FinAid Office Backup Causes Delay

Correction Appended
As of the end of August, approximately 550 returning students with completed financial aid applications are still waiting to receive their financial aid packages. Of those students who have received their packages, many claim to have waited much longer than usual.
Although acknowledging a possible increase in financial aid applications this year relative to last, the office of financial aid and student employment referred to the processing delay as relatively “typical” for the start of the fall semester.

New Farmer's Market Seeks Larger Demographic of Ithaca's Residents

June 12 marked the opening of the Congo Square Market at Ithaca’s Southside Community Center. Advertising live music, delectable Cuban cuisine, local produce and textile vendors, 305 S. Plain Street promised a cultural feast for the senses.

Despite the success of the Ithaca Farmer’s Market at Steamboat Landing, the new market came to be in response to claims that only a small demographic of Ithacans utilize the Steamboat Landing market’s resources. This new market — which is open on Fridays from 4:00-8:00 p.m. through Sept. 4 — represents just one of several recent efforts to extend the offerings of the Ithaca Farmer’s Market to a more diverse group of Ithacans, including lower income residents and ethnic communities.

Gun Factory Clean-Up Site Raises Issues

The scene enclosed by the chain link and barbed wire fence surrounding the 2.1 acre property at 121-125 Lake Street represents your typical demolition site – save for a few transformers leaking dielectric fluid, federally-mandated aerosol lead monitors stationed around the perimeter and signs that read: “Danger: Asbestos, Cancer and Lung Disease Hazard. Authorized Personnel Only.”

Groups Use Earth Day To Inform Passersby

Students from approximately 20 different campus sustainability organizations set up tables on Ho Plaza yesterday, offering information, educational activities and free giveaways to a large congregation of passing students and staff in honor of Earth Day.

‘Enough Fear’ Campaign Connects C.U. Students to Peers in Iran

Dozens of Cornell students had the opportunity to speak directly with Iranian citizens via long-distance phone calls yesterday afternoon. The students of Prof. John Weiss’s seminar, History 2161: Iran and the World, together with the assistance of volunteer translators (an assortment of Cornell students and professors fluent in Farsi), worked to bring the “Enough Fear” campaign’s phone event to Ho Plaza, where Cornellians waited in line for the opportunity to speak with volunteers in Iran over the single landline connected outside of Willard Straight.

Cornell Becomes First Ivy to Join Climate Savers

By using energy more wisely on their computers, Cornell students could potentially eliminate the carbon footprint of roughly 2,755 automobiles.
Between now and April 17, the Cornell community has the potential to reduce its total 2009-2010 carbon emissions by approximately 15,773 tons from this year’s projected sum.

Prof Explores Migration in Late 19th Century America

A sizeable gathering of students and faculty assembled yesterday afternoon in Kaufman Auditorium for the annual Rabinor lecture, hosted by the American Studies Program. Prof. Derek Chang, history and American studies, spoke on the topic of migration and population dynamics in late nineteenth century America.

Council Argues Over C-Town Plans

The Collegetown Neighborhood Council met in the basement of St. Luke’s Church yesterday to discuss future designs for Collegetown in light of the impending expiration of the moratorium on new Collegetown construction that lasted over a year. The moratorium is set to expire on April 12, and there is pressure on the Ithaca Common Council to adopt the urban plan before this date.
The meeting was led by Mary Tomlan ’71 (D-3rd ward), co-chair of the CNC, with major input from city planner Megan Gilbert ’07, Jennifer Dotson (G-1st ward) and Svante Myrick ’09 (D-4th ward).
Gilbert began by outlining the latest changes to the Collegetown urban plan, the proposed amendment to the comprehensive plan for the city of Ithaca.

Students Lament W. Campus Housing Discrepancies

Last week’s housing lottery highlighted concerns over whether the West Campus housing system is evolving into an increasingly two-tiered hierarchy of living options. While many students were satisfied with their assignment to rooms in the new dormitories, those assigned to the Gothics expressed concern over a mounting discrepancy between their accommodations and those provided to their peers.
Proponents of the new residential initiative argue that the house system has positively influenced the overall quality of living on West Campus, but some students are concerned that the Gothics have been left behind by the initiative.