In Italy, a trip to the library is an education in navigating the tedium of bureaucracy.
Columnists
Don’t sugarcoat it
In light of recent dining hall health code issues, UChicago Dining’s explanations prioritize public image over honest accountability.
No money, mo’ problems
Unpaid internships break the law and perpetuate inequality, but those in power aren’t complaining.
When trust falls
Respond to the shock of “Politically Incorrect” culture by extending your trust once more.
Tools of engagement
Student Government should take advantage of the opportunity to sustain the political engagement that spiked during elections.
Baseless instinct
The psychological urge to profile evades our judgment, but that doesn’t mean we should follow it.
Let’s define our terms
Ambiguousness of “free inquiry” becomes troublesome when it underlies serious policies and decisions.
Criminal neglect
The University’s policy on reporting violent crimes is too selective to sufficiently inform those it aims to protect.
The art of upstanding comedy
High-quality jokes reflect an amount of empathy for those they discuss—the rest just aren’t nice.
Ineptitude or individuality?
UChicago is a place that encourages individuals to be who they are—but not necessarily by themselves.
Selective acceptance
The hypocrisy of progressives’ critiques of conservative views and values belies their limited commitment to tolerance.
The politics of paranoia
The far-right’s tendency to unjustly vilify those that oppose its views is becoming a central facet of the modern GOP.
No need to look away
Our desire to delve deeply into the conditions of tragedy doesn’t come from such a bad place.
Mistaking identity
We shouldn’t paper over the gaps in our knowledge of individuals with things we feel safe to assume.
A sport for sport’s sake
German footballing dominance over Spain shows how sports’ beauty can be corrupted by the political.
Glass half empty
New Google Glass may not bring the revolution some believe it promises, but it will certainly shift the way its users perceive the world.
Awkward? Awkward…
Good news: The culture of awkwardness at UChicago is nothing more than a self-perpetuating myth.
Procession of faith
Italian Good Friday celebration reveals that rituals can build community.
Statistically insignificant
Crucial Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage should not be hindered by a misguided desire to wait for data.
New kid on the writer’s block
Writing is a process of self-discovery, but its beginnings often lie off the page.
Breaking the news
Rapid pace of today’s news cycle creates a culture in which accuracy is sacrificed for the scoop.
A better Internet connection
Honest discussion about crucial issues is stifled when policing, not educating, is our priority.
All things in moderation
Despite promising to advance a progressive agenda, Obama is moving too close to center on key issues in his second term.
Becoming yourself
The adage “Be yourself” is not the right message for those trying to come to terms with their accomplishments and failures.
Always look on the South Side
The path to connecting with our South Side neighbors starts with some steps in their direction.
Home field advantage
UChicago athletics offer all the beauty of sports with none of the usual drawbacks of being in the stands.
A new trauma epicenter
If activists want to see a trauma center on the South Side, they may want to take their cause to City Hall.
Oh, the humanities
There is room for more structure in teaching the study of literature without damaging its open-endedness.
Grief in the time of Facebook
Social networking provides opportunities for both insensitive and uplifting reactions to tragedy.
Bachelorette degree
The problem with Princetonian letter-writer Susan Patton’s marriage advice is that its audience doesn’t exist.
Antisocial conservatism
Dems shouldn’t let concerns about losing support detract from the positives of GOP’s increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage.
Surface tension
Small talk that centers on what’s obvious can uncover unpleasant surprises.
Pull up an armchair
Disdain for “slacktivism” distracts from potential of social media to raise awareness and compassion for key issues.
Full-court pressure
College basketball player Kevin Ware’s injury reveals flaws in a scholarship system that gives insufficient security to student-athletes.
SASA show a surface-level affair
South Asian Students Association’s cultural program hardly lives up to its name.
I can’t tell that we are gonna be friends
Sometimes long-distance connections are difficult to maintain without face-to-face interaction.
A change in political climate
In Obama’s second term, the issue of climate change may gain renewed traction.
American History X-perience
Though done to death in grade school, U.S. history deserves a more prominent place in college curricula.
Final assessment
Mamma mia! Exams at UChicago don’t have anything on the nervewracking Italian style of testing.
Engage thy neighbor
The University must make a sustained and meaningful attempt to extend a hand to members of the South Side community.
Not strictly confidential
Romney’s cocky attitude a symptom of a culture in which the appearance of certainty is valued over accuracy and truthfulness.
Attention to detail
Far from wasteful, academia’s fixation on seemingly trivial issues is necessary in a complex world.
Representative example
We act appropriately when representing institutions—why not do the same when acting on our own?
Party planning
If Hillary declines to run in 2016, Democrats will have to figure out what their party stands for.
Study group dynamics
Studying with others can provide academic help and solidarity—but only if participants prepare properly ahead of time
Concealing a raging election
Election season in Italy is marked by an eerie silence unfamiliar to participants of the vocal culture of American politics.
Coming down from the tower
Academics should do more to make their valuable work readily available to those who are not experts.
The merits of diversity
Students from a variety of backgrounds are essential to the development of an ideal learning environment.
Civil rights, civic responsibilities
If same-sex marriage is to pass the Illinois House, supporters of equality can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.
Sign of the times
Though not as bad as the UC Schools’s, UChicago’s rebranding efforts present worrisome vision of future.