Opinion
Editorial: Columbia should stop sending graduation gowns to landfills
More than 5 million graduation gowns are tossed each year. Columbia doesn't have to keep contributing to that number, writes the Editorial Board.
Why queer identity matters in climate justice
Climate change does not affect everyone equally. Understanding how identity shapes vulnerability helps explain why and what justice should look like.
The climate movement is leaving disabled people behind as the crisis worsens
Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by climate disasters, yet they often remain absent from emergency planning and climate conversations. That must change.
Data centers are reshaping Chicago and threatening its artists
The rapid expansion of data centers in the Chicago area raises concerns about water use, energy demand and affordability, and what that could mean for artists trying to build a life here.
Editorial: Columbia’s student work cap risks hurting the students who rely on campus jobs most
The college said a projected decline in federal work-study funding led it to cap most student workers at 15 hours per week. But reducing hours equally across campus does not affect all students equally, writes the Editorial Board.
Editorial: A last-minute change undercut student voice at Columbia event
The administration changed a student moderator role ahead of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s visit to the college last week without public explanation, raising questions about its commitment to student leadership at high-profile events, writes the Editorial Board.
Editorial: Columbia’s momentum must extend beyond recruitment
This spring’s Admitted Students Days brought record registrations and early deposits to Columbia. The long-term success will depend on whether the college delivers on the experience students expect when they enroll, writes the Editorial Board.
Editorial: Columbia’s course consolidation is necessary. But it could dilute critical courses
The shift to broader, interdisciplinary courses may ease degree requirements, but it also risks compressing subjects that require sustained focus and dedicated instruction, writes the Editorial Board.
Editorial: Columbia planned for housing shortages. Students weren’t clearly told
After eliminating two residence halls, Columbia may have anticipated the need for additional housing and placed students on a housing waitlist without clearly explaining what that meant. Students only received firm assurances after rooms had already filled and the Chronicle reported the shortage, writes the Editorial Board.
Editorial: Columbia is cutting leadership. Now show the numbers.
The college laid off three senior administrators, including a former interim president and a long-time chief of staff under former President Kwang-Wu Kim. But layoffs alone do not prove fiscal discipline. If the college expects us to trust there will be a turnaround, it must account for how money is spent, saved and lost.
Editorial: Columbia must make student voting an institutional priority
Illinois held one of its most consequential elections in decades on March 17. A high-stakes election is a test of how well institutions like Columbia reach students who are not already engaged, writes The Editorial Board.