INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 129, No. 60
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2012
News You’re Hired
Cornell’s New York City tech campus hired Prof. Rajit Manohar, electrical and computer engineering, as its associate dean of academic affairs. | Page 3
News On a World Tour
Raul Roman M.S. ’00 Ph.D. ’04 founded UBELONG, an organization that makes it affordable for people to volunteer abroad. | Page 3
Opinion The Role of Race
Jon Weinberg ’13 praises the policy of affirmative action because of the necessary diversity it brings to higher education. | Page 7
Arts The Emotions of Politics
Zachary Zahos ’15 emphasizes the humanity of both presidential candidates in this year’s election. | Page 9
Sports
16 Pages – Free
Ithaca officials say Cornell facility will pollute lake; University disagrees By EMMA COURT Sun Senior Writer
Cornell should not be allowed to increase the usage of its cooling plant on Cayuga Lake, Town of Ithaca board members said at a meeting Tuesday, arguing that the facility has already significantly damaged the lake. The University, however, disputes that the plant has hurt the lake and denies town officials’ claim that a recent proposal would amplify the environmental effects of its cooling plant. Lake source cooling is a process that draws cold water from the bottom of a lake to cool buildings, depositing phosphorus in the water that
promotes algae growth. While the University has said that the process saves the amount of energy it uses to cool buildings annually by 86 percent, town officials say the phosphorus encourages the growth of weeds, harms aquatic life and reduces the clarity of water. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has proposed modifying Cornell’s permit for the cooling plant in a move that board members say would allow Cornell to increase the amount of phosphorus it discharges into Cayuga Lake through the lake source cooling process. Citing these effects, town officials passed a resolution Tuesday to See LAKE page 4
City Approves Plan For New Marriott, Citing High Demand
COURTESY OF CITY OF ITHACA
By ALEXA DAVIS Sun Staff Writer
Weather
The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board approved the final plans for a new Marriott Hotel in downtown Ithaca on Tuesday. The 10-story tall hotel, which will cost $19 million to build, will be located next to the Commons at 120 S. Aurora
Partly Cloudy HIGH: 41 LOW: 25
ITHACA, NEW YORK
Town Slams Plan for C.U.Cooling Plant
Fashionable Wrestlers
Several Cornell wrestlers have launched their own clothing line, which primarily offers surf attire. | Page 16
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See MARRIOTT page 5
New hotel on the block | The City of Ithaca planning board approved plans Tuesday to construct a new Marriott Hotel just south of the east end of the Commons.
C.U. Alumna Laments Abortion Restrictions By HARRISON OKIN
Saporta cited Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), Richard Mourdock (R-Ind.) and Joe Vicki Saporta ’74, presi- Walsh (R.-Ill.) — who were dent and CEO of the all defeated by Democratic National Abortion Feder - challengers last week — as ation, told Cornellians people who have recently Tuesday that she believes the spread inaccuracies about country is speaking out abortions. The National against the so-called “war on Abortion Federation, Saporta women.” said, works to counter incorProtected by a security rect claims about women’s guard standing at the back of bodies and abortion that she said have gained trac“Freedom of choice is more than a tion in recent right. It is right.” years. Saporta Vicki Saporta ’74 said that the c a n d i d a t e s’ Ives Hall, Saporta said that losses highlight the public’s ignorance, hostility and vio- backlash against efforts to lence against the pro-choice limit women’s access to abormovement have escalated over tion. the last few years. “Many anti-choice organi“A lot of politicians cer- zations want to make abortion tainly think they know what’s inaccessible by passing unnecbest for women’s bodies,” essary restrictions, as well as Saporta said. “Women, and by intimidating and harassing those they choose to involve, abortion providers,” she said. are the only ones responsible Saporta added that aborin the decision-making tion providers have also process. Freedom of choice is more than a right. It is right.” See CHOICE page 5 Sun Senior Writer
OMARI POWELL / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Last hurrah | Members of the Cornell Outing Club gather in Japes Lodge, near Beebe Lake, for the final time. The lodge, which was used by the club since 1958, will be shut down by the University this week.
Outing Club Hosts Last Meeting in Japes Lodge By TYLER ALICEA Sun Staff Writer
Bidding farewell to their historic home in Japes Lodge, the Cornell Outing Club’s members held their final meeting at the group’s location near Beebe Lake Tuesday. COC meetings have been held in Japes Lodges on Tuesday nights since the club moved into the building in 1958,
according to club president Brendan Brown ’15. However, this tradition will cease this week after the University shuts down the lodge indefinitely. In September, the COC was told by the University that it would have to leave its home due to unsafe roofing conditions. Jim Gibbs, the University’s director of maintenance management, told The Sun that he “is concerned about
the structural capacity of the roof.” COC leaders said they were worried that they would not have a space to store the club’s gear, which is worth several thousand dollars. However, the University has offered the club “few promising leads” about short- and long-term facilities off-campus past the College of See JAPES page 4