3-12-25 entire issue hi res

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

MEET THE PLAYING FIELD

FASTIFF & JANE McNALLY Sun Senior Editors

Ohio State Regional:

March 13: Penn State vs. St. Lawrence, 7 p.m. March 15: Ohio State vs. Penn State/St. Lawrence, 6 p.m.

The Buckeyes — one of Cornell’s five out-of-conference opponents this season — are set up to be the Red’s Frozen Four matchup should both teams win their respective regions. The defending national champion has the second-best offense in the country behind Wisconsin. On that end of the ice, the Buckeyes are led by sophomore Joy Dunne. Dunne — a Patty Kazmeier finalist — averages nearly 1.5 points per game.

The battle to face the Buckeyes should be one of the best of the tournament’s opening round. St. Lawrence barely made the tournament after falling to Colgate in the ECAC semifinals, grabbing the last at-large bid.

While St. Lawrence lacks some of the star power of higher-ranked schools, it has proven that it can hang with the best in the nation by notching wins over Colgate, Clarkson and Quinnipiac. Led by ECAC second team forward Abby Hustler and ECAC third team goaltender Emma-Sofie Nordström (.935 save percentage), St. Lawrence is a real threat in the tournament despite its shaky credentials.

Rounding out the region is Penn State. While flawed, the Nittany Lions have star forward Tessa Janecke, who has racked up the accolades. The 2025 AHA Player of the Year is the Penn State program record holder (for both men’s and women’s) for points and is a two-time Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist. However, it’s important to note that the AHA is one of the country’s weaker conferences. By taking on a top team in the strong ECAC, Penn State has a chance to prove that its success this season is not a product of a weak schedule.

Eli’s Predictions:

Penn State over St. Lawrence

Ohio State over Penn State

Jane’s Predictions:

St. Lawrence over Penn State

Ohio State over St. Lawrence

Alexis’ Predictions:

St. Lawrence over Penn State

Ohio State over St. Lawrence

Wisconsin Regional:

March 13: Clarkson vs. Boston University, 8 p.m.

March 15: Wisconsin vs. Clarkson/BU, 3 p.m.

The favorites since pre-season, the Badgers have looked unstoppable. The 2023 national champion and 2024 runner-up has just a single loss this year, a 3-2 defeat to Ohio State on Nov. 16. Since then, the Badgers have gone 22-02. After dispatching Minnesota Duluth in the semifinals, Wisconsin scored with just 25 seconds remaining in regulation to defeat Minnesota 4-3 and take home the Western Collegiate Hockey Association crown. The Badgers enter the tournament with the nation's best offense, defense and the three highest point-scorers. Those three forwards — Casey O'Brien, Kirsten Simms and Laila Edwards, along with defender Caroline Harvey — make up four of the 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier award.

Hoping to upset the Badgers are Clarkson and Boston University. Fans of Cornell are familiar with the Golden Knights, who took the Red to three overtimes in the ECAC semifinals before losing in heartbreaking fashion. Clarkson has arguably the best defensive pairing in the nation composed of Haley Winn and Nicole Gosling, two ECAC first-teamers. However, the key for Clarkson is in net. While starting just 18 games this season, Holly Gruber came alive in the ECAC playoffs, posting a .953 save percentage in her past three ECAC tournament games. If Gruber can keep up her recent hot streak, Clarkson should be

2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT

able to get by BU and give Wisconsin a real test. Hockey East’s sole representative in the tournament, Boston University, is coming off a stressful Cinderella run in its conference’s postseason tournament. After finishing just a single point behind first-place University of Connecticut in the regular season, the Terriers won three straight overtime playoff games to grab Hockey East's auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. While Clarkson will enter the regional semifinal matchup the favorite, BU’s combination of luck and overtime prowess could be lethal in a close game.

Eli’s Predictions: Clarkson over Boston University Wisconsin over Clarkson

Jane’s Predictions: Boston University over Clarkson Wisconsin over Boston University Alexis’ Predictions: Clarkson over Boston University Wisconsin over Clarkson

Minnesota Regional: March 15: Minnesota vs. Colgate, 3 p.m.

After failing to win the ECAC championship for the first time since 2020, Colgate will be hungry to erase the memory of a disappointing end to its conference play. The Raiders certainly have the talent to make a run in March, boasting talented forward and NCAA goals leader Kristýna Kaltounková — an ECAC first teamer and Patty Kazmaier finalist. Kaltountová’s physical, aggressive and offensive style has resulted in the fourth-most goals and penalty minutes in the nation. Kaltounková also tends to heat up in the postseason, having scored a goal in her past three NCAA Tournament games. In net is ECAC second team member Hannah Murphy, who holds a .940 save percentage.

On the other hand, Minnesota head coach Brad Frost is looking for his fifth national title

behind the bench, bringing a rock-solid team to the tournament headlined by forward Abbey Murphy. Like Kaltounková, Murphy is a Patty Kazmaier finalist and is often at the top of 2025 Professional Women’s Hockey League mock drafts. The redshirt senior is the highest non-Badger points scorer this season — scoring 12 points in her last six games, including a three-point performance in Minnesota’s upset win over Ohio State in the WCHA semifinals. Minnesota will have one final advantage over Colgate: Ridder Arena. The Raiders are just 11-6-0 on the road (compared to 18-2-0 at home) and seemed to struggle in front of a hostile road crowd in Ithaca.

Eli’s Prediction: Minnesota over Colgate

Jane’s Prediction: Minnesota over Colgate

Alexis’ Prediction: Minnesota over Colgate

Cornell Regional:

March 13: Minnesota Duluth vs. Sacred Heart University, 7 p.m.

March 15: Cornell vs. Minnesota Duluth/Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.

See pg. 3 of the supplement for The Sun’s Cornell playoff preview.

Eli’s Predictions: Minnesota Duluth over Sacred Heart

Jane’s Predictions: Minnesota Duluth over Sacred Heart

Alexis’ Predictions: Minnesota Duluth over Sacred Heart

No. 3 Women’s Hockey Downs Colgate, 5-1, Secures Fifth ECAC Title

JANE McNALLY Sun Senior Editor

March 8 — Five years ago, women’s hockey was in a similar position to where it was on Saturday afternoon.

The 2019-2020 squad was one of the top-ranked teams in the nation — No. 1, to be exact — and was hosting the ECAC championship game at Lynah Rink. It had taken down Harvard in decisive fashion the afternoon prior.

Kristin O’Neill ’20, now a skater on the Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, opened the scoring 1:26 in the 2020 title game.

In the 2025 title game, junior forward Mckenna Van Gelder scored 1:13 into the game.

On March 8, 2020, Cornell took a 2-0 lead thanks to Gillis Frechette ’23, scoring just over a minute after O’Neill. Fast forward five years, freshman forward Lindzi Avar scored within a minute of Van Gelder to double the lead.

But what the 2025 Cornell team did that the 2020 team did not, was keep that lead.

In fact, it took the lead and ran with it. Exactly five years since its heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Princeton in the 2020 ECAC tournament, Cornell defeated rival No. 5 Colgate, 5-1, in the ECAC championship game on Saturday, ending an 11-year title drought and securing head coach Doug Derraugh's ’91 fifth title.

“[It was] a hard-fought win against a really good team. Really proud of our group,” Derraugh said. “Really proud

of the women, pretty excited for them.”

Cornell scored twice within the first two minutes to squash any Colgate momentum. After Colgate halved the score in the second period, sophomore forward Karel Prefontaine made it 3-1 in the third period before the Red tacked on two empty-net goals to ice the win.

The Red also took care of unfinished business — these two teams met in last year’s ECAC semifinal game, one that Colgate took, 5-1. Cornell responded a year later by handing that same score to the Raiders.

“To be able to come out on the other side of this today [is] just an amazing feeling,” Bergmann said. The sophomore netminder finished the game with 27 games, and was named the ECAC Tournament MVP after stopping 81 of 83 shots she faced across both games.

Van Gelder first buried a loose puck after a scrum ensued in front of Colgate netminder Hannah Murphy.

And before the public address announcer could finish announcing Van Gelder’s goal, the lead doubled.

“Coming into a big game like this, you’d think I’d be super nervous, but I’m not, just because I know my team has my back,” Avar said. “It takes every single one of us.”

Avar secured her team-leading 15th goal of the season by firing the puck past Murphy’s glove side 25 seconds after Van Gelder, sending the 1,870 fans at Lynah Rink to their feet.

“I think that also played a huge part [in] the start of the game,” Derraugh said. “We had that kind of atmosphere

yesterday in that Clarkson game, so we were accustomed to it. I think it really shocked them.”

The home-ice advantage — unique to the women’s ECAC tournament as the men’s tournament is held annually in Lake Placid, New York — was essential.

“I think the crowd helped us immensely today, especially coming back from a three-overtime game,” Derraugh said. “The crowd was just roaring today.”

When tested, Bergmann showed little fatigue after stopping 54 shots in Friday’s triple-overtime semifinal win.

The ECAC Goaltender of the Year batted away all eight Colgate shots in the first period.

The Raiders found an answer to Bergmann in the second period, halting a shutout streak spanning 108:15 minutes of play, dating back to the second period of Friday’s game.

Cornell nearly escaped the second period — one that Colgate had controlled — relatively unscathed, but a referee finally put one arm in the air after senior forward Kaitlin Jockims had slashed the stick of a Colgate skater with 29 seconds left in the period.

1:31 of Raider power play time would bleed into the final frame, with the Red 20 minutes away from securing its first ECAC title since 2014.

But the Raiders could not find the back of the net, as Colgate continued to look disjointed amidst the Cornell pressure, with even star forward Kristýna Kaltounková whiffing on a one-timer for

the Raiders.

Cornell continued to apply pressure as Jockims skated freely out of the box.

At the 12:47 mark, Colgate’s Jaimee Spring lifted her stick up high on a Cornell skater, sending the Red to its first power play of the evening.

Having converted twice on the power play the night prior, Cornell’s skater-advantage unit took the ice looking to make it 3/4 on the power play across the championship weekend.

That it would do.

Junior defender Alyssa Regalado’s initial shot from the point was deflected wide by Avar, but the puck bounced right onto the tape of sophomore forward Karel Prefontaine, who buried it into the open net and gave the Red its much-needed breathing room.

That third goal is something Cornell could not find on March 8, 2020.

“This team, what they’ve done really well all year long, regardless of the score, regardless of the game, regardless of anything — they just keep doing the same thing over and over and over again and they don’t go off script,” Derraugh said.

Two empty-netters, one by Jockims and the other by senior forward Katie Chan — a former member of Colgate — iced the title for Cornell.

With the win, Cornell punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament.

“It’s a little cliche, but it’s what you dream of as a little kid, and that’s why you play the game,” Avar said. “It’s a phenomenal feeling. You’re not going to forget that.”

Cornell secured the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and will meet the winner of Sacred Heart vs. Minnesota Duluth in the regional final.

"Job’s far from done,” Avar said.

ELI

Champions | Saturday's win sealed Derraugh's fifth ECAC title.

LEILANI BURKE / SUN SENIOR EDITOR

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

17 Responsible For Disruption of Israel-Palestine Panel

By YUHAN HUANG and OLIVIA HOLLOWAY

Sun Staff Writer and Sun Senior Writer

March 11 — At least 17 pro-Palestinian attendees were arrested or detained on Monday by Cornell University Police Department officers at Pathways to Peace, a panel discussion that brought together four experts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a “wide-ranging conversation” on “potential paths forward for the people of Israel and Palestine,” according to the event’s description.

In a statement from Interim President Michael Kotlikoff sent on Tuesday, he explained that CUPD identified 17 people responsible for the disruptions, nine of whom are students who will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for “appropriate action, including the imposition of interim measures up to and including suspension.”

Kotlikoff further explained that University staff will be referred to Human Resources for disciplinary actions and outside demonstrators will be issued “persona non grata status” and be barred from campus.

Kotlikoff also said in his statement that Students for Justice in Palestine, a pro-Palestinian campus organization which helped to advertise and organize the event disruption, “faces suspension as a registered campus organization.”

Moderating the event in Bailey Hall was Ryan Crocker, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon. The panelists were Salam Fayyad, the former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Tzipi Livni, the former vice prime minister and former foreign minister of Israel and Daniel Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel.

According to a press release from SJP, students and community members were arrested and charged with disorderly

conduct during the walkout. Protesters were escorted out of Bailey Hall after disrupting the event with pro-Palestine chants, making noise when panelists were talking and posing unscripted questions.

The panel met resistance before it began from SJP announcing an “emergency walkout” in a Saturday Instagram post. According to the post, SJP and other pro-Palestine organizations planned to walk out to protest what they viewed as “Cornell University’s decision to invite war criminals to our campus.”

Livni faced war crime allegations and a warrant for her arrest in the UK in 2009 for her decisions made before and during a three-week-long Israeli offensive in Palestine, Operation Cast Lead, while she was Israel’s foreign minister and member of the Israeli war cabinet. The warrant was withdrawn when it was discovered that she was not in the UK.

Kotlikoff wrote in a column to The Sun on March 5 that the event would uphold “Cornell’s twin commitments to access and to open inquiry and expression” with “open inquiry” that “enables both students and citizens to see and respect other’s views.”

A March 10 opinion column to The Sun written by Hasham Khan ’26 on behalf of SJP detailed how the panel was “unbalanced” in favor of Israeli voices and why SJP would be leading a walkout.

“There is not a single Palestinian voice of resistance, not a single scholar or activist representing the realities of Palestinian oppression,” Khan wrote in the article.

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

Yuhan Huang can be reached at yhuang@cornellsun.com.

ED Warns Cornell of ‘Enforcement Action’ Over Antisemitism Concerns

By BENJAMIN

March 11 — Cornell is one of 60 universities that received letters from the U.S. Department of Education warning them to address antisemitism on their campuses or face “enforcement action,” according to an ED press release on Monday. This is the latest move by the Trump administration to threaten universities over antisemitism concerns amid student activism that erupted after the Oct. 7 attacks and the war in Gaza.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 29 titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” which set measures for “[higher education] institutions to monitor for and report activities by alien students.” After Trump signed the executive order, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a Columbia University graduate, who had been a lead negotiator at the school’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” in the spring of 2024.

Columbia was among five universities that were initially investigated for antisemitism in an ED probe announced on Feb 3. Subsequently, the Task Force to Combat AntiSemitism — formed out of several

federal agencies — canceled approximately $400 million in federal funds to Columbia, citing “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”

Now, Cornell faces a similar inquiry. Monday’s ED press release warns Cornell and other universities of “potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act [of 1964].” This includes allowing Jewish students “uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities.”

The Monday ED statement specified that the letters were addressed to educational institutions with ongoing investigations for Title VI violations related to antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

“Cornell is in receipt of the letter. We look forward to working with the administration to address this important issue, and are committed to preventing antisemitic harassment and discrimination,” wrote Cornell Media Relations in a statement to The Sun.

Patrick Dai ’24 was charged in October 2023 in connection to the antisemitic threats posted on the anonymous discussion forum Greekrank, including one that threatened a mass shooting at 104 West, the home of

the Center for Jewish Living and the University’s kosher dining hall. A few weeks Patrick Dai ’24 was charged in October 2023 in connection to the antisemitic threats, the ED launched an investigation into antisemitism and Islamophobia targeting Cornell and six other universities for Title IX violations.

Patrick Dai ’24 pleaded guilty in April 2024 and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison in August 2024.

Rep. Jason Smith (R-M.O.), chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, sent a series of letters to former President Martha Pollack in January 2024 regarding concerns about Cornell’s “approach to protecting Jewish students” amid pro-Palestinan demonstrations on campus. At the time, Smith specifically named the Coalition for Mutual Liberation as an organization that “appears designed to avoid discipline,” further citing a CML-led rally in front of Day Hall where protestors praised Yemeni Houthi rebels.

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

Avery Wang can be reached at ahwang@cornellsun.com. Olivia Holloway can be reached at oholloway@cornellsun.

Benjamin Leynse can be reached a bleynse@cornellsun.com.

