05-11-12

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Racial Attack Sparks Outcry Bottles,insults aimed at black students; C.U.suspends fraternity

By JEFF STEIN Sun Managing Editor

Allegedly taunting them with references to Trayvon Martin, a person or group of people on the roof of the Sigma Pi fraternity house reportedly threw bottles and other objects at black students who were walking by the house early Sunday morning, according to several accounts.

The incident provoked a torrent of criticism from minority organizations, student leaders and Cornell administrators, who all rushed to condemn the reported behavior amid a criminal investigation by the Ithaca Police. Under the glare of national media outlets, the University held no fewer than seven events Wednesday as part of a “series of conversations addressing bias,” and announced Tuesday that Sigma Pi had been placed on interim suspension.

Meanwhile, several key details surrounding the incident — including the identity and number of assailants — remain unknown. The fraternity has been “fully coopera-

tive” with the investigation, Cornell Police Chief Kathy Zoner said.

Beverly Fonkwo ’14 said she was walking home with a friend when, unprovoked, someone on the fraternity roof began throwing objects that landed near a group walking behind them.

When the people walking behind Fonkwo asked them to stop, the person or people on top of the fraternity continued to throw objects — including a Jack Daniels bottle that landed near the group behind Fonkwo and an unopened beer can that landed near Fonkwo and her friend — she said.

When they asked them to stop again, the group responded, “‘Come up here, Trayvon,’ and started making all these other racial comments,” Fonkwo said. A black teenager from Florida, Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in February — a death that was widely perceived as unprovoked and galvanized AfricanAmerican activists across the country.

“I feel like it was targeted and See SIGMA PI page 2

A Note to Our Readers This is an extra edition of The Sun. Regular publication will resume in the fall.

Check cornellsun.com for updates throughout the summer.

News We Have a Winner

Cornell selects an architecture firm to build the first academic building of the New York City tech campus. | Page 3

Opinion Part of the Solution

Sigma Pi brother Sean Fuoco ’12 emphasizes the importance of addressing racial issues. | Page 5

Sports Winners All Around

The men’s and women’s track team placed second and first at this weekend’s Heps outdoor finals. | Page 12

Weather FIONA MODRAK / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Addressing racial bias | Students and faculty criticized the admin-

Partly Cloudy HIGH: 64 LOW: 45

istration’s handling of race issues in a forum Thursday.

Despite Student Protest, Profs Approve Calendar

By KERRY CLOSE Sun News Editor

LAUREN BIGALOW / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Transition | In 2011, students and faculty protest the decision to move Africana into the College of Arts and Sciences. Now, relative newcomer Prof. Gerard Aching, Romance studies, will lead the department.

New Africana Prof Will Lead Dept.

By AKANE OTANI Sun News Editor

After being led for a year by two administrators who were not professors in the department, the Africana Studies and Research Center will be headed by Prof.

Gerard Aching, Romance studies — a professor who was appointed to join Africana’s faculty just over a

month ago, according to an email sent Tuesday obtained

by The Sun. In December 2010, the University announced that Africana, a formerly independent entity, would be folded into the College of Arts and Sciences. The decision set off protests in which students blasted the University for dismantling Africana behind closed doors; the resignation

of former Africana director Robert Harris Jr.; and later, claims that the move would compromise Africana’s autonomy.

As the two current administrators’ term approaches its end, it is uncertain if Aching –– despite reportedly receiving the most support of any candidate –– will quell the See AFRICANA page 2

shorten study week in both semesters to five days: four consecutive days before exam week and one day off in the middle of exams. It would also shorten exam week to eight days, and Senior Week to between two to four days, depending on the date of seniors’ last exam.

Student leaders decried these proposed changes, saying the shortening of study and exam weeks in particular will have an adverse effect on

Overriding student opposition, the Faculty Senate voted Wednesday, 35-25, to adopt the contentious changes to the academic calendar proposed by the University’s Calendar Committee.

Likely marking the most significant alteration to the calendar since 1984, the new calendar –– which still must be approved by Presi- The proposed calendar will cause dent David Skorton and Provost Kent “stress and harm to mental health.”

Fuchs to go into Adam Gitlin ’13 effect –– would be implemented gradually over the course of the next sev- student mental health. eral years, according to Prof. Kate “I was very surprised [that the Walsh, hotel management, vice- changes passed] today because I chair of the committee. thought the Faculty Senate would If given final approval, the recognize there were a lot of probchanges would cancel classes the lems with the proposal — including Wednesday before Thanksgiving in the extreme stress and harm to menthe fall. In the spring semester, the tal health,” said Adam Gitlin ’13, changes include the cancellation of incoming president of the Student classes on Martin Luther King, Jr., Assembly. “I thought the faculty senDay, the addition of a two-day break ators would recognize that that is a in February and the ending of class- huge issue with the proposal.” es on a Wednesday, as opposed to a However, Prof. Abby Cohn, linFriday.

See CALENDAR page 3 Additionally, the changes would

2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012

NEWS

Sigma Pi Brothers Issue Apology for Racial Incident SIGMA PI

Continued from page 1

racially motivated … we felt very threatened,” Fonkwo said of the incident Sunday. Meanwhile, the assailants “were just laughing at the whole situation until we called the police and then they ran inside,” she said.

In a statement released Tuesday, Sigma Pi said that there was one attacker and that he was not a member of the Cornell fraternity. Additionally, Zach Smith ’13, the fraternity’s president, said in an email obtained by The Sun that the individual was a member of Sigma Pi visiting from a chapter at another university.

“The entire brotherhood of Sigma Pi is shocked and embarrassed by this incident and we recognize [that] we are accountable. Behavior like this from anyone and in any form occurring on our premises is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the leadership and membership of our fraternity,” the statement said. “Though the perpetrator was not a brother of our chapter, this unfortunate event took place on our premises and thus we hold the ultimate responsibility.”

Fonkwo said that it was difficult for her to say how many people were involved in either throwing bottles or taunting the students. Still, she said it was clear that multiple people were on the roof, and that no action against the assailant — whether it was one person or more — was taken.

“It’s hard to identify who was responsible,” Fonkwo said.

“Obviously, there was a group of people on [the roof], but I don’t know what to think … we don’t know if it was just one person.”

Still, she said, even if it was just one person, “it seemed like everyone was laughing and encouraging that individual.”

Additionally, initial reports from the University and police indicated that more than one person was at least partially responsible for the alleged assault.

An Ithaca Police activity log stated that, at about 2:30

SUN FILE PHOTO

Scene of the attack | Sigma Pi fraternity — from which bottles and insults were allegedly directed at black students Sunday — has been suspended by the University while police continue to investigate the incident.

a.m. Sunday, an “Officer responded to disorderly subject throwing debris off the roof” of Sigma Pi. About a minute later, “Officers responded for a report of residents throwing bottles at passing vehicles and pedestrians,” according to the police log.

Regardless of the number of people involved, students and faculty denounced the episode, attacking both the Greek system and Cornell for what they said was the understated prevalence of racism on campus. Statements were also issued by the Dean of Students Office, Susan Murphy ’73, vice president for student and academic initiatives, the Student Assembly, the Interfraternity Council, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, and many other campus organizations.

In an email sent Monday to the Cornell community, student group Black Students United demanded that the administration take action.

“Those involved in this incident should not go without punishment ... As students at Cornell, we deserve the right to feel safe and comfortable. We demand nothing more than the same amount of respect that is given to all students pur-

suing an education on this campus,” the statement said.

“Such acts of injustice are not acceptable.”

The group also said the attack is indicative of a larger trend of racial bias on the Cornell campus.

“Time and time again, we have had to defend our program houses, academic departments and ourselves from the racism that remains prevalent each and every day,” the email said. “Cornell prides itself on its diverse environment, yet as students of color, we are not always safe — not even on our own campus.”

