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Leading Nat’l Astronomers Converge on C.U. Campus

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The exodus of Cornell students on the eve of Fall Break was paralleled by the arrival of nearly 800 scientists from across the nation who descended upon Ithaca for the 40th annual Astronomical Society planetary meeting last weekend.
This is the first time the University has hosted the meeting since 1983. Cornell is one of the world’s leading institutions in planetary science, a distinction which enabled the University to bring the planetary meeting back to Cornell after a 25-year hiatus, according to Prof. Jim Bell, astronomy, co-chair of the meeting’s organizing committee.

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Commons Bar Plays Host to Politics

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The music was turned off at Benchwarmers Bar on the Commons; the volume on the television sets was raised, and all eyes turned up to look as Tom Brokaw, the moderator of the second presidential debate, introduced Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
As the debate began, activity around the pool table died down. Conversation at the bar was kept at a minimum. Those seated at tables neglected their food and drink to crane their necks up at the televisions above them. Bartenders and waiters took extended pauses to watch as the two presidential candidates discussed the economic situation.

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College Republicans Applaud McCain’s Performance

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Energetic applause seemed to follow much of Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) rhetoric during the first presidential debate as it was shown in Bailey Hall on Friday night. However, Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) cheering section — headed up by the Cornell College Republicans — was confined mostly to the first row.
But this was no surprise for the McCain supporters. Pointing out the liberal tendency of Cornell’s student body, J.B. Rajsky ’11, the second vice chair for the College Republicans, alluded to former governor Mike Huckabee’s speech at Cornell last April when he described the political ideology of the majority of Cornell students as a little “left of center.”

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Cornell Prepares For Pandemic Flu

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History tells us that an influenza pandemic occurs, on average, three times every century, according to Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations for Gannett Health Services. The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that the potential for a global flu pandemic is very high and that it is not a question of if one will occur, but rather when.
While it is impossible to say that a pandemic is guaranteed to happen anytime soon, Dittman and the University have agreed that it is best to prepare for the worst and make sure Cornell is not caught unprepared in the event that a pandemic does occur.

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C.U. Considers Alternative to Blackboard Site

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Recently, several universities across the country decided to put an end to their relationships with Blackboard and switch to one of its competitors. Cornell is now evaluating whether it will do the same.
The University is currently testing Moodle, one of Black board’s leading competitors.
The pilot does not stem from complaints about Blackboard, but rather is part of the typical process of making sure that the University is using the best services available, according to Clare van den Blink, assistant director for academic technology services and user support for Cornell Information Technologies.
“This year we’re piloting Moodle to see how it is,” van den Blink said.
This fall and spring semesters, there are 40 courses will to pilot the Moodle website.

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Debate Continues Over Unsigned Amethyst Init.

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Even though President David Skorton elected not to sign the Amethyst Initiative, a proposal intended to foster discussion about the current drinking age, the debate on the matter did not end with his inaction. Nor does Skorton want it to.
This past Sunday, WVBR 93.5 held a Sunday Forum show featuring Skorton and a panel of students who were enlisted to ask the president questions.
One of the students, Shane Wax ’10 who started a Facebook group supporting the Amethyst Initiative, asked Skorton to elaborate on his decision not to sign the Amethyst Initiative.

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Plans for Asian/Asian-American Center Progress

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The Committee for the Asian/Asian-American Community Center did not relax their efforts over the summer. After writing a proposal at the end of last semester that outlined various aspects of the center, including staff positions and the desired goals and objectives, the committee spent the summer replying to the administration’s critiques and suggestions.
“We spent the summer putting together a response to [President David Skorton’s] letter,” said Kent Hubbell ’67, the dean of students.

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Orientation ’08 Eases Transition to Cornell

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When Andrew Heilmann ’09 transferred to Cornell last January, the struggles of transitioning to a new university, especially in the middle of the year, were eased by his participation in the January Orientation Program. Ever since that point, he has had a deep appreciation for the importance of orientation and the active role the Orientation Steering Committee plays in helping new students adapt to a new environment.

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C.U. Profs Consider the Place of Ethics in Univ. Classrooms

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Every year in in ALS 101: Transition and Success at Cornell, Prof. Brian Earle ’68, communication, does an exercise with his students about their priorities for their future professions. All around the room, he puts up numbers from one to 10, and the students go to a specific number depending on the degree to which they agree with the statement being read — one being in agreement and 10 indicating disagreement.
This past fall, Earle read the following statements: “Making a lot of money in my job is important to me” and “A job which enables me to contribute to society is important to me.” According to Earle, the majority of students in the class walked over to the numbers indicating they prioritized making money.