmas lights and one their blue octopus, but take a look at the front page of spec online, it has a poll showing that 75-80% of respondents think the administration should not even negotiate with the hunger strikers, sure many might not be students but i’ll wager that most are, columbia isn’t anti administration, those that are, are vocal that’s all. The administration is inefficient and beauraucratic and this pises people off considerably. But other wise the policies in place are largly supported, all the disciplinary rules and actions seem well supported and sensible, academic departments (maybe apart from ethnic studies) are content, and student aren’t transferring out in large numbers. This standard is still pretty mediocre, but as denz said the pride lies beneath the surface, little jumping screaming and waving flags.</p>

<p>i rarely support a protest, most of the time i support what their protesting against, and if i do support the cause i think protesting isn’t a great way to bring about change, but seeing a protest makes me incredibly proud to be at columbia becuase 1) it shows people worry about bigger things and 2) protestors educate peers (or shove propaganda down their thoats) but the end result is people bother to find out about issues, and you too learn from them, and then discussions and debates become more informed, more meaningful and deeper. if you’re not one for protests, ignore them, it’s almost always a small minority protesting something esoteric. the majority of the student body seems against this hunger strike, and this week has been the most extreme week of protest that i’ve ever witnessed on campus, it’ll cool off once temperatures drop below freezing and then you’ll miss the protestors, columbia generally isn’t as politically active as it has been these past 2 months.</p>

15

<p>Thanks guys, that actually really helps. I do care about a lot of these issues… it just seems though that sometimes students protest solely for the sake of protesting (i.e Columbus Day…). Anyway, it’s heartening to see that a lot of people think at least the hunger protest is just way overdone. Thanks Denz and Confidentialcoll!</p>

16

<p>In a nutshell, Columbia is full of spoiled upper-middle-class / moderately-upper-class kids who have lived mostly sheltered lives and, upon arriving at college, become confused and insecure with themselves and start to feel guilty about the world’s problems and their relative success in life. Just sit back and laugh at them. Other than the few crazies who are true believers in their “causes,” most of them will become corporate men (and women) where they – like their parents and everyone else they had so despised – will earn a nice paycheck for continuing to screw over all the little people they had so deeply cared about.</p>

17

<p>These protests are nothing new and in one way shape or form have been going on at Columbia since the late 1960’s. When I was a student there it was all about the Shah of Iran and divestiture of Israeli financial holdings. The issues vary with the decades and the political atmosphere but student activism and Columbia go hand in hand. When it get colder out however much of this goes away and then re-appears in the spring along with the daffodils. If the basketball team wins a few ivy league games and is in contention for a potential title (doubtful),this will go away. When finals come around and papers are due, this will go away. So much for hard core beliefs. My general impression is that most students still love their university warts and all. To watch, discuss, agree or disagree with the issues is all part of the Columbia experience. But it is only a part and generally should not interfere with the overall excellence of the academic and social opportunities on campus. </p>

<p>I would imagine there was only one time when the protests became so severe that one might be worried a significant disruption in university life was possible. When one reads about the 1968 protests on campus (Mark Rudd, SDS, Vietnam, etc. etc) one get the impression of a significant compromise in university life that I believe has not occurred since. If you are interested, a review can be found here</p>

<p>[COLUMBIA</a> 68 HOMEPAGE](<a href=“http://beatl.barnard.columbia.edu/columbia68/]COLUMBIA”>http://beatl.barnard.columbia.edu/columbia68/)</p>

<p>and here</p>

<p>[1968</a> protests - WikiCU](<a href=“http://www.wikicu.com/1968_protests]1968”>1968 protests - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia)</p>

<p>Now that was a PROTEST!!</p>

18

<p>Thanks for that link</p>

<p>“In the end the rebellion caused two kinds of casualties at Columbia–the wounds suffered by those who were caught up in it and the scars inflicted upon the prestige and spirit of a great institution of learning.”</p>

<p>And this ladies and gentlemen, is why it’s not HYC today.</p>

19

<p>I would hardly call it an “insane” amount of activism. The hunger strikers are easily ignorable (as are most protesters) and I’m surprised it bothers you so much. Calling your experience “defined” by these sorts of things is going a bit overboard, I think.</p>

20

<p>truazn,</p>

<p>I don’t know that that has anything to do with it. I think a lot has to do with path dependency and the age of the university.</p>