At a forum Wednesday that drew more than 200 people, Karin Zhu ’12 pointed to what she said was the marginilization of minorities on campus.

“Where are the priorities? Do we matter?” Zhu said.

“Of course you matter. All communities on campus matter,” Murphy said in response.

Kerry Close, Rebecca Harris and Jinjoo Lee contributed reporting to this story.

Jeff Stein can be reached at jstein@cornellsun.com.

Newcomer to Africana‘FullyAware’of Dept.’s History AFRICANA

Continued from page 1

concerns of Africana faculty and students.

“The results of the canvass were that the person with the strongest support among the faculty was Gerard Aching,” said the email, which was sent by current Africana co-director Prof. Davis Harris, sociology, to Africana faculty.

Aching accepted the offer of Peter Lepage, dean of the arts college, to be the director of Africana.

He will serve a three-year term beginning July 1, according to the email.

“Your input was valuable in arriving at this very positive outcome, one that will have the [Africana Studies and Research Center] under the leadership of one of its own faculty members effective July 1,” Harris said in the email.

In an interview Thursday, Aching said his goals for Africana, moving forward, are to “build on the foundations that are already eminent of Africana and to create opportunities for talented faculty, as well as for students.”

Additionally, he said he hopes to increase the number of undergraduates taking courses in Africana studies and help build its new

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Ph.D. program.

Coming to the leadership of Africana after the department’s turbulent transition into the arts college, Aching said he is “fully aware of Africana’s eminent history” and “attuned to the issues that affect Africana’s programs.”

Africana’s rich history at Cornell, Aching said, has to be valued. “Part of the discussion will entail that — how we will preserve what we are doing now within arts and sciences,” Aching said.

Lepage said that, for several reasons, he is excited that Aching will be the next Africana director.

“He is an exemplary scholar and a proven administrator.

Moreover, Africana faculty have voiced their support of him as director and, in turn, he supports the faculty playing a central role in shaping Africana’s future,” Lepage said.

Aching, however, was only appointed to join Africana as a faculty member on March 29, according to an additional email sent from Harris to Africana faculty.

After Aching met with Africana faculty on March 27, professors were instructed to cast their vote on whether Aching — who is currently a professor in the Romance studies department — should receive joint appointment with Africana, which would affiliate him as a faculty member of both departments.

Two days later, Harris wrote to Afriana faculty, saying, “I am pleased to report that all Africana faculty voted in favor of appoint-

ing Gerard Aching to the Africana its search for new faculty, tapping faculty.”

Prof. Grant Farred, Africana studDespite his status as one of the ies and English, as the head of its newest faculty members in faculty search committee. Farred, Africana, Aching said that his rela- who allegedly called two black tively short time both in the graduate students “black bitches” department and at Cornell — in 2010, stepped down as the where he first joined the faculty in committee’s chair in November 2009 — will not put him at a dis- after students and faculty, outadvantage in leading Africana. raged by the appointment, raised He has experience teaching concerns about the message it Africana studies both within would send.

C o r n e l l ’s graduate field and at “[Aching] is an exemplary scholar and a New York proven administrator.”

University, where he Dean Peter Lepage taught for 12 years.

“I don’t think it’s a disadvan“The arts and sciences deans tage coming in; I think it’ll be an made an unwise decision by advantage coming in to facilitate appointing someone whose comthe kinds of discussion about the ments are so controversial, so teaching and scholarship that we backward and so disrespectful need to do,” Aching said. toward black women in particular Several Africana faculty con- and all women in general,” said tacted on Wednesday and Prof. Margaret Washington, histoThursday were either unavailable ry and American studies, at the or declined to comment on the time. new leadership.

Harris defended Farred and Starting July 1, Aching will expressed his intent to “normalize inherit a department that has been this [faculty] search so that not only rife with turmoil but also Africana can maximize its opporstriving to expand. tunity to hire a cluster of new facLast April, Provost Kent Fuchs ulty.” promised to increase Africana’s As of May, however, just one budget by more than 50 percent new faculty member has accepted and help the center recruit new an offer to come to Cornell, faculty with a $2 million gift. Still, according to Susan Robertson, Africana — which has fewer than director of communications for nine tenured faculty, according to the arts college. its website — has yet to substanAkane Otani can be reached at tially grow in size.

In the fall, Africana launched aotani@cornellsun.com.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012 3

NEWS

Two Masked Gunmen Rob Student of iPhone At Balch Hall Monday

By MICHAEL LINHORST Sun Senior Writer

Two men wearing masks and brandishing a gun robbed a student on North Campus late Monday night, according to Cornell Police. The student was not injured, but the robbers took the student’s iPhone.

The two men ran toward Central Campus, the student told police.

The Cornell and Ithaca Police Departments searched the area, but the suspects were not apprehended. They remained at large as of Thursday afternoon.

The robbery took place at about 11:30 p.m. in the area between Balch and Dickson Halls, according to CUPD Chief Kathy Zoner. The suspects fled through the Balch archway.

The victim described the suspects as large males — both about 6 feet, 3 inches tall and “heavy-set,” according to police radio reports. They were wearing thick, black jackets and masks.

Police described the suspects' weapon as a black semi-automatic handgun.

According to radio reports, officers were having difficulty communicating with the victim because of a “language barrier.” The investigation continued into the early hours of Tuesday.

“They’re still interviewing the victim to figure out what happened,” Zoner said at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

At about 1:30 a.m., Cornell Police were seen searching the grassy area between Balch and Dickson Halls. Students studying in Balch early Tuesday morning reported that they had not witnessed any unusual activity.

Zoner urged anyone who notices suspicious activity to call 911. She said that people walking across campus should “be extra careful and use the Blue Light Escorts,” which are available by picking up any Blue Light phone on campus.

Zoner said the use of a firearm in a robbery at Cornell was “unusual.”

Monday night was the first armed robbery reported at the University since February. On Feb. 20, two people were robbed at knifepoint a couple blocks from one another on West Campus. The perpetrator displayed a knife, demanded the victims’ wallets, and fled. A grand jury recently indicted Henry Cook, 17, on two felony charges related to the robbery, according to The Ithaca Journal.

In November 2009, a student was robbed and stabbed in the stomach while he was walking near the 300 block of Highland Road on North Campus. The student suffered a “small puncture wound,” police said, and he was treated and released from Cayuga Medical Center. His backpack and a laptop computer were taken.

Manu Rathore contributed to this article.

Michael Linhorst can be reached at mlinhorst@cornellsun.com.

COURTESY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Big plans for Roosevelt Island | Architect Thom Mayne, who was selected to design the tech campus’ first academic building, will lay out the first plans for a 150,000 square-foot, net-zero energy facility by November 2012.

C.U.TapsTech Campus Architect

By LIZ CAMUTI Sun City Editor

After competitively screening close to 40 of the top architecture firms in the world, the University announced Tuesday that it has selected Thom Mayne of the firm Morphosis to design the first academic building for the New York City tech campus on Roosevelt Island.

“We thought that of the firms that we saw, Morphosis and Mayne had the greatest capacity and demonstrated track record in delivering these highly expressive buildings with a very strong architecture idea,” University Architect Gilbert Delgado said.

The building — which is set to open in Fall 2017 — will serve as the premier academic building for the tech campus. In the design of this first building, the University, in conjunction with Morphosis, intends to construct a net-zero energy structure, featuring geothermal and solar power, according to the University.

Delgado emphasized the need for the building’s design to set the standard for the infrastructure that will follow at the engineering and applied science campus on Roosevelt Island.

“The responsibility is enormous ... this building

will set the framework of future buildings and as the first building its presence in terms of its visibility,” Delgado said. “It will signify the Cornell’s presence on the Island and thats why we were so careful in selecting our architect.”

