Gay suicide spike proves national change is needed
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Alumni exhibit raises breast cancer awareness The official news source of Columbia College Chicago
October 11, 2010
www.ColumbiaChronicle.com
Volume 46, Issue 6
Cinematic celebration
sets future in motion
Erik Rodriguez THE CHRONICLE
The Media Production Center Gala brought many contributors and supporters together to celebrate the MPC, President Warrick L. Carter’s extended tenure and the announcement of a $100 million campaign. The dinner room was transformed to resemble a colorful movie set, which took place on two soundstages. Following the dinner program, a reception was held with drinks, dancing and live music from the Columbia College Jazz Ensemble.
Gala brings Columbia supporters together for big announcement by Benita Zepeda Managing Editor
THE RED carpet lined the path while a
3-D fight scene was performed at the side. Students posed as paparazzi, and enthusiastic fans begged for autographs as 400 guests filed into the Media Production Center, 1600 S. State St., for the Media Production Center Gala on Oct. 2. As the first campus event of such magnitude, the gala was held to celebrate the MPC and the extension of President Warrick L. Carter’s contract until 2014.
Fiction Writers at Lunch delayed Program denied funding for first time, will continue despite loss by Mina Bloom
Arts and Culture Editor FOR THE first time in 11 years, posters
advertising Columbia’s Fiction Writers at Lunch program weren’t plastered on the walls of the 12th floor of the South Campus Building, 624 S. Michigan Ave.
Health & Fitness » PG. 16
In addition, it informed people about staff, affiliates and supporters of the colColumbia, its mission and the announce- lege mingled while they explored the ment of a $100 million campaign: “This is MPC. In the screen testing room, guests Columbia’s Moment.” were provided with scripts of various “This event symbolpopular movies, izes the excitement such as “Casablanthat is at Columbia ca,” “When Harry because we have This event symbolizes the excite- Met Sally” and “The never had an event The takes ment that is at Columbia because Graduate.” like this,” said Allen were put onto DVDs Turner, chairman of we have never had an event and given to the parthe board of trustees. like this.” ticipants at the end “We will raise sub-Allen Turner of the evening. stantial funds as a The dinner proconsequence of this, and we introduced gram, which was held on two sound ourselves to people in the city who ought stages, was emceed by Bill Kurtis. Mini to know about us.” vignettes made by Carter and Turner During the event, Columbia faculty, were played throughout the program.
Afterward, they addressed the guests with information about what MPC has done for Columbia and the film program, in addition to the new campaign initiative, which has already raised $50 million in gifts and pledges. After dinner, the celebration moved into an area cordoned off for dancing and music by the Columbia College Jazz Ensemble. Administrators hope the money raised from the new campaign will allow the college to continue the growth of endowment and various programs. “This is truly Columbia’s moment,” said Diane Doyne, associate vice
This summer, the newly appointed committee behind the First Year Experience Initiative denied the program mini-grant funding, claiming the luncheon did not exclusively cater to new students. But despite the funding loss, Fiction Writing Department Chair Randy Albers and the program’s faculty coordinator and adjunct faculty member Tom Popp will host approximately six Fiction Writers at Lunch events this semester. They view the program as one of high priority to the department, which has the highest freshman retention rate in the college—75 percent as of the 2007–2008 academic year, according to Albers.
dar Hemon, author of “The Lazarus Project,” which was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award, was the visiting teacher for the department last semester. He participated in the program as well, as reported by The Chronicle on Feb. 15. The First Year Experience Initiative’s committee recruited academic and student affair professionals throughout the college to review grant proposals “[It’s] an excellent idea, and it’s very much needed to support students in their first year experience,” Popp said.
Arts & Culture
“They’re defining this grant a little narrowly,” Albers said. “I think they wanted programs for first-year students. Our program is designed to integrate first- year students into the whole community, so we also have upper-level students coming.” One of the longest standing mini-grant programs, Fiction Writers at Lunch has received an increase in grant money every year for the past 10 years until 2010, according to Popp. Traditionally, the program has invited students to read their work in front of an audience of their peers, faculty members and, on occasion, esteemed authors or publishers while eating lunch. Aleksan-
» PG. 19
Metro Urban farming in Chicago
Innovative ticketing strategy
Haunted Chicagoland
» SEE GALA, PG. 9
» PG. 35
» SEE FICTION, PG. 10
INDEX Campus
2
H&F
13
A&C
19
Commentary
32
Metro
35