INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 132, No. 84
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 ! ITHACA, NEW YORK
12 Pages – Free
News
Arts
Sports
Weather
Up in Arms
No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Baskets of Hope
Clouds HIGH: 25º LOW: 6º
Nancy Gallagher, from the University of Maryland, urges arms control flexibility.
Tim Rehm ’19 discusses why Saoirse Ronon deserves her nomination for Best Actress.
| Page 3
| Page 7
The Cornell men’s basketball team gears up for games against Princeton and Penn this weekend. | Page 12
Provost: Tuition to Increase Four Percent; Need-Blind Aid to End for Int’l Students Students say new policy to favor wealthy applicants By MELVIN LI Sun Staff Writer
Cornell students will see a nearly four-percent rise in tuition next academic year and admissions for international students will soon no longer be need-blind, according to Provost Michael Kotlikoff. International applicants will be admitted on a needaware basis beginning fall 2017 due to insufficient funding for financial aid, according to Kotlikoff, who explained these changes at a forum hosted by the Student Assembly, Thursday. Many students expressed concern that this change would cause the University to favor wealthier international students who are not dependent on aid. “Student opinion has been disregarded,” said Shivang Tayal ’16, international liaison at large to the S.A. “The new policy does favor high-income, rich students over [the most deserving] students. These standards are not [imposed] for domestic students, so why are they for international students?”
MICHELLE FRALING / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Speaking up | DREAM Team, a cause that advocates for the rights of undocumented students, protests at a Thursday forum held by the Student Assembly concerning tuition changes.
Kotlikoff also announced that both endowed and contract non-resident tuition would rise 3.75 percent in the 2016-17 school year, while campus housing and dining costs d both rise two percent. Defending the tuition increase, Kotlikoff said the proposed 2016-2017 tuition would have the lowest percentage increase for the endowed tuition rate since 1965 and
The Syrian situation
the University currently devotes $235 million to financial aid annually and will continue to increase its investments in accessible tuition. “This is not something you hear in the paper often and is not apparent to many people, but in fact, the price of See TUITION page 5
Cornell Scientists Validate Einstein’s Theory of Relativity By MADELINE COHEN
California Institute of Technology and the Virgo group — a collaboration dedicated to studying gravitaCornell professors Saul tional waves — research published Teukolsky, astrotoday in Physical physics, and Review Letters Larry Kidder, reveals findings a s t r o n o m y, that further veriplayed an instrufy Einstein’s themental role in ory, according to the first deteca University tion of gravitapress release. tional waves, a “It’s a really century after big event,” PROF. KIDDER PROF. TEUKOLSKY Albert Einstein Teukolsky said predicted their existence in his theo- in the release. “This is probably the ry of general relativity. Directed by scientists at the See RELATIVITY page 5
Sun Assistant News Editor
MICHAEL DALDER / THE NEW YORK TIMES
Secretary of State John Kerry (right) and Sergei Lavrov (left), the Russian foreign minister, confer yesterday at a session of the International Syria Support Group in Munich.
New Spring Admits Reflect on First Month at Cornell By JEANETTE SI Sun Staff Writer
For the first time in over 10 years, 125 new freshmen arrived at Cornell for spring semester as part of the First-Year Spring Admissions program. As a part of this program, four of the University’s undergraduate colleges — the
Colleges of Agriculture and Life Science, Arts and Sciences, Human Ecology and Hotel Administration — accepted first-year students into the Class of 2019, who began school at Cornell this semester. The FYSA program is a reworking of a similar program called “J Fresh,” which was discontinued after 2003. FYSA was
re-launched as a solution to accommodating the growing number of first-year applicants to the University, according to Jason Locke, associate vice provost for enrollment. ‘Playing Catch-Up’
Saki Wang ’19, a FYSA student, said she initially felt excited and nervous about entering
the program. “I felt a little bit worried at first since we are a very small group of students in this school,” Wang ’19 said. “[But] I also felt excited ... since [being a] spring admit is a rare experience, and I don't know what's ahead of us.” Joshua Goldstein ’19, called being a FYSA a mixed experi-
ence. “Some perks are that I still get to meet new people and try out for different clubs and organizations,” Goldstein said. “There are still chances for you, as a new student, to get involved. “Some drawbacks are trying See FYSA page 5
2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016
Today
DAYBOOK
Friday, February 12, 2016
weather FORECAST
Daybook Today Valentine’s Day Lunch at Okenshields 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Okenshields
Today
Tomorrow
Hi: 25° F Lo: 6° F Mostly Cloudy
Hi: 2° F Lo: -4° F Snow Showers
Quotes of the Week
Prospects for Geothermal Energy in the U.S. and Locally 12:20 - 1:10 p.m., 165 Olin Hall Strong tW Scattering at the LHC 12:30 p.m., 401 Physical Sciences Building Riding the Wave: Characterizing Fluency in Event Processing 3:30 p.m., 202 Uris Hall
Opinion “Do More Than Hate Martin Shkreli,” Monday Speaking about pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli “Martin Shkreli is one interesting dude. I didn’t think I would come across anyone that could garner almost as much hatred as everyone’s favorite blonde-haired, big-mouthed, billionaire presidential candidate, but Shkreli might just prove me entirely wrong.” Hebani Duggal ’18 News, “Graduate Students Criticize College of Business,” Tuesday Speaking about the new College of business “This was definitely a case where it was easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”
Friday Shabbat Dinner 7 p.m., 104! West
Nathaniel Rogers, grad
Tomorrow Cornell Art Faculty 201610 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art Revealed: WPA Murals from Roosevelt Island 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art Tradition, Transmission and Transformation In East Asian Art 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art
News, “Prof Explores Shifting Sides of U.S. Foreign Policy,” Thursday Speaking about the New Hampshire primary election “If you had asked me, or anybody, nine months ago, whether Bernie Sanders would have a chance of winning New Hampshire, we would have laughed and said get yourself to the hospital.” Peter Katzenstein, government
For the Love of Art at the Johnson 1 - 4 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art
The Corne¬ Daily Sun INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
Editor in Chief
Tyler Alicea ’16
ALL DEPARTMENTS
Business Manager
Emma Lichtenstein ’16
(607) 273-3606
Business: For questions regarding advertising, classifieds, subscriptions or delivery problems, please call from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. News: To report breaking news or story ideas, please call after 5 p.m., Sunday-Thursday.
SEND A FAX VISIT THE OFFICE THE SUN ONLINE E-MAIL
News, “Prof Dissects Causes of Political Inequality in Talk,” Wednesday Speaking about inequality in politics “This is going to be — intentionally — a very grim and depressing topic. Right now, I would say things are in a bad mess.” Prof. Benjamin Page, political science, Northwestern University
(607) 273-0746 139 W. State Street, Ithaca, N.Y. www.cornellsun.com sunmailbox@cornellsun.com
Postal Information: The Cornell Daily Sun (USPS 132680 ISSN 1095-8169) is published by THE CORNELL DAILY SUN, a New York corporation, 139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. The Sun is published Monday through Friday during the Cornell University academic year, with three special issues: one for seniors in May, one for alumni in June and one for incoming freshmen in July, for a total of 143 issues per year. Subscription rates are: $137.00 for fall term, $143.00 for spring term and $280.00 for both terms if paid in advance. First-class postage paid at Ithaca, New York. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Cornell Daily Sun, 139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016 3
NEWS
Security Expert Advocates Flexible Arms Control spontaneously emerge,” she said. “You can have the cooperation that you need among like-minded states that have similar values without having legal agreements and having Nancy W. Gallagher, interim director of the Center for implementation bureaucracies.” Gallagher then turned her focus to American foreign International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, stressed the need for more flexible, informal policy, saying that in spite of partisan differences, the and interconnected international arms control policies at Obama and Bush administrations’ arm control policies display many similarities. This resemblance is mostly “due a talk Thursday. Gallagher began the lecture by introducing her book, to circumstances” outside of their control, such as the which highlights the challenges that countries enforcing “Republican control of Congress and fact that Putin has not been a very cooperative arms control face in the curguy,” according to Gallagher. rent political environment. Gallagher emphasized the “I started the [book] during “[Arms control] is too bureaucratic, it’s importance of more substanthe 2008 presidential election, too rigid to fit a rapidly changing tial forms of arms control, as a reaction against the Bush security environment.” such as those implemented administration’s claim that during the Cold War. arms control was an automoNancy W. Gallagher “The fact that we’re not tive relative of the Cold War,” able to make any significant she said. progress on it right now is a Gallagher said that although weapon usage by non-state entities — like ISIL big problem, because we can’t address the security needs and al-Qaeda — is becoming increasingly important, the that we have only through voluntary cooperation,” international community has not acted rapidly to address Gallagher said. “The kinds of cooperation that we can get simply aren’t significant [enough] to make a major impact this dangerous global situation. “Arms control is too slow,” Gallagher said. “It’s too on the measures that we’re facing.” Measures for confronting security issues in arms conbureaucratic, it’s too rigid to fit a rapidly changing security trol in the modern day requires a different approach, environment.” Gallagher added that because of the complicated global according to Gallagher. “We still need arms control, but we need a very differpolitical climate, legal agreements on arms control treaties ent kind of arms control than we practiced during the are unnecessary. “Whenever cooperation is mutually beneficial, it will Cold War,” she said. “[We also need] very different By YUN SOO KIM
Sun Staff Writer
TINA HE / SUN CONTRIBUTOR
Open fire | Nancy W. Gallagher discusses the historical precedent for arms control at a talk Thursday.
processes for trying to get international and domestic agreement on arms control.” Yun Soo Kim can be reached at ykim@cornellsun.com.
