Watching the Ivies: 10/19
This week in the Ivy League:
Columbia tries to make things with Barnard less awkward,Princetonians advocate for more gender-neutral housing and Brown students get a bit rowdy.
Meanwhile, Harvard balances its budget, Cornell brings an SNL Obama impersonator to campus and Penn moves into Beijing.
PRINCETON: Student leaders at Princeton Universityare advocating for the growth of the campus’ gender-neutral housing program for upperclassmen. The Undergraduate Life Committee is considering expanding the program, which currently houses 278 students in gender-neutral dormitories, to all upperclassmen.
BROWN: Brown University has experienced an escalation of campus vandalism in recent weeks, including the recent destruction of fifty-seven exit signs, removal of a bathroom stall’s dividers, and recurring furniture theft in the Keeney Quadrangle dorm. Students speculate that the frequent breaking of exit signs is a celebration of newfound collegiate independence, as The Brown Daily Herald reported. The Office of Residential Life anticipates that ongoing renovations in the dorm will promote a sense of community and minimize vandalism.
COLUMBIA: Columbia University held a University Unity Form on Monday in order to promote more cooperative relationships among members of the four undergraduate schools. Friction among the colleges heightened as a result of last spring’s “Obamanard,” the rescheduling of the School of General Studies’ Class Day after President Obama’s decision to speak at Barnard’s Commencement.
HARVARD: Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences announced a balanced budget for fiscal year 2012, achieving a fiscal balance for the first time since the financial crisis of 2008. FAS ended the fiscal year with a $73,000 budget surplus.
YALE: Yale College is sponsoring various activities for undergraduates remaining on campus during its October recess next week. Events include academic workshops, off-campus activities, and discounted movie tickets, as Yale Daily News reported.
PENN: The University of Pennsylvania is aiming to extend its global influence by developing the Penn-Wharton Center in Beijing. The center, which seeks to promote the University’s goal of global engagement, will serve as a place for “alumni relations, for faculty collaborations, for student exchanges and study abroad,” said Penn’s President Amy Gutmann.
CORNELL: Cornell University is hosting a performance by Saturday Night Live star Jay Pharaoh in early November. Pharaoh, who plays Obama on the show for the 2012 election season, will be the third SNL star to perform on campus.