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Faculty form group to support growing Hispanic student body
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Student champions art history in spite of Page 6
program being cut
Ida B. Wells gets her own quarter columbiachronicle.com
Gen Z ditches booze for pot
Editor’s Note:
Amplifying our community
BY DOREEN ABRIL ALBUERNE-RODRIGUEZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MANAGEMENT
Editor-in-Chief
Doreen Abril Albuerne-Rodriguez
Deputy Editor Addison Annis
Campus Editor Vivian Richey
Assistant Campus Editor Allison Shelton
Copy Chief Patience Hurston
Creative Director Lilly Sundsbak
Director of Photography Peyton Reich
Opinions Editor Vanessa Orozco
Audience Engagement Editor
Em Ramirez
Newsletter Producer Manuel Nocera
REPORTERS COPY EDITORS
Morgan Kromer
Gavin Lipinski
Samantha Ho
Kate Julianne Larroder
Manuel Nocera
Trinity Balboa
Matt Brady
Maya Liquigan CREATIVE DESK
Emma Jolly Riley Hannon
Ali Brenneman
María Sánchez Medina
Lily Thomas Eliana Root
Greer Stewart
BILINGUAL REPORTERS PHOTO JOURNALISTS
Sofía Oyarzún Charles Rahn
Araceli Ramirez Lukas Katilius
Uriel Reyes Kaelah Serrano
EmmaJane Bauer
Dustin Janicki
SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIO
Marina Bradley Sydney Richardson
Aiden Fijal Aaron Guzman
Simara Jenkins
Faculty Advisor Jackie Spinner
Bilingial Faculty Advisor Fernando Diaz
Changes in the school and its curriculum over the past couple of semesters have deeply affected faculty and students alike, creating a need for community amid uncertainty and to help each other process difficult emotions.
We’ve refocused our editorial mission for print to amplify the voices of our peers at a time when many members of our community are under attack from the Trump Administration, when faculty are worried about their jobs and when students are worried about their future careers.
Beginning with this issue, the Chronicle is going to produce monthly print issues that are smaller in size but impactful.
This will be the first time since we stopped printing weekly. Before COVID, the Chronicle printed weekly newspapers, moving to a more regular print cycle instead of producing three or four issues per year.
We’re embracing a broader range of stories to better reflect the diverse passions and experiences
of Columbia students. We hope these stories provide a sense of connection and relief — especially when so much of the news around us feels heavy.
But we need you to pick up the print issue, to share it with your friends and roommates, to visit our Advertiers and to continue to engage with us online and through social media.
Our print issue stories will remain exclusive to print for the first week after its release, allowing our print edition to take center stage before they become available online.
This new format, more similar to that of an alt-weekly, has allowed us to foster greater collaboration between writers and illustrators, enhancing the visual storytelling of our print edition. As editor-in-chief, I’m proud to see it come to life.
We hope this creative reimagining resonates with you as much as it has with us.
DALBUERNE-RODRIGUEZ@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM
Copy edited by Matt Brady
Comic by María Sánchez Medina
Design by Lilly Sundsbak / Spot illustrations by Riley Hannon and Lilly Sundsbak
Hispanic student-faculty disparity sparks new alliance
BY ARACELI RAMIREZ BILINGUAL REPORTER
TheHispanic student population at Columbia College grew to 27.6% in Fall 2024, up from the 25% threshold that qualified the college as a Hispanic Serving Institution in Fall 2022, according to the Institutional Effectiveness Report.
In response to this growth, 11 faculty members formed the Alliance of Latin Professors, a group dedicated to promoting equity, representation and belonging for the Latino community at Columbia. The report also shows that 5% of full-time faculty, 4% of part-time faculty and 13% of staff identify as Hispanic.
The alliance formally announced the founding of their organization to Columbia’s higher administration in late November. A statement from the group said, “Now more than ever, as Columbia becomes a Hispanic Serving Institution, we aim at assisting our College in the recruitment and retention of Latine students, faculty and staff, and the enhancement of the educational experience of our Latine students.”
One of the founding members, Gabriela Díaz de Sabatés, an associate professor and DEI chair for the School of Communication and Culture, said the alliance is important for both students and faculty at Columbia.
“The fact that we come together as an alianza latina is something that gives us that sense of belonging that we need.”
