The Columbia Chronicle

Editorial: A concrete plan for Columbia’s next steps will calm uncertainty

Enrollment and retention are up, a sign of hope for Columbia’s future. But the college needs to provide specifics about how it will address the remaining $18 million projected deficit, writes the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board
October 8, 2026

Columbia’s projected budget deficit has decreased by more than half. What comes next?

Columbia’s interim chief financial officer told the Faculty Senate that the college’s projected budget deficit will fall to about $18 million this fiscal year. Now the college needs to be transparent about how it will tackle the remaining deficit, writes the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board
October 1, 2026

After East-West University raised the rental cost, Columbia’s student-run clubs pay the price

East-West University’s higher rates led Columbia to reduce gym hours, but the college’s effort to divide the remaining time equally doesn’t account for the different needs of student organizations, writes the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board
September 24, 2026

Students are showing up, and that matters for Columbia

From SGA elections to packed classrooms and busy student organizations, the fall semester is off to an encouraging start, writes the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board
September 17, 2026

Editorial: As momentum builds with more students, Columbia must make sure students don’t feel the cuts

Columbia is welcoming about 1,100 new students this fall, up from 632 first-time, first-year students last fall. That progress matters, but so does what students experience on campus, writes the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board
September 10, 2026

Chicago’s murals as resistance, activism

In a city with such a rich art scene, murals do more than create visual and aesthetic interest, writes Venus Tapang. Chicago’s murals have had a unique role in combining community with cultural history and activism since the late 1960s.

Venus Tapang, Copy Editor
September 9, 2026

Made in Chicago

Photographing Chicago, one community area at a time

This summer, Chronicle photographers set out to document every corner of the city. Along the way, we discovered that Chicago is defined less by its landmarks than by the people, places and everyday moments that make each community its own.

Amelia Baird, Director of Photography
August 30, 2026

Made in Chicago

Column: Remade in Chicago

William Blakley, Editor-in-Chief
August 28, 2026

Made in Chicago

Editor’s Note: Why we’re changing how we identify part-time faculty

Going forward, the Chronicle will identify these employees as "adjunct faculty" on first reference. We believe this term is both accurate and easily understood by readers while aligning more closely with the terminology used by many academic institutions.

William Blakley, Editor-in-Chief
June 4, 2026