2024 Freshman Issue

Table of Contents

Guide A 40-Page Introduction to Cornell

editors and reporters bring you a guide to life on the Hill. Inside you’ll find information on housing, student activities and orientation. You’ll also find a full-color campus map. INSERT

Arts and Culture

Because Nobody Can Study All the Time

So, you’re a smart kid. Congratulations. But not even you can spend all of your evenings in the library cramming for exams and dreaming of your future Ph.D. From local concerts to groundbreaking interviews with Hollywood icons, Arts and Culture is your ticket to college life the way it should be: Worry

free. The Sun is always front row center with the headliners and coverage of arts exhibitions in Ithaca.

This issue brings you some of the best arts stories of the semes ter, plus a spotlight of notable Cornell alumni writers, musi cians and visual artists.

16-17

About the Cover:

Managing Editor: Julia Senzon ’26

Associate Editor: Max Fattal ’25

News: Dorothy France-Miller ’27 Ben Leynse ’27 Kate Sanders ’27 Main Cover Design: Jessie Guillen ’27

When Your Brain Needs a Rest

The cover has an array of iconic Cornell moments and events, including photos from the slope, the Cornell Fashion Show, the chimes, hockey team wins and A.D. White in the winter all tacked onto a cork board of Cornell memories.

139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.

The Sun’s

A Night at The Sun

By SUN STAFF

Cornell has no journalism major — and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here at The Sun, we subscribe to the philosophy that one learns best by doing. So it’s no surprise that at the nation’s oldest continuously independent college daily, we think of ourselves as the University’s journalism education. When you arrive on campus about a month from now, The Sun will also serve as your window to the world from our little corner of Ithaca.

Every day during the academic year, about 15,000 students, parents, alumni, administrators and local residents read the print edition of The Sun; another 15,000 people visit cornellsun.com daily. And in 2015, The Sun was ranked the number one college newspaper in the United States by The Princeton Review.

The Sun was founded in 1880. Since then, we’ve built up an impressive record of hard-hitting journalism and community service, and we have given generations of Cornellians something better to pay attention to in their 10:10 a.m. classes.

We’ve also delivered the skills it takes to succeed to a lengthy roster of Amer ica’s top writers and business people, jumpstarting the careers of Sun graduates E.B. White 1921, Kurt Vonnegut ’44, Dick Schaap ’55, Oscar Mayer ’34 and Frank Gannett 1898. More recently, The Sun has been home to Pulitzer Prize winners John Hassell ’91 of The Star-Ledger of Newark, Molly O’Toole ’09 and Keri Blakinger ’14 of The Los Angeles Times and Katie Engelhart ’09 of The New York Times. ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap ’91 was a Sun sports editor and NPR’s David Folkenflik ’91 was editor in chief. Former editor in chief Andrew Morse ’96 currently serves as president and publisher of The Atlanta JournalConstitution and former managing editor Jeff Stein ’13 founded The Ithaca Voice and is currently the White House economics reporter at The Washington Post. Former editor in chief Marc Lacey ’87 is now the managing editor of The New York Times.

dent-run newspaper is a multi-faceted organization that only works because of its members.

Editors spend what some might consider way too much time with one another, working on The Sun. But all agree on the irreplaceable role the paper has taken in their lives.

The News section — the paper’s largest — tracks and reports all campus life events and local and national issues relevant to you. Every day, the staff is talking to people around campus and conducting interviews in preparation for stories.

Where there’s news, The Sun is there covering it. From covering protest activity stemming from conflict in the Middle East and contentious Student Assembly elections, the News section has full access.

The Sports section works hard each day to keep Cornell abreast of the newest developments of the sporting world both inside and outside Big Red nation. With game recaps, athlete profiles and commentary on everything, you will always find action on the back page. And don’t forget to look for the seasonal pullouts for an in-depth look at Cornell’s athletics.

The Arts and Culture section is The Sun’s cool crew. From movie reviews to exhibits at the Johnson Museum to local bands, Arts gives us the backstage pass to all the places to be and be seen.

Hidden behind the news you will find The Sun’s Opinion and Editorial section, a center of raucous campus debate where columnists and community members sound off about local and national issues alike.

The Science and Technology section plays a vital role at Cornell, one of the most profound research institutions in the world. Science reporters stay up to date with cutting-edge findings from Cornell scientists around the world.

The Sun’s Lifestyle department boldly provides advice, shares personal experiences and spotlights student life. The department includes dining, social, housing and SunSpots sections.

Watching the Clock

There is no regular day at The Sun, but here is what typically goes into producing a daily paper.

Morning:

Staffers read The Sun, go to class (maybe), work on that day’s stories. The business office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

5 p.m.: Editors arrive at The Sun’s offices at 139 W. State Street, which is a 20-minute walk down the hill from

Central Campus or a five-minute drive or bus ride. They begin to lay out and edit the paper that will appear on newsstands the following day. 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.: Editors, designers and photographers meet to discuss articles and placement of stories in the next morning’s paper. Editors read and edit articles, working with the writers for accuracy and clarity. Editors assign future stories; other editors work on editorials and last-minute stories. Photographers

edit photos. Design staffers work on pages as stories are finalized.

10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.: Breaking news stories come in; finishing touches are made to the paper’s content and design.

12:30 a.m.: The paper goes to bed. Stories, photos and other content are webbed for the online edition. The paper is printed in Towanda, Pennsylvania, and delivered to newsstands across campus.

If you want to become a part of this exciting tradition — and help write the next chapter of The Sun’s history — just show up. We’ll give you the skills you need for a career in news, sports and commentary.

Once you get to campus, you’ll see The Sun in dorms, dining halls and countless other locations — and every day online. But few realize what it actually means to “put out the paper.” Cornell’s only daily stu-

A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, which is why The Sun’s Photo department is so vital to The Sun. Our photographers go to great lengths to ensure that a story is visually represented, even if it means trekking in the rain and snow all over central New York.

What photos cannot capture is handled by the Graphics department, which creates a diverse range of visual elements used in nearly all of the print editions.

Creative and always inquisitive, our Layout and Design department knows style like the back of their hands. When they’re not laying out pages, our designers are helping to create seasonal sports supplements or covers for special issues, like the one you’re reading now.

The Sun is much more than a printed paper, though. The Sun strives every day to provide our readers with fresh and engaging content on its website. The Multimedia department works with other departments to pro-

duce videos that supplement print coverage. The creativity that the department puts into filming and editing makes the story truly come to life.

The Social Media department works to keep our online audience constantly up with breaking news live updates, photo galleries and multimedia content on platforms including Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook.

A New York State for-profit corporation run entirely by students, The Sun rises every morning thanks to the Business department. From selling advertisements

to managing a budget, the department keeps The Sun’s brand afloat and gives students the real-world experience of running a business. And in between the blood, sweat and tears that go into daily production, we find the time to have fun and keep you all — our community of readers — curious, connected and better informed.

SO, READY TO JOIN?

Look for recruitment details in The Sun during Orientation Week or email Gabe Levin ’26 at editorin-chief@cornellsun.com.

Middle Left: The Sun Building stands at the corner of W. State Street and N. Geneva Street in downtown Ithaca, one block west of the Ithaca Commons and on the same block as the State Theatre. Top Right: The top of the information box features an image of the elaborate woodwork of Alumni Hall on the second floor of the Sun Building.

Class of 2028 Admitted

By DOROTHY FRANCEMILLER Sun Senior Writer

This story was originally published on March 29.

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, regular decision applicants anxiously rushed to open the decisions from Cornell, joining accepted students from the early decision round. The highly-anticipated final Thursday of March is dubbed Ivy Day, referring to the release of regular decision results from all Ivy League colleges.

Cornell cumulatively offered admission to 5,139 students to the Class of 2028, a four percent increase to last year’s 4,994 acceptances. Students hail from all 50 states and all corners of the globe, and 16.5 percent of this year’s admits are first-generation students.

Accepted students described emotional reactions to seeing they would spend their next few years on the Hill.

“When I opened the letter, it took me about 30 seconds of just staring at my phone screen,

and I didn’t even realize that confetti went off,” said Johanna Troelstra, an accepted student to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences from Queensbury, New York. “I ran back into the school and told all my friends because I was so excited.”

Troelstra was not alone in sharing her excitement. Hannah Elfenbein, an accepted student to the Nolan School of Hospitality from Crested Butte, Colorado, recalled how, when opening her decision, she and her family showed their Cornell pride with their choice of clothing.

“I had made all my parents wear red and we FaceTimed my sister.” Elfenbein shared. “After opening the letter and hearing the song play, all four of us cried.”

Many students said their acceptance manifested from years of dedication to academic and extracurricular pursuits and represents the realization of a lifelong dream.

“Cornell was my dream school since I was a kid,” said Audriana Varner, an accepted student to the College of Engineering from Indiana. “I always

kept Cornell in the back of my mind as my ultimate goal. It was very shocking to have finally reached that moment.”

The only thing that new admits appear to be more excited about than getting accepted is their upcoming four years.

“What initially drew me to Cornell was mainly the campus,” Varner said. “I really wanted to consider the environment I would be living in because that can have a large impact on my health.”

In addition to the infamous gorges the campus offers, the school boasts its ranking as the 12th-best university nationally.

Admitted students said they were excited by the University’s academic opportunities.

“[Something] that drew me to Cornell was the opportunities in engineering with project teams,” Varner said. “The engineering program is amazing, and the project teams would allow me to get an idea of being in the field and give me experience while I’m still in college.”

To continue reading this story, please visit cornellsun. com.

Plan B Vending Machine Opens at Cornell Health

By JULIA SENZON and MARISA CEFOLA Sun Managing Editor and Sun News Editor

This article was originally published August 23, 2023.

Students are not only able to buy soda and chips from vending machines on campus, but also pharmaceutical products including Plan B, pregnancy tests and condoms. The Cornell Health lobby now hosts a 24/7 pharmaceutical supplies vending machine, which opened on July 21.

“24/7 access to self-care supplies, including sexual health products, can help prevent and treat infection and illness and reduce the likelihood of unplanned pregnancy,” Chris Payne, senior director of Cornell Health wrote in an email to The Sun. “Access to care is key in supporting all dimensions of student health and well-being.”

The machine is located just inside the Ho Plaza entrance of Cornell Health and provides 24/7 access to emergency contraception and self-care supplies such as hand sanitizer, tissues and various non-prescription medications. Free COVID-19 antigen tests are also available for students.

A “Read Before You Buy” information sheet posted on the machine includes two QR codes which provide users with information about the different types of emergency contraceptives.

The supplies are available to Cornell students, faculty, staff and visitors. In the near future, Cornell Health plans to also add various self-care products to existing “Vengo” machines located in residential spaces across campus and managed by the Cornell Store.

At least 39 colleges in 17 states have enacted emergency contraception vending machines on campuses, according to a USA

Pollack Decides to Retire

By JULIA SENZON and ANUSHKA SHOREWALA Sun Managing Editor and Sun Assistant News Editor

This story was originally published on May 9.

President Martha Pollack announced that she will retire from her position on June 30, in an email sent to the Cornell community on Thursday, May 9.

Provost Michael Kotlikoff will serve as interim president for a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2024, according to a follow-up email sent by Kraig Kayser MBA ’84, chair of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees will establish a committee to select the University’s 15th president six to nine months before Kotlikoff’s term ends.

Pollack acknowledged that there “will be lots of speculation about [her] decision” and emphasized that she independently decided to retire from her role after “extensive reflection.”

Pollack’s retirement follows a year of campus controversies spurred from the IsraelHamas war, including Prof. Russell Rickford, history, saying that he was “exhilarated” by Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Patrick Dai ’24 posting antisemitic threats.

