It’s difficult to glean any concrete predictions from the task force reports. I applaud the administration for this surprisingly high level of transparency during this process, but some of the ideas being tossed around in the summaries of the reports unsettled my stomach. In Cornell's effort to rapidly streamline our university, I fear we may lose some of the unique programs that make me so proud to be a Cornellian.

To the Editor:

Re: “University Takes 15th Place in Annual U.S. News Rankings,” News, Sept. 11

This article adds yet another inaccuracy to the snowballing misconceptions about Clemson University’s approach to the rankings. The myth tends to change slightly with each retelling, but I think this is the first time a news article has stated that “a spokesperson for Clemson University admitted that her school ‘games’ the rankings.”

Cum Laude. Latin translation: with honor. The epitome of scholarly distinction. The acme of a superbly-executed undergraduate career.

With this semester winding down, a select group of seniors are laboring over final theses, fine-tuning lab reports and opening the doors to culminating performances — all with the hopes of securing those two striking Latin words (three if they are lucky: Magna Cum Laude, “with great honor,” or Summa Cum Laude, “with highest honor.”)

Others are sitting tight with the knowledge that, with their 3.5 GPA, they have already nailed it — and that they have done so without having bothered with any of that tiresome thesis / lab / performance work.

How much is an honors distinction worth at Cornell?

To the Editor:

Re: “Incorrect information and misleading stereotypes plague college wars,” Letters, March 12

To the Editor:

Re: “A Modest Proposal for Dealing with ‘Non-Ivy’ Colleges,” Opinion, March 11

I sympathize with those who have been deeply offended by Ann Coulter’s ’84 comments, I really do. But responses like those from the author of this article take things entirely too far.

As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, I find myself profoundly insulted by the column. It is laden with propositions that were supposed to be sarcastic, but failed. The attempt was to vilify Ms. Coulter, yet by sardonically adopting her opinion as truth it gives the impression that this is how all Arts students feel.

To the Editor:

Re: “The Berry Patch: Get the Heck Out of Cornell ... All of You!,” Opinion, March 11

With all of the controversy surrounding the recent Ann Coulter ’84 article I would just like to make a few clarifications. Ann Coulter claims that the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is a State School. CALS is not, I repeat, not, a State College. It was created under the Land Grant Act to teach Agriculture, unlike SUNY Schools, which are founded, funded and regulated by the State of New York. CALS is just as much an Ivy League school as any other college at Cornell.

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, and that means three things at Cornell: green vomit, pretending to have an Irish ancestor and Dragon Day. That’s right — Dragon Day is this Friday, March 13.

When I first heard Ann Coulter’s declaration that the College of Arts and Sciences was “the only Ivy League school at Cornell,” I was completely surprised. I did not realize that, according to Ms. Coulter’s definition, the whole of Cornell University itself was not an Ivy League institution. Now that I have been made fully aware of the situation, I think it is time that the students at the other colleges stand up and demand the treatment they deserve as “non-Ivy” students. I suggest that the only true differences between the Ivy League schools and other institutions of education are the Division I sports league, the expected workload, and the exclusive nature of being an “Ivy League” student.

It seems that one of our most controversial alumni –– Ann Coulter ’84 –– struck a nerve in the Cornell community this past week.

As many have already read on her blog, in The Sun or even in New York Magazine, Coulter took a heavy swing at fellow alumnus and political pundit Keith Olbermann ’79 last Wednesday in an attempt to belittle his “non-Ivy degree.” Coulter, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, denounced the legitimacy of the Communication Major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in order to demean the level of intelligence of students within the school. Her claims were pretty tongue in cheek, and her petty rhetoric sadly did very little to bolster her own intelligence, especially in referring to CALS as the “Old MacDonald Cornell.”