INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 129, No. 77
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2013
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
16 Pages – Free
Cornell NYC Tech Makes Land Approval Gain
Campus proposal clears second hurdle
By TYLER ALICEA Sun Staff Writer
“Educational institutions such as Cornell play an instrumental role in nurturing the city’s intellectual capital that is vital in maintaining a competitive advantage over other cities.” Scott M. Stringer COURTESY OF JONATHAN LAVENTHOL
Two steps closer | The Cornell NYC Tech campus plan for Roosevelt Island has passed the early stages of New York City’s land review process.
Cornell NYC Tech’s proposed Roosevelt Island campus is one step closer to becoming a reality after earning several approvals required by New York City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. To date, Cornell’s proposal has been approved by the two of four review processes that are a part of the ULURP, which publicly reviews proposals for use of city land. The first of these review groups, Manhattan Community Board 8, approved the University’s plan for the new campus in a nearly unanimous decision in late December. In a University press release, Cathy Dove, vice president of Cornell NYC Tech, said she was “appreciative for the support of our new neighbors.” “We look forward to continuing the dialogue about this innovative new campus with New Yorkers during the public
review process and beyond,” she said. Just days after the first classes started Jan. 21 at the tech campus’ temporary headquarters in Manhattan, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer gave his approval for Cornell’s proposal. “Educational institutions such as Cornell play an instrumental role in nurturing the city’s intellectual capital that is vital in maintaining a competitive advantage over other cities,” Stringer said in his recommendation Thursday. After filing an application with the ULURP, proposals must be approved by the Community Board, the borough president, the City Planning Commission and the City Council, according to the NYC Department of City Planning’s website. Cornell NYC Tech is expected to complete the review process by May, Dove told The Sun. Once the process is completed, demolition of the ColerSee TECH page 4
Panhel Cracks Down on New Members’ Drinking By MANU RATHORE Sun Senior Writer
While the period that new members of sororities will not be allowed to consume alcohol at chapter events has been reduced from eight to six weeks, the change comes with an additional restriction: New members will
News Swapping Hemispheres
Nearly 30 Brazilian students came to Cornell this semester as part of an exchange program. | Page 3
Opinion Girl Power
S.D. Seppinni ’13 calls for a women’s wrestling team at Cornell. | Page 7
Arts Moving On
Julia Moser ’15 says Kroll Call could help her get over the pain of losing 30 Rock. | Page 9
Sports Breaking Records
With two recent wins, Doug Derraug tied the record for most wins by a Cornell women’s hockey coach. | Page 16
Weather Snow HIGH: 37 LOW: 36
not be allowed in the presence of alcohol for the first six weeks of membership. The Panhellenic Council, the regulating body of Cornell’s sororities, notified chapter officers of the policy change at a meeting Wednesday. The length of the new member education period was the only “significant change”
to Panhel policy, according to Hillary Pond ’14, vice president of judicial affairs and standards for Panhel. She said that punishments for violations of the policy will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The new policy intends to ensure “the safest and most
responsible environment that [Panhellenic] can” provide for new members, Pond said. “The new member period should be a fun time for the women to get to know other women in their new member classes, as well as older sisters,” she said. “The main reason for the ‘dry’ policy, however, is safety. We
are trying to foster a safer and more positive Panhellenic community.” The changes are in line with the University policies to change the pledging culture, according to Sarah Balik ’15, vice president new member education at Alpha See PANHEL page 4
Students Gather to Honor Deaths in Syria By ERICA AUGENSTEIN Sun Staff Writer
In the wake of bombings at Aleppo University in Syria that killed at least 87 people on Jan. 15, about 30 students gathered on Ho Plaza Saturday for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the attack. Adam Abboud ’14, president of the Islamic Alliance for Justice — a student organization that helped organize the vigil — said that the event was planned to spread more awareness about the Syrian crisis throughout the Cornell community. “If we don’t share these stories, we are taking a back seat, and we are just as involved as our own government and the U.N. in not helping the situation,” Abboud said. “The university is a sacred institution. Students [in Syria] are no different from you
and me and are using that knowledge to advance their families and communities.” Six students, including Abboud, spoke at the vigil. Abboud began the vigil by discussing the human suffering involved in the Syrian crisis. Speakers read poems in Farsi and Arabic as well as Jewish and Muslim prayers. In his speech, Abboud connected the moral implications of the bombing of an educational institution to the suffering associated with the Syrian opposition movement as a whole, noting that about 60,000 people have died there since March 2011. “We also gather to remember, mourn and pray for the more than 60,000 brutally tortured and murdered, and the many more that will fall
today and tomorrow,” Abboud said. “We gather to remember and pray for the more than 2.5 million displaced and refugeeseeking Syrians.”
Abboud said that the vigil was also meant to allow those personally affected by the tragedy an opportunity to gather in a public venue.
“A lot of people feel powerless,” Abboud said. “The least we can do is share these stories and See ALEPPO page 5
DARWIN CHAN / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Lighting up Ho Plaza | Students attended a vigil Saturday in memory of victims of the Aleppo University bombings in Syria earlier this month.