Barnard English goes “global.” By Iris Eisenman Illustration by Nini Vilac Not too long ago, Professor Atefeh Akbari could be found in the labyrinthine recesses of the LeFrak offices. Now, I had the pleasure of speaking with Akbari in her cozy office on the fourth floor of Barnard Hall, with plenty of natural light flooding the room. The change of environment is a reflection of her career’s progress at Barnard. Akbari is arguably the face of the English department’s recent ef

Columbia University is the largest territory in NYC, and the Columbia University Tenants Union is fighting to keep it in check.  By Jeremiah Barron Illustration by Nini Vilac In 1987, journalists Ted Robbins and Jack Newfield published  a ranking of the city’s most abusive landlords in The Village Voice ; Columbia University won the title of the single worst landlord in the entire city. The largest private property owner in the city was, in their words, “a wolf in sheepskin c

Stories from college, Paris, and among the oranges. By Kate Sibery Illustrations by Nini Vilac For a long time I told the story as follows: my parents met at a Halloween party in college, my mom was dressed as a farmer in denim overalls and my dad wasn’t dressed up as anything because that is just typical of him. It has since been clarified that my parents knew of each other before then because their respective roommates—Jen and Brady, who are married to this day—were dating.