Throughout the year, the Coalition for Mutual Liberation — a pro-Palestine coalition of over 40 on and off-campus organizations — occupied Day Hall, held dieins in libraries and other campus buildings and established an encampment on the Arts Quad. Demonstrators urged the University to divest from weapons manufacturers, advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, acknowledge Islamophobia on campus and cease educational ties with Israeli institutions.

The administration has condemned the disruptive nature of demonstrations, labeled some of the organization’s language as antisemitic and arrested and suspended demonstrators.

Pollack acknowledged the “enormous pain” felt by community members due to world turmoil and local tensions, including for Jewish and Israeli students and Arab, Palestinian and Muslim students. She acknowledged that the next Cornell administration will have to continue to address antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry, while protecting free expression, but asserted that the next leaders will work from a “solid foundation.”

“We have been vigilant in working to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of our community from all backgrounds, work I’ve been dedicated to long before the events of the past year,” Pollack wrote.

However, Muslim students have previously expressed to The Sun concerns about a lack of an administrative response to concerns about online threats and intimidation on campus. This includes how several derogatory messages toward Muslim students were posted on Greekrank on Oct. 29, in addition to antisemitic threats, but the University addressed only the antisemitic posts in an Oct. 29 press release.

The academic year has seen some university presidents, including Claudine Gay of Harvard University and Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania, step down amid backlash for their response to antisemitism on campus.

In January, former trustee Jon Lindseth ’56 published an open letter urging Pollack and Kotlikoff’s resignation, citing the University’s failure to appropriately address antisemitism on campus amid a “misguided commitment” to diversity, equity and inclusion. However, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted in support of Pollack’s leadership in response to the letter.

To continue reading this story, please visit cornellsun.com.

Cornell Ranks First in N.Y., Columbia Falls Amid Scandal

Today report from July 22.

Marley Levy ’24, a member of the Cornell chapter of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at Cornell first got the idea for Plan B vending machines from the machines installed at Boston University.

PPGA decided to advocate for Plan B vending machines in order to provide access to emergency contraception — which is more effective when taken earlier — on campus at all times since Cornell Health has restricted hours and is not open on weekends.

After conversations with Cornell Health, the PPGA decided to collect survey responses to determine community perspectives surrounding potential vending machines.

Over the Fall 2022 semester, the PPGA surveyed over 700 members of the Cornell community and found that 53.3 percent of respondents have previously acquired emergency contraception for themselves or others and that 90.3 percent responded that they would feel “somewhat comfortable” or “very comfortable” obtaining emergency contraception, for themselves or others, at a Cornell Health-operated vending machine.

The PPGA — along with Levy and co-presidents of PPGA Katherine Esterl ’24 and Taisa Strouse ’24 — sponsored Student Assembly Resolution 20 which urged the University to implement multi-unit vending machines with nonprescription health care supplies, including contraception.

The resolution was unanimously passed by the S.A. on Thursday, Feb. 9. The University Assembly passed Resolution 5 and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly passed Resolution 7 as their version of the resolution.

To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com.

By JIWOOK JUNG Former Sun City Editor

This article was originally published Sept. 12, 2022.

Cornell has been named the best university in all of New York state, according to the 2023 Best National Universities rankings published by U.S. News and World Report.

While still remaining the 17th best university in the nation, Cornell has now surpassed Columbia University, which saw a significant drop this year in rank, falling from No. 2 to No. 18.

Columbia’s downfall came after Columbia University Prof. Michael Thaddeus, mathematics, started questioning the program’s soaring ranking, which in 2021 tied in second along Harvard and MIT.

In February, Thaddeus published a detailed, analytical report, exploring explanations for Columbia’s abnormally soaring ranking.

“A few other top-tier universities have also improved their standings, but none has matched Columbia’s extraordinary rise,” Thaddeus wrote. “It is natural to wonder what the reason might be.”

Thaddeus’ findings suggested clear signs of number manipulation by Columbia to produce favorable but misleading data sets.

“Key figures supporting Columbia’s high ranking are inaccurate, dubious, or highly misleading,” Thaddeus wrote. “[We found] discrepancies, sometimes quite

large, and always in Columbia’s favor.”

On Sept. 9, upon a thorough internal review and investigation, Columbia released a statement, admitting that the data it provided had signs of inaccuracy. In the statement, Columbia followed up with detailed plans to improve its data accuracy.

“We determined we had previously relied on outdated and/ or incorrect methodologies,” the statement said. “We have changed those methodologies for current and future data submissions, as reflected in the newly posted Common Data Sets.”

According to the U.S. News and World Report, the Best Colleges ranking provides an assessment of 1,500 national bachelor’s degree programs on 17 measures of academic quality. This year marks the 38th year of releasing these rankings.

Cornell received an overall score of 86 out of 100, scoring a point lower in comparison to last year. The University scored high in multiple categories, ranking fifth in best colleges for veterans, ninth in undergraduate engineering programs, eighth in business programs and fifth in computer science. However, Cornell lagged behind in several areas, ranking 270 in social mobility, showing much room for improvement.

Pro-Palestine Encampment Erected

Students Stage Pro-Palestine Encampment on the Arts Quad

Approximately 50 students staged a pro-Palestine encampment on the Arts Quad as of early Thursday, April 25. The protest was organized by the Coalition for Mutual Liberation, a pro-Palestinian coalition of more than 40 campus organizations. Cornell followed demonstrators at several other institutions establishing “liberated zones,” which prompted mass arrests and suspensions. Demonstrators stated that they will continue the encampment until the University met their demands or removed them from campus. Their demands included divestment from Israeli companies.

Backlash to the Encampment

Five days since the staging of a pro-Palestine encampment on the Arts Quad, Cornell saw minimal organized counter-protests from pro-Israel activists. However, many Jewish community members expressed discomfort with the encampment in interviews with The Sun. Many Cornellians cited the use of the rallying cry, “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution” as a source of discomfort. This cry was condemned by the University in a Saturday statement by Vice President of University Relations Joel Malina, which stated “the protesting group has repeatedly stated that their protest is political and not antisemitic, but these chants belie that claim.”

The Encampment Continues, Hosting Teach-Ins, Forms People’s Library

Faculty members became involved with the protest, with some delivering speeches and canceling their lectures. Professors also played a role in providing more active support for protestors, engaging in discussions with the administration, giving demonstrators supplies and participating in the encampment. The encampment established a “People’s Library” which included instructions for the safe return of borrowed books to their owners. The encampment was also called the “People’s University,” referring to the educational programming and resources inside. Day to day, the “Liberated Zone” hosted teach-ins, rallies, prayers, art sessions and other activities.

Protestors Remain on Arts Quad Past Deadline

Protestors were given an 8 p.m. deadline to abandon the encampment by the University. At around 7:23 p.m., protestors called an ‘emergency rally’, attended by around 200 people. The protestors were instructed to form a human chain around the encampment at 7:45 p.m.

As the 8 p.m. deadline arrived, protestors showed no intention of leaving the encampment. CUPD officers monitored the protest, but never approached the encampment nor made arrests.

University Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Christopher Cowen negotiated with a small group of protesters, but maintained that administration would not engage in any discussions with the protestors as long as they remained in violation of University policy.

Four Students Protestors Suspended

Following negotiations between demonstrators and the administration over the pro-Palestine Arts Quad encampment, four students were temporarily suspended. Three of the suspended students are Bianca Waked grad, Momodou Taal grad and Nick Wilson ’26, confirmed in interviews with The Sun. Taal and Waked are international students, meaning suspensions threatened their legal status in the country. Students were charged with unauthorized use of University property, failure to comply with University directives, unreasonably loud chants and behavior and staying past 8 p.m. on April 25.

Coalition for Mutual Liberation Voluntarily Ends Encampment

The Coalition for Mutual Liberation voluntarily took down its pro-Palestine encampment on Monday, two and a half weeks after it was initially erected on April 25. Approximately 250 supporters circled the original “Liberated Zone” space — no longer surrounded by a black tarp — as the encampment held a final vigil for the lives lost in Rafah. Supporters held small candles as demonstrators discussed the significance of the encampment for themselves and the people of Palestine. The vigil ended with supporters joining in a human chain, reminiscent of the one formed on the first day of the encampment.

Encampment Voluntarily Ends Students Stage Encampment

By GABRIEL MUNOZ, JULIA SENZON, KATE SANDERS, MATTHEW KIVIAT and ERIC REILLY Sun City Editor, Sun Managing Editor, Sun News Editors and Sun Assistant Managing Editor

This article was originally published April 25th.

Approximately 50 students staged a pro-Palestine encampment on the Arts Quad as of early Thursday morning.

Cornell follows demonstrators at several other institutions establishing “liberated zones,” which have prompted mass arrests and suspensions. Demonstrators are stating they will continue the encampment until the University meets their demands or removes them from campus.

The Coalition for Mutual Liberation, a pro-Palestine coalition of over 40 organizations, organized the encampment.

Approximately 17 tents are enclosed by a low-to-the-ground tarp fence in front of McGraw Hall. According to an email from CML to The Sun, the encampment was established at 4 a.m. and administrators told the demonstrators to move twice by 9 a.m.

Anyone is welcome to enter the “liberated zone,” so long as they complete an “arrest intake form” to help CML keep track of and support protestors should they be arrested and placed in jail.

The demonstration comes a week after the majority of student voters approved of a ceasefire and divestment referendum, held from April 18 to April 19.

According to a CML press release, demonstrators are asking the University to take action on eight demands including providing restitution to

Indigenous communities, ensuring transparency in its current finances, divesting from “morally reprehensible activities” as per the 2016 Standard Guide to Divestment Consideration, dissolving partnerships with the Jacobs-Technion Cornell Institute and any other partnerships with the Technion Israel, establishing a Palestinian studies program under the College of Arts and Sciences, publicly acknowledging and protecting anti-Zionist perspectives, recognizing that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism and removing all police from campus including from student protests.

Demonstrators are asking for police to be replaced with an emergency response team composed of healthcare workers and first responders trained in de-escalation. They are also asking for total legal and academic amnesty for all individuals involved in the encampment and similar demonstrators.

Starting at 11:30 a.m., approximately 300 supporters began gathering around the encampments.

With supporters surrounding the encampment, Bianca Waked grad listed grievances about the University and occupant’s list of demands.

Protestors chanted “shame” after hearing grievances regarding financial and educational ties to Israel and Cornell’s role in the displacement of Indigenous people.

Prof. Russell Rickford, history, spoke about the origin of liberation zones to the crowd. Rickford took a voluntary leave of absence following criticism over labeling Hamas’ initial Oct. 7 attack on Israel “exhilarating” and “energizing” at an off-campus protest.

To continue reading this article, please visit www. cornellsun.com.

By JULIA SENZON Sun Managing Editor

This article was originally published May 14.

The Arts Quad is no longer dotted with colorful tents.

The Coalition for Mutual Liberation voluntarily took down its pro-Palestine encampment on Monday, two and a half weeks after it was initially erected on April 25.

Approximately 250 supporters circled the original “Liberated Zone” space — no longer surrounded by a black tarp — as the encampment held a final vigil for the lives lost in Rafah starting at 6 p.m. Monday. Rafah, the Gaza Strip’s southernmost city, has seen heightened Israeli bombardment and operations over the past week, with the Israeli military ordering populations to evacuate areas of the city.

Supporters held small candles as demonstrators discussed the significance of the encampment for themselves and the people of Palestine. The vigil ended with supporters joining in a human chain, reminiscent of the one formed on the first day of the encampment. Supporters had surrounded participants on April 25 as they passed the 8 p.m. deadline to leave, a cutoff marked with threats of academic suspensions from administrators.