The 150,000 square-foot, academic building, which will be home to the Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute, will have teaching and faculty office space developed to facilitate interaction and the exchange of ideas between students and faculty, according to the University.

Morphosis, based in New York and Los Angeles, is expected to deliver the first design drafts in November 2012 and a schematic design in March 2013, according to a University press release. The architects will team with Arup, a New York- and Los Angeles-based engineering firm, to help develop the building.

In additon to designing several noteworthy academic buildings on campuses across the country, Mayne was also involved in the design of Gates Hall, a new $60 million computing and information sciences building on the Ithaca campus.

Liz Camuti can be reached at lcamuti@cornellsun.com.

Students Denounce Calendar Changes,Claim Feedback Was Ignored Petitions circulated, emails distributed urging Univ.to postpone voting on calendar changes CALENDAR

Continued from page 1

guistics, said that she did not think this concern was entirely valid.

“I personally see the proposed calendar as a step forward on many fronts,” Cohn said. “I think it at least moderately relieves student stress.”

Additionally, Walsh said the proposal allows for the best possible educational opportunities for both students and faculty, particularly in terms of faculty retention.

“As we attempt to recruit and retain the best and brightest, we hoped to address concerns of faculty with school-aged children,” she said.

Still, some professors criticized the proposal due to the negative impact they said it will have on the quality of students’ academic experiences.

“The shortening of study week affects the work we do with students to prepare, meeting people one on one, extra office hours, et cetera,” said Prof. Dick Miller, philosophy. “I think this proposal that would worsen education in the spring semester.”

Other professors questioned whether the committee had sufficiently researched the feasibility of making drastic schedule changes to finals week.

“The registrar has assured us that most seniors will not have exams on Tuesday [of

Senior Week],” said Prof. David Shmoys, operations research. “There has not been thorough testing on this can be done, or how this won’t be impacting the schedules of everyone else. I don’t understand how these details could be overlooked.”

Geoffrey Block ’14, at-large representative for the S.A., who is a member of the Calendar Committee, also criticized the proposal’s shortening of Senior Week.

“Eliminating Senior Week does not help seniors have a good last memory of Cornell, and the lack of preparation for graduation, to get everything in order and to say goodbye to friends, will put a lot of stress on students,” Block said.

Additionally, students criticized the lack of student input involved in the process of developing the proposal presented to the Faculty Senate.

“They’re saying this is for student mental health, but why were the students not consulted?” said Celia Muoser ’13, incoming president of Cornell Minds Matter.

Additionally, at the meeting, Gitlin and Muoser were each given one minute to present their opinions regarding the proposal –– a time limit Muoser said was “strictly enforced.”

“Students weren’t really given any opportunity to speak after questions arose,” Block said. “When professors would ask things, we weren’t allowed to answer.”

Muoser said the only student input

solicited was by students themselves.

However, according to Walsh, the committee sought the feedback of a number of student groups on campus, including the Student Assembly, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the Orientation Steering Committee.

Additionally, in the days preceding the vote, an online petition denouncing the changes created by Block was circulated among the student body. As of Wednesday night, the petition had received more than 1,600 student signatures.

Still, many members of the Faculty Senate advocated the changes to the calendar, saying they will not necessarily remain permanently fixed. During the meeting, the Faculty Senate voted to add an amendment to the proposal, which calls for a review of the changes to occur three years after the implementation of the changes and subsequent reviews to occur in five-year intervals.

“Not supporting changing the calendar reinforces the fixed and static view of the calendar,” Cohn said. “The calendar is more organic and something that can and should be reviewed on a periodic basis.”

Nonetheless, the changes were met with passionate outcry from a number of students across campus. During the meeting, the Faculty Senate was presented with a petition, signed by the leaders of 50 organizations on campus, urging the postponement of the vote on the changes.

Additionally, shortly after the vote, an email was sent out from each class council to the inbox of the undergraduates in their respective years criticizing the changes.

Jennifer Davis, assistant dean of students in the Student Activities Office, later said that the accounts had been “hacked,” and condemned the action as “unacceptable, criminal and not condoned or approved by class councils or the Dean of Students Office.”

“Let’s show the administration we're tired of them ignoring what we have to say and that we WON'T STAND FOR THIS!” the message said.

However, Prof. William Fry Ph.D. ’70, plant pathology, dean of faculty, emphasized that all parties involved had to make concessions in order to achieve the best result for the Cornell community.

“There’s no one … who could like all aspects of this new calendar,” Fry said.

“That’s why compromise is important.”

Gitlin, however, denounced this sentiment.

“Leaders of the Faculty Senate and the Calendar Committee said any calendar will be a compromise, and everyone will dislike something about a new calendar,” he said.

“But I believe there’s absolutely no way that the University can compromise on student mental health.”

Kerry Close can be reached at kclose@cornellsun.com.

OPINION

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Letters

Striving for accountable participation

Independent Since 1880 130TH EDITORIAL BOARD

KATERINA ATHANASIOU ’13

To the Editor: Re: “Citing Trayvon, People Allegedly Threw Bottles at Black Students From Fraternity Roof ” News, May 6 In a message to the Cornell community this past February on the University’s diversity goals, I stated that “Cornell is a community of diverse people, respectful and appreciative of difference.” I want to believe that is true and not just an aspiration or a slogan. But the recent outrageous behavior early this past Sunday morning that has so upset our community throws that belief into question, and that is very disturbing to me. I wholeheartedly agree with our Vice President for Student and Academic Services, Susan Murphy ’73, when she wrote to the community shortly after the incident that, “there is no place for this kind of behavior at Cornell University.”

While complete information on what occurred that night and who was involved is still under police investigation, many in our community have asserted that the reports are in line with other troubling patterns that they have felt and observed in our community. Since the campus climate comprises the perceptions of its people, these concerns must be a challenge to all of us — to be vigilant about exposing and rooting out, in our own hearts and actions and among our friends and colleagues, intolerance, bias and disrespectful and violent behavior. We can never be comfortable as bystanders; we must be active and accountable participants, valuing diversity and inclusion and rejecting both active and passive discrimination.

I am heartened by the tremendous outpouring of concern for those most affected by this past weekend’s events from all parts of our campus community, and by the universal condemnation — in community conversations, forums, letters and postings, including messages from our student leaders — of what occurred. And, I am hopeful that this coming together to bridge boundaries and address these issues forthrightly, with honest dialogue and appropriate action, is part of a more hopeful and continuing pattern in our community for the future. This, I believe, is the Cornell we all value.

We will continue to do what we must as administrators, to advance our University’s values and meet its deepest expectations. And I ask that all of you strive to do what you can, as well, to advance our future, and your own, as “members of a community of diverse people, respectful and appreciative of difference.”

JACOB KOSE ’13

President David J. Skorton

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Editorial

Ann Newcomb ’13 Esther Hoffman ’13 Akane Otani ’14 Kerry Close ’14 Dani Abada ’14 Zach Zahos ’15

Reject Changes To the Calendar

ON WEDNESDAY, THE FACULTY SENATE ignored substantial student opposition and passed changes to the academic calendar in the name of mental health. We are astounded that the Faculty Senate would not only move forward with this proposal without formalized student input, but also disregard the voices of more than 1,000 students who had expressed their opposition before the vote. We urge President David Skorton and Provost Kent Fuchs to reject the resolution and urge the revision of the calendar to make it conform to the needs of students, not just the needs of the faculty.

While we question whether the new calendar would ultimately improve mental health, the most absurd part of the Faculty Senate’s decision is that it went firmly against the vocal opposition of so many students. The two undergraduates on the calendar committee, which developed the proposal before it came to yesterday’s vote, did not support the calendar. The entire Student Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against it. The incoming president of Cornell Minds Matter, an organization that helps students deal with stress, has spoken out against the decision. As of Thursday afternoon, an online petition opposing the calendar changes has gathered over 1,600 signatures.

If the Faculty Senate wanted to vote as it did, its members should have at least sent out a formal survey to students to gauge their preferences on the matter.

However, neither the calendar committee nor the Faculty Senate worked to gather any sort of input beyond consulting with the two undergraduate students of the calendar committee. We find it deplorable that the opinions of a small group of faculty, who would not be the ones suffering the mental health consequences of taking final exams in a condensed period, were able to rise over the opinions of so many students.

The calendar, as the faculty senate has approved it, would, in our opinion, seriously compromise mental health and negatively change the character of life at Cornell. While the calendar would add breaks in the spring and fall semesters that would have positive effects on mental health, these breaks are outweighed by the significantly shortened exam and study periods that come at the end of the year.

Specifically, in the spring semester, the new calendar will condense the exam study period from seven days to four and exam week from 13 days to eight; shorten Senior Week from seven days to four; and add two days off during President’s Week in February.

While we have serious concerns about the negative impacts on mental health, the main problem that we have with the current proposal is that students were not consulted to the extent that they should have been. This revision of the calendar is the first major revision since 1984. If this is going to be the new calendar for the next three decades, Skorton and Fuchs should allow more time for the students to be heard.

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THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012 5

OPINION

Taking Responsibility for the Problem, Looking for the Solution M

y name is Sean Fuoco, and tonight I realized that I am an integral part of Cornell’s deep racial divide. Let me explain.

After personally witnessing the last four years of Sigma Pi history, I can tell you that last night’s Forum was one of

pride themselves on their openness and on their racial, socioeconomic and cultural diversity. While we did not realize how those who had never met us could think we represent such hateful values, we knew Sunday’s instance would open wounds to people not only from Cornell,

Sean Fuoco ’12 Guest Room the most uncomfortable, gut-wrenching, openly embarrassing events our house has been through. And it needs to happen more often. Not just to us, or the people that represent our campus, but to everyone that believes in Cornell as a clear-conscious campus of moral integrity, because it is not. Let me speak of my experience this evening.

Upon hearing about the events of early Sunday morning, I remember feeling a deep sense of shock and regret.

Regret that some monster could ever utter such racism to another human being, regret that this event would be linked to something I care so much about, regret that people who do not know me may now look at me as a bigot that intends to inflict hateful pain. I saw the same shock and pain on all 55 of my brothers’ faces — a group of people who

but to every person of non-white descent worldwide. Knowing we needed to hear from those we hurt, the majority of our brotherhood attended last night’s forum.

I walked into the forum feeling embarrassed, wanting to clear my fraternity’s name and meet those who were hurt. And while I worked towards these goals, it became clear to me that the issue was larger than I could have ever imagined, and that my feelings were justifiably unimportant. It became clear that the wounds inflicted upon minority’s are being re-opened every day, and it only cuts deeper. The hurt on people’s faces is something I wish I could share with every soul on campus. I always was cognizant of the discriminatory perception of the Greek system, Cornell’s student bodies and the campus in general, but never did I once stop to think what that

meant for other people’s everyday Cornell experience. It’s natural for people who do not come from heterogeneous backgrounds to be hesitant about interacting with those they have not previously encountered; it is not natural for people to be shunned and herded together for four years because of these shortcomings. Those who do not look like the rest of us or do not come from similar places and experiences as the rest of us naturally feel out of place, initially. But when that initial discomfort is not eradicated, and only further perpetuated, at what point do we as the plurality turn the spotlight upon ourselves? It is very easy to want to blame the administration, but ultimately it is up to those who wish to represent a community that embraces, not discriminates.

There is a simple bottom line: What do we truly want as an outcome from the recent events and the deeper problem at hand? It is pointless for minority groups to bring awareness about such problems to an audience of minority students. And this is where I realized my, and the greater Cornell’s, fault.

While I am not a discriminatory person in any way, I realized that my neutral voice on race has certainly not been part of the solution. And the more people like me are not part of the solution, the worse it gets. The more people of different backgrounds feel pushed away. The more insensitive we as a whole become to a problem that hurts others so deeply.

While this problem is not my fault, I am at fault in my complacency with the cur-

rent state of affairs. By not being part of the solution I am part of the problem.

This is what I took from the forum, as did many of my brothers. I immediately no longer cared what those in the room thought of me; I could feel how they felt — if only for a brief moment. It was all I needed to look inside myself and ask what I could do. I think we all did.

I was looking to clear Sigma Pi’s name with the facts of the incident, let people know our sentiment of deep regret. As it turns out, the fact that it was not someone associated with our house did not alleviate our feeling of embarrassment; it only made us realize how deeply some people have been hurt in the past. Feeling regret is a neutral stance, and that simply won’t do. I plan to push my brotherhood to be an active and involved component of the search for a solution. But we need to be way more than that. We need to be leaders — without the efforts of the plurality, there is no solution, only more of the same. It starts with an uncomfortable, gut-wrenching conversation with those that are not like us. A conversation that opens communication to why such a basic issue is so overlooked, and what can be done about it.

My name is Sean Fuoco. I was part of the problem. Help me be part of the solution.

Sean Fuoco is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He may be reached at smf223@cornell.edu.

Guest Room appears periodically this semester.

Letters

Time to talk about overcoming prejudice To the Editor: Re: “Citing Trayvon, People Allegedly Threw Bottles at Black Students From Fraternity Roof ” News, May 6 In a perverse way, the incident at Sigma Pi this past weekend has sparked a long overdue conversation on what “race” means at Cornell. It just goes to show that even in this day and age, we’ve still got a lot of work to do. I wanted to write this column because I think we have a ripe opportunity to take this challenge and be transformed by it, rather than consumed.

People of all races, socioeconomic classes, sexual orientations and genders ought to be able to find some common ground on this issue and work together to help address it.

One word of caution though — there are those in the multicultural community that resent the input of white people in the conversation. There are those that would rather white people remain observers rather than join as allies. That attitude completely misses the point. After all, all races can be discriminated against; all people can feel the sting of a bigot’s words.

As an American of Indian heritage from Texas, I’ve sadly witnessed my own fair share of racism, some of it directed at others, but a lot of it firsthand. But it’s of course justified, right?

I mean, people that look like me blew up the World Trade Center, shook this country to its core. We fully deserve to be stigmatized. Our temples and mosques ought to be picketed or be placed under moratorium, or be zoned away. Our last names that aren’t Smith or Johnson should obviously be placed on a high-risk list to be checked more thoroughly at airport security, because statistically, we’re more likely to commit an act of terror.

But you know what? It’s absolutely embarrassing that in the ten or so times I’ve left the country over the last five years, in eight of those, I’ve been selected for “random screening.”

My ears turn red (because the rest of me really can’t, brown skin and all) when I’m asked by the immigration official, “So, you’re an American, huh?”

It’s time we redefine what’s acceptable and unacceptable under the law, in our schools, under our family roofs when it comes to race relations. Otherwise we’re missing out on great assets to this country. For I’m one of the most patriotic kids out there — I’m working my ass off at Cornell not to enrich myself, but to help be a part of the generation that makes America competitive again. My passion is biotech, and I was born in Indiana. Not India.

I may sound angry, but please don’t confuse my passion for hatred or vitriol. I’m just deeply saddened when society marginalizes Americans of any background, gender, creed, color or sexual orientation. These prejudices stall innovation, foster violence and reduce efficiency. The country loses out at a time we can’t afford to.

Creating a safe community

Ankur Bajaj ’13

To the Editor: Re: “Citing Trayvon, People Allegedly Threw Bottles at Black Students From Fraternity Roof ” News, May 6 As most of you probably now know, early this past Sunday morning, people in the Sigma Pi house shouted racial slurs and hurled objects at Cornell students who were walking along University Avenue across the street from Alice Cook House.

This assault happened in our neighborhood. We live in the West Campus House System, along with more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate students. Our neighborhood is diverse in every sense of the word, and we know that we are privileged to live in the midst of so many intelligent, hard-working, creative people from so many different backgrounds.

We care about the people in our community, and the attack Sunday morning has personally affected many of our residents. We are angry that they have been hurt and threatened.

Every person has a fundamental right to safety, and we want to make it clear that we will not tolerate these kinds of assaults in our neighborhood.

We urge the Cornell community to unite against this kind of behavior, but we believe that an essential part of that process is Cornell’s administration. Cornell needs to take all appropriate measures to punish those responsible, and the criminal justice system should do so as well.

We offer our support to any of our students who have been affected by the attack. At its best, Cornell has tried to live up to the ideal of “any student, any study.” We haven’t always succeeded. Yet throughout the West Campus House System, every day, we see our residents striving to make this ideal of openness and intellectual endeavor real in their own lives and in those of their friends and communities.

We know how capable our residents are, and we believe that in the end, they will not permit anyone who tries to deny them their basic rights to discourage or block them. But everyone in the Cornell community has to take responsibility for maintaining the safety of all of Cornell students and staff. Individuals or entities unwilling to abide by that basic requirement don’t need to be here.

Edward E. Baptist, House Professor-Dean, Carl Becker House; Jefferson Cowie, House Professor-Dean, William Keeton House; Andre Dhondt, House Professor-Dean, Alice Cook House; Scott McDonald, Dale R. Corson House Professor-Dean, Hans Bethe House; Shirley Samuels, House Professor-Dean, Flora Rose House

6 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012

A&E

Friday, May 11, 2012 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | 7

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RYAN LANDVATER / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

ZACHARY ZAHOS Arts and Entertainment Editor

Slope Day is a perfect day. It is nothing less than perfect, even with all its imperfections. Short of an earthquake or norovirus contamination of Tompkins County’s Keystone Light supply, it will always be perfect. One could even convince his inebriated brethren that an earthquake or stomach virus would only further pad the posthumous scrapbook of the day, figuratively and literally.

Let’s start with the Slope itself. 364 days of the year, Libe Slope withstands ridicule from anyone who is forced to scale it. It’s a consensus that catalyzes Ivy Room small talk, excuses for sleeping in and one-too-many Facebook memes. Poor Slope. Yet on May 4, there is no place those wambulance criers would rather be. And they don’t just tolerate the Slope — they realize how damn perfect the awful thing is. Not only does the 89-degree angle create a natural stadium for viewing the show, but it also provides a readily available grassy mattress to collapse on and front-row seats to watch those who fail when doing so and tumble down the hill.

Which brings me to the people. You and I were one of them (except you, Mom, I told you not to read this article; can’t you just trust me when I say no one drinks at Cornell?).

Even before I entered the fenced-off grounds, I was feeling the love. Quite literally, actually — I was vigorously massaged and nearly violated by the horde of woozy students who pushed me to lead the way. I appreciated their confidence in my leadership abilities, but they were not too receptive to my pleas that, as great as I am, even I could not part this Big Red Sea. In the company of friends, the love never ends. Except if you cannot find said company — noob freshmen like me usually spend more time staring into the impenetrable crowds looking for that one suitemate who hasn’t texted back since 10

a.m. instead of just enjoying the show. All the while, be ready to bump into everyone you have seen over the past year, including many you hoped to never see again. It’s like a giant frat party, except all the lights are on.

As for the music, how can you ask for anything better?

Well, you just ask, since there is definitely better but … come on, dude, lighten up! I will call you a liar if you say you didn’t mumble the chorus and jump around during “Hangover.” I will also call you sober and promptly shatter this eight-monthold handle of Svedka over your head.

The party started with The Wailers, Bob Marley’s old backing band. I love Bob Marley. I love all types of reggae music — you know, the slow kind and the slower kind with the funky bass. I love weed. I also love Bob Marley, so this was a perfect match. To my alcohol-pot-coke-DMT-skipped-lastlecture-bitches addled mind, The Wailers could have played all of Legend or just one guitar chord on the upbeat. I think I am right on both counts.

Neon Trees was life-changing, of course. Singer Tyler Glenn really seemed like he wanted to be there; he was bouncing about the stage and treating Slope Day like a real gig (which it really is! (really!)). At one point he mentioned how he didn’t go to college, though, and then I grew suspicious.

Ever since Justin Bieber ’16 fell through, Glenn knew Slope Day could be a kickass UnCommon App. Apparently C.U. Admissions has canned the idea because Neon Trees didn’t play “Animal” until the end of their set. No matter how much charisma and pink hair you have, Mr. Glenn, you can’t convince us we like any of your other songs.

Before I mention the main act, I have to commend the deejays who played Avicii’s “Levels” between the sets. Everyone on the Slope was so drunk that we might as well have actually hired Avicii to play that one song anyway! Next to slashing funding for the humanities while also expanding Goldwin Smith Hall’s

empty hallways, this was the most badass book-balancing exercise the University has undertaken all year.

Meanwhile, the man himself, Taio Cruz, did not disappoint. At least some form of the man, at some time, did not disappoint. The heavy sampling of his recorded material was a wise move on his part: While his detached stage presence failed to connect to Cornell students, he found common ground by touting past accomplishments that were the product of lucky collaborations with more talented contributors.

When the sound guy pushed play on David Guetta and Usher’s song, “Without You,” Cruz reminded the audience that he was also one of six writers on that song. The sole “yooouuuuooouuuu” flourishes he added in the chorus reminded me I have a problem set due Sunday that I haven’t copied from someone yet.

Clearly, Slope Day could not have been better. Well, of course it could have been, but like frat hookups and A’s on engineering prelims, there is a certain shittiness, sadness, sacrifice involved in some of the best college experiences. FIJI’s tshirts captured it well, with their back text of “Drink Until You Like Taio Cruz.” Since everyone already likes him, I am assuming FIJI just meant drink until you like him more. Still, it is a clever line and I’d buy drinks for whoever thought of it, even if I would go broke.

Those shirts are only further proof that Slope Day is the perfect day; we gather en masse and drink and roast in the sun until we pass out. It is so simple, with absolutely no room for error because the error is the whole game. We love to abuse ourselves after the abuse of months’ prior, and we come back, bleary-eyed and shambling, every year.

Who’s up for Chris Brown next year?

Zachary Zahos is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at arts-and-entertainment-editor@cornellsun.com.

Avengers and Low Expectations, Assemble!

ZACHARY ZAHOS Arts and Entertainment Editor

There is no reason to review The Avengers.

If you love it, go tweet “#Avengers is awesome / See it!” and be done with it. If you hate it, your words will fall on ears deafened by the cha-chings of $207 million in opening weekend box office receipts. And if you neither love it nor hate it, like me, then — who cares?

The flaw and triumph of The Avengers is that it succeeds so well in capturing its source material and nothing more. That source material is a line of Marvel comics that started in the 1960s and throws some of Marvel’s most popular characters together to save the world against “foes no single superhero can withstand.” It is a fun, pulpy series, with a lot of macho banter between, and during, action scenes in place of true character development seen in the individual heroes’ stories.

Those superheroes are Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Nick Fury. Say goodbye to the reality of the Iraq War that set the scene for Iron Man, and hello to Norse mythology besides a gamma-radiated beast and former Nazi hunter. Their foe is Thor’s adopted brother, Loki, who seeks to enslave the world with some magical cube that unlocks a portal to another universe. The stakes are so high that it is hard to care. It is more Loki’s ability to sustain perfect posture and speaketh in faux-Middle English while wearing egregious

golden horns that convinces me that, yes, this is a job for more than one.

This film is clearly not The Dark Knight and does not pretend to be. I see that as a relief.

IMAX agrees, for it holds a strict summer quota on “brooding, depressing, not-so-super hero tragedies.” But The Avengers is not even a hearty, standalone comic adaptation in the vein of Spider-Man 2. Director, co-writer and nerd-throb Joss Whedon basically crafts a superior version of Michael Bay’s Transformers films: irresistible to the eyes, with wit and fan service to spare, yet still without a thread of substance or speck of beauty underneath it all.

Given its rather simple expectations, however, The Avengers might just benefit from these artistic shortcomings. It is one of the most faithful comic book film adaptations in recent memory, with all the pretty visual motifs, ridiculous scenarios and emotional shallowness you can find in its inspiration.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier — an aircraft carrier capable of stratospheric flight — looks crazier in motion than it could possibly appear on hand-drawn panels. Iron Man flying through the city, back facing the ground, is an iconic image brought to life, as is the 360-degree rotating shot of The Avengers, cornered by foes and New York City skyscrapers, prepping for battle. These scenes are just about copied from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original work, but it’s the kind of flattering plagiarism everyone can get behind.

The special effects are obviously remark-

able, dazzling, super-duper. I am continually impressed by the different ways Iron Man enters and exits his suit; when he lands on the open-air pad of his own skyscraper, Tony Stark quickly emerges as spinning discs and robotic arms disassemble the intricate exoskeleton.

Stark is, of course, blasé to the whole display.

In the final action sequence, the camera swoops down streets and up buildings in an uninterrupted, natural flow that follows each hero kicking ass and farming testosterone.

Don’t ask who their enemies are (Wikipedia says they are Loki’s army of “Skrulls,” and I am not sure the film said even that) and ignore that they look like a poor mesh of Gears of War’s Locust army and Transformers 3’s flying monsters. Just enjoy the show.

Detailing the story would bore me more than you: Things happen, things are explained, things are never explained. You could toil over the numerous plot holes, or you could just read the comic book — the answers are there, I hope. I did notice some light contemporary political commentary, with Nick Fury as the neoconservative hawk pushing for action, Bruce Banner (The Hulk) as the frustrated diplomat and Captain America as the old-fashioned ideologue of World War II-era America. These tensions manifest in one key scene of verbal conflict and are not addressed afterward, but the film deserves an ‘A’ for its effort, right?

Speaking of The Hulk, Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde paci-

fistic beast steals the show. Ruffalo is a naturally reserved and faintly awkward presence on screen — Bruce Banner incarnate. Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark continues to rob all the witty one-liners (before he flies off with Hawkeye in his arms, Stark deadpans, “Clench up, Legolas”), but The Hulk has a few key moments of winning physical comedy, one joke of which set my theater off in an uproar of laughter that didn’t cease until halfway through the next scene.

So, The Avengers is funny as well as entertaining, attractive and exciting. What’s not to love? Truthfully, most of the film’s problems arise from the concept more than the execution. You can say, “Well, it was the best ensemble superhero movie ever!” And I would agree, with such stiff competition and all.

But look: This movie is going to make a billion dollars. Far more than that, actually. With only three days in the States and 13 worldwide, it has already accrued a staggering $650 million. This is not the last Avengers movie, nor the last Marvel sequel or spin-off. The Avengers sets a decent precedent, one of cheery mirth and harmless arousal. It is not the plethora of explosions and jokes that rubs me wrong.

Rather, it is the notion — nay, insult — that we cannot handle anything more.

Zachary Zahos is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at arts-and-entertainment-editor@cornellsun.com.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

8 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012

SPORTS

Ivy Athletic Directors Veto Rangers,Capitals Face Game Seven Post-Season Tournament RED BANK, N.J. (AP) — The Ivy League has decided not to have postseason tournaments to determine its men’s and women’s basketball champions.

The league athletic directors agreed at their annual meeting not to move forward with proposals for postseason tournaments.

Ivy League executive director Robin Harris said Thursday that the athletics directors felt the current method of determining the league champion and its automatic bid recipient to the NCAA Championship is the best model moving forward.

In men’s and women’s basketball, the Ivy League plays a 14-game, double round-robin schedule where each team plays each other home and away. The team with the best conference record in each sport is awarded the Ivy title and the League’s NCAA Tournament automatic bid.

In the case of a tie, a one-game playoff is held.

Manuel Has No Patience for Phillies; Mets Sweep Series PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Charlie Manuel ran out of patience, so he gave his players an earful after their latest “ugly” loss.

Ike Davis hit a three-run homer, Andres Torres also connected and the New York Mets beat the Phillies 10-6 Wednesday night to complete their first threegame sweep in Philadelphia in six years.

The Mets rallied to win all three against slumping Philadelphia. They trailed after five innings against Roy Halladay on Monday, after six against Joe Blanton on Tuesday and after six against Cliff Lee in the series finale.

“We have to wake up and play better,” Manuel said. “We don't like what we’ve been doing. If we want to win, and be able to go where we want to go, we better start playing better.”

The five-time defending NL East champions are a season-worst four games under .500 at 14-18.

The Mets (18-13) are five games above .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010.

“There definitely needs to be a change in intensity,” Jimmy Rollins said. “That comes with relaxing. When you win, everybody relaxes.”

Making his first start since straining his left oblique in the 10th inning of a gem against San Francisco on April 18, Lee allowed two runs and five hits, striking out six.

Lee left with a 4-2 lead, but Kyle Kendrick (0-3) quickly gave that up.

An RBI double by Justin Turner cut it to 4-3 in the seventh.

Kendrick forced in a run by hitting pinch-hitter Lucas Duda with a pitch with the bases loaded. An RBI groundout by Torres made it 5-4.

Kendrick, booed loudly in the

n cor

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un .c o m

seventh, stayed in to start the eighth. He gave up a double to David Wright and a broken-bat RBI double to Scott Hairston before exiting. Fans mockingly cheered when Manuel came out to take the ball from Kendrick. He heard more boos on his way to the dugout.

One batter after right fielder Hunter Pence dropped a routine fly ball for an error, Davis hit a towering drive off Jose Contreras that bounced off the facing of the second deck.

“I’d boo myself too,” said Pence, who heard it from fans.

“I’m probably madder than they are that I dropped the ball. I understand. It’s awful. It’s not like I’m going to sleep easy or be OK with it. It’s the worst feeling to let the pitcher down and the team down, but I’m not here to feel sorry for myself. I’m going to just take it and use it as fuel to play better, to get better.”

Tim Byrdak (2-0) retired the only batter he faced to earn the win.

Lee threw 10 scoreless innings in a 1-0 loss to the Giants in 11 innings, but landed on the DL a few days later.

“I think there needs to be more urgency than there’s been,” Lee said.

Mets starter Dillon Gee gave up four runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

The bottom of the order manufactured all of Philadelphia’s runs, doing most of the damage with two outs.

Brian Schneider hit a two-out single in the sixth. Freddy Galvis followed with a high drive off the wall in left-center that scored Schneider to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. Pinch-hitter Laynce Nix followed with an RBI single to center to make it 4-2.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It makes perfect sense that the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals are heading to a Game 7.

In many ways, these teams are mirror images of each other.

Neither scores much. Neither allows opponents to, either. They play every game close.

And no matter how seemingly devastating a defeat, in overtime or otherwise, the Capitals — from two-time NHL MVP Alex Ovechkin to playoff rookie goalie Braden Holtby — simply do not allow setbacks to bother them. They regroup, get back out there and follow every loss with a victory.

Ovechkin rebounded from a rare zero-shot performance by scoring after 88 seconds Wednesday night, Holtby made 30 saves, and the Capitals recovered the way they always seem to, beating the top-seeded Rangers 2-1 to tie the Eastern Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.

“We’re resilient,” Washington defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We have that thick skin. We know when to battle back when we need to and have to.”

Never moreso than after Game 5 on Monday night, when seventh-seeded Washington managed to blow a lead in the last 10 seconds of regulation.

New York scored a power-play goal with 7.6 seconds left in the third period to tie it, and another 1 1/2 minutes into overtime to win it.

The Capitals could have folded. Instead, they staved off elimination, and the teams will meet in New York on Saturday night to determine who will face the New Jersey Devils in the conference finals. Washington hasn’t been that far since 1998; the Rangers haven’t since 1997.

“That’s what we play for all year: home-ice advantage,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said.

“And I think home-ice advantage helps when it’s that Game 7. We have to go in there, be ready to go, feed off the crowd and get a win.”

New York’s first-round series against Ottawa went seven games. So did Washington’s opening series against Boston, last season’s Stanley Cup

champion.

Now they’ll both do it again.

“It’s where we want to be,” Holtby said. “We didn't expect a short series.”

He improved to 6-0 in games immediately after losses this postseason.

That’s why the Capitals are 4-0 in games that follow overtime losses in the playoffs. One other bit of proof that they know how to bounce back: They haven’t lost consecutive games since March 22-23.

“This is the way we are,” said Jason Chimera, who scored in the second period to give Washington its second two-goal lead of the series.

“We don’t really crack.”

They can’t afford to: Twelve of the Capitals’ 13 playoff games were decided by one goal.

Ovechkin’s reduced role became a major talking point throughout these playoffs: Usually a 20minute-a-game guy, he played as few as 13 1/2 minutes in Game 2 against New York. He also came up quiet in Game 5, with no shots on goal, only the second time in 49 career playoff games that had happened to the man they call Alex the Great.

But about 1 1/2 minutes after the opening faceoff Wednesday, Ovechkin powered a slap shot inside the right post from about 30 feet in front of goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Ovechkin’s 30th career playoff goal, tying the franchise record held

by Peter Bondra, came 15 seconds after Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman was sent to the penalty box for tripping Chimera.

Another miscue followed: Defenseman Ryan McDonagh wasted a chance to clear the puck, instead sending it along the boards right to a Capitals player. That giveaway led to a series of crisp passes by the Capitals — and an animated earful for McDonagh from Rangers coach John Tortorella after Ovechkin scored.

That early edge proved to be a good omen for the Capitals, who are 7-1 this postseason when scoring first — and 0-5 when their opponent scores first. In this series, all six games were won by whichever team led 1-0.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012 9

10 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Friday, May 11, 2012 11

SPORTS

EQUESTRIAN

Scrivens,de Rham Place Individually at Nationals

By ARIEL COOPER

ty tall,” she said.

“For her jumping class she didn’t have the best draw, [but] she definitely made While most students were making their what she could of it,” Steinberger said. way through their last week of classes and However, despite the added challenge, preparing for Slope Day, five members of Scrivens said that she pleased with the outthe equestrian team, their coach and two come. horses traveled to Raleigh, N.C. for the “Overall, I was pretty happy with my Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s performance,” she said. national competition. Senior Bronwyn Scrivens was just one point shy of 10th Scrivens and freshman Georgiana de place, according to Mitchell.

Rham competed in the Cacchione class “She rode really well,” he said. “Even and intermediate fences, respectively, while though [she] didn’t get a ribbon, [she’s] junior co-captain Emily Kowalchik and still 11th in the country [and] that’s pretty freshmen Sofia Steinberger and Mary Beth darn good.”

Hannon went as volunteers.

Mitchell also said that he was pleased “The amazing thing about it all is that with de Rham’s performance in fences. it is such a big production but the ISHA is “I was very excited for her, very happy a completely volunteer non-profit organi- to see that she put it all together and came zation,” Kowalchik said. out with a fifth in the country … that was phenomenal,” he said.

“I think that coming out of “I really enjoyed it. I had a great time. it even though I was fifth I feel It was a nice way to end the season.” like I did the best that I could that day so I don’t have any Bronwyn Scrivens regrets,” said de Rham.

Although the Red did not compete as a team at nationNationals brings together the top hors- als, the results of the team competition es and riders from across the country to highlighted that Cornell is a member of an one major event. Competition was fierce; extremely competitive zone. St. Lawrence however, Scrivens and de Rham performed placed first as a team, followed by well. Scrivens placed 11th in the Skidmore in second place and Brown in Cacchione, while de Rham came in fifth third, according to Kowalchik. St. place for intermediate fences.

Lawrence and Skidmore are both members “Georgi and Bronwyn both did phe- of the same zone as the Red. Cornell also nomenally well,” Kowalchik said. lost to Brown in this year’s Ivy Show.

With strong competitors and a variety “It feels better knowing that we [were of horses, riding to the top at nationals was beaten] by the best of the best, but it’s also no easy task. Scrivens and de Rham both difficult knowing that those are the two drew the same horse, a small grey named teams that we have to beat every year to get Tabasco, according to head coach Chris to nationals as a team and they’re really Mitchell. Horses are as different as cars, stiff competition,” Kowalchik said. and Tabasco was not the type of horse that While the team competes at many de Rham was used to riding. shows throughout the season, most of “I was a little nervous about it, but I them are on a much smaller scale than this was able to get on and I feel like the horse past weekend. and I got along really well and I was really “It’s always a way bigger event than any pleased with my ride,” she said. “It’s good other show we’re at all year,” Kowalchik for me to have to ride those horses that are said. out of my comfort zone.”

The level of competition is also much For Scrivens, who stands at six feet tall, higher than at a regular season show. riding Tabasco was also a challenge.

“It really inspired me to work much “My first horse was small and I’m pret- harder because I realized how big of a deal Sun Staff Writer

ESTHER HOFFMAN / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Ride along | Junior Emily Kowalchik and freshmen Sofia Steinberger and Mary Beth Hannon accompanied their teammates to Nationals to work the event and support their friends.

it was,” Steinberger said.

Both Scrivens and de Rham were grateful for the opportunity to compete at nationals.

“I feel like I’ve made a lot of sacrifices in other parts of my life to work at riding and it’s kind of cool to feel like that dedication

has paid off ,” said de Rham.

“I really enjoyed it. I had a great time,” Scrivens said. “It was a nice way to end the season.”

Ariel Cooper can be reached at acooper@cornellsun.com.

Red Ends Season After Loss to Penn Quakers

By TINA AHMADI Sun Staff Writer

LOWELL GEORGE / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Snapback | Penn snapped Cornell’s three-year streak of representing the South Division at the Ivy League Championships after Saturday’s loss for the Red.

The Red played against Binghamton and Penn last week, with a split at Binghamton and a loss against the Quakers.

Following the loss against Penn on Saturday, the season came to a close with a 25-23 record for the Red. With the home field advantage, Penn defeated the Red in Philadelphia, Pa. with a perfect game. The Quaker’s Alexis Borden pitched a perfect game, facilitating a 4-0 win over the Red. This loss represents the end of the Red’s three-year steak of representing the South Division at the Ivy League Championships. The Quakers (33-15) will move on to face Harvard this upcoming weekend.

Earlier in the week, Cornell split its doubleheader against Binghamton in

Vestal, N.Y. at the East Gym Field. The Red defeated Binghamton, 4-3, on Wednesday afternoon, hitting three home runs in the first game.

Though Binghamton scored three runs in the first inning, the Red began to catch up in the third, scoring two runs.

Surpassing Binghamton in the sixth inning, Cornell recorded two runs again, scored as bombs by freshman Linda Laeufer and junior Kristen Towne, which brought the game’s final score to 4-3.

The doubleheader came to a split after Binghamton defeated the Red in the second game, 5-1.

Sophomore Sarah McCormack scored the only run of the game during the seventh inning.

Tina Ahmadi can be reached at tahmadi@cornellsun.com.

Check cornellsun.com for continuing coverage of the Red in action over the summer.