C.U.Greenhouse Reopens After Six Years C.U.Climate Experts Prepare Profs say conservatory will benefit plant, student health By MAXWELL DOPSCH Sun Staff Writer
After six years of refurbishment and technological improvement, Cornell’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory Greenhouse reopened Tuesday to the excitement of the Cornell Community. The conservatory is part of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, a center for the study of wild and cultivated plants. Prof. Karl Niklas, plant science, expressed enthusiasm over the conservatory’s reopening. “The most exciting thing for me about the opening of the conservatory is seeing our plant collection brought back together in one place that is accessible to our students yearround,” Niklas said. “Having the ability to walk a few short
steps to use the plants is wonderful.” Niklas noted that the new facility will provide a space where plants can endure the harsh Ithaca winter without the disturbance of being transported inside. “Before the conservatory was rebuilt, we had to transport plants into the Plant Science Building, which was wasteful, tedious and potentially lethal to plants during the winter months,” Niklas said. The close proximity of the greenhouses to the Plant Science Building will enhance the comfort of not only the plants, but also the students who view them, according to Niklas. “[The conservatory] provides a calm, restful and green space even in the dead of winter,” he said. “This has restorative merits when students expe-
rience stress or depression.” The greenhouse maintains temperatures suitable for plants from tropical, subtropical and other various regions, according to the University. It contains over 500 species from almost 80 different families. Niklas said exposure to plant life within the conservatory is valuable to students regardless of their field of study. “We live on a blue planet, but it’s a green world,” he said. “Our students must learn to appreciate the value of plant life in addition to the aesthetics plants give us.” Students should treat the greenhouse the way they would a library, said Niklas. “It must be read and savored and appreciated,” he said. Maxwell Dopsch can be reached at mdopsch@cornellsun.com.
Falling in line
DREW ANGERER / THE NEW YORK TIMES
Congressional representatives endorsing Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) take questions at a Congressional Black Caucus news conference in Washington, D.C. Thursday.
For Unseasonable Winter Say weather changes could harm crop yield By KIMBERLY LEE Sun Staff Writer
Because unseasonably warm winters in the Northeast will become more common, Cornell’s Institute for Climate Change is creating farming weather technology that could prevent crop devastation, according to University climate change experts. This winter is the fourth warmest since 1894, with average temperatures in Ithaca over seven degrees higher than normal, according to Jessica Spaccio, a climatologist at the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Scientists have attributed the warm temperatures to El Niño, a weather pattern that typically occurs every four to six years. However, they are uncertain whether the frequency or intensity of the phenomenon will increase due to climate change, according to Prof. David Wolfe, horticulture. “We can count on a continuation of the trend for warmer winters due to climate change as long as our use of fossil fuels continues,” Wolfe said. “El Niño is a natural cycle that we have little control over, but as a society, moving away from carbon-based fuels and toward renewable energy sources will be key to slowing the pace of climate change.” According to Dr. Allison Chatrchyan, director of the Institute for Climate Change, warmer weather like this one is “an example of what we will see in the future.” Warm winters cause the biggest problem for the fruit and vegetable growers because bulbs bloom in midwinter and cold snaps in the spring can be incredibly damaging for crops,accord-
ing to Chatrchyan. Chatrchyan cited 2012 as a year in which an extreme weather change had a detrimental effect on crops. “Late in the spring, there was a very cold freeze,” Chatrchyan said. “Plants had already [bloomed, causing] millions of dollars of loss to the apple crops.” She predicts that due to climate change, winters like this will become more typical. The Climate Institute is developing technologies to help farmers mitigate the damage that increasingly frequent late season freezes may cause in the future, according to Chatrchyan. “Right now, we’re developing a freeze risk tool for grapes and apples, which will give a projected forecast for the next couple days,” Chatrchyan said. “If there is a potential freeze, [the tool] will give a warning, and farmers can put in place practices to try to prevent loss or damage if they know that’s a risk.” Emma Johnston ’16, Student Assembly Vice President and a member of the Cornell Environmental Collaborative, said the Cornell community can also participate in efforts to reduce the effects of climate change. “We can start by trusting our pretty renowned atmospheric sciences department, [which is] doing research on climate change on its effects on atmospheric cycles,” Johnston said. “We can do more research on the best ways to communicate to the public about the science of climate change and El Niño, which are not always the easiest things to understand.” Kimberly Lee can be reached at kimberlylee@cornellsun.com.
4 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016
NEWS
FYSA Students Talk On Adjusting to C.U. Liaison says spring admit students have quiet orientation, miss out on rush FYSA
Continued from page 1
to fit in with a group of friends, simply because a lot of fall students already have their friend groups.” Wang added that she felt like she was “playing catch-up” to the regularly admitted freshmen. “Psychologically, it somewhat feels like I have been left behind for one semester of schoolwork,” Wang said. “I feel like there are still so many things I don't know about Cornell, so many places I haven’t been to and so many foods I haven’t eaten. But [in the long run], I don't think being a FYSA student makes a great difference, since we are all doing same things in [class].” Orientation Adjustment
Both Wang and Goldstein said spring orientation was very helpful for transitioning into life at Cornell, because they were able to meet both mentors and other spring admits. “I felt more comfortable being with students that I could easily relate to,” Goldstein said. Wang said the small number of FYSA students allowed her to build strong bonds during spring orientation. “A majority of FYSA students got to know each other after the orientation period, and we still sometimes dine together after school start[ed],” she said. Miranda Kasher ’19, a social media liaison for FYSA students, said that although the spring orientation events were well planned, she felt that more could have been done to incorporate the spring admits into the community. “I can say that spring orientation is much more ‘low-key’ than fall orientation,” Kasher said. “There are significantly fewer students to orient and most of the ori-
entation programs are made just for those spring admission students. I know [the Orientation Steering Committee] tried to incorporate current students into some orientation events, but spring orientation still seemed to lack current student involvement.” Kasher added that there were some miscommunications between the University and the FYSA students about the details of spring admission. “For example, the FYSA students were unaware that they would not be able to participate in formal membership recruitment for fraternities and sororities until after they accepted the FYSA offer,” Kasher said. Productive Fall Semesters
In the semester before their arrival at Cornell, spring admits can take classes at another institution or take the semester off, according to Wang. Goldstein said he chose to take classes at a local college so that he can graduate in the spring with the rest of the Class of 2019. Wang said she used her semester to travel. “Starting in spring has provided me with an extra semester to try out lots of different things,” Wang said. “I travelled to various places in China. I also worked as a bartender and bar singer at a bar in Shanghai.” Wang and Goldstein both expressed optimism about their first semester at Cornell, saying they are off to a strong start. “Everything seems to be falling into place, and I am certainly looking forward to the amazing opportunities here on campus,” Goldstein said. Jeanette Si can be reached at jsi@cornellsun.com.
cornellsun.com Michael Moss Author and Investigative Journalist
“A journey into the underbelly of the processed food industry”
Wednesday, February 17, 2016, 4:30PM B25 Warren Hall
“You are your own journalist: the evolving ethics of storytelling”*
Thursday, February 18, 2016, 9:00AM 401 Physical Sciences Building *Attendance limited, register at bit.ly/1nl9OV5
“Panel Discussion: Broccoli, The Alpha Vegetable. Hard-core messaging for healthier eating”
Thursday, February 18, 2016, 2:30PM 401 Warren Hall The Public is Invited
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016 5
NEWS
Profs Help Discover Gravity Waves Students Criticize New RELATIVITY
Continued from page 1
most exciting episode of my professional career.” The gravitational waves scientists detected came from the collision of two black holes far from the galaxy. Einstein predicted the existence of these waves exactly a century ago in 1916, according to the University. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, all matter has a distorting effect on time and space. When incredibly massive objects are disturbed — like in the collision of two black holes — relativity predicts that they can cause ripples or in spacetime, which manifest as gravitational waves. Teukolsky said this success is the culmination of more than 40 years of research, “since I was a graduate student in 1970.” “I started trying to use computers to solve [theoretical relativity] problems in 1980,” he said. General relativity had been modeled by Teukolsky and others, but before the Caltech and Virgo team’s discovery, many astrophysicists doubted it could be detected. However, in Sep. 2015 — soon after the opening of the Laser Interferometer Gravity-Wave
Observatory, which was built specifically for the project — researchers found two black holes orbiting each other at more than half the speed of light and spent months confirming these results, according to the University. The LIGO and Virgo group confirmed that these gravitational waves had come from the collision of black holes by comparing their data with a theoretical model developed at Cornell. Teukolsky and the Cornell-founded Simulation of eXtreme Spacetimes collaboration group have been developing this model since 2000, according to the University. Only in the past 15 years have supercomputers become “powerful enough to tackle [general relativity],” Teukolsky said. Teukolsky credited LIGO and Virgo group, who did the experimentation, for the discovery. “The glory in this discovery goes to the experimenters, who have pulled off an amazing tour de force,” he said.“But it's exciting to have played a role in helping to confirm that the source of the waves is the collision of two black holes.” Madeline Cohen can be reached at mcohen@cornellsun.com.