“We can collaborate among professors, with our research, with our work, with our teaching, but we can also collaborate with students and be a resource for them.” Marcelo Sabatés, professor in the School of Communication and Culture and coordinator of the Latin American studies minor, said one of the other aims of the group is to address any disparities on campus.
“We see some efforts by the school to work with that growing demographic that we don’t think is enough — in terms of retention, in terms of curriculum, in terms of programming, in terms of mentoring — all these we don’t think is enough,” Sabatés said.
Other members, including Sebastian Huydts, a professor in the School of Audio and Music, share similar concerns.
If Columbia is going to become an institution with nearly 30% of its students identifying as Hispanic, “it’s just as necessary” that the students are represented in the faculty, Huydts said. Huydts, who was born in the Netherlands and
raised in Spain, was invited to join the alliance. The group hopes to continue to extend invitations to other faculty, staff members and allies.
After its initial meeting at the end of September, the group reached out to the Latino Alliance student organization to discuss potential collaborations, including a possible exhibit by Latino artists at Manifest.
Mario Jimenez, a senior photography major and president of the Latino Alliance, said it means a lot that the professors formed their own coalition.
“It means that they care about the safety and development of the Latine community here at Columbia,” said Jimenez.
Elio Leturia, associate professor in the School of Communication and Culture, said he joined the alliance to
build community among colleagues and give a voice to his students.
“Students really need representation, and we, as some of us are immigrants, we understand very clearly the immigrant story, so we can connect with the students much quicker. We can represent their own issues. They can understand that they can feel really welcome,” Leturia said. Similarly, Sabatés hopes the organization can increase visibility and representation for the Latino student body, as there is “a void in representation,” she said.
Sabatés further said one of her concerns is the lack of representation in important institutional processes such as the recent search for a new president. Despite the challenges, the alliance aims to create and promote
community on campus.
“We can certainly do better, and that is our goal, just to make sure that people are aware that they know we live in a community where there are many different groups of people, and one of them is the Latino group,” Díaz de Sabatés said. “Being there for each other, making sure that we support the institution in growing but making sure that our students graduate and do well and know that they need to be very proud of their own culture.”
Copy edited by Trinity Balboa
Photo by Charles Rahn
Associate Professor Gabriela Díaz de Sabatés explains one of the study abroad options open to students on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
Columbia students talk about why they prefer marijuana over alcohol
COVER STORY BY MATT BRADY COPY EDITOR
Whileobserving those under the influence of alcohol and drugs, EJ Muñoz, a senior graphic design major at Columbia, came to the conclusion that in instances where substance-driven violence occurs, marijuana isn’t likely to be the main cause.
“There are a lot of fights that happen, and you never know what’s going to happen when alcohol is in the picture,” Muñoz said.
That’s one of the reasons Muñoz favors pot over alcohol, following a nationwide trend with other college-age members of Generation Z.
According to 2023 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 49.6% of Gen Z who are 18-24 said they drank alcohol in the past month. Rewind a decade and 59.6% of Gen Z said that they were alcohol users.
Roughly 69% of young adults ages 18-24 said that they prefer cannabis to alcohol, according to a 2022 study conducted by New Frontier Data, a market research company focused on the cannabis industry. Furthermore, 56% also said that they have replaced their alcohol use with cannabis consumption.
Both are legal in Illinois at the age of 21.
“If I’m looking for a buzz, I’ll probably tend towards marijuana first,” said Ian Springer, a junior film and television major. “Alcohol for me is purely social, but I do enjoy it.”
Muñoz, who is a marijuana user, smoked before he ever tried alcohol, attributing the recreational activity to being “more comfortable” compared to the other.
“After I got into the whole drinking for the social occasions stuff, I just found that I enjoyed that mellow feeling of marijuana more than something unpredictable like alcohol,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz said that the downward trend of alcohol consumption among college students can be connected to factors such as gym culture and money.
“A lot of people are more into fitness, so they’re more aware of the consequences of drinking alcohol and what it can do to their body,” he said.
Lauryn Valencia, a senior traditional animation major, observes more marijuana use among Columbia students than drinking.
“I think people can carry pens or even just smoke outside of campus buildings,” Valencia said. “I don’t dorm here, but even with that, I still see a lot of people using it.”
Carly Novoselsky, a clinical professional counselor and founder of an LGBTQIA+ sober group called Queer Sober Social, said the
lives in a time where everything is easily recorded.”
