Get Involved

There are two ways to get involved in The Current: (1) Submitting a piece or (2) Joining the Staff.

1. Submission Guidelines for Writing 

A. The Basics
  • The Current accepts submissions relating to politics, culture, and Jewish affairs from all Columbia undergraduates. You may submit an already-written piece, you may approach us with an idea, or, if you know you want to write but don’t have a specific topic in mind, you can reach out and we will help provide a suggestion.
  • We publish every semester, but we accept and review submissions throughout the year.
  • We value intellectual rigor and honesty. The pieces most likely to be published raise intriguing questions and explore refreshing perspectives. 
  • Each article is assigned an editor from our board and is subjected to a rigorous editing process. Writers should expect to turn in a number of drafts and to meet deadlines set by their editor.
  • Please send all submissions and pitches to editors.columbiacurrent@gmail.com.

B. Types of Material
  •  Creative Writing
    • Poetry and short stories. Bring us your unique, creative perspective.
  • Literary & Arts
    • Book Reviews: The Current accepts book reviews. Depending on content, approach, and scope, these reviews may vary in length from 1500-3000 words. Reviews of fiction and non-fiction are accepted.
    • Art/Music/Misc. Reviews: The Current accepts art reviews. These may also run from 1500-3000 words. In the past, writers have reviewed art galleries in New York City, movies, music, podcasts, etc.
  • Essays
    • Our most heterogeneous section, Essays offer writers the opportunity to investigate a wide range of political, cultural, and religious topics in 2000-4000 words.
  • Features
    • Each issue of The Current features an interview with a notable figure, a campus character, or really just anyone worth learning more about. Features run at 2000-4000 words.
  • Satire
    • ​Satire pieces should focus on a topic of timely interest, with preference given to topics specifically relevant to the Columbia or Jewish communities.  Satire pieces run at 600-750 words.
  • Letters to the Editor
    • Letters to the Editor are welcome from readers both within and beyond the Columbia community, and may be submitted in response to any work published in The Current. Letters should be no more than 300 words, and should be submitted to editors.columbiacurrent@gmail.com.

C. Policy on Class Papers
  • We believe that as undergraduates we should offer our perspectives as students and citizens, not as academics. We therefore generally refrain from accepting class papers for publication, and prefer material written specifically for The Current. That said, we do sometimes publish class papers after reviewing and adapting them for quality and style.

2. Joining the Editorial Staff

While all official editorial positions on the board are now full, we are always looking for contributing editors to assist us in every aspect of the editing process. If you’re interested in getting involved, send an email to editors.columbiacurrent@gmail.com, and we’ll get back to you.