Kate Julianne Larroder

Bolton presents strategic priorities to trustees in push to stabilize Columbia

The board also approved a 4:3 teaching load increase for tenured faculty and revised the college’s severance and termination procedures under adverse circumstances to set the notice period to 10 business days but to retain one year of compensation and health benefits.

Anna Bitz, Emma Jolly, and Kate Julianne Larroder
May 6, 2026

Columbia sees early enrollment momentum for Admitted Student Days

The college welcomed over 600 registered attendees, including admitted students and their guests for the first of four spring events.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
April 11, 2026

Core curriculum overhaul reshapes fall course catalog

While the core categories remain unchanged, the newly released catalog reveals how courses have been consolidated into broader offerings. Faculty say the shift may give students more flexibility but could also make it harder to understand what each class will cover.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
April 6, 2026

Breaking: Columbia fails to find new provost after national search

The college remains without a permanent academic leader as enrollment declines and financial pressures mount. Interim Provost and Senior Vice President Suzanne McBride will continue to serve in the role through the 2026–2027 academic year.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
April 1, 2026

Exclusive: Columbia cuts former interim president, two other senior leaders amid $40 million deficit

Jerry Tarrer and former chief of staff Laurent Pernot were both laid off, the Chronicle has learned. Jeffrey Reuter, associate vice president of budget, planning and analysis, also lost his job.

Kate Julianne Larroder and Emma Jolly
March 31, 2026

A ‘Golden’ spotlight on representation: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ makes Oscars history

The animated film’s historic Oscar wins — including the first Academy Award for a K-pop song — are sparking conversations about Asian representation in Hollywood.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
March 16, 2026

Darkroom benefit auction strengthens community support, access to art

The Museum of Contemporary Photography held its annual auction with the goal of raising $500,000 to support exhibitions, public programs and the museum’s permanent collection.

Kate Julianne Larroder and Emma Jolly
February 27, 2026

Disengaging to engage: Why I’m skipping swipes and hookups

Between cultural expectations and a packed college schedule, I’ve learned that opting out of U.S. dating culture is a choice. Relationships can wait — and that’s okay.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
February 25, 2026

Students brave extreme cold, snow as new semester begins

As the spring semester began, commuters and on-campus students navigated difficult travel, icy sidewalks and concerns about how winter weather would affect classes.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
January 26, 2026

Columbia international alum faces work-or-leave reality after graduation

Since graduating in May 2025, Columbia alum Qianyi Wang has been balancing multiple jobs while maintaining her temporary work authorization as an international student.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
December 22, 2025

How caffeine culture drives a campus running on the grind

Caffeine has become a daily coping tool for many Columbia students as long schedules, stress and easy access shape how much they drink.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
December 12, 2025

WCRX to relocate for the Spring 2026 semester

Columbia’s student-run radio station will temporarily move while the college transforms the first floor of the 33 E. Ida B. Wells Drive building into a consolidated hub for student support services.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
November 25, 2025

Chronversations with Kate Julianne Larroder: Students react to tuition freeze

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
November 19, 2025

Breaking: Columbia freezes tuition but raises fees

The Board of Trustees approved next school year’s rates on Monday, Nov. 17, holding tuition steady but increasing required fees and housing to keep up with rising operational costs.

Kate Julianne Larroder and Emma Jolly
November 18, 2025

Columbia holds in-person classes as lake-effect snow blankets Chicago

The college remained open on Monday, Nov. 10, during the region’s first heavy snow. Columbia last closed for a weather event in 2019 during the polar vortex when temperatures plummeted to 20 below zero, with wind chills hitting minus 50.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
November 10, 2025

Breaking: Columbia replaces Renegades mascot with Cosmos

The Student Organization Council unveiled the new name on Monday, Nov. 3, unfurling a banner at the Student Center in a surprise announcement. Columbia’s sports teams have been the Renegades for nearly two decades.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
November 3, 2025

Breaking: Columbia president considers tuition increase, floats idea of alumni access to campus

Asked at the Student Government Association’s “Hi-Tea” event on Tuesday night, Oct. 21 if tuition would increase, President and CEO Shantay Bolton said she’d announce a decision in the coming weeks. She also told students she is exploring a pilot program to let alumni use Columbia’s print labs and studios during the summer, part of her push to strengthen ties with graduates.