Cornell Task Force Will Examine ‘How, When’ Institutional Voice Is Used

March 11 — Cornell announced the “Presidential Task Force On Institutional Voice,” a task force to examine “how and when the University should speak institutionally on matters of politics, ideology, current affairs, and world events” in a statement by Interim President Michael Kotlikoff, Provost Kavita Bala and Provost for Medical Affairs Robert Harrington on Tuesday.

The task force, led by Cornell Law School’s Dean Jens Ohlin and Prof. and Deputy Provost Avery August, immunology, will define Cornell’s approach to responding to societal and global issues.

The University has also tasked the group with discussing how the University’s “mission as an academic enterprise” influences its institutional voice, in addition to exploring how institutional voice impacts individual voices of the Cornell community.

As one of his first presidential actions, Kotlikoff announced in August that the president and provost would refrain from commenting on national or global events that do not directly impact the University.

“Administrative actions must be consistent and content neutral,” Kotlikoff wrote. “In furtherance of institutional neutrality and deference to the many and diverse views in the Cornell community, the President and Provost will refrain from opining on national or global events that do not directly impact the university.”

Throughout this semester, the task force plans to develop a framework for “institutional speech,” including guidelines for when Cornell should speak publicly.

LEYNSE Sun News Editor

By AVERY WANG Sun Senior Writer

Speech stopped | Students activists walkout out of the “Pathways to Peace”, disrupting the event as they shouted slogans.

STEPHAN MENASCHE / SUN ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

A LISTING OF FREE CAMPUS EVENTS

Tomorrow Today

BeComing Speaker Series with the Asian and Asian American Center: Jenny Jiang Noon - 1 p.m., 626 Thurston Avenue

Midday Music for Organ: Jack Yarborough 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., Sage Chapel

Interdisciplinary Psychology Club Speaker Series: Prof. Janet Loebach

5 p.m. - 6 p.m., G22 Goldwin Smith Hall

Queer Sex Ed with Planned Parenthood 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., Room 106, 626 Thurston Avenue

“A World Without Cows” Screening with Dairy Science Club 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., 146 Morrison Hall

Cornell Cinema, East Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program and QGrads Screening: “Song Lang” 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., Cornell Cinema

The Iliad in Ithaca: Re-reading the Trojan War

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Klarman Hall Atrium

Giving Day University Celebration

11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room and Browsing Library

Soup & Hope: Sarah Janusz Noon - 1 p.m., Sage Chapel

Portraits of Monica: Augustine’s Mother Across His Early Works, Lecture and Q&A by Dawn LaValle Norman 5 p.m. - 6 p.m., A.D. White House Free ZUMBA

6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., B16 Helen Newman Hall

Cornell Film Club Screening: “La Dolce Vita” (1960)

7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., B21 Schwartz Performing Arts Center

SUNBURSTS: ECAC Championship

In two heated matchups, Cornell Women’s Ice Hockey faced some of the best teams in the conference to become the 2025 ECAC Champions

By SUN PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

FIRST GOAL | Forward Lily Delianedis ’25 celebrates after scoring Cornell’s first goal against Clarkson, giving the Red a 1-0 lead.

PACK LYNAH | Over 1,800 Cornell fans showed up at Lynah Rink Saturday afternoon to support women’s hockey in the ECAC title game against Colgate.

GOLDEN GOALTENDING | ECAC Goaltender of the Year Annelies Bergmann ’27 made 54 saves over the course of the matchup.

HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE | The No. 3-ranked Red had home-ice advantage. Student support from the Lynah Faithful led the team to a win.

TRIPLE OVERTIME | The Friday afternoon contest was attended by over 1,400 fans, and the two teams remained tied for so long that the game was pushed into triple overtime.

THREE CHEERS FOR CORNELL | Karel Prefontaine ’27 scored in the third period to put the Red up 3-1.

VICTORIOUS FINALISTS | After an intense four-hour contest, Delianedis scored her second goal, securing the Red a spot in the ECAC championship game the next day.

TRIUMPH | Mckenna Van Gelder ’26, who scored the contest’s opening goal, holds up the ECAC championship trophy.

Nathan Ellison / Sun Staf Photographer Photo

Nathan Ellison / Sun Staf Photographer

Leilani Burke / Sun Senior Photographer

Leilani Burke / Sun Senior Photographer

Leilani Burke / Sun Senior Photographer

Leilani Burke / Sun Senior Photographer

Nathan Ellison / Sun Staf Photographer

Leilani Burke / Sun Senior Photographer

Student Assembly Passes Resolution to Protect Immigrant Students

By HOPE THOMAS

Sun Staff Writer

March 7 — Over 100 undergraduates, graduates, faculty and community members packed into the Willard Straight Hall memorial room to show support for Resolution 37, “Protecting Immigrant Students,” at Thursday’s Student Assembly meeting. The legislation, which passed with two abstentions, seeks to increase protections for students who are undocumented, international, Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals, refugees and other immigrants at Cornell.

This resolution comes amid concerns for the safety of international students following numerous executive orders issued by the Trump administration, statements by the University to international students regarding possible immigration changes in 2025 and the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid that occurred in Ithaca.

The University addressed these concerns in two emails, on Jan. 28 and on Feb. 21, assuring students that the University “remains committed to continuing its support of all members of the University community,” but also remains committed to following the law.

However, many students, including the Cornell Progressives, felt this was insufficient support. With this resolution, students called upon the University to take more action.

“Cornell’s administration has put out a number of statements in the last couple of weeks since the new administration took office, but we want to see the protections that they’ve promised enacted in permanent policy,” said Adriana Vink ’27, co-outreach chair of The Cornell Progressives and an author of Resolution 37, in an interview with the Sun.

At the S.A. meeting, representatives from numerous student organizations came to express their support for the resolution. This included Asian Pacific Americans for Action, International Students Association, Latinx Association of Pre-Laws, Native American and Indigenous Students and many others.

One of the main recommendations in Resolution 37 is for the University to implement annual mandatory “Know Your Rights” training for Cornell students during first-year orientation, providing them with the proper language to address ICE. Additionally, training would be given to inform the Cornell University Police Department and University faculty and staff on “proper conduct” when engaging with ICE requests, according to the resolution.

The resolution also urges the University to ensure that punishment to international students who break the code of conduct should not put their visa at risk of cancellation. This comes after concerns last fall surrounding the suspension and risk of deportation of graduate student Momodou Taal, who was suspended for involvement in the Sept. 18 career fair

disruption featuring defense contractors Boeing and L3Harris.

According to the resolution, this training seeks to clarify that members of the Cornell community are not required to grant permission to search Cornell premises or Cornell records, answer any questions by ICE or external law enforcement officials or accept any search warrants without first consulting with CUPD and/or the Office of the General Counsel.

Another goal within Resolution 37 is introducing the Welcome Corps on Campus initiative. The WCC is designed for universities to “play a leading role in resettling refugee students,” according to the resolution.

The WCC is under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Through this program, refugees are able to enroll in undergraduate programs and legally live in the United States. These students are also able to receive financial aid from the federal government and have the right to work.

Another demand from Resolution 37 is that if Cornell community members are “targeted for deportation,” then the University should provide “free legal immigration assistance,” according to the resolution. This includes a call for the University to always provide international students with access to legal representation from the Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic.

Adam Vinson ’25, executive vice president of the S.A. and an author of the resolution, expressed hope that the administration would consider and implement the points in the resolution.

“The University doesn’t always accept [resolutions] because, at the end of the day, we are doing a recommendation. But the student body has gathered around this issue, and they support us on this,” Vinson said. “They’re with us and we’re with them. So I think it would be kind of a betrayal for the administration to not take at least some of these points in.”

Ultimately, Vinson wants the Cornell immigrant community to know that “the Student Assembly has [their] back.”

Yihun Stith ’26, co-outreach Chair for the Cornell Progressives and one of the authors of Resolution 37, shared the experience of an international student refusing to sign their name in support of the resolution despite agreeing with its sentiment. According to Stith, immigrants on campus hesitate to share their political opinions for fear of facing reparations such as deportation.

“I think that is very indicative to me that many international students here are scared to protest, to demonstrate [or] to show some type of resistance,” Stith said.

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

‘Hilariously

Naïve’: Faculty Reacts to Sen. Cruz’s Scrutiny of NSF Grants

By EMMA GALGANO Sun Staff Writer

March 7 — Following Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-T.X.) release of a report detailing how the National Science Foundation funding “flows to support left-wing ideological crusades masked as ‘academic research,’” Cornell researchers have reacted with both criticism and support.

Cruz, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee chairman, released a database on Feb. 11 identifying over 3,400 National Science Foundation grants — including 22 awarded to Cornell — as “promot[ing] Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or advanc[ing] neo-Marxist class warfare propaganda.”

How NSF Funding Is Awarded

The NSF — an independent executive agency — funds fundamental research in science and engineering, excluding medical sciences.

To secure an NSF grant, proposals are evaluated on two key criteria: intellectual merit and broader impact. The NSF defines intellectual merit as “encompasses the potential to advance knowledge.” Examples of desired broader impacts include inclusion, societal well-being, national security and infrastructure outcomes.

Inclusion refers to “increasing and including the participation of women, persons with disabilities and underrepresented minorities in STEM,” according to the NSF website. “Women,” “Underrepresented,” “Minorities” and “Disabilities” are all keywords used to flag research in the Cruz-led study.

‘Misused for Political Purposes’: Senior Lecturer Christine Leuenberger Science and Technology Studies Senior Lecturer Christine Leuenberger is currently an Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignee for the NSF, where she serves as a program director in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. Leuenberger emphasized the importance of projects having a broader impact, saying, “The NSF prioritizes making STEM accessible to everyone across all states because, to remain competitive, the U.S. needs a diverse and well-prepared STEM workforce.”

The America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2010 mandated the NSF to continue using broader impacts as a key criterion for evaluating its grants, which they began in 1997.

The Cruz-led investigation alleges that the 3,400 NSF grants under the Biden-Harris administration promote DEI

initiatives that “have poisoned research efforts, eroded confidence in the scientific community, and fueled division among Americans.”

In response, Leuenberger said that the Biden-Harris administration, in comparison, had “reinforced scientific integrity across all federal agencies, ensuring that science is based on sound rationale and evidence rather than being misused for political purposes.”

‘Nothing Ideological About This Grant’: Prof. Bharath Hariharan NSF grant recipient Prof. Bharath Hariharan, computer science, whose research grant was singled out by Cruz as prioritizing “gender,” “race” and “status,” dismissed the senator’s accusations as “hilariously naïve.”

Hariharan received an NSF grant totaling $305,032 from the Faculty Early Career Development Program, or CAREER, which began in March 2022.

The program provides NSF awards to early-career faculty who show potential to be role models in both research and education. The integration of research and teaching aims to develop future scientists that will advance their academic field and support their department’s mission.

His research focuses on advancing computer vision technology — systems that enable machines to interpret and understand visual data. A key aspect of his work is developing models that can learn from smaller datasets, reducing the reliance on large, meticulously labeled image collections, which are often expensive and time-consuming to create.

Reducing this dependence, Hariharan said, addresses both ethical and financial challenges. Annotated datasets are costly to compile, and labeling them requires specialized expertise. “To annotate the data, you need to be an expert — a scientist,” he said.

Hariharan explained that even the Department of Defense faces this issue.

“The data [the Department of Defense] use[s] is classified, so they can’t just ask a random person on the street to be an annotator,” Hariharan said. “They have to hire someone, grant them clearance, and then have them label the data. So, annotations are difficult to get.”

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

Student support | A full audience gathered to support the passage of Student Assembly Resolution 37.

HANNAH ROSENBERG/SUN FILE PHOTO

S.A. Ofce of Ethics Proposes New Code

By AVERY WANG Sun Senior Writer

March 8 — The Student Assembly heard a second reading of Resolution 18, which proposes a new Code of Ethics for the Office of Ethics during a Thursday meeting. If passed, the code will replace the office’s first governing document, which was written in May 2022.

Resolution 18, which was sponsored by members of the Office of Ethics and first introduced on Jan. 23, formally outlines the office’s responsibilities and procedures, including its complaint hearing process.

In 2022, the Assembly founded the Office of Ethics to serve as an impartial and external executive office to handle ethical concerns. Since then, the Office of Ethics has navigated a presidential succession crisis in Spring 2023 and internal misconduct allegations during Spring 2024, leaving some members unclear about the scope of its abilities, functions and complaint procedures.

Sophia Arnold ’26, director of the Office of Ethics, said that the new code aims to strengthen accountability measures and increase the office’s transparency within the Assembly. The code, she said, was drawn “entirely” from the Assembly’s charter, bylaws and previously approved ethics resolutions.

Arnold stated the office has relied

on recalling past precedents each year, depending on institutional memory rather than a formal framework. She said that was not the Assembly’s intent when it created the office.

“When ethics concerns arise with no means of resolution, it weakens the Assembly’s ability to work for the student body,” Arnold said. “This code ensures that there are institutional breaks on unethical behavior and potential abuses of power, ensuring that the Assembly can always fulfill the purpose of representing our community.”

Arnold, along with six other voting members of the office, including ethics director emeritus and current voting member Alhassan Bangura ’25, sponsored the resolution.

“The purpose of this resolution is not to change the Office of Ethics,” Arnold said. “Under this new code, very little will change about how [the Office of Ethics] currently operates.”

The proposed code states that any member of the Cornell community seeking to report an ethical concern or controversy regarding an Assembly member may file a complaint within a year following the term that the alleged ethical violation occurred. The current code does not include a timeline for when complaints must be filed.

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

Avery Wang can be reached ahwang@cornellsun.com.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin ’98 Talks Democracy in Democratic Rebuttal to Trump’s Address

By SKYLAR KLEINMAN Sun Senior Writer

March 6 — Sen. Elissa Slotkin ’98 (D-M.I.) highlighted issues in the economy, government efficiency, immigration and foreign policy in a rebuttal speech to President Donald Trump’s Congressional address on Tuesday night.

Slotkin, the junior senator from Michigan, previously served Michigan’s 7th District for three terms in the House of Representatives. Slotkin is the first Cornellian to be elected to the Senate since former Sen. Mark Kirk ’81 (R-I.L.) lost his re-election bid in 2016. She is the fifth Cornell graduate to ever serve in the U.S. Senate.

Speaking live from Wyandotte, Michigan, Slotkin emphasized Democrats’ discontent with Trump’s second-term policies in the Democratic rebuttal to Trump’s joint congressional address.

Trump’s first address — the longest in modern history — covered immigrants and crime, trade and tariffs and his return to the White House after defeating Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

Many attending members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus wore pink, signaling a “protest of Trump’s policies which are negatively impacting women and families” according to Caucus Chair Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) in an interview with TIME Magazine.

Among them, wearing a bright pink dress, Rep. Melanie Stansbury MS ’07 (D-N.M.) garnered national attention for holding a sign that read, “This is not normal,” which was grabbed from her by Rep. Lance Gooden (R-T.X.).

Stansbury, who attended the University and the Cornell in Washington program, earned a master’s degree in community and regional sociology before entering a career in public service.

Stansbury has served New Mexico’s 1st District since 2021 and defended her act of civil disobedience amid criticism and public disapproval from Republicans, including Gooden.

“We’ve never seen a constitutional takeover like this president is trying to do right now, and we’re not going to normalize it and treat it like business as usual,” Stansbury said, emphasizing the need to protest “illegal abuses of power.”

Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced that Slotkin would deliver the rebuttal speech following Trump’s address. Schumer described Slotkin as “nothing short of a rising star in our

party” amid her selection.

In the November 2024 election, Slotkin defeated former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-M.I) in the race to fill former Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-M.I.) seat, despite Trump winning the battleground state with a 1.4-point lead over Harris.

Despite Slotkin’s relatively recent entrance into public office in 2018, Democrats have highlighted her significance to the party as a moderate figure capable of resonating with conservatives on economic and national security issues.

In her 10-minute speech, Slotkin discussed economic issues, focusing specifically on the increasing price of groceries and prescriptions, tariffs on Mexico and Canada, possible cuts to retirement programs including Social Security and Medicare and the increasing national debt.

A.D. White Professor-at-Large Theda Skocpol, a Wyandotte, Michigan native who specializes in comparative American politics, considered Slotkin’s economic focus effective for Democrats.

“Hitting themes like Social Security and health care that middle of the road Americans care about made sense,” Skocpol wrote in an email to The Sun.