The sound of contempt
SCHALK VAN ZUYDAM / THE NEW YORK TIMES
South African President Jacob Zuma takes a seat after being repeatedly interrupted by opposition lawmakers while delivering his state of the nation address, Thursday.
Please Recycle this Paper in one of the recycling bins located on the Cornell Campus.
Financial Aid Policy
Call absence of student input an affront to shared governance STUDENT ASSEMBLY Continued from page 1
domestic students in terms of financial aid, under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, according to Kotlikoff. These students were previously classified as international students, which further strained the amount
education has come down dramatically for the lowest three family income quintiles for applying students,” Kotlikoff said. Kotlikoff also discussed controversial changes in policies and their implications for “I’m the first undocumented distribution of financial aid to international and student to walk up here and undocumented students. S.A. President Juliana talk to you. That’s a problem.” Batista ’16 said she was the only student on the Julia Montejo ’17 University faculty committee which voted overwhelming in favor of making the of financial aid available to internew policy for international stu- national students, according to dent financial aid. Kotlikoff. Because Batista was abroad at Julia Montejo ’17 accused the the time, she said she was not able policy of “pitting [international to vote against the policy and no and undocumented students] students were allowed to do so in against each other.” “I’m the first undocumented student to walk up here and talk “There was not a single to you,” Montejo said. “I’ve never met you. That’s a probdean who deferred from lem, because shared governance the [international student is a thing that Cornell was founded on.” financial aid] policy.” Kotlikoff concluded by saying the committee had made an Provost Michael Kotlikoff educated decision on the subject and would continue to her place. monitor the situation. A second vote conducted by “The process has to be thinkthe deans of the University was ing about it, listening to margins, unanimously in favor of the finan- taking notes at the end of the day cial aid changes, according to and making a decision,” Kotlikoff Kotlikoff. said. “That’s what the faculty com“There was not a single dean mittee did, that’s what the deans who deferred from this policy, and did and that’s what the Trustees you can certainly confirm that did.” with them,” Kotlikoff said. The University will also reclas- Melvin Li can be reached at sify undocumented students as mli@cornellsun.com.
A&E
6 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | Friday, February 12, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Love for Everyone: Her Story BY GWENDOLYN AVILES Sun Staff Wrter
The depths of YouTube can be perilous. You may begin by watching “How Star Wars Should Have Ended” videos or clips of Marco Rubio short-circuiting and spouting the same empty phrases in N.H. or a Beyoncé interview on the Oprah show. But one click leads to another and you trip and fall into a compulsive matrix of streamed content you never intended to watch in the first place. That scene of Stefon leads you to Bill Hader’s Saturday Night Live audition, which leads you to every SNL skit ever made, which leads you to cats, which leads you to waffles, which leads you to … cat waffles? (True story.) Despite the toothless material you may encounter on the site, there are nonetheless some videos of high cultural quality – videos that feature linear narratives over an online miniseries format so they’re more accessible to their viewers. The YouTube channel HerStory is one platform for such videos. The team behind the channel has dedicated itself to depicting female-driven experiences, focusing specifically on the stories of trans and queer women. “Who are they? Who are they dating? Where do they meet people?” asks Allie (Laura Zak), one of the show’s characters and a journalist who is interested in writing about trans women. As viewers begin the meta-fictional series, we become invested in answering these questions too, especially when we realize a project like Her Story has never been undertaken before (or if it has, it did not garner major attention). The cast and crew of Her Story are a collective of trans and queer people who funded this project with personal funds and an Indiegogo campaign. And while there has certainly been an uptick in trans and queer representation in the media, much of this representation has been neither appropriate nor effective. Last month, attempts at queer cinema included the horrid Carol — in which Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara shined in their individual roles, but lacked the effervescence and believability to engage viewers in their forced romance — and detestable The Danish Girl – in which Edward Redmayne, a cisgender male, inhibited the role of Lili Elbee, one of the first trans woman to undergo sex reassignment surgery. What’s different about Her Story is its specificity and
W
allegiance to the truth. Jen Richards, the co-writer, co-producer and actress who portrays Vi in the series stated, “Trans women in the media have long been punchlines, killers, indications of urban grit, pathetic tragedies and dangerous sirens. Rarely have they been complex characters who laugh, struggle and grow, who share strength in sisterhood, who seek and find love.” This complexity is evident in Her Story, however, and is what makes the show so appealing. We see developed characters that are not written according to stereotypes. The black trans woman, Paige (Angelica Ross), is not a sex worker, but a highly successful lawyer, suffering from an combination of oppressed identities; she has trouble developing meaningful relationships because “She’s an attorney so she’s more successful than the guys she meets, she’s black, which most guys don’t think they have a problem with until it becomes real, and she’s trans.” Likewise, the story defies queer stereotypes with its exclusion of late-transitioning white trans women, and the plot is not full of urban banalities. That is not to say some trans women do not have these experiences, nor is it to say that the characters featured in Her Story are without their own unique pain and challenges. The series begins with Allie wanting to write an article about the ways in which trans women experience romance and navigate modern dating. The only trans woman she happens to know is Vi, the waitress at a restaurant she frequents. The show, which touches on being a good ally to the trans community, educates us in a way that isn’t didactic or moralistic. Our first teachable moment is when Allie is trying to decide the best way to approach Vi about contributing to her article and wonders, “What’s the best way to ask what someone is?” Vi is uncomfortable with Allie asking her about her identity directly, but says that asking is ultimately “better than assuming.” This very question leads to a burgeoning attraction and ultimately a romance between Allie and Vi, though their relationship is not without obstacles. Throughout the course of the series, we learn that Vi is an escort and lives in an apartment with an abusive man named Mark. Despite focusing on the significant experiences of trans women, Her Story takes a universal approach to modern relationships. How can you best help a friend who is in an abusive relationship and doesn’t want to get out of that relationship? Allie, as would many of us, struggles to
understand how to best help her friend. Similarly, when the man Paige is dating discovers she is transgender, instead of recoiling he responds, “I have a gambling problem, and I’m just trying to understand when would have been the right time to tell you that. When do you disclose that information?” We’re all hiding a piece of ourselves, the parts of us we don’t want to world to know. So the question reverberates in our minds: when is the right time to reveal the parts of you you’ve kept hidden to the person you're dating? At least James’ gambling problem can be hidden. Hiding the fact that you’re transgender is a lot harder. Her Story does a superb job at not allowing the universality of these feelings of misunderstanding to undermine the unique marginalization of the trans women in the series. The dialogue between the characters reads as if it was lifted directly from a diary, so intimate and raw that it could not have been written by someone who did not experience these aggressions and trials firsthand. Anyone can write a caricature; it is the incorporation of subtle details — like Vi being self-conscious about her hands and voice being too masculine and ooking on Craigslist for dates — that differentiates caricature from truth. This mimicry of life is also apparent when Paige is referred to by the incorrect pronoun “he” and Allie is ridiculed for being attracted to a “tranny.” In moments like these, Her Story seems like a great invasion of privacy. There are no histrionic Hollywood gimmicks employed here; there are only women going about their daily lives looking for the love and acceptance we all seek and attempting to be themselves without qualification or shame. Angelica Ross said, “Shows like Her Story can expose the root of the violence, help remove stigma and show it’s OK to find trans people sexually desirable. It’s OK to fall in love with them.” Tacit acceptance is easier than love and, knowing this, I won’t tie the ribbon on this gift of a miniseries and proclaim the finality of Her Story’s influence. But what I can say is that Her Story opens us up to the possibility of love where no love existed before – and that’s more worthwhile than an eight-minute video of a gray cat chomping on some Eggos. Gwendolyn Aviles is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at gfa28@cornell.edu.
