05 01 15 entire issue lo res

INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880

The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 131, No. 137

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

!

ITHACA, NEW YORK

16 Pages – Free

News

Arts

Sports

Weather

Throwdown

Recreational Activity

Always Learning

Showers HIGH: 65º LOW: 44º

Cornell and West Point debaters argue over whether the War on Terror has failed.

Marietta “Retta” Sirleaf talks about post-Parks and Recreation life at Statler Hall. | Page 8

| Page 3

Cornell football head coach David Archer ’05 is looking to lead the program in a new direction. | Page 15

Skorton,Murphy Attend Final S.A.Meeting Administrators field student questions regarding CUPD investigation,Univ. finances

KELLY YANG / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

By PAULINA GLASS Sun Assistant News Editor

President David Skorton and Susan Murphy ’73 Ph.D. ’94, vice president for student and academic services, addressed the Student Assembly and over 40 community members for the last time at a meeting Thursday.

The event was intended to be a forum for members of the S.A. and the greater Cornell community to ask Skorton and Murphy questions.

See STUDENT ASSEMBLY page 4

Fond farewell | President David Skorton and Susan Murphy ’73 Ph.D. ’94, vice president for student and academic services, address the Student Assembly at the last meeting before they will both depart Cornell.

S.A.Approves Creation of Student-Run Grocery Store

By DANIEL ZIMMERMAN Sun Staff Writer

The Student Assembly voted 18-4-1 Thursday to approve a controversial resolution to use S.A. funds to finance a new student run grocery store.

The resolution aims to deal with food insecurity on campus based on data from PULSE survey indicating that 22 percent of undergraduates have occasionally, often, or

very often “skipped meals or not 15 had enough to eat because of financial constraints.”

The resolution’s states purpose is to create a student run grocery store in Anabel Taylor Hall by using $400,000 from the Students Helping Students Grant in order to “increase food literacy, decrease food insecurity, and provide easier access to groceries.”

One of the resolution’s prominent proponents, Matthew Stefanko ’16, S.A. vice president for finance, said

Romantic remembrance

the project should be looked on as “an investment in making substantial change for students.”

“Financial aid estimates that people spend eight to nine thousand dollars on food. Let’s just say you could reduce the cost of food by ten percent for a lot of students, which I think is pretty realistic, that’s two health fees for students every year that they’re saving on things like groceries,” See GROCERY STORE page 5

Chapter House: Road to Recovery

By SAMANTHA ACRICHE Sun Staff Writer

JENNIE LI / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Prof. Edmundo Paz Soldán, romance studies, and Prof. Mariano Siskind, romance languages, Harvard University, discuss the legacy of writer García Márquez yesterday.

About a month after a fire ravaged The Chapter House, the owner of the pub and residents who lived above it, as well as the entire Cornell and Ithaca community, are still reeling from the sudden loss of a longstanding establishment.

The fire broke out early in the morning on April 14. On the morning of April 29th, workers began cleaning up the debris that littered the now roofless building where the pub once operated. Jerry Dietz, president of CSP Management, which manages The Chapter

House property, explained that they had to wait for certain arrangements to be made — like finding a landfill site — before cleanup could begin and the next steps could be taken.

“As of this afternoon, we will make good headway with five full trucks of debris and two more tomorrow, which should about clear up the site,” Dietz said. “Then the building department will apply a barrier around the exposed part of the Chapter House to prevent and further debris from falling out.”

According to Dietz, once the barrier is placed, crews will evaluate the structural See CHAPTER HOUSE page 5

Record Producer, D.J. Salva to Complete Slope Day Lineup

By ANNIE BUI Sun Managing Editor

American record producer and D.J. Salva will be opening for Chance the Rapper on Slope Day, the Slope Day Programming Board announced Thursday.

A Chicago native based in Los Angeles, Paul Salva has performed at major music festivals such as

Coachella, Lollapalooza and SXSW, according to The D.J. List. His remix of Kanye West’s “Mercy” also reached the number one spot on SoundCloud in 2012 and was broadcast over several of the nation’s top radio stations.

SDPB Executive Chair Gar–rison Lovely ’16 said the board is “very excited’ to bring Salva to the Hill for Slope Day. “Salva is a great up and coming

D.J. and producer who has proved himself through collaborations with artists like Schoolboy Q and A$AP Ferg as well as some very successful remixes that should get Cornell pumped up on the Slope,” he said. “Chance is very excited to be following Salva and I think their sounds should complement well.”

Salva rounds out the Slope Day lineup, with Chance the Rapper and

Canadian fusion reggae band Magic! being the other acts. Wristbands for Slope Day — which is next Thursday — will be distributed next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at various locations across campus.

Rebecca Blair contributed reporting to this article.

Annie Bui can be reached at managing-editor@cornellsun.com.

SALVA

2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015

Today

DAYBOOK

Friday, May 1, 2015

weather FORECAST

Daybook Today

Today

Tomorrow

Hi: 65° F Lo: 44° F Showers

Hi: 70° F Lo: 44° F Mostly Sunny

Quotes of the Week

150 Ways to Say Cornell 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Level 2B Kroch Library Academic Performance Under Stress: At the Intersection of Emotion and Cognitive Control 3:30 p.m., 202 Uris Hall Justifying Belief: Using Arguments of the Academics In the De Utilitate Credendi 4:30 p.m., 122 Goldwin Smith Hall Carya: Women, Buildings, Nature: Hellenic Themes, Contemporary Works 4:45 - 6 p.m., Jill Stuart Gallery Human Ecology Building

News, “Students Declare Independent Union,” Monday Speaking about the goals of the newly formed student union “CISU fights for the reduction and eventual eradication of fees and tuition. We believe that this includes the mission to abolish all current student debt as a part of a broader struggle to end all forms of opression and descrimination of any kind.”

Yliana Velazquez ’17 News, “Charter Weekend Culminates With Barton Ceremony,” Tuesday Speaking about continuing the legacy of Cornell’s charter “The sense of excellence but also of ‘we accept the common person, we’re a space where everyone can belong,’ that was true right from the beginning.”

Thomas Jones ’69 MRP ’72

Tomorrow Book Talk with Author Grey Osterud 2 p.m., History Center, 401 E. State St. C.U. Music for Viols 3 - 4:30 p.m., Founders Room, Anabel Taylor Hall Memorial Chimes Honoring Erwin Chan ’00 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., McGraw Tower Messenger Lecture: Cecilia Vicuna 7 p.m., Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

News, “Student Activists Investigated by CUPD,” Wednesday Speaking about CUPD’s criminal investigation of at least three student activists “I really cannot believe this and it is deeply upsetting to me. In my 43 years of teaching here, I do not recall such a blatant effort to silence ... student political protest at Cornell.”

Prof. Isaac Kramnick, government

Opinion, “Conscience of a Cornell Conservative,” Thursday Speaking about the preservation of free speech at Cornell “I realized early on that this column was not just about me. It was a test of whether the values of free speech and open debate were still alive at Cornell. And this institution passed with flying colors.”

Julius Kairey ’15

Cecilia Vicuña

Lectures & Performances

“Awareness is the Art: Artists for Democracy and Other Stories” Saturday, May 2, 2015 7:00 p.m.

Schwartz Performing Arts Center Film Forum The Public is Invited

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

(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, May 1, 2015 3

NEWS

Town Hall Addresses Issues Asian Community at C.U.Faces

By BENEDETTA CARNAGHI Sun Staff Writer

The Asian & Asian American Center organized a town hall held Thursday in Warren Hall to discuss challenges the Asian and Asian American communities at Cornell face.

“We wanted to create a town hall or just a forum for us — students of Asian descent — to talk about our experiences here at Cornell, whether they have been satisfactory or dissatisfactory [and] how the school is supporting us,” said Stephanie Hahm ’17, a student intern at the Asian & Asian American Center and one of the event’s organizers.

Hahm said she believes Asian students on campus “often do not have a place to speak about what they are going through.”

“I think there isn’t a direct outlet for the Asian and Asian American students to share their feelings and thoughts and experiences and we wanted to give that to students, because there isn’t that outlet,” said Nicholas Chan ’16, another student intern at the center and organizer of the event.

The town hall was an attempt to create a hospitable environment that would foster constructive discussions, according to Hahm.

“This event was really created by a team from the Asian & Asian American Center and with this team we wanted to create small group discussions, big group discussions, warm ups, icebreakers,” Hahm said. “We just wanted to make sure that the community felt safe and welcome when they came in here and that they were able to share these experiences with others.”

Elizabeth Sowers ’15, outgoing design editor for The Sun, said she hoped the event would foster greater cohesion among the Asian community.

“I feel as if there is some sort of disparity between certain representations of Asian identities here at Cornell,” Sowers said. “Something that I think our community struggles with is that we are not always fully united. I’m involved in Cornell Filipino Association […] and I would love to see more interdependence, more relations between the different organizations on campus.”

Sowers said she believes various Asian identities are often clumped together and branded with the same stereotypes.

“Often times people on the outside looking in think of particular stereotypes as applying to the whole Asian community, regardless of us being Filipino or Chinese,” she said.

“In these times, I think it would be nice to stand up for each other and be a full community.”

Michael Stewart ’16 said he believes there is sometimes a stigma associated with formal Asian associations.

“When I tell people — the greater Cornell community

VIVIAN VASQUEZ / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Tackling the challenges | Cornellians assemble at a town hall meeting to discuss challenges the Asian and Asian American communities face on campus in Warren Hall Thursday.

— that I am part of an Asian interest fraternity, they give me some weird looks,” Stewart said during the discussion.

“When people know you are going to some place that is predominantly Asian, comments are made.”

Sophie Sidhu, associate dean of students and director of Cornell’s Asian & Asian American Center, said she believes

“We just wanted to make sure that the community felt safe and welcome when they came in here.”

Stephanie Hahm ’17 stereotypes against the Asian community can make it even harder for Asian students to speak out against racism.

“I think that one of the many problems of the model minority stereotype [for Asian Americans] is this idea that as Asians we will be given access to a certain amount of power and privilege so long as we don’t ‘act up,’ or make a big fuss

about racism or biases or microaggressions that we are experiencing,” Sidhu said.

Sidhu added that it is important for Asians to constantly question and deconstruct that perception.

“If we look back at the history of the model minority stereotype it started during the Civil Rights Movement as a specific attempt to keep Asian Americans from joining coalitions with other minority groups, and I think it’s important for us to look back on and challenge ways that it keeps us from having a voice, for ourselves or others,” Sidhu said.

According to Hahm, the creation of the Asian Community Town Hall was inspired by a town hall the Black Students United previously held.

“We were really inspired by BSU’s Town Hall called ‘You Can’t Sit With Us.’ We pulled a lot of their ideas, we liked that they had ... just people in the community talking about their experiences and their issues,” Hahm said.

The resources of the Asian & Asian American Center were fundamental for the organization of the event, accordSee TOWN HALL page 5

Students From Cornell,West Point DebateWar on Terror

By DAVID TICZON Sun Staff Writer

Members of the Cornell Speech and Debate Union and the United States Military Academy at West Point’s debate team gathered in Ives Hall Wednesday to debate the motion “This House believes that the War on Terror has failed.”

Cornell spoke first in support of the motion. Beginning her speech on why the war on terror has failed, Gabriella Knight ’18 read Merriam Webster’s definition of a war as “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations.” Knight said that currently it is not

clear who the United States is engaging in war with.