Slotkin also criticized Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency — headed by Elon Musk — on its recent mass accidental firing of government employees.

“The mindless firing of people who work to protect our nuclear weapons, keep our planes from crashing and conduct the research that finds the cure for cancer — only to rehire them two days later? No CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired,” Slotkin said.

Skocpol also praised Slotkin’s “common sense tone” in discussing economic and other issues.

“[Democrats] need to point out the most unpopular and weird things Trump and Musk are saying and doing, not do a lot of yelling or try to denounce everything at once,” Skocpol wrote.

On border policy, Slotkin emphasized her background in national security while criticizing the Trump administration for taking irresponsible action in its mass deportations.

Slotkin formerly served as a CIA Middle East analyst, completing three tours in Iraq before holding several defense and intelligence positions in the Bush and Obama White House and in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

“Securing the border without actually fixing our broken immigration system is dealing with the symptom and not the disease,” Slotkin said. “America is a nation of immigrants. We need a functional system — keyed to the needs of our economy — that allows vetted people to come and work here legally.”

Slotkin also criticized Trump on his recent outburst during his meeting last week with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that Trump’s relationship with Putin shows a dependency that suggests that “in his heart, [Trump] doesn’t believe we are an exceptional nation.”

Amid widespread partisan polarization, Slotkin emphasized uniting the Democratic platform through a common goal to preserve democracy, saying, “Our democracy, no matter how messy, is unparalleled and worth fighting for.”

She stressed that Americans must continue to pay attention, hold elected officials accountable and organize around political issues in their communities.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced significant and tumultuous change as a country,” Slotkin said. “I’m a student of history, and we’ve gone through periods of political instability before. And ultimately, we’ve chosen to keep changing this country for the better.”

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143rd Editorial Board

JULIA SENZON ’26

Bridgewater, N.J. Editor in Chief

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Tis Giving Day, Help Te Sun Keep Shining

At 5 p.m. every night, Te Sun’s editors gather in Zeus atrium or our downtown Ithaca offce to meticulously refne the grammar, angles and sourcing of dozens of articles until daylight breaks. Our writers craft features to make our audience’s days a little brighter and stay on call to cover breaking news for our around-the-clock coverage.

We diligently commit to this work not for monetary or professional gain but out of a genuine and unyielding passion to inform and engage with our readers.

Since 1880, Te Sun has remained fercely independent. We retain no fnancial or editorial ties to the University, answering to no one but you — our readers. Our independence serves as a crucial example of what a newspaper should look like in an era where journalists’ voices are beholden to the whim of billionaire owners and challenged by a hostile federal government.

Tis Giving Day, we ask for your support to ensure Te Sun continues to thrive. Your contributions to our Tursday, March 13 Giving Day campaign help sustain our newsroom, fund essential multimedia equipment and most importantly keep our coverage accessible to the Cornell and greater Ithaca community.

For nearly a century and a half, Te Sun has been a platform for accountability, a catalyst for pivotal conversations and a bridge connecting the campus community. With your support, we can continue to fund that mission for generations to come, keeping Te Sun doing what it does best — shining.

Senzon

Hannia Arevalo

Hannia Arevalo is the Graphics Editor on the Cornell Sun’s 143rd Editorial Board. Tey are a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Government and Near Eastern Studies. A native Texan and proud Mexican-American, they hope to provide satirical cartoons expressing their political perspectives. Tey can be reached at hia8@cornell.edu.

You Don’t Know What’s Happening at the Border

As a Mexican-American student activist, I have long felt the weight of speaking out about the fear that permeates the small region I call home. Most people will hear about New York City, Boston or Chicago, but few ever hear about the atrocities occurring in the Rio Grande Valley (or RGV). And even fewer still understand the violence, dehumanization and constant surveillance that define daily life there.

I have experienced almost every form of racial profiling and dehumanization you can think of: I have been threatened by Border Patrol for wearing headphones while crossing the border, I have had my citizenship status questioned while the Border Patrol officer examines my very legitimate Texas ID (which you cannot get without a US birth certificate) and I have had countless phone calls with my parents actively expressing their fear even when they themselves are legal because we all know just how easily an innocent question can turn into an indiscriminate roundup.

The coverage of ICE raids in a local tortilleria and the sudden swarm of “targeted operations” has fragmented the RGV community. While our sheriff hollowly assures that they are only pursuing criminals, us RGV citizens know that everyone is at risk. We are Mexican-Americans, and we also know the blatant hypocrisy in that statement given the historical precedent of Operation Wetback. And we are not alone — every immigrant deemed a “national security threat” has a target on their back. The asylum seekers in Plaza de la República know it too.

You might be asking, why the sudden need to express this?

Because I am deeply afraid.

Because I am a student at Cornell, watching political decisions unfold that will have real consequences for my family, for my friends and for my home.

Because I know I am not alone — there are others at Cornell who live this reality, who carry this fear with them every day just like I do.

Lala Kasimova

And because you should be afraid too.

As a government major, I see the backbone of America rotting from the inside out. America is an immigrant country, and once upon a time, it was proudly said. But now, we are swarmed by red-pilled rhetoric and reactionarity fear that dampens civil discourse with a manufactured “Latino threat” narrative. One that does not understand the nuances of the violence that immigrants face every day.

Cornell’s commitment to protecting Latino students is formidable, yet there’s a small part of me that feels it is performative. Words mean little without action, and it’s time the administration publicly reaffirms its support — not just in quiet emails, but in real, visible ways.

So far, it’s been radio silent besides the small traction that the Alliance for Community Protection has garnered. There has been little acknowledgement for the fears, concerns and embedded realities us Cornell Latino students face. We do not need sympathy. We need recognition, acknowledgment and action. I am from a place that has gradually converted into a military zone, and to see Ithaca face the same fear I have felt in Texas is terrifying.

You do not know what is happening at the border. You have not witnessed what I have witnessed, or faced what I have faced, but I am asking you, dear reader, to reflect on what you know about the border. It is beyond just a “national security threat” — it is my life and the lives of others that are on the line. We did not choose to come to America, we were forced — a result of US foreign intervention in the places we once called home. I should not be carrying red cards to give to people I know are at risk, nor should I be writing this article to begin with. I should not be an activist, and I should not be debating the integrity of my history or my basic human rights.

So I ask you to educate yourself. Pick up a history book. Read about Latin history in the U.S. Understand why we are here. Because until you do, you will never understand why we are afraid.

Lala Kasimova ’09 is a Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor at USAID/Asia Bureau. For any questions, please contact lkasimova@proton.me.

Demolishing USAID Won’t Make Us Safer

Icame to international development and the U.S. Agency for International Development as an optimistic 20-something-year-old, shaped by the fallout of 9/11 and the 2008 financial collapse. For those who graduated with me in 2009, uncertainty was at its height — job markets were bleak, two U.S.-led occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq were in full force, and the world felt like it was teetering on the edge of no return. It seemed that the only possible direction was forward.

In our view, rebuilding needed a radical rethinking of how we approach the world and how we tackle wicked problems. Though I grew up in Ithaca, I was born in Baku, Azerbaijan and came to this country when I was six years old. The drive to give back and uplift others is not just what I do, but who I am. That calling is what led me to want to work for USAID and serve in this way.

Like many in the “aid” world, I started small and worked my way up. The industry attracts those willing to sacrifice for the greater good, and my experience was no different. A great majority of my colleagues are former Peace Corps volunteers. My social science training was always well-received because aid workers care deeply about sustainability, making every dollar count and thinking through every intended result and unintended consequence.

For nearly 15 years, I built expertise in performance monitoring and program evaluation, designing data collection systems for programs across East Africa and Asia, including the Indo-Pacific Strategy. And while I came to USAID and stayed at USAID as a real pragmatist, I am not blind to its deep-seated challenges: the white savior complex, jaded conversations about aid effectiveness, heavily

earmarked funding and burdensome compliance requirements. You might expect that our experience and training would lead us to more lucrative opportunities in the private sector. But truthfully, we choose this path not for profit, but because we believe in the work we do — and we’ve seen its impact firsthand. We work alongside America’s diplomats and service members overseas, as a key part of national security and soft power. As a former marine general said, “If you don’t fund the State Department [diplomacy] fully, then I need to buy more ammunition, ultimately.” I am part of USAID’s non-political career workforce and partners who respond to crises, help uplift communities to become free from poverty and hunger, and support human rights for people living under repressive regimes. Despite criticism, USAID delivers real, quantifiable benefits that strengthen both the U.S. economy and global stability. Many of America’s key trading partners, including South Korea, were once aid recipients. USAID programs open markets for American businesses, curb the spread of infectious diseases through programs like the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and win over hearts and minds by demonstrating America’s values abroad and pivoting away from malign actors. Yet, despite proven success and a budget of just $38 billion in 2023 — less than one percent of all federal spending — USAID is being cast aside. For comparison, Americans are expected to spend nearly $28 billion on Valentine’s Day this year. And yet, the agency responsible for international food security, disaster response and economic development is deemed expendable. To continue reading, visit www.cornellsun.com.

Hannah Shvets

Hannah Shvets ’27 is writing on behalf of ICSD Alums for Teachers. At Cornell, she is a member of Cornell YDSA, working on campaigns related to stronger labor protections, housing reform and immigration. She can be reached at hbs66@cornell.edu.

Armand Chancellor

Armand Chancellor is a senior in Cornell’s Brooks School of Public Policy. His fortnightly column T e Rostrum focuses on the interaction of politics and culture at Cornell. He can be reached at achancellor@ cornellsun.com.

Ithacans at Cornell Demand More for ICSD Teachers $

The long-standing tension between Cornell and the greater Ithaca community has reached a peak in recent years with the Make Cornell Pay campaign. This campaign, launched in 2023, aimed to pressure Cornell into voluntarily giving money to the Ithaca community, to make up for not paying any property taxes. Last fall, the Ithaca Teachers Association, or ITA, the teachers union in Ithaca, resurrected the campaign. This time, however, the community is asking Cornell to voluntarily contribute a greater sum to the Ithaca City School District, or ICSD, which has struggled with underfunding for years.

Cornell gives ICSD less money per student than other comparable universities give to their local school districts. In August, Cornell upped its contribution to $650,000 annually. In contrast, Princeton University contributed $2.75 million in 2023 to Princeton Public Schools, despite having a smaller school district. This represents roughly $732 per student, compared to Cornell’s $127 per student, as calculated by ITA.

Ithaca teachers are severely underpaid and overworked, as Ithaca High School’s newspaper The Tattler has documented for years. In an interview with ITA President Kathryn Cernera, she shared that — as a result of pay and overwork — teacher retention has dropped in recent years, with only 57% of teachers tenured currently, compared to 85% in 2015. “It wasn’t uncommon to see teachers that really really cared about their students move to a different school district because the pay here simply wasn’t enough,” said Surya Nawiana, IHS ’22 and Cornell ’26. An increase in Cornell’s contribution would help to pay teachers more, keep programs running, control class sizes and provide students with resources essential for their education . As a Cornell student who grew up in Ithaca, the campaign for additional contributions from Cornell and higher pay for teachers is deeply personal for me. The teachers I had in grade school gave me everything I have today, and many of them I’m still in contact with years after graduating from Ithaca High School, or IHS. They were more than just teachers to me; they were my friends, greatest supporters and mentors.

For many other students, Ithaca teachers did even more to change their lives. Our teachers regularly went above and beyond their job descriptions, serving as guidance counselors, babysitters, tutors and more. Teachers who had lunch duty — which technically just involves supervising student behavior — would sit with students, give them advice, and help them with homework. They would provide this attention even for students in classes that weren’t their own — and comfort them when in need. Additionally, as a student in the ICSD, I often saw teachers bringing things for their students using money out of their own pocket. Often, kids who were still hungry after lunch (which was concerningly common when I was in grade school) would ask their teachers for snacks. These teachers — despite being underpaid — would never hesitate to buy food for hungry students. Despite being one of the only support systems for students lacking strong support networks or financial resources — including money for food — at home, these teachers are not given the recognition and dignity they deserve, with wages lower than many surrounding districts despite Ithaca’s high cost of living. As a result of these low wages, many of

my own teachers had to commute from surrounding towns because they couldn’t afford to live in Ithaca on their salaries. “Yes, Cornell may provide job opportunities, but it also shuts teachers out from living near the schools that they teach at,” said Nawiana. After already long workdays, these commutes further added to the exhaustion. This is unacceptable: teachers should be paid enough to be able to afford to live in the city they work in.

Cornell has a responsibility to give back to the school district and help alleviate the underfunding that’s leading to such low wages. In addition to Cornell not paying property taxes, ICSD gets less financial support from the state because Cornell is here. New York State’s Foundation Aid formula calculates school funding based on student needs (like the number of English Language Learners or students living in poverty) and the community’s overall wealth, based on expected property taxes. However, the formula doesn’t account for tax exemptions, falsely inflating Ithaca’s wealth. The ITA has argued that because Cornell owns a vast amount of tax-exempt property, the ICSD receives significantly less funding than it should. According to the Common Council, if Cornell paid property taxes at the same rate as Ithacans, it would have owed $46 million to ICSD last year, compared to the voluntary $650,000 contribution. The Foundation Aid currently provides $38.4 million annually to ICSD. This is not enough for the district, and teachers are the ones being most affected by it. Cornell itself would benefit from better-funded local schools. When faculty are considering university positions, they look at the town’s schools to make sure their kids recieve high-quality education. As such, more ICSD funding would decrease teacher turnover, improve educational outcomes and lead to better Cornell employee retention and attraction. Moreover, Cornell would benefit from having a better, more cooperative relationship with the town and students, in contrast to the current, hostile and adversarial relationship between Ithaca and Cornell.

It’s for all these reasons that ICSD alums demand that Cornell contribute more to Ithaca City Schools. Tania Hao, IHS ’24 and Cornell ’28, said, “It doesn’t make sense that a university that prides itself on its welcoming community pays nearly nothing to the community that surrounds it.” This disconnect between the Cornell community and the rest of Ithaca is the root of the problem: Students spend very little time “off the hill” and don’t see themselves as part of a larger community. They have little interest in advocating for things like funding for local public schools. When I asked Cernera what students can do to help the ITA with this struggle, she suggested getting involved with the community and reminding Cornell decision-makers “how vital a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with the community is.”

For far too long, Ithaca teachers have had to fight for a living wage because of Cornell’s greed. Cornell has a responsibility to Ithaca and ICSD, to support the community that gives Cornell everything. Now, it’s up to the Cornell community to stand for Ithaca and their peers. This is for all the teachers who changed our lives. We’ll never stop fighting for you like you fought for us.

Te Measure of a University

273,520 can buy a lot: you could purchase homes in at least 12 states, provide 2,735,200 meals to starving children by giving the money to charity or buy a piece of paper with the Cornell logo — also known as a degree. But what does this fancy piece of paper worth over a quarter of a million dollars actually mean? Does it signify that you lived through 4 Ithaca winters, like you completed the game show Survivor? In that case, you would get the money and certainly not pay for the experience. Does it mean you fell victim to a grand scam, convinced that you needed a degree to enter certain fields, only to find that your job still requires extensive training and has nothing to do with your degree? Hopefully not, because if it is a scam, the whole nation has been duped. Perhaps a degree represents more than just institutional affiliation or job preparation — maybe a degree represents education itself. What does this education mean? Surely it must be more than just learning equations and other people’s ideas to justify a price tag of more than 3 times the yearly median income. A university education must be more than that and it is. Universities do not claim to teach just any type of education but a liberal arts education, which emphasizes not just knowledge but how to think. Though this mission is noble, a question still arises: What does it mean practically? Even more importantly, what metrics exist to assess these institutions? One of the most recognized organizations for ranking universities is U.S. World News, which ranked Cornell as the No. 1 school in NY — take that Columbia! — and No. 11 overall. Yet, of the 17 factors used in the national university rankings, only four seem to tangentially evaluate thinking. These metrics evaluate institutional research output but fail to assess whether students, the ones paying exorbitant sums to learn how to think, actually develop that skill. There seem to be no factors that evaluate whether a university is fulfilling the promises it made to students: a liberal arts education. While U.S. News does include many factors that evaluate how much money students make, is the true measure of a university how much money their graduates make? If so, this seems to imply the idea that degrees are scams. Many degree-required jobs could be done with on-the-job training, as companies still need to teach new hires the practical skills their degrees

Julia Poggi

failed to provide, and many jobs do not even specify a specific degree. All signs of a scam that would make Crypto influencers blush.