On Faking Cultural Knowledge
hen I think about music as a body of work, I think first of the Cortland Street J&R. I remember being 12 years old, standing on a raised landing and gazing over a hall of jewel cases. Due to the recent proliferation of streaming sites, the cavernous music store isn’t an apt description of the music world anymore. A year and a half ago, the Manhattan J&R closed and, long before that, my memory of it faded. In retrospect, I don’t think the store even had a raised landing. But
Shay Collins Morning Bowl of Surreal wandering the main pop/rock hall (jazz, classical and “world” music were relegated to the upstairs) convinced me that comprehensively listening to music was a Sisyphean task. All of my older friends and favorite music critics seemingly listened to more and cooler music than me. I wanted desperately to have a massive body of musical knowledge, but I couldn’t shake the image of rows upon rows of C.D.s. For a while, I simply faked it. I professed to know every band that anyone mentioned. Most of my friends simply wanted to air out their own thoughts and I skated by, thankful that people rarely questioned my knowledge of any particular group. The lying provided me with hollow joy; I got the instant gratification of feeling in the loop without actually being in the loop. In 2013, Jimmy Kimmel created a segment in which one of his reporters asked Coachella-goers about their thoughts on made-up bands. Time after time, the interviewees nervously smiled, squinted behind their sunglasses and praised nonexistent groups. Dr. Shlomo and the G.I. Clinic, Get The Fuck Out of My Pool, The Chelsea Clintons, it didn’t matter — everyone
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
swore they knew every band. The sun-kissed concertgoers deployed the same excuses as me: my friends say they’re great, I’ve been meaning to listen to them, I think I’ve heard of them. Over time, I thought of my pretending less as a lie and more as a tactic to keep conversations flowing. At my worst, I didn’t even realize that I was lying. I unthinkingly afforded half-baked praise to any band name that someone mentioned. Fun fact: despite reflecting a lot on faking musical knowledge to write this column, I still instinctively pretended to know a band just this past week! Over time, however, my anxiety over being called out and my apathy towards other people’s opinions about me both grew. When I started college, I also started owning up to my myopic taste in music, books and movies. I did not, however, immediately pivot to immersing myself in art and pop culture. Instead of professing to have seen The Martian or read Infinite Jest, I just learned the bare minimum about them through the Internet. Wikipedia became my crutch; I enjoyed reading synopses far more than watching two-hour movies. Rather than spending my dutiful hours in movie theatres, C.D. stores and galleries, I read articles by people who did. My way of talking to other people about media changed too. When people asked if I had seen a given movie, I most often replied, “Nah, but I get the references.” Without realizing it, I tumbled into an uncanny parallel universe of art consumption. I increasingly knew the plots of movies that I never bothered to watch. I could talk extensively about the relationships between bands whose music I had never heard. My crisis of faith occurred once I started writing regularly about music. Growing up with dial-up Internet in the middle of a dense forest, I justified my erratic consumption style with my inability
to access all the music I wanted to hear. I was stuck in the preSpotify era without the high-speed Internet or technical knowhow to torrent music. Yet with subscriptions to Kanopy and Spotify, my preference for summaries over details is a vestige of a part of my life I long ago left. Loading up with synopses and other people’s opinions was more honest than lying, but just as lazy. Thus, I decided to start owning the gaps in my cultural references. The decision had polar-opposite consequences. On one hand, I started flaunting my profound ignorance about hailed works. I loved seeing people squirm when I admitted that I had never seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies, or that I could barely name more than four Rolling Stones songs. I reveled in the middle school contrarianism of looking at the pop-culture canon and snottily shrugging. At the same time, admitting my fear of lagging behind trends and references freed me to actually delve into the music, movies and art in which I was so interested. After all, I never derived full, proper pleasure from stacking up empty references and Wikipedia knowledge. I grew to understand that knowing nothing about a THE NEW YORK TIMES vast field of art isn’t a personal failing, but an opportunity to learn. Despite all of my anxietyproducing philosophizing about a Biblioteca total-conception of music, I never considered the desolation and boredom of a world in which I had heard music in its totality. To conclude with an admission, I delved into the music of only one band this past week — Don Caballero. In a world of millions of bands, I threw myself into one, but I fully, passionately enjoyed it. Shay Collins is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at scollins@cornellsun.com. Morning Bowl of Surreal appears alternate Fridays this semester.
A&E
Friday, February 12, 2016 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | 7
Romance and the American Dream in Brooklyn VIVID PERFORMANCES ANCHOR THIS PORTRAIT OF IMMIGRANT LOVE BY TIM REHM Sun Contributor
In the midst of a controversial Oscar season, one that is plagued by criticism for its lack of diversity, we can assure ourselves of one thing — Saoirse Ronan deserves her place as an Academy Nominee for Best Actress in a Lead Role, for her gripping performance as timid Irish immigrant Eilis (AY-lish) Lacey in John Crowley’s Brooklyn. The film, based off Colm Tóibín’s novel of the same name, centers on Eilis and her voyage to the gilded United States — specifically Brooklyn — during the 1950s. Eilis lives in an Irish boarding house, shared with other immigrants and owned by the cheerfully senile Mrs. Kehoe (Barbara Walters) and works at a highend department store. As she settles in, emotional turmoil ensues and the transition of leaving her sister, Rose, and her mother proves to be almost unbearable. It’s at this point of weakness that she’s intercepted by charismatic and stereotypically Italian Tony (Emory Cohen), who inevitably becomes her cross-cultured love interest. Without giving away essential plot details, Eilis finds herself back in Ireland and becomes enamored with young, matured Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson) — which renders her torn, yet again, overseas. This seemingly simple plot is transformed from a banal romantic Lifetime movie into a moving story that delves into the struggle of immigration as an opportunity to seize the American Dream. The cast is complex, relatable yet perfectly flawed. Ronan brings Eilis Lacey to life and breaks through the bleak life of an immigrant with her bright-colored outfits, which contrast the chilling Brooklyn winter. Her soft-spoken Eilis is a strong woman, commended as “sensible” by her landlady Mrs. Kehoe and bound for success due to her work with American bookkeeping at Brooklyn College. Yet despite these traits, it is her vulnerabili-
ty that shifts her from an interesting character to a dynamic, three-dimensional individual. Being reserved and quiet served as a cloak for her grief over leaving her family, yet when her relationship with Tony begins, Eilis’ moods parallel her outfits — cheery and uplifting. Any good actor can take a character and make him/her choke up tears or explode with anger or give a convincingly joyous smile, but it takes real talent to craft a vulnerable, imperfect person with clouded intentions and masked emotions beyond the scope of the dialogue. There, we see the t r u e essence of
where home is — overseas with the one you love or in the place you’ve grown up. Besides Ronan’s masterfully elegant performance,
Italian whose family has ambivalent feelings towards the Irish and who is thoroughly committed to Eilis was nothing but refreshing to watch. Cohen, not recognized by the Academy, uses a quite persuasive Italian accent with a hint of Brooklyn to establish himself as not only a minor character that helps Eilis adapt to American lifestyle, but also as an intricate person, riddled with the external pressure of seeking out success despite coming from a family of Italian immig r a n t s . Alongside
COURTESY OF FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
why Ronan’s portrayal of Eilis Lacey is convincing, moving, and most importantly, real. Brooklyn tells a story that plays with the sentimental notion of
I was happily surprised by the innocent and candid person brought to life by Emory Cohen as Eilis’ first love interest, Tony. The dynamic of playing an
Cohen, Gleeson continues his dominant 2015 for playing potential homewrecker Jim Farrell. Gleeson’s run is one of the most remarkable of any
actor last year, with wondrous performances in Brooklyn, Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His presence is definitely felt, for his eloquent dialogue and respectable behavior forges a genuinely likeable character, which didn’t feel right since he was playing spoiler in Eilis and Tony’s relationship. I, like Eilis, actually forgot about Tony during a few scenes towards the latter half of the movie. Cohen and Gleeson are both undeniably bona fide young men, leaving the viewer puzzled as to how the movie would end. Although the movie’s characters are brilliantly cast and the movie’s plot is engaging, the film won’t necessarily keep you on the edge of your seat. The plot thickens towards the last third and has no car chases or explicit pejoratives and very little — to be blunt — loud noises, but it plays out like the novel from which Brooklyn is adapted. Brooklyn’s soulful, candid and periodically witty screenplay, written and adapted by Nick Hornby, resonated with the commandingly somber score put together by Michael Brook. With these advantages and the quiet and powerful cast, Brooklyn manifests itself as one of the best movies of 2015. Saoirse Ronan’s perplexingly real performance will likely get her smelling Oscar gold, with Brie Larson in her way. Yet immersed by the antiquated 1950s costume design, the character’s dialogue brings this film into excellence and into the group of Nominees for Best Picture. The likelihood of Brooklyn claiming top gun on Feb. 28 is more of a longshot if anything, as its plot may seem slow and less momentous than its stronger counterparts such as The Revenant and Spotlight. Nonetheless, Brooklyn is a sincere tale that deftly delves into the realms of homesickness and nostalgia. It deserves its recognition as a potential Best Picture thanks to its gracefully elegant story and should be fully absorbed and appreciated. Tim Rehm is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at tdr43@cornell.edu.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS: Presidents Day Break Deadlines DISPLAY ADVERTISING DEADLINES: Thursday, February 11 at 3:00 p.m. for the Wednesday, February 17 issue. Friday, February 12 at 12 noon for the Thursday, February 18 issue. CLASSIFIEDS DEADLINE: Thursday, February 11 at 2:30 p.m. for the Wednesday, February 17 issue. The Sun’s Business Office will close at noon on Friday, February 12. We will reopen Wednesday, February 17 at 9:00 a.m.
