Campus Gossip: November 18, 2015

Barnard College: Barnard College in New York—affiliated with Columbia University—recently took away winter break housing for underprivileged or homeless students, making it virtually impossible for them to find places to live over the extended winter break. “We’re not necessarily protesting against the administration in the way that other contingences of students have,” said Toni Airaksinen, a Barnard student and petition organizer. “When’s the last time you’ve heard students organizing to have a safe place to sleep? We’re petitioning so housing insecure, homeless, international or otherwise underprivileged students don’t have to go through a laborious, tricky and dangerous experience of trying to find housing in New York City.” It makes you appreciate your bed a little more.

Georgetown University: Georgetown is renaming two of its residence halls, Mulledy and McSherry, whose namesakes held ties to slavery to “Freedom Hall” and “Remembrance Hall” respectively. “We are a place where conversations are convened and dialogue is encouraged, even on topics that may be difficult,” explained University President John DeGioia—in a shocking contrast to another University president in the news lately—in a letter to the Georgetown community.

Harvard University: After a tense weekend with the attacks in Paris, Harvard University experienced another stressful wake-up call Monday with four separate bomb threats in three academic buildings and one dormitory. Luckily, the threats were unsubstantiated and school operations continued as usual in the afternoon.