Putting aside the fact that the university system may be a pyramid scheme, placing large swaths of the population in debt, 40.2 million in public debt to be exact. It also takes the prime years of a person’s life, years that could be spent with your loved ones or starting a family. But there exist more pernicious problems with the university being mainly a vehicle for financial gain, as can be seen currently.

Now that universities are under attack, they want to rally around their principles — but what principles? For decades, they have operated under a singular, unspoken doctrine: the supremacy of the almighty dollar. For the last half-century, universities have been teaching their students that there is no objective right and wrong — the only things you should be accountable to are your own desires. Desires that like food, sex and comfort, which can all be met with enough money. For all their grand ideas, little did they know that the holes they were digging to undermine the foundations of society would be their graves, too.

The University’s lack of principles is evident. As soon as funding was threatened, it acted like a corporation. It followed whatever orders President Donald Trump gave on things like eradicating DEI, because, like corporations, it was the money that mattered. The lawsuits came about after they learned the money would be taken anyway.

Universities may claim to teach their students how to think but they have failed to teach the guardrails that make thinking admirable. Instead, universities explicitly dismantled those guardrails, insisting that everything is relative. But nature abhors a vacuum, and in the absence of moral structures, a new governing principle emerged: money. It was the only thing that made the students and the university move and therefore became the new governing body. But now, when it would be useful for universities to lean on overarching principles to fend off the chainsaw of the world’s richest man, they have found that those principles no longer exist. Universities are now being put to the test and this is no droppable prelim but a final, one which they have failed to prepare for, and we will soon find out the measure of a university.

Julia Poggi is a senior 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. She can be reached at jpoggi@cornellsun.com.

Silent Seminars and Quiet Classrooms

In my four years at Cornell, one of my most surprising realizations was the culture — or lack thereof — of participation. Coming from a small, all-girls high school where every subject from Ethics to Math was taught through Harkness-style Socratic seminars, I was shocked by the silence in my first-year writing seminar. At first, I attributed it to nerves, assuming my peers would grow more comfortable over time. But in a silent room, no one wants to be the first to speak up. Call it conformity or cowardice, but I wasn’t about to be the lone voice trying to animate a class of students with their heads down and arms crossed. So, I became one of them. Where does this silence come from? With late-night prelims and early-morning classes, it’s hard to muster enthusiasm when it doesn’t directly affect a grade. But more than enthusiasm is required to speak. Participation requires conviction — not only in the value of

one’s thoughts but also in their ability to withstand scrutiny. And beyond the effort, there’s the risk. Somewhere along the way, the classroom started feeling like a place to perform. No one wants to be the one with a shaky answer, an unpolished thought or a statement so obvious it makes them look like they weren’t paying attention. No one wants to be labeled a “try-hard” or “teacher’s pet,” failing to read the room of silent students in an early morning class. This reluctance isn’t confined to the humanities. I’ve felt it in STEM classes, where answers are either right or wrong. Physics and chemistry discussions go quiet when graduate teaching assistants ask for an approach to solving a problem, even though high prelim averages suggest at least some people know what’s going on.

To continue reading, visit www.cornellsun.com.

SC I ENCE & TECH

Butterfly Micrography Workshop: Bridging Art and Entomology

By ELSA HUELSBERGEN Sun Contributor

Cornell’s undergraduate entomology club, Snodwiggs, hosted a Butterfly Micrography workshop with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ first artist in residence, Andrea Strongwater ’70, on Feb. 25.

The workshop focused on intersecting art and entomology, providing attendees with a new perspective on the ecological and morphological significance of butterflies through micrography — the art of using words to create designs or images. Strongwater discussed aspects of Jewish faith, conservation, personal expression and storytelling in her artistic endeavors, ultimately striving to bring bugs into participants’ daily lives through this workshop.

Strongwater began the workshop by discussing micrography and its historical significance in Jewish culture. She provided examples of micrography that originally appeared in the margins of religious manuscripts. These images were made up of tiny Hebrew letters that formed geometric shapes, animals, plants and Biblical scenes. This style was intended to visually enhance and preserve Biblical texts while combining Jewish religious tradition with artistic expression. She then displayed her depiction of the Karner blue butterfly, an endangered species, created in a micrographic style. Within the details of the butterfly, she incorporated words about its taxonomy, geographic range and diet.

Following Strongwater’s introduction, each attendee of the workshop created their own micrographic butterfly using the specimens from Cornell’s Insect Collection as references. This offered students the opportunity to learn more about a butterfly of their choice while focusing on the intricacies of its form through drawing. By incorporating words within their artwork,

students were able to communicate information about taxonomy or biology that would not be initially apparent in the mere shape of the butterfly.

Merging scientific observation with artistic expression deeply resonates with Strongwater’s personal journey. She recalled how her fascination with insects began in high school, drawn to their intricate beauty and finding them not only visually captivating but also a joy to capture through art.

“I want people to fall in love with them the same way I do, and I try to get as much detail as possible,” Strongwater said. “I like detail, and I like doing the micrographic thing because I discovered when you’re an artist it’s very hard to make people pay attention to your art. I found it with that butterfly, the Karner blue butterfly, everybody reads it.”

Strongwater noticed that people tend to engage more with her artwork when it is created in a micrographic style. The style is

not only visually appealing — it also promotes curiosity among viewers.

“[The viewers] want to know why I put this information there and why,” said Strongwater. “So for me, it’s a really good educational tool, and I think people connect with it in a way that they may not connect to a lot of other things.”

Strongwater not only tells a story through her artwork, but also uses it to spread conservation awareness. By bringing attention to the intricacies of insects in her artwork, she encourages people to make bugs a part of their lives and to become more aware of broader environmental issues.

Reflecting on her own experiences, Strongwater vividly recalls a moment when she noticed a decline in the usual number of insects that she encountered while driving into Ithaca.

“Halfway here, we would have to stop

the car and clean the windshield because there were so many bugs, but it doesn’t happen anymore. So the question is, where are they and why are they gone?”

Strongwater said.

Entomology major and Snodwiggs member Brendan Lan ’25 explained that Snodwiggs aims “to increase awareness of entomology to the public and to people at Cornell, and grow a community within the entomology department and everyone else who’s interested in insects or invertebrate research.”

As a member of the club since his freshman year and a former officer, Lan has observed the club’s growth in welcoming non-entomology majors — a quality that he greatly appreciates.

To support their mission, Snodwiggs organized this workshop to provide students who are interested in insects an opportunity to explore this fascination further and learn about science communication and storytelling through an artistic lens.

Through the Butterfly Micrography workshop, Strongwater communicated the critical need to bridge the gap between art and science. By seamlessly integrating educational insights about the insect’s vital role in ecosystems into her detailed artwork, micrography becomes more than just a creative expression; it serves as a powerful tool for fostering deeper awareness, inspiring individuals to not only appreciate the beauty of insects but to also recognize the urgent need to protect them.

“I’m always trying to tell a story. So that’s kind of what I do. And it has to be beautiful, because I feel that you don’t get people to look at it unless it’s compelling,” Strongwater said.

Elsa Huelsbergen can be reached at eh586@ cornell.edu.

Prof. Colin Parrish To Be One of 65 New Members of the Microbiology Academy Class of 2025

By VALENTINE KIM Sun Contributor

Prof. Colin Parrish, the John Olin Professor of Virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health, has been elected to the American Academy of Microbiology. This prestigious nomination puts him among one of 65 new members invited to the academy this year.

The American Academy of Microbiology is an honorary leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology that collaborates on research in the field of microbiology and leads scientists to present findings to the general public. Candidates must be nominated by a current member and undergo rigorous screening of academic work to be elected. Two Cornell faculty members were elected to the Academy this year, Parrish and Prof. Craig Altier, population medicine and diagnostic sciences.

“[Dr.Parrish] has been an immense resource and a great collaborator to tackle big questions in virology and virus evolution.”

Dr. Brian Wasik

Parrish primarily researches the fundamental process of viral diseases and infection processes. Specifically, his research is focused on viral diseases in canines.

“The canine parvovirus emerged in 1978 as the cause of a global pandemic of disease in dogs. That has been a model that I have studied on and off since 1978,” Parrish said. “We have also studied other viruses that have emerged in dogs to cause epidemics of disease — including two different canine influenza viruses.”

In fact, the Parrish Lab was recently able to make an important discovery regarding canine parvovirus, or a highly contagious virus that infects dogs and cats. The findings included how certain antibodies like IgM bind to parvovirus and neutralize it, which gives an idea for how the virus can be targeted and nullified. This discovery saved the lives of thousands of dogs — while also contributing to the potential for enhanced vaccines in the future.

“[Parrish] has been an immense resource and a great collaborator to tackle big questions in virology and virus evolution,” said Brian Wasik, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of microbiology and immunology. “Parrish’s career of work using what is otherwise a very ‘simple’ molecular machine of canine parvovirus… has contributed to

foundational textbook knowledge about how viruses function and evolve.”

When asked about the origin of his passion for science, Parrish said, “My interest in science developed early and I was involved in research as a high school and college student in New Zealand. Not sure why, but the scientific revolution took off in the 1970s with the genetic and structural biology and computer revolutions.”

“This 90 percent reflects the hard work of the people I have worked with.”

Prof. Colin Parrish

According to Parrish, he was greatly motivated to pursue a career in academia after working with Prof. John Clarke from Massey University in New Zealand as an undergraduate honors student and former John M. Olin Professor of Virology Emeritus Leland Carmichael at Cornell as a graduate student.

The Parrish Lab continues to conduct research on viral host ranges and antibody immunity, virus evolution and structures of virus-

es. It is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and actively collaborates with labs from Penn State University, UC San Diego and more.

After 19 years in the field, Parris says he is “nearing the end of [his] active career in science.” However, he “hope[s] to do more supporting and advisory activities after [he] retires.”

When asked about final remarks about the distinction he received, Parrish remarked, “This 90 percent reflects the hard work of the people I have worked with, including my graduate students, lab staff and collaborators … my role was more being a conductor of the work.”

Mastering microbiology | Prof. Colin Parrish leads exciting research in microbiology and virology.

Illustrating insects | The Butterfly Micrography Workshop featured dynamic artworks on butterflies and other insects.

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The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Cornell’s Abandonment of Vegetarian Students

By Sneha Singhi

Sneha Singhi is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at ss3298@cornell.edu.

Growing up as a vegetarian, I was terrified of attending a college that didn’t offer sufficient vegetarian food options. I feared that I would have to starve myself every day. So, when I first got into Cornell, I was relieved to learn that the school consistently ranked among the top 15 for Best College Food across multiple lists. However, my first year at Cornell proved me wrong. On a daily basis, I found myself returning to the same dining hall stations. At Morrison Dining Hall, I stuck to the pizza and pasta section, where I ate a slice of plain cheese pizza. At North Star Dining Room (or Appel), I relied heavily on the “Make Your Own Bowl” station. Beyond these limited choices, I struggled to find food I enjoyed or could even eat. I sat among friends raving about their juicy chicken thighs and flavorful pork ribs while I forced a smile, pretending my repetitive meals didn’t bother me.

I hoped that moving to West Campus would improve my dining experience. However, I was disappointed again. Breakfast was particularly frustrating — while meat eaters enjoyed turkey sausages, breakfast pizzas and bacon, my options were often limited to plain vegetables or a small appetizer, if available. Lunch wasn’t much better; while others had hearty chicken and rice dishes, I was left with nothing but rice and broccoli, an unappetizing and unsatisfying meal.

Cornell claims to accommodate dietary restrictions and often highlights its tofu options. But in reality, the tofu is usually soggy and flavorless, making it a struggle to eat. In an effort to eat healthier last year, I decided to incorporate tofu from the dining halls into my daily diet. What I thought was a healthy choice quickly turned into a painful mistake, leaving me with persistent stomach aches that lasted for weeks.

The inadequacy of Cornell’s vegetarian options is reflected in my bank account, where frequent DoorDash orders take up a significant portion of my budget. The mandatory unlimited meal plan only adds to the frustration — despite its high cost, Cornell refuses to offer reductions or flexibility for those with dietary restrictions. I even reached out to my dining hall’s head chef in hopes of improving my meal options, but nothing changed. Yet, I am still required to pay $7,132 per year for a meal plan that doesn’t fully meet my needs, while also spending an additional $400 on late-night DoorDash orders and meals at local restaurants just to ensure I get a balanced diet.

While Cornell fails to provide satisfying vegetarian meals, Ithaca’s vibrant food scene makes up for what the university lacks. So, to all the vegetarians on campus, consider this your saving grace (though perhaps not your solution for saving money). Here’s a guide to some of the best (and most filling) vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Ithaca: Moosewood (The Commons)

Starting strong with the most wellknown vegan restaurant in Ithaca, Moosewood is 100% worth the hype. While the prices are steep, the portions are generous enough to keep you full for days. The best part? No need to worry about cross-contamination. The Black Bean Burger, Lasagna and Pasta al Confit di Porro are all so flavorful that you’ll forget you’re not eating meat!

Thompson and Bleecker (The Commons)

One of the most popular Italian restaurants in Ithaca, Thompson and Bleecker is a favorite among many. While some argue it’s overhyped, I strongly disagree. The wide variety of vegetarian options, such as the delicious Honey Whipped Ricotta (a dish I dream about daily), Truffle Alfredo Pasta and Vodka Pasta, puts it at the top of my list. Not in the mood for pasta? No worries! You can try multiple vegetarian pizza options, including the Diavola, Giardino, and Margherita. They’re also happy to remove meat from many of their other pizzas, so the possibilities are endless! The downside? The long wait times — but at least it gives you an opportunity to explore the Commons. This spot isn’t just for dinner; it’s an experience.

Dos Amigos (Collegetown):

Owned by Cornell alum Jorge Bouras ’17, Dos Amigos is a great place to grab a satisfying and delicious meal. Plus, they recently extended their Saturday night hours until 1 a.m., making it a perfect late-night stop. The protein-packed beans and flavorful guacamole help make up for the nutrients often missing from the Cornell meal plan. My personal favorite is the Childish Gambeano, which has now become a staple food in my week, but you can also try the Eazy Bean Tacos or the Cardi B.eans Quesadilla. All meals are named after famous rappers and the restaurant will often play their songs, making it perfect for a place to chill and enjoy!

Halal Brothers Ithaca (Collegetown)

The Collegetown Halal truck is another go-to for a quick and delicious meal, whether for dinner or after a night out. Bonus points for its new location right next to Hideaway. They are usually open until 2 a.m. on weekends, and 10 p.m. on weekdays, making it the perfect spot for a late night grab. Highly recommend the Falafel sandwich and the Falafel over Rice.

Sangam Indian Cuisine (Collegetown)

Sangam is my go-to spot when I’m craving Indian food and missing home. Given that many Indian dishes are naturally vegetarian, this restaurant is perfect for a comforting and flavorful meal. My favorite meals include the Chole Bhatura, Shahi Paneer, Dal Makhani and more. They have many pages dedicated to vegetable lovers, as well as many appetizers and entrees.

Ithaca’s food scene is rich and diverse — if you know where to look. I hope this guide helps fellow vegetarians navigate dining in Ithaca, especially when Cornell’s dining halls fall short. Bon appétit!

Quiet is Cool: A Full Week With Only a Flip Phone

By Caitlin Gallagher

Caitlin Gallagher is a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She can be reached at cmg323@cornell.edu.

Iam hopelessly addicted to my phone. I am utterly ashamed to admit that last week, I spent a total of 70 hours on my phone. When my screen time gets this high, I find myself scrambling to form an excuse for what could have possibly caused the number to climb so high: watching television, falling asleep with my phone on, listening to music. This time, I found that no excuse I came up with could quell my embarrassment when asked to present this figure. I could feel my brain turning to mush, and no matter how badly I wanted to stop scrolling, I could not bring myself to. I tried everything: putting my phone on “Do Not Disturb,” activating child locks on apps I am especially addicted to, even letting it die periodically for hours at a time. None of it worked. I ultimately discerned that the only way to limit my phone’s chokehold over my life would be to lock it in a box and purchase a flip phone.

