Last week’s panel on program houses, which was sponsored by The Sun and the aptly titled STUC, held the promise of reinvigorating our stale debates. Did it succeed?

In some ways, yes. The event allowed minority representatives to publicly articulate their concerns. Zach Murray ’11 noted the academic and social difficulties he faced as a freshman from a “90 percent black” neighborhood. As one of the few minorities in his dorm, he was not made aware of academic services or diversity resources. Ujamaa, he said, provided him with the support system, indeed the family, that would guide his undergraduate experience.

Halloween at Cornell is a pretty terrifying thing. I’m pretty sure that over the course of the weekend, I danced with exactly two naked girls, 16 Lady Gagas and one very drunk, very enormous and very velvet penis.

But it doesn’t take a decked out holiday and copious amounts of alc … candy … to scare me on this campus. In fact, I’ve got a pretty long list of fears that pop up all year round.

As the Student Assembly upheld a 22-percent cut in byline funding for Cornell Cinema last week, a number of issues surfaced that must not go overlooked. Aside from the cultural misfortunes that this budget slash would bring, we take issue with the manner in which the cuts were implemented, and what this decision will mean for the future of student funding at Cornell.

Conflicting Interests

Correction appended.

Last Thursday, the Student Assembly rejected Cornell Cinema’s appeal of a 22-percent cut in their byline funding over the next two academic years. This decision, which will seriously compromise one of our University’s most important cultural institutions, was a triumph of bureaucratic ineptitude and willful narrow-mindedness.

In Sun articles and columns, in recent protests and in meetings with senior administrators, a number of students have raised concerns about Cornell’s commitment to, and support for, diversity programs focused on our under-represented minority (URM) undergraduates.

We want to reassure all members of our community that a commitment to diversity goals and initiatives remains fundamental to Cornell’s mission. However, it is also important to acknowledge that, even as we pursue our goals, necessary budget cuts across campus have affected and will affect many programs. The impacts have not, and will not, disproportionately impact programs focusing on URM students.

Rogue, the X-Man, has the superpower of sucking the life out of everything she touches. Palin, the ex-governor, can relate.

The first time she unleashed her great power, you’ll recall, she killed John McCain’s 2008 election bid (albeit not an extraordinary feat). Then, mere months after returning to Alaska, she terminated her own governorship amidst mounting ethics complaints — and mounting speculation that her 15 minutes of fame might be up.

It probably comes as no surprise that college students make up one of the unhealthiest demographics in the country. Part of it comes from the “invincibility-complex” that plagues every incoming freshman. Trust me, I’ve been there. I can’t even begin to count how many times I headed to class in shorts and a t-shirt when the temperatures were below freezing outside. But then when you graduate, you realize just how senseless you were all those days and you finally understand that if you actually took a few seconds to take care of yourself that you wouldn’t have been sick as often as you were.

While the strict Student Assembly Finance Committee guidelines intend to impart fairness in the distribution of funding to student groups, these rigid rules have instead prevented certain groups from fulfilling their mission. Such is the case with Sexual Awareness for Everyone, a student group that works to educate students on sexual health topics and promote safe sex practices.

In order to fulfill their goal, SAFE requested funding for condoms, lube and dental dams to distribute free of cost to the Cornell community. A clause in the guidelines prohibited the group from receiving funds. It is clear that the SAFC needs to revisit its guidelines so as not to thwart worthwhile causes due to bureaucratic practices.

To the Editor:

Re: “The Science Behind Sexual Attraction,” Opinion, Oct. 28

As a gay man on campus, I am incredibly offended by the Science Section’s treatment of sexual attraction in this article. In theory, I wouldn’t mind a piece that discussed the nature and evolution of heterosexual behavior; however, I would prefer that said piece contain at least SOME acknowledgement of other forms of sexual behavior, even at a perfunctory level.

Some have recently expressed, in the pages of this newspaper, a feeling of marginalization. Specifically, I, and the group that I represent, the Cornell Israel Public Affairs Committee, have been accused of acting to marginalize a Palestinian point of view. However, I firmly believe that this is not the case; instead, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be engaged — both in the microcosm of Cornell and on the world stage — by each party listening to the perspectives, needs and interests of each other.