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March 4, 2004

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The Sound Barrier

By wpengine | March 4, 2004

Damn you, dear reader. You have let me down. Last week I asked — nay, I pleaded — that my loyal readers send me ideas for a decent name for this column other than the current, and horrific, Sound Barrier. The volume of response was less than overwhelming. To be more precise, the volume of response was zero. Now, I know that as Cornellians we all lead very busy lives. But zero responses? Ouch. I even offered a prize of two (count ’em: t-w-o) AA batteries for the best entry. Apparently that wasn’t enough to entice you to write in. So, this week I’m upping the ante. The best suggestion for a new name for this column will receive

Grilling the Trustees

By wpengine March 5, 2004

The Straight’s Art Gallery hosted the seven students vying for the student-elected trustee position last night, allowing voters to become familiar with the candidates and their platforms. “This is a good thing that helps the candidates get in touch with the public,” said current student trustee Funa Maduka ’04. This year the event — sponsored through funds from the Trustee Office — was much more formal than in the past, according to Hope Mandeville, director of the Office of the Assemblies. Although the event was publicized, attendance was still quite small with only around 30 people in attendance. In response to the turnout, several of candidates sought to recruit additional students in the Straight to attend the forum. The candidates first gave brief opening statements concerning their campaign and why each would make the best student trustee. Each emphasized their respective backgrounds — placing them in a position that would serve the best interest of the student body. After the opening statements, the discussion turned to questions from the audience. Despite the small audience, there was a multitude of questions addressing a wide variety of issues. Questions included topics concerning Cornell’s U.S. News & World Report ranking, town-gown relations, tuition rates, graduate student life, international student life, athletics, diversity and eCornell. Several controversial topics emerged as well. These included candidate Josh Katcher’s ’06 platform on strict requirements for teaching assistants to be proficient in English. “It’s a horrible statement,” said candidate Justin Giles ’06. Other candidates commented that the problem does not lie in teaching assistants not knowing English but their having thick accents. “We can learn a lot from them,” said candidate Brooke McDowell ’06. The other main controversy arouse from a question asking candidates Peter S. Cohl ’05 and Doug Mitarotonda grad about what effect their age difference from their constituents would have on their position as student trustees. Cohl and Mitarotonda both took offense to the question. Cohl called it “ageist” and against the Title 9 policy of discrimination. Audience member Tanneasha Gordon ’06 also was greatly offended by the question. “I find the question offensive because if it was race related [instead of age], I would have been greatly offended.” Dealing with the issues surrounding tuition increases, Katcher proposed creating a policy that would keep the tuition rate constant for each student attending Cornell in their four years in Ithaca. Cohl also took a critical stance against tuition costs stating, “My wife and I are going to leave here with six figures in debt and that has to stop.” Candidate Anup Bogineni ’06 took issue with this claim. “I’m not making any false promises,” he said, adding that he would work on the “little things” such as small amounts students are charged for the use of various services. After questions from the audience were addressed, each candidate made a brief closing statement in which they summed up their platforms and submitted reasons why they should be elected. “It was helpful because I got to know their positions on the issues,” said Geunwon Kim ’05, an audience member. Kim added that it was interesting to hear discussion about issues surrounding international students, who according to Kim, are not discussed very much in these settings. Several students were troubled by the size of the event. “This discussion was held in a room legally able to hold 49 people,” said Eugenia Shmidt ’07. She added that the student-elected trustee position was the most important student-elected position and that attendance should reflect that. Trustee nominating committee member Melissa Ariate ’04 was glad that the discussion was “issue based” and that the candidates did not personally attack one other. “This is when the real issues are discussed,” Shmidt said. Archived article by Ted Van Loan
McMurtry Named V.P.

By wpengine March 5, 2004

After eight months of searching and waiting, the University announced the appointment today of Vanda B. McMurtry Ph.D. ’79 as the new vice president for government and community relations. McMurtry’s appointment, which is subject to Board of Trustee approval, will complete part of President Jeffrey S. Lehman’s ’77 initiative last July to revamp the University relations department — a move which led to the resignation of Henrik N. Dullea ’61, former vice president for University relations. With Dullea’s removal, Lehman conducted searches for vice presidents in two departments — government and community relations and communications and media relations. McMurtry, who also received a master’s degree at the University, had previously worked for Aetna Inc. as senior vice president for federal government relations. His job function will include building relations between the University and the local, state and federal entities, and handling other issues relating to the interaction with various community organizations. “Van McMurtry will be an outstanding addition to the Cornell administrative team,” Lehman said in a University press release. “He has an exceptional mind and he is highly respected for his judgment and integrity in the highest circles of government.” McMurtry will face a plethora of issues when he comes onto campus — including lobbying for statutory college funding. Other primary goals will be to establish working relationships with government and local leaders and helping to generate funds for research — both especially important tasks, according to Michael Taylor ’05 (D-4th Ward). Yet, McMurtry is confident that he is up to the task, citing his personal interest in higher education, his experience in coordinating with local governments and groups and his interaction with state officials. Taylor also added that his familiarity with the University will also put him in good stead. “I think I have a perspective to bring [to the University] and I hope I could bring Cornell forward,” McMurtry said. “There are a number of really important challenges facing higher education.” The search committee, composing of professors and administrators, interviewed a range of different candidates last semester according to Francille Firebaugh Ph.D. ’62, vice provost of Land Grant Affairs. Firebaugh said that after initial interviews, five selected candidates met with Lehman in New York. After further consultation, three individuals were then invited to campus and interviewed by a variety of individuals outside of the search committee before Lehman made the final decision in early January. The announcement of McMurtry’s appointment did not occur until today because of resignation issues with his previous employer. According to Firebaugh, the committee was searching for a candidate who could further build the University’s relationships with local governments. In addition, characteristics such as a strong interest in higher education and experience in interacting with a variety of groups were also desired. “I think [McMurtry] fits the bill extraordinarily well,” Firebaugh said. “He has had experience in Washington and he’s been very effective in the different positions he’s had and I think that those experiences will serve us well.” Having worked at Aetna Inc. since 1992, McMurtry, a University of California at Irvine alumnus, had previously served as staff director and chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. “I have a great fondness for Cornell University,” McMurtry said. “It is an institution that benefited me very greatly in my life … I’m just delighted to come back to Cornell.”Archived article by Brian Tsao