INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 131, No. 72
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
!
ITHACA, NEW YORK
16 Pages – Free
Opinion
Arts
Sports
Weather
Devoted to a Cause
Feeling Sinister
Going for Gold
Mostly Cloudy HIGH: 32° LOW: 21º
Christo Eliot ’15 sees a connection between students and Hindu Standing Babas.
Troy Sherman ’18 says he is unimpressed with the new Belle and Sebastian album.
| Page 7
| Page 10
The men’s track and field team took first place at the Beantown challenge last week. | Page 16
Wind to Power One-Fifth of Cornell’s Energy By OLIVIA LUTWAK Sun Staff Writer
A wind farm may soon supply about 20 percent of Cornell’s electricity usage, pending municipal approval. The University announced its decision on Dec. 8 to purchase all 11.9 megawatts of renewable energy the Black Oak Wind Farm — located in Enfield — will produce after its construction. The energy would be
Visit cornellsun.com for a digital timeline of Cornell’s sustainability initiatives.
enough to power 5,000 households, according to the University. Cornell’s energy purchase commitment is “critical” in helping the independent Black Oak board secure private funds for the wind farm’s construction pending final municipal approvals, according to Sarah Zemanick, director of campus sustainability. “Cornell is committed to exploring renewable energy sources — especially those that, like us, have deep roots in this community,” she said. “The estimated annual electricity that Black Oak will produce will supply about 20 percent of Cornell’s electricity needs and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 5 percent.” The University has been working with groups of investors — many of whom are members of the community engaged in sustainability — for “several years,” according to KyuJung Whang, vice president for Facilities Services. “This is a complex deal that has to work financially for both parties or this project wouldn’t have gotten off the ground,” Whang said. “Cornell needed to do our due diligence to ensure the financial viability and risk associated with the purchase agreement were both manageable.” The purchase represents one of many steps taken by the University in recent years to achieve carbon neutrality. Cornell faculty, students and staff developed the Climate Action Plan in 2009, which originally See WIND FARM page 4
TIMELINE • 2013-14: Cornell saves
$140,000 in energy costs by lowering building temperatures over Winter Break. The University released 1,200 fewer metric tons of carbon. SEPTEMBER 18, 2014: The Snyder Road Solar Farm begins powering the University. The farm will reduce carbon emissions by 0.5 percent. NOV. 7, 2014: The University announces its plan to build a 10-acre solar farm in Seneca, N.Y. The farm would generate about two megawatts.
S
DEC. 8, 2014: Cornell announces its plans to purchase all of Black Oak Wind Farm’s electricity.
Meth Lab Discovered University Names Kevin In Risley Hall Basement Hallock as ILR School Dean Police secured suspicious backpack Tuesday morning By SOFIA HU Sun Senior Writer
Cornell Police found household chemicals associated with the production of methamphetamine in Risley Hall Tuesday morning, according to the University. At approximately 7:30 a.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious backpack in the basement of the North Campus residence hall. Cornell Environmental Health and Safety and
the New York State Police contaminated crime scene response team were called to the scene. The backpack contained chemicals that are commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine, according to a University press release. The state police secured the chemicals. At approximately 5 p.m., an individual claimed responsibility for the backpack. According to the University, See METH page 4
By SLOANE GRINSPOON
Sun Senior Writer
Prof. Kevin F. Hallock, industrial and labor relations, will become the new dean of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations in February, President David Skorton announced Tuesday. Hallock will fill the position left vacant after former dean Prof. Harry Katz became the interim provost of the University on Nov. 14.
By ANNIE BUI
Breaking Bad | Cornell Police vehicles are parked outside of the entrance to Risley Hall, where officers found a backpack containing methamphetamine production materials.
PROF. HALLOCK
See ILR page 4
Jury Selection Begins for Rape, Robbery Trial of Former Student Sun News Editor
ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Hallock will assume the position on Feb. 1 and serve a five year term, according to the University. Hallock has been a faculty member since 2005 and is the founding director of ILR’s Institute for Compensation Studies, according to the ILR school website. Hallock is also a
Jury selection in the trial against Peter Mesko ’13, a former student and varsity wrestler, began Tuesday morning at the Tompkins County Courthouse. Mesko, 23, has been charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree robbery. He allegedly broke into a Collegetown residence in the early hours of
March 30, 2013 and raped a Mesko plead not guilty to female student while she was his rape charge. sleeping. Mesko was iniThe trial was tially scheduled to set in motion go to trial in Tuesday after August after his Mesko rejected indictment last a plea deal February, but the offered by the trial was delayed prosecution to because another reduce his case used up time charge from set aside for the MESKO ’13 first-degree rape Mesko trial. Approximately 100 peoto first-degree sexual abuse, according to court documents. In April 2013, See MESKO page 4