Kate Julianne Larroder and Samantha Mosquera
October 21, 2025

AWS outage disrupts access to Canvas

Canvas was back by early evening after a Amazon Web Services failure earlier on Monday, Oct. 20 caused a global disruption that also impacted services like SnapChat, Lyft and Venmo.

Allison Shelton and Kate Julianne Larroder
October 20, 2025

Breaking: Columbia’s budget deficit grows to $40 million, but State of the College offers few specifics

Faculty told Chronicle that the annual address struck an upbeat tone but avoided details about how the college plans to close the gap.

Vivian Richey, Sydney Richardson, Kate Julianne Larroder, and Emma Jolly
October 9, 2025

Exclusive: Columbia backs off plan to end flexible work for staff

After the staff union raised concerns over the possible change, only the top seven administrators at the college will be required to be on campus full-time under the new policy, which goes into effect this week.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
September 29, 2025

How Chicago fans are turning K-pop concerts into community

From trading freebies to hosting themed cafe events, K-pop fans are building communities that extend far beyond concert venues. The genre’s influence around the world is inspiring spaces where shared passion turns strangers into friends.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
September 23, 2025

Columbia reclassified as nation’s only Hispanic-Serving, arts-focused college

The new designation from the Carnegie Foundation comes after the release of an updated framework to better match higher education institutions in the United States to their areas of focus.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
September 18, 2025

Editor’s Note: Navigating change with transparency

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
September 10, 2025

Students return to campus, settle in for fall semester

From first-day nerves to newfound independence, Columbia students shared with the Chronicle how they are adjusting to classes, campus life and new routines.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
September 2, 2025

Columbia’s new president on making students feel ‘seen, heard and valued’

In her first semester as Columbia’s new president, Shantay Bolton shares advice for navigating new beginnings and finding mentors.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
August 28, 2025

La nueva presidenta de Columbia quiere que los estudiantes se sientan “vistos, escuchados y valorados”

En su primer semestre como presidenta de Columbia, Shantay Bolton comparte consejos para afrontar nuevos comienzos y encontrar mentores.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Campus News Editor
August 28, 2025

Columbia’s new president draws standing ovation after outlining her vision

Shantay Bolton, who took office in July, earned praise from faculty after her first formal address on Wednesday Aug. 20. The reception marked a sharp contrast to last year’s tense meetings over program cuts, although the college is still confronting enrollment declines and financial strains. Enrollment for Fall 2025 is about 4,300 students.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Allison Shelton, and Vivian Richey
August 20, 2025

Explainer: Breaking down how Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ affects student loans

Two weeks after President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Department of Education issued its first guidance on how colleges and universities should apply new federal student aid and repayment options.

Marc Balbarin and Kate Julianne Larroder
July 22, 2025

‘United in Pride’: Chicago celebrates resilience amid adversities in this year’s Pride Parade

This year marks the 54th year of Pride Parade in Chicago since its inception in 1970, making history as the first city to host a Gay Liberation March.

Kate Julianne Larroder and Uriel Reyes
June 29, 2025

Breaking: Columbia lays off 20 more full-time faculty in surprise summer round of cuts

The faculty members, who were already assigned fall courses, were summoned to brief virtual meetings and told their positions were eliminated on Tuesday, June 17. The layoffs are the second round this year in an ongoing effort to address the school’s budget deficit. In January, 23 full-time faculty were told they would lose their jobs at the end of the spring semester.

Kate Julianne Larroder, Editor-in-Chief
June 17, 2025