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
139 W. State Street • Ithaca, NY 14850 • 607-273-3606
OPINION
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
Ruth Weissmann | A Word to the Weiss
On Giving Up
Independent Since 1880 133RD EDITORIAL BOARD TYLER ALICEA ’16 Editor in Chief
EMMA LICHTENSTEIN ’16
ANNIE BUI ’16
Business Manager
Managing Editor
SLOANE GRINSPOON ’17
LOUIS LIU ’18
Associate Editor
Advertising Manager
AMBER CHEN ’16
ANNA FASMAN ’16
NATALIE TSAY ’18
KIKI LI ’17
Web Editor
Sports Editor
Multimedia Editor
Blogs Editor
BRITTNEY CHEW ’17
JAYNE ZUREK ’16
News Photography Editor
Design Editor
SOFIA HU ’17
MICHAELA BREW ’18
News Editor
Sports Photography Editor
JAEL GOLDFINE ’17
GABRIELLA LEE ’16
Arts & Entertainment Editor
News Editor
MIKE SOSNICK ’16
NOAH RANKIN ’16
EMILY JONES ’18
REBECCA BLAIR ’17
MADELINE COHEN ’18
PAULINA GLASS ’18
PHOEBE KELLER ’18
TROY SHERMAN ’18
Science Editor
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Assistant News Editor
Dining Editor
Assistant News Editor
Assistant News Editor
Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor
Assistant News Editor
JOON LEE ’17
ADAM BRONFIN ’18 Assistant Sports Editor
Assistant Sports Editor
SHANE LEWIS ’18
SAMANTHA BRIGGS ’16 Assistant Design Editor
Assistant Sports Editor
WORKING ON TODAY’S SUN SPORTS DESKER PHOTO DESKER DESIGN DESKERS NIGHT DESKER
Anna Fasman ’17 Michelle Fraling ’16 Jayne Zurek ’16 Tyler Breitfeller ’16 Josh Girsky ’18
EDITORS IN TRAINING EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR NEWS DESKER ARTS DESKER COPY EDITOR
Sofia Hu ’17 Phoebe Keller ’18 Paulina Glass ’18 Madeline Cohen ’17 Stephanie Yan ’18 Max von Zile ’18 Joon Lee ’17
the berry patch
WHERE ARE THE COOL KIDS HANGIN’ OUT?
The days are long, the classes boring and the weather abysmal. With Dunbar’s closed and Chapter House under reconstruction, kids these days don’t have much a place to make merry anymore. The festivities are moving from the popular Collegetown establishments to new watering holes elsewhere. We sent our intrepid Berry Patch reporters into the chilly winter to figure out where students these days can catch a break from schoolwork with a pint of beer. Here are the new club scenes that they found. Okenshield’s: With an always-stocked salad bar station and large windows providing an unparalleled vista of people struggling up Libe Slope, who wouldn’t want to turn up in this Central Campus dining hall? Serving you all the hits of the early 2000s, Happy Dave already has the club music covered. Carpenter Hall: This building is perfectly poised at the edge of the Engineering Quadrangle and ready to serve the community that needs it most — hardworking engineers up at 4:30 a.m.. Open every hour of the day, Carpenter presents the stellar combination of florescent lights, squeaky chairs and a water fountain. Johnny O’s: Oh wait, wrong era. Whoops! Jack’s Grill: At this burger shack, you can order drinks and fries. You can enjoy your beer and a burger. It’s a revolutionary take on the traditional night out.
M
y Italian art teacher is an older or filing taxes. Across the Atlantic, by my man with a receding hairline humble observation, people choose an and his flannel shirt untucked. industry not based on salary or potential He’s a Fulbright scholar with the person- for career advancement, but for true love al style of a hobo. We are 12 college stu- of the work. There seems to be far fewer dents with previously-purchased black people itching to ride the corporate consketchbooks and no prior knowledge of veyor belt. technical drawing. Nevertheless, we will While I can protest all I want to the be released into the city to draw the money-driven corporate culture in our sculptures and statues. Gesticulating country, I still have to get a real job very wildly with a 2B pencil, he tells us, “I soon. I’m not sufficiently musically talneed you to give up.” ented to make it as a street performer, Give up. Forget everything you think and I am not the heir to any small foryou know, he says. When you’re a begin- tune. I have no idea what I want to do ner, you aren’t holding on to the arro- with my life — none at all — but every gance of knowing how to do something. chilly Ithaca wind whispers at me to do You don’t have a pre-existing idea of how more, to be more, to make a decision and things are supposed to look. There are no just leap. It’s the grin-and-bear-it school expectations, there is nobody to impress. of life, nudging me toward a safe job He’d rather we give up, let our minds after graduate that I would trudge to open and see what we create. No stan- each day, filling up my tiny cubicle with dards. No pressure. “Just bring an enthu- the things I could have been, if I had siasm for the task,” he finishes, arms given myself more time. waving, “and see what So I instead, I happens.” choose to give up. What’s this got to do When you give up, Whatever I do, I with you? Everything. you get to relearn You’re at Cornell what you want. choose not to be University where the Maybe I’ll go to bored with my own Europe after graduafollowing message is pounded into your head tion and spend a life. There’s no at every career fair, in semester as an every group project, tutor. Maybe reason that, in our English and with every internI’ll be a ski instrucship opportunity email: tor. Maybe I’ll go to early 20s, we fake it ‘til you make it. graduate school to should feel any The old American tralearn about philosodition. You don’t know phy. Whatever I do, pressure to be what you’re doing, but I choose not to be go along with the pack. anything less than bored with my own Join a few good clubs, life. There’s no reabeef up your resume exactly who we want. son that, in our early and smile confidently twenties, we should during job interviews. feel any pressure to Follow your friends to the city after grad- be anything less than exactly who we uation to work for a start-up. Live in an want. overpriced apartment above a bodega Of course, not everyone is in this until you get that promotion. The exam- position. Some of you lucky suckers have ple is a tad hyperbolic, but you get the gotten jobs you’re thrilled to begin or are idea. You know what I mean because you headed to graduate programs in exciting can see it around you. There is an intense new cities. But to the others, the ones pressure at Cornell to get a high-profile who are headed down a path they aren’t internship, to get into a top medical quite sure they love: don’t be afraid to school and to live up to the pomp and give up. Don’t fake it; you don’t have to circumstance of an Ivy League education. be doing what you want right now. Give You must be successful; the rat race is up the quest to do what you’re supposed calling. to, and let the universe rush in. Give up, Abroad, I’ve noticed that success isn’t and you’re allowed to do anything. measured the same way it is in America. My art teacher hovers over our shoulA career doesn’t consume one’s life the ders, watching us construct poorly drawn way it does at home. In the U.S., success sketches of the still life in front of us. My is a good, top-tier job with a 401K. It’s a drawing looks like something the parents house with a two-car garage and an of a 4 year old would hang on a refrigerannual salary with which you can take ator. As a child, you’re told you can be your kids to Disneyland. It’s measured in anything you want to be. Call me crazy, a bank account, and work is but a means but I think we are still children. to gaining success. Your whole life will revolve around this job, but it doesn’t Ruth Weissmann is a junior in the College of Agriculture Life Sciences. She can be reached at matter if you love it. It’s something that and raw287@cornell.edu. A Word to the Weiss appears has to be done, like going to the dentist alternate Fridays this semester.