“This is indicative that the War on Terror is not only a gross failure, but hardly a war at all,” Knight said. “It is a widespread witchhunt being used to expand rampant racial profiling and Islamophobia all the while costing the American people $1,283 billion in tax money.”

The United States’ stated reasons for beginning the war were “to reduce the number of terror organizations and terror incidents in the world, to promote democracy and freedom in the Middle East and to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi and Afghani people,” Knight said.

CAMERON POLLACK / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A war of words | Members of the Cornell Speech and Debate Union and the United States Military Academy at West Point’s debate team discuss the War on Terror in Ives Hall Thursday.

However, Knight said that since the invaded any of these certain countries,” inception of The War on Terror, incidents of Rooney said. terrorism have “increased exponentially.”

Reed said the War on Terror has promptAfter Knight spoke, West Point Cadet ed a global anti-corruption regime, which is Spenser Reed asked her several cross-exami- a positive legacy of the war. nation questions. Knight “This increased antistressed the War On global corruption regime “This is indicative that Terror’s failure to address has allowed the funding the War on Terror is not for terrorist organizations real problems of terrorism. only a gross failure, but not to be had,” Reed “The War on Terror said. “It is possible that it hardly a war at all.” itself is a failure and a has had the positive gross over-reaction to the externality of helping get Gabriella Knight ’18 problem,” Knight said. rid of the child sex traf“We have more than ficking, reducing a global quintupled the amount of deaths that black market. Due to the fact of these orgaoccurred during 9/11 all in the name ending nizations have made it unacceptable almost of terrorism and against non-specific enti- around the whole entire planet for banks to ties.” accept funds from these black market operCadet Seamus Matlack said the War on ations since they have realized they are tied Terror has brought together organizations to terrorism and security.”

Reed said he was offering the “final nail and countries and has helped the United in their coffin” when he told the audience States. He argued that the Cornell team could only win “by showing that this war that increased partnerships in the Middle East and increased U.S. influence has has truly failed in all its essence.”

Dáíthí Rooney ’17 opened his speech by allowed the United States to respond to exposing West Point’s strategy of limiting threats more quickly.

The approximately 160 audience memthe debate to just al-Qaida. bers were then asked to choose the winner of “The United States expanded the War on Terror to more than just al-Qaida”, Rooney the debate by raising their hands. As the said. “Even if we are going to adopt their hands were counted for each side, the audisort of framework of it just being al-Qaida, I ence knew the decision was going to be close. think I will beat them at their own game.”

Eventually, it was announced that West Rooney pointed to the fact that terrorist Point had won the debate and defeated the attacks have not gone down and made the motion that the War on Terror had failed. world “safer” since the war started.

“There have been more terrorist attacks in the last month from organizations like al- David Ticzon can be reached at Qaida than there were for 30 years before we dticzon@cornellsun.com.

4 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015

NEWS

Skorton, Murphy Speak at Last S.A.Meeting STUDENT ASSEMBLY Continued from page 1

The first student to ask a question, Oscar Osuna ’16, confronted Skorton about recent controversy surrounding an investigation University police are allegedly conducting into actions of student protesters.

“I wanted an administrative response to why student activists and protesters are being threatened with being removed from class in handcuffs, graduating seniors, for just protesting on campus and not actually committing any crimes,” Osuna said. “Do you think that it’s an inappropriate use of Cornell resources to intimidate student protesters?”

Three students associated with the “Fight the Fee” movement, aimed at repealing the new mandatory $350 health fee, have been called in for questioning by the Cornell University Police Department, The Sun previously reported.

Skorton responded to Osuna’s question, saying he fundamentally disagreed with Osuna’s assertions and recounting of the situation.

“I have to challenge the veracity of what you are saying and I’m going to try to do so systematically,” Skorton said.

Skorton added that over the course of his term as president, no one in his administration has ever taken any action against a student protester.

“Number one, in the nine years I’ve been here, through many, many protests, I have never taken any action against any student protesting at Cornell,” Skorton said. “That’s true of the protests in my office, despite the fact that the Campus Code of Conduct was clearly breached ... not a single action was taken.

And the day that the student activists tried to disrupt and get into the trustees meeting, no action was taken against a single student.”

Skorton said he believed that the event Osuna was referring to was something separate, and not due to protesting.

“The action that you’re talking about is being examined because it was qualitatively different, and I’m going on record as strongly saying that they way

you characterized it is incorrect,” he said. “It does not have to do with student protesting; it has to do with something else that happened that’s still being investigated.”

However, according to a recording obtained by The Sun, student protester Daniel Marshall ’15 was questioned by an investigator regarding preparations activists had made on the night before a protest at Statler Hall.

Skorton went on to say that he had not examined the recording that Osuna referred to in his original question.

“Secondly, your characterization of what happened

“It does not have to do with student protesting, it has to do with something else that happened that’s still being investigated.”

President David Skorton with the police officer,” he said. “I don’t actually know because I haven’t seen or heard a recording of it.”

“There is a recording,” Osuna said, interrupting Skorton.

“I know, but I haven’t seen or heard of it, and although I have asked for it, it hasn’t been given to me,” Skorton said. “So it’s conjecture, as far as I’m concerned, and without hearing the context of the full conversation, I can’t respond to that piece of it, because it could be right and it could be wrong.”

However, Osuna said he believed that CUPD Chief Kathy Zoner had the recording.

“The last time I asked Kathy Zoner, she didn’t have a recording of it,” Skorton said. “And that was yesterday. So if I’m allowed to take a look at it then I’ll confirm my conclusion, but I do want to make a point strongly that I have never taken an action, nor has anybody in my organization, against students for protesting. But I appreciate your question and I espe-

cially appreciate you getting up there, so thank you.”

Following the exchange, Skorton and Murphy fielded questions from a variety of topics such as the University budget, support of international students, shared governance and the transition between administrators, especially President-Elect Elizabeth Garrett.

Juliana Batista ’16, executive vice president for the S.A., asked how financial constraints at Cornell would affect what receives funding, from financial aid to existing on-campus programs.

“I think Cornell is often heralded for having very diverse students and I’m incredibly impressed by the financial aid that has been increasing over the years exponentially,” Batista said. “[However], I think students on campus are starting to feel frustration coming up with a voice about how as we increase financial aid, we increase the diversity of the population … but at the same time … you have advocacy centers that feel very underfunded.”

Murphy said she believed that this was a complex but important topic, and explained that in the future she hopes to see matters of diversity made more of a priority.

“I’ll try to be brief because this could be a whole hour-long conversation,” Murphy said. “I would be conveying several things. Diversity has been one of the four strategic priorities or divisions. I think it is fair to say where the dollars have flown … have been towards the living and learning [division], like North and West Campuses and health and wellbeing. They’ve also been in diversity, but those have been more distributed across the campus. As we look forward, this is an area that needs more attention.”

Over the course of the meeting, both Skorton and Murphy expressed gratitude for the S.A. “This is my last time coming to the S.A. and it’s a sentimental moment for me,” Skorton said. “Even when we’ve had disagreements and even when there has been controversy, it has been a really rewarding experience.”

Paulina Glass can be reached at pglass@cornellsun.com.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015 5

NEWS

S.A. Approves Investigation of Blaze Still Underway Grocery Store CHAPTER HOUSE

Basher.

“As soon as something comes out I will definitely let people know,” he said. soundness of the building. However, he said it is clear According to Dietz, however, the owner of the that the third floor will be a total loss, as the roof is “sit- Chapter House is optimistic about its future. ting” on the second floor.

“I think the owner is interested in rebuilding on that “We believe elements of the building could be saved,” site,” Dietz said.

Dietz said. “The whole part that No future plans for the looks on Stewart Avenue could be site have been confirmed as “We believe elements of the building saved.” of yet, and there has been The investigation on the actual could be saved. The whole part that looks no conversation with the cause and origin of the fire is still insurance company, accordon Stewart Avenue could be saved.” according to underway, ing to Dietz.

Lieutenant Thomas T. Basher Jr., Jerry Dietz “The building had a public information officer for the good insurance policy on Ithaca Fire Department. it,” Dietz said. “But I think “At this time, we have conducted interviews and sent the owner right from the get-go said he would want to samples.” Basher said. “[Investigators] have taken [the rebuild. Each day the wind blows one way or another. No samples] for testing and are just compiling informa- one has come down definitively.” tion.”

The investigation “will take time,” according to Samantha Acriche can be reached at sacriche@cornellsun.com.

Continued from page 1

GROCERY STORE Continued from page 1

Stefanko said. “We didn’t choose a grocery store because we thought it was fun to start a grocery store, but because it was the largest cost that we could potentially address besides tuition.”

Kushagra Aniket ’16, S.A. director of elections, said that he thought the project was “an inherently risky venture” and his argument during the debate dealt with what he saw as unintended consequences of the resolution.

“This resolution is based on faith,” Aniket said. “Policies are supposed to be made on evidence, not on the basis of trust and faith.”

Lisa Liu ’15, undesignated at large representative to the S.A., said she was in favor of the project, but had some reservations based around financial transparency.

“The underlying reason behind the hesitance to shell out $400,000 is a matter of transparency,” Liu said. “I think that it’s wonderful that you provide these estimates, but I think it calls for a clearer presentation of lineby-line estimates the same way that you came up with these numbers, and to have that estimate you made [available] to the public.”

Liu also mentioned concerns about how privacy would be dealt with in terms of the subsidization process.

“Financial aid will not breach privacy,” said Gretchen Ryan, associate director of customer service and community relations in the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment.

“This is something that we hope will be in place for a very long time.”

Emma Johnston ’16 She said the financial office could not provide the grocery store with any information concerning any student’s financial need.

According to the resolution, the money would go towards renovation, the subsidy fund, start-up costs, summer employment and initial programming. Syed Ali Khan ’15, minority liaison at large, said that while he was adamant about tackling the issue of food insecurity, he is hesitant about taking money from the Student Helping Students Fund because it plays an important role as a safety net.

“If you look at Students Helping Students, it’s an emergency fund. It’s helping students with family crises and unexpected catastrophes,” Ali Khan said. “You never know when a large catastrophe can happen. Do you really want to give $400,000, 25 percent of the Students Helping Students principle, to an independent non-profit?”

Stefanko argued that the money currently is not being used to its “greatest capability.”

“This grocery store, because it has a nonprofit mission, because it can’t generate longterm profit or revenue for shareholders or anything like that, any excess money it eventually generates is going to go back to students at a probably greater rate than what Students Helping Students already accomplishes,” Stefanko said.

Emma Johnston ’16, arts and sciences representative and another vocal proponent of the grocery store, said that in writing the resolution, the group looked at other alternatives such as a food pantry or giving more Big Red Bucks, but found these “would not be sustainable models.”

“What we’re doing right now is trying to create a solution that will exist for a really long time instead of just dividing up the Students Helping Students grant and giving it to students that currently go to this school,” Johnston said. “This is something that we hope will be in place for a very long time.”

Daniel Zimmerman can be reached at dzimmerman@cornellsun.com.

Students Discuss Identity,Stereotypes atTown Hall TOWN HALL

Continued from page 3

ing to Chan.

“Our motivations are a combination of a few things,” Chan said. “There was a fellow intern who had attended BSU’s town hall a few weeks prior to ours, and we realized that the Asian and Asian American community doesn’t have something similar on campus, and since we at the Asian and Asian American Center have the resources and manpower to pull something like this off, we

thought to [we should] try to organize something before the end of the semester.”

