Ivy Room Undergoes Renovation; Offers Healthier Options

Cornell Dining welcomed Cornell students back to campus with modifications to the Straight’s Ivy Room cafeteria.
Students may have been surprised by various changes to both the menu offerings as well as the physical setup of the University’s historic eatery, including a new “Confusion” station featuring Asian fusion options, a “Straight from the Garden” salad bar and a fresh sushi station. In addition, the Tex Mex station has combined with the “Burgers and Sandwiches” station. [img_assist|nid=37881|title=Ivy League dining|desc=Students gather in the Ivy Room at Willard Straight Hall to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama on Jan. 20. The television students watched has been moved to a different section.|link=node|align=left|width=336|height=223]

Spanish Students Fault Israel for Recent Violence

(SEVILLE) — The recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict launched from Gaza have not only provoked emotional responses among Cornell students, but have also gained the attentions of students of the University of Seville. The students, however, are overwhelmingly polarized in favor of the Palestinians.
When Ángel Coca Brejano, student at the University of Seville, was asked the question of who is to blame for the current conflict in Gaza, Brejano responded, “It’s all the Jews’ fault.”
While Coca admitted that he was not entirely serious about his accusation against all Jews, he voiced the views of the majority of students, who believe that the State of Israel deserves the blame for the current situation in Gaza.

Students, Administrators and City Officials Meet, Discuss Local Tensions

In an effort to address the tense student-police relations in Collegetown regarding the City of Ithaca Noise Ordinance, Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson assembled a group to discuss the issue. In attendance were Ed Vallely, the new Ithaca Police Chief, Nancy Schuler (D-4th Ward), Mary Tomlan ’71 (D-3rd Ward), Svante Myrick ’09 (D-4th Ward) and Student Assembly President Ryan Lavin ’09.
According to Peterson, she called the meeting after Lavin ’09,came to a Common Council meeting to address the problems with the noise ordinance and deteriorating student-police relations.
According to the City of Ithaca Noise Ordinance, a noise violation can be issued when a party or social event produces disruptive noise that carries at least 25 feet.

C.U. Campus Life Strives to Increase Sustainability

This is the first article in a series analyzing how various aspects of campus life impact Cornell’s collective commitment to sustainability.
Have you ever opened your window in the winter time to cool down an overheated dorm room, or left the lights turned on even though you left your room for several hours?
These types of environmentally unsustainable decisions “have both economic and environmental impacts,” according to Student Trustee Mike Walsh grad, a member of the President’s Climate Commitment Implementation Committee.
Anshul Kumar ’09, a Jameson R.A., considers himself “fairly conscientious” about energy consumption; he turns off lights when not using them, turns the heater down when leaving for breaks and does not use full pressure in the shower.

The Sun Interviews Stetson U. Pres. Wendy Libby ’72

Wendy B. Libby ’72, MBA ’77 was recently appointed president of Stetson University, making her the first woman to serve as president of the school. At Cornell, she majored in biology and later earned a masters degree in business administration from the Johnson Graduate School of Management. The Sun spoke with Libby to discuss her intentions.

The Sun: First of all, we would like to congratulate you on your election as Stetson’s 9th president. What does it feel like to know that you are the first female president of Stetson University?

Cuomo Subpoenas C.U. in Health Insurance Inquiry

This month, the University was issued a subpoena by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as part of a broader investigation of relationships between the colleges and the health insurance companies that cover students.
In addition to Cornell, Columbia, Georgetown, Sarah Lawrence College and several State University of New York campuses received subpoenas and document requests.
According to The New York Times, the investigation is focused on “the adequacy of disclosure of policy terms and costs to students” and also whether colleges receive any “improper payments” in exchange for requiring students to use a particular insurer.

Cornell Greeks Begin Charity Dance Marathon Tradition

Approximately 200 students danced the night away on Saturday in the Straight Memorial Room. The evening, which lasted from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m., marked the first-ever dance marathon hosted by the Order of Omega and the Student Union Board to benefit the Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse.
Erica Shreck, vice president of the Order of Omega at Cornell, stated in an e-mail, “We are so excited to have been able to bring the Greek and entire Cornell community together to support such an amazing cause that positively impacts the greater upstate New York region.”

Prof Examines Role of Middle East in Election

Last night, approximately 100 students gathered for a discussion entitled “The 2008 Presidential Election and the Middle East,” which featured Prof. Ross Brann, Alice Cook House Professor-Dean and Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies.

From the very beginning of his lecture and throughout the discussion, Brann emphasized his non-political, strictly analytical examination of the Middle East region and the 2008 presidential election.

“I am not speaking as an advocate for either side,” he clarified.

French Expert Expounds Relevance of Sartre

Have you heard of the renowned French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre? According to Annie Cohen-Solal, visiting arts professor at New York University and former cultural counselor to the French Embassy in the U.S., most “Ivy Leaguers” go through the American education system without ever hearing his name.
Cohen-Solal, a French expert on Sartre’s life, introduced last Friday’s discussion of “Jean-Paul Sartre, the Question of Terror, and the U.S. Presidential Elections” with this question about the Pulitzer Prize-winning author well-known for his international best-selling biography, Sartre: A Life.

Engineering Admins Halt Pro-Life Protest

In what some students claim was a 90-minute violation of their right to free speech, the Cornell Coalition for Life clashed with the College of Engineering administration on Wednesday morning when Dawn Warren, administrative assistant, removed the organization’s “Elena Campaign” signs from the Engineering Quad.
The CCFL is a non-partisan, pro-life advocacy group on campus. According to the CCFL, the Elena Campaign is composed of “a series of light-hearted educational signs with pictures and text detailing the biological development of an unborn child.”
Tristen Cramer ’09, former CCFL president, explained that the signs did not contain political statements, but rather “biological facts on fetal development,” including ultrasound images and text.