WANT TO WEIGH I N ? SUBMIT LETTERS OR OPINION COLUMNS TO OPINION@CORNELLSUN.COM
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016 9
OPINION
Noelani Gabriel | Guest Room
The Limits Of Dialogue For pissed off students who have considered transferring when dialogue isn’t enuff
L
ast week, our campus had the pleasure of hosting three activists from the Black Lives Matter Network, one of the many organizations and groups engaged in the Black Lives Matter movement. I left feeling inspired to imagine more radical possibilities for our world and particularly for our campus community. As someone who collaborated with many students in the fall to deliver a working list of demands to the university president and as someone who was moved by the actions of students all over the country, I had to reflect deeply on my own activism. Are we demanding the right things? Are we using the right strategies? The answer is yes and no. It is always yes and no. There is no way for us to know at any point in time if what we are doing will have the desired effect, but we can be sure of what is in our hearts. Janya, Alicia and Opal all advocated for an activism rooted in love. I love being a Cornell student. I love being a queer Black woman. I love my community. And loving these things means that I must expect the best of my institution, myself and my community, always. And as I reflect on the events of semesters past, I come to one resounding conclusion: We have been far too easy on you, Cornell. Let me offer an analogy. Cornell
from all kinds of groups and expect them to never experience conflict, to never say something wrong or to immediately recognize their power and privilege. And that is why Cornell should offer a “diversity requirement.” If you’re ever confused about why students of color or queer and trans* students or any other marginalized group does not believe this university when they say they care about us, think about the symbolism of this analogy. It is clearly important to Cornell that you know how to keep yourself from drowning, but it is not important that you be able to understand when your peers are drowning next to you. Again, I say: We have been far too easy on you, Cornell. The same administration that told us it would take time to get this done, that reminded us the CALS diversity requirements took 15 years to institute and dropped the news about the College of Business over winter break the way Beyoncé dropped the promo for her newest World Tour: out of nowhere. We see through it, we are not fooled. I remember thinking after our demonstration in Trillium last semester that it was not enough. Maybe we should have occupied Day Hall. Maybe we should have protested relentlessly. Maybe we should have been more disruptive. I feel as though we are being sucked into the neverending, resistance suffocating, pacify-
We should not have to be calm or quiet in order to be heard. Disruption is not an act of violence, silence is. students are expected to learn how to swim before they graduate. Many of these students have never swum a day in their lives either because they were never taught or because they just did not encounter a pool or a beach. Many more are afraid to swim or feel uncomfortable in the water. We come to Cornell with varying levels of experience with swimming. Still, we are all expected to learn how and prove that we can make it from one end of the pool to the other. Of course, you cannot throw someone who cannot swim into a pool and expect them to just float. You have to meet them where they are, and that is why the university offers swimming courses. This requirement is clearly a priority for the university because you will not graduate if you do not pass the swim test. Similarly, many students arrive at Cornell having never met a person of color. Many more have encountered people of color but were not taught anything of value about them or were not taught healthy ways of dealing with people from different backgrounds. More are afraid of or uncomfortable around queer or trans* people, Muslim people, undocumented immigrants, people of color, etc. We all come to Cornell with varying levels of experience with other cultures and backgrounds. There is no reason why students should come to this university afraid, averse or unaware of others’ lives and experiences and leave the same way. Of course, you cannot throw someone into an environment with people
ing cycle of “dialogue” once again. Dialogue will only get you so far. As someone who sees herself as a student and participant of the Black Radical Tradition, I know that action is not necessary for survival. To paraphrase the title of a popular book, “that dialogue stuff can get you killed.” Aiyana Stanley-Jones was not even given the chance to engage in a dialogue when she was killed in her sleep. Tamir Rice couldn’t even get a word out in the two seconds it took for cops to execute him on his neighborhood playground. Penny Proud’s voice was snuffed out on the streets of New Orleans. Sandra Bland tried dialogue and look what happened to her. I’m sure Trayvon Martin’s parents would have loved for George Zimmerman to approach their son and ignite a conversation over Thai food and seltzer water. My grandmother has a saying, “It is better to be pissed off, than pissed on.” As members of this community, we have a responsibility to always push, to always pressure it to be better. Our activism must be rooted in love, but it does not have to be void of anger and passion. We should not have to be calm or quiet in order to be heard. Disruption is not an act of violence, silence is. Silence will not protect us. Repetitive dialogue will not protect us. It never has, and it never will. Noelani Gabriel is a senior in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at ncg28@cornell.edu. Guest Room appears periodically this semester.
Web
Comment of the day “Assuming this was a blatant violation of university by-laws, will the Faculty Senate file suit to overturn this decision and seek a temporary restraining order to freeze everything until proper arguments can be heard?” Concerned Alumni Re: “Faculty Say Bylaws Forbid Admins to ‘Circumvent’ Senate” News February 11, 2016
Jeremiah Grant | Gates & Ladders
How Will You Change the World? L
ast weekend, I attended the 2016 Black Biomedical Technical Association Conference entitled “Disparities in Access and Distribution of Healthcare.” The conference showcased phenomenal M.Ds, Ph.D.s, D.O.s and public health leaders from across the country and united students from all across N.Y. state. During my time there I decided to listen in on a workshop called “Case Study” with John P. Mitchell, M.D., arts ’69, one of the numerous speakers at the gathering. The talk was geared towards students on the medical track. However, halfway through the presentation the profile of a real anonymous student popped up. The Cornellian was an underclassman deciding on what he wanted to major in. I smiled as I saw among the top choices on the list were the words, “Africana Studies Major.” The panel of speakers then proceeded to assert that being a premedical student and being an Africana major is beneficial and looked favorably upon when applying to medical school. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to major in human biology health and society, chemistry or biology in order to be pre-med. For once I was impressed that someone acknowledged the versatility of the major, and that one can still keep one’s agency. In his speech on the purpose of education, Martin Luther King Jr. remarked, “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.” I believe King’s philosophy was revolutionary for his era because it theorized education as more than just a singular endeavor. His ideal challenged the idea that the degree you receive should translate into a strictly financial actualization that goes up and down during the turn of the markets. It saw education as the tool for change not only in the life of the person who receives the education but
everyone who surrounds that person. It reimagines the educational curriculum as a blueprint for social change as opposed to monetary rewards. It does not have to ask the question, “How will you change the world?” because it already assumes that you have taken the first steps to changing the world and that means working on oneself. The true purpose of education becomes the catalyst for character King goes on to say, “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” When E.Q. meets I.Q., one truly gains higher education. Too often Cornellians get stuck in the mindset that their degree is an ever appreciating and depreciating piece of paper that like the dollar, rises and falls with the market. For those students in the humanities, having to answer the question, “What do you plan to do with that major?” comes with a bit of discomfort. The discomfort does not arise from not being able to give an answer, but rather an awareness that the listener has never theorized the potential of your field of study. It is a discomfort of knowing that your field of study is being implied to have less utility, applicability and real-world potential as opposed to that of another. After I became an Africana Studies major, I was met with two questions. The first was, “What college is that in?” The correct answer is the College of Arts and Sciences. The second one, “What can you do with that major?” For this, the receiver expects a simple answer, a simple truth, a simple, easy-to-digest answer that you can give them that will reveal the next 25 years of your life. Herein lies the problem. Everyone knows days wants simple answers. However, taking more courses in your major and studying for days on end teaches you that the world is not a simple place and the
largest problems of our day do not have simple answers. We cannot pill pop our way to the truth because sometimes the truth hurts. Sometimes the truth requires more than just overtaking off a bandage — but undergoing surgery without anesthesia, laughing gas nor comic relief. The semester I declared my major in Africana Studies, I began to see what you gain that no money can buy from an education. I was forced to question not just how I will the change the world with my education, but what does it mean to be a critical thinker? You gain the ability to think about the theories, governing principles and invisible bylaws that govern your life and the lives of those around you. You gain the ability to look into the mirror and not be afraid of the image that looks back at you. You gain the ability to move in the direction that you believe secures a future for yourself where you are able to use the knowledge of your Ivy League education for something larger than you. You gain the vocabulary to speak out against injustice and intersectional systems of oppression. You gain the ability to craft out your own blueprint for your life, cultivating your own unique lens from which you view the world. You begin to see Africana Studies as the study of humanity and the human condition over time through philosophy, medicine, physics, cosmology, economics, gender, religion, agricultures, law and everything else in between. A true education in an institution of higher education asks more than “how will you change the world?” With a better understanding of the true purpose of education according to King, we realize that sometimes changing the world requires first growing our character. Jeremiah Grant is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. Jeremiah can be reached at jg856@cornell.edu. Gates & Ladders appears alternate Fridays this semester.
10 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Item in a ’60s drug bust 7 Marshal Tito, for one 11 Friendly address 14 Make effervescent 15 Queen’s place 16 Move on water 17 Generic City Hall dog? 19 Caustic chemical 20 __ Toy Barn: “Toy Story 2” setting 21 Japanese volcano Mount __ 22 Guzzle 24 Half a prison? 26 Suffix for professionals 28 Toon who often wore a Metallica T-shirt 29 Why some seek a certain cactus? 32 Bacchanal vessel 33 Rested 34 Choler 35 Essay on meditation? 39 Arboreal critter 41 “__ believer!” 42 Icon with a curved arrow 45 Eschew medical attention? 49 Certify 50 LAX stat 51 “Let her not say __ that keep you here”: “Antony and Cleopatra” 53 Language from which “julep” is derived 54 Centrifuge site 56 Rosamund’s “Gone Girl” co-star 57 Green beginning? 58 Fighter whose stock greeting affects 17-, 29-, 35- and 45Across 63 However, to texters 64 __ dixit 65 Shape, as dough for cloverleaf rolls 66 Strong desire 67 Lacking a date 68 Adam, of the “Bonanza” brothers
37 Global financial 47 Alternative to de DOWN org. Gaulle 1 Holy men who 38 Tournament 48 Buster who turn prayer elimination portrayed Flash wheels point Gordon 2 Cousteau’s 39 Diplomatic case 52 Uncalled for concern 40 55 Canaanite Dutch landowner 3 Oxymoronic in colonial deity skiing condition America 59 Decide 4 All43 Court action 60 Lee side: Abbr. encompassing 44 Bony 61 Cooper’s concept 45 __ pin creation 5 Gillette brand 46 Pluto’s Egyptian 62 Honorary legal 6 “Empress of the counterpart deg. Blues” Smith 7 “The Tudors” sta. ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 8 Actress Tyler 9 GPS datum 10 Frost output 11 Eponymous South American leader 12 Beamish? 13 Warning words 18 Upbeat 23 “Obviously, right?” 25 Their colour is affected by melanin 27 Fare on a flat tortilla 28 __ test 30 Master 31 Roofing sealer 36 One of a biblical trio 02/12/16 xwordeditor@aol.com
Sun Sudoku
COMICS AND PUZZLES
Puzzle #606
Fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the numbers 1-9 exactly once. Each number in the solution therefore occurs only once in each of the three “directions,” hence the “single numbers” implied by the puzzle’s name. (Rules from wikipedia.org/wiki /Sudoku)
The Lawn
CLASSIFIED AD RATES Ads are accepted at The Sun’s office at 139 W. State Street downtown, by phone or e-mail. Deadline: 2:30 p.m. at The Sun’s office on the day preceding publication. Monday’s deadline: Friday, 2:30 p.m. at The Sun’s office.