Representatives from the Asian & Asian American Center said they would like the town hall to become a regular event.

“Within this event we have a ‘post-it campaign’, so people are writing what it means to be Asian at Cornell,” Hahm said. “We are going to be looking at all the comments ... to gauge interest on whether they want to have this to continue to happen, ... to see if this is going

to be like a yearly or semester thing.”

Chan said he found the Town Hall’s success to be incredible, especially given the short time in which the Asian & Asian American Center organized it.

“We had an incredible showing today just based on a relatively short time frame and we are hoping to have this at least every semester on some particular theme related to Asians and Asian American,” Chan said.

Benedetta Carnaghi can be reached at bcarnaghi@cornellsun.com.

Some Criticize NYPD Handling of Protests NEW YORK (AP) — Some activists and elected officials are criticizing the New York Police Department’s handling of protests over the death of a Baltimore man critically injured in police custody, placing Mayor Bill de Blasio on a familiar political tightrope as he tries to balance the interests of the activists who support him with those of the police officers who work for him.

Officials said 143 people were arrested Wednesday during a rally and march over the death of Freddie Gray, whose death after a spinal injury in the custody of Baltimore police led to riots

there this week.

Some of those arrested in New York rallied in front of police headquarters Thursday to say the NYPD utilized an overly aggressive and sometimes violent response to the demonstration.

“We call on Mayor de Blasio to respond and show leadership at this time,” said Carmen Perez, of the Justice League. “He is our mayor, and he needs to rein in the NYPD.” The activists, joined by state Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Michael Blake, said the NYPD’s response stood in stark contrast to the way it handled the days of protests last December in the

wake of the Eric Garner grand jury decision. Then, marchers were allowed to freely walk on the street and shut down Manhattan’s main thoroughfares.

Police Commissioner William Bratton confirmed Thursday the NYPD was going “to be more assertive” in dealing with efforts to close down tunnels and bridges.

“We will be much faster to make arrests if in fact they attempt to intend to move in those directions,” Bratton said.

But hours later, de Blasio, a first-term Democrat, repeatedly insisted there was not a fundamental change in police treatment of demonstrators.

“The strategic approach is exactly the same,” de Blasio said in a testy City Hall news conference in which he frequently admonished reporters for their questions.

“We won’t tolerate illegality.

We won’t tolerate disorder.”

The moment may have felt familiar — and precarious — for the mayor.

When a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict the white police officer who placed Garner, who was black, in a fatal chokehold, de Blasio delivered an emotional speech in which he said he felt the pain of the city’s black community, which also makes up the base of his political support.

Small Businesses See Impact of Baltimore Riots BALTIMORE (AP) — Richard Sung Kang's American dream came crashing down in a shower of broken glass.

His West Baltimore liquor store and bar, the Oxford Tavern, was hit by looters during a riot over the police-involved death of neighborhood resident Freddie Gray.

The business wasn’t torched like the nearby CVS pharmacy, but its doors and windows were broken and cash and inventory stolen, leaving shelves bare.

Now the 49-year-old South Korean immigrant must decide whether to reopen. If so, it could mean

taking on more debt and paying higher insurance premiums.

“I don’t know yet,” said Kang, looking dejected and exhausted Wednesday after rioters damaged scores of businesses in pockets of the city.

About 200 small businesses were unable to open the day after the violence, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said.

The predominantly black neighborhood around Kang’s store, which also includes CVS, took some of the worst of it. The area has already been abandoned by many businesses, with vacant storefronts on every block of North Avenue and many boarded-up homes on side

streets.

Korean-Americans were particularly hard-hit: They run many small businesses in black neighborhoods in Baltimore, and there have been tensions between owners and residents.

In the 1990s, according to a 2004 study by the Maryland Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, there were complaints by residents over the quality of food sold in local stores, while owners expressed concerns about crimes targeting them and their businesses.

CVS Health Corp. is already making plans to rebuild the burned-out phar-

macy, spokeswoman Carolyn Castel wrote in an email. She said the company doesn't yet have a damage estimate to share, but said “we have a long history of serving innercity communities and we remain committed to serving our patients and customers in Baltimore.”

Rebuilding after riots is difficult and sometimes impossible for small businesses because most don’t have the cash reserves of larger companies. Kang doesn’t even own a home.

He said he got a bank loan to buy the bar last year, after working nearly 10 years in Maryland as a biochemical researcher.

OPINION

Alexander Ilich & Elizabeth Chi |

The Corne¬ Daily Sun 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

HALEY XUE ’17

Associate Editor

Advertising Manager

AMBER CHEN ’16

ANNA FASMAN ’16

Web Editor

Sports Editor

NATALIE TSAY ’18

KIKI LI ’17

Blogs Editor

Multimedia Editor

JAYNE ZUREK ’16

BRITTNEY CHEW ’17

Design Editor

News Photography Editor

MICHAELA BREW ’18

JOEY WALTER ’17

Sports Photography Editor

Online Managing Editor

SOFIA HU ’17

GABRIELLA LEE ’16

News Editor

News Editor

JAEL GOLDFINE ’17

MIKE SOSNICK ’16

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Arts & Entertainment Editor

NOAH RANKIN ’16

RACHAEL CUSICK ’17

Science Editor

Dining Editor

REBECCA BLAIR ’17

MADELINE COHEN ’18

PAULINA GLASS ’18

PHOEBE KELLER ’18

TROY SHERMAN ’18

ADAM BRONFIN ’18

Assistant News Editor

Assistant News Editor

Assistant News Editor

Assistant News Editor

Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor

Assistant Sports Editor

JOON LEE ’17

SHANE LEWIS ’18

Assistant Sports Editor

Assistant Sports Editor

ADDY PAI ’16

SAMANTHA BRIGGS ’16 Assistant Design Editor

Marketing Manager

ADELE GU ’17

DARA LEVY ’16

Human Resources Manager

Senior Editor

ALEX REHBERG ’16

ANUSHKA MEHROTRA ’16

Senior Editor

Senior Editor

MADELINE SALINAS ’16 Senior Editor

WORKING ON TODAY’S SUN DESIGN DESKERS PHOTO NIGHT EDITORS NEWS DESKERS SPORTS DESKER ARTS DESKER

Jayne Zurek ’16 Madeline Salinas ’16 Connor Archard ’15 Kelly Yang ’15 Phoebe Keller ’18 Rebecca Blair ’17 Joon Lee ’17 Troy Sherman ’18

Letter to the Editor

Not in our name To the Editor: Re: “Student Activist Investigated by Cornell Police,” News, April 29 In response to disturbing allegations regarding harassment of student activists on campus, over 100 faculty members from across the campus have added their name to the following statement.

“Not in our name. We are Cornell faculty and we are dismayed to learn that the central administration may be threatening and intimidating students on the campus. A police officer threatening to drag a student from class in handcuffs? Intimidating a student with threats of a lengthy prison sentence? Requests to subpoena Facebook to gain access to student accounts? Flat-footed and heavy-handed: that sums up the actions of the administration and its police force. Is the central administration that insecure?

Rather than attack they would do better to respond meaningfully to the fair and pointed questions being asked of them by the students (and the faculty) regarding still-unexplained deficits, arbitrary fees and a lack of shared governance. No more intimidating students. Not in our name.”

Prof. Raymond Craib, history

Are you a strong writer?

Apply to join The Sun’s Editorial Writing Board.

Email associate-editor@ cornellsun.com for more information.

Guest Room

Skorton and the Coal Divestment Resolution

C

ornellians are proud to attend an institution founded on the principles of globalism and equality, in which any person can find instruction in any study, and where dedication to intellectual excellence is matched by commitment to global and community service. On February 19, the Student Assembly affirmed this sentiment by passing (by a vote of 22-1-1) a resolution that asked Cornell to make an official, public commitment to an endowment free from direct investments in the coal industry. Resolution #36, Divestment from Coal: Towards a Sustainable Endowment, should have been far from controversial, since according to Chief Investment Officer A.J. Edwards, Cornell has not had any direct holdings in coal for over 7 years. The proposition could have reinforced the university’s commitment to sustainability without altering its investment portfolio, but President Skorton rejected it. nonetheless.

In a brief statement emailed to a few student organizers over Spring Break, six weeks after the student assembly vote, President Skorton brusquely dismissed the resolution with the following statement: “As I have said earlier, Cornell has no plans in the foreseeable future to divest from direct holdings or co-mingled funds in the fossil fuels industry.

That said, you also know from A.J. Edwards, our chief investment officer, that we currently have no investments in coal and have made that quite public.” In 2013, when the Student Assembly and Faculty Senate voted to divest from fossil fuels, President Skorton publicly rejected each of their resolutions by writing Op-Eds on the Cornell Sustainable Campus Website and in the Cornell Chronicle. By comparison, his lazy recognition of the Student Assembly’s stance on coal divestment lacked substantive justification and radiated an air of irritation. Moreover, it is grossly misleading to say that the administration has already made its disinvestment from coal “quite public.” In fact, this information has only been given up by the administration in private meetings and emails between the administration, student organizers and faculty.

From an administrative standpoint, Skorton’s dismissive response wasn’t all that surprising; as a lame duck president, he has his mind on his legacy and doesn’t want to make any major changes right before he leaves office. A public rejection of coal divestment would have sparked outrage from the students and faculty, and a public endorsement would have alienated members of the trustee board. Actually, the act of responding publicly would, in itself, draw attention to the student body’s dissatisfaction with his administration. Instead, President Skorton glossed over the focus of the resolution. He reiterated his politically correct stance on fossil fuel divestment and falsely suggested that the administration has already publicized its currently coal-free endowment.

However, President Skorton’s failure to justify his stance against coal divestment suggests that he does not take the student assembly’s ruling seriously enough to defend his rejection of their near-unanimous ruling and/or he cannot defend his stance in a way that would portray him in a positive light.

His previous defense against divestment, which was the dedication of the endowment to financial interests alone, fails when applied to coal divestment because the University has already, for purely financial reasons, sold all of its direct holdings in coal. The content and delivery of President Skorton’s response to the coal divestment resolution is consistent with the current administration’s lack of transparency, brought to light by recent actions following the instatement of the student health fee, and is inconsistent with the University’s values. In the case of coal divestment, the University is forfeiting a significant amount of positive media attention to avoid drawing attention to its other fossil fuel investments, and to eschew any perception of having even the slightest of qualms

about the ethics of those investments.

As a result, Cornell is lagging behind other institutions in its response to similar proposals. In response to the 2013 Youth Power Summit, the city of Ithaca became the first East Coast city to divest from fossil fuels.

Even more recently, Syracuse University formally divested its $1.18 billion endowment from direct holdings in all fossil fuel companies. Finally, last year Stanford made waves by officially divesting their $18.7 billion endowment from direct holdings in coal companies. Their President, John Hennessy, stated that because “coal is one of the most carbon-intensive methods of energy generation… moving away from coal in the investment context is a small, but constructive, step while work continues, at Stanford and elsewhere, to develop broadly viable sustainable energy solutions for the future."

President Skorton’s weak defense of Cornell’s continued failure to publicly divest from coal is put to shame by the actions of its peer institutions. It seems that Cornell has lost sight of its obligation as land grant institution to serve the public interest, and has fallen to serving the special interests of the trustees, especially those with ties to the fossil fuel industry. For instance, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees Andrew Tisch currently serves on the board of directors for both Texas Gas Transmission, LLC and Boardwalk Pipelines, LLC. Chairman of the Trustees Robert S. Harrison, and Trustees Donald Opatrny and Michael Troy are all expartners of Goldman Sachs, which is heavily invested in coal and other fossil fuels.