CML, a pro-Palestine coalition of over 40 on and off-campus organizations, will donate the extra food and supplies at the

encampment to the local Ithaca community and broader Tompkins area, according to a Monday Instagram post. CML also pledged to donate at least half of the encampment’s financial support garnered from community members to charities supporting Palestinians in Gaza. A CML representative told The Sun that the specific list of charities has not yet been determined.

“Though the Liberated Zone is closing, we will not stop fighting for the liberation of Palestinians in Gaza because no one can be free until everyone is free,” CML wrote in the Monday Instagram post.

Maral Asik ’24, who occupied Day Hall and supported the encampment, told The Sun that it felt “bittersweet” to watch the encampment come to a close.

“We created a community like no other on Cornell campus — the space for our peers and classmates to come and connect and feel safe and included and cared for,” Asak said.

Cornell’s pro-Palestine encampment endured on the Arts Quad for over two weeks with not a single arrest. But the same cannot be said for the encampments at the majority of the Ivy League universities.

Encampments were held at all eight Ivies, five of which saw arrests and detainments since April 18, according to New York Times data as of May 10.

To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com.

APRIL 29 APRIL

APRIL 25

A Look Inside Cornell’s Test-Optional Policies

After four years of test-optional and test-blind policies, Cornell is set to reinstate the standardized testing requirement for the Class of 2030

By JOANNE HU Former Sun Assistant News Editor

This story was originally published on April 29.

On April 22, Cornell announced its reinstatement of standardized testing requirements for Fall 2026 first-year applicants despite continuing the current suspension of the policy for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle.

The reinstatement follows similar moves from peer institutions including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Brown, which all will require Fall 2025 applicants to submit standardized test scores.

The Fall 2026 admissions cycle will be the first for Cornell to require test scores since the requirement was originally suspended in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The University stated in 2021 that it had entered a two-year “deliberate experimental review” to guide admissions on future standardized testing policies.

In Spring 2023, a task force led by the school administrators, professors and faculty members explored the impact of removing the testing requirements on the Class of 2025 and 2026. Reported by Cornell’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning, a summary of the key findings complemented the latest reinstatement, which argues that students admitted with reported test scores show better academic performance than students admitted without scores.

To further explore the impact of the testing requirement suspension, The Sun sourced admission data from the Common Data Set and several colleges’ admissions offices to identify trends for students admitted to and enrolled in the University and other Ivy League colleges.

Without testing requirements, the proportion of enrolled students submitting SAT or ACT scores respectively dropped by more than one-third. While around 70 percent of enrolled students at Cornell submitted SAT scores in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage dropped to 41 percent for the Class of 2025 and then remained at a similar level of 43 percent for the Class of 2026 and 42 percent for the Class of 2027. Similarly, ACT submissions greatly declined during the test-optional period, decreasing from about 40 percent to less than 20 percent after the Fall 2021 admissions cycle. This declining trend in submitted scores is consistent among all Ivy League colleges. However, Cornell has seen the largest decline in the proportion of enrolled students with SAT submissions. It had the highest percentage of enrolled students submitting SAT before the COVID-19 pandemic but the lowest thereafter. Brown and the University of Pennsylvania are two other Ivy League universities with large submission declines.

dents enrolling at Cornell after the requirement suspension submitted scores that are higher but less diverse. This trend echoes the Office of Institutional Research and Planning’s report that claims recent students who did not submit their SAT scores tended to have lower scores than those who submitted. Self-reported SAT scores from the New Student Survey for the Class of 2026 show that more than 60 percent of SAT scores submitted for the class’s admission were above 1500.

When comparing across Ivy League universities, the trend of stronger and less diverse reported SAT scores exists for all Ivy League schools. No matter if compared before or after removing the testing requirement, enrolled Cornell students have relatively lower 25 and 75 percentile scores compared with other schools.

The impact of submitting test scores on acceptance is far from negligible. While fewer than 30 percent of Cornell applicants submitted SAT or ACT scores, more than 40 percent of students accepted by Cornell and about half of enrolled students submitted their scores from the Classes of 2025 to 2027. However, this difference is not as significant in test-blind colleges — including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; the College of Architecture, Art and Planning and the S.C. Johnson College of Business.

As explained in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning report, this difference may be attributed to the fact that applicants with stronger standardized scores are more likely to have strong application profiles overall and are thus more likely to be admitted.

The data above does not reveal many nuanced factors relevant to the suspension’s impact. According to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning’s report, The 2022 New Student Survey revealed that students’ decisions to submit standardized test scores were shaped by socio-economic factors including the type of high school, family income and access to and use of application guidance counselors.

Among students who scored above 1400 on the SAT, only 62 percent of Black students submitted their scores compared to 74 percent for White students and 79 percent for Asian students.

While the proportion of Cornellians who reported scores declined, those who did sub-

mit SAT scores in their application during the test-optional period have stronger scores overall. The middle 50 percent range of submitted SAT scores to Cornell slid from 1410-1530 for the Class of 2024 to 14801550 for the Class of 2027. The range shrunk from 120 to 70, with the 25th percentile increasing by 70 points. These range changes indicate that stu-

According to an April 22 University announcement, Cornell’s reinstatement of test requirements is based on evidence that students from underrepresented socioeconomic backgrounds may choose to withhold scores that are below Cornell’s average overall but would advantage them in Cornell’s admissions process once contextualized. The decision to reintroduce test requirements thus intends to increase diversity in the student body.

JOANNE HU / FORMER SUN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

JOANNE HU / FORMER

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Independent Since 1880

142nd Masthead

GABRIEL LEVIN 26

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Editor in Chief

MAX FATTAL ’25

Los Angeles, Calif. Associate Editor

HENRY SCHECHTER ’26 Dallas, Texas Opinion Editor

SHEILA YU ’26 Chongqing, China Business Manager

SOFIA IANTOSCA ’26 New York, N.Y. Marketing Manager

ERIC HAN ’26 New York, N.Y. Arts & Culture Editor

SYDNEY LEVINTON ’27 Dix Hills, N.Y. Arts & Culture Editor

DANIELA ROJAS ’25 San Ramon, Calif. Dining Editor

NINA DAVIS ’26

Brooklyn, N.Y. Photography Editor

CYNTHIA TSENG ’27

McLean, Va.

Assistant Photography Editor

MARIAN CABALLO ’26

Queens, N.Y. Multimedia Editor

ISABELLE JUNG ’26

Queens, N.Y. Graphics Editor

JADE DUBUCHE ’27

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Cornell Isn’t Ready for You

Welcome to Cornell, class of 2028! As you pack your bags, trudge through online orientation and pick your classes, I hope you’re all taking a moment to reflect on the incredible, astonishing work that got you here. It hasn’t been the same path for everyone: some of you have known you wanted to go to Cornell since you were five; others threw in an application on a whim. Some got in early decision; others just found out that they got off the waitlist. In high school, some of you spent every waking moment studying; others in the gym; and others still doing service work out in the world. Now, all those diverse experiences — the vast and varying perspectives and stories — are being consolidated into one community: Cornell.

Over the next few months, you’re going to have the chance to find your people here. You’ll discover, in getting to college, that there exists kinship you never thought possible. Your most niche interests, your favorite books and movies, esoteric quirks and hyperfixations … here, they will grow into communities. Don’t be afraid of what makes you different; you might just find people who are different in the same way — and you might just leave people a little more different than they were before.

For those who enter with a sense of creeping dread, an anxiety that this won’t be all you wanted and more, I urge you to leave those doubts at the door. For those who arrive and hit a wall, struggle in their classes or fail to find their found family, I urge you to keep on searching. I promise, as a rising senior once filled with those exact same doubts and fears, that by the time you’re done, each and every one of you will be able to look back with a sense of wonder and accomplishment at the person you have become.

Don’t let Cornell change you, but don’t let it leave you the same. In arriving to Ithaca, you agree both to challenge the status quo and to be challenged by your classmates and professors. You agree not to grow complacent in your accomplishments or chauvinistic in your place here. The University is a hulking beast of an institution — miles and miles of century-old buildings atop a hill flanked by moat-like gorges — but that does not mean you must succumb to its will. Rather, it is you who will push Cornell into a brighter future: Learn of the students who occupied Willard Straight Hall in 1969, the Arts Quad throughout the 1980s, Day Hall in 1993 and all around campus the last few years. Cornell is only as great as its students … and its students are only as great as their willingness to oppose injustice and fight for their convictions. So all in all, get excited. Cornell isn’t ready for you, but we can’t wait to see what you bring. It’ll be an awe-inspiring four years, a lifetime of memories and a transformation of school and self that we can’t even begin to imagine. Have fun! Oh, and join The Sun!

— Max Fattal, associate editor

The Sun's View

What An Editorial Is and Isn’t

It’s vitally important that the Cornell campus understands the deliberative process that goes into writing Sun editorials. So here’s what you should know about what a Sun editorial is — and isn’t.

The Sun is a newspaper that embraces different perspectives on the issues that matter. Editorials that appear in The Sun don’t necessarily represent the personal viewpoints of every member of The Sun.

Editorials serve as a testament to our paper’s long-standing values. They are a way for the Editorial Board of The Sun to take a stand when history calls for it. They are a voice for what The Sun as an institution believes in. The Editorial Board, which consists of the editor in chief, associate editor and opinion editor, work closely together to produce editorials that are bold and well-researched.

It should never be assumed that the opinions outlined in any given editorial speak for every member of The Sun individually. Editorials also are entirely independent of The Sun’s news coverage, meaning that the views they express have no influence on the facts of objective news stories or the process that goes into writing and reporting on them.

Personally harassing members of a student-run newspaper over the content of an editorial is immature and unacceptable, especially when those members were not involved in the creation of that editorial. Only the editor in chief, associate editor and opinion editor write editorials at The Sun.

The Cornell Daily Sun has been a fiercely independent, community-driven organization for 143 years, and editorials are one important way The Sun has remained that force for positive change all along.

— The Editorial Board

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Don’t Let Tem Erase You

Leo Glasgow Can We Talk?

Leo Glasgow is a second year student in the College of Arts and Sciences. His fortnightly column Can We Talk focuses on student life, domestic and international politics and social issues.

This column was originally published on Feb. 2.

We are actively living through the death of humanity, and it need not mean the death of humans.

In regards to innovation, it is essential to have nuance when analyzing development; there can be meaning in being content with an invention that destroys industries. The advent of cars was certainly a nightmare for the horse industry, but opposing it would have been contrary to a car-dependent guaranteed future.

The technological innovation of this young century has bettered the lives of millions, but in many respects, it has marched too far. Especially in relation to our mobile devices, we have long neglected meaningful development in place of arbitrary updates and purposeless new models.

The foundation of democracy rests on its people, and the tech in our daily lives destroys the connection between them. An individual can be the match that ignites a generation, but these igniting ideas are worthless without an audience; participation in leagues, cohorts and groups is essential to the foundation of a free society.

It is precisely the advent of mobile technology that threatens a free society through its corruption of social groups and meaningful societal organizations.

The dissolution of cohorts did not start all that recently. Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone described America’s decline of community and social isolation as of the year 2000. Renowned political philosopher

Hannah Arendt’s 1951 novel titled The Origins of Totalitarianism went a step further and categorized this societal loneliness as a precondition for totalitarianism. Social groups are incredibly important to implementation of social movements and the development of society as a whole.

Cornell Professor Alexander Livingston emphasizes the importance of these groups in his class on “Civil Disobedience,” articulating that the differentiation between illegal disobedience and legal conscientious objection is the fact that conscientious objection rests on groups and associations rather than individuals.