As you might expect, I ran into a few immediate problems. The first was that I still had iMessage on my laptop. I was too embarrassed to take out my phone before classes to text people back, so I resorted to my usual iMessage almost instantly. I thought I could limit it to certain hours of the day or only twenty-minute time slots, but I soon became just as addicted to my iMessage as I had been to my phone. I thought continuing to use the app was defeating the purpose of my challenge; I wanted to escape my addiction, not reinvent it. I decided I would have to prevent iMessage from being easily accessible and only text people back for school-related business, as I was too embarrassed to tell people not in my immediate circle that I was using a burner phone for an entire week.

“To be totally truthful, towards the end of the week, I felt like a little kid.”

Caitlin Gallagher ’26

This change happened within a few hours of me starting this challenge. Admittedly, I was more focused in class and when I was doing school work, but I was incredibly bored at first. I was used to thinking of something and then immediately texting my friends about it. It felt strange to realize that this attachment to connection was not a natural feeling and that it had been created over years of virtually instant communication. I would think of something funny or want to complain about class but, for the first time since I was 14, I had to keep most of these thoughts to myself. To tell the truth, it felt awful at first. My head was swimming with everything I had to leave unsaid, and it was quite lonely to go through the day sometimes without speaking to my closest friends. To add insult to injury, my boyfriend is studying abroad, and I felt like my lack of constant messaging communication was making me feel even further away.

The second largest problem I ran into was the lack of music. This might be a small problem for someone else looking to get rid of their phone, but anyone who knows me can tell you that I am constantly listening to music. Whether it be the same song over and over again, or Spotify-made mixes of new favorites, I almost always have my airpods in when I am not in class. I was already alone with my own thoughts and now the feeling was exacer-

bated with the new absence of extraneous sounds blaring in my ears all day long. My days were suddenly a whole lot quieter. The third, probably most insurmountable problem was the inconvenience of using the new flip phone. The phone was certainly more high-tech than the one I had in middle school (this one was amazingly able to connect to Google Maps and take photos), but it was still far from convenient. It took three times as long to type out a text, was sometimes hard to hear people on the other end of phone calls, and made it difficult to arrange plans as my new number couldn’t be put into group chats. Eventually, and embarrassingly, I resorted to emailing my friends during the day to make plans for the evenings, just because that was easier to spell out long messages when I wasn’t in a place where I could take a phone call. This self-imposed challenge was not easy, but it was certainly worthwhile. Despite the problems I have complained about, my brain felt like it had been scrubbed clean of a junk buildup that had previously felt insurmountable. It only took a few days for me to enjoy the disconnectedness and quiet that probably used to feel so natural to me before I had my first iPhone. To be totally truthful, towards the end of the week, I felt like a little kid. I would come home and play my records as loud as possible through my speakers and savor the music because I hadn’t heard any all day. I was more present when I hung out with my friends when we were able carry out our clumsily coordinated plans. I disappeared into books for hours each night to put myself to sleep. The convenience of an iPhone is something I don’t think I can give up at this point in my life, but this challenge helped me, a self-identified phone addict, realize the value of quiet for the first time in my adult life. It may come as a disappointment to my reader, but I will not be permanently quitting my phone. However, I have already deleted any “scrollable” app that I fear could suck me back into this addiction. I plan to keep my iMessage deleted from my laptop’s dock, where it is easily accessible to me. I plan to walk more without loud music clogging my ears. This is not a call for everyone to throw their phone in the ocean, because I certainly am not capable of that yet, but rather an opportunity for those who are struggling with a phone addiction to reconsider their screen time and embrace quietness again.

CAITLIN GALLAGHER / SUN LIFESTYLE STAFF WRITER

Mickey 17: Te Science Fiction Film We Needed

NICHOLAS YORK ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

Following up a film like Parasite, which began its awards circuit run with the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival and ended by becoming the first non-English film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, is a daunting task. Many expected director Bong Joon-ho’s next film to follow in Parasite’s footsteps — a tight, family-centered thriller with sharp economic commentary and darkly comedic beats that shocked American audiences and thrust Joon-ho’s work into the Western mainstream.

Instead came Mickey 17. The choice to adapt Edward Ashton’s 2022 science fiction novel Mickey 17 may alienate some viewers, but fans of Bong Joonho’s work will immediately see the connection. With Mickey 17, Joon-ho returns to his uniquely wacky brand of sci-fi à la The Host and Okja. Whereas his previous films centered broader critiques of capitalism and environmental issues, Mickey 17 is laser-focused on the political climate of our times. For many reasons, Mickey 17 certainly won’t be for everyone, but I believe that it may be one of the most important movies of the year.

Mickey 17 is set in 2054 but, excluding its technology, its world doesn’t look much different than our own. The film follows Mickey Barnes (Robert

Pattinson), a normal man with a streak of bad luck that ends up on an expedition to colonize the planet Niflheim. Amongst politicians, security agents and pilots, Mickey secures his way off Earth by becoming an Expendable. He is constantly sent on lethal missions and reprinted after each inevitable death. Now on his seventeenth iteration, Mickey ends up surviving a mission that should have killed him — and finds himself face-to-face with Mickey 18, printed in anticipation of his death.

Bong Joon-ho is less interested in the scientific parameters of this not-sodistant world, and more in the political and ethical implications of cloning. He centers these questions of morality on Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), a former governor who failed to secure re-election (and who is not-so-subtly surrounded by a group of red-hat-wearing sycophants) and has now been chosen to lead a church-sponsored colonization mission to Niflheim. In one of the most telling scenes of the film, Marshall declares that while cloning is a sin, there is economic benefit in using the technology on their upcoming trip — thus, the Expendable program.

The political commentary of Mickey 17 is anything but subtle, but in my opinion, Bong Joon-ho’s critique is a response to current times. The world we’re living in is nearing the absurd — shouldn’t the art we make in response be just as ridiculous?

This isn’t to say that the film lacks heart. At the core of the film is Mickey, a real human being whose status as “expendable” has relegated him to the bottom of society, to the point that he starts to believe it. It is only his relationship with security agent Nasha, played by Naomi Ackie, that reminds him of his own humanity. Here, the film’s message is clear — it is love that makes us human, and love that gives us the power to resist. The film is able to navigate between its moments of absurd humor and its much deeper reflections on humanity in part because of Robert Pattinson’s incredible performance. These accolades won’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me — Robert Pattinson is my favorite actor and has been since I first fell in love with film. But despite having seen his entire filmography, Pattinson’s performance takes turns I have never seen from him before. Mickey does not transform over the course of the film, but instead is split into two halves — 17 and 18 — who, despite being created from the same DNA, are vastly different. Whereas Mickey 17 has accepted his status as “expendable” as a punishment for his past wrongdoings, Mickey 18 is full of anger for the system that has entrapped them. Pattinson’s ability to play these two wildly different characters, while still retaining the core of what makes both of them Mickey Barnes, is what makes the film work.

Mickey 17 may be a little rough around the edges and admittedly unsubtle in its messaging, but so is what it’s responding to. Bong Joon-ho isn’t trying to be subtle. Mickey 17 is a desperate scream into a political climate that seems, at times, completely absurd. Don’t go into Mickey 17 expecting Parasite — you may end up wildly disappointed. Instead, I hope that audiences go into the film with an open mind and allow Bong Joon-ho the chance to make more wildly entertaining, and yet politically important, films like this.

Nicholas York is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He can be reached at nay22@cornell.edu.

Student Artist Spotlight: Michael Morgan

ASSISTANT EDITOR

If you’ve ever wondered what that long, squat, lonely building across from Rand Hall is, you’re not alone. On Feb. 12, I learned not only its name — the Foundry — but that the unassuming structure contains absolute wonders within; the MFA students’ studios are tucked away inside. I have Michael Morgan ’26, one of those MFA students, to thank for showing me Foundry’s contents, including his own awe-inspiring art. Color, texture, composition and lighting are all exemplified and mastered in Morgan’s pieces. The walls of his studio space were a wonder I could have stared at forever, pressing my face close to the canvases to discern every adept brushstroke. But I was there for an interview, and I had to accomplish that purpose.

Morgan and I sat down, and I pulled out my usual list of questions about artistic background. His answers surprised me from the start. “I’ve always been interested in art, but if I have to give [my journey] a first moment, it was because I hated the trombone.” Making art to escape the trombone was certainly one I hadn’t heard before. “I worked really hard on my art in high school,” Morgan continued, “I started to build that connection, seeing queer art as … an out to express myself in a way that respected my closeted self. I felt that a lot of my work was an outlet for … stress and expression I couldn’t verbalize. It made me feel like part of a community.”

Despite all that connection and

comfort Morgan found through creation in his high school years, he almost didn’t pursue it any further.

“I’m first gen college educated,” Morgan shared. Art, being as unconventional and difficult a career path as it is, didn’t seem viable for him then. “I went to Northwestern to undergrad with the intent of becoming a lawyer.” Law was something he loved as well, and might have been happy pursuing had things panned out differently. However, in his senior year at Northwestern, Morgan’s father passed away from cancer, setting him on a new path. “[My father] always wanted me to be doing what I love. His passing reminded me that I have one life.”

After committing himself to the life of a creative, Morgan continued to hone his artistic practice by working in the industry, selling artwork and attending Columbia University for a second B.A. in visual arts. As time passed, Morgan refined his style, molding it into the colorful, vibrant wonder it is today. Looking at his collection, I was stunned by the myriad mediums he employed with such mastery. Combinations of collage and sculpture stood side-by-side with massive, wall-length oil paintings. “It’s hard to say what the preference is,” Morgan said, “On one hand, collage and assemblage are something I’ll always be married to, but painting is that thing I’m always kind of chasing. I want to be an oil painter. But it’s so laborious. It almost unleashes a hyper vigilance. … I’ll spend an entire week on a figure in a painting.” From what I saw, those entire weeks spent on the figures definitely paid off.

Beyond being visually stunning and

demonstrating clear command of form and hue, Morgan’s art evoked an emotional response. Which, as it turned out, was exactly what he intended. “Art from 400 years ago motivated me to take a shitty bus hundreds of miles just to see it,” Morgan laughed, sharing a story from when he took a bus from Los Angeles to San Francisco to see a painting. “There’s this kind of connection. I want my work to feel connected and resonate with people. Art means making something that resonates.”

For a final, fun note, I asked Morgan to define art in a few words for me. The ones he chose were determination, community, sweat, meaning, stories and humor. The second of those words — community — was why he chose to come to Ithaca in the first place. Cornell’s MFA program only has 12 students, making for a tight-knit and personalized experience. “Cornell has been really great for me so far. I think that you need to be a part of a community that you support and that supports you. I get that with my cohort. Here are you and 11 people and you have to get along and support each other.”

As for the future, Morgan has many aspirations. “I want to get my work out there. I want to be an art professor.” Currently acting as a TA for Cornell’s non-major painting course, Morgan already knows he loves teaching artistic techniques. But that isn’t all. “I would like to be an exhibiting artist,” he continued, “That doesn’t mean I want to be commercially successful. I want to be able to sustain my career. I want to be in a community with people.”

If you want to see more of Morgan’s art, you can check michaelmorganart.com or @mikemorganart on Instagram. He can also be contacted at mjm764@cornell.edu.

‘Student Artist Spotlight’ is a column that runs intermittently, featuring student artists of all kinds on campus.

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MELISSA MOON ARTS

Melissa Moon is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at mmoon@cornellsun.com.

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Selective yet Inclusive: Inside the Cornell BreakFree Dance Crew’s Workshop Audition Process

By ANGELINA TANG Sun Asisstant News Editor

Feb. 27 — Despite an 18 percent acceptance rate to the group, BreakFree Dance Crew seeks to uphold its core value of inclusivity by hosting open-style dance workshops that all Cornell students can attend.

“Community is very, very foundational to how BreakFree integrates ourselves into the greater Cornell community,” co-president Lillian Li ’26 said. “At its core, dance is not isolated to any one group of people.”

“Community is very, very foundational to how BreakFree integrates ourselves into the greater Cornell community.”

Lillian Li ’26

BreakFree consists of approximately 50 members who host workshops and attend university-level and national competitions. In November, they won first place in the Illusion Dance Competition held at Stony Brook University. A month later, they competed in the Prelude East Coast Dance Competition in Jersey City, New Jersey, with professional dance groups like The Wannabes and Outburst Dance Company among their opponents.

To curate the team, BreakFree holds auditions every semester. According to the executive board, in Spring 2025, 33 students auditioned and only six were accepted.

The audition process consists of teaching auditionees a dance choreogra-

phy on the spot, recording their performance and evaluating the recording.

Additionally, there is a freestyle dance segment where auditionees showcase their personal style, as well as a round of callbacks for auditionees who make it past the first round.

However, despite the 18 percent acceptance rate this semester, co-president Saniya Halani ’25 said that they strive to prevent auditions from feeling unwelcoming.

While auditions must have a “level of objectivity” within them, the auditioning process is not wholly “impersonal,” Halani said. The team’s existing members try to be present and get to know the auditionees, even if that personal factor is not directly incorporated into audition results.

“We have a democratic system in place where … we do evaluate based on auditioning skill and their abilities,” Halani described, “But we do have that community that brings people out of their shell, either during auditions or later in the process.”

BreakFree looks for people with a “unique” dance style that “has the potential to help [the dancers] grow on the team,” Lillian Li said. “You 100 percent do not need any sort of dance experience to come in. We have many members whose very first dance class was the first pre-audition [for BreakFree].”

Graduate student Casey Li wrote that she was “super nervous” and “struggled” for her callback audition. However, she “tried to show all [she has]” and “show [her] passion.” She was accepted into the group in the fall of 2024.

Lillian Li said that “[BreakFree was] founded for the purpose of making

dance accessible to absolutely everyone on Cornell’s campus” — despite the exclusivity that auditions pose. One way that the team tries to uphold this is by hosting open workshops.

Any student can attend BreakFree’s workshops, which are held multiple times throughout the semester. Team members or professional guest choreographers are invited to teach choreography to attendees.

Lillian Li views workshops as the heart of the BreakFree community and notes that they remember the “familiar faces” who come to multiple workshops.

Similarly, Casey Li agreed that the workshops help “build connections with other friends who are not on [BreakFree].”

Auditions are now over and BreakFree is busy preparing for its April 18 show-

case, according to the co-presidents. In the meantime, BreakFree continues to connect with the greater student body by teaching them dances.

“That’s where the true value of our community comes from,” Lillian Li said, “by fostering a family through the workshops.”

“That’s where the true value of our community comes from, by fostering a family through the workshops.”

Lillian Li ’26

Angelina Tang can be reached at atang@cornellsun.com

Musician Chief Adjuah Inspires Through ‘Stretch Music’

By ROWAN WALLIN and ASHLEY LEE Sun Staff Writers

March 8 — Six-time Grammy-nominated and two-time Edison Award winner Chief Adjuah brought “stretch music” —his own jazz-rooted, culture-combining musical style — to campus on Friday evening. Adjuah performed for an audience of around 300 people in Bailey Hall as a part of the Cornell Concert Series with self-designed instruments, original pieces and discussions of culture and love.

Adjuah, formerly known as Christian Scott, hails from New Orleans and has worked with notable artists like Prince. He performed original African-jazz fusion compositions in a 90-minute performance at Bailey Hall. Accompanying Adjuah were his band members — bassist Ryoma Takenaga, drummer Joe Dyson, guitarist Andrew Renfroe and flutist Elena Pinderhughes.

In his pioneered music style, “stretch music,” Adjuah incorporates diverse rhythms, melodies and harmonies from his New Orleans heritage. For this music style, Adjuah designed and invented a custom-modified trumpet and a unique stringed instrument called the “Adjuah Bow,” which resembles both a harp and a guitar. The Adjuah Bow combines features of the n’goni, a West African string instrument, and the European harp.

“I’ve created [the Adjuah Bow] to show little children in places like Louisiana to learn musical instruments that have their ancestral beauty built into the template,” Adjuah said. “There are some people who will belittle children, telling them maybe that pop piece isn’t for [them] … and it made sense to create musical instruments that would allow people to go against that.”

