diversity

Cornell Community Mourns Victims of Earthquake in China

Sarah Singer — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On May 16, members of the Cornell community including President David Skorton gathered in Sage Chapel for an evening of remembrance honoring those who died in China after a powerful earthquake occurred in the Sichuan province. The 7.9-magnitude earthquake that took place on May 12 has since left 51,000 people dead, nearly 300,000 injured and over 29,000 missing. According to the Associated Press, the disaster also left 5 million people homeless and destroyed more than 80 percent of the buildings in some remote towns and villages.

BSU Wins Perkins Prize for ‘Questions Out of a Hat’ Forum

Elizabeth Patrun — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Students, Profs Discuss Diversity

Adi Kochavi — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

“The system set up by the university to solve diversity-related issues is doing exactly what it was designed to do — nothing. Diversity kills us every day, every moment,” said Prof. Belisa Gonzales, a professor at Ithaca College at Diversity Kills Me, a dinner discussion yesterday evening. The event examined issues of diversity at Cornell and Ithaca College.

“Universities don’t want to diversify, they want to sell diversity to prospective students,” she said.

The evening opened with a brief review of a history of discrimination in the U.S., given by Prof. Alan Gomez, city and regional planning. The focus of the discussion then shifted to the students as they were challenged by Gomez to think of what diversity is and whom it is for.

BSU and Hillel Discuss Cultural Implications of Exodus Stories

Christine Ryu — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Two prominent student organizations gathered yesterday to compare what seemed like two very different stories: the American antislavery movement and the Old Testament-era Jewish flight from Egypt.