INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 130, No. 64
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2013
!
ITHACA, NEW YORK
12 Pages – Free
News
Arts
Sports
Weather
Going Green
Who Are You?
Canonball
Rain HIGH: 41 LOW: 28
Cornell official Arthur Wheat discusses problems facing Tesla, the electric car manufacturer. | Page 3
Gina Cargas ’14 celebrates the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. | Page 8
C.U.Mulls Disclosure of Data on Sexual Assault
Swimming beat Princeton for the first time in 32 years over the weekend. | Page 12
Why can’t we be friends? MICHELLE FELDMAN / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
J.A.seeks to balance transparency with privacy
By JINJOO LEE
that the students at Columbia drafted their petition with an emphasis on increasing transparency, she Cornell administrators are con- added that Cornell must weigh possidering whether or not the sible negative consequences that University should disclose more could stem out of releasing more information about reported sexual information about sexual assault assaults around the community. cases. The University’s reconsideration One possible concern, for examof its disclosure of sexual assault data ple, is that releasing aggregate data comes on the heels of protests at about the results of sexual assault Columbia University, where, last cases would leave out important month, more than 600 students nuances of individual cases, which demanded the university release could lead people to misinterpret more information data, Grant said. about sexual A case that is Aggregate data could assault cases. reported as “no leave out nuances, Among other action,” for example, demands, the proleading to could be interpreted testers asked as “lack of evidence, misinterpretation. Columbia to false report or failure release the numof the institution to ber of cases that ended with students take action” when, in fact, some being punished. cases are not followed through The case raised questions about because the complainant does not how to walk the line between releas- want to participate in the [judicial] ing enough information so commu- process or does not want the responnity members can hold institutions dent to get in trouble, Grant said. accountable for responding to sexual Grant also said such misinterpreassaults and protecting individuals’ tations could be especially troubling privacy. for potential complainants, who Judicial Administrator Mary Beth might look at the statistics and feel Grant J.D. ’88, deputy Title IX coor- like the University is not taking sexdinator, said Cornell currently releas- ual assault cases seriously. es information mandated by the “For people who have been Clery Act. The federal law requires assaulted and considering whether to universities to disclose crime statis- report, they would be trying to intertics –– including sex offenses –– for pret a complicated and nuanced incidents that occur on campus, in decision,” Grant said. public areas adjacent to or running Yale’s administration confronted through campus and certain non- such concerns earlier this year, when campus facilities such as Greek hous- they released additional data about ing. Although Grant acknowledged See DISCLOSURE page 4 Sun News Editor
Wasif Syed Ph.D ’09 participates in a Syrian Crisis Panel at Goldwin Smith Hall Lewis Auditorium Monday. Experts in the field discussed their viewpoints on the conflict.
Man Tasered Twice by Officer Granted Additional Hearing ing to the appellate court’s ruling. The ruling added that the Tompkins County Court — which convicted Atkinson An additional hearing will be held for a in February 2012 — made an error when they convicted Elmira man who was arrested after denied him a suppression hearing, which according to Assistant District Ithaca police tasered him Attorney Andrew Bonavia and discovered a bag of Evidence may be allow the defendant to cocaine in his mouth, a thrown out if court would make his case regarding the New York State appellate seized bag of cocaine found in court ruled Thursday. deems seizure his mouth. The appellate court unlawful. “As the motion papers ruled that Karseen raised a factual dispute conAtkinson should have been offered the opportunity to question whether cerning the use of a taser and whether it might evidence used against him was obtained be considered excessive force, giving rise to a through “excessive force,” which would be a See IPD page 5 violation of the Fourth Amendment, accord-
By TYLER ALICEA Sun Senior Writer
Prepare for Inclement Weather,C.U.Says
Weird science
By CAROLINE FLAX Sun News Editor
RYAN LANDVATER / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Zach Nelson ’15 gets advice during a chemistry major’s reception held by Chemistry Peer Advisors in the Physical Sciences Atrium Monday evening.
As severe weather rolls into upstate New York and students prepare to leave for Thanksgiving break, the University released a statement Monday reminding students, faculty and em ployees of Cornell’s inclement weather policies. Storms are set to hit the Southern Tier Tuesday. According to the Weather Channel, the “massive” Winter Storm Boreas has already killed 13 people in the South and Midwest.
Snow and sleet will come through the area on Tuesday, with accumulating snow continuing until Wednesday, the Weather Channel reported. KyuJung Whang, vice president for facilities services, said in an email to the Cornell community that despite inclement weather, the University will try to remain open. “Even in times of exceptionally inclement weather, all University employees are asked to continue meeting the academic, research and student support needs of our community,” the email
said. The email also said that although University employees are expected to come to work, “supervisors are asked to be understanding.” “If the University remains open in adverse weather, all faculty, administrators and staff will be expected to make reasonable efforts to maintain their regular work schedules, but are advised to avoid undue risks in traveling,” the email said. Caroline Flax can be reached at cflax@cornellsun.com.