Detective

“When Pfeiffer Hall was evacuated at 1 a.m. by the fire alarm system, we knew from the evidence that someone was seen running out of a kitchen with something smoking. The smoke also was burning people’s eyes for some unknown reason. I searched every trash can on the building’s perimeter and found a smoldering cup of spicy noodles. This helped us identify the student for an educational conversation.”

Dan Chou Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life

“My first year working at Cornell [19851986], the Office of College Communications was planning a 100th birthday celebration for Bowman-Carter Hall (just Bowman Hall back then). The event included a tea in the formal lounge of Bowman, and we wanted to have the student wait staff decked out in appropriate period dress. So I headed to Theatre Cedar Rapids to search its costume shop for long black skirts to borrow. The women were to wear white blouses with wide sashes adorning the waist of the skirt. For these, I made a trip to Joann’s Fabrics and purchased two shades of satin material to make them. I brought my sewing machine to my office in Old Sem (since I was an hourly employee and we didn’t work remotely in those days), and sewed away. My iron, sans ironing board, was also in tow.”

Lora Baltes Administrative Assistant for Alumni and College Advancement