http://www.columbiaspectator.com/sites/default/files/issues/archive/11-08-10%20Web

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Vol. CXXXIV—No. 111

Monday, November 8, 2010

Greek life student poll opens to Barnard

Group seeks to revive Harlem marketplace

Sorority recognition debate hits the Quad in fliering campaign

BY EMILY NEIL Columbia Daily Spectator Fresh bread—and an economic boost—is on its way to Harlem’s La Marqueta. Hot Bread Kitchen Incubates, an entrepreneurship program developed by the Brooklyn-based nonprofit Hot Bread Kitchen, is set to open its commercial kitchen spaces and central offices in January 2011 between 111th and 112th streets. The program aims to provide kitchen space and training for local entrepreneurs interested in starting their own culinary businesses. Selections from the first round of applications to the multistage program, due at the end of November, will give priority to Harlem residents. It’s also an effort to revive a marketplace and a neighborhood that were once considered Harlem icons. The largely defunct La Marqueta is now mostly made up of empty buildings. Jessamyn Waldman, founder and director of HBK, said that the organization hopes that locating HBK Incubates in Harlem will help revitalize the local economy. “There’s a lot of food entrepreneurs in Harlem who are limited in their ability to grow their businesses by the fact that they don’t have access to commercial kitchens. What we’re really hoping to do is to help those people grow businesses into cash-positive businesses, into profitable businesses, and eventually graduate them into the community, and in doing so, create jobs and additional revenue in a community that could use it,” she said. Ramon Flores, a lifelong resident of Harlem, now works on Saturdays at a dry fish stand, one of three remaining vendors from the original La Marqueta that are now located beside the HBK Incubates construction site.

“There’s a lot of food entrepreneurs in Harlem who are limited in their ability to grow their businesses by the fact that they don’t have access to commercial kitchens.” —Jessamyn Waldman, founder and director of HBK “I don’t really know too much about it,” Flores said of the project, although he expressed support for the program “if it builds the clientele back up.” Flores also felt that the program could bring attention back to the area, particularly since the decline of the once-bustling La Marqueta venue. “Nobody, nobody made no effort. All those years, nobody made no sacrifices,” Flores said. Currently, the core of the Hot Bread Kitchen organization is the bakery, where low-income women, many of them immigrants, are paid and given training as they practice and perfect bread-making recipes from their own cultural traditions. The bread products are then sold at markets and businesses throughout the city.

SEE HARLEM, page 2

columbiaspectator.com

BY MADINA TOURE Spectator Senior Staff Writer

PHOEBE LYTLE / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

BREAKING BREAD | Jessamyn Waldman of Hot Bread Kitchen wants to bring her program to Harlem.

SEAS admins consider co-op program BY SAMMY ROTH Columbia Daily Spectator According to one administrator, a co-op program might be in the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s future. But others say such a program is simply unfeasible at SEAS. Yannis Tsividis, who recently became the SEAS Undergraduate Curriculum Advisor to the Dean, said that

starting a co-op program “is among several ones [issues] I will be considering in the next several years.” “Such programs exist at several other universities, so it’s natural that people would consider them for possible implementation here,” Tsividis said in an email. Co-op, which is short for cooperative education, is a program in which students take

Greek life pushes to make groups more LGBT-friendly BY CONSTANCE BOOZER Columbia Daily Spectator Diatre Padilla, CC ’13, did not think he’d have a place in campus Greek life when he first came to Columbia. “I never actually expected to be bidded by any fraternity, especially considering my preconceived notions of homophobia and misogyny in fraternities,” he said. To Padilla’s surprise, being gay was not a problem when he bid Psi Upsilon last year. “They gave me a bid here, and I just figured, ‘What the hell?’ and went for it,” he said. “Something about joining a fraternity, which I considered an option inherently closed off to someone as non-manly as me, seemed like it could be an interesting experience, and a fulfillment of my preconceived notions of a fun college experience.” For some students like Padilla, Greek life has become more of an opportunity on campus—and representatives from fraternities and sororities on campus say they are actively pushing to make their organizations more accepting of LGBT students. Lalit Gurnani, CC ’11 and president of the Interfraternity Council said members of Greek life have taken strides to become more inclusive and diverse over the years, specifically citing Greek participation in the “Safe Space”

campaign, a student initiative to get every student to hang a pink flier in their window stating that their room is a safe space for the LGBT community, as evidence of their outreach efforts. Avi Edelman, CC ’11 and the president of Everyone Allied Against Homophobia, said that Greek life on the whole has gotten better and less homophobic since he arrived on campus.

“Our pledge as Sigma Nus was to accept our brothers as they are.” —Sean Leahy, CC ’12

“Greek life on all campuses has a reputation as being very heteronormative and, often, homophobic as well,” he said in an email. “We applaud any efforts that sororities and fraternities are taking to reach out to queer students.” A representative from the Office of Student Affairs said Columbia does not keep demographic records of those who participate in Greek life, but some SEE LGBT, page 2

time off from school to work full-time, while still receiving college credit. Schools with co-ops, like Cornell University, University of Cincinnati, Drexel University, and Northeastern University, foster close relationships with employers to make sure that their students can get co-op jobs. SEAS does not currently offer such a program.

