6 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Graduation Issue 2012
FALL 2010
Students Protest Africana Move; University Increases Funding
LINDSAY MYRON / SUN FILE PHOTO
Fence information | Signs explaining the purpose of the temporary bridge fences were posted near bridges before the fall semester began.
C.U.Picks Bridge Barrier Architect Following months of discussions between Ithaca and the University and the construction of two sets of temporary fencing on the bridges near campus, the University announced in early September the architect who will design permanent suicide barriers for bridges on and near campus. The barriers came as a response to three student suicides from bridges on and near campus during spring 2010. The architect, Nader Tehrani, is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The barrier designs — which,
FOUR YEARS AT CORNELL
in 2011, were revealed to be mostly nets under the bridges — are intended to allow for views of the gorges’ natural beauty. In an academic setting, Tehrani “has focused on research surrounding materials, methods of aggregations, geometry and the advancement of digital fabrication,” according to a website connected to the architect. The temporary fences and the permanent barriers are intended as “means restriction” — a strategy to stop suicides on bridges by physically preventing people from jumping into the gorges.
The University announced in December that the Africana Studies and Research Center — previously a unit under the supervision of Provost Kent Fuchs and separate from any of Cornell’s seven undergraduate colleges — would be merged into the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2011. Though Fuchs said the Africana Center would enjoy increased efficiency and support as part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the move was met with immediate backlash from Africana students and faculty, who said they were unhappy with the lack of dialogue in advance of the administrative change, as well as other concerns. Prof. Robert L. Harris, Jr. resigned his post as director of the Africana in protest of the reorganization. Two days later, he rescinded the resignation as he led a group of 80 to 100 protestors in a march to Day Hall. “In 41 years of service to Cornell, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Prof. James Turner, founder of the Africana Center. In March, the University promised to increase the budget of the Africana Center by more than 50 percent over the next five years.
The pledge — which increased the center’s permanent budget from $2.3 million to $3.5 million — was the first time the University made a specific fiscal commitment to the center. Additionally, the center received a one-time allocation of $2 million to “recruit new faculty, support research and develop a new Ph.D. program,” according to a University statement. Some students, however, argued that the administrative relocation of Africana would com-
promise the 42-year-old center’s autonomy — a loss they said was not solved by the additional funding. “I welcome the increase in resources; I don’t welcome the merge. And I don’t see this as a mutually exclusive situation,” said Zach Murray ’11, of Black Students United. “[This decision] represents a simple raw use of power in an autocratic, undemocratic manner that is certainly not transparent,” Turner said.
LINDSAY MYRON / SUN FILE PHOTO
Raise your hand | Students and faculty rally in front of Day Hall in December 2010 to protest the University’s decision to move Africana.
TimeLine DONATION ESTABLISHES DYSON SCHOOL: The family of John Dyson, a former chairman of the New York Power Authority, pledged to give $25 million to Cornell’s Department of Applied Economics and Management. With the gift, AEM became the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as a result of the gift. 8.27.10 NIKE BENDS TO STUDENT PRESSURE: After Cornell threatened to not renew its licensing contract with Nike, the apparel giant agreed to create a $1.5 million relief fund — as well as provide job training programs and a year of healthcare — for laid-off employees of Nike sub-contractors Hugger de Honduras and Vision Tex. Nike’s decision marked the end of Cornell Students Against Sweatshop’s “Just Pay It” campaign — the organization’s second successful attempt in under a year to pressure a corporation into resolving worker disputes. 8.31.10 STUDENT’S BODY FOUND IN GORGE: Rescue workers recovered the body of Khalil King ’13 from the Fall Creek Gorge on Aug. 31. Officials ruled King’s death accidental. He went missing after a night of partying that involved alcohol and possibly drugs, according to police documents. 10.27.10 EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CLOSE: The Department of Education in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be phased out over the next two years, the University announced in October. DAIRY BAR CLOSES FOR RENOVATIONS: The renovation of Stocking Hall — home to the Department of Food Science and the Cornell Dairy Bar — began in November. The Dairy Bar is not expected to reopen until 2013. 11.18.10 JOHNSON DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: After serving as the director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art through 19 years and an estimated 300 to 400 shows, Frank Robinson announced his plan to retire at the end of the school year. 11.19.10 FOUR LOKO STOPS SHIPMENTS TO NEW YORK STATE: Four Loko producer Phusion Products voluntarily agreed to stop shipping its popular product — which combined alcohol and caffeine — to New York State starting Nov. 19. A few weeks later, Four Loko emerged again, but without its caffeine. Parties featuring “original Loko” raged in Collegetown throughout the spring semester.