Standard Rate: $3.40 per day for first 15
words, 32 cents per day per word thereafter. Five or more consecutive insertions, $3.15 per day for first 15 words, 30 cents per day per word thereafter.
Commercial Rate: $5.20 per day for first 15 words, 33 cents per day per word thereafter. Five or more consecutive insertions, $5.00 per day for first 15 words, 31 cents per day per word thereafter. The Sun is responsible for only one day makegood on ads.
273-3606
by Liz Popolo ’08
classifieds@cornelldailysun.com
3 N OTICES REHUMANIZE YOURSELF W/THE DIVINE SCIENCE THAT IS BIKRAM'S YOGA UNLIMITED SEMESTER $400 ONCE / LIFETIME INTRO: 10 DAYS IN A ROW UNLIMITED FOR $20 CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? CALL COW-YOGA (269-9642) www.bikramithaca.com
23 PARKING Parking Assigned Spaces Central Collegetown
607-272-3000 www.ithacarenting.com Ithaca Renting Company 119 Dryden Road By Jeffrey Wechsler ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Classic Doonesbury (1986)
02/12/16
by Garry Trudeau
PARKING COVERED AND UNCOVERED 607-272-3389
25 ROOMS FOR RENT 1 Room in 2 BR Unit 320 Dryden Rd New bldg, fitness center, elevator, nice furniture, AC. Free laundry. $1095 includes, water, furniture. nick@lambrourealestate.com or 607-256-3778 office
Mr. Gnu
by Travis Dandro
ROOMS Available Now, Spring and Fall Heart of Collegetown and Lower Collegetown ithacastudentapartments.com collegetownterraceithaca.com 607.277.1234 Sage Apartments Historic 2 and 3 Bedroom Apartments Skylit with Winding Staircases to Lofts and Cathedral Ceilings Quiet, Clean, Well Maintained For More Info Call 607-277-1234 ithacastudentapartments.com
Mr. Gnu featuring Quartered Carl
by Travis Dandro
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT Rent Now At 2015 Rates for 2016 Move In! Brooklane Apts. 1 Bd. at North Campus. Free Parking, laundry on premises. Limited availability for 2016. 607-257-5444
Nicest Apts. in Collegetown Located on Eddy St. 3 or 4 Bedrooms Fully furnished. Spacious living areas with large bedrooms & closets. Hardwood floors, spectacular views, eat-in kitchens with additional sun rooms. Laundry & parking.
607-339-1137
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, February 12, 2016 11
SPORTS
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT
Central Collegetown Apartments, Houses, Parking Superb Panoramic Views Modern Elevator Buildings
Collegetown Center:
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT
2016-2017 College Ave. 6 Bedroom Apartment
HEART OF COLLEGETOWN
UNBELIEVABLE PRICES COLLEGE AVENUE
2 full baths, non-coin washer/dryer, Free Internet, free water. Call 607-319-6416
Collegetown Plaza: Fitness Room, fantastic Cayuga Lake Views Studio, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 BRs. Parking.
26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT
PJ APARTMENTS Collegetown
RAVENWOOD WEST CAMPUS
Concierge Service, quiet building, Fitness Room Studio, 1, 2 BRs. Parking.
Studios to Large Houses
Collegetown Court:
www.pjapts.com pjapartments@gmail.com
4 bedroom/2 bath! Fully furnished w/big Screen TV Dishwasher/microwave Laundry on Site Parking available On bus route www.travishyde.com 607 273-1654
Many New Beautiful Renovations Completed.
GRAD, FACULTY + STAFF
Super convenient, exceptional value Studio, 1, 3, 4, 5 BRs Rent Smart. Live Well.
607-272-3000
607-229-5116
Office at: 119 Dryden Road
Westview Terrace
www.ithacarenting.com
North Campus 1 and 2 Bedrooms w/storage washer/dryer, dishwasher, A/C
College Ave. 5 Bedroom
Free parking, internet included
Fully furnished. Large bedrooms with walk in closets. Laundry & parking.
607-339-1137
Collegetown Crossing College Ave's Newest Location 307 College Ave. Now Leasing for 2016-2017 Completely New Studios, 2, 3 & 4 Bedroom Apartments. Fully furnished, heat & hot water included. Rental office at 226 Linden Ave. www.collegetowncrossing.com 607-330-2442 info@urbanithaca.com
Dryden South Now Leasing for 2016-17. 4 bed, 2 bath suites, generous floor plans. Fully furnished, Safe, Monitored, Private. Floors 2-5 $1190 on a ten month lease, 6th floor penthouse $1390 ten month lease. www.DrydenSouth.com
We have availability for 2016 spring semester at Hudson Heights Apartments. The studio apartments located on a bus route and a 25 minute walk to Cornell come with heat, water, electricity and free parking, included in the rent. Garbage and recycling are on the premise, and coin-operated laundry is available on-site for your use. Prices start at $720/month. If you have any questions or would like to take a tour of an apartment email: renting@ithacals.com or call 607-280-7660.
Beautiful Five Bedroom Apartment Lower Collegetown Original woodwork throughout the house. Huge bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, washer/dryer, fully furnished. Available 8-5-16. $525.00 per person plus utilities.
Certified Properties of TC Inc 607-273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com Collegetown Terrace Apartments Available now and for Spring Semester! Rooms, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments to share. Heat, hot water and high speed wireless internet included. Free State of the Art Fitness Center Covered parking available for a fee. Novarr-Mackesey Property Management www.collegetownterraceithaca.com office@ithacastudentapartments.com 607.277.1234
Houses, Apts, Parking 1 to 10 Bedroom Collegetown - College Ave, Linden Ave, Dryden Rd, Bryant Ave, Cook St. 607-330-2442 info@urbanithaca.com www.urbanithaca.com
8 Bedroom Last Collegetown Unit 607-330-2442 info@urbanithaca.com www.urbanithaca.com
PETS WELCOME!
www.travishyde.com rabele@travishyde.com TRAVIS HYDE PROPERTIES “The Rental Company of Choice”
Westview / Westview Terrace Lakeland / Edgecliff Gateway Commons / Cayuga Fall Haven / Westminster Center Ithaca / Lake Street 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments www.travishyde.com 607 273-1654
GRAD, FACULTY + STAFF
Westview
North Campus Studio, 1 and 2 bedrooms Parquet hardwood floors Fireplaces, dining rooms and lots of closets! Heat and hot water included
www.travishyde.com rabele@travishyde.com NORTH CAMPUS
BEAUTIFUL 2 BEDROOM GREAT COLLEGETOWN LOCATION NEW RENOVATION. $850 PP. INCLUDES PARKING & UTILITIES. 607-229-5116 WWW.PJAPTS.COM
LAKELAND
2, 3 and 4 bedrooms Fully furnished TV and dishwasher Heat, hot water, gas internet included! Pets Welcome! On bus route parking available
www.travishyde.com rabele@travishyde.com NORTH CAMPUS
RAVENWOOD WEST CAMPUS 5 bedroom Townhouse Fully furnished w/big Screen TV Dishwasher/microwave Laundry on Site Parking available On bus route www.travishyde.com 607 273-1654
QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, CONVENIENT! Furnished 1–3 Bedroom Collegetown & Lake Apts. PARKING, LAUNDRY, UTILITIES! 607-273-7368 www.IthacaApartmentRental.com
New bldg, fitness center, elevator, nice furniture, AC. $1125 includes heat, water, furniture. nick@lambrourealestate.com or 607-256-3778 office
1 Studio Apartment 309 Eddy St New bldg, fitness center, elevator, nice furniture, AC. From $1450 includes heat, water, furniture. nick@lambrourealestate.com or 607-256-3778 office
1BR Cottage 125 Eddy St Cute mini 1BR-house, nice furniture, AC. $1195 Aug-Jun Lease (10-mo.) includes water, trash pick-up. nick@lambrourealestate.com or 607-256-3778 office
North Campus 3 Bedroom Apartments On Site Laundry www.ithacastudentapartments.com 607.277.1234
Studios Fully furnished Heat, hot water and internet included Close to campus, shopping and nightlife
www.travishyde.com kworden@travishyde.com 312 College Ave Collegetown’s Best Address Beautifully Furnished Studio, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom & 3 Bedroom units. Office Open M-F 9am-9pm; Sat/Sun 12n-5. 607-273-9777 or 312collegeave.com
2 Bedroom Apartment 320 Dryden Rd New bldg, fitness center, elevator, nice furniture, AC. Free laundry. $1095 includes, water, furniture. nick@lambrourealestate.com or 607-256-3778 office
3 Bedroom Apartment $600/pp + Utilities 113 North Quarry 607-351-1267 joe@joegrealty.com TOP TOP QUALITY 3 BEDROOM 3 PRIVATE BATHS. OPPOSITE CASCADILLA DORMS 607-229-5116 WWW.PJAPTS.COM
4 BEDROOM OPPOSITE CASCADILLA DORMS NICE. $850 PP. INCLUDES UTILITIES & LAUNDRY. 607-229-5116 WWW.PJAPTS.COM
1,2,3,4, or 8 bedrooms 607-272-3389 avramisrentals@aol.com
HUGE 1 BEDROOM TOP OF WILLIAMS ST. $1095 INCL. EVERYTHING. 607-229-5116 WWW.PJAPTS.COM 1 Bedroom Linden Ave. 2016-2017 School Year $800 + Electric. 607-227-2535
27 H OUSE FOR R ENT Eight Bedroom House Lower Collegetown Two kitchens, two full bathrooms, all new flooring, washer/dryer, fully furnished. Parking available. Available June 5, 2016. $555 per person.
