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Pomp and Circumstance

Sarah Olesiuk — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On May 25, 2008 Cornell will hold its 140th commencement ceremony. As thousands of students get ready to don their caps and gowns, it seems fitting for my last column to briefly reflect on the history of a few of the 139 graduation ceremonies that will proceed this May’s.

Statler High: Please Rewind

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

I admit it. I had not set foot in Statler Hall prior to the first day of this semester’s Intro to Wines class. To me, the Hotel School was a foreign place with familiar names: Nestlé, Marriott, Pillsbury and the like. But — partly because I have a Hotelie roommate and partly because I’m a history nerd — this week’s column charts the history of the nation’s first four-year college degree program devoted to the field of hotel education.

Master Plan?

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Though the donation to build Paul Milstein Hall came in the early 1990s, Cornell hopes to finally begin construction on the much-debated architecture building later this fall. But before diving into the controversial building plans, here’s a little scoop on the man (and family) behind the name Paul Milstein.

In 2006, Forbes estimated that Paul Milstein and family — self-made real estate developers — had a net-worth of $3.5 billion, clocking in at number 73 in a list of the 400 richest Americans. The Milstein Family is a major benefactor in the New York City area; the list of their major beneficiaries includes the American Museum of Natural History, New York-Presbyterian Hospital (the teaching hospital for Weill Cornell and Columbia) and the New York Public Library.

Enter the Dragon

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The century-old tradition of celebrating Cornell’s Department of Architecture continues today with the parade and incineration of a dragon that first-year architects spent hours constructing. The same man who gave Cornell its first student union is also the father of what had developed into Dragon Day. Sometime during his four years on campus, Willard Straight ’01 organized the first “College of Architecture Day” in a successful attempt to build class unity among architects. For reasons unknown to Cornell historians, Straight chose to hold his celebration on St. Patrick’s Day. Today, Dragon Day continues to fall on or near the holiday of shamrocks, leprechauns, and Guinness.

Vaginas, Vibrators and V-Day 2008

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

This year marks the 10th anniversary of V-Day, a movement seeking to end violence against women and girls worldwide. This global campaign developed out of Eve Ensler’s celebrated and controversial play, The Vagina Monologues.

Love Me, Love Me Not

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day!

Recently, Juicy Campus has become a controversial outlet for bored Cornell students to discuss happenings in the lives of those “far above Cayuga’s waters.” In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, perhaps we should concentrate on acting like the Ivy Leaguers that we are and take a break from slandering our peers. To fill the void, I’ll tell you a “juicy” story that promises not to hurt its subjects’ reputation because, well, they’re dead.

Moose What?

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The start of second semester greets the Class of 2008 with a bittersweet realization: the end of our time at Cornell is imminent. Having been met with this reality, some seniors are scurrying to shake President Skorton’s hand, climb the 161 stairs to the top of McGraw Tower and figure out a way not to get caught making out in the stacks. Others are just trying to see how many nights they can spend at the bars and still graduate.

Get Your Study On!

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As we enter into study week and finals frenzy begins, many Cornellians will spend their last days of this fall semester camped out in the library. The University’s library system has grown from one library housed in two rooms of Morrill Hall at the time of Cornell’s founding, to over 20 libraries located in New York State and Doha, Qatar today.

Taking Over Day Hall

Sarah Olesiuk — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

14 years ago today, a group comprised primarily of Latino students rushed into Day Hall demanding a meeting with then-president Frank H. T. Rhodes. Though most students on campus were busy getting ready to leave for the Thanksgiving holiday, those inside Day Hall remained there until the administration agreed to hear their concerns. The four-day peaceful occupation — from Friday, Nov. 19, 1993 to Monday Nov. 22, 1993 — would be immortalized in Cornell and national archives as the Day Hall Takeover

Let's Go Red!

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This weekend the Cornell men’s ice hockey team will take on ECAC rivals Princeton and Quinnipiac, and over 4,000 hockey fans will pour into Lynah Rink to watch the icers play their first regular season home games.

Cornell brought home its first intercollegiate championship after remaining undefeated during the 1910-1911 season. Today, Cornell has won a record 11 ECAC championships, 19 Ivy League titles (15 times outright and four times shared) and two NCAA championships. And former icer Ken Dryden ’69 makes Cornell proud as a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

Favorite Cornell Founder: Ezra Cornell or A.D. White?

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The thousands of students and faculty who have passed through Cornell’s doors, 12 presidents and two co-founders have shaped the University into the institution it is today. While it is undeniable that both Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White have left lasting legacies at Cornell, it is Ezra’s forward thinking that I most admire.

His Holiness Comes to Ithaca

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, will be speaking to the Cornell and Ithaca communities in Barton Hall this Tuesday. (If you didn’t get tickets, the event will be streamed online.) While many Cornellians may be traveling back from wherever they escaped to during Fall Break, some students have chosen to cut their breaks short to be present for the Dalai Lama’s talk, “A Human Approach to World Peace.”

Ithaca’s strong ties to the Tibetan community likely prompted the Dalai Lama’s visit. The city is home to His Holiness’ North American seat and personal monastery — the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies. Located close to the Commons, the Namgyal Monastery has occupied a beautiful house on N. Aurora Street since 1992.

48 Beers for a Friday

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Inspired by the amazing beer selection at the first annual Ithaca Brew Fest earlier this month, I sat down with Jon Schaeffer, the co-owner and manager of The Chapter House, to discuss the 48 beers on tap and the C-town bar’s history. A Cornell student in the late 1980s, Jon stuck around Ithaca and has worked at Chapter House on and off since 1990.

Originally a tap room and restaurant called Jim’s Place, the bar changed its name to The Chapter House in the mid-1960s. The Sun archives have advertisements for “fine drinks and good food” at Jim’s Place dating back to World War II. By 1965, Jim’s Place had become Chapter House and the advertisements in The Sun list all you can eat spaghetti for just a dollar. Beer and spaghetti — quite the combo.

Anybody Home?

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Ah, Collegetown housing. My mom thinks the whole place is a firetrap. My dad sees it all as a big rip-off. You’ve probably searched high and low trying to find a residence that meets everyone’s standards. No dishwasher? A deal breaker. A 10-month lease? Sign now. And now that we’ve finally unpacked, house-hunting season is already upon us.

Jumping In!

Sarah Olesiuk — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to Ithaca! Even if you’ve only been at Cornell since orientation, you’ve surely heard that Ithaca is “gorges.” In your first few weeks here, you’ve already traversed across many gorges on your way to class, home from parties and out to eat in the Commons. While the gorges on campus are certainly a sight to behold, there are a myriad of other outdoor wonders in Tompkins County. In particular, the state parks in the area are treasures that all Cornellians should explore. So ready, set, go — get outside before it starts snowing!