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Tom Jones Reflects on a 'Selfless Revolution'

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Thomas W. Jones ’69 was the chief spokesman for the Afro-American Society during the crisis of 1969. On April 15, Jones sat down with The Sun to reflect on the 40 years since the Straight Takeover.

The Sun: You’re here at Cornell today to grant the The James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial Understanding and Harmony, which you endowed in 1994 to recognize diversity initiatives at Cornell. Why is the award named for former University President Perkins? What contributions did Perkins make to improving minority rights while serving as president of Cornell?

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Flags Uprooted: Gaza Exhibition Disturbed Again

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“Go do your homework!” onlookers shouted, as a dozen students gathered on the Arts Quad yesterday morning to revive what remained of a display of black flags protesting the war in Gaza. Hours before, passersby were startled to find that a number of the black flags that originally lined the Arts Quad Monday morning had been rearranged to form a Star of David — the symbol of Jewish identity.

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Sunny Nights

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Welcome to the jungle. It’s the first night of compet down here at The Sun and things are heating up. The beer bottles from last semester’s end of publication party have been replaced with caffeinated beverages, and us editors are bracing ourselves for the daily grind that is life at the nation’s oldest continuously independent college daily.

Last night marked the beginning of The Sun’s annual editor compet, a transitional period training those vying for coveted spots on the 127th editorial board. Some may say the process resembles hazing, as editors in training fill the shoes of their predecessors for six weeks of head-to-head competition. But from an editor’s standpoint, there is no better way to prepare editorial candidates for the trials and tribulations that lie ahead.

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Comprehensive Master Plan Recognized for Design

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Cornell’s Comprehensive Master Plan was recognized for its successful design at the 2008 Design Exchange Awards, earning the Award of Excellence in urban design. The plan — passed by the Board of Trustees in March — paves the way for future development of the University’s Ithaca campus over the next 10 to 25 years.
Canadian Business magazine, which sponsored the award, recognized the CMP for its accessibility, aesthetics, function, profitability, innovation and sustainability.

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Edwin Salpeter, Transformative Leader in Astrophysics, Dies

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One of Cornell’s most renowned astrophysicists, Edwin Salpeter, died of leukemia last Tuesday at his home in Ithaca. The 83-year old professor leaves a long legacy at Cornell and was a revolutionary figure in the world of science.
“More than any other individual, Ed put the physics into astrophysics,” Prof. Ira Wasserman, astronomy, told the University. “Ed transformed our field forever.”
Salpeter was born in Austria and received his Ph.D. from Birmingham University in 1947. He fled the country as the Nazi party gained momentum in the 1930s. He came to Cornell in 1949 as a postdoctoral student and at the time of his death was the J.G. White Distinguished Professor of Physical Sciences Emeritus.

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Cornell Seeks Ideas in Move Towards Campus Carbon Neutrality

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Moving ahead in its endeavor to achieve climate neutrality, Cornell is taking initial steps towards developing its Climate Action Plan. The Idea Exchange is soliciting all members of the community to speak their mind and contribute ideas about what it will take to make Cornell climate neutral through Monday.
To date, 567 ideas have been submitted on the Idea Exchange website. According to the Climate Action Plan staff, ideas are grouped into “major themes” that include green development, energy conservation, biofuels and renewable energy, carbon offsets and policy. According to the staff, “No idea is too big or small” to be submitted on the site.

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Skorton Addresses State of C.U.

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Despite national economic turmoil and threats of the worst financial crisis since the great depression, President David Skorton assured on Friday morning that Cornell is “not in a financial crisis.” Still, in his annual State of the University Address, Skorton emphasized the need for the University to revise its economic plan for its future in light of recent “stresses and strains that deserve our serious attention.”

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Stephen Ashley ’62 Talks Fannie Mae, Capital Campaign

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With the Board of Trustees convening in Ithaca this weekend for their annual meeting, The Sun sat down with Stephen Ashley ’62, MBA ’64 to discuss his role as co-chair of the $4 billion capital campaign. Ashley is currently the chairman and CEO of The Ashley Group, a collection of real estate, brokerage and investment companies. In September, Ashley resigned as chairman of the mortgage giant Fannie Mae, after the government-sponsored enterprise was placed into conservatorship by the U.S. Treasury.

The Sun: The Capital Campaign has raised an impressive $2.29 billion to date. How would you describe your role with the campaign as co-chair?

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Tisches Donate $35 Million To Aid University’s Faculty

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“The waterfront of possibility is finally before us,” President David Skorton said on Friday afternoon to a room full of University administrators and members of the Board of Trustees. Skorton’s sense of optimism was prevalent among those in attendance at the “historic celebration,” where the University accepted a $35 million donation made by Trustee Andrew Tisch ’71 and his wife, Ann.