Another trustee, Sherri Stuewer, is employed

by ExxonMobil, and presented Cornell with a $602,000 check from the ExxonMobil Foundation in 2008. The trustees claim that in voting against fossil fuel divestment, they were protecting the financial stability of the University and the impartiality of the endowment as a funding tool.

However, in light of the recent plunge in oil prices, which exposed the volatility of fossil fuel stocks, one cannot help but suspect a conflict of interest might be at hand.

Moreover, Stephen Heinz, President of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (of oil tycoon fame), stated: "We are quite convinced that if [John D. Rockefeller] were alive today, as an astute businessman looking out to the future, he would be moving out of fossil fuels and investing in clean, renewable energy."

The entire community of Cornellians — alumni, faculty and students —has entrusted the trustees with the task of cultivating future generations of leaders who will carry on the University’s legacy of global service. It is incredibly disheartening that individuals who have been bestowed with such a heavy responsibility might abuse that duty, using it as a guise to promote their own political and financial agendas.

Cornell has shown strong leadership in sustainability through its Climate Action Plan, which calls for carbon neutrality by 2035, an advancement supported by President Skorton. However, his refusal to take even the smallest of steps to support the alignment of Cornell’s finances with its mission of sustainability suggests that he may value the appeasement of wealthy individuals from special interest groups over the demands of the students and faculty. In response to previous divestment resolutions, Skorton has stated that he does not support divestment “given the delicate status of our University’s budget;” however, formally divesting from coal has zero financial risk since Cornell does not have any direct holdings in coal. This refusal to formally divest from coal demonstrates an extreme lack of leadership and actively undermines Cornell’s mission of sustainability.

Alexander Ilich is a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Elizabeth Chi is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Comments may be sent to associate-editor@cornellsun.com.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015 7

OPINION

Alberto Pacchioni |

Barely Legal

Jake Forken |

My Forken Opinion

The On the Baltimore Protests Amanda Knox Case S

O

n November 2, 2007, police officers found the body of 21-yearold Meredith Kercher lying in her bedroom in her house in Perugia, Italy. Meredith was an English exchange student who was spending a semester abroad at the University of Perugia. Her neck presented two deep cuts, and her body the signs of sexual assault. Shortly after, three people were charged with joint enterprise murder: Amanda Marie Knox, an American girl who was one of Meredith’s roommates, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian boy who at the time was Amanda’s boyfriend, and Rudy Guede, a young immigrant, an acquaintance of Amanda.

The paths of the three accused have taken different routes since the early stages of the criminal proceedings. While Rudy voluntarily subjected himself to a speedy trial, and was later convicted of joint enterprise murder and sentenced to 16 years in prison, Amanda and Raffaele decided to plead not guilty and face trial. Their strategy led them through a tortuous path until March 2015, when the Supreme Court of Italy acquitted them. Specifically, Amanda and Raffaele were convicted by the Trial Court of Perugia, acquitted by the Appellate Court of Perugia, whose judgment was reversed and remanded by the Supreme Court to the Appellate Court of Firenze (in Italy the same appellate court cannot adjudicate the same case twice), and later convicted again by this last appellate court. Although this may sound arcane and astonishing, the Italian criminal procedure allows this apparently unfair chain of trials because judgments, if appealed, are final only if the Supreme Court affirms them or, as in this case, if the Supreme Courts acquits the defendant. Thus, if Amanda had been convicted, she would have been extradited to Italy because the rule of double jeopardy would not allow her to be tried again in the States.

After the Supreme Court’s acquittal, Rudy remains legally the sole perpetrator of Meredith’s murder. The opinion has not been published yet, but a close reading opinion of the Appellate Court of Firenze may anticipate the reasons of this unexpected holding (acquittals are very rare before the Supreme Court which usually does not review the facts of the case but rules only on issues of law), and show why Amanda and Raffaele’s conviction was not based on proof beyond reasonable doubt.

An overview of the evidence against Amanda and Raffaele is particularly useful. First, Amanda intentionally and unreasonably accused an innocent person of murdering Meredith at a point in time when she had not been indicted yet. Second, Amanda testified that on November 2 she and Raffaele had woken up at Raffaele’s house around 10 a.m. The evidence, however, showed that Raffaele’s laptop had been turned on before 6 a.m. to listen to music, and also that Raffaele had called his father before 6 a.m. Furthermore, a shopkeeper testified that Amanda had visited his shop on that same morning, slightly before 8 a.m but had bought nothing. To be noted, Meredith had died before 4 a.m. Third, the hypothesis that a burglary ended in a killing was unrealistic. The police had found a broken window inside a bedroom of one of the other roommates, but no object had been stolen. Curiously, pieces of window glass had been found on top of clothes that had been thrown out of the closets. Had the burglary been real, the pieces of glass would have been underneath the clothes. Therefore, the burglary had likely been staged by someone that had no interest in leaving the scene of the crime.

The reasoning of the Appellate Court seems weak regarding the acceptance of the results of the DNA tests on a knife and on Meredith’s bra. On the knife, experts had found Amanda’s and Meredith’s DNA. The experts, however, testified that their methodology of extraction of the DNA had left out from the analysis some biological components of the blood present on the knife. Moreover, even though Raffaele’s DNA was found on Meredith’s bra, the bra had been contaminated by traces of rust and multiple DNA profiles were retrieved from this object. Thus, by accepting the DNA tests as relevant evidence, the Appellate Court seemed to exclude a priori alternative explanations of why Amanda and Raffaele’s DNA were found on those items, likely because of its bias based on the non-scientific evidence against them. Therefore, given the uncertain results of the DNA tests, the Supreme Court has likely viewed the evidence insufficient to convict them.

What I think emerges from this case is, once again, the uncertainties DNA tests create. Science has provided means to introduce new types of evidence, but has undoubtedly heightened the complexity of criminal trials. Courts have thus found themselves in the paradoxical position of having to rule on which scientific modus operandi produces reliable evidence even though courts lack the expertise to do so. In fact, in the Knox case, the Appellate Court has likely chosen to rely on the DNA tests because of their consistency with the non-scientific evidentiary background.

A more urgent issue, however, obscured by the defense examinations and cross-examinations of this case, is what role defense lawyers should have in criminal proceedings. What does it mean for criminal lawyers to be zealous advocates? Does it mean that lawyers should fairly represent their clients and adjust their arguments according to the evidence against their clients, or stubbornly claim their innocence regardless? It might seem that the answer is obvious, but one should remember that if a prerequisite of the law is fairness, those called upon to apply the law should be inherently fair as well. As a matter of fact, this tension emerged in this case, where the tenacity of the defense counsels has proved to be successful. Answering the question mentioned above will become even more pressing considering the public outrage that the outcome of cases similar to this case may generate. However, it is still far from clear what solution can be adopted.

Alberto Pacchioni is a student at Cornell Law School. Responses can be sent to associate-editor@cornellsun.com. Barely Legal appears alternate Fridays this semester.

ince 2011, over one least two people have won beat and killed, the hundred citizens have court settlements against the Baltimore protests are undersuccessfully challenged department after being para- standable.

How can anyone call on — either through court deci- lyzed by this practice in the the protesters to return to sions or settlements — the past decade.

After Gray’s funeral, the their homes and remain Baltimore Police Department concerning alle- city of Baltimore erupted calm? To trust in a system gations of police brutality into protests resulting in that is racist and blatantly and civil rights violations numerous buildings being skewed to marginalize and according to data uncovered looted, vandalized and oppress? You know what ‘jusby the Baltimore Sun. The burned. The largest night of tice’ looks like in America Baltimore Sun reports that protests led to 235 arrests today? Gray’s family will victims of police abuse and 20 officers being receive a settlement and then the same thing will happen include, “a 15-year-old boy injured.

These protestors have in a new city next week and riding a dirt bike, a 26-yearold pregnant accountant who been called criminals, lawless Freddie will still be dead.

Protesters aren’t the probhad witnessed a beating, a and thugs. Funny, when 50-year-old woman selling white people light fires and lem; they’re a necessity. church raffle tickets, a 65- vandalize property it’s okay Racism has been ingrained in year-old church deacon because their favorite team this country since it’s foundrolling a cigarette and an 87- just won or lost an important ing. How else do you address a problem that has extended year-old grandmother aiding game. Understandable.

Even President Obama over countless centuries that her wounded grandson.”

During this time, the city of and the Baltimore Mayor nobody wants to recognize as Baltimore has paid settle- joined in on the ‘thug’ real? Peaceful demonstrations ments for violations totaling rhetoric — though the clearly haven’t worked. around $5.7 million from mayor eventually rescinded Letting the court system and taxpayer funds stemming from the charges These protestors have been called o u t l i n e d criminals, lawless and thugs. Funny, when above.

On April white people light fires and vandalize 12, Freddie property it’s okay because their favorite Gray was arrested in team won or lost an important game.

Baltimore and later died from injuries her statement. Sure, protest- justice prevail clearly hasn’t sustained while in police cus- ers who engaged in any vio- worked. This isn’t a problem tody. Not much is known lent behavior are criminals in that must be addressed or about the incident other that they are breaking the solved in the black community. It’s a problem that white than the fact that Gray made law. But they aren’t thugs.

You know what’s worse people must address within eye contact with a police officer and decided to run the than breaking windows and their own biases and societal opposite direction. The offi- lighting fires? The systematic outlooks. Until something nothing will cer pursued and found a murder and abuse of inno- changes, switchblade on Gray; the cent black citizens on a con- change.

Consider this quote from family attorney claims the tinuous basis.

You know what thuggish a mother who was caught on blade was of legal size. One looks like? camera dragging her son witness — who recorded the behavior encounter — described the Responding to a call to find a back home from protesting, scene, stating that one officer young black man shot on the “There's some days that I'll had his knee in Gray’s back sidewalk and then forcing shield him in the house just while another officer bent your way into his innocent so he won't go outside and I Gray’s heels into his own grandmother’s home to know that I can't do that for back. "They had him folded throw her on the floor and the rest of my life. I'm a noup like he was a crab or a put her in handcuffs while tolerant mother. Everybody piece of origami,” the wit- breaking her shoulder in the that knows me, [knows] I ness told the Baltimore Sun. process. That’s what hap- don't play that. That's my Despite several pleas for pened to the aforementioned only son and at the end of medical attention and an 87-year-old Venus Green the day I don't want him to inhaler, Gray received none. when an officer accused her be a Freddie Gray.”

The media portrayed this He passed a week later. Gray of lying about where her mother as a ‘hero’ for bringsuffered a severe spinal cord grandson had been shot.

When the officer stood ing her son in from the injury and his family says his voice box was crushed and over Green he reportedly protests and implored other his neck snapped before he told her, “Bitch, you ain’t no parents to do the same and better than any of the other stop the protests. But look at slid into a coma and died.

An attorney for the police old black bitches I have the quote, “I don’t want him union speculated that the locked up.” That’s what a to be a Freddie Gray.” This mother has no interest in injuries might have been sus- thug looks like.

