11-2-23 entire issue hi res

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INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880

The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 140, No. 22

8 Pages — Free

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023 n ITHACA, NEW YORK

CORNELL STUDENT ARRAIGNED Dai to Remain in Custody Who is Patrick Dai '24? Pending Trial for Threats By JULIA SENZON and MARIAN CABALLO Sun News Editor and Sun Assistant News Editor

By SOFIA RUBINSON, GABRIEL MUÑOZ and ERIC REILLY Sun Managing Editor and Sun News Editors

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Cornell student Patrick Dai ’24 waived his right to an immediate detention hearing before Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks in the Northern District of New York at his arraignment hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 1. He is federally charged with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications in connection with the series of threats against Jewish students that was posted online on Saturday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 29. If convicted, Dai will face up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Dai, who is from Pittsford, New York — which is outside Rochester — is a student in the class of 2024 and is a computer science

major in the College of Engineering. After his arrest, Dai was detained at the Broome County jail overnight awaiting the hearing. Dai will continue to be held in Broome County. Dai is currently represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Gabrielle DiBella. On Wednesday, the courtroom in the Northern District of New York was packed with reporters and Dai’s mother and family friend, who appeared calm in court. Dai kept his head down for the majority of the hearing. Dai’s arraignment comes four days after a multitude of posts to Greekrank — an online forum dedicated to discussing Greek life — that threatened harm against Jewish students and a mass shooting at the kosher dining hall and Center for Jewish Living, 104 West. See ARRAIGNMENT page 4

ESTEE YI / SUN SENIOR EDITOR

Detained | Patrick Dai '24 appeared in front of a judge on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in the Northern District of New York to hear his charges for allegedly posting antisemitic threats online.

Patrick Dai ’24 was charged on Tuesday, Oct. 31 for allegedly posting antisemitic threats on Saturday Oct. 28 and Sunday Oct. 29, with one post threatening a mass shooting at 104 West — the address of the University’s kosher dining hall and the Center for Jewish Living. At his arraignment hearing on Nov. 1, Dai waived his right to an immediate detention hearing before Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks in the Northern District of New York. Dai will next appear in court on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. for a preliminary hearing, where he will be evaluated in probable cause related to the charges. Dai, who was immediately suspended from Cornell upon his arrest, was a computer science major in the College of Engineering. He is originally from Pittsford, New York, a predominantly white, affluent suburb just outside Rochester, where he graduated from Pittsford Mendon High School in 2020. Another student at Cornell in the class of 2026 who previously attended MHS but did not know Dai personally said that MHS typically sends a few students to Cornell each year, including other students from Dai’s graduating class. Before coming to Cornell, Dai selected his senior yearbook quote from the character Patrick Star in Spongebob Squarepants, writing, "Knowledge can never replace friendship." Dai participated in numerous clubs including Model United Nations and was a high-achieving 12-time AP student and Rochester General Hospital volunteer, according to his now-deleted LinkedIn profile. The Pittsford Central School District

COURTESY OF THE BROOME COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Patrick Dai | Considered a typical student by his peers, Dai was detained and photographed above on Oct. 31.

and Pittsford Town Supervisor declined to comment on the situation. Pittsford’s population is 85 percent white with an $124,780 per year median household income — compared to an $74,580 median income nationwide and an $40,083 median in Rochester, which is 45.1 percent white. The town and its high schools have grappled with several racist incidents in recent years, including a swastika and the n-word written on a table at MHS in 2019. Within Pittsford, students have walked out of classes, attempted to sue the school district and left the district entirely due to frustrations with racist incidents and inadequate prevention and response policies.

See DAI page 3

Cornell Cancels Classes Friday Due to "Extraordinary Stress" By MARIAN CABALLO and JULIA SENZON Sun Assistant News Editor and News Editor

Classes will be canceled this Friday, Nov. 3, which will serve as a “community day” for students amid recent news of an unfounded weapon sighting on campus, antisemitic threats and increased tensions on campus, following the start of the IsraelHamas war on Oct. 7. University faculty and staff — except for employees who provide essential services — will also be excused

from work. In an email to the Ithaca and Geneva campus community members, Michael Kotlikoff, provost, vice president for student and campus life, and Christine Lovely, vice president and chief human resources officer, acknowledged the “extraordinary stress” of the past few weeks. “No classes will be held, and faculty and staff will be excused from work, except for employees who provide essential services,” the email said. “We hope that

everyone will use this restorative time to take care of yourselves and reflect on how we can nurture the kind of caring, mutually supportive community that we all value.” In the past few days, some professors have already offered Zoom class options and written messages expressing support for students who may be struggling, according to numerous emails obtained by The Sun. Activities and events previously scheduled for Friday may continue to proceed if preferred.

The email acknowledged that some activities — including athletic, non-credit bearing academic activities and other special events — may be significant for participants and hard to reschedule. Students can check with event organizers and department heads with questions, according to the email. Updates about facilities and services in operation on Friday can be accessed through Campus Emergency Updates. On Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 11:12 a.m., Cornell Police pub-

lished a crime alert reporting the sighting of an individual displaying a pistol at the 600 block of University Avenue — which is close to a few fraternity houses, the Redbud Cooperative house, the Cornell Veterans House and the Roitman Chabad Center — at 9:44 a.m. The Sun verified that there was no known direct threat to the center or the surrounding buildings, but the CUPD is still investigating the incident in the area. See COMMUNITY page 3

News

Dining

Science

Weather

City Attorney Resigns

Jewish Cuisine

Found Again!

Partly Cloudy

During the Common Council meeting on Nov. 1, City Attorney Aaron Lavine announced his resignation. | Page 3

In light of recent attacks, The Sun's dining department highlights Jewish culinary heritage. | Page 5

Researchers find lost bird species, in Papua New Guinea and discuss media coverage of the 'discovery.' | Page 8

HIGH: 44º LOW: 26º


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