Everything is so fast these days; the expectation to respond to messages immediately, coupled with the lack of a border between rest and work in life that our devices create is akin to eternal damnation. Regardless of the class, the weekly discussions that I have attended at Cornell are full of students looking at their devices. Classrooms no longer represent a dialogue between its educators and students. Friendships have digressed from meaningful conversations and eye contact to sterile and mechanized interactions. The anti-creative, intellectually persecutory and isolated conditions of a totalitarian society that Hannah Arendt and so many other experts describe is irrefutably the symptom and direction of modern life.

I only take notes with pen and paper. I try to think about the souls of my professors. I look into people’s eyes when I speak to them, wanting to hear everyone’s story. These and other personal policies that I have taken in my life have improved my reality drastically but fail to give me the key to ultimate satisfaction. I come full circle in my writing to emphasize the importance of society and social groups rather than the individual.

It’s important to become content with the idea of being plugged in. We’re going to see computer chip implants being advertised as a ‘simple procedure’ that ‘only take a minute and look like a birthmark.’ We’re already living in a post-truth world when it comes to information, so it won’t be such a jump for people to live in a false reality; where what you believe to be facts are already an individual alteration of reality. I often wonder if a new class of Luddites and Amish will appear in this century, refusing further development but keeping their phones and washing machines. I can’t foresee myself in this branch of people, because then I would be just like the horse coachmen trying to ignore Ford’s assembly line in the early 1900s. There can sometimes be more impact in becoming a lion and going into the lion’s den, because escaping will leave you behind and make you the prey. In attempting to escape technology, one will only become an

agent of inaction developing inability to change anything within a world that is accessible to them.

Yes, new technologies and trends in society are dehumanizing us and promoting the gentrification of a people as a species. But we need to learn how to survive, stay conscious and thrive in the coming world: Trying to prevent these changes is futile when the path has unfolded this far.

In the same sense that unlikeable radicals are often society’s greatest reformers, I try to highlight the societal mobilization, poverty alleviation and convenience that our modern technological comforts afford us. I am nevertheless aware of a limit to positive radicalism. Rather than viewing technology as a helping hand, we need to begin viewing it as an extension of the human hand. The danger in technology stems from an inability to view it in the context of the human experience; we augment our bodies, feel emboldened to spit evil words that we would never say in person and tread so far as to apply digital behaviors into the real world instead of the other way around. Even if one is to look at a screen for every second of their lives, it has purpose if their conscience finds meaning to it that adds positive change into their life.

Loneliness and isolation are much more of a mental state than a physical condition. By following the crowd, people can find themselves the most isolated that they’ve ever been. So the matter of human development, group formation and building relationships oddly reverts back to individualism, only in the right direction. I am a believer in humanity’s ability to know what is of the highest power, and what can benefit themselves and the world — the matter of getting to this point is simply consistent self reflection and intentionality that is often lost in the hypnotic cycle of pressing buttons and moving onto the next assignment. If you’re going to write an essay, then have fun with it. If you’re joining a zoom meeting, turn on the camera and make your light shine. If it’s 2044 and you’re going to work through a chip, make people feel something and give them a show in the alternate reality. When something doesn’t feel right, then it isn’t — make it right; those who lack empathy are nothing compared to the billions that do.

The purpose of this writing, then, is a completely unoriginal and conventional idea: Ask yourself specifically what kind of life you want to live. In addition to the purgatory of tech advancement, the current youth is tasked with climate problems, political polarization and persistent uncertainty. The problems faced today are nothing new. All great problems tread on the question of what it means to be human, but our eventual colonization and decolonization of alien life forms could easily take out the human. More importantly, what does it mean to be alive? What is the meaning of life

Just Say No — What Not to Do at Cornell

Aurora Weirens

Aurora Weirens is a third year student in the College of Arts & Sciences. Her fortnightly column Te Northern Light illuminates student life.

This column was originally published on Jan. 28.

College is all about exploring and trying unfamiliar things, getting outside of your comfort zone and saying yes to new experiences. In fact, common advice given to frst-year students at Cornell is “Don’t say no to anything.”

But there are some things at Cornell that you can say no to, and you won’t be missing much. I’ll be avoiding the obvious stuf, such as hard drugs, invitations from clowns in white vans, Nigerian princes in need of a bailout, and will focus on the more discreet details.

Too Cool for Coats: Wear your warm winter coat, zip it up, and put on a hat. Even better, gain an encasing layer of body fat from sedentary hours studying.

Olin Basement Bathrooms: Roach party! I’d also recommend popping on a gas mask before entering. Better yet, go up a foor and use the frst-foor bathroom instead.

Microwaving Your Popcorn Incorrectly in the Dorms: A surprising number of Cornell students are illiterate when it comes to food hazards. A personal lapse may have involved a midnight evacuation of Morrison Hall during fnals week.

Sickness: Wash your grubbers before picking up your pizza and gobbling it up. Drink your Vitamin C powder. Invest in hand sanitizer. Shun your snify friends. Wear a beaked plague doctor mask.

Counting on that 5am Uber to the Airport: Or Ubers in rural New York in general. Another car-less Sun editor and I had an unexpected stay in a charming roadside motel together due to a sudden lack of drivers.

Forgetting Physics: Don’t be like that woman chasing her screeching stroller rocketing down Libe Slope. Be mindful of how acceleration, gravity and hills work, as there are many here.

Sign up for 20+ Credits First-Year Fall: It’s good to have friends, as well as sanity. Consider a winter or summer course if you’re so desperate to wrack up credits.

Okenshields Shellfish: Tapeworms do have some weight loss properties if you’re so interested, although Ozempic may be a better — and more controlled — option.

Joining a Cult: The Yellow Deli recently opened shop in the heart of the Commons. If you’re curious, read our article on the Twelve Tribes. No need to venture within.

Going to Cornell Health: Give Marlene Berke’s article a read, and catch a ride to Cayuga Medical Health Center instead if you can (free slushies in the lobby)!

Ignoring the No Winter Maintenance Signs: “My sneakers have enough grip,” I thought before thumping down the PSB stairs on my tailbone.

Leaving your Umbrella at Home: Unless you fancy buying a new computer. It rains every day in Ithaca, so pack accordingly and avoid squelching into your lectures looking (and smelling) like a wet rat.

Showering Barefoot: Warts are easy to get but hard to get rid of. Trust no one, not even your seemingly wart-free suitemates.

Going to McGraw Hall at Night: Definitely haunted by the ghost of Ezra Cornell. Creepiest building on campus; I just about killed myself sprinting down those rickety steps after a night of studying.

Assuming the Car Will Stop: Crosswalks don’t mean anything here, and the TCAT doesn’t stop for anyone, for any reason. Get off your phone and look both ways. Glare at the passing cars until one finally relents and allows you to pass.

Buying a Live Turtle or Frog at Ren’s Mart: As tempting as it is, I would encourage adventurous chefs to pass. The animals aren’t exactly thriving — zip-tied in a plastic bag in a Styrofoam cooler.

Exposing your Parents to a Morning in Collegetown: It’s a mystery as to why Cornell always has parents’ weekend on Halloweekend. Whenever my mom visits, she’s always cackling at the scurrying students on their Walk of Shame and stray costumed men on annex porches.

Using up your BRBs in September: You will pay for your early hoggery in the following months. Avoid spending a fortune on “little treats” and overpriced drinks. Don’t underestimate the power of hoarding bananas from the dining halls.

Being A Group Project Slacker: Yes, your life may be easier by not pulling your weight, but you will live in your groupmates’ minds in eternal infamy. The shame may also plague you forever, as it should.

Forgoing the Slope Day Sunscreen: Finals are painful enough without looking like a lobster. And drink enough water, too. Don’t be one of those delirious fools the EMTs have to wheel away on a gurney.

That’s my comprehensive list of things you should say no to at Cornell. For additional guidance, please see the 161 things you could say yes to at Cornell. Just remember, some experiences are best left unexplored.

Planning Your Study Abroad Experience: What No One Tells You

This column was originally published on Feb. 6.

I still remember my Cornell info session during fall break of my senior year of high school. While most of it fades into blurry memory, one part stands out: When the Cornell admissions team advised all of us that any person, enrolled in any study, could study abroad. I write this from Florence, Italy, having in some ways fulfilled said prophecy. However, I would say that the process of studying abroad, particularly as someone on the pre-medical track, is far more difficult than advertised. I’ll start with the basics: Many of your classes taken abroad will not count for your major. They may count for your college (Cornell credits), but some will just be “throwaway classes” (aka classes required for your program that don’t yield any credit back home). Most programs do not factor your abroad grades into your Cornell GPA.

For this reason, studying abroad needs to be carefully planned from day one, or at least semester one. If you’re an engineer or pre-med or otherwise have many year-long class sequences (think CHEM 2070 and 2080), many of these classes must be taken your freshman and sophomore year (if you plan to study abroad junior year). If you have major requirements that are only offered in one term, for instance, a lab only offered in spring, you must think about that when deciding which term to study abroad or which year to take that class. If you are in Arts and Sciences, you may want to align your language requirement with the language of a destination you may want to travel to abroad. A friend of mine who studies Farsi at Cornell was limited to English-speaking countries due to the A&S requirement, while others enrolled in other colleges (including myself) can pick from a myriad of regions regardless of national language.

Beyond destination, few people talk about the merits of a program vs. a university, housing options and the financial difficulties associated with certain cities. A program may assign you an apartment, roommates and help with a visa, while a university may leave you figuring out housing and class enrollment by yourself. Especially for expensive cities like London or Paris, finding roommates to agree to extortion-level rents on short-term leases can be diffi-

cult, and often requires networking at Cornell months if not years in advance. Not only do finances matter when it comes to housing, but so does campus culture. While I live with three roommates, all of whom attended Cornell, we are the only apartment in our building housing students, and by luck of the draw, we ended up in a placement much farther from the main student areas and our class locations. On the other hand, people in dorms may have a greater proportion of students in their vicinity, but less independence and fewer amenities. For me though, the biggest barrier to studying abroad was the difficulty associated with planning my courses to graduate on time and fulfill my major. While many pre-med students take their MCAT the summer before senior year, which allows for maximum completion of prerequisite classes, I took mine over the winter break of my junior year to ensure I did not need to take a gap year to study abroad. I am so grateful for my decision and even if I do take my gap year, I have no regrets about going abroad.

On the one hand, this encouraged me to branch out, taking classes about Renaissance art history and business. On the other hand, a lack of autonomy in course selection and scheduling proved stressful and demoralizing after making such sacrifices to attend my program.

However, I had very little guidance about how to best schedule my MCAT and was often told that my situation was “unusual” rather than given advice. I chose my program partly out of interest in Italy, but mostly due to the fact that it was one of the few that started after the first MCAT test dates of the year. In order to fulfill my major requirements, I took semesters overloaded with credits and may have to take summer or winter courses or request course substitutions in my senior year. Academics can also take a hit in another way. As I mentioned, my program offers few classes aligned with my major. On the one hand, this encouraged me to branch out, taking classes about Renaissance art history and business. On the other hand, a lack of autonomy in course selection and scheduling proved stressful and demoralizing after making such sacrifices to attend my program. Beyond academics, I found myself saving money from summer and academic year jobs to afford a more luxurious abroad life. Many students eat out for most meals, and with the norm of weekend travel, flying from a non-hub city like Florence racks up costs quickly. Don’t misunderstand me — I am having a great time and am not trying to complain. For all of the sacrifices I made, I am beyond grateful for the offerings provided by Cornell and the support of my family while I am abroad. I do not mean to discourage students or criticize the Cornell programs; I simply want to show that going abroad is not as easy as it may seem. Nor is the process as indiscriminate as advertised. As I continue my experience abroad, my column will explore various facets of studying abroad as a Cornell student. It felt fitting, however, to start the semester by recapping the many hours of planning and meeting that enabled this experience.

