Four people are vying to take over for University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jon Wiley at the helm of the nation’s 10th largest university when he steps down in September. One candidate is Cornell’s own Provost Biddy Martin. U.W. System President Kevin Reilly named Martin a finalist for the position on Wednesday, signifying that she has made one of the last cuts in the chancellor search. ...Read More

A car traveling east on Rt. 79 carrying five students — four from SUNY Binghamton and one from the University of Michigan — crashed on Friday night, leaving one student dead and another charged with vehicular manslaughter. The students were leaving Cornell after attending the University's Slope Day festivities. According to the Ithaca Journal, 22-year-old Willie Poon was pronounced dead at Cayuga Medical Center on Saturday morning due to a fatal head injury....Read More

A few years ago, Prof. Brian Earle ’67, communication, awoke to a phone call in the middle of the night from a student. It was Senior Week and the young man, along with his fraternity brothers, had decided that they would visit every bar in Tompkins County. At a stop along their journey, one of the brothers remarked aloud that they had arrived at a true “redneck bar.” At once, the young men were escorted out of the bar and into the parking lot, where one of the bar’s patrons poured beer in the students’ gas tank. ...Read More

The alumnus who sued Cornell last year for defamation and libel has filed additional litigation against the University. In a $10 million lawsuit filed April 8, Kevin Vanginderen ’83 alleges that Cornell published libelous information, placed him in a false light, publicly disclosed private facts about him and intruded into his private affairs. Some of Vanginderen’s latest complaints relate to a 1983 Cornell Chronicle article — digitized and placed online last year by the University — that described his involvement with several thefts on campus. After finding the article online last year through Google, he sued the University for libel and defamation for the first time....Read More

It’s everyone’s favorite holiday, party and concert: Slope Day. As Cornell ushers in the event that has been a semester in the making, we bring you all the details you need. Schedule 11 a.m. — Everyone will be cleared off the slope 12 p.m. — Slope reopens for SlopeFest 1:30 p.m. — Ted Leo and the Pharmacists perform 2:40 p.m. — Hot Hot Heat perform 4:00 p.m. — Gym Class Heroes perform Weather The events will continue rain or shine, according to Liz Rapaport ’09, chair of the Slope Day Programming Board. Though there is a chance of rain, artists will still be performing. ...Read More

When Cornell was founded in 1865, Ezra Cornell stated that “[He] would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” This quotation, which became Cornell’s motto, may not hold completely true, since the University fails to provide many majors, including a journalism program. Scott Conroe MPS ’98, who taught science writing and magazine journalism at Cornell for seven years, summarized the history of Cornell’s journalism program since he came to C.U. in 1996. ...Read More

Each year, a group is recognized for it efforts to increase diversity and social acceptance with the Perkins Prize. Announced last week, the 2008 prize has been awarded to Black Students United for their sponsorship of the “Questions Out of a Hat” event. According to Christine Forester of the Office of the Dean of Students — which administers the award — there were 11 groups considered this year. Each member of the selection committee rated all of the applications on a scale of 1 to 5 in the categories of participation, sustainability of effort, promotion of values and enhancement of abilities. ...Read More

At yesterday’s Student Assembly meeting, S.A. President C. J. Slicklen ’09 presented the S.A. and community members with the Student Assembly End of Year Report for the 2007-2008 academic year. This year has seen many changes brought by the S.A., some controversial, others well received. The initiatives have brought change on and off campus, as well as to the S.A.’s own structure. Their initiatives on campus have included supporting gender neutral housing and the creation of an Asian and Asian-American Community Center. The S.A. also voted to approve the 2008-2010 Student Activity Fee at $204 per undergraduate per year. ...Read More

As the sun set over Ithaca College last night — ending the fourth long and emotion-filled day since freshman William Jacobson went missing — the I.C. community held a candlelit vigil. Jacobson was found dead yesterday morning when New York State Police found his body in a pond on Farm Road within the college’s campus. The Ithaca Police Department and other authorities are currently investigating the case, I.C. President Peggy Williams wrote in a statement on the I.C. website. ...Read More