First-years hoping to see “The Lion King” for free may have to wait until the spring.
Urban New York, a program run by the Office of Student Development and Activities and that distributes coveted free tickets to about 400 undergraduates, has been called off this semester, but will return in the spring. In the past, the program has given Columbia College, School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Barnard students the opportunity to win free tickets through a lottery, with the fall semester open only to first-years.
But this fall, no one will be receiving free tickets through Urban New York.
“We have begun conversations about how we might revitalize the program for next semester and support it best in light of recent staff changes in SDA,” Terry Martinez, dean of Community Development and Multicultural Affairs, said in a statement.
She emphasized that the program has not been “cancelled” but “postponed” until the spring.
For new students hoping to take advantage of the free tickets, the postponement is a let-down.
“That actually sucks that it’s been canceled,” Deryn Jakolev, SEAS ’14, said. Without free tickets through Urban New York, she said that going to shows “becomes less accessible, or you dismiss it because it’s too expensive.”
For others, it’s a delayed opportunity to get off campus.
“I realize I never see the city because I’m always in my room working,” Jean-Charles Levy, CC ’14, said. “There’s just not enough time.”
When you go to an arts events for free and enjoy it, Jakolev said, you’ll want to go to similar events in the future, even if they cost money.
“I had never thought to go to a poetry slam, but we went with my CUE group [Columbia Urban Experience, a pre-orientation program] and now a lot of us are going back because we enjoyed it so much,” she said.
Mark Choi, CC ’14 and a New Jersey native, said that he had been looking forward to attending more events across the city, but finds it difficult.
“Even though I’ve lived near New York City my whole life, living in a suburb is a very different experience than having a place to live in Manhattan,” he said.
Phylicia Hisel, CC ’14, said she would have liked to participate in the program this semester, since the cultural promise of New York was one of the reasons she came to Columbia.
“It’s unfortunate,” she said. “I would have been interested.”
Martinez said in her statement that SDA will be working with students to improve the Urban New York program.
“We also look forward to gathering and incorporating student input to ensure Urban New York continues to provide students with exciting and unique opportunities. We hope students will agree our decision to postpone Urban New York will lead to an enhanced spring program for the benefit of all students.”