Violence and property stopping or condemning the tained while Gray was being transported in a police vehi- destruction cannot be con- protests; she just didn’t want cle. See, the Baltimore Police doned. They aren’t desirable the police to kill her son like have a tactic they like to call actions; nobody wants to see they killed Freddie Gray. the ‘rough ride,’ in which a their city destroyed. But after police vehicle is deliberately decades of racist policing and Jake Forken is a junior in the College of Ecology. He may be reached at driven in a manner as to decades of watching grand- Human jrf285@cornell.edu. My Forken injure a suspect. The mothers and friends and Opinion appears alternate Fridays this Baltimore Sun reports that at church members be abused, semester.

CORRECTION An April 30 news story, “Dozens of Cornellians Hold Die-In on Ho Plaza,” stated that demonstrators lied down in order to “obstruct the daily course of business.” This statement misrepresented the intentions of the participants. In fact, they lied down in order to challenge onlookers to stop to think about the issues to which they were calling attention.

A&E

8 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | Friday, May 1, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Retta’s Life After Rec Newly ‘unemployed’ Parks and Rec comedian talks KFC, opera and racism at Statler

BY EMILY FOURNIER Sun Staff Writer

Actress and stand-up comedian Marietta “Retta” Sirleaf, best known for her role as Donna Meagle on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, performed a genuine and hilarious set this past Wednesday in the Statler Auditorium. While her longterm project is over and her Twitter bio states that she is unemployed, Retta is touring and performing while working on surprising projects like the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks film. Her show, presented by the Cornell University Program Board (CUPB), was highly anticipated and attracted a significant crowd.

Despite feeling under the weather, the actress had a lot of energy and played off of the audience rather than simply reciting the jokes and stories she has perfected. Her performance started a bit slow because she was struggling with her voice, but she soon hit her stride. The comic seemed to have been helped by two audience members offering her cough drops — the second was necessary because the first elicited the question, “What year is this from?” Though her demeanor was very friendly, she also mocked the Cornellian audience’s overall nerdiness and lack of athletic prowess, before going on to poke fun at herself.

Retta joked that she has gotten much lazier as time has passed, having once planned to become a surgeon after attending Duke University as a pre-med student, and that her work as a stand-up comedian made it logical for her to work only one hour per day. She quipped that due to her general laziness, she had needed to join a gym to avoid gaining weight, for the sake of “fiscal responsibility.” Retta went on to recall the shocking time that she stopped at Kentucky Fried Chicken on a road trip and placed her order — murmuring conspiratorially to us, “White meat doesn’t do it for me” — and was bizarrely told that they were out of chicken. Later on, she was even able to assure us that there are airports worse than Ithaca’s, like the one in a long-forgotten Midwestern town where luggage was brought out not on a

conveyor belt but through a hole in a cinderblock wall.

Though she has long worked as a stand-up comedian and has appeared on a few shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, she is best known for Parks and Recreation, and she referenced it a great deal. She poked fun at her former costars, Aziz Ansari in particular, and the cast’s collective addiction to their smartphones. Of course, she paid homage to the famous “Treat Yo Self Day” on the show, shouting to a very receptive audience, “I like to TREAT MYSELF!” Retta explained that Nick Offerman (who played Ron Swanson on the show) once made Parks and Rec playing cards for the crew as a Christmas gift. In an unexpectedly sweet moment, she decided to give away a deck to an audience member who was randomly chosen through a Twitter contest. Retta signed the queen of spades, where her face was pictured, and granted the deck to the ecstatic grad student.

While it was evident that Retta does have a serious side, she kept her performance light, even when discussing issues like racism and poverty. Having grown up on undesirable food items such as “Taystee Bread,” powdered milk and a mysteriously named non-dairy creamer, Retta found that money was always tight and she had to work very hard to find success. She claimed to have had competitions with the other poor kids in her neighborhood to see whose lives were the hardest, and decided the girl whose mother had to use petroleum jelly instead of cooking spray was the clear winner. She also commented on the stereotypes that affect her life and how she is viewed, as well as the assumptions that she makes about others based on their race. Retta pointed out how bizarre it is that people feel the need to alter the way they speak around people based on race or gender, and how excited she would be if all white guys stopped saying, “You go, girl!” to black women like herself, which I would strongly support.

Retta described her moments of road rage, in which her anger often turns racial and she gets very upset with white, seemingly entitled drivers who cut her off. However, she was once able to forgive a girl with an “Obama: Hope” bumper

sticker, since it was a “new day.” In what was probably the most hilarious bit of the evening, R e t t a explained that she loves to blast classical music in her car, but all that others hear in their own cars is the bassline. She stated that she loves to roll down the window and JASON BEN NATHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER sing the soprano line to shock others whenever she gets looks of disgust for, as many people assume, listening to rap music. Her loud vocal demonstration of this practice was both impressive and hysterical, and really highlighted Retta’s intelligence and good taste despite her unabashed love of silly comedy.

While Retta is well accomplished in a variety of ways, she was the most relatable speaker I have seen so far at Cornell.

Her focus on her own everyday experiences made her comedy especially accessible, and the casual way she was able to discuss serious topics helped to get people thinking while still laughing. The comedian proved that she’s hilarious not just as Donna Meagle, but also as herself.

Emily Fournier is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at efournier@cornellsun.com.

Fast 7: Still Thrilling After 15 Years Dom and his gang across the world. The federal government — represented by Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) — gives them some equipment and promises to help get revenge. The endless chase ensues, taking our anti-heroes from L.A. to the Caucasus While Furious 7 probably won’t be racing towards the Oscars Mountains and Abu Dhabi and back. Fans may remember havfor Best Picture (as Vin Diesel has suggested) it is breaking ing been in awe when they saw the first of the Fast and Furious records at the box office and is guaranteed to hold a place in installments; after all, the street racing and stunts seemed glamyour heart. orous and thrilling. These movies have come a long way to have Furious 7 begins a little bit before Fast and Furious 6’s ending survived 15 years and seven movies. Furious 7 does not disap— Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), older brother of Fast 6’s vil- point, bringing the most intense, suspenseful and outrageous lain, swears revenge upon the team that crippled his brother action sequences this series has yet to see. Buckled-in drivers are after seeing his brother comatose in the hospital. Meanwhile in parachuted onto a mountainside and Dom drives out of the L.A., Dom Teretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) 80th floor window of one Abu Dhabi skyscraper into another. and the rest of their crew are trying to adjust to living a Cars are driven up and normal life after their pardons. Dom attempts to assist down mountains and Furious 7 his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriquez) in regaining there are a ton of fight her memory and Brian struggles adjusting to life as a scenes — even Letty, Directed by James Wan parent with Dom’s younger sister Mia (Jordana Fast and Furious’s Starring Jason Statham, Brewster). The movie flashes back to Deckard Shaw, fiercest leading lady, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker who is seen breaking into an office for information and gets into a physical profiles on Dom’s crew. He is caught by Luke Hobbs fight. Describing these (Dwayne Johnson), but Hobbs is severely injured by a action sequences does bomb detonated by Shaw. Dom learns Mia is pregnant not do them justice, again; he convinces her to tell Brian about it, but she is and the gravity defynervous because Brian clearly misses living life on the ing stunts will remind edge. Mia and Dom are interrupted by a phone call you why you’re still from Deckard Shaw. He is calling immediately after having coming back to see these movies 15 years later. killed Han Seoul-Oh, a former member of their crew, in Tokyo The movie did not have a smooth ride through production, — this is where the end of Fast 6 left off. Dom realizes that the though. As many know, halfway through filming Furious 7, Paul package on his porch is a bomb, and it destroys his house.

Walker tragically died in a high-speed car accident. They finDom travels to Tokyo to claim Han's body. Deckard Shaw ished filming by using unused footage from the previous Fast shows up at Han’s funeral trying to kill them, and his partner, and Furious movies, having his brother stand in for him and utiJakande (Djimon Hounsou), has kidnapped a hacker, Ramsey lizing CGI. Nevertheless, the editing is seamless and they did an (Nathalie Emmanuel), whose “God’s Eye” technology can track incredible job of finishing the movie without Walker. The film

BY RADHIKA PARIKH Sun Staff Writer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

does have a huge dramatic punch because of the death of Paul Walker. I never thought I would cry during a Fast and Furious film, but during the last quarter of the movie when you know it is the last time you’ll see Walker on screen, it’s hard not to tear up. Universal was incredibly respectful of his passing, halting production to let the cast and crew grieve. The end of the movie was clearly rewritten to accommodate Walker’s passing and celebrate his life and work. It is handled beautifully. The writers allow Paul Walker’s character to live on and retire with Mia and his children. The film ends with Brian and Dom racing one last time, interspersed with a montage of his character through the course of the series. Whiz Kalifa’s “See you Again” plays in the background. It’s truly heartbreaking. It is clear from all of the press surrounding Walker’s death and the promotion of the Furious 7 movie that these people were family on and off set.

Fast and Furious 7 is clearly the best of the series. It leaves us with classic Fast-isms — such as “I ain’t got friends, I got family” — which ring truer and sadder in light of Walker’s passing.

The movie was clearly fueled by dedication and heart. This one really sticks with you. While it does hold onto it’s predecessors flaws — plot holes, reliance on action sequences and little dialogue — the camaraderie of this family on and off screen overshadows these issues. Clearly, finishing the film in celebration and honor of Walker’s life brought out of the best in everyone.

Vin Diesel has been since quoted saying, “Paul Walker used to say that an 8th film was guaranteed. And in some ways, when your brother guarantees something, you sometimes feel like you have to make sure it comes to pass ... so if fate has it, then you’ll get this when you hear about it. Furious 7 was for Paul, the eighth film is from Paul.” He later announced that the release date for Fast and Furious 8 is April 14, 2017.

Radhika Parikh is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She can be reached at rparikh@cornellsun.com.

A&E

Friday, May 1, 2015 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | 9

Titus Andronicus “Dimed Out” Merge Records

O O

O

SPINNING SINGLES O O new and notable music in review

O

O

O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

— Mike Sosnick Never one for keeping it low-key or modest, Titus Andronicus has announced its upcoming triple LP, The Most Lamentable Tragedy, due July 28 on Merge. The album, whose name is the first part of Titus Andronicus’s original title, is slated to be a 29-track, 93-minute rock opera, according to eccentric frontman Patrick Stickles, Jersey’s real musical man of the people. (Yeah Springsteen, I went there.)

With this announcement came the release of the record’s 12th track, “Dimed Out.” While the whole record centers on despair, this single is a true, dyed-in-the-wool punk anthem. With its simple, driving power chords and impassioned cries, “Dimed Out” is a pure blast of positive energy. With proclamations like, “When my chalice is full I am invincible / I don’t listen to parents or priests or principles,” Titus keeps their finger firmly on the bread-andbutter staples of punk, but in such a way that you have to believe them. Simultaneously a middle finger and a PMA tattoo, “Dimed Out” is the perfect teaser for any Titus fan waiting eagerly for July.

Slayer “When the Stillness Comes”

— Melis Schilkraut

Nuclear Blast

Slayer’s new single, “When the Stillness Comes,” certainly didn’t keep me still. In fact, upon listening to it for the first time, I felt my bones stir. Literally.

According to Rolling Stone, Slayer guitarist Kerry King conjured up this song during a “three-hour ride in some fucking minivan.” King reports having tunneled all of his “hateful thoughts” into this musical masterpiece. Thank god Kerry was feeling especially angsty during that car-ride across Europe. Otherwise, fans would never have been granted the pleasure of hearing what Kerry’s anger is really like, manifested into musical prose.

The song opens with a few mellow guitar riffs, but only escalates from there. Its first lyrics ring out loud and clear: “Blood looked like paste on the wall / Bodies lay lifeless like dolls.” A gruff voice attacks the ears of the listener, the intensity of strumming and drumming increases, and the volume is turned up.

In the Stone article, Kerry reveals that the song is “about a dude who wakes up at a crime scene and realizes he's killed everybody. It’s really cool.” Slayer was spot on in its concoction of this scene. Listening to “When the Stillness Comes” gave me a feeling reminiscent to those experienced after fucked up, childhood nightmares. I urge you to listen to this single — to feel the nostalgia. Get slayed.

Three Rules for Approaching Art Without Being Awful RULE 1: Don’t Bring Up Education As Justification for Your Opinion Let’s get this out of the way. If you have taken art courses at a higher level — whether it be art history, film, music, whatever — you probably do have some tools at your disposal that allow you to analyze artwork from a technical, knowledgeable or simply jargon-filled perspective. I’m not here trying to belittle your college education, whether it is a degree devoted to it or an elective class you took for fun.

Having taken a course in something to that effect was likely demanding and rewarding.

That said, when discussing opinions about art, there is almost nothing as infuriating as somebody who thinks that they know everything there is to know just because they took a class in college. Just because you learned a lot about Claude Monet doesn’t make you the foremost authority on impressionism. Being the guy who pulls out the “Fine Arts Minor” card when examining and discussing every piece in the museum does not make your opinion any better than anybody else’s. It just makes you an asshole.

This is probably one of the hardest rules to follow. If you do have some formal education that your fellow conversationalist may lack, it can be frustrating. It can be extremely difficult not to point to that education as a justification for your opinion.

But the thing is, it almost always comes off less as you explaining your experience and qualifications, and more as you belittling your counterpart’s. You may not mean it, but it usually sounds like, “I’m smart,

and you’re dumb, end of discussion.” The best thing you can do is to demonstrate that knowledge in discussion, and elaborate on it if asked. If you actually do know what you’re talking about, it’ll show, and people will recognize that. But flaunting your education like a flag announcing your expertise is a good way to find yourself on a one-way road to assholedom. Trust me, I’ve stumbled on this rule before, and I’ve been that asshole more than a few times.

Evan Needell Needell In a Crapstack RULE 2: Not Every Piece of Art Has to Be Formally Analyzed This rule is also important for allowing yourself to enjoy things, in general. You have to know how to decide whether to take a eudaimonic or hedonic approach to art. In other words, you need to understand that there are different mindsets you must adopt in order to fully appreciate Birdman versus Pacific Rim. When I talk about the eudaimonic approach, I am talking about the part of you that longs for self-reflection, contemplation and more philosophical questions. It is the part of you that hunts for art that really makes you just sit there and think. It is the part of you that wants to watch a character study of

the deteriorating psyche of a washed up actor who still longs for the limelight, like in this year’s Academy Award Best Picture winner, Birdman.

The hedonic approach, on the other hand, is more about pure entertainment. It’s about what gets to your emotions, and gets your heart beating. It’s about explosions and visual effects, it’s about sappy storylines and heartbreak, and it’s about physical gags and toilet humor. It’s about giant fucking robots fighting giant fucking monsters, like in Evan’s Favorite Summer Flick Ever Of All Time Award winner, Pacific Rim. In short, if you approach every Oscar Nominated film expecting edge-of-your-seat action or gut-busting humor, you will likely be disappointed. And if you approach a summer blockbuster expecting thorough character development or cinematic techniques oozing in symbolic meaning, you’ll probably be out of luck.

No matter your preference, it is imperative that you at least try to approach a film from the appropriate route, in order to (most importantly) enjoy the film for what it is, and also to avoid being an asshole. Nobody likes the guy whose serious problems with a romcom are the plot devices or lack of emotional subtlety or cookie cutter approach to filmmaking. Just because a film doesn’t hit on every single aspect of artistic technique you learned in school doesn’t mean that it has to be unenjoyable.

This rule doesn’t only apply to people with the educational tools mentioned above.

Somebody who can’t appreciate a work unless it is causes some sort of immediate physical gratification and labels anything trying to hit

on “deeper” emotions as too boring or confusing is equally frustrating. One should always try to appreciate art for what it is, and what it is trying to be. Unless, of course, you’re trying to be an asshole.

RULE 3: Don’t Take It So Seriously Personally, this is the one that I struggle with the most. I’m stubborn and I love to argue — a deadly combination when I firmly disagree with somebody about a work of art.

You love a book that I hate? I’m willing to spend half an hour pointing out every reason why it sucks. And this, of course, makes me seem like an asshole.

Nobody likes the guy who is willing to get in a fist fight over whether or not The Great Gatsby deserves the title of “The Great American Novel.” Some people are going to love things you hate, and hate things you love.

That’s half the beauty of art — that people can have well justified and wildly different opinions on a single piece, and nobody is necessarily wrong. It’s not a competition, you don’t have to win. Getting into friendship-ruining arguments over art does not make you passionate, it just makes you an asshole.

And with that, I’d just like to say thank you for reading my column this year. I’m not sure if anybody exists who has read it consistently enough to warrant a thanks, but if you do, I appreciate it. I hope I’ve been thought-provoking at best, and at least mildly entertaining, at worst. But by now, I’m sure you’ve had enough of this asshole.

Even Needell is a senior in the College of arts and Sciences. He can be reached at eneedell@cornellsun.com. Needell in a Crapstack runs alternate Fridays this semester.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

10 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Math course 8 Oslo Accords participant 14 Broad-minded 16 Ranks 17 Tennis shot delivered from between one’s legs 18 Cold-climate coat 19 “Sounds good!”

20 Duo 21 Almond Joy cousin 22 Conference, informally 24 Suit at a shoot 27 Nine-digit no.

28 Secretly send a dupe email to 31 Unique 32 Large moth 35 Spicy Indian dish 37 Blogosphere backdrop 40 Oklahoma city 41 Marriott competitor 42 One way to get a hand 43 IBM-inspired villain 44 Quarterback’s target: Abbr.

46 One targeting the quarterback 48 Socially inept 51 Point one’s finger at 54 Apartment manager, for short 55 Chronological start?

58 Slapstick performer 59 Ceremoniously ushers 61 Geometry giant 62 Yardsticks 63 Like the smell of rising dough 64 Letter that hints at how 18 answers in this puzzle should be filled in DOWN 1 ABA member 2 Sad

3 Sad 4 Broad shoe size 5 Jacques Cartier or Jules Verne, e.g.

6 Really let loose 7 All over again 8 Los __, New Mexico 9 Formally abandon 10 Declare 11 Fronded bit of flora 12 “__-in His Lamp”: Bugs Bunny cartoon 13 Impatient utterances 15 Slacks, briefly 22 Strolling areas 23 Bolt with great speed 24 “Arrested Development” surname 25 High-profile caucus locale 26 Hillock 28 Main impact 29 Minos’ kingdom 30 Modern crime head?

33 Function

34 O.T. book 36 Rod with power 38 Court case 39 “The Wolf of Wall Street” star 45 Pigtailed redhead in a restaurant logo 47 1974 Mocedades hit 48 Leather craftsperson’s beltful

49 DOD branch 50 Hospital division 51 __-deucey 52 Footprint, maybe 53 Partner of Caesar 55 Swedish King __ XVI Gustaf 56 “Night” author Wiesel 57 Isaac’s hirsute son 60 N.T. book

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Sun Sudoku

COMICS AND PUZZLES

Puzzle #22

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 classifieds@cornelldailysun.com

by Liz Popolo ’08

11 F OR S ALE Double Wide Manufactured Home in Hillside Acres. 603 Keith St. $32,900.

Call 607-753-0170 for details.

xwordeditor@aol.com

05/01/15

19 B USINESS O PPORTUNITIES Rare Opportunity Ithaca, NY Pepperidge Farm Cookie Route $330,600. Financing Available.

Estimated 35K Down.

Currently grossing $452,400 in sales.

Net $83,460.

Same owner for 27 years.

Serious inquiries only.

Call 607-592-2969

23 PARKING Parking Collegetown College Ave., Dryden Rd., Linden Ave., Cook St. 607-330-2442, 607-273-9414

By Max Carpenter ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Classic Doonesbury (1982)

05/01/15

COLLEGETOWN PARKING

by Garry Trudeau

College Avenue Dryden Road Buffalo Street

607-272-3000 www.ithacarenting.com Parking Collegetown Available Now 607-277-1234 ’15 Spring Parking Oak Ave Odd/Even got you? Great price up from CTB avail Spring Semester

607-256-3778 nick@lambrourealestate.com

25 ROOMS FOR RENT

Mr. Gnu featuring Octopussy

by Travis Dandro

Collegetown Rooms!!!

118 Cook Street All Utilities Included 607.277.1234 ithacastudentapartments.com GRAD STUDENTS 314 FARM ST. @ CORNER OF LINN ST. “Block from Cascadilla Park in Fall Creek” NEW OWNERS, REFINISHED & FURNISHED NEW APPLIANCES, w/ WASHER & DRYER 6 Bdrms, 2 Full Baths, Some Off St. Parking $650/mo./util. inc.

SEE @: ckwstokes.wix.com/thefarmhouse

Call: WAYNE 351-6993, ckwstokes@aol.com

26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT

Mr. Gnu featuring Barry

by Travis Dandro

RIGHT BY CORNELL 1, 2, 3 & 4 BR APTS. BEST PRICES 10 & 12 MONTH LEASES 607-592-7694 COLLEGE AVENUE STUDIOS AND 1 BEDROOMS FURNISHED, INCLUDES HEAT 607-272-3389 BEFORE 7PM www.avramisrentals@aol.com 312 College Ave Collegetown’s Best Address Beautifully Furnished Studio, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom & 3 Bedroom units.

Office Open M-F 9-9; Sat 10-5; Sun 11-4.

273-9777 or 312collegeave.com

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015 11 since 1880

26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT

26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT

Two gorgeous new boutique apartment complexes in the heart of downtown Ithaca offer many amenities.

Three Bedroom Apartment Lower Collegetown Walk to Campus or the Commons.

On bus route. Large bedrooms, hardwood floors. Balcony/porch.

Available 8-5-15.

Certified Properties of TC Inc. 273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com

5 BEDROOM Opposite Cascadilla Dorms All included. $895 per person.

607-229-5116 www.pjapts.com

NOW renting.

Apartments without hassle.

Hudson Heights Apartments are located on South Hill, 8 minutes from Cornell.

Prices start at $680/month.

Rent includes: all utilities, parking, garbage and recycling. There are two laundry facilities on the premises and the bus route is on the block.

Contact ILS for an appointment: 607-280-7660 or email renting@ithacaLS.com.

PJ APARTMENTS COLLEGETOWN STUDIOS TO 18 BEDROOM MANSION 607-229-5116 WWW.PJAPTS.COM PJAPARTMENTS@GMAIL.COM MANY NEW BEAUTIFUL RENOVATIONS COMPLETED. TOURS AVAILABLE M-F, NOON-6PM OR BY APPOINTMENT. AVAILABLE FOR 2015-2016

North Campus Apartments Near your Sorority/Fraternity. Stay close! 3,4 and 5 bedrooms available with free roadrunner internet, cable, water, furniture and TV. Some apartments have 2 baths, dishwashers and fireplaces.

