INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 141, No. 28
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025 n ITHACA, NEW YORK
Science
Sports
Fantastic Fashion
Dartmouth Down
Maia Hirsch ’24 works to combine her passion for both fashion and engineering.
16 Pages – Free
The men’s lacrosse team won against Dartmouth on senior day, where CJ Kurst broke school records. | Page 16
| Page 8
‘I Am Not Antisemitic’: Kehlani Speaks Out After University Rescinds Invitation to Headline Slope Day By ANGELINA TANG Sun Assistant News Editor
April 28 — Cornell revoked Kehlani’s invitation to headline Slope Day over what President Michael Kotlikoff labeled “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.” A few days after the April 23 announcement, the R&B singer rebuked Kotlikoff’s classification.
“I am not antisemitic, nor anti-Jew,” Kehlani said in a video posted to her Instagram on Saturday. “I am anti-genocide. I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti the extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women — that’s what I’m anti.” This is not the first time she has faced criticism for her beliefs. “This keeps
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Singer speaks | Kehlani released a statement on Instagram regarding her anti-Israel perspective in response to her Slope Day headliner invitation being rescinded.
coming up as a means to silence me, as a dancers in keffiyehs waving Palestinian means to stop things that are happening flags. The word intifada is often associatin my career, as a means to change the ed with two Palestinian uprisings. course of my life, and I just don’t believe A week after Kehlani’s announcement that,” Kehlani said. as headliner, at an April 17 Student In the caption of the video, Kehlani Assembly meeting, Kotlikoff criticized explicitly referred to Cornell’s cancella- the choice of the outspokenly anti-Israel tion of her performance. “If you want to performer but stated that “it’s too late to cancel me from opportunity, stand on secure another performer.” it being because of your zionism. don’t Following Kotlikoff’s statements, make it anti-jew,” she wrote. pro-Israel group Cornellians for Israel Kehlani wrote in the caption that launched a petition and GoFundMe to following her Slope Day invitation being replace Kehlani’s headliner position. In rescinded, “there are attempts at other an Instagram post promoting the peticancellations on top of the cancellations tion, CFI called Kehlani “antisemitic” i’ve already experienced over the past and pointed out how her opposition year.” to Zionism “is a call to eradicate a core Kehlani was announced on April 10 aspect of Jewish … identity.” as the headliner of Slope Day, the annual Soon after CFI’s campaign began, end-of-year concert held on Libe Slope Kotlikoff held a meeting on April 22, after the last day of classes. Student and which was promoted to several pro-Isparent dissatisfaction arose in the weeks rael and historically Jewish Greek Life that followed over Kehlani’s anti-Israel organizations. At the meeting, adminsentiments on her social media. istrators discussed potential options for In a video posted to X expressing her Slope Day moving forward and student discontent with other music industry dissatisfaction with Kehlani. members for not speaking out in favor of Shortly after, Kotlikoff announced Palestine, Kehlani said, “It’s f*ck Israel, in an April 23 email that Kehlani’s it’s f*ck Zionism and it’s also f*ck a lot invitation to headline Slope Day was of y’all too.” rescinded. A replacement headliner has Kehlani’s beliefs also appear in her not been announced at the time of pubperformances. Her “Next 2 U” music lication. video — which was released in June 2024 — begins with the message “Long Live Angelina Tang can be reached at atang@corthe Intifada,” in addition to featuring nellsun.com.
Three Current Cornell Students See SEVIS Records Restored
The Trump administration walks back revocations of over 1800 student visas and termination of student records By EVERETT CHAMBALA Sun Contributor
April 28 — The Trump administration announced on Friday that it would walk back the revocation of over 1800 student visas, reversing a monthslong campaign that targeted international students for removal. These walk-backs include the restoration of Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records for three Cornell students. This announcement comes amid widespread student visa revocations and terminations of over 1,840 SEVIS records from over 240 colleges and universities across the United States, according to an Inside Higher Ed tracker. 17 current and former Cornell students were among this number. The University revealed on April 16 that 17 SEVIS records were terminated by federal authorities, with at least four of the students reporting visa revocations. Now, the Trump administration’s policy reversal could spell the reinstatement of SEVIS records for these affected students.
SEVIS records are a web-based system maintained by the Department of Homeland Security which tracks student visa status. When a SEVIS record is terminated based on a status violation, students lose their visa and must leave the country immediately or face penalty, including potential deportation. In a statement to The Sun, Wendy Wolford, vice president of International Affairs, said that three of the nine current students with terminated SEVIS records have so far had their records reinstated, “ensuring their ability to continue their education in the U.S.” The University also responded saying they “do not know” if any students have had their visas restored. Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security Department spokeswoman, told the New York Times that “We have not reversed course on a single visa revocation. Instead, “What we did is restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.” To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com.
KARLIE MCGANN / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Records reversed | The University revealed on April 16 that 17 SEVIS records were terminated by federal authorities, with at least four of the students reporting visa revocations.