SEE SEAS, page 2

It’s time to pick courses for the spring semester—but as Barnard students put together their schedules, they will also be able to determine the future of sororities on campus. Today, Barnard students will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not the Student Government Association should recognize Greek life. The nonbinding student poll will be available online during program filing. The SGA Representative Council will vote to pass the results on Nov. 29. Currently, SGA—which acts as a governing board as well as a council—does not officially recognize the InterGreek Council, the three-branched Greek life governing board. According to its constitution, SGA cannot recognize groups that choose members on a “discriminatory basis.” Last year, however, SGA donated $1000 to support students involved in Greek organizations through the Panhellenic Council, one of three councils that make up the IGC. This semester, the Barnard Student Government Association created an internal committee, co-chaired by Vice President of Finance Priyata Patel, BC ’11 and Representative for Community Affairs Rachel Ferrari, BC ’13, to decide how to move forward on the issue before eventually deciding on a student poll. SGA also sponsored a town hall and several round tables to discuss the possibility of sorority recognition. Last month’s town hall was dominated by students who supported recognition, though a smaller group spoke out against the idea. This past weekend, fliers urging students to vote in favor of recognition were posted around

dorms within the Barnard Quad, though there was no indication of who was behind the campaign. Patel said that the fliers were most likely posted by members of sororities. “No, it’s just sororities,” she said. “There’s no way somebody on SGA is doing that.” Pa n h e l l e n i c Council President Nora Feinstein, BC ’11, who is also a student services representative at SGA, would not comment on the poll. By Sunday, many of the fliers had been taken down. In April, the IGC sought official recognition from SGA, which would enable IGC to receive additional privileges, including financial support and access to more spaces for events. An SGA vote left the IGC unrecognized. Barnard students in sororities represent 10.4 percent of the student body, but they make up half of the sorority population. The day before the poll opened, students still shared mixed views on the issue. “I understand both sides of the argument, and I think that Barnard students should kind of acknowledge the huge presence of sororities on campus because it is here and it’s a part of our community,” Kathryn Maslak, BC ’12, said. “Whether or not they choose to participate in the sororities is a totally different story, but continuing to ignore sororities and not officially acknowledging them further divides the Columbia community.” “I’d like to vote ‘yes’ because if Barnard students are part of it [sororities], they should be funded,” Elaine Gottesman, BC ’14, said. Camille Simoneau, BC ’14, however, said that the outcome of the poll would have no effect SEE GREEK, page 2

Lerner lights up for Diwali celebration BY SONALEE RAU Columbia Daily Spectator Students decked out in flowing, glittery outfits got a taste of India on Saturday night inside Lerner Hall for Columbia’s celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. This year marked the first time the Sikh Student Association officially cosponsored the event with two other religious groups—the Hindu Students Organization and Ahimsa, Columbia’s Jain organization. Organizers said that there was a high turnout this year for the event, which was funded by the Student Governing Board, CUArts’ Gatsby Charitable Fund, the Columbia College Student Council, the Engineering Student Council, and the President’s and Provost’s Student Initiative Fund. The event gives Columbia students a chance to celebrate Diwali with arts and crafts, cultural presentations, food, and dancing. In Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism alike, the festival marks the beginning of the new year, even though the significance of Diwali and its customs vary between different regions and religions in India. “Our theme this year is a journey through India,” Nina Paddu, BC ’12, co-coordinator of the Hindu Students Organization, said. They wanted to represent

ZARA CASTANY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

SHEDDING LIGHT | Students gathered in Lerner on Saturday for the annual celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. both the cultural side and the religious side of Diwali, she said. Ansh Johri, SEAS ’13 and an organizer from HSO, said that the attendance was at capacity. “We were sold out on the wait list,” Johri said. Booths at the event featured Rangoli, an Indian art form, and mehndi, a traditional form of body art. The sponsoring student groups also collaborated to make a charitable contribution, as they do each year. This year, Child Rights and You America was the nonprofit organization selected to receive the donation. Students from different backgrounds said they enjoyed the festivities—for some, a welcome

break from studying. “The food is beautiful. It makes you feel happy … from the stress of midterms,” Maxim Vershinin, GS, an international student from Russia, said. Anirban Poddar, CC ’14 and an international student from India, said that though he enjoyed the event in Lerner, he was nostalgic for the Diwali celebrations in his native country. “Not only a lot of South Asian people have come out to celebrate, but a lot of international people as well,” Poddar noted. “Although I wish we could get approval for fireworks and firecrackers, since that’s what Diwali [in India] is all about.” news@columbiaspectator.com

OPINION, PAGE 4

SPORTS, BACK PAGE

EVENTS

WEATHER

The scientific method

Football comes up short in Cambridge

Procrastination Workshop

Today

An interdisciplinary approach is necessary for the fundamental questions of life.

Though the Lions were able to hang with Harvard through most of the first half, the Crimson went up 16-0 with a touchdown just before halftime and went on to win 23-7.

Tomorrow

Come to a hands-on workshop on time management. 8th Floor Conference Room, Lerner Hall, 5:30 p.m.

Research Town Hall Join the Department of Defense’s director for basic research for a discussion. Davis Auditorium, Schapiro Center, 2 p.m.

45°/ 40°

56°/ 43°


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