INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 132, No. 62
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
12 Pages – Free
Arts
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One Last Chance
Mostly Sunny HIGH: 46º LOW: 30º
Jesse Weissman ’16 expresses disappointment with Mike Birbiglia’s Cornell act. | Page 6
Ethan Berkowitz ’15 talks about the way technology intersects with recent discussions on terrorism. | Page 9
The football team will head down to the University of Pennsylvania for the season finale this weekend. | Page 12
Orgs Protest Change In WSH Use Policy Urge look at Student Union Board finances By ALEXA ESKENAZI Sun Staff Writer
At Thursday’s Student Assembly meeting, representatives heard complaints on the recent change of policy governing the use of the Willard Straight Hall by student organizations and debated whether purchasing iPads for S.A. meetings are the optimal use of the Assembly’s surplus. Student Organizations in the Straight
CAMERON POLLACK / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Taking a stand | Blake Brown ’17, incoming president of the Interfraternity Council, speaks at the Student
Several of the student groups who recently lost permission to hold meetings in the Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room took to the floor to air their grievances, citing the one-week notice they said they received before being forced to find new meeting places as too short. Earlier this month, the Student Union Board changed the rules governing the use of the Memorial Room, ousting Class Councils, among other organizations. The board initially justified their decision to Class Councils by saying the group’s meetings did not reach capacity. They subsequently retracted this See STUDENT ASSEMBLY page 5
Assembly meeting yesterday.
Police Address Two Recent Falls From Area Roofs By JEANETTE SI Sun Staff Writer
Last Saturday, two college-aged males were hospitalized after falling off roofs and balconies. The incidents followed an earlier hospitalization in September, when another collegeaged male also fell off a fraternity roof on North Campus. Still, the Cornell and Ithaca Police Departments both say that these are isolated incidents not representative of a broader trend. “I can tell you that incidents like the one this weekend are a rare occurrence at Cornell,” said Cornell Police Chief Kathy Zoner. Jamie Williamson, public information officer for IPD, added that these incidents happen “once or twice a year at most” and that this year has seen an average number of roof falls.
While all three individuals needed to be flown to a hospital by helicopter, some Cornell students said they believe that roof-sitting is a relatively safe activity, asserting that the danger can be mitigated with basic precautions. “I moved this year and my new house doesn’t have any good roofs for sitting, but the last two years I would probably sit on the roof around once a week,” Rohan Acharya ’16 said. Snigdha Sharma ’18 also said that many Cornell students see roof-sitting as a way to relax and destress. “[O]nce you’re out there, it’s actually really nice,” she said. “I always had a group of friends with me and we would go to the roof. We’d sit out there at night, playing and singing.” While both Acharya and Sharma agreed that people are sometimes inebriated when they engage in these activities, Acharya said he believes most people are conscious of their own safety. “People have had drinks and gone up there but never any-
thing that goes too far,” he said. “People recognize that going on the roof is a bad idea when you’ve had one too many.” While Williamson confirmed that most falls come from roofs under 10 feet, he said those situations can still be dangerous. “The level of injury varies widely, from no injury to death,” Williamson said. Zoner agreed that even seemingly safe rooftops can pose a danger to students, especially when they are inebriated. “Rooftops are particularly problematic because not only are they unprotected, but they often do not have the structural support to hold additional weight,” she said. “Add to the mix someone who is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and your risk of injury or death grows exponentially.” Jeanette Si can be reached at jsi@cornellsun.com.
C.U.Organization for Labor Action Contests Cornell’s Nike Business Ties By JOSH GIRSKY
University’s contract with Nike, according to COLA’s letter. “This stands directly and explicitly in contrast The Cornell Organization for Labor Action with our contract with Nike,” said Alice Rayner ’19, delivered a letter to President Elizabeth Garrett a member of COLA. “The fact is that we are comThursday demanding an end to Cornell’s contract mitted to being affiliated with Nike as long as they uphold the Workers Rights Consortium’s “We have a history of holding companies standards, and they’re not doing that, so we are not able to stay in contact with them.” accountable for these kinds of abuse.” The letter also emphasized the importance of allowing the Workers Rights Michael Ferrer ’16 Consortium access to Nike factories, alluding to Nike’s history of tenuous labor pracwith the Nike brand due to alleged sweatshop labor tices in its overseas facilities. conditions in Nike factories. “We know Nike has a long track record of labor Nike recently refused to allow the Workers violations and, like any brand we contract with, Rights Consortium, an independent labor watchdog, to inspect its factories, violating Cornell See COLA page 5 Sun Staff Writer
Labor of love | Members of COLA walk into Day Hall Thursday to deliver a letter demanding Cornell end its contracts with Nike.
VARUN HEGDE / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER