INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 137, No. 59
TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021
n
8 Pages – Free
ITHACA, NEW YORK
News
Arts
Science
Weather
Grad Season
Events
Mother’s Day
Partly Cloudy
The Class of 2021 reflects on an unusual final year and what lies ahead. | Page 3
Amy Wang ’24 reviews Carolyn Forché’s appearance in the Barbara and David Zalaznick Reading Series. | Page 4
The Sun takes a look at the mothers across the animal kingdom.
HIGH: 56º LOW: 39º
| Page 8
Arts and Sciences Student Dies at 19 By MADELINE ROSENBERG Sun Managing Editor
Phillip Zukowski ’23, a sophomore studying computer science, was found dead Saturday near Ezra’s Tunnel in the Ithaca Falls Natural Area, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi wrote in a Sunday afternoon statement. The cause of his death is currently unknown. Zukowski was a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, where he was interested in computer science. He transferred to Cornell from Grinnell College in the fall 2020 semester, and had joined the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and lived in Becker House. He was 19. As a high school student in Jamaica, Queens, he learned Python through the Google Ignite computer science program at Columbia University, according to Lombardi. The Ithaca Police Department responded to the area — around Ezra’s Tunnel — at around 10:48 a.m. on Saturday, according to Ithaca Police Department Lieutenant Theodore Schwartz. At 11:26 a.m. on Saturday, 14850.com tweeted about a technical rescue operation underway at Fall Creek gorge near Willard Way; IPD announced around 8 p.m. that the body of a 19-year-old male had been found, but did not release his identity. The Ithaca Fire Department, the Tompkins County Medical Examiner’s Office, Bangs Ambulance and Cornell University Police also responded to the scene. IPD is continuing to investigate the incident, but currently does not suspect the death to be the result of a criminal act. Anyone who may have been in
the area of North Willard Way and Ezra’s Tunnel between the hours of 1 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 8 is asked to contact the Ithaca Police Department at 607-330-0000 or by using the anonymous tip form at www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips. This is the fifth unexpected student death in the past school year. First-year computer science student Shawn West ’24 was found unresponsive in a dorm room after a day of search in early April. Health care policy student Matthew Crovella ’23 died unexpectedly of a medical episode in late January. At the end of the fall semester, chemistry and chemical biology Ph.D. student Wai Hang (Will) Lee died unexpectedly; in December, environment and sustainability student KAR Robison ’22 died unexpectedly. Support meetings are being scheduled for the Cornell community, as well as organizations that Zukowski was most closely engaged with, Lombardi said. Students in need of professional mental health support can call Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 607-255-5155 and employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at 607-255-2673. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all CAPS and FSAP services are currently being delivered via telehealth. Whenever these services are closed, calls are answered by Cornell Health’s on-call mental health provider. The Ithaca-based Crisisline is also available at 607-272-1616. A wide range of supportive resources is also available at caringcommunity.cornell.edu. John Yoon ’23 contributed reporting. Madeline Rosenberg can be reached at mrosenberg@cornellsun.com.
Cornell mourns
MICHELLE ZHIQING YANG / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The campus reels after the second unexpected student death in the past month.
LINDSAY FRANCE / COURTESY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Mask mandates | Students get vaccinated at Bartels Hall.
Vaccinated Students Unmask By JIWON ESTEE YI Sun Staff Writer
When Kristinko Mato ’24 goes on runs around Beebe Lake, he is no longer required to wear his mask. Jade Ovadia ’21 can avoid a mask tan when she gathers with her friends on Libe Slope. These are just some of the privileges that Mato and Ovadia have been granted as fully vaccinated students on Cornell’s campus. As more than half of the on-campus population has completed their doses and waited two weeks to reach full immunity, some students said they’re excited for more opportunities to gather in-person. But others said they worried about unknown vaccination
statuses, as around 40 percent of campus still isn’t fully vaccinated, according to Cornell’s COVID tracking dashboard. According to the University’s new guidelines announced May 3, those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks when they gather outdoors with 10 or fewer people. Student organizations can also hold masked gatherings of up to 30 people with both unvaccinated and vaccinated students. The announcement came a week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask wearing guidelines for fully-vaccinated individuals. Ella Yitzhaki ’24, who will be fully See VACCINES page 2
Students Protest Uighur Genocide
Organizations rally outside Goldwin Smith Hall
encouraged the crowd to sing “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Misérables, Sun News Editor and Sun City Editor a defining song of the 2019 Hong Kong movement. Aiming to spread awareOwe encouraged those ness on the genocide of the at the protest to recognize Uighur people, Cornell stutheir own agency and autondents formed the student omy, and to take seriously organization Boycott the the power they have through People’s Republic educating othand hosted a rally ers, speaking “You don’t want to be complicit or Friday outside out and makGoldwin Smith complacent by spending your money on a ing ethical conHall. choicgood that was made with forced labor.” sumer Organizers es, reinforcing Jonathan Davydov the message Jonathan Davydov ’21 ’21 and Cooper of the Boycott Stepke ’23 are the People’s advocating for a Kinen Kao ’22, a Society Republic organizers. boycott of Chinese-produced for the Promotion of East Both organizers goods to protest the forced Asian Liberty officer, and denounced the rising antilabor inflicted on Uighurs Basirat Owe ’21, a co-chair Asian violence in the United by the Chinese Communist of Black Students United, States — changing their Party. To gain support for spoke along with Davydov organization’s name from their cause, they created a and Stepke. Owe started her “Boycott China Now” pledge to join the boycott speech with a two-minute to “Boycott the People’s and hosted the rally, co-spon- silence to honor the Uighur sored by Cornell MECA, the peoples’ suffering. She then See PROTEST page 3 By VEE CIPPERMAN and JOHN YOON
Arab Student Association, Pi Lambda Sigma, Phi Alpha Delta and the Society for the Promotion of East Asian Liberty. The Boycott the People’s Republic organizers and their guest presenters gave speeches about why the Cornell community must take action.