Lillian Dodderidge, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in sociology, appreciated the new sound of the Adjuah Bow and said the new instrument added emotion to the performance.

“It was really peaceful,” Dodderidge said. “Even though it’s high in volume, it allowed me to go with the flow of the music.”

Between songs, Adjuah explained each piece’s

meaning. For example, he discussed his experience in writing a song about his grandmother’s childhood in Louisiana.

“This song is about a little girl who’s growing up in the Red River Valley,” Adjuah explained. “It’s a composition that was written about my grandmother, and the women that come from my community back home in New Orleans.”

Daniel Brous, a first-year Ph.D. student in computer science, said he appreciated learning about the origins of the pieces he heard. He said that Adjuah’s descriptions added “personability” and “relatability” to the music.

Zeke Lawrence ’25, who has been following Adjuah for years, said they valued Adjuah’s “focus on empathy and community-building” during his speeches between

songs and found a deeper meaning in the music itself.

“Every type of music is inspired by histories of other people, and you can hear peoples’ inspirations by the things that they’re playing — the things that they’re thinking,” Lawrence said. “Every tune was so unique and so interesting.”

For some, Adjuah’s connection to his culture and the history of his music left a lasting impression. For Jamie Ardell ’28, Adjuah’s connection between his heritage and the instruments he created was especially impactful.

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

Rowan Wallin can be reached at rwallin@cornellsun.com

Ashley Lee can be reached at alee@cornellsun.com.

Willard workshops | BreakFree members and workshop attendees pose after one of their open style dance workshops.

COURTESY OF BREAKFREE DANCE CREW

Bailey Bow | Chief Adjuah played his self-designed instrument, the Adjuah Bow, for listeners at Bailey Hall.

Dan Rosenburg Named Tompkins County Poet Laureate

By XAVIER ROLSTON Sun Staff Writer

March 5 — On Feb. 19, Cornell Senior Visiting Lecturer Dan Rosenberg, English, was named Tompkins County’s 12th Poet Laureate, a role created to honor local outstanding poets and bring poetry beyond the page and into public life.

Rosenberg, who has published six works as a poet and currently teaches creative writing at Cornell University, spoke about the importance of poetry and expressed gratitude for the recognition in an interview with The Sun.

“The point of [poetry] is to build a community around it and to share that work with people for whom it will matter,” Rosenberg said. “Being named the poet laureate for the county feels like a recognition of that work and that set of values and the desire to support it, which is very moving.”

Rosenberg was appointed as Poet Laureate, a two-year position, in a collaborative decision made by the Community Arts Partnership and the Tompkins County Legislature.

Susan Currie, the Tompkins County legislative member who served on the search committee for the next poet laureate, explained the function and importance of the role.

“The position of Tompkins County Poet Laureate was established by the Tompkins County Legislature in 2001 to honor local outstanding poets, integrate poetry into the community, enrich the education of our young people, and enhance the county’s position as a cultural center,” Currie wrote in an email to The Sun.

Rosenberg expressed appreciation toward the county for recognizing the importance of poetry.

“Not every county has a poet laureate, and I think it speaks to the values and identity of our county that they’ve decided to support such a role,” Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg explained that the work involved with being poet laureate varies, and “is an evolving question.”

“There have been many other poet laureates before me,” Rosenberg said. “They’ve each sort of approached this task, or this role with a different perspective.”

Rosenberg noted that he will focus on bringing more poetry-related events and programming beyond Ithaca, reaching the entirety of Tompkins County.

“I’m trying to work through right now what events I can organize, how I can bring poetry into the public consciousness in a supportive and welcoming and generous way all around the county,” Rosenberg said. “I have always understood myself, as a poet, as someone who would also organize events and try to bring people together around poetry and literature in general.”

Rosenberg stated he was “wide open to partners,” and looking forward to hearing any ideas from community members.

“Part of the fun of this sort of role is when you get to work with other folks,” he added.

Executive Director of the Community Arts Partnership, Megan Barber, echoed the importance of community building and service in a written statement on their website.

Te Advocacy Project Empowers Voices with Advocacy Training

By ISABELLA DIALLO Sun Staff Writer

March 6 — Whether it’s on a college campus or in an interview, advocacy can be daunting. However, it is necessary on a day-to-day basis — a fact not lost on The Advocacy Project at Cornell.

The student-led organization, known as “AdPro,” has been working since 2020 to equip underrepresented individuals or anyone else struggling with advocacy on and off campus with the skills to advocate for themselves personally and professionally.

According to Chief Executive Officer Charlotte Nelson ’27, AdPro uses a student-authored curriculum to inform members how to properly advocate for those around them. This includes trainings on “Advocacy 101,” “Public Speaking 101” and “Professionalism 101” — subjects that are a pillar of AdPro today and serve to further the group’s mission.

“We received nominations for nine outstanding local poets, each with unique ideas about how to put poetry in service to the community,” her comment read. “We are so excited about Dan’s appointment.”

Before beginning at Cornell this fall, Rosenberg served as the English department chair at Wells College, which closed last spring. During his decade of teaching at Wells, he focused on creating community and offering various perspectives on writing. He organized events such as the Wells College Visiting Writers Series, which brought various writers to campus, allowing students to be exposed to broader perspectives in writing.

In his role at Cornell, Rosenberg said he was particularly excited about helping students discover their love for writing and poetry, and he mentioned that a student from his first semester class recently had poems she wrote for his class published in a national magazine for the first time.

“I’m excited to share my work, of course, that’s great,” Rosenberg said. “But I’m really more excited to lift other people up and make sure that whatever small platform I can help them reach, they can reach.”

Rosenberg spoke about his love for poetry — explaining that the “surprise” of poetry has always drawn him to the genre.

“I get most excited when a poem surprises me — even my own — and so I tend to write in pursuit of that surprise,” Rosenberg said.

Nelson explained that trainings allow AdPro to engage with more than just the Cornell community. The organization is able to utilize their skills to connect with other organizations and service different communities.

“We are able to form strong relationships with organizations whose missions align with ours and work to empower communities to effectively use their voices to tell their stories,” Nelson said.

Additionally, AdPro engages in the local community through its “FirstGenEd” program. This program aims to help first-generation college students and students still in the application process by assisting with finances, the personal statement or supplemental essays.

Adpro was originally founded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by Speech and Debate Society members “looking for an outlet to create change,” according to Nelson.

“They found that even though they were limited by quarantine restrictions, a virtual space still allowed them to use their voices and begin to create the trainings and programming that are a hallmark of AdPro today,” Nelson said.

Emely Rodriguez ’27, chief operating officer and director of community outreach of AdPro, explained that the organization was a great way for her to get involved on campus and make a difference.

“I joined the Advocacy Project in my freshman year because I was looking for a place on campus where I could help people who needed it,” Rodriguez said. “AdPro allows me to utilize my own communication skills to help others find their voice

— which is important on such a big campus.”

The organization also works to combine art and advocacy through its podcast, “Speak Now” which. According to its website, the podcast was founded after the attack at the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to offer individuals stability after the event. The podcast has several episodes interviewing different individuals on different topics of advocacy — from “the role architects play in designing for change” to “exploring the role of empathy in rehabilitating hostile spaces.”

Director of Curriculum Isabela Vargas ’27, who has been a member of AdPro since her freshman year, reflected on why she joined the organization and the impact she hopes to make.

“The Advocacy Project is one of the only student-led, non-profit organizations on campus,” Vargas said. “AdPro encourages us [as students] to work together in order to uplift people who haven’t been as fortunate as we are.”

The Advocacy Project recruits undergraduate students every semester. After a two-week new member orientation, all members are expected to attend weekly meetings where they formulate their own individual projects and discuss goals.

“We are deeply committed to bridging the gap between those who are looking to develop the skills that create effective change.”

Charlotte Nelson ’27

“Our executive board works to support members throughout the process of project development, as well as planning and facilitating our training,” Nelson said.

Nelson explained how advocacy is an aspect of daily life that is not taught within the four walls of a classroom. The members of The Advocacy Project recognize that and are committed to ensuring that regardless of formal education, people are able to learn how to use their voices for themselves and for others.

“The skills of advocacy, including public speaking, storytelling [and] project development are not always formally taught, and often those who are already in places of privilege have access to outside resources that supplement their education,” Nelson said. “We are deeply committed to bridging the gap between those who are passionate about advocacy and those who are looking to develop the skills that create effective change.”

Isabella Diallo can be reached at idiallo@ cornellsun.com.

Poet pursuits | Cornell Senior Visiting Lecturer Dan Rosenburg accepts his title of Tompkins County’s 12th Poet Laureate.

COURTESY OF TOMPKINS COUNTY LEGISLATURE

Advocacy advising | The team behind The Advocacy Project at Cornell University offers public speaking and professionalism skill training to any student on campus.

Prof. Judith Hubbard Runs For Tompkins County Legislature

By DALTON MULLINS Sun Senior Writer

March 10 — Ithaca native Prof. Judith Hubbard, earth and atmospheric sciences, announced that she will be running for Tompkins County Legislature District 5 on Feb. 24. Her campaign will center on protecting funding for academic institutions, defending the environment and reevaluating property taxes.

Tompkins County District 5 includes parts of Fall Creek, Cornell Heights and Cornell University. Hubbard looks to fill one of two seats that were added to the county legislature in 2022 after a county-wide redistricting process.

After graduating from Ithaca High School, Hubbard majored in geology at the California Institute of Technology before earning a Ph.D. in geology from Harvard. She spent the next 10 years as an assistant professor at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, where she focused her research on how earthquakes affect vulnerable populations of Southeast Asia.

Three years ago, Hubbard returned to Ithaca. She is now a visiting assistant professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Cornell.

In an interview with The Sun, Hubbard said that she was inspired to run when the “chaos started to happen at the federal level.”

“I can see that given what’s happening in the outside world, it’s going to be especially

important to have local voices who are able to deal with a lot of the complicated issues we’re seeing today, to protect the local communities,” Hubbard said.

Since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, his administration has impacted universities throughout the country. Recent work by the administration includes an executive order calling to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs at federally funded universities, the National Institutes of Health cutting funding to “indirect costs” of research and the Department of Education demanding universities end race-based programming.

Protecting funding for academic institutions such as Cornell is an important issue for Hubbard’s campaign, she said, especially as someone who has personally felt the effects of grant cuts.

“A lot of people are going to be impacted by the federal attack on higher education,” Hubbard said. “There’s a lot of risk of people who are employed on grants being laid off because there’s no more money.”

Hubbard also said that she is concerned about attempts by the federal government to defund environmental research.

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

ILR Faculty Iris Packman ’06 Runs For County Legislature

By GISELLE REDMOND Sun Staff Writer

March 7 — School of Industrial and Labor Relations faculty member and Ithaca native Iris Packman ’06 announced her candidacy for the Tompkins County Legislature seat for District 3 on Feb. 24, receiving endorsements from Susan Currie, the current county legislator for the district, and the Working Families Party.

Packman currently works as a senior research and policy development associate at the ILR School’s Climate Jobs Institute, noting that she hopes to utilize her expertise in labor and climate policy when in office.

“As a lawyer, to watch the constitution at a federal level be really threatened is terrifying [and] kind of shakes the foundation of what I believe in and what I thought was true,” Packman said. “The idea that there could be some action that can be taken at the local level … is really a point of hope for me.”

Packman is currently in the early stages of the race for the seat.

“Right now, I’m in the middle of petitioning, going door to door, asking for signatures so I can be on the ballot,” Packman said.

Packman, who is seeking the Democratic Party nomination, felt compelled to run for the County Legislature to represent families with young children and to inspire her own — showing them that there is a place for women in politics.

Packman’s connection to Ithaca runs deep, having met her husband at Ithaca High School before they both completed their undergraduate degrees on the Hill. After moving to other cities across the East Coast, the couple returned to Ithaca in 2019 because they felt it was the best place to raise their two daughters.

With her commitment to Ithaca comes dedication to the community — Packman has engaged in activism since high school. She has served as the vice president of the Ithaca Children’s Garden Board for two years and has also participated in the Ithaca Elementary Outdoor Gear Project, which provides items such as snow pants, jackets and rain boots to young, under-resourced students.

In 2023, Packman was appointed by Laura Lewis, the mayor of Ithaca at the time, to be part of Ithaca’s Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission, providing a labor-based perspective on how the Council should implement Ithaca’s Green New Deal.

At the same time, Packman conducts research with the ILR School’s Climate Jobs Institute about climate change and renewable energy policy, particularly regarding labor unions.

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

Giselle Redmond can be reached at gredmond@cornellsun.com.

Ithaca’s Tibetan Community Commemorates the 66th Tibetan National Uprising Day

By TAEHEE OH Sun Senior Writer

March 11 — Around 50 community members waved Tibetan flags and held signs demanding freedom from China to commemorate the 66th Tibetan National Uprising Day in the Ithaca Commons on Monday. The demonstration was organized by the Tibetan Association of Ithaca, which is part of the larger International Tibet Network that is dedicated to maximize “the effectiveness of the worldwide Tibet movement.”

In 1950, the People’s Republic of China invaded Tibet and the region was integrated as an autonomous region under Chinese rule in 1965.

On March 10, 1959, Tibetans rebelled against Chinese occupation in Lhasa, and gathered to protect their

spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama amid fears of an assassination attempt. In the aftermath of the uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he established a government in exile.

Now, every year on March 10, Tibetan communities all over the world commemorate this day with protests.

In 2023, U.S. Department of State recorded human rights violations in Tibet including restrictions on freedom of expression, religious freedom and assimilation policies that are “aimed to suppress ethnic Tibetans’ cultural, religious, and linguistic identity.”

Tibetan Association of Ithaca board member Chime Dolma emphasized the importance of the demonstration in amplifying Tibetan voices who face suppression.

“Tibetans in China are not able to protest today,” Dolma said. “So peo-

ple all over the world, like Tibetans in India, America, in Europe … we gather together today to [let] China [know] that we want our freedom back, in a nonviolent way.”

Demonstrators chanted slogans including “China lies, people die,” and “What do we want? We want justice,” as they marched.

Yangzom Noga ’27, a member of the Coalition of Students Resisting China, a group of Tibetan, Taiwanese, Uyghur, Chinese and Hong Kong students who aim to achieve collective liberation, highlighted the Tibetan movement’s focus on nonviolence.

“[Even] when faced with such an invasion, [Tibetans] reverted to their true morals and said, we have to combat it with nonviolence,” Noga said. When Ex-Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay came to speak in 2023 at Cornell, Noga explained that he said in a “scenario where we get Tibet back as our nation, we would still remain with the nonviolent strategy, because it’s rooted in Buddhism — that’s who we are.”

Dhondup Zurkhang, a member of the Tibetan Association of Ithaca and a Cornell custodian, said that the Tibetan community in Ithaca preserves their culture by educating the next generation of Tibetans.

“Every Saturday and Sunday, we have a class at the Namgyal Monastery where our young children are being taught Tibetan dance and our cultural background. So we’ve been successful in keeping our identity alive,” Zurkhang said.

Located on 201 Tibet Dr., the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies serves as the North

American Seat of the Dalai Lama’s Personal Monastery. Established in 1992, the monastery offers opportunities to study Tibetan Buddhism and is a cultural center for the Tibetan community in Ithaca.

Noga explained that while visiting the Tibetan Sunday school, which is part of the Namgyal Monastery, she taught children about the significance of the Tibetan National Uprising Day and led a workshop to create posters before Monday’s protest. During the workshop, each person was asked to share one word about what Tibet means to them. Workshop students shared words like “hope,” “home,” “love” and “community.”

“During March 10, every single one of those people who marched out on the streets of Lhasa, had the same words in their hearts,” Noga said to the students. “We have to keep having the same words in our hearts too, as we go out there in front of the Ithaca streets as well.”

Having worked at Cornell for over 30 years, Zurkhang reflected on the University’s relationship with Tibetan issues. While acknowledging Cornell’s past support for Tibet, he criticized what he saw as the University’s reluctance to take a more outspoken stance.

Cornell Media Relations did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the University’s position on Tibetan issues by the time of publication.