At Burnham Liquors in the South Loop in late February, a six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon cost $7.99 and a six-pack of Daura Damm cost $10.99. A 12-pack of Heineken cost $21.99.
By comparison, the price for Papaya Syrup, a single joint, was $15 at Spark’d Dispensary in the South Loop. Space Face, which holds five joints, costs $39. Erin De Leon, a senior music business major who is an occasional drinker, also said that Gen Z’s switch from alcohol to marijuana can be attributed to rising costs, saying that a lot of her friends go to stores to get liquor that is less costly than buying drinks at a club.
According to a 2024 national survey
On the contrary, senior illustration major Dirt Simmons observed the opposite in their friend group, saying that they and their friends “don’t really partake in weed” as much as other people that they have interacted with. But Simmons said they have “definitely” noticed a move towards marijuana use versus drinking. Simmons attributed this shift to personal problems with alcohol, such as alcoholic parents. “I know a lot of people that are like, ‘I’m not going to touch alcohol because my parents were in AA and they’ve abused me,’ but then they are smoking all the time,” they said.
Kameron Clepper, a sophomore photography major, is relatively against substances and abstains from using them.
He believes the shift towards marijuana has a lot to do with how alcohol is perceived today and how aware more people are of the risks that it presents, such as drunk driving
According to Clepper, older generations all had their way of managing substances in their time, saying that “there [are] just different generations in different times with
“I know younger people in general don’t like cigarettes,” Clepper said. “They don’t consume it and they’re a bit wiser when it comes to using substances and they’re a bit more acknowledging of the health negative effects.”
Clepper brought up how studies of an individual’s marijuana consumption can show negative results, such as memory loss, mental degradation and “overall mental stability in terms of being able to be sober and do stuff.” To Clepper, this presents a “lack of care.”
“In some aspects, if you use marijuana for medical purposes, [people] say it genuinely helps, but if you use it in a manner of addiction and you claim that there are no side effects behind it, then I think you should probably do a bit of research,” Clepper said.
To Muñoz, the stigma behind smoking marijuana has decreased, saying that he sees “all types of different people, all types of ages” when he goes into a dispensary, from the likes of “college kids to senior citizens and businessmen.”
“I know a lot of people who are smoking weed more often than they drink,” Muñoz said. “I think our society nowadays is a lot more accepting and supportive of people who decide to say they don’t want to drink, so they’re gonna support their decision in whatever it is.”
In terms of stigmatization, Valencia said that “a lot of people don’t care as much anymore,” feeling that even teachers who may be aware if someone is under the influence “don’t really mind.”
“I don’t really care what people do with their money or with their body,” she said. “As long as people are safe with it, I don’t really think it matters much for me.”
MBRADY@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM
Copy edited by Manuel Nocera
Illustrations by Lilly Sundsbak and Riley Hannon
Madison Yager keeps art history alive despite program’s elimination
BY EMMA JOLLY REPORTER
Columbia’s Madison Yager, a junior double-majoring in art history and arts management, was captivated by the statue of a fragment of Venus when they first saw it in an online catalog. The piece includes only a portion of the goddess’s torso and legs, with a sheer garment pulled tightly around her hips.
As a creative individual who is passionate about the historical context of art, Yager was drawn to the stark contrast between the sculptural portrayal of women in comparison to that of men. They were able to learn even more about gender in ancient Roman art during a 2025 J-term trip to Rome this past January that focused on immersing students in the city’s art, history and culture while also teaching about curatorial exhibition and gallery design.
It was during the trip that Associate Professor Robert Blandford, who taught the “International Cultural Heritage Management: Rome” course, approached Yager and a few other students with the idea to apply for a chance to participate in
the Art Institute of Chicago’s University Partner Fest, which offers emerging scholars the rare opportunity to give a lecture on specific works of art within its galleries.
The group, which included Yager and students Xitlaly Barajas, Adilene Vega and Abigail Halla, managed to get accepted into the program despite the time crunch to submit an application. Barajas and Halla are both senior art history majors, and Vega is an art history, criticism, and conservation BFA.
They gave their lecture on color, gender and provenance in ancient Roman art at the museum. This year, 30 student presentations were happening in multiple areas around the museum as a part of the event. While preparing for the lecture, the group began by searching for pieces at AIC’s gallery that “called to them,” and ended up finding perfect matches for each of their prospective areas of focus. The statue of a fragment of Venus became one of six statues that the group chose to evaluate during their 30-minute presentation.
