Stacie Freudenberg/Chronicle

Lack of multiculturalism affects minority retention

Columbia prides itself on being a cutting edge, multicultural school; a reputation it isn’t living up to.

The statistical make-up of faculty at the college, especially among African-Americans and Latinos, demonstrates a dearth of multicultural teachers. Approximately 10.5 percent of the teaching staff at Columbia is black and 3.5 percent Latino (compared with a 76 percent white teaching corps).

This phenomenon is not limited to Columbia. Institutions of higher education across the nation are lacking multicultural instructors. “This is a really big issue. It starts from the process of how education works in the nation,” said Carmelo Esterrich, director of Columbia’s Cultural Studies Department.
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The coulda, woulda candidates make for lousy turnout rates

(U-WIRE) NORMAL, Ill.—Most youths did not vote in Tuesday’s election. This is neither surprising nor noteworthy, because it has been happening every year since the ’60s. Skeptics maintain young men and women are irresponsible and bog the government down with their apathy. One could, however, argue a more optimistic perspective.
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Protests educate, inform

Large groups of protesters from various activist groups huddled together in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago last week with one common goal: to voice their opinions against the Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue.
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Celebrities need to be accountable

In America, it pays to be a celebrity—in more ways than one.
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Audit process unknown to prospective graduates

Think back to the time you got started at Columbia—arriving early in the morning for the orientation, listening to some speakers, waiting in line and then finally, registering for your first semester. Easy enough right? Once you’ve completed orientation you have a firm base to start your academic career at Columbia. What’s next? Sign up for more classes each semester, pay tuition—run the rat maze. Hit your senior year and now what? It’s time to start the process of graduation—wait there’s a process for that?
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