Around Campus

Dwayne M. Thomas/Chronicle Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam Records, pays a surprise visit to Columbia students in the Management Department on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

South Loop crime on rise, says report
PART 3 of the Chronicle’s Campus Safety Series looks at crime statistics for the college and surrounding neighborhood

At the beginning of the semester, the Office of Safety and Security released its annual report of crime statistics for the year 2001.

The report was sent out to Columbia staff, faculty and the entire student population. According to its contents, crime significantly decreased during 2001 compared with the previous two years. However, this data does not necessarily reflect the amount of crime that is currently taking place around Columbia and in the South Loop in general. Read more...

More construction, more closures
CTA work on Harrison Street el curve to start next week

More construction is headed Columbia’s way—this time in the form of an extensive Chicago Transit Authority renovation of the elevated train track at Harrison Street and Wabash Avenue. Officials from the city of Chicago and CTA broke ground on the site Friday, Oct. 18, in a small ceremony led by CTA President Frank Kruesi and 2nd Ward Alderman Madeline Haithcock. Read more...

Columbia celebrates Coming Out Day
GLBT group sponsors stories of first revelations to offer support

A spotlight illuminated the rainbow flag hanging behind the podium in the Hokin Annex in honor of National Coming Out Day on Monday, Oct. 21. An open microphone was offered to all those who wanted to share coming-out stories or words of encouragement.

Cin Salach, a Chicago-area performance poet, hosted the reading. Salach opened with a poem and admitted, “Every time I write something down, I feel like I’m coming out.” She encouraged the audience to tell of the different ways they had come out. “Telling the truth can be really scary, and you need support,” Salach said. Read more...

Academic Computing restricts access
Only one lab remains available for general campus usage

Due to a lack of resources for its own students, the Academic Computing Department has closed its computer lab to the general Columbia community.

Before this semester, the lab, located on the fourth floor in the 623 S. Wabash Ave. building, was open for anyone with a Columbia ID to use. And, equipped with more computer programs than any other lab in the school, it was one of the most popular on campus. Read more...

Columbia adds cultural studies major
New course of study focuses on less mainstream topics

The Liberal Education Department has collaborated with the English Department to offer a bachelors degree in cultural studies, its first major offered in the field and the only one in the city.

Attempting to disprove the widely held belief that studying contemporary culture is superfluous, Columbia is applying its unique approach to education in a brand new way. Read more...

Student government sets sights on campus security
Association still short nine members, interviews slated for this week

Campus safety was a major focal point in the Student Government Association’s Oct. 15 meeting. The senate discussed at length what it could do to make Columbia a safer place. The SGA emphasized this issue due to the recent sexual assaults that have taken place on or around campus within the last few weeks. Read more...

‘Avid’ students get upgrade in technology
Film and TV receive new editing software that rivals the pros’

Committed to stay on the cutting edge of technology and to expose students to all tools they may encounter in their professional careers, Columbia purchased 75 Avid Xpress DV v3.5 systems for its Film and TV departments. Starting this semester, Film and TV majors have the opportunity to learn on the newly released technology used by the majority of professionals in their industries. Read more...

PETA campaign angers MADD: advertisements promote beer
Controversy rises from MADD over PETA’s ‘Got Beer?' campaign

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Targeting college campuses as part of its anti-milk campaign, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has revised issues of concern from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Read more...

Change of tone for cell phone users
Cell phones now have potential to become even more annoying

AMES, Iowa—If you are sick of the 20 ring tones your cell phones came with or if you can’t get enough of Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” on the radio, the latest fad in upgrading your cell phone’s vocabulary might have some appeal. Read more...

Travel sites offer cheaper student airline fares
College students (sometimes) can find the fairest fares

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Can college students really fly more cheaply than the rest of the traveling public? Read more...

The Editor's Desk

You could call him a terrorist. He killed, and many of his time called him a mass murderer. He would have called himself a warrior, fighting for a just cause. He died in an ambush at the age of 35. He was Crazy Horse, the Sioux leader who defeated and killed George Armstrong Custer in June of 1876 in a supremely bloody battle. Read more...