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

Taehee Oh can be reached at toh@cornellsun. com.

Dalton Mullins can be reached at dmullins@cornellsun.com.

By MAYA BLANCHARD Arts & Culture Contributor

ARTS & CULTURE

Michelle Trachtenberg’s Legacy

Just last week, on Feb. 26th, actress Michelle Trachtenberg was found dead in her New York City apartment. She was only 39, and the cause of her death still remains undetermined. Michelle Trachtenberg’s acting credits include the adorable Harriet M. Welsch in Harriet The Spy (1996), Maggie O’Donnell in 17 Again (2009) alongside Zac Efron and Jenny in the cult classic film Eurotrip (2004). She was a child-actress-turnedcertified-2000s-“It Girl,” enhancing every role with her charming humor and an effortless dazzling smile. News of her death was heartbreaking to me, as she starred in two series I absolutely loved as a teenager: Gossip Girl and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Trachtenberg was featured as a conniving socialite and a temperamental younger sister, respectively, and the introduction of her character in both shows was followed by drama, angst and plot twists galore.

In Gossip Girl, Trachtenberg terrorized Manhattan’s young elite as Georgina Sparks, whom the actress described as “basically the evil bitch from hell.” Her introduction as Serena Van Der Woodson’s long lost “best friend” returning from Switzerland only serves to stir the pot as she pulls Serena back into the destructive cycle of partying that she worked so hard to break free from. Georgina worms her way into every aspect of Serena’s life, turning her boyfriend Dan against her and forcing her to come clean about a terrible secret. If viewers thought Blair Waldorf

was evil as the queen bee of Constance, Georgina’s scheming is a whole new level of off-the-rails. Since she was so purely wicked, it was extra satisfying to watch Serena, Blair, Nate and Chuck take her down. In Season 2, Georgina returns seemingly reformed by a summer at Jesus camp, but since her friends refuse to accept that she’s changed, she becomes frustrated and ultimately reverts back to her old ways. She continues to wreak havoc on the Upper East Side through fake relationships, questionable pregnancies and an endless array of secrets caught on tape and exposed. In Gossip Girl the lines between good and evil are constantly blurred for every character, and alliances between Georgia and the others form and break as they see fit. The drama that compels me to rewatch this show over and over would not have been half as addicting without Trachtenberg’s Georgina, although it took me a minute to wrap my head around her character since I previously knew her as innocent little Dawn, Buffy the vampire slayer’s sister.

Michelle Trachtenberg was introduced in the fifth season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s teenage sister Dawn. Her role as the annoying tagalong little sibling had an interesting twist; up until her introduction, she didn’t exist. In a supernatural display of dramatic irony, Buffy and her friends become afflicted with fake memories of Dawn’s presence in their lives and act as if she has been a character on the show since the beginning. Viewer confusion is slowly alleviated as it becomes clear that Dawn’s abrupt introduction is a puzzle

piece in the season’s overarching mystery. Needless to say, no Buffy fan will forget the impact that Trachtenberg’s character had on the show. Even after her subplot was over, Dawn continued to be a loveable (albeit outspoken and moody) presence in Buffy’s demon-hunting group of outcasts, and fans will find themselves forgetting that she wasn’t part of their squad to begin with.

One standout element of Buffy is how the demons and monsters that the “Scooby Gang” (as fans refer to them) have to tackle serve as metaphors for the tribulations of adolescence and coming of age. Buffy is the “Chosen One” who is called to hunt vampires and the forces of darkness whenever they appear, but this often juxtaposes with her longing to be a normal teenage girl. In the first four seasons the show explores themes of friendship, romance and sex through a supernatural lens, and similarly uses Dawn’s story arc to explore an interesting sibling dynamic. Buffy’s duty as the Slayer encroaches upon her relationship with her sister, who gets upset when Buffy treats her like a child who is unable to help on their dangerous missions. Although I don’t share Buffy’s plight, their arguments are relatable to me as someone who grew up with a younger sister who always wanted to tag along. Buffy and Dawn’s relationship is further complicated when the truth about the fabricated memories is revealed and Buffy realizes her baby sister is essentially a stranger. Even though my sister did not mysteriously appear in my life along with fake memories (at least, that I know of), I had to relearn how to

relate to her as we both bridged young adulthood. Complications aside, Buffy’s love for Dawn was fiercely apparent when sacrificed herself to save her sister in the dramatic finale of season five. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who portrayed Buffy, shared a heartbreaking statement upon the wake of Trachtenberg’s death: “Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live…for you.” Gellar’s promise is quoted loosely from Buffy’s goodbye to Dawn in the Season 5 finale, confirming that their bond was just as strong offscreen.

The two characters that Michelle Trachtenberg portrays in Buffy and Gossip Girl are more similar than they seem. Although Georgina is more of a villain than Dawn, both girls’ motivations stem from a desperate desire to fit in and be loved. Dawn often lashes out because Buffy only sees her as a baby in need of protection, and Georgina has broken her friends’ trust so many times that she struggles to be seen by them as anything but evil. In the end, Dawn matures into an emotionally intelligent young woman and Georgina learns to be vulnerable and accept support from the people who care about her. Both characters are excellent examples of Trachtenberg’s depth as an actress, and they ensure that her legacy will live on in the hearts of so many people.

reached at mhb237@cornell.edu.

Flack and Stone: An Enduring Story of Soul

In the past month, the world lost two deeply influential female vocalists, Roberta Flack and Angie Stone. As we reckon with the untimely silencing of their voices, both of which were essential in shaping the soul and neo-soul movements, we are reminded of their rich legacies, which transcend not only the genres they helped to define but the generations of artists they have influenced.

In honor of their lives, let us explore the lasting impact these artists have left behind.

Finding Their Footing, 1953; 1979

For both Flack and Stone, music called to them from their early childhood, eventually shaping the future of soul. Flack, whose musical influence originated in Sunday church service, would notably “sneak out” to hear legends like Sam Cooke and Mahalia Jackson. Acting as a guiding hand through her youth, Flack moved from gospel to classical music, her musical prowess rewarding her with a full music scholarship at Howard University at only 15 years old. For Stone, a burgeoning musician some 25 years later, her passion for music drew her to hip-hop. By 1979, at 18 years old, she joined the group The Sequence, displaying a similar, remarkable ability to shape the music scene before her, not limited by her tender age. Although their release of Funk You

Up changed the realm of hip-hop in that it was among the first singles to be released by an all-female group, she had only begun to use her voice in the world of soul.

Reinventing the Self, 1969; 1999

Both artists, promising from their youth, continued to search for their place in music, evolving with the rapidly shifting landscape of soul. Roberta Flack began to perform blues and folk in her early twenties, accompanied by the rhythms of an upright piano and the soft acoustics of a crowded club. Approached by her voice teacher, who saw the full dynamism of her vocals, Flack began to explore pop music. Following this shift in repertoire, her success began to spread, her performances frequented by the likes of Johnny Mathis and Les McCann.

It wasn’t until the late ’60s, however, that Flack secured her place as a major recording artist, releasing her first album, First Take, in 1969. Her track “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” with its gentle, sincere sentimentality, landed the young singer on radios globally.

Equally recentering her focus, Angie Stone dared to shift from hip-hop to R&B in the 1990s, and, after multiple attempts to break through this evolving genre, she achieved solo success with her 1999 debut album, Black Diamond Featuring the hit single, “No More Rain (In this Cloud),” the song began to showcase her ability to combine the timeless melody of soul with the modern

rhythms of R&B.

A Transformative Force, 1973; 2001

The true marvel of these two vocal powerhouses, however, lies in their unique ability to define and rewrite the music genres they performed. Evidenced by the overnight success of “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Flack skillfully blends her vocals with understated, powerful piano accompaniment, resulting in a contemplative, intimate track marked by the resonance of her own love and pain. Departing from the convention of full orchestral arrangements, Flack redefined the era’s classic soul ballad, remarkably curating a performance in which the listener is forced to reckon with the deep emotionality of Gimbel, Fox and Lieberman’s lyrics. In a stunning show of her talent, her exceptional ability to broaden the horizons of soul resulted in the single’s achievement of certified gold sales status in every category but country for months after its release.

Angie Stone, drawing from her rich, varied musical background, also demonstrated a continuous admirable ability to blend the raw energy of hip-hop with the emotional journey of traditional soul. This command and creativity she exemplified in her debut album only furthered in her 2001 release of Mahogany Soul, in which her essential track, “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” draws from the layered harmonies and longing of gospel and the plodding baseline, telling of her rich history in hip-hop. Much like Flack, her

facility of her earliest musical influences remains evident through her subsequent tracks, going on to collaborate with Prince, Snoop Dogg and Betty Wright. Their Voices Still Linger

Though we mourn the physical loss of these artists, their music is far from gone. Having helped to shape dynamic musical movements with two distinct timelines and influences, Flack and Stone leave behind a legacy as profound and transformative as was their presence.

Their discography serves as evidence of a lineage of genre-mixing in soul music, paving the way for younger artists like Lauryn Hill, whose hit Fugees cover of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” paid tribute to Flack’s command of song, and Erykah Badu, who recently sampled Stone’s earliest work.

These women’s music speaks to something timeless. Although no longer gracing the stage, their lyrics, their songs, the barriers they broke and the mainstream popularity they brought to soul music will remain ever-present in the artists inspired by their work. Through their lasting image, Flack and Stone’s influence continues to shape today’s musicianship. In the wake of their passing, their music continues to resonate and inspire.

Maya Blanchard is a junior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be

Alessandra Giragos is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at asg287@ cornell.edu.

By ALESSANDRA GIRAGOS Arts & Culture Contributor

Men’s Hockey Advances to ECAC Quarterfnals

Cornell’s third-period cleanup ended Yale’s season with a 5-1 defeat

By JANE McNALLY

Senior Editor

Three posts were hit. A goal was overturned. A major penalty was called with five minutes left.

The hockey gods seemed to be against men’s hockey on Saturday night, as the Red — seeded sixth in the ECAC playoffs — entered the third period knotted 1-1 with 11th-seeded Yale at Lynah Rink.

Shane made 18 saves to cap off his career at Lynah Rink.

On the other end, Yale goaltender Jack Stark made 28 saves, losing at Lynah for the first time in his career. The netminder had not allowed more than one goal against Cornell in two previous appearances

Much like the Cornell women’s hockey team did hours earlier at Lynah Rink en route to its fifth ECAC title, the Red got off to a quick start. Sustained pres-

“You [saw] it this afternoon at the women’s game; you [saw] it tonight. Hockey is beloved here.”

Mike Schafer ’86

Yet despite a series of misfortunes, Cornell exploded with a four-goal third period to upend the Bulldogs and advance to the ECAC quarterfinals.

Senior defenseman Tim Rego potted two goals in his final game at Lynah Rink. Head coach Mike Schafer ’86, after a long career with hundreds of games at the historic building as both a player and coach, retires knowing he won his final game at Lynah.

“It would’ve been tough to walk off that ice [after] getting your season ended, and in your last year as a coach,” Schafer said. “You [saw] it this afternoon at the women’s game, you [saw] it tonight — hockey is beloved here.”

Senior forward Ondrej Psenicka registered a goal and an assist, while sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson also tallied a two-point game with a pair of assists. Senior goaltender Ian

sure in the offensive zone led to a pair of prime scoring opportunities by sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna and senior defenseman Tim Rego, both of which rang square off the pipe.

It was only a matter of time before a shot finally found the back of the net.

It was Rego who cashed in just 2:33 into the game, ripping a shot past Stark to open the scoring. The lone assist was credited to sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson, who found Rego before the senior toe-dragged around a Bulldog skater and lit the lamp.

The Red earned a power play opportunity of its own within the last five minutes of period one and showcased some strong passing along the perimeter, but the Red couldn’t beat Stark, the goaltender that aided Yale to a shootout win at Lynah Rink on Nov. 8.

The teams traded penalties

to start the second period, and although Yale wouldn’t find the back of the net on its man advantage, it began to pick up its play and looked threatening in the offensive zone. Shane was forced to make 11 saves in the second period, many of them off of second-chance attempts that left him and his defense scrambling to preserve the lead.

The Bulldogs eventually tied things up with 3:33 remaining in period two, as William Dineen made a hard drive to the net and moved Shane enough out of position to tuck it by the Cornell netminder.

The onslaught of penalties carried into the final frame as both teams looked to keep their seasons alive. Yale’s Zach Wagnon was sent off for a faceoff violation just 58 seconds into the period, awarding Cornell its third man-up chance of the evening.

Stark ultimately stole the show — the sophomore made multiple flailing stops that kept his team in the game.

“[Stark] made four highlight saves on our power play — highlight. Like, I don’t know how he kept it out,” Schafer said. “We just kept plugging away. … There’s no quit in Yale.”

Cornell did eventually beat Stark, only in an illegal fashion. Mack celebrated for what would’ve been his seventh goal of the season, but a successful Yale challenge for goaltender interference overturned the go-ahead goal. Mack had shoved Stark’s right leg pad, which covered the puck, over the goal line.

Cornell continued to search for the go-ahead goal, outshoot-

ing the Bulldogs 10-0 within the first six minutes of the final frame. With the momentum well within its grasp, Cornell secured yet another power play and a chance to regain the lead.

That it would do — Psenicka cleaned up a loose puck in the slot and buried it, giving Cornell the lead once again. Yale once again challenged for goaltender interference as junior forward Nick DeSantis was camped out just atop the blue paint of the crease, but the goal ultimately stood.

“Our [power play] unit was working all night and getting looks,” Rego said. “[We] were talking about how it’s playoffs and our percentages reset, so we’re just going to keep focusing on it and keep getting looks and keep doing good work.”

It seems that one goal was all the Red needed to get things going. 37 seconds after Psenicka’s power play tally, a shot from sophomore defenseman Hoyt Stanley deflected off of Penney and past Stark to extend the lead to two goals.

As time continued to wind down, Cornell continued to control play in Yale’s defensive zone.

With 5:19 left, though, things turned for the worse.

Yale challenged a hit that had occurred over two minutes

earlier — the 7:22 mark — for a major penalty that had gone uncalled at the time. A lengthy review delivered a five-minute major penalty and misconduct to Mack, giving Yale a five-minute power play for the final 5:19 of the game.

But the Bulldogs had little time to utilize the man-advantage. With 3:39 left, Yale’s Connor Sullivan was sent off for interference, leveling the play at four-on-four.

30 seconds later, Rego grabbed his second goal of the game. A DeSantis empty-netter iced the game for the Red.

“People don’t think playing in the first round is good, but I think this was good for us — coming in, do-or-die, seeing what we’re made of this year with our ups and downs,” Rego said. “The boys proved to be resilient, and it’s good to win hockey games.”

With the win, the Red advances to the ECAC quarterfinals and will travel a short distance to Hamilton, New York, for a best-of-three series against Colgate. Those games will take place next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if needed). All action will be streamed live on ESPN+.

“It’s difficult to have that whole week off and then amp it back up to this kind of pace. This game tonight was a different pace than the regular season,” Schafer said. “So it gives us a little bit of an advantage coming in on Friday night that we’ve already played this type of hockey and faced elimination.”

Sun

Last at Lynah | The Red scored four goals in the final 10 minutes against the Bulldogs, finishing head coach Mike Schafer’s last game at Lynah Rink in spectacular fashion.

CONNOR LUCENTE / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: WOMEN’S

HOCKEY READIES FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PUSH

when the Detroit native stopped 54 shots (22 in overtime).

It had to be Colgate. A year removed from losing four times to the Raiders — including in both the ECAC and NCAA tournaments — it was only fitting that women’s hockey lined up with its central New York rival in the 2025 ECAC championship game. This year, the result was different.

“Obviously that’s something there, that little rivalry between us and Colgate, so to be able to come out on the other side of this today is just an amazing feeling,” said sophomore goaltender Annelies Bergmann after the championship game.

After claiming Ivy League, ECAC regular season and tournament titles — and beating Colgate twice — Cornell has just one final box to check off: winning the program’s first national championship. After a season filled with glory, the Red will begin its quest for a national title exactly a year after falling to Colgate in the 2024 Hamilton regional final. While the loss still stings, the experience that it brought is valuable to this year’s squad, according to head coach Doug Derraugh ’91.