Goodbye to My Small Handful

Noah Do Graduation Column

Noah Do is a graduating senior from the College of Arts & Sciences. He served as the Associate Editor on Te Sun’s 141st Masthead. Tis is the fnal installment of his column Noah’s Arc.

Tis column was originally published on June 14.

Te farewell gauntlet of graduation season has taught me that you can tell a lot about a relationship from how the goodbye feels. Some are messy and tearful, others are a friendly wave and some well wishes and others happen without either of you even realizing you won’t see each other again. Having made it through the last four years at an ever-changing pace, I can say that the life lessons were neat and the academic rigor certainly helped

to pass the time, but it’s the relationships that will make my heart ache as I become further removed from my college life. My heart will ache with regret over wasted time, a fear of the unfamiliar world ahead, and with the bittersweet knowledge that life will never be quite like this again. The spontaneity, vulnerability and enthusiasm with which I cherished my college friends will give way to new but still unknown joys.

One insight that my dad often shares with me is that whether you are happy is mostly dictated by a select few relationships in your life. We might be inclined to chase everything else that claims to make us happy, but it’s really just a small handful of people who sustain our happiness, no matter how much money, status or influence we have. One of the most difficult parts of college is that we have four years to find our small handful of people, only to be separated from them in the blink of an eye.

The friends I’ll visit Paris with one day, the ones in my blue scrapbook, the ones I shared a lease with — these people, along with a few others, have made up the small handful that have nourished my happiness at Cornell. I haven’t taken very good advantage of most of the opportunities that Cornell provided me, but I was able to make just a few friendships that were strong enough to make me worry about what life will look like without them. I’ll get over leaving Ithaca and Cornell’s periodically beautiful campus, but

it’ll take a little bit longer for me to be at peace with the fact that I’ll never be able to do life with my closest friends again in the same way I did during college.

Now more than ever, I’m grateful that I have God’s faithfulness and steadfastness to lean on. My relationship with God has sustained me in a way that no one else in my life can. Just as my happiness at Cornell didn’t come from maximizing my career opportunities or outdoing my competition, I’ve learned that my life as a Christian is not about following rules for the sake of appeasing God, but rather learning a little bit more about who the person of God is every single day. The more I’ve learned about God, the more desire I’ve had to care for and love my friends, no matter how brief our time together may have been.

While the goodbyes have been sad, I’ve found that I could never bring myself to cry at the right moments. During even the most dreaded farewells, I failed to muster up a single tear. In a somewhat twisted way, it brought me joy to see how much certain people would miss me. In the quieter moments, though — when I make banana cookies and have no one down the street to share them with, or when I hear a song that my friends were gracious enough to listen to me butcher — I’ll be saddened as I remember what made these years so special.

Julia Poggi Te Outbox

Julia Poggi is a third year student in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. Her fortnightly column Te Outbox is a collection of refections, advice and notes to self about life at Cornell, with a focus on coursework-life balance.

ARTS & CULTURE

Artistic Alumni to Know

NAME: Robert Trent Jones

GRADUATED: 1931

Visual Arts

NAME: James De La Vega

GRADUATED: B.F.A. 1994

WHAT TO KNOW: This widely-revered, New York-based street artist deals primarily in chalk, creating thought-provoking, aphoristic works that have garnered acclaim not only in the States, but also in Italy and Japan as well. De La Vega has, like any worthy artist, been at the center of controversy. Since, legally, his works qualify as graffiti, he has been taken to court and sentenced on vandalism charges. De La Vega, when not working on his next mural, tours the country as a motivational speaker, talking about freedom of expression, art and working in the face of adversity.

WHAT TO KNOW: While at Cornell, Jones took such disparate courses like landscape architecture, public speaking, agronomy, economics, surveying and hydraulics, to pursue a career as a golf course designer. Jones’ work on over 500 golf courses, including Montauk Downs, Augusta National and Cornell’s own Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, earned him a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Jones’ courses have had an indelible effect on the modern game, encouraging risky play and emphasizing tasteful, original aesthetics.

Literature

NAME: E.B. White

GRADUATED: B.A. 1921

WHAT TO KNOW: White was as dynamic a writer as you could get. A long-time contributor to The New Yorker, White was also responsible for two classic children’s books, Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little The former Sun editor in chief co-authored one of the definitive guides to English grammar, syntax and style, The Elements of Style, with William Strunk Ph.D. ’96.

NAME: Junot Diaz

GRADUATED: M.F.A. 1995

WHAT TO KNOW: Diaz is a renown writer best known for his short stories. His most famed book titled “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is now a creative writing professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

NAME: Peter Eisenmann

GRADUATED: B.Arch. 1955

WHAT TO KNOW: Incoming architecture students are sure to be aware of Eisenmann’s significant contributions to architecture. As one of the leaders of the deconstructivist movement, Eisenmann incited his fellow architects to liberate the form of their works from external references. His works range from convention centers (The Greater Columbus Convention Center) to memorials (The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) and football stadiums (University of Phoenix Stadium).

Music

NAME: Nicola Yoon

GRADUATED: B.S. 1994

WHAT TO KNOW: Yoon is a famous Jamaican-American writer best known for her modern books, which have been the subject of many well-known movies, including “The Sun is Also a Star” and “Everything, Everything.” Yoon got her great writing skills right here at Cornell.

NAME: Harry Chapin

GRADUATED: Dropped out in 1964

WHAT TO KNOW: Chapin is a renown for his work as an American singer and songwriter. The performer was best known for his career in filmmaking, and his group that he was part of with his brother, called the Chapin Brothers. Chapin was also active in many charitable causes. While he never graduated from Cornell, he walked the same steps as all of you will.

NAME: Steve Reich

GRADUATED: B.A. 1957

WHAT TO KNOW: Reich’s work as a composer is highly influential across many genres — artists like Sonic Youth, Brian Eno and Sufjan Stevens cite Reich as an influence. Reich’s usage of tape loops, minimalist instrumentation and repetition put him in an elite category of modern composers. Reich was awarded with the Pulitzer Prize for his Double Sextet in 2009.

NAME: Huey Lewis

GRADUATED: Dropped out in 1969

WHAT TO KNOW: A strong rock vocalis and a talented harmonica player, Huey Lewis, the frontman of Huey Lewis and the News, dominated 1980’s radio with his band’s third album, Sports. Lewis also made appearances backing up Elvis Costello on My Aim Is True and playing harmonica on the legendary Thin Lizzy live album, Live and Dangerous

LAURENS HAMMOND 1916

After receiving his B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1916, Hammond would go on to create the electric Hammond organ, which proved to be an important milestone in electronic music’s evolution and influential to the genres of jazz and progressive rock.

THOMAS PYNCHON ’59

Honing his literary chops under the likes of Vladimir Nabokov at Cornell, Pynchon would go on to define the postmodernist tradition, winning the National Book Award for 1973’s Gravity’s Rainbow

Buck used the skills she honed at Cornell to craft some of the 1930s’ best-selling and most acclaimed historical fiction. She would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for The Good Earth in 1932 and a Nobel Prize in 1938.

Years after leaving Ithaca with a degree in English, Seidler took the stage to accept the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The King’s Speech in 2011.

ROBERT MOOG Ph.D. ’65

If the origins of popular electronic music can be traced to one person, it would be Robert Moog. While at Cornell studying engineering, he grew interested in and began developing electronic instruments. His Moog Synthesizer would go on to be the tool of choice for everyone from Beaver & Krause to Donna Summer.

Laurents penned and directed a number of seminal Broadway musicals, including West Side Story, Hallelujah, Baby! and La Cage Aux Folles, in addition to writing a number of well-received films.

TONI MORRISON M.A. ’55

The acclaimed author has won a Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her prolific, vivid novels, including Beloved

REEVE ’74

Before the world knew him as Superman and a philanthropist, Reeve starred in numerous Cornell theater productions.

Prior to leaving Cornell to fight in the second World War, Vonnegut pursued a degree in chemistry and served as the associate editor of The Sun. Throughout the 60s and beyond, he established himself as one of counterculture’s most notable novelists with the satirical black humor of books like Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat’s Cradle KURT VONNEGUT, JR. ’44

Cornell’s Artistic Legacy

Following a few notable feature-length comedy roles in films such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Role Models, Lynch raked in the awards with her regular role on the hit show Glee

After revitalizing the Southern California punk scene, the lead singer of Bad Religion turned his focus to doctoral biology work and has lectured courses on evolution at Cornell.

Through the Years: Concerts at Cornell

For 150 years, Cornellians have come together for live music. From harps to hip-hop, Barton to Bailey and Spring Day to Slope Day, concerts have been a cornerstone of the student experience. Over the years, our campus has been host to violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin, the second-most-downloaded Grateful Dead show, Kanye West in support of The College Dropout and everything in between.

PEARL S. BUCK ’25

ARTHUR LAURENTS ’37

DAVID SEIDLER ’59

CHRISTOPHER

GREG GRAFFIN Ph.D. ’03

JANE LYNCH M.F.A. ’84

Your source for good food

First-Years, Share a Meal

By MURALI SARAVANAN Former Sun Staff Writer

This story was originally published on July 28, 2018.

According to Forbes magazine, Americans are eating alone more and more often. And from a practical viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. Eating alone is efficient; you can finish quickly and attend to the next item on your to-do list. You can even catch up on a TV show or watch sports highlights. Or if you’re really desperate,

here and at many other college campuses across the nation. Why? Well, let’s face it, eating with others is hard to do in college. With Cornell’s myriad of classes and extracurriculars, everyone has a different schedule. Although it can be hard to find the time for it, sharing a meal with others can be one of the best ways to build a deeper relationship with the people around you. So, firstyears, I strongly encourage you all to make the time in your schedule to share your meals with others, especial-

you can catch up on work.

I know I have eaten alone and done all of the things I’ve listed. And to be honest, it kind of sucks. Eating alone makes me feel lonely and small. Every day, I notice plenty of people eating lunch or dinner alone in the dining halls; it’s incredibly common

ly your professors! During the semester, some professors will invite students to get a group meal with them. Not only is it usually casual and less stressful, but you also get to learn about the unique experiences of your professors. I remember I once got dinner with a professor emeritus in the physics department and

heard stories about how the department used to be in Newman Hall.

The first few weeks of your first year here can be really tough and isolating, so don’t be afraid to ask people you’ve just met to grab a meal with you. Whether it’s lunch between classes or dinner after a club meeting, sharing a meal is a great way to make new acquaintances and build close friendships. People tend to be more relaxed during meals, which allows for great conversation to happen naturally. Plus, sharing food helps you get to know someone better easily since food is a key part of a person’s identity.

Learning about the food they enjoy eating and making reveals a lot about someone’s background and upbringing, helping you to form a more meaningful friendship.

As the years go on and you move away from dining hall food, keep setting time aside to share food with the people you care about. For example, a few friends and I decided to make time every month to get a meal together this year, regardless of prelims. I don’t see them on a dayto-day basis, so it’s nice to check in with each other. So far, every time we’ve gotten a meal together, our friendship grows stronger.

Hidden Treasures at Cornell

By REVA RAO Sun Staff Writer

This story was originally published on April 24, 2023.