Yager’s portion of the lecture was centered around the “theory of whiteness” in ancient Roman statues,
which is the misconception that these works were originally made with white marble, when in reality they were often painted with vibrant colors.
According to Mark Porter, the senior exhibition coordinator at Columbia, this was a rare chance for students that often doesn’t present itself until postgraduation. “To be at that stage while still a student, puts them ahead of the curve,” he said.
Yager said that the group looked forward to this experience because teaching others about art history would aid both their academic paths and professional careers. Additionally, they explained that for them, it was a way to show what students are capable of when given the chance.
“I definitely am so proud that we did it. We’re gonna make the most out of it with the time we have,” they said, “taking these opportunities and turning them into something special for everyone.”
Yager is currently a social media manager on campus for Porter and has extensive experience working at Columbia’s galleries, where they are often tasked with promoting student spaces for art and collaboration.
Most recently, Yager served as a curator for the new exhibition opening in the Hokin Gallery on Feb. 21 titled “Between Here and There” that follows the theme of transition over time. They attribute much of their knowledge to working “hands on” with Porter, and are expecting to fill the role of assistant curator next year as a senior.
“I’m excited for that, and especially to do more of the museum work, gallery work that I’ve always wanted to do,” they said.
Yager explained that they appreciate this opportunity, because the actual art history curriculum at Columbia is “lacking” in terms of what they hope to be achieving post-graduation.
“I feel like the programs here specifically are designed to give you more of that analytical sense on art history, rather than museum or gallery work,” they said.
Yager said that this is especially frustrating as a rising senior, since attaining a career in art history is hard without much experience and the availability of jobs is constantly fluctuating.
Though disappointed, they said they are not entirely surprised by Columbia’s shortage of options since the school announced that the art history degree would be cut altogether, as previously reported by the Chronicle.
“It was completely disheartening,” Yager said. “Them getting rid of it just felt like a slap in the face.”
Columbia will sunset the art history major and not admit any additional students after this semester.
The college’s Board of Trustees voted in December to eliminate or consolidate nearly half of Columbia’s programs in a
historic overhaul. Some of the other programs that will sunset are cultural studies, environmental and sustainability studies and ASL-English interpretation.
Then in January, the college laid off 23 fulltime faculty members from the various programs that were impacted. The provost has not ruled out additional lay-offs, as the Chronicle previously reported.
Yager said that by taking away the art history degree, it seems like Columbia is suggesting that art history doesn’t matter and isn’t worth student’s time or money.
“Having an art school, and then not having that fundamental of having an art history major. It just seems absolutely insane,” Yager said. “As much as it sucks, I feel like it is reflective of the time that we are in right now, especially in America.”
As a result of President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders targeting the arts, several museums across the country are cutting funding, dropping their DEI efforts, or closing their doors altogether.
On the contrary, Yager explained that their experience abroad was quite different. “To go to Rome where art is everywhere, and see how much care and importance and emphasis is placed on it was truly eye opening,” they said. This is a sentiment they have carried over into other endeavours since returning, most noticeably within the Society of Art and History club. After the announcement of program cuts, Yager decided to create a space in which art history students could escape misinformation, network between grade levels and find a supportive community.
Debra Parr, an associate professor of art history and the faculty advisor to the club, helped them go through the process of re-establishment towards the beginning of this academic year. She said that she has been impressed with Yager’s work ethic and timeliness in organizing everything.
“Yager is a force of nature,” she said. “And also just making all the students feel part of it and want to be a part of it even…I just think that speaks to Yager’s capacity to form community.”
Now serving as the SAH’s president, Yager hopes that this club gives students a platform to highlight the importance of art history, even if it will only remain as a minor at Columbia.
“I feel like showing the legacy and the significance of art…and just being like, ‘we’re here to stay, even if we’re not going to have a major anymore;’ it’s like we aren’t gonna go down without a fight.”
They said that for next year, SAH is looking forward to several smaller things like campus events, club partnerships and possibly even a short trip out of state. It’s things like that which really keep me engaged and show me the power that Columbia does have,” Yager said.
“The community that I found at Columbia, with all the passionate people, has just been so amazing.”
edited by Patience Hurston
Photo by Charles Rahn
Madison Yager, a junior double major in art history and arts management, discusses a piece of work inside of the Art Institute of Chicago on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025
New U.S. quarter immortalizes Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells’ unwavering commitment to justice is taking on a new form, one that will be held in the hands of millions.
