BROWN: After accepting a $3 million donation from an anonymous donor, Brown University will renovate the John Hay Library this coming summer. The Brown Daily Herald reported that the renovations would feature a new main reading room, cameras, an improved security system and an additional student lounge area. The multimillion-dollar gift came at a crucial time for the library’s remodeling project. Selldorf Architects will lead the renovation. COLUMBIA: Columbia University will use a $3.5 million donation to create a food policy research center, according to the Columbia Spectator. The donation, which came from philanthropist Laurie Tisch, will also be used to hire new faculty members for the center, fund research for the teaching of food skills and offer courses in nutrition education. The donation is part of a larger $15 million gift from the Tisch Illumination Fund aimed at fighting hunger. CORNELL: Cornell policy analysis and management professor Richard Geddes testified before Congress on Feb. 13 to recommend improvements to the U.S. Postal Service, which is currently facing a decline in mail volume and billions of dollars in revenue loss. According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Geddes proposed that the government minimize its regulation of USPS so that the industry can commercialize…. Read more »
BROWN: Stephen Lassonde, Brown University’s Deputy Dean of the College, will depart from the position this March to serve as the dean of student life at Harvard University, The Brown Daily Herald reported. Lassonde previously acted as the dean of Calhoun College, one of Yale University’s residential colleges and taught a history class at Brown titled “Children and Childhood in America, 1640-Present.” Brown officials are in the process of assembling a search committee for Lassonde’s replacement. COLUMBIA: Columbia University announced a five percent increase in total applications to Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science for the Class of 2017. This substantial increase follows a drop of almost nine percent for the Class of 2016 last year, the Columbia Daily Spectator reported. CORNELL: Cornell University announced last Monday its decision to expel Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity for a period of at least one year, as well as place Pi Kappa Phi fraternity on probation. Phi Sig is banned from recruiting new members, and Pi Kapp has been placed on “provisional recognition status” and will be able to recruit new members. The fraternities face judicial consequences as a result of recent incidents involving “underage and excessive alcohol consumption,”… Read more »
Courtesy of The Columbia Spectator
BROWN: Brown University admitted 18.5 percent of applicants under its binding early decision program, a slight drop from the 19 percent acceptance rate of 2011. A significant majority of early applicants — 71 percent — were deferred to the regular admission pool, figures that are consistent with previous years’ trends.
COLUMBIA: Students at Columbia University are leading an initiative to improve and standardize training for undergraduate teaching assistants. The proposal also aims to reform professors’ working procedures in order to increase direct interaction with students, The Columbia Spectator reported.
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This week in the Ivy League:
Columbia tries to make things with Barnard less awkward, Princetonians advocate for more gender-neutral housing and Brown students get a bit rowdy.
Meanwhile, Harvard balances its budget, Cornell brings an SNL Obama impersonator to campus and Penn moves into Beijing.
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Dartbeat guides you through viral campaign at Penn, a drop in Harvard’s endowment and a sketchy The New York Times article quoting several Cornell students who used fake names…. Read more »
COLUMBIA: After a series of debates on the issue, Columbia University’s University Senate passed the resolution that will make course evaluations public. While many students expressed concerns that this move will lead to grade inflation — as instructors might cater negatively to students to protect their jobs — others affirmed that public course evaluations will improve teaching…. Read more »