Certified Properties of TC Inc 607-273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com First Month’s Rent Free! Ten Bedroom House Cook St. Two kitchens, two full baths, large bedrooms, washer/dryer, parking, fully furnished. Available 6-5-16. $615 per person.
Certified Properties of TC Inc 607-273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com Upper Eddy St. 2016-2017 House for 8 2 kitchens, 3 baths, Non-coin washer/dryer, free Internet, free water. Call 607-319-6416
LAKELAND
1 bedrooms Fully furnished Heat, hot water, gas internet included! Pets Welcome! On bus route parking available
www.travishyde.com rabele@travishyde.com WEST CAMPUS
Edgecliff Apartments 2 and 3 bedroom apartments Fully furnished with 42 inch TV Heat, hot water and gas included. Covered parking available On bus route
www.travishyde.com rabele@travishyde.com WEST CAMPUS
2 Bedroom Apartment 309 Eddy St
407 College Ave
RAVENWOOD 4 and 5 bedroom apartments Fully furnished with 42 inch TV Heat, hot water and gas included. Covered parking available On bus route
www.travishyde.com kworden@travishyde.com WEST CAMPUS
110 Lake Street 1 bedroom apartments Fully furnished with 42 inch TV Pets Welcome On bus route Parking available
www.travishyde.com kworden@travishyde.com WEST CAMPUS
106 and 108 Lake Street 1 and 2 bedroom apartments Fully furnished with 42 inch TV
ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED! Pets Welcome On bus route Parking available
www.travishyde.com kworden@travishyde.com
Men’s Basketball Will Take On Ivy Foes Back-to-Back BASKETBALL
Continued from page 12
on 3-pointers, Princeton has lost just one game in 2016, a fourpoint loss to Yale at the end of January. “Caruso is very aggressive,” Courtney said. “We have to beat him to some of the spots that he wants to get to on his drives and we have to understand that if we give him space on the perimeter, he’ll shoot it.” The following day, Cornell welcomes Steve Donahue and the Penn Quakers. Donahue, who coached the Red to three Ivy titles and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2010, is in his first year as the Quakers’ head coach. Donahue spent four years at Boston College before being fired following an 8-24 campaign. At Penn, Donahue has tried to continue his heavy reliance on 3-pointers that he used so effectively at Cornell. Unlike in previous years, his squad also boasts a
particularly strong post presence, led by center Darien NelsonHenry, who leads the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game. “It’s two things,” Courtney said. “One, take away 3-point shots, because we know Coach Donahue wants to shoot threes, and two, stopping the big guy inside. Nelson-Henry is their go to guy and he gets a lot of touches.” Cornell junior and forward David Onuorah will likely get the uneviable job of guarding Nelson-Henry. In last weekend’s pair of defeats, Onuorah totalled three blocks and five steals, yet continued to battle foul trouble, notching four fouls in both games. The matchup against Princeton tips off at 6 p.m. on Saturday and the Penn game begins the following day also at 6 p.m. Adam Bronfin can be reached at abronfin@cornellsun.com.
Sports
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2016
I
Finding The Zone
n the foreword to George Mumford’s The book new Mindful Athlete, Phil Jackson says, “A lot of athletes think the trick to getting better is just to work harder. But there is great power in nonaction and non-thinking. The hardest thing, after all the work and all the time spent on training and technique, is just being fully present in the moment.” This is somewhat controversial and unexpected. Obviously, athletes need to practice and try to push themselves to their limits in order to learn and progress in their respective sports.
Making a comeback | Junior Robert Hatter played in his first game of the season last week after suffering an ankle injury. He is still in recovery and working to get back to full strength.
Mind Games
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Cornell squad will try to improve its current 2-4 Ivy standing By ADAM BRONFIN Sun Assistant Sports Editor
Following a pair of disheartening losses to in-conference opponents, the Cornell men’s basketball team will welcome Princeton and Penn to Newman Arena in order to try to get back on track as the Ivy League season approaches its halfway point. “It was tough,” said junior guard Robert Hatter of last weekend’s games. “We definitely want to come back and make up for it. ... We’re just putting it behind us.” Hatter, who missed the team’s first four Ivy League games due to an ankle injury, returned against Yale and Brown last week and found it difficult to get back in the swing of things. Hatter combined to score 21 points off of 8-for-31 shooting in the two games. In his first full week of practice since his injury, Hatter said the team is working to come together. “My ankle is doing better,” Hatter said. “The team is doing fine — we’re clicking again. I have good hopes about this weekend.” Head coach Bill Courtney said that Hatter is still working his way up to full recovery and has spent this week testing his limits with his injury.
“He’s shaking off the rust, he’s still not 100 percent,” Courtney said. “He’s finding his way as to what he’s capable of doing, what he’s not capable of doing. It’s a difficult process for a guy who’s got superior athleticism, speed, quickness and leaping ability to be robbed of that. He’s got to find another way to be effective.” Cornell
Cornell
vs.
vs.
Princeton
Penn
Tonight, 6 p.m. Ithaca, N.Y.
Saturday, 6 p.m. Ithaca, N.Y.
While Hatter struggled last weekend, freshman guard Matt Morgan continued his offensive barrage of the Ivy League by scoring at least 19 points in both games. If the Red wants to keep pace with Princeton’s dominant offense this season, Morgan and Hatter will
both need to be at their bests, offensively and defensively. “They’re really, really good on both ends of the floor, but particularly offensively,” Courtney said. Courtney contrasted this Princeton team to the “Princeton Offense,” an offensive scheme centered around backdoor cuts and constant motion. “They’re very dangerous,” Courtney said, “We have to take away 3-point shots first and concentrate on guarding their guys, not putting ourselves in help situations as much.” Hatter also stressed the importance of making sure Princeton doesn’t find success from beyond the arc. “They’re not the traditional Princeton team. They’re going to play faster than they usually do,” Hatter said. “They try to get shots off quick. ... We just got to defend well and get our hands up to limit their threes.” Princeton currently ranks first in the Ancient Eight in scoring. With four scorers in double figures, the Tigers sport a potent, balanced offense. Led by Henry Caruso, a 6-foot-4 forward who’s shooting 52 percent See BASKETBALL page 11
“the zone,” a state like the one Jackson describes in the foreword. Mumford says, “you are flooded with consciousness and are wholly concentrated on the here and now. This is the experience every athlete has when he or she is fully in the Zone. All distractions are burned away. This is pure performance at its best. This, ultimately, is the path of the mindful athlete.” I think this pure performance reveals the passion that athletes have for their sport. And to feel this passion, there must be a drive, which is heightened by the brevity of life.
Jessica Brofsky
MICHELLE FELDMAN / SUN FILE PHOTO
Red to Face Princeton,Penn on Weekend; Hatter Still Recovering
12
They must acquire certain skills and learn the ropes of the game in order to understand it in ways spectators couldn’t even imagine. Mumford later says, “When Michelangelo was asked how he created his masterpieces, he replied that all he did was chip away to get to the masterpiece that was already inside. I believe we’re all chipping away to get to that masterpiece, even those of us who grew up in the ghetto, on the wrong side of the tracks. We all have a divine spark within us, but we’ve either crushed it, created an ingenious system for hiding out, or devised ways of being that make us feel separate” It’s difficult to do, but we cannot forget this. It’s a different perspective — to look within instead of without. And mindfulness and being present becomes the most useful way to see within and fully capitalize on athletic potential and trust in that capability. book, this In Mumford explores what he calls the “five superpowers” of mindfulness, concentration, insight, right effort and faith. These are things that help an athlete achieve
“People who are aware of the imminence of death are often the ones who commit themselves wholeheartedly to life, aware of the preciousness of each moment,” Mumford writes. “Many have a heightened sense of purpose and urgency. This is the ‘gift,’ if you will, of impermanence,” As I’ve written before, the mind presents a great obstacle to success in sports. This is why having “heart” is commonly applied to athletes who play from a place of instinct and disallow mind games to interrupt the strengths of their game. The iconic yoga pose that has come to represent the practice is a folded position in which the heart is above the head. This is symbolic of the practice’s spirituality and the importance of forgetting negative and distracting thoughts and being mindful in a positive way. Heart can be a lot more significant and powerful than the mind even in achieving something ironically named mindfulness. Jessica Brofsky is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.. She can be contacted at jbrofsky@cornellsun.com. Mind Games appears alternate Fridays this semester.