Call or email for a viewing. Checkout 110 Heights court and Westbourne Apts. at www.kimballrentals.com Kimball Real Estate 257-0313

Collegetown Plaza Collegetown Center Collegetown Court Other Collegetown Locations For 2015-16: Studios, 1 Bedrooms, 2 Bedrooms, Rooms, Parking Rent Smart. Live Well.

Ithaca Renting Company www.ithacarenting.com 2 BEDROOM All included. $850.

Free parking. Laundry.

Big beautiful bedrooms.

607-229-5116 www.pjapts.com Westview Terrace Grad students Welcome Washer/dryer, dishwasher, A/C

Westview

2015-2016 WESTBOURNE APARTMENTS We are located within a beautiful 10 minute walk to campus in the historical district of Cornell Heights and are managed by concerned Cornelians with 42 yrs. experience in caring for the residential needs of Ithacans. Our apts. have all the features you would expect in the very best area residences. Some of the units have fireplaces and two bathrooms. We provide free Roadrunner internet and standard cable service. Resident parking available.

RATES BEGIN AT $575-$700/person plus electric 257-0313 www.kimballrentals.com QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, CONVENIENT 1–3 Bedroom Apartments & Houses In Collegetown PARKING, LAUNDRY, UTILITIES (607) 273-7368

www.IthacaApartmentRental.com

Beautiful New Renovation 1 Bedroom on Williams St. www.pjapts.com 607-229-5116 Lakeland North Campus 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms Fully furnished Heat, hot water and HSIA Included Pets Welcome Parking available www.travishyde.com 607 273-1654

100 Ft. from main gates of Cornell Starting at $595 includes all utilities.

592-9482

Certified Properties of TC Inc. 273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com Houses, Apts, Parking

Parquet hardwood floors Fireplace, storage www.travishyde.com 607 273-1654 Available for 2015-2016

North Campus Furnished 4 Bedroom Christopher George Real Estate 607-272-8213 or email: tracy01@christophergeorgerealestate.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

2-Bedroom North Albany St. For Grads/ Professionals Great value in a great neighborhood. Near Commons, bus lines and Gimme! on Cayuga St. Remodeled kitchen, full bath. Large back yard shared with downstairs tenants (working couple). Available Aug. 1. $960 plus utilities. No undergrads.

273-7082 or email gm27@cornell.edu

SKYDIVE

TANDEM

Finger Lakes Skydivers

www.skydivefingerlakes.com 607-869-5601

1 to 3 Bedroom Collegetown - College Ave, Linden Ave, Dryden Rd, Bryant Ave, Cook St 607-330-2442 Office at 307 College Ave. info@urbanithaca.com www.urbanithaca.com

607-272-3000 Visit our office at: 119 Dryden Road

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Newly Renovated Apartments 1, 2 & 4 Bedroom

Large rooms, lots of light, access to washer/dryer. Parking. Fully furnished.

Available 6-5-15. $520 per person.

Apartments, Parking Central Collegetown

yeah, we’ve been around awhile...

These studio and two bedroom apartments are fully furnished and include all appliances.

Washer/dryers are available in several apartments with on site laundry facilities in others. Enjoy easy access to colleges, several restaurants, shopping, the Ithaca bus line and the Ithaca Commons. Amenities include; off street parking, garbage and snow removal, some balconies and furnishings.

Please contact Iacovelliproperties@gmail.com.

Modern Four Bedroom Apt. Upper Collegetown

Superb Panoramic Views Collegetown Terrace Apartments 1 and 2 Bedroom / 2 Bath Apartments Available now and for Spring Semester!

2 bedroom apartments also available to share.

Heat, hot water and high speed wireless internet included.

Stackable washer and dryer in apartments.

Novarr-Mackesey Property Management www.collegetownterraceithaca.com office@ithacastudentapartments.com Free State of the Art Fitness Center Covered parking available for a fee.

607.277.1234

26 A PARTMENT FOR R ENT

Call

Are You Still Looking for Housing for 2015-2016 North Campus Furnished 2 bedroom available Christopher George Real Estate 607-272-8213 or email: tracy01@christophergeorgerealestate.com

27 H OUSE FOR R ENT RENT REDUCED!!

118 Cook St 12 BR House 607-277-1234 www.ithacastudentapartments.com

Eight Bedroom House Lower Collegetown Large living areas, W/D, off street parking. Fully furnished.

Available 6-5-15. $550 per person

Certified Properties of TC Inc. 273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com Four Bedroom House Upper Collegetown Hardwood floors, large living room, private screened in porch, off street parking, washer/dryer.

Available 6-5-15. $615 per person.

Certified Properties of TC Inc. 273-1669 certifiedpropertiesinc.com

Graduate Housing Available Rural yet minutes to Cornell 3 Bedroom House w/ attached 2 car garage Tracy Lynn Real Estate 607-379-2776

www. cornellsun. com

The CorneDaily Sun at

273-3606 Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. for information about placing your ad in the

Dining Guide

12 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015 13

SPORTS

Closing Out the Bottom of the Ninth Cornell Looks to Solidify Playoff Rankings Spot CHIUSANO

Continued from page 16

baseball game — freshly cut outfield grass, brushing the dirt off your pants after a diving play, the quiet competitiveness — mirrors everything beautiful about youth. After 17 years, I am still refusing to let that slip away.

If playing baseball was what let me avoid the realities of growing up, then writing about baseball was an opportunity to begin to cope with those realities. I am truly grateful to have been able to write about something I love for the past four years, and this column has given me the opportunity to do so. I’ve written about a lot through these years, but I’ve always tried to give weight to the times when sports cross over into our lives. This happens in so many different ways — just yesterday a baseball game at Camden Yards was closed off to fans because of the protests in Baltimore — and it is why I think there is something truly valuable in sports beyond the superficial money and fame. I believe there is value in anything that can teach us something about ourselves and others, and sports can certainly be a medium for that. I hope that at times in these columns, I was able to convey that belief.

There are many people I should thank for making this column possible, for making anything I did for this newspaper possible, but I’ll try to make it brief. Thanks to Annie, who freshman year taught me how to deal with working for The Sun. Thanks to Anna for taking over the reigns of this section with confidence. It is in good hands. To Haley and Caroline, thank you for being such amazing editors, hard workers and friends. Working for this newspaper would not have been the same without you guys, the past three years of college would not have been the same, and I appreciate that.

To my dad, thank you for being the subject of more than a few of these columns, for tolerating more than your share of sporting events over the years without complaint (don’t worry dad, they’re almost over). We may never have had a catch together, but the first time you read to me as a kid meant more to me than throwing a baseball ever could have.

To my mom, thank you for being my batting practice pitcher, my diving catches thrower and my biggest fan. I’m sorry I didn’t major in math, but you’ve had more influence on what I’ve done here than you can possibly imagine. Finally to my brother, thank you for always being a role model, an editor, a pep-talker, a competitor. I’ll forever be looking up to you.

I’ve always had trouble with endings as a writer; they never feel satisfactory. I have the same problem with titles, so I guess it’s always been the beginning and the end that’s been the scariest for me. Everything in the middle just seems to fall into place. It’s the same in baseball. Your heart is always in your throat in the first inning and in the ninth.

But the beautiful rhythm of the game as it moves forward lets your heartbeat steady again. I like to think that’s how life works. We’re never happy at the beginning of anything, because we’re not sure what lies ahead. And we’re never happy at the end, because everything that came before turned out to be so perfect. There will be a lot of endings in the next few weeks. This is one of them. Tomorrow will be another. But soon there will be new beginnings, new titles to create.

Here’s to the next nine innings.

Scott Chiusano can be reached at schiusano@cornellsun.com.

In a news release from the Mercer County prosecutor’s office, authorities said Burress filed his state income tax return for 2013 on Oct. 20, 2014, showing he owed nearly $48,000, the amount that would be due for someone with a taxable income of about $550,000.

Prosecutors said he submitted an electronic funds transfer, but it failed.

Officials said the state Division of Taxation notified him of the problem in multiple letters, one of which was sent certified and returned unclaimed, but officials never heard back from him.

Authorities also said they notified Burress’ tax preparer.

They say he also didn’t pay up after a criminal complaint was filed in February.

Burress has had previous brushes with the law. He pleaded guilty in 2009 to violating a New York

guys are calm. They don’t panic when the wind changes or the current isn’t as they expected. We need to make the proper adjustments.”

Looking forward, Kennett said facing two comparable opponents will provide an opportunity for the Red to showcase its improvement.

“This is a huge weekend for us; we have been showing quite a bit of speed but we haven’t risen in the rankings,” Kennett said. “Penn is ranked close to us and they’ve been doing pretty well, as has Dartmouth. It will be a bloodbath.”

Kennett places emphasis on rankings because they are used to determine seeding for major races, such as the upcoming IRA National Championship Regatta at Mercer University.

The purpose of seeding is to ensure that heats

“Penn is ranked close to us and they’ve doing pretty well, as has Dartmouth. It will be a bloodbath.”

Todd Kennett

Burress Charged With Failing to Pay Taxes FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Former NFL star Plaxico Burress has been indicted on charges he failed to pay taxes, New Jersey prosecutors announced Thursday.

The 37-year-old former wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and New York Jets was charged last week with willful failure to pay a state tax and issuing a bad check or electronic funds transfer.

Burress is the first person in the state to be charged under a law adopted and signed last year that makes issuing a bad electronic funds transfer a criminal offense just like passing a bad check.

Each offense could carry up to a five-year prison term if he is convicted.

Burress, who lives in Totowa, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. It was also not clear if a lawyer is representing him.

ROWING

Continued from page 16

weapons law after he accidentally shot himself in the thigh. He spent 20 months in prison.

He also has a history of being sued over unpaid bills, many of them relatively small for someone who earned millions of dollars in his career. The Associated Press found in 2009 that he had been sued an average of once a year since 2000 over debts, damages to cars and tax nonpayment.

In some of the cases, home inspectors, car dealers and others said they took him to court reluctantly after he failed to respond to calls and letters requesting payments he owed. In one case, when he finally did pay up, the check bounced.

The wide receiver, who caught the winning touchdown for the Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl, returned to the NFL after his release from prison but has not played since 2012.

Coaches only

are balanced. If a team receives a poor seed, they may be placed in a heat with faster boats, making it more difficult to advance to the next round. Top-seeded boats generally land the safest route to the finals.

This will be the 60th edition of the Madeira Cup, whose namesake comes from the Penn rowing patron who donated it. Penn holds the historical edge in the series, winning the Madeira Cup 36 times to Cornell’s 23. However, recent history favors the Red, who has been victorious the past seven seasons. Cornell also holds a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series with Dartmouth.

Races will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, with the Varsity Eight race kicking off at 10:50 a.m.

Nathaniel Martin can be reached at nmartin@cornellsun.com.

Blood Retires as Winningest Cornell Softball Head Coach SOFTBALL

Continued from page 16

JOON LEE / SUN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Left to right: Assistant head coach Shane Hurd, running back and tight ends Guido Falbo, special teams and wide receivers coach David Hanna, head coach David Archer ’05 and offensive coordinator Roy Istvan review spring practice film.

note winning five of eight games. The team will lose senior catcher Sophia Giaquinto and senior infielder Clare Feely to graduation.

“The season’s outcome wasn’t ideal for Coach Blood’s last one but we were on the upswing by winning eight out of our last twelve and the future for next season is looking very bright,” Parker said.

“We came into this sea- “We came into this season son needing needing the freshman to the freshmen contribute and they did an to contribute and amazing job.” they did an incredible Meg Parker job. I’m so excited to see everything the nine of them accomplish in the next three years. We’re all going to miss Coach Blood. The last few games were very emotional but he made it clear we haven’t seen the last of him.”

