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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 130, No. 82

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 ! ITHACA, NEW YORK

20 Pages – Free

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A panel of professors, industry members and activists weigh in on the pros and cons of fracking. | Page 3

Mark DiStefano ’15 looks forward to the most buzzworthy of Hollywood’s upcoming films. | Page 13

Freshman wrestler Gabe Dean secures an upset win over national champion Ed Ruth. | Page 20

C.U.Involuntary Leave Policy to Stay By ANIKA SETHY Sun Staff Writer

MICHELLE FELDMAN/ SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Reach out | Brochures posted at Gannett Health Center remind students to reach out for help in times of need.

In light of recent debates over the interpretation of federal legislation which dictates whether universities have the power to send home — against their will if necessary — students who pose a direct threat to themselves or others, Cornell will maintain its current policies. Currently, the University has the authority to send students home who act as a disruption to the campus community under University Policy 7.2, which first invites affected students to take a “voluntary leave,” and only after “careful consideration by staff ... is an involuntary leave invoked,” according to Dean of Students Kent Hubbell ’67. In March 2011, the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights changed their interpretation of Title II, interpreting the new regulation as restricting the

options of universities due to a change of the definition of a direct threat to be “a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies,” according to the Department of Justice. However, discussion about the interpretation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act resurfaced after Western Michigan University revised their policies in December, according to Inside Higher Ed. Beginning in 2014, the school may no longer be able to remove students who show suicidal tendencies. In March 2012, Cornell responded to the Title II change by focusing its involuntary leave policy on general community disruption rather than threat-to-self behavior, according to Gregory Eells, associate director of Gannett Health Services and director of Counseling and Psychological Services. See TITLE II page 5

University Launches First MOOC National Public Radio Host

Prof: online platform offers‘more innovative ways’to present material By SOFIA HU Sun Staff Writer

Cornell launched its first massive open online course Monday, the University’s first of four MOOCs to launch this semester. The university’s first MOOC, Astronomy 2290x: Relativity and Astrophysics, is one of

four that Cornell professors have begun to teach this semester. Prof. David Chernoff, astronomy, teaches the online astronomy class in addition to an on-campus class that goes by the same course title. Astronomy 2290x will “explore the powerful and See MOOC page 5

Hashmi ’14 Remembered as‘Dedicated,’ ‘Bright’ added that plans for a commemoration on campus will be made in the next few days. Murphy expressed her conSanya Hashmi ’14 died dolences to the friends and famMonday night after spending ily of Hashmi in her statement. seven days in intensive care at “On behalf of the entire uniCayuga Medical Center, a versity community, I want to University statement said. She extend my deepest condowas 21. lences to Sanya's family and Hashmi, who was a bio“[Hashmi was] very active friends,” Murphy said. logical sciences major in the “Please join me in taking a College of Arts and Sciences, and beloved within the moment to remember Sanya planned to attend medical Cornell Muslim and acknowledge this unforschool after graduation, tunate loss to our communiaccording to a statement community.” ty.” issued Tuesday by Susan Gretchen Ritter ’83 Murphy ’73 Ph.D ’94, vice University resources: president for Student and Members of the Cornell Academic Services. In addition, Hashmi was provided a link for EARS out- community seeking support can “very active and beloved within reach to the Muslim communi- call Gannett Health Services’ Counseling and Psychological the Cornell Muslim communi- ty,” Shortall said. Ritter said those who knew Services (607-255-5155), EARS’ ty,” Gretchen Ritter ’83, dean of the College of Arts and Hashmi “described her as warm peer counselors (607-255-3277), Sciences, said in an email to the and bright with a radiant smile the Faculty Staff Assistance Program (607-255-2673) or Arts and Sciences community. and a cheerful demeanor.” Hashmi’s janazah — or find additional resources at According to Murphy’s statement, Hashmi was also a mem- funeral prayers service — will http://caringcommunity.cornell.edu. ber of the Muslim Educational take place in her hometown, and Cultural Association and a Holmdel, New Jersey, this week, counselor for the Empathy, according to the University Tyler Alicea can be reached at Assistance and Referral Service statement. The University talicea@cornellsun.com. By TYLER ALICEA

Sun Senior Writer

program. Director of EARS, Janet Shortall, said Hashmi took much of her EARS training to her leadership roles within the Cornell Muslim community. “She was an extraordinarily dedicated EARS counselor and

Michele Norris Reflects on Modern Race Relations

By ANUSHKA MEHROTRA Sun Senior Writer

Award-winning journalist and former National Public Radio host Michele L. Norris examined contemporary race relations during a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative lecture Tuesday. Norris — the first AfricanAmerican female to host NPR — said the concept of race is a “thing that divides us but also unites us.” A major theme of Norris’ lecture was for indivudals to have “honest” dialogues regarding race and racism. “People will stay away from a conversation about race rather than risk being called a racist or

A different lens | NPR host Michele Norris lectures on the importance of understanding different points of view in a Sage Chapel lecture Tuesday.

someone who is insensitive,” she said. Norris also encouraged audience members to always “exercise curiosity” to understand different points of views. “We live in a country now where you exist on a media diet that basically confirms or affirms everything you already believe,” she said. Norris added that she is on a mission to encourage Americans to think “differently” about history by challenging previously accepted ideas. “The civil rights movement was fractured,” she said. “They See NORRIS page 4

ANTHONY CHEN / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER


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