With 10 dining halls and 19 cafés and food courts scattered throughout Cornell’s campus, each boasting their unique strengths and weaknesses, Cornell dining can be overwhelming for a freshman to navigate. Throughout my first year at Cornell, I found myself trying out different places, but taking random guesses at what to order. If you’re keen to discover the

tastiest menu items and fit in like a true Cornellian, know that you’re not alone. Thankfully, I’ve compiled a list of the top five hidden gems at Cornell eateries, complete with specific recommendations on what to order, as not all menu items are created equal. Bus Stop Bagel’s Make Your Own Bagel

Although I am not a huge bagel enthusiast, I do enjoy visiting Bus Stop Bagels when I crave them. Bus Stop Bagels is a cozy, inviting bagel shop located conveniently near the agricultural quad. There are a

mix of booths and seats inside to sit, however, at busy times there are lines that run out the door. Bus Stop Bagels offers both savory and sweet bagels, and many people love their egg sandwiches. Personally, I have a sweet tooth, so I tried creating my own bagel from their menu. I chose a cinnamon raisin bagel and added Cornell’s honey roasted peanut butter, cinnamon sugar creamed honey, mixed berry cream cheese and banana. Too extra? Perhaps. The bagel was soft and fluffy with a delightful cinnamon flavor. The honey roasted peanut butter was creamy and salty, which balanced out the sweet cinnamon sugar honey. The mixed berry cream cheese was smooth and luscious, and the fresh berry flavor was a lovely addition. The banana slices completed the whole experience adding a delicate, sweet flair. It was a fantastic combination of flavors that I highly recommend trying.

Although you can always order a regular egg and cheese bagel, I encourage you to experiment with different spreads and flavors. Here are some mouthwatering combinations to consider if you want to try something new:

1. Cinnamon Raisin Bagel + Honey Roasted PB + Nutella + Banana

2. Cinnamon Raisin Bagel + Blueberry Apple Butter + Honey Roasted PB + Honey Walnut Whipped Cream Cheese

3. Spicy Italian + Basil Pesto + Bacon Scallion Whipped Cream Cheese

Mac’s Smoothies

Mac’s is a vibrant café situated right in the heart of the Statler. Although the majority of customers are Hotel School students, don’t let that deter you from trying their exceptional smoothies — in my opinion, the best at Cornell. They offer a variety of fruit and frappuccino-style drinks, and I highly recommend trying two of them.

The first smoothie, known as the cookies and cream frappuccino, falls somewhere between a frappuccino and a milkshake. It delivers a much-needed caffeine boost, a sugar rush and the delectable taste of oreo cookies and milk. While it’s not an everyday drink, it’s definitely a treat worth indulging in!

To continue reading this story, please visit cornellsun. com.

MURALI SARAVANAN / FORMER SUN STAFF WRITER

Te Sun’s Ice Cream Guide

Cool Down With Ithacan Ice Cream Cool Down With Ithacan Ice Cream

By SUN STAFF

While we believe that Cornell looks the most beautiful at the start of the fall semester, it is also unfortunately the most unbearably hot during that season. To beat the heat and cool down after a back-breaking, sweat-inducing move-in weekend, we recommend heading out for some ice cream, which is also an opportunity to explore the city of Ithaca. Below are three recommendations (in no particular order) for all you incoming freshmen and your families:

If you want to stay on campus and still get some exceptional ice cream, then stop by Cornell Dairy Bar, which actually made a limited edition flavor of ice cream (“Big Red, White & Biden”) in honor of self-proclaimed ice cream fanatic President Joe Biden, who was the Convocation speaker for Class of 2017.

For the past 138 years, Cornell Dairy Bar has been creating ice cream from the university’s cows and currently offers 20 different flavors, some which you’ll notice are offered in our dining halls. If you want to have Cornell Dairy’s entire selection in front of you, then I recommend you pay a visit to Stocking Hall, where the Dairy Bar is located (otherwise, you can find tubs in all campus dining halls). You definitely don’t need to drive a car or take the bus, as it is located on campus and is about a 20-minute walk from North Campus. When you arrive at Stocking Hall, you’ll notice the large, white sculpture of a milk bottle out front.

After trying all 20 flavors, some of our favorites are Bavarian raspberry fudge and Kahlua fudge. Bavarian raspberry fudge is “vanilla custard ice cream with old-fashioned fudge pieces and a raspberry swirl,” and reminds us of raspberry cheesecake. It’s smooth, and the little punches of raspberry and fudge complement each other. Kahlua fudge is “Kahlua ice cream with a chocolate fudge swirl.” Ezra’s morning cup, another Cornell Dairy Bar flavor, also has a coffee flavor, but Kahlua fudge is much stronger and thus satisfying.

Because the Dairy Bar is located in the lobby of Stocking Hall, there’s plenty of seating around the shop. And Stocking Hall was renovated a few years ago, so the place has a casual and modern vibe, given its clean lines and all-white interior.

Cayuga Lake Creamery

215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca 8421 State Route 89, Interlaken

Another dessert staple of Ithaca’s food scene is Cayuga Lake Creamery, which has served homemade ice cream flavors in the Ithaca area since 2004. Known for its rich, creamy consistency, Cayuga Lake Creamery typically has 30 flavors of ice cream and sorbet available daily, served on rotation. These flavors range from Cookie Explosion to a Wine Ice Cream Sorbet. Non-dairy vegan options, sorbets, and gluten-free offerings are always available.

We are absolutely over the moo-n or their Purple Cow flavor — a creamy, black raspberry ice cream includes snappy chocolate chunks that refreshingly top off a perfectly sweet cone. Also, it’s signature vibrant color and fun name keep it a classic!

Their sea salt caramel ice cream is well known, and for good reason. The perfect combo of salty and sweet, a match that is absolutely addicting. Another staff pick is the Soy Cherry Jubilee. Enjoyers of Ben & Jerry’s classic Cherry Garcia will

Founded in 1936 by Cornell alum Leo Guentert 1920, Purity Ice Cream may be located the farthest from campus of the three establishments in this list, but it has the greatest variety in terms of both flavors and products.

Of their 34+ flavors of ice cream (some of which are vegan), some of our favorites are bulldog crunch and green tea — good in scoops or blended into milkshakes. According to their menu on Ithaca To Go, bulldog crunch is a “praline-flavored ice cream with caramel swirl and chocolate-covered pecan candies.” This may sound strange, but bulldog crunch is absolutely mouth-watering, even though it’s in liquid form. The caramel and praline flavors are very strong, but the pecans and chocolate balance that creaminess and sweetness with their crunchiness and slight bitterness.

Green tea is much less sweet and made from “green tea powder blended with vanilla ice cream,” which was slightly disappointing because we were hoping it’d be made with real green tea leaves. However, making green tea ice cream with just leaves is quite difficult and can result in a barely detectable flavor. Purity’s use of powder means you get a more concentrated flavor and sometimes there are bits of powder that bunch up together, which could be likened to a swirl.

Besides ice cream, Purity offers frozen yogurt, pastries (cupcakes, pies, cookies and cakes), espresso and milkshakes. If you’re in the mood for more of a meal than a quick dessert, dig into one of Purity’s sundaes. From chocolate chip cookie to apple crisp, the sundaes are warm, gooey and perfectly comforting with scoops of your choice of ice cream and plenty of whipped cream.

Of our recommendations, Purity is also number one in the seating department. With abundant indoor and outdoor seating, Purity is extremely group-friendly, and its logo-covered decorations and booths give the space a relaxed, almost diner-like ambience.

If you can’t find the time to make the drive or take a walk to Purity, no worries — Collegetown Bagels (everyone calls it CTB) usually has six differently flavored tubs of Purity’s ice cream to choose from.

love this one. This ice cream inspires an outdoorsy feeling, and while not overly sweet, it is perfectly creamy nonetheless.

While we love the original Interlaken location, the new Ithaca spot, opened November 2020, has our heart. This Dewitt Mall location offers ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and novelties as well as indoor seating.

Unlike many of the local ice cream destinations, Cayuga Lake Creamery is open year round. This makes it your perfect destination during Ithaca infamous mid-January false springs.

Seating is both outdoor and indoor at the Dewitt Mall location, and there are wonderful things to say about both. The decor of Ithaca’s Cayuga Lake Creamery is standout, with its cozy warm lighting and a funky indoor porch. However, there’s nothing like an spot on the outdoor porch to people watch in the heart of downtown Ithaca.

In addition to ice cream, the Interlaken roadside location also offers hot food such as soup, grilled cheese, chili, burgers and veggieburgers, even fried clams, and hot coffee. Still, nothing tops their roadside peanut butter ripple and ginger flavors. Enjoy!

CORNELL DAIRY BAR

411 Tower Rd. (Stocking Hall)

PURITY ICE CREAM 700 Cascadilla St.

KATRIEN DE WAARD / FORMER SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

JULIA NAGEL / FORMER SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

JULIA NAGEL / FORMER SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Solar Eclipse on The Slope SCIENCE

Te Sun’s Guide to the Disappearing Sun

By LAINE HAVENS Sun Science Editor

All about what a solar eclipse is and why it occurs

This story was originally published on March 27.

On April 8, a total solar eclipse traveled across the Americas, moving from Mazatlan, Mexico to Houlton, Maine. The 2024 eclipse represented a rare opportunity to view a total solar eclipse within the US. In Ithaca, only a partial eclipse was visible — meaning that it was never safe to remove specialized eclipse glasses during viewing. However, a total eclipse was visible to the northwest in cities like Rochester, Seneca Falls, NY and Canandaigua, NY.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is directly between the sun and earth, casting a shadow on the earth’s surface. This alignment — when the moon’s shadow hits the earth — is possible only when the moon is in the same plane as the earth’s rotation around the sun.

Because the moon is smaller than the earth, its shadow falls on only a small section of the planet. As the earth and moon continue their typical motions, the shadow traces a path across the earth.

Viewers watching the solar eclipse from the shadow’s center experienced totality — when the moon covers the sun completely. The path of totality refers to the trajectory of this central, dark part of the shadow as it moves across the earth. You must be within the path of totality to witness a total eclipse. Outside the path of totality, there are regions where observers can still see the sun peek out from behind the moon — known as a partial solar eclipse. A partial eclipse

was predicted to be visible in Ithaca beginning at 2:08 p.m. and ending at 4:34 p.m. on April 8. The partial eclipse was forcased to reach its maximum at 3:23 p.m.

A total solar eclipse is a coincidence of nature — the sun happens to be 400 times larger than the moon and 400 times farther away from the earth than the moon. Therefore, the sun and moon appear the same size to us, and the moon can block the sun completely. One way to think of this is if you were to hold your thumb in front of your face and see that it blocks larger objects in the distance.

Cornell Astronomical Society President Gillis Lowry ’24 witnessed the last total solar eclipse in 2017 as it passed through St. Louis, Missouri.

“It was one of the most amazing astronomical experiences you could ever see with just your eyes,” Lowry said. “It was a 360-degree sunset around you. If you look up, there’s just a black spot in the sky as if there’s a hole in the sky, and the sun’s swirling atmosphere is just coming out of what looks like a hole in the sky.”

Statistically, witnessing a total solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Solar eclipses occur multiple times a year, but because viewing a total eclipse is restricted to the thin path of totality, it is only visible in a small portion of the planet. For example, the 2024 solar eclipse’s path of totality ranged between 108 and 122 miles wide and is approximately 9190 miles long. On average, this means that just 0.5 percent of the earth’s surface area will experience totality.

Additionally, not every solar eclipse is total. The

moon’s orbit around the earth is not perfectly circular, so the moon is closer and farther from the earth at different points in its orbit. When the moon is farthest from the earth, it no longer appears big enough to entirely block the sun. This type of eclipse is called an annular eclipse and is characterized by the “ring of fire” — a band of sun still visible around the moon.

The next total solar eclipse that will be visible near the U.S. will occur in 2044, and the next to be visible in New York State will not occur until 2079.

To continue reading this article, please visit www. cornellsun.com.

Cloudy Skies, Bright Spirits: Students Refect on the Solar Eclipse

By DALTON MULLINS and JONATHAN BRAND Sun Senior Writers

This story was originally published on April 9.

