Honestly I didn't! I looked over the disucssion and then looked at the text.... and now based on your invite, looked more closely- and I don't see the opinion piece as "random." I see an opinion piece in the university newspaper, discussing the very topic. And the author even says, the jokes are "part of Columbia." 

 The other link is kinda weak- except that it does have a documented Barnard joke- and appears to be a transcript of some kind of actual event.