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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 137, No. 7
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
n
ITHACA, NEW YORK
8 Pages – Free
News
Dining
Sports
Weather
Hazy Skies
Market Report
Route 13 Rivalry
Scattered Showers
Smoke from the West Coast is infiltrating Ithaca’s airspace, alarming students and faculty. | Page 3
The Dining Department came back from the Ithaca Farmers Market with some delectable treats and can’t-miss recipes. | Page 4
Cornell and Colgate have faced off on the gridiron since 1896. | Page 8
HIGH: 64º LOW: 40º
Cornell Rolls Out New Round of CARES Funds By JOHNATHAN STIMPSON Sun Managing Editor
COURTESY OF THE TSIALAS FAMILY
Plaintiffs | Flavia Tomasselo, left, and John Tsialas, right, parents of Antonio Tsialas ’23, center, are currently pursuing a lawsuit against Cornell, Phi Kappa Psi and seven students.
Lawsuit Against Cornell To Continue, Judge Says By MEGHNA MAHARISHI
tained that the investigation into Tsialas’ death was ongoing. It is now unclear whether the CUPD investigation is still active. The lawsuit against Cornell over the death of Cornell has remained tight-lipped about Antonio Tsialas ’23 will proceed, a Tompkins the investigation; the most information the County judge ruled Sept. 4. University gave on its Tsialas investigation was Tsialas’ family presented a valid case of a on Nov. 19, 2019, when Pollack said CUPD “cause of action for negligence and premises received over 170 leads on Tsialas’ case. liability against the defendant,” Judge Gerald One month later, Pollack released another Keene wrote in the ruling. statement, writing that CUPD, state and local On Oct. 24, 2019, Tsialas attended a “dirty law enforcement still could not identify what rush” event at Phi Kappa Psi. Shortly after, Tsialas’ happened between the time Tsialas was last seen family reported him missing and two days later, at the fraternity party and when his body was disemergency personnel found his body at the base covered at Fall Creek gorge. In the same statement, of Fall Creek gorge. The first-year’s death spurred Pollack outlined a series of Greek life reforms, a University-led which required chapinvestigation, a “[The] next goal is to change the culture ters to have third-parwave of Greek life of hazing at Cornell... Set up something ty monitors at events reforms and a priand implement a in their son’s memory.” vate investigation University-run roving into his death. security team to conDavid Bianchi “The signifiduct spot-checks at cance of this ruling events. cannot be overstated,” Michael Levine, one of the But since December 2019, Cornell adminislawyers representing Tsialas’ family, wrote in a trators have not released any updates from their press release. “If schools do not take meaningful police force’s investigation or statements on steps to ensure that hazing is eradicated, they will Tsialas’ death. be held accountable. The Court’s decision puts Cornell declined a request for comment universities on notice that they can no longer sim- on Sept. 16 on the CUPD investigation into ply sit back and blame hazing on their students.” Tsialas and Phi Kappa Psi. Bianchi told The As the case continues against Cornell, David Sun that Cornell has not shared any of the findBianchi, one of the lawyers representing the ings from its CUPD investigation with him or Tsialas’ family, told The Sun that they expect Tsialas’ parents. to be taking depositions from President Martha “Number one goal was always to get inforE. Pollack and other administrators “very soon.” mation,” Bianchi said. “We’ve been unsucIn the almost 11 months since the tragedy, cessful.” the University has shared few updates on the circumstances surrounding the first-year’s death The Lawsuit and Trial or the investigations launched immediately after. In January, Tsialas’ parents filed a lawsuit against Cornell, the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity Cornell’s Silence and seven Cornell students, seeking compenDuring the last academic year, the Cornell University Police Department repeatedly mainSee LAWSUIT page 3 Sun Assistant Managing Editor
The University announced plans to continue its CARES Act grants this semester, revealing Wednesday afternoon that it will deliver an additional $8.5 million to students in need. As a part of the sprawling $2.2 trillion stimulus package passed late last March, Cornell netted $12.8 million in relief funding from the federal government. While the legislation said that up to $6.4 million could go to offset University expenses, President Martha E. Pollack promised instead that all federal money would be distributed to students directly in the form of additional aid. Having already sent $5 million in emergency funding to nearly 4,000 Cornellians in the spring, over $7 million still remains to be allocated. “We’ve been thinking and planning all summer for how we are going to redistribute the second half,” said Jonathan Burdick, vice provost for enrollment, in an interview with The Sun. “We’ve now come up with the answer.” The remaining CARES Act money — in addition to a further $2 million supplement contributed
by Cornell — will be delivered in the form of two separate programs. According to Burdick, $1 million will be available through an emergency fund, intended to assist students who face unanticipated expenses — such as travel or technology — not currently addressed by their financial aid. Another $7.5 million will be spent to fund COVID Summer
“It’s not that easy … to turn around and distribute $6 million.” Jonathan Burdick Savings Expectation Grants, a program intended to account for the fact that many Cornellians, amid unprecedented economic distress, were not able to find adequate employment. Typically, financial aid packages are structured under the assumption that students are able to earn money in the summer, and therefore, contribute to tuition. While the program will not address new needs “comprehensively,” Burdick said, it will essentially act as an “accelerator” on normal See CARES page 2
California burning
MAX WHITTAKER / THE NEW YORK TIMES
A firefighter burns a field as a stopgap against the raging wildfires in Fairfield, California on Aug. 19. See related local story on Page 3.