Cloudy skies on Monday, April 8 did not deter Cornellians from quitting their books to gather on the slope or road trip northwards to view a rare solar eclipse, escaping the stresses of school to take in a celestial wonder.

This eclipse marked the first time since 1925 that New York fell in the path of totality. From campus, students were able to experience an eclipse with 98.8 percent magnitude through overcast skies. Ithaca’s close proximity to the path of totality also gave many Cornell students the opportunity to travel to see the full total eclipse.

On campus, classes were paused from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m. to offer students the opportunity to view the rare solar event. Student and Campus Life also hosted an eclipse viewing party from 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Ho Plaza.

Min Kwon ’27 stayed on campus for the celestial event, watching the eclipse from the slope. He said that the overcast skies made viewing the eclipse difficult, with the eclipse only being visible for a few brief moments.

“We went to the slope at 2:30 p.m. — it was packed with people,” Kwon said. “We waited for 30 to 40 minutes, and then someone yelled when the eclipse came for just a few seconds. We were all taking pictures and then a few seconds later, it disappeared again. We were very disappointed.”

Though he said many students were disappointed by the cloud cover, Kwon said the experience was worth it because it allowed everyone to meet with their friends and enjoy the warm weather together.

Sarah Schiavo ’26 traveled with her friends to see the eclipse. She said the cloud cover inhibited her ability to see the eclipse itself, but she was still able to experience the near-complete darkness of totality.

“My friends convinced me to go driving up north to go see it,” Schiavo said. “It was very cloudy — we did not use our eclipse

glasses because we could not see the sun nor the moon. But it did get very dark outside. The lights of the park turned on, and the birds were kind of freaking out because it just got dark.”

While many did not see the eclipse due to clouds, Finley Allen ’27 was able to still get a great view of the solar event while at a watch party hosted by the Syracuse Mets, who invited the public to its stadium to view the total eclipse.

“[The Mets] let people onto the field to watch the eclipse. “It was pretty cloudy, but you could generally see it through your glasses,” Allen said. “It definitely surpassed my expectations. I feel like the most shocking thing was how dark it was. It was as dark as night and it got dark immediately and it got light immediately after.”

The Cornell Astronomical Society provided free buses for students to Rochester to view the eclipse in totality. The club’s outreach coordinator, Benjamin Shapiro ’24, explained that the club’s goal was to both increase public interest in astronomy and give students a chance to experience the total eclipse.

“We know a lot of people on campus are not from here or do not have access to a car. We thought it was a very public thing to do to provide free buses to see totality,” Shapiro said. “[Eclipses] are rare and only happen in a certain location every hundred years. So not only is it a matter of providing public outreach and getting the public and people at Cornell into liking astronomy, but it’s also a matter of eclipses are awesome and good for people too.”

Dylan Jackaway ’24, one of the many students who traveled to Rochester to experience the total eclipse, said that the total eclipse was surreal and was unlike anything he had ever been a part of before.

“It really was like nighttime, but it felt very strange given that it was only for a brief moment,” Jackaway said. “There was some reflection off the bottom of the clouds from areas that were outside of

the shadow however many miles away. It was like being in this alternate reality that was being created by this alignment by celestial forces or forces of nature, even though that’s not usually how I tend to think about such things.”

Many students who traveled to the path of totality found themselves missing class. Emma Linscomb ’27 also traveled in the buses provided by the Astronomical Society. Linscomb explained that even with the clouds, the experience was well worth being absent from class.

“If there wasn’t any cloud cover, then it would be 100 percent cooler because you would get to see the solar atmosphere and stuff around the border,” Linscomb said. “The fact that we even got to see it partially was really cool. It was definitely worth missing class. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, honestly.”

Shapiro felt strongly that the buses provided by the Astronomical Society

had its intended impact on students. He said that eclipse provided students with an escape from the stresses of college life, allowing them to live in the moment.

“When you’re a student going to Cornell and you’re a semester, two semesters, or several years in, I think there’s this kind of haze you fall into,” Shapiro said. “You lose sight that there’s all this life out there.”

Shapiro emphasized the importance of breaking free from reality and embracing the beauty of nature, rather than embracing the stress of college.

“Students got a day where they could get out there and witness this beautiful event and not worry about anything,” Shapiro said. “They got to poke their head out of the usual rough-and-tumble dealings of a college student’s day-to-day life. You need to step out of that every so often and see the world and what the natural world has to offer.”

Mapped moon | Ithaca experienced a partial eclipse.

Recalling 1940’s ‘Fifth-Down’ Dartmouth Game

Cornell concedes loss after flm shows its winning play was down fve

By RAPHY GENDLER Former Sun Sports Editor

This story was originally published on Nov. 17, 2020.

In the 21st century, most Cornell-Dartmouth football games don’t make national headlines. But 80 years ago, in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Nov. 16, 1940, in what commenta tors called a stunning dis play of sports manship, Cornell — then the top team in the coun try, riding a 19-game winning streak — gave away an apparent 7-3 win after realizing its last-second touchdown was scored on fifth down.

The Red entered the game against its longtime rival — then called the Indians — riding an 18-game winning streak dating back two seasons.

Dartmouth broke a scoreless tie with a fourth-quarter field goal, taking a 3-0 lead.

The Wikipedia page for the game reports that Cornell got the ball on

And that should’ve been it. But the referee signalled fourth down, and Scholl found receiver William Murphy for a down on the bonus down. Cornell won the

Or so they thought. After reviewing film of the game on Sunday, coach Carl Snavely and Cornell officials realized the touchdown shouldn’t have happened. So they sent a telegram to Hanover offering to forfeit the game. Dartmouth accepted, cementing the contest as a 3-0 win for the home team.

Edmund Ezra Day, then the president of Cornell, was a Dartmouth graduate.

Lou Conti ’41, a guard on the 1940 team, told The Los Angeles Times in 2010 that Day said, “You can offer them the game, but they won’t accept it.”

“We didn’t believe that. I didn’t believe that. Nobody believed that they would not accept the game,” Conti said.

Frank “Bud” Finneran ’41 said

go by, this will resonate as a fine example of sportsmanship’ — and they were 100 percent right,” Conti, then 91 years old, said in 2010. “But if I had been a grown person with some authority, I never would have offered to give the game away.”

At the time, an angry team and football-obsessed campus felt like the game had been unjustly stolen, even as praise for the act of sportsmanship came from around the country: A New York Herald Tribune editorial said “there seems again to be hope in the world.”

Some players on the 1940 team insisted that Mort Landsberg ’41 got into the end zone on his third-down run that was marked just shy of the goal line. And while decades later they looked back fondly on the forfeit, at the time they couldn’t believe their university would give the win away.

“I can just remember my father telling me. He said, ‘Son, they will never remember that you guys were undefeated and that you had the greatest team in the nation.

But they’ll never, never forget that your college awarded that game back to Dartmouth.’”

Frank Finneran ’41

“The pride is now. It wasn’t then,” said Frank Finneran ’41, a guard and defensive lineman on the 1940 team. “I can just remember my father telling me. He said, ‘Son, they will never remember that you guys were undefeated and that you had the greatest team in the nation. But they’ll never, never forget that your college awarded

Eighty years later, the Fifth-Down Game still stands alone in college football history: No other game has been decided off the field after its conclusion. A 1940 editorial in The Sun said “our honor and good name remain

Decades later | This play took place during the Cornell-Dartmouth football game on Nov. 10, 2018 — 72 years after the “FifthDown” football concession.

No Losses, No Draws and an

NCAA National Championship

Looking Back at Red Hockey’s Unparalleled 1969-70 Season

By LUKE PICHINI Former Sun Sports Editor

This story was originally published on March 4, 2021.

In one of the most outstanding efforts by an NCAA men’s hockey team, Cornell became the first — and so far, only — men’s hockey team to capture a national championship during the 1969-70 season without suffering a single loss or draw.

Cornell’s incredible 29-0-0 campaign began with an 8-2 stomping of Western Ontario, and from there, the Red continued to dominate, closing the first stretch of the season on a seven-game winning streak.

The lone scare came in a road matchup against Brown, when Cornell eked out a 5-4 overtime victory. Despite staring at a one-goal deficit in the third period, junior forward Brian McCutcheon came up with a power-play score to force an additional period of play.

The ensuing overtime period ended after a mere 34 seconds thanks to senior defenseman Dan Lodboa, who forced a Brown turnover and then found the back of the net. The Red’s victory in this contest became only one of five contests during the entire season that was decided by one goal.

Staying Hot

During the holiday season, Cornell continued its hot streak, picking up victories over familiar foes, including Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Boston University and Colgate. In that slate, the Red outscored its opponents, 25-6, including a 9-0 blowout of Rensselaer.

As the Red entered the conference portion of the regular season, it only maintained its dominance. Aside from a 2-1

victory at Toronto, Cornell rarely endured close games. While its home showdown against Dartmouth only ended in a 3-2 decision in favor of the Red and was certainly an exception, Cornell walloped that same opponent a week and a half later, shellacking the Green by a 14-0 margin.

In that 14-0 blowout, 17 different players tallied at least one point, with junior forward Bob Aitchison leading the way with five points, despite having entered the contest with only two goals on the season.

Playoff Challenges

Though Cornell encountered tough challenges from several of its opponents over the course of the season, the team entered the ECAC Championship on an offensive roll, having scored a whopping 41 goals during the final four games of the regular season.

That momentum carried over in the first round of the ECAC playoffs with a 6-1 beatdown of St. Lawrence. In the next round, though, the Red faced a much stiffer test in the form of the rival Crimson. In the span of just four minutes, Harvard’s attack came alive, beating junior netminder Brian Cropper three times to put the Crimson up 3-1, marking the first time all season the Red trailed by two goals.

Cornell buckled down, responding with four straight goals, but Harvard quickly scored two of its own to make it 5-5 in the final frame. But a penalty was called on the Crimson after its fifth goal, and sophomore forward Larry Fullan capitalized on the ensuing power play, giving the Red a 6-5 lead that it never relinquished.

Having claimed victory in the last three ECAC Championships,

Cornell sought a fourth title, but it would have to first defeat Clarkson to achieve that honor. Like its previous game against Harvard, the Red fought hard to grind out a victory.

In a back-and-forth contest

Tournament against Wisconsin, the Red faced an initial deficit after the Badgers scored an early goal.

But in the final two frames, Cornell completely smothered the Badgers’ offense, only con-

national title game.

During the first two periods, the teams alternated leads before the Red pulled away in the last period. Buoyed by Lodboa’s three third-period goals, Cornell secured a 6-4 vic-

between two exceptional goalies, Cropper and Clarkson’s Bruce Bullock, it was ultimately Cropper and the Red who prevailed. With the game tied at two apiece, senior forward John Hughes fired a shot past Bullock in the waning seconds of the third period, clinching the Red’s fourth straight ECAC title.

Final Hurdles

With a perfect regular season under its belt, Cornell only had two more opponents in its way of achieving national glory. In the first contest of the NCAA

ceding four shots. Meanwhile, the Red finally broke through in the third period, notching two goals against Wisconsin goaltender Wayne Thomas to vault itself into the National Championship game.

Cornell’s final opponent was a familiar titan — Clarkson. The Golden Knights hoped to avenge their loss in the ECAC title game and spoil the Red’s perfect season in Lake Placid. In the early going, Clarkson appeared on track to do just that, scoring in the first 20 seconds of the

tory over Clarkson, clinching the program’s second national title while also etching its name in NCAA history by becoming the only undefeated national champion.

Unmatched

In the years since, Cornell has retained a strong program, especially under head coach Mike Schafer ’86. Still, it remains fairly unlikely that the Red — let alone any other NCAA men’s hockey squad — will be able to achieve the same heights of the 1969-70 Cornell team.