SOFTBALL

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Sports

FRIDAY MAY 11, 2012

12

TRACK AND FIELD

Women Bring Home Heps Crown; Men Place Second

By JUAN CARLOS TOLEDO Sun Staff Writer

The men’s and women’s track and field teams returned from the Heps outdoor finals this past weekend with strong finishes. The men’s team placed second to

reigning Heps champion Princeton, while the women’s team finished first, returning to Ithaca with its ninth Heps title in the past 11 years.

Although the men’s team did not achieve its goal of dethroning Princeton, the team still had a number of strong indi-

KELLY YANG / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

#dowork | The women’s track and field team returned to Cornell with the Heps title, as well as five event wins, four second place finishes and 29 ECAC-qualifying performances.

vidual performances. The Red won eight events, had two runner-up finishes and had 41-IC4A qualifying performances.

Senior co-captain Nick Huber finished first in the decathlon, in a new meet and school record of 7,632 to produce the 10th best score this season in the NCAA. Sophomore Peter Roach took first in the pole vault, setting a new personal best by seven inches, clearing 16-9.5 for the second best in Cornell history. Senior Chase Aaronson claimed his first individual Heps title by finishing first in the long jump with a leap of 24-2.5. Freshman Stephen Mozia also won his first individual Heps title heaving the shot put 61-8.5.

Senior co-captain Dan Hagberg added another Heps title to his collection by winning the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.41.

Sophomore pole vaulter Peter Roach said he felt that the final score did not truly represent the meet’s results.

“We lost by 28 points this time around,” he said. “That doesn’t truly represent how close it actually was.”

The women’s team had a very successful weekend at Heps, bringing home the title with five event wins, four second place finishes and 29 ECAC-qualifying performances. In the 10K, junior Katie

Kellner and sophomore Devin McMahon finished first and second, respectively, to give the Red the lead heading into day two.

Junior Victoria Imbesi placed first in the shot put with a heave of 49-3.75 for a new school record. Senior co-captain Molly Glantz ran a solid 59.08 in the 400 hurdles, capturing her first individual Heps title. In the high jump, junior Ailish Hanly won her first Heps title, clearing 59.25 for the second best jump in Cornell history.

Roach said he was especially excited when he cleared his last height in the pole vault final.

“It felt pretty good,” he said. “I came into the meet ranked fourth, and I hadn’t cleared what I thought I could in the outdoor season. After I made that height, I was really happy on the way down. You get that hang time in the air, and it felt pretty awesome to know that I actually had a shot to win the competition.”

Next up for the Red is the IC4A/ECAC championships, which will be hosted in Princeton, N.J. this upcoming weekend.

Juan Carlos Toledo can be reached at jtoledo@cornellsun.com.

BASEBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

Red Leaves Ivy Tourney C.U.Earns NCAA Tournament Bid After First Round Loss

By SCOTT CHIUSANO

Sun Assistant Sports Editor

By LAUREN RITTER Sun Sports Editor

After closing out the regular season on a somewhat sour note with a two-game loss streak to Brown and Princeton, Cornell looked to make up ground heading into the Ivy League Tournament against Yale on Friday, May 4. However, the odds were not in the Red’s favor, as the Bulldogs (11-4, 4-2 Ivy League) pulled away with a 14-10 victory, marking the first time that Yale has beaten Cornell (9-4, 4-2) in the past teams’ past 15 match-ups.

The win allowed Yale to advance to Sunday’s tournament final, where the Bulldogs proceeded to win the title and claim the NCAA tournament’s automatic bid — an opportunity that Cornell narrowly missed this season.

During Friday’s game, Yale burst out of the gates in the first quarter, scoring five goals in the first 10 minutes of play — setting the tone for the rest of the game with a lofty 5-0 lead. However, the Red was able to put away two goals before the close of the frame, as junior attack Steve Mock and senior midfielder Chris Langton found brief openings in the Bulldogs’ defense.

Yale dominated the next 30 minutes of play, notching seven goals and limiting the Red to just two. Langton scored his second point of the day, as fellow senior midfielder Roy Lang made con-

tact on his first. While the game was an even match-up in shots on goal, ground balls and face-offs, Yale maintained an edge throughout the contest.

It looked like the Bulldogs were ready to seal the deal in the fourth and final frame when Ryan McCarthy sent a rocket home at 1:13 into the quarter; however, the Red rallied late in the game and began to stage a comeback.

Sophomore midfielder Mike O’Neil kicked off what would be a six-goal run for the Red at 3:56 into the frame. Senior midfielders J.J. Gilbane and Scott Austin, junior attack Connor English, freshman attack Jack Molloy and Mock combined to bring the Red within four points of the Bulldogs; however, the late rally was not enough to surpass the Ivy League Tournament champions.

While the decisive first half set the tone of the contest, the Red saw strong efforts by sophomore netminder Andrew West, who came off the bench in the second half to make eight saves, allowing only five goals, after Cornell allowed nine goals in the first half. Sophomore midfielder Doug Tesoriero (6-of-11) combined efforts with senior defender Matt Restaino (7-of-12) to win 13-of-23 face-offs against one of the league’s best face-off units.

Lauren Ritter can be reached at sports-editor@cornellsun.com.

After hitting a program-record tying 11th home run against Columbia on April 13, sophomore slugger Chris Cruz fell into a bit of a slump. However, as fans watched Cruz’s ball sail over the right field fence of Hoy Field on Sunday afternoon, that slump became a distant memory. Not only did the towering fly ball shatter the Cornell record for home runs in a single season, it also gave the Red the walk-off victory over Dartmouth in the third and deciding game of the Ivy League Championship series.

The Red (31-15-1, 14-6-0 Ivy League) emerged victorious in the 11th inning of what was the longest-ever Ivy Championship series Game 3. In the first game of the series on Saturday, the Red’s offense came out hot, totaling 15 hits in a decisive 11-3 win.

Senior shortstop Marshall Yanzick went five-for-five with three RBIs, and senior first baseman Frank Hager pitched in with two hits and two RBIs. Just as he has been all season, sophomore hurler Connor Kaufmann was dominant on the hill once more.

The Green’s (24-18-0, 14-6-0) offense had no answer for the sophomore who allowed only four hits and two earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched. Freshman Nick Busto entered the game in the seventh to shut the door, only allowing one run on two hits.

Hoping to come away with a quick sweep, the Red fell short in Game 2. The combination of senior Rick Marks and freshman Brent Jones allowed seven runs on

11 hits to Dartmouth’s hitters, who refused to go down easily. The Red scored its lone run on an RBI by Hager, who had another multi-hit game.

With the series tied, the two teams returned to Hoy on Sunday

DARTMOUTH CORNELL (W)

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DARTMOUTH (W) CORNELL DARTMOUTH CORNELL (W)

7 1 1 3

for the winner-takes-all Game 3.

Just three years ago, the two teams met at Dartmouth for the final game of the Ivy series, and the Green took the title. This time around, things would end differently. The two squads were locked in a vicious pitcher’s duel for most of the game, with the score remaining tied, 1-1, at the end of nine

innings.

Freshman Brian McAfee was on point, pitching six innings and only allowing one run on four hits.

Dartmouth’s starter Adam Thomas was equally effective, also giving up four hits and one run. In the seventh, Cornell head coach Bill Walkenbach handed freshman reliever Kellen Urbon the ball. The weekend before against Princeton, in a game that would decide the division champion, Urbon threw 6.1 innings of relief, only allowing one unearned run. Once again, the freshman did not disappoint, this time pitching five innings of relief without allowing a single run, setting the stage for Cruz’s dramatic finish.

The win hands the Red its second NCAA tournament bid in school history. The squad will play in a double-elimination regional tournament from June 1-4.

Scott Chiusano can be reached at schiusano@cornellsun.com.

LEENA KULKARNI / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

#tourneytime | The Red earned its second NCAA tournament bid in program history, after defeating Dartmouth and securing the Ivy Championship title.