Every September, campus is slightly different than how we left it in May, and I’m not just talking about the new crop of freshman enthusiastically instagramming Butler and Low. Although some things never change (your dorm probably doesn’t have air conditioning and probably does have mice), our university’s landscape has undergone a few big alterations while we’ve been gone. From new dining establishments striking fear into the hearts of Milano and Westside proprietors to important changes in sexual assault policy, here’s everything you missed this summer.
1. RIP Uni Cafe, Long Live Sweetgreen
Answering the long unrequited prayers of dieting Columbia and Barnard betches, salad chain Sweetgreen will be filling the space of now-defunct Uni Cafe. Offering organic and local salads double the price of the Westside option (avocado costs extra, duh), the Sweetgreen line at lunch hour is sure to rival the Mel’s line on a Friday, but you’ll be wearing your lulus instead of a Forever 21 dress.
2. Chipotle Delivery (Sorry, Postmates)
We’ve all been there – despairing in Butler because the 3-block trek to Chipotle during the Polar Vortex is simply insurmountable. Instead of gorging yourself on day-old Cafe East sushi or shamefully paying $5 delivery to Postmate your burrito bowl, you can now use the Tapingo app to get your Chipotle delivered directly to campus. Now if only Nussbaum would deliver us bagels in bed…
3. When It Rains, It Pours — Extended JJ’s hours
The culinary gods can’t seem to stop smiling on us this fall, as dining services has announced that JJ’s place will now be open until 1 AM every day. No longer will you be forced to resort to Butler Cafe banana nut muffins at midnight on a weekday! Instead, fried goodness and a pounding billboard top 40 soundtrack will be available every night of the week. Club goin’ up on a Tuesday. That is, if you can find a Columbia friend to graciously share their meal points.
4. (Finally) Updated Columbia & Barnard Sexual Assault Policies
After a year of student protests, Columbia and Barnard have finally revised their respective sexual assault policies. The new Columbia regulations respond to top student complaints by, among other initiatives, requiring expulsion or suspension due to a sexual assault charge to be noted on transcripts. The composition of hearing panels will also change, with the number of deans present increasing from one to three. Additionally, students can now file complaints if any panel member appears to have a conflict of interest. At Barnard, the new Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment requires charges of gender-based discrimination by or against a Barnard student to be handled by Barnard’s Title IX office. All these changes come in light of this summer’s “Enough is Enough” bill passed by New York State in June.
5. Columbia Divests from Private Prisons
Columbia is now the first university to entirely divest from the private prison industry. The decision came in light of a powerful campaign by the Columbia Prison Divest student group over sixteen months beginning February 2014. Only time will tell if Columbia’s decision will lead other universities to follow suit by ending their financial investment in private prisons.
6. Barnard Trans Admissions Policy
Barnard’s Class of 2020 will be the first to admit trans women. According to Barnard’s official release, any individual who “consistently lives and identifies as a woman” will be considered for admission to the all-female college.
7. Columbia Psychological Services Extends Hours
CPS will hire six additional clinicians and expand their office space this year in order to reduce previously lengthy appointment wait times. Great news for your next stress-induced mental breakdown! In all seriousness, these changes will allow more students to get help when they need it.