Going out on top | Head coach Ned Harkness (top left, with daughter below) celebrates leading the Red to its second national title on March 21, 1970. Gesturing “number one” is future head coach Dick Bertrand ’70.

COURTESY OF UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL MEN’S HOCKEY

Reunited | The 1969-70 men’s hockey team reunites at Cornell in January 2020 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its historic season.

COURTESY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Wrestling Claims 43rd Ivy League Championship

By NATE KRACKELER Sun Staff Writer

This article was originally published May 8.

For the 43rd time in its history and the 20th time in the last 21 seasons, wrestling (10-3, 5-1 EIWA) lifted the Ivy League tr ophy following road victories over Princeton (5-5, 3-1 EIWA) on Saturday, Feb. 10 and then-No. 19 Penn (4-5, 3-2 EIWA) on Sunday, Feb. 11.

Before the Ivy League season, senior No. 7 Jacob Cardenas was clear about the team’s mindset in approaching the competition.

“We’re getting ready to smash those guys,” Cardenas said.

Throughout the start of the season, those words rang true, with Cornell winning its first three conference meets by enormous margins. Coming into the weekend with a perfect 3-0 record, the team knew that two wins would be enough for the conference title.

The Red started off the weekend on Friday night with a trip to New Jersey to face Princeton –– the lastest team to take the Ivy title over Cornell, claiming the championship in 2020. The Tigers have a strong wrestling pedigree, but were no match for the Red on Saturday.

The meet started out at 133 pounds, with senior No. 2 Vito Arujau taking the mat for the Red and setting the tone early with a 19-4 technical fall victory. Freshman Mark Botello followed and took home his first collegiate dual meet victory, winning in a 5-0 decision, before Cornell won four more matches in a row to go up 20-0.

Following a decision loss at 174 which made the score 20-3, the meet moved on to the heavier weights, where many of the strongest wrestlers for both teams faced off. At 184, senior No. 7 Chris Foca shook off a string of rough performances with a 17-4 major decision victory, before Cardenas earned a victory of his own in a grueling 4-2 contest against No. 24 Cole Urbas. Following two more Cornell wins to finish the meet, the Red took a 35-3 team victory.

On Saturday, Cornell faced its toughest test of the Ivy season when it traveled to face Penn. The only other ranked Ivy League team at the time, Penn has kept it close against tough teams all season, but faltered against Cornell’s superior athletes.

The meet started out with four straight matches ending in decisions, three to Cornell and one to Penn. Foca, freshman No. 6 Meyer Shapiro, and junior No. 4 Julian Ramirez wrestled tough for Cornell and earned hard-fought victories, while senior Benny Baker limited the damage against a formidable opponent in No. 6 Nick Incontrera, leaving the team score at 9-3.

The

of the remaining six matches, one a technical fall by senior No. 17 Lewis Fernandes, and claim the meet by a score of 26-8. The 18-point margin of victory was the smallest for the Red in a conference meet this season, illustrating total domination over its other Ivy competition. The Red lifted the trophy on Penn’s mat and claimed yet another Ivy League banner for its already expansive collection.

Given its historic chokehold over the conference, it is fitting that the Red won the final conference title decided by regular season record. The Ivy League is planning to switch to a postseason tournament starting next year, rendering the regular season championship moot going forward.

To continue reading this article please visit www.cornellsun.com

Women’s Hockey’s Izzy Daniel ’24

By ELI FASTIFF Sun Staff Writer

This article was originally published June 10.

After leading Cornell to the NCAA quarterfinals and earning just about every accolade available, Izzy Daniel ’24 will continue her hockey career in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

With the eighteenth overall pick on Monday, June 10 PWHL Toronto selected the Minneapolis native, who is now set to become the eighth Cornellian to lace up her skates in the league. Daniel was projected by many experts to be taken in the first two rounds, but concerns over her size (she is listed as 5 feet 5 inches) and lack of international experience may have factored into her slipping to the third round.

The 2024 PWHL Draft, held in Daniel’s home state of Minnesota, is the league’s second annual draft and will last seven rounds, with 42 players set to be selected. Princeton’s Sarah Fillier was selected with the first pick by PWHL New

York, while four out of the top six picks in the draft are products of the ECAC.

Daniel — who earned the Patty Kazmaier Award in March, given annually to the top women’s hockey player in the NCAA — led Cornell in both goals and assists during her junior and senior years. In the 2023-2024 season, the Cornell forward was second in the nation in assists per game (1.12), third in points per game (1.74) and seventh in goals per game (.62). In addition to receiving the Patty Kazmaier Award, Daniel was named both the Ivy League and ECAC Player of the Year, along with ECAC Forward of the Year. Daniel’s impressive senior campaign landed a spot on the All-ECAC and All-Ivy first teams.

PWHL Toronto is coming off a disappointing finish to an otherwise impressive first year, finishing first in the regular season but falling to Minnisota in the first round of the playoffs. The team, led by general manager Gina Kingsbury and coach Troy Ryan, selected Julia Gosling with the sixth overall pick in the first round.

To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com.

Red would win five

Sports

After 14 Years, Whitelaw Cup Returns to the Hill

Men’s hockey defeated St. Lawrence, 3-1, in the ECAC championship on Saturday

scribe how he felt on the biggest of stages:

This story was originally published on March 23.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. –– As the final buzzer sounded at Herb Brooks Arena, Cornell fans erupted.

The Red skated toward its goaltender, players tossing their gloves in the air.

Head coach Mike Schafer ’86 embraced his coaching staff.

“[It’s] outstanding to finally win a championship again — it’s been a long time,” Schafer said. “The belief within the locker never, ever wavered once throughout the course of the year.”

It had been a long time coming for Schafer and company. 14 years after its last title in 2010, men’s hockey defeated St. Lawrence, 3-1, in the ECAC championship game on Saturday. The win marks Cornell’s 13th Whitelaw Cup in program history, the most of any ECAC team.

Cornell had a scare after St. Lawrence pressed hard and cut a 2-0 lead to 2-1, but a late empty-net goal by junior forward Jack O’Leary iced the game for the Red. Freshman forward Jonathan Castagna notched two goals for Cornell, including the game-winner.

Cornell now awaits its next task –– the NCAA tournament.

“We’ve got to catch our breath. It’s a little bit of a sprint here and [we’ll] find out who we play, but we’ll be ready. It’ll take a little bit, but it’ll be fun,” Schafer said.

Rejuvenated after a successful early first-period penalty kill, Cornell got to work. A strong drive up the ice led to a pair of shots in rapid succession, and the trailer –– Castagna –– cleaned up the rebound with a backhand over the shoulder of St. Lawrence’s Ben Kraws.

When asked about both of his goals in the game, Castagna had few words to de-

“I would like to [say how it felt], but honestly, it was kind of a blur. It was a big game. … That first goal wasn’t the prettiest in the world, but it got in the back of the net.”

The goal broke a shutout stretch of 73:37 for the Saints, dating back to the third period of its second quarterfinal win against Colgate. St. Lawrence has received stellar goaltending from Kraws down the stretch, as the graduate student has maintained a save percentage of over .900 percent since Feb. 23.

But the goaltending on the other side was equally formidable. Junior goaltender Ian Shane stopped 31 pucks, including 14 in the second period, to cement the victory.

“[I don’t know] how he doesn’t get to be one of top three goaltenders in the country for the Mike Richer [Award]. I just don’t think that people have enough respect for him,” Schafer said. “And I don’t think he really cares, and he keeps plugging away. He’s been there for us all year. He was there again tonight and made big saves.”

Late in the first, Castagna nearly doubled the score singlehandedly when he poked the puck past a St. Lawrence defender and fired a shot all alone in the slot, but Kraws swallowed up the attempt and the rebound to prevent his team’s deficit from growing.

Though the second period began with a bout of St. Lawrence possession, Cornell was able to prevail and create rush chances the other way. It wasn’t long before Castagna got the second goal he was looking for.

In 1940, in what is now remembered as a stunning display of sportsmanship, Cornell — then the top team in the country, riding a 19-game winning streak — gave away an apparent 7-3 win against Dartmouth after realizing its last-second touchdown was scored on fifth down. A ‘Fifth Down’Game, Reviewed page 25

5:13 into the second period, Castagna cleaned up a loose puck around the net and tucked it past Kraws to make it 2-0. Castagna celebrated as his teammates engulfed him in a hug after his second tally. “[Castagna] and all the other freshmen –– all nine of them –– in the game tonight did a tremendous job,” Schafer said.

“Before the game, you think: ‘this is the last time we’ll have the ability to fight for this title with the same group of guys. It was incredibly special. What we’ve created is really special.”

Jonathan Castagna ’27

From there, Cornell’s stifling defensive unit –– which has been marquee to its style of play this season –– took the lead. Aided by Shane, Cornell was perfect on the penalty kill on Saturday, including a kill of a potentially momentum-altering penalty not long after Castagna’s second goal.

Not only did Cornell restrain a St. Lawrence power play that looked lethal in its semifinal game against Quinnipiac, the Red dismantled it –– the Saints struggled to get much going around the perimeter, and any shot taken from distance was easily gobbled up by Shane.

The Cornell netminder stood tall on Saturday, as he has all season long. Shane instilled a calm presence in the backend for the Red as the Saints began to threaten.

Cornell got an early power play chance to start off the third period, looking to score the potentially suffocating goal. There was no shortage of chances on Cornell’s second man-advantage, as the Red fired five shots on goal on the power play, but all were deterred by Kraws.

St. Lawrence took the penalty kill

Cornell fans really get into the Red spirit and we have the photos to prove it. Picture This!

Student Guide pages 24-25

as ammunition for its next attack –– as time expired, the Saints took the puck the other way and created a quick oddman rush. St. Lawrence’s 13th forward, Cameron Buhl, opted to shoot the puck instead of pass it across, beating Shane cleanly to halve the Cornell lead.

“[Kraws] made two saves -– I thought we put the game away to make it 3-0,” Schafer said with admiration for the Saints’ netminder. “And then they come right back down and score, and then everybody’s anxious.”

The third period was a nail-biter, as the Red looked to maintain its 2-1 lead. St. Lawrence found its footing in the final frame, creating a few elongated shifts in its offensive zone and tiring out the Cornell skaters.

Shane –– cool, calm and collected ––was the difference down the stretch, particularly when St. Lawrence pulled Kraws. Making big saves until the final buzzer, the junior netminder kept the Saints at bay.

O’Leary’s empty netter with under a minute left sealed the game for Cornell.

“It was a huge sense of relief,” Shane said. “You could feel in that third period –– they weren’t gonna go away quietly.”

The win clinches both the Whitelaw Cup and an automatic bid to the national tournament for Cornell. The Red will travel to Springfield, M.A., to take on Maine on Thursday. Puck drop for the regional semifinal matchup is slated for 5:30 p.m.

In the meantime, though, the Red will venture back to Ithaca with the Whitelaw Cup.

“Everyone’s so excited. That was our goal, after 14 years –– just to feel that, all the pent up emotions. … It was just such a fun weekend,” Shane said.

“Before the game, you think: ‘this is the last time we’ll have the ability to fight for this title with the same group of guys,’” Castagna said. “It was incredibly special. What we’ve created is really special.”

During the 1969-70 season, Cornell became the first — and so far, only — men’s hockey team to capture a national championship without suffering a single loss or draw.

No Losses, No Draws page 26

Kings of the ECAC | Cornell clinched the conference championship after finishing the regular season as the No. 2 seed. With the win, the Red receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

ANTHONY CORRALES / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

By JANE McNALLY Sun Sports Editor