The coin with her image on the reverse, or tails, was released into circulation this year and is part of the final year for the American Women Quarters Program that was introduced in late 2020. Wells, whose great-granddaughter is a part-time instructor at Columbia College, was a Black journalist, activist and civil rights leader who led an anti-lynching crusade in the 1890s and whose investigative work set the foundation for the antebellum Black press.
The release of her coin, along with Juliette Gordon Low, Vera Rubin, Stacey Park Milbern and Althea Gibson, comes as President Trump pushes to end diversity, equity and inclusion in the federal government and to stop schools like Columbia College from offering any race-based programming.
Trump has ordered the Mint to halt the production of pennies but has not blocked the release yet of the U.S. quarters honoring women. “To date, the U.S. Mint has shipped 28 million Ida B. Wells quarters in circulation with hundreds of millions on their way, and on average, 350 million quarters are minted for each honoree,” said Susan D. Whiting, chair of the board of the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. She also serves on the board and is a consultant to the U.S. Mint.
Whiting was in Chicago in mid-February for an event at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center honoring Wells. The program opened with a graphic flipping the custom front and back side of the commemorative coin.
Congress passed the The American Women Quarters Program in 2020 to select notable American women to feature on a series of quarter dollar coins over the span of four years, starting in 2021. Now in its final year, each of the women on these quarters are recognized with a unique reverse design.
“The children here today will never know a time before women were included in this prominent and powerful way,”
Whiting said. “Now, when they reach into their pockets, they’ll find three trail blazing Chicago women.” The other two being Bessie Coleman, a pioneering aviator and the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license and Maria Tallchief, the first Native American prima ballerina. “We must know them, remember them, and share them, because their legacies deserve nothing less.”
BY GREER STEWART REPORTER
The National Women’s History Museum previously invited public input, receiving over 11,000 suggestions for consideration. This year five women were chosen to be featured.
Kim Dulaney, vice president of education and programs at the DuSable Museum, spoke briefly expressing the powerful history and Chicago ties between Wells and Black writers.
“I want you to understand the humanity of her and that she was just like you are, a person who lived in a time when things were happening that she knew were wrong,” she said. “She dared to stand up, put her life on the line and give her life so that we could have this life today.”
The sentiment was echoed by featured guest Michelle Duster, great-granddaughter of Ida B.
Wells, who took center stage following her brief appearance in “Ida B. Wells: A Chicago Stories Special Documentary.”
Duster, an author, parttime instructor and historian, emphasized the importance of public history in combating historical erasure and the challenges faced in achieving recognition, due to resistance.
“Maybe it was the timing, there have been challenges when it comes to getting support. And I feel like some of the projects have taken way longer to get done than I ever thought they would,” said Duster, who has taught business writing in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Duster previously wrote about celebrating her great-grandmother’s image as a reminder for how important it is to speak up for
equal rights for all.
Additionally, Duster initiated the “On The Wings of Change” mural on 33 E. Ida B Wells Dr. in 2021. She said a federal agency promoting the use of her great-grandmother’s image can have international impact.
“It’s a regular coin that’s in circulation as currency, and to have her image, her name and summary of the work that she did,” said Duster. “People look at their quarters, and potentially billions of people will at least hear her name.”
The significance of Ida B. Wells’ legacy extends beyond historians and educators — her impact resonates deeply with younger generations at Columbia. Students reflected on what it means to see Wells honored in such a prominent way, and the importance of representation in everyday spaces like currency
Sophomore and film and television major Olivia Watson says that having a Black female activist on the coin is not only a huge deal but also very memorable.
“It’s just really important to have those voices highlighted, people who have paved the way for us, especially someone as notable as Ida B. Wells,” said Watson. “We always see her face and we know her name, but do you really, like, know what she’s done?”
Some students found that while the quarter release shows a positive representation in history, interference from the government leads to reduction in overall impact
“I do think it’s contradicting the fact that Trump has made the federal government stop acknowledging Black History Month and Women’s History Month,” said sophomore and creative writing major Nadia Salahuddin.
“Any kind of commemorative coin is a smokescreen for a larger issue, like those Sacagawea dollar coins that are basically impossible to find now.”
As Wells is honored on a national scale, her story serves as a reminder for the impact of her fearless journalism and that the fight for equality is far from over.
Credit: https://thewordsearch.com Columbia College Chicago Spring Break
