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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 129, No. 98
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
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After False Report, C.U.Defends New Rules For Sexual Assaults
Latin flavor
By JEFF STEIN Sun Managing Editor
YICHEN DONG / SUN CONTRIBUTOR
Members of the Lambda Theta Phi Latin fraternity sell churros and hot chocolate to raise scholarship money Monday afternoon.
A recent false report of attempted rape should not stoke fears about Cornell’s new policy for handling sexual assault accusations, several highranking administrators have said in defense of their controversial decision to lower the burden of proof in these proceedings. In Spring 2012, over the dire warnings and desperate pleas of many law professors and local attorneys, the University pushed through a series of changes to its sexual assault policy. The new system, which is motivated in part by a contested directive from the U.S. Department of Education but also by a desire to See ASSAULT ACCUSATIONS page 5
Following Univ.Criticism, After Leaves of Absence From Cornell, Fraternity Changes Name Many Students ‘Come Back Alone’ Of ‘Jugs’ Fundraising Event By NOAH RANKIN
— about 80 or 90 percent — are for emotional or psychological reasons, according to Eells. For students that return to Cornell after their leave At an institution like Cornell, some students say it is of absence — a period of time that can last from six not uncommon to pack in more than 18 credits a semes- months to 10 years, according to Eells — it can be difter and still graduate in four years. Often students strive ficult to reintegrate on campus. to achieve even more than that. “When students return, they With this collective mentality to More than 300 students take come back alone,” said Casey graduate within four years, it may Carr, assistant dean of students be surprising that more than 300 a leave of absence from the and advisor for Cornell Minds students take a leave of absence Matter. “Often, all the people University each year. from the University each year. they knew when they were here On average, 120 to 140 of are gone or in different phase[s] of these leaves are health-related, their li[ves]. There’s no one here according to Greg Eells, director of Counseling and to welcome them back.” Psychological Sciences and associate director of See LEAVE page 4 Gannett Health Services. The majority of health leaves
Sun Staff Writer
By ELIZA LAJOIE Sun Blogs Editor
The title of a philanthropic event held this week by the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, in collaboration with all 12 Cornell sororities, caused some students, professors and administrators to criticize what they called its sexist overtones and resulted in the fraternity changing the name of the event. The event –– which was advertised with the title “Which Sorority Has the Best Water Jugs on Campus” –– encouraged each sorority to decorate a large water jug, which was then displayed Monday in the Robert Purcell Community Center and the Terrace Restaurant in the Statler Hotel. Passersby were encouraged to choose their favorite water jug and drop change into it to benefit Pi
Kappa Phi’s philanthropic organization, Push America, which is dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities. On Monday morning, the row of sorority “jugs” was on display in the Terrace lobby, along with signs announcing the “jugs”-themed event. However, on Monday afternoon, the name of the event was changed to “Penny Wars” after some students and administrators expressed reservations about the title’s derogatory implications. Associate Dean of Students Travis Apgar said his office raised concerns with Pi Kappa Phi’s national organization on Monday morning after staff members noticed the large sign placed outside the Statler Hotel promoting the event. These concerns, in addition to complaints the office heard See PHILANTHROPY page 4
JOY CHUA / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
‘Best (water) jugs’ |Sororities decorated water jugs that they displayed in The Terrace for a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity event Monday afternoon.
Former Prof, Nobel Laureate Remembered as‘Vibrant’ Man By MARGARET YODER
In 1996, Richardson received the Nobel Prize in Physics Remembered by for his discovery in colleagues for both his 1971 that the heliumacademic 3 isotope accomplishcan reach ments and a state of vibrant persuperflus o n a l i t y, idity — a Prof. Robert state in Richardson, which physics –– a the isoNobel lauretope can ate who was PROF. RICHARSDON f l o w n a m e d without Cornell’s first vice resistance — at provost for research in approximately 0.002 1998 –– died from degrees above complications from a absolute zero, accordheart attack on Feb. ing to the press 19 in a nursing home release. in Ithaca, according to Richardson made a University press this discovery jointly release. He was 75. with then-Cornell
Sun Staff Writer
colleagues Prof. David Lee, physics, who is now a professor at Texas A&M University, and Prof. Douglas Osheroff, physics, Ph.D. ’73 at Stanford University, who was then a graduate student at Cornell, according to the press release. Osheroff called their discovery “accidental,” made at a time when many people in the field of lowtemperature physics were looking for the temperature of the superfluid state of helium-3, according to the press release. See NOBEL page 5
News Party Peepers
Beginning in April, the Cayuga’s Watchers will send students to monitor parties for possible health emergencies. | Page 3
Opinion No Need to Despair
Though investigative journalism is on the decline, citizen journalism can still hold policymakers accountable, according to Joyce Wu ’13. | Page 9
Arts Night of the Living Dead
Risley Theatre jumps on the zombie train with its performance of Mr. Matthews’ Magic Morgue. | Page 10
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