05-04-12

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INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880

The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 128, No. 141

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012

!

ITHACA, NEW YORK

24 Pages – Free

After Cuts, Dept.Saves Critical Languages

A Note to Our Readers This is the final edition of The Sun for the 2011-12 school year. The Sun will resume publication in the fall. Check cornellsun.com for updates throughout the summer.

News

Some Southeast Asian language progs will be temporarily saved

Something Cheesy

Cornell will debut its Big Red Cheddar in both campus dining locations and The Cornell Store in November. | Page 3

By CAROLINE FLAX Sun Senior Writer

With Provost Kent Fuchs’ short-term funding of “critical language” programs slated to end at the beginning of next semester, individual departments have searched for funds to keep their programs alive. Although the fate of all 11 critical languages remains unclear, using previously saved funds, one department — Asian Studies— will support several South and Southeast Asian language programs for the next few years, according to Prof. Walter Cohen, comparative literature, the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. After the U.S. Department of Education slashed 40 percent of its funding to critical languages –– lesser-known languages that are of national importance –– in 2011, Fuchs funded 90 percent of the shortfall for this year. Now, however, that funding is running out. Prof. Tamara Loos, history, director of the Southeast Asia Program, said that the University determined that the Southeast Asia program had the capacity to temporarily sustain its critical languages using its endowment from the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies. Because the Southeast Asia Program would be able to, in part, make for the Department of Education’s budget shortfall with this endowment, the University decided not to provide additional funding to the program to help it cope with the budget cuts, Loos said. Loos said, however, said that the program will attempt “to keep our languages alive for as long as we can.” “The bottom line is we’re rearranging how we spend our current endowments to try and make [the funds] spread out for the next two See LANGUAGES page 4

Opinion Fighting Breast Cancer

Debbie Tseng grad reflects on being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer and the appreciation she has gained for life. | Page 9

Arts Young Love VICTORIA GAO / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Drink for the masses | The owners of Northside Wine and Spirits, like other liquor stores, stocked up in anticipation of Slope Day.

Liquor Stores Prepare For Slope Debauchery By DAVID FISCHER Sun Staff Writer

On Friday, Collegetown will be teaming with scores of excited, drunken Cornellians eagerly

anticipating the festivities on the Slope. Although for businesses, operating in the middle of the tumult could be a nightmare,

Aurora Guerrero’s poignant film, Mosquita y Mari, explores the life of two young Chicanas as they fall into love and struggle with class issues. | Page 15

Sports Biggest Champs

Senior Cam Simaz, Ivy League Wrestler of the Year, and Rebecca Johnston, an icehockey player, were honored as The Sun’s athletes of the year. | Page 24

Weather Showers HIGH: 80 LOW: 56

See SLOPE DAY page 5

SAE Tradition Survives Despite Expulsion C-Town, Commons By JEFF STEIN Sun Managing Editor

This September, after joining the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, the former pledges of Sigma Alpha Epsilon wanted to host a traditional SAE event called the “White Party” in their new home. But University administrators interfered and, threatening punishment, effectively prevented TKE from hosting the event, according a

University memo obtained by The Sun in January. Several months later, after TKE was kicked off campus for the alcohol-related hospitalization of a freshman, students formerly affiliated with SAE again wanted to host the White Party. This time, however, the event fell beyond the jurisdiction of the Greek system, and the party occurred in Collegetown Saturday night. Although it has been more than a

SHAILEE SHAH / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Tough times TKE | Cornell revoked its recognition of Tau Kappa Epsilon for at least three years in January.

year since SAE was kicked off campus, vestiges of the fraternity and its brotherhood maintain a visible presence on campus. The Interfraternity Council executive board discussed Saturday’s White Party on Tuesday, according to IFC President Chris Sanders ’13. It concluded that since the students are not in the Greek system, the IFC “can’t really do anything about it,” he said. Ken Babcock ’13, vice president for judicial affairs for the IFC, added that holding the White Party was not necessarily a violation of IFC or University policy. “From what I’ve been told it’s just guys who were once affiliated having a party at their annex — or their apartment — which they’re entirely entitled to do,” Babcock said, adding that the IFC is not “tasked with governing them any longer.” Still, the activity could pose a danger to student safety, said Travis Apgar, associate dean of fraternity and sorority affairs, who emphasized that he had no personal knowledge of the White Party’s occurrence. “It’s a threat to people’s safety if they’re taking these parties elsewhere,” Apgar said. “Our expectation is that See TKE page 6

Plunge Into Darkness With Power Outage

By MICHAEL LINHORST Sun Senior Writer

Students often brag about their pre-Slope Day blackouts, but a power outage probably wasn’t what they had in mind. Boomboxes fell silent in much of lower Collegetown Thursday night as a severe thunderstorm knocked out power to thousands of people in the Ithaca area. Party-goers had difficulty finding the best parties without the telltale thumping of a bass to guide them. On Eddy Street and on the Commons, many darkened businesses closed early, but some, especially restaurants, found ways to keep their customers happy. In Souvlaki House, customers were eating by candlelight. The owner, Peter Papachryssanthou, said it was only the second time in his 41 years on Eddy Street that he had to bring out the candles. “It’s romantic,” he said with a smile. But most of his customers were ordering their dinners to go, he added. Joe McKnight, who works at Big Red Barber See POWER OUTAGE page 6


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05-04-12 by The Cornell Daily Sun - Issuu