Olivia Mattyasovszky can be reached at omattyasovszky@cornellsun.com.

14 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015

SPORTS

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 1, 2015 15

Always Learning: David Archer ’05,the Student Coach

JOON LEE / SUN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Notorious notetaker | Head coach David Archer ’05 takes notes on the ideas floated by his coaching staff before making decisions.

grams Pete DeStefano, Archer’s former defensive line coach, often joins alongside him to discuss life and the future of the program. DeStefano, who’s been around Cornell football for 25 years, said he has seen a shift in culture around the offices since Archer took over the program.

“The environment is a lot better for learning and to be motivated with,” DeStefano said. “The kids never used to be around the office and now they come around and stick their heads in. I see that and it’s a big difference and I think the kids are enjoying to play football now, more so. It’s in the third year now so it’s a big, welcome change.”

On the wall of Archer’s office is the original sheet music for the song “Cornell Victorious,” which is ironic given that the team has a winning record against just one Ivy League opponent over the course of the last decade, a fact that Archer said is unacceptable. Archer said he wants to build a program, an institution, at Cornell football that not only consistently competes for the Ivy League Championship, but also churns out leaders that make a positive influence in society.

Archer’s passion and desire to build the legacy of Cornell football is unmatched.

Because he already has his dream job, with no intention to coach football at a bigger school or professionally, Archer makes decisions that are constantly in the best interest of the football program.

“Sometimes, you just find the right guy [to lead the program],” Hurd said.

The results in the coming years will determine whether or not Archer is the right person to lead Red football to glory.

the University, what’s best for our players and didn’t manifest themselves in terms of a lot of best for our program and best for our staff.” wins last season, junior running back Luke Archer’s job isn’t to micromanage every Hagy turned into a powerhouse by the end This is the final installment of a three- aspect of the Red football program; he’s there of the season. The more balanced attack, part series about head football coach David to lay down a foundation, an organizational Archer said, also intends to develop the philosophy that drives how the program defense into a unit that can stop both the run Archer ’05. develops. In his position, Archer needs to and the pass. When the offense was solely focused on passing the football, the team On the shelf behind the desk of David trust his coaching staff.

“When you’re in that position — and he struggled to stop the run because the defenArcher ’05 in Schoellkopf Hall sits a tidy stack of books. Among the titles of books exemplifies that — you have to hire the right sive unit never practiced stopping the include The Tipping Point by Malcolm people and trust that they’re going to do the ground game in practice.

For Archer’s plan to succeed, he will need Joon Lee can be reached at Gladwell, the autobiography of Tim Tebow, right thing. Surround yourself with good people and then work to depend on his coaching staff to successful- joonlee@cornellsun.com.

The Talent Code by your tail off,” Hurd ly teach and implement the system. While Daniel Coyle and The “The fact that he’s the said. “He didn’t hire a some critics point to Archer’s lack of experiWinning Attitude by JOON LEE / SUN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR youngest head coach in the bunch of guys---- so he ence potentially holding back the program, John C. Maxwell. could micromanage his staff said criticizing his age is a moot They sit prominently country, I don’t think that them. He hired a point. on Archer’s shelf, adds into how well he does bunch of guys so he “The fact that he’s the youngest head something that surcould let them be coach in the country, I don’t think that adds prises the head coach his job.” great. He knows what into how well he does his job,” Hurd said. himself.

Shane Hurd he wants out of this “Everyone had to start somewhere.

“It’s ironic [that I “What makes him a good head coach is program.” have a lot of books] When he started his reign as head coach that he’s committed. He’s committed to this because my dad couldn’t pay me to read at Cornell, Archer set out to change the way football program. He’s committed to winwhen I was in middle school,” Archer said.

Archer loves to read self-help, leadership that the team played on both the offensive ning. He’s a tireless worker. He understands and motivation books. He considers books and defensive end of the football. Archer the game of football. He understands educaan extension of the classroom. “When you inherited a team with Jeff Mathews ‘13, one tion. He understands how kids learn. He’s go into a classroom, that teacher may have of the most decorated quarterbacks in the extremely organized. He seeks advice from the best way to think of something, that history of the Ivy League, and a system built people inside and outside of the game of football.” teacher might have the best way to do that around the passing game.

Every day, Archer takes an hour out of the After Mathews graduated, Archer began math problem,” Archer said. “Steal it.” The act of drawing from a variety of resources is a to shift the focus of the offense towards a day to go for a run. Director of player perpractice he learned from his time in the more balanced attack. While the results sonnel, alumni, community and career proTeach for America program and extends beyond books.

During a meeting with his coaches breaking down offensive tape from the previous night of practice, Archer sits facing his coaching staff on the side of the table closest to the projector screen. Assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Shane Hurd, running back and tight ends coach Guido Falbo, special teams and wide receivers coach David Hanna and offensive coordinator Roy Istvan sit in the room with Archer, breaking down the tape, discussing position battles and laying out a plan for the next practice.

Meanwhile, Archer remains focused, taking extensive notes on a piece of paper as if he’s in class listening to the coaches’ discussion on offensive strategy. Archer admits he is still learning on a daily basis how to be a head coach; he delegates the play-calling to defensive coordinator Jared Backus and Istvan.

“He’s always taking notes because he wants to take all of the information in and digest it,” Falbo said. “He’s more of a guy that takes in information before he makes a hard decision. Since I’ve been here, there haven’t been any forthright hard decisions right on the spot. There’s always been ideas JOON LEE / SUN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR thrown around and discussions. He tables [the problem] and digests and then he makes Bookworm | David Archer’s office features memorabilia from his playing days, piles of books, newspaper clippings, paintings, a view of the best possible decision for what’s best for Schoellkopf Field and various Cornell historical artifacts.

By JOON LEE

Sun Assistant Sports Editor

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Sports

MICHAELA BREW / SUN SPORTS EDITOR

Top-ranked rowers | The No. 10 Cornell heavyweight men’s rowing team will need to be aggressive, head coach Todd Kennett ’91 said.

Rowers Ready for Penn,Dartmouth

By NATHANIEL MARTIN

The No. 10 Cornell heavyweight men’s rowing team will take on No. 11 Penn and No. 14 Dartmouth in a set of races this weekend with both immediate and long-term implications. At stake are the Madeira Cup, given annually to the winner of Cornell vs. Penn, and the James Wray Memorial Trophy, a points cup that has been contested between the two schools. The results of these races will be important in determining seeding for the championships at the end of the season Races will be held this Saturday on Schuylkill River, one of the more challenging courses the Red will race.

“Penn has a tough course with a big turn,” said Cornell head coach Todd Kennett ’91. “The river’s current also plays

a large role because it tends to make races fast. Anytime the race is short, which is under six minutes, it becomes very hard to get a big margin.”

Because external factors will likely make the course seem as if it is shorter than the actual 2,000 meters, Kennett said that aggression is particularly important.

“It’s going to be important that we are aggressive — but at the right level,” Kennett said. “If you’re too aggressive, you’ll fly and die, but if you’re not aggressive enough, you’ll never be in the race.”

While the Red hopes to start quickly, Kennett said the team’s experience will be an important factor.

“I’ll be looking for a sense of maturity from the team,” Kennett said. “At this late date in the season, you hope that See ROWING page 13

SOFTBALL

Red Splits in Blood’s Final Games

fourth home run of the season out to center field and brought Rebecca Kubena home in the seventh inning for the third run of the game.

The Cornell softball team played Dick Blood ends his 20-year career their last games in the 2015 season at as the winningest coach in Cornell home at Neimand-Robison field history. Blood won Tuesday against Bing“We’re all going to miss Coach Blood. The last few the Ivy League title hamton. This game five times, with the last marked the last contest games were very emotional.” conference champicoached by Dick Blood, Meg Parker onship coming in who has been the head 2010. Associate head coach for 20 years. coach Julie Platt Farlow will take over The Red (17-24, 8-12 Ivy League) second game.

On the offensive side, junior for Blood starting next season. won the first game handily, 6-0, The Red missed the postseason, backed by an impressive performance infielder Emily Weinberg smacked a from the whole team. Freshman double to left field in the first inning, despite ending the season on a strong pitcher Maddie Orcutt allowed just bringing Karlie Mellott home. In the See SOFTBALL page 13 two hits and the offensive played out- second inning, Taylor Goodin hit her standing, bringing in two runners in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

Freshman catcher Tori Togashi’s grounder to third base brought home Karlie Mellott. A hit by Chloe Pendergast followed, plating junior pitcher and outfielder Meg Parker.

Orcutt and the defensive unit kept any Bearcats from crossing home plate.

“There was such a great atmosphere and I think we were able to feed off of that,” said junior infielder Taylor Goodin.

Although the Red lost the second game, 9-3, the game was a good sendoff for Blood, who put his team through their normal post game ritual, bringing tears from his whole squad.

The Red and the Bearcats each scored a run in the first inning. The CONNOR ARCHARD / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER teams diverged in the second inning, however, when the Bearcats put up Leaving a legacy | Dick Blood leaves Cornell as the winningest softball coach in five runs while the Red plated just Cornell history.

By OLIVIA MATTYASOVSZKY Sun Staff Writer

16

What Baseball Means to Me T

MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT ROWING

Sun Staff Writer

FRIDAY MAY 1, 2015

one. Binghamton added three more runs in the last two innings, and the Red couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole, adding just one more in the seventh inning. Parker and freshman Sierra Stone were the pitchers in the

he other day, I asked my roommate what he thought I should write about in my last column ever. Dan is a great guy, and I owe a lot of what I have written here over the past four years to conversations I’ve had with him, so I trusted his judgment.

His answer was that it didn’t really matter what he suggested, I’d probably write some sentimental crap about baseball anyway. Well Dan, the next 1,000 words are certainly not going to prove you wrong, and I’ll start off this sentimental column with a sentimental quote from the most sentimental of baseball poems, To An Athlete Dying Young: “Smart

Scott Chiusano Who’s On First lad, to slip betimes away/From fields where glory does not stay,/And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose.”

Though A.E. Housman’s truly sad poem centers on the death of a young athlete, these lines, at least to me, seem to be talking about growing up as well. Growing up, in some ways, is like coming up to bat with men on second and third at the end of a one-run ball game. There is a lot more on your shoulders, responsibility you need to embrace, a job you need to do. You often feel very alone when youth starts to slip away, just as you do when you dig your spikes into the dirt of home plate and stare down at the pitcher. In his

For as long as I can remember, I have been terrified of growing up.

When something constant in my life was about to change, I panicked. novel Shoeless Joe, W.P. Kinsella writes that, “Growing up is a ritual, more deadly than religion, more complicated than baseball, for there seem to be no rules. Everything is experienced for the first time.”

For as long as I can remember, I have been terrified of growing up. When something constant in my life was about to change, I panicked, and I’m still doing it now. The one thing in my life that never changed, the thing that allowed me to tell myself that part of me was still a kid, was playing baseball. The great Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella once said, “You gotta be a man to play baseball, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you, too.” There is something comforting about knowing that one can continue playing a boy’s sport long into adulthood, and it makes the pain of growing up that much more bearable. Tomorrow I will play what will likely be the last competitive baseball games in my life, and that perpetual fear of growing up is only getting stronger as the day draws closer. Everything beautiful about a See CHIUSANO page 13