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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 128, No. 101 News Brain Child
Benjamin Nachman ’13 was one of 14 students in the U.S. awarded the Churchill Scholarship in February. | Page 3
Opinion In the Name of Justice
Jeff Catalano grad urges law school hopefuls to take a reality check with their judicial ambitions. | Page 7
Arts Funny Bone
The Sun reviews Wanderlust, a half-baked comedy that falls one piece short of memorable. | Page 13
Sports Ending it All
The men’s basketball team will return to Newman Arena this weekend, battling Dartmouth and the Harvard Crimson to close out its season. | Page 20
Whiskey Dreams
A Sun blogger mulls McKenzie Pure Pot Still Whiskey, a locally produced spirit. | Cornellsun.com, March 2
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
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Profs Question C.U.-Technion Partnership By JINJOO LEE Sun Staff Writer
At a panel discussion Thursday, several professors questioned Cornell’s partnership with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, sparking heated debate and causing one Cornell professor who formerly taught at the Technion to walk out. “I used to be a professor at Technion, and I’m very proud of it,” said Prof. Yuval Grossman, physics. “Just to let you know, my political views are very, very different. I think you are my enemy.” Grossman, who spoke up after panelists criticized the University for its partnership with the Technion, was the only professor at the discussion who defended the Technion. While seeking its bid for the NYC Tech Campus, Cornell announced Oct. 19 that it would collaborate with the Technion. Since then, students and faculty have raised concerns that the parternship constitutes and endorsement of Technion’s involvement in the Israeli military-industrial complex and some major defense corporations. Students for Justice in Palestine, a proPalestinian student organization, hosted the dis-
MIN BU / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Raising doubts | Prof. Elizabeth Sanders, government, speaks out against the Technion partnership at a panel discussion hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine in Malott Hall on Thursday.
cussion. Prof. Elizabeth Sanders, government, criticized Cornell for not, she said, thoroughly considering the ethical implications of the partnership. “Cornell seems unable to do an ethical investigation of the consequences of embracing Technion,” she said. “We have to convince this University that great universities do owe it to the world to have a conscience, to have some kind of moral voice.” Other panelists challenged the University’s decision-making process, claiming its partnership with the Technion was cemented before administrators sought input from the faculty.
Harmonious times
By ELIZABETH KUSSMAN
VICTORIA GAO / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
From left to right, Stephanie Ko ’12, Crystal Ji ’14, Audrey Katz ’13 and Flora Baik ’13 sing on Ho Plaza on Thursday afternoon.
Man Charged After Campus Robberies By KAITLYN KWAN
Police charged one male with robbery in the first degree in connection with two reported robberies that occurred on West Campus last week. The name of the defendant has not been released because of his age, according to a statement released by the Ithaca Police Department. On Feb. 20, two people were robbed at knife-point in two separate incidences. The crimes took place within 550 yards of each
See TECHNION page 4
After Cuts to C.U.’s Department, I.C.Offers Masters in Teaching French, German, Spanish, math, biology, chemistry, physics and social studies. Students who complete the Despite a new agreement reached program will receive a degree from with Ithaca College that allows I.C. Cornell students to pursue I.C.’s In 2010, administrators anMaster of Arts in Teaching, some nounced that budget cuts would force remained concerned about the future the University to phase out the of education instruction at the Department of Education over a twoUniversity. year period. In July 2011, the College The agreement, effective as of Jan. of Agriculture and Life Sciences relo1, gives Cornell cated five of the 10 graduates auto- “Cornell has some social education professors matic admisto other departsion to I.C.’s obligation to prepare ments. M.A.T. pro- next-generation science Despite the cuts, gram in adolesstudents can still teachers.” cence education pursue a minor in provided that, Travis Park education and in addition to M.A.T. in the scimaintaining a ences at the 3.0 grade point average, they have University. Still, many students worcompleted a minor in education and ried that the new program at Ithaca a major in the area they wish to teach. College would not be an adequate “We will waive our usual require- replacement for Cornell’s agricultural ment for letters of recommendation,” science major, which was phased out as long as the candidate successfully beginning in 2010. completes the education minor, said Prof. John Sipple, developmental Linda Hanrahan, chair of the sociology, who taught in Cornell’s Graduate Education Department at education department before it was I.C. “Applicants from Cornell simply eliminated in 2010, expressed conmust complete the online application cern that people would see this agreeprocess for admission to a grad pro- ment as an “easy fix.” gram at Ithaca College and arrange to “This decision clearly broadens the have official transcripts sent to us.” options for Cornell students to gain The 13-month M.A.T. program at certification in multiple subject areas, I.C. gives aspiring teachers the skills See EDUCATION page 5 to teach several subjects: English,
Sun Staff Writer
Sun Staff Writer
“There was no debate in the deliberative bodies of the faculty before those decisions were made,” said Prof. Eric Cheyfitz, English and American studies. Cheyfitz alleged that the University kept its decision a secret to prevent faculty from voicing concerns about the partnership. “I think it was probably kept secret so that [faculty] would not have debates about it before the fact, so that it would not trouble the waters,” he said. Cheyfitz quoted a section of the bylaws of the University, which stated, “The functions of the
other and three minutes apart — the first occurring at 9:55 p.m. and the second at 9:58 p.m. — according to a police report. In both occurrences, the victims described the suspect as a “tall, thin, white male in his late teens.” After fleeing the scene of the first crime, the robber headed toward the Ithaca City Cemetery — located a block from Linn St. and University Ave, where the second robbery reportedly took place. Police received information identifying a See ROBBERY page 4