“I think they learned a little bit more about what it takes at this time of year and though the regular season is one thing, the playoffs are a very different brand of hockey. Everything is elevated,” Derraugh said. “I think this team from last year understood that we needed to keep pushing and not be satisfied with how we were playing in December.”

After a 1-3-1 start, Cornell has gone on a 24-14 tear, entering the NCAA tournament as a three seed with a 15-game unbeaten streak. Outside of experience, with 11 seniors adorning the Red’s roster, the key to this season’s success for the Red has been its depth.

This year’s Cornell team is as deep as they come, up and down the ice. In net, Bergmann is a finalist for the Hockey Commissioners Association’s Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award and is coming off a legendary performance in the Red’s triple-overtime ECAC semifinal win,

On the blue line, all six of Cornell’s defenders have national team experience, with four being upperclassmen. The unit, along with Bergmann, has allowed the second-fewest goals and goals per game in the nation and posted nine shutouts, three coming against NCAA tournament teams.

Offensively, the motto for the Red this year has been ‘Strength in Numbers’, with 12 Cornellians notching more than 15 points and five scoring double-digit goals. That level of offensive depth has allowed Derraugh to play three and even four lines in key situations, keeping Cornell’s legs fresh for when it matters most.

This depth serves as a reminder of how Cornell was underrated entering the season since the Red lacked star scoring power up front. Cornell was ranked third in the ECAC preseason coaches poll, behind both Clarkson and Colgate.

Cornell’s success in the regular season and the ECAC tournament has been rewarded with the most valuable gift a team can receive this time of year: a bye and home-ice advantage in the NCAA tournament.

As the No. 3 overall seed, Cornell has the luxury to sit and watch as No. 6 Minnesota Duluth and Sacred Heart University square off Thursday night to determine who the Red will face in Saturday’s regional final contest.

The heavy favorite on Thursday is Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs finished the year fourth in the Western Collegiate Hockey League standings, and were a minute away from beating the top team in the country to overtime in the WCHA championship game. Ranking sixth in the Pairwise, Minnesota Duluth earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Sacred Heart, meanwhile, earned its first-ever tournament bid by knocking off Long Island University, 4-2, in the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance championship game. Cornell has recent NCAA tournament experience against NEWHA competition, knocking off Stonehill

7-1 in the opening round of last season’s tournament.

Both the Pioneers and the Bulldogs are led by their strong goaltending, setting up an intriguing Thursday night matchup. While Minnesota Duluth’s Ève Gascon joins Bergmann as a finalist for the ACA’s Goalier of the Year award and was recently named the WCHA Goaltender of the Year, SHU’s Carly Greene has the highest save percentage in the country and the second lowest goals against average. However, these numbers have come largely against NEWHA teams, who are a step below the competition Greene will be facing in Minnesota Duluth and possibly Cornell.

For Derraugh, while both Gascon and Greene are impressive, Cornell needs to keep doing what it has been doing all season if it wants to advance to the Frozen Four.

“Each goaltender has their style, but generally speaking we have to do a lot of those same things we needed to try to do this whole season,” Derragh said.

Along with being well rested, Cornell will

bring one loud advantage into Saturday’s matchup: Lynah Rink. While the Red have averaged just over 1,000 fans per game over the course of the season, the past two weekends have seen more than 1,400 members of the Lynah Faithful attend each of Cornell’s four games. In the championship game against Colgate, 1,870 fans gave the Red a serious energy boost less than 24 hours removed from winning the triple-overtime thriller. For Derraugh, the crowd at Lynah Rink is one of the first things that stands out when looking back at ECAC Championship Weekend.

“What really stood out to me was the Lynah Faithful. The crowds that we had were outstanding [and] the turnout was amazing. It makes such a difference,” Derraugh said. “I think our opponents were also amazed and the atmosphere was electric.”

Minnesota Duluth and SHU’s first round matchup will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. at Lynah Rink. Cornell will face off against the winner on 4 p.m. Saturday. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The 25-Year History of NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey

shape — 72 years after its men’s team.

As the country gears up for the 2025 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament, seeds are assigned and brackets are made, it can be easy to forget how far the sport has come in a short time.

The NCAA formally sanctioned women’s hockey in 2000, and the national tournament has occurred every year since (except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) In a quarter century, the tournament has grown from two to four rounds, and the number of women’s hockey conferences has increased from three to five.

Due to its unique history, the structure of collegiate women’s hockey may look unusual to fans of the men’s leagues, as the current women’s tournament features an 11-team bracket in contrast to the 16-team men’s bracket. The current conferences were formed rapidly and have shifted dramatically in the 50 years that have passed since varsity teams began to organize.

In 1965, Brown University created the first American collegiate women’s ice hockey team, the Pembroke Pandas, who made their on-ice debut in 1966. Brown lacked a collegiate rival, instead playing against community-organized teams until 1971, when Cornell’s program first took

The group of 23 women was unable to practice in Lynah Rink and struggled to obtain equipment and funds due to a lack of recognition as a varsity sport until the 1972-1973 season. At this point, competition was limited to the Pandas, the Red and several Canadian schools including McGill and Erindale (now the University of Toronto at Mississauga).

After Cornell’s debut, women’s hockey programs began cropping up with greater frequency, almost exclusively in the Northeastern United States. The Red’s 1974-1975 schedule introduced nine new American collegiate competitors to the rotation, and by 1976 the first Ivy League tournament was organized. Cornell won 10-1 against Yale and 3-2 against Brown to take the first-ever title.

Following closely behind was the beginning of the ECAC championship, initially in the form of an invitational in 1984. It wasn’t until 1996 that an official post-season ECAC tournament began.

The ever-growing list of teams, in an attempt to organize a national tournament without being sanctioned by the NCAA, coalesced under the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance from 1997-2000. The AWCHA received funding from the United States Olympic Committee to host a yearly championship,

which debuted in 1998 when New Hampshire bested Brown to win the first-ever national collegiate women’s ice hockey championship.

1999 heralded the introduction of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, bringing women’s hockey to seven schools in the Midwest. As the sport’s limiting factor up to this point was a lack of teams (in 1998, about 10 more schools needed to adopt programs in order for the NCAA to sanction women’s ice hockey), the WCHA and ECAC put in a combined effort to gain National Collegiate recognition. In August of 2000, it succeeded, and the national division of women’s ice hockey was created.

The first-ever NCAA tournament, dubbed the inaugural women’s Frozen Four, took place in the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Mariucci Arena. No. 4 St. Lawrence overturned No. 1 Dartmouth in the first round, only to fall to No. 2 Minnesota Duluth, the lone WCHA representative, in the final.

Two additional conferences, Hockey East and College Hockey America, formed in 2002, with Hockey East pulling schools such as Northeastern University, Boston University and the University of Maine from the ECAC. The introduction of more competition allowed for the 2005 expansion of the tournament to include eight teams. The top

four seeds hosted quarterfinal matches to earn a spot in the Frozen Four.

The champions of the ECAC, Hockey East and WCHA conference tournaments received automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, while the remaining slots were filled by at-large bids.

Cornell made its first tournament appearance in 2010, beating Boston University and No. 1 Mercyhurst before falling to No. 2 Minnesota Duluth in the championship. The Red made the next four brackets before facing a two-year drought.

Starting in 2015, at-large bids were extended to CHA conference winners. Up to this point, Mercyhurst was the only team in the conference to have made a national tournament appearance.

Several Division ll schools desiring to compete in postseason play (there is still no Division ll tournament and they could not compete with Division lll teams) formed the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance with Division l schools Holy Cross and Sacred Heart University in 2017.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down both men’s and women’s postseasons before NCAA tournaments, the women’s championship bracket was restructured to the version seen today. In the 2022 iteration, seven at-large bids are offered along with the four automatic qualifiers. Teams are assigned seeds

by the NCAA committee, and three first-round games occur to decide the opponents of the first, second and third seeds in the quarterfinals.

Beginning in 2023, the winner of NEWHA was granted an automatic bid to the tournament. In both seasons since then, no NEWHA competitor has advanced past the first round, and in the 2024-2025 season, teams in the conference had a 1-421 record against out-of-conference opponents.

In 2024, the most recent alteration to the field occurred when the CHA merged with the men’s Atlantic Hockey Association to form Atlantic Hockey America.

Despite the NCAA tournament growing to encompass 44 teams across five conferences, only five teams have earned the championship trophy, with all but one (Clarkson) being a part of the WCHA.

This year, Cornell looks to change that. The Red, ranked third in the nation and the holder of the ECAC championship title, will begin the tournament automatically in the quarterfinals.

After Sacred Heart and Minnesota Duluth duke it out at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lynah Rink, the Red will take the ice with the victor at 4 p.m. Saturday, hoping to kickstart an NCAA run that ends with the trophy.

ALEXIS ROGERS Sun Sports Editor

ELI FASTIFF Sun Senior Editor

Moving on | Cornell enters the tournament with the momentum of last week’s ECAC title.

LEILANI BURKE / SUN SENIOR EDITOR

‘SHE WAS A FORCE’

HOW JESSICA CAMPBELL BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN BEHIND AN NHL BENCH

ELI FASTIFF Sun Senior Editor

It was the opening night of the Seattle Kraken’s 2024-2025 season. As the lights dimmed and skates hit the ice, Jessica Campbell ’14 took her place behind the bench as a newly minted assistant coach and readied to help the Kraken defeat the St. Louis Blues.

Among the 17,151 fans in attendance were two Cornellians —Jill Saulnier ’15 and Alyssa (Gagliardi) Sleasman ’14 — teammates of Campbell’s when she played on East Hill.

On Oct. 8, Campbell became the first woman to coach behind the bench at an NHL game. While many hockey fans are only just now learning about Campbell, those who knew her during her time at Cornell have been long aware of the skills that allowed Campbell to break barriers.

In conversations with Campbell’s former teammates, coaches, and classmates, one word about her time at Cornell stands out: leader.

“Jess was a born leader,” Saulnier said, currently a forward on the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. “She was a force. She was the fastest player, by far, and just a leader the way she carried herself in the gym and on the ice.”

Yet Campbell’s biggest attribute was not evident on the ice nor in the weightroom.

“More importantly, off the ice she was someone you wanted to be around, because you knew if you were around her you were going to be the best version of yourself,” Saulnier, who has known Campbell for 17 years, said. “That’s how she carried herself all through [her time at] Cornell.”

Sleasman — Campbell’s close friend and co-captain at Cornell — echoed Saliener’s assessment.

“She’s going to do whatever it takes to push the group forward, but still maintain a level of care where everyone knows that they’re cared about and that they are important pieces in the puzzle,” Sleasman said. “I think that’s something you see when you see her in interviews and stuff today, she talks about that [care] at the NHL level, stuff that she was incredibly good at as a leader during her time playing as well.”

Even from the time she was getting recruited to Cornell, Campbell’s strong character was clear.

“She was somebody that we thought would not only lead on the ice but off the ice,” said head coach Doug Derraugh ’91.

On the ice, Campbell was a force. The forward scored four goals in just her second game in a Cornell sweater, and went on to total 26 points in her freshman campaign. Though she missed playing in the ECAC final with an injury, Campbell’s +22 plus/minus rating on the season demonstrated her importance to the Red en route to its second straight conference title.

Cambell’s sophomore season was her worst from a production standpoint, but one of the Saskatchewan native’s biggest games as a Cornellian came in the postseason, scoring the first goal and assisting on the last in the Red’s 8-7 triple-overtime win over Boston University in the NCAA Tournament.

As an upperclassman, Campbell’s on-ice impact was undeniable. Her 16 goals in her junior season were a career-best and second-most on the team. That season, Campbell also scored the game-winning goal in the 2013 ECAC championship against rival Harvard.

“We just stuck to our game plan and didn’t really shy away from

that from the start,” Campbell told The Sun after that game. “We knew the goal was going to come when we needed it, but we really established our game on them and forced them to try to keep up with us the whole time, and it worked out for us in the end.”

Wearing the captain’s ‘C’ for Cornell as a senior, Campbell had her best season in Ithaca. Posting 22 assists and 36 points, Campbell led the Red to its fourth ECAC title, three of which came during her time at Cornell.

While Campbell had many impressive on-ice attributes, her speed stands out.

“She had such a gift for speed that she was a really valued member in terms of on-ice impact,” Sleasman said.

Derraugh — who has coached over a dozen future pros during his 19 seasons behind the bench at Cornell — agreed.

“When you saw how hard she worked and how dedicated she was to the team, you wanted to be like that, and you wanted to work hard for her.”

Former teammate Jill Saulnier ’15

“The first thing that always jumped out about Jess when you watched her play was her explosiveness,” Derraugh said. “She was just such an explosive skater and created so much excitement when she jumped on the ice, just a lot of energy, and just a real powerful player [who] had a real strong skill set.”

Eventually, it was Campbell’s speed that would attract the attention of professional players. In 2019 — after her playing days in the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League and for the Canadian national team — Campbell opened a power-skating business in British Columbia which attracted multiple NHLers when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the league in 2020. After the pandemic had subsided, she journeyed to Europe, coaching in Sweden and Germany. Then, in 2022, Campbell was hired as an assistant coach with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Seattle Kraken’s minor league affiliate, becoming the first woman to coach in the American Hockey League. After two seasons, Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma was hired by the Kraken and brought Campbell with him to the pros.

While Campbell’s skating may have gotten her foot through the coaching door, it was her off-ice personality that has allowed her to excel. A hard work ethic, care for the team and effective communication are all skills that a good coach has, and were all present in Cambell off the ice during her time at Cornell.

Saulnier — who met Campbell as a 15-year-old when they were teammates on the Canadian U18 national team and credits Campbell for her coming to Cornell — recognized that the way Campbell carried herself off the ice made her an effective leader.

“She did everything with 100 percent of who she was, and that’s why she was such a good leader and such a good captain,” Saulnier said. “When you saw her and you saw how hard she worked and you saw how dedicated she was to the team, you wanted to be like that, and you wanted to work hard for her, and I think that’s why she was such an amazing leader.”

OF CORNELL ATHLETICS, COURTESY OF COMMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

According to Derraugh, it was that hard work that led her to being selected as a captain her senior year.

“She’s somebody who works very hard to get better,” Derraugh said. “So not only was she a leader in her actions and her work ethic and that side of things, but also, she had the confidence to speak up in the dressing room and the girls, they looked up to her.”

Another reason that explains why Campbell made a great leader at Cornell and is coaching in the NHL is how she treated or those around her. Dr. Benjamin Horowitz ’14 covered Campbell during part of her time in Ithaca for The Sun, and remembers how easy Campbell made it to cover the team.

“I definitely remember her and Jill [Saulnier] being very accessible. They were very accommodating and very happy to do interviews,” Horowitz said. “They weren’t cutting me short or appearing uninterested, they were happy to do it, they made themselves available. … I definitely appreciated that from the reporter’s end.”

For Sleasman, Campbell was the ultimate leader because of how much she cared for her teammates.

“She’s so loyal and she has such a strong ability to empathize and connect with people. I think as we took on leadership roles later in our Cornell career, that was something that just was super apparent,” said Sleasman. “She knows herself really well, so it allows her to just be super authentic in terms of her leadership.”

That care paid off. Throughout her time at Cornell, the Red was consistently one of the best teams in the nation, not only due to skill but also because of the team’s chemistry. That chemistry is in part a credit to Campbell’s leadership.

“It was a very strong team camaraderie,” Horowitz said. “I would ask them questions and it always came back to them crediting their teammates for the success they were having. Those years [it] seemed like a really tight group of players.”

While Campbell had an immeasurable impact on those around her in Ithaca, Cornell also had a big impact on her. In the classroom, Campbell was a communication major, which she credits with preparing her to effectively relay information to players today.

“I’ve heard her in interviews say that she’s used skills that she’s learned in her communication courses to teach and I’ve heard the NHL players and others say that she’s very concise and clear in her messaging and that they appreciate that from her,” said Derraugh.

Derraugh himself has had a major impact on Campbell. In an interview with NHL.com, she referred to him as “the best coach [she] ever had” while complementing his communication skills. The two are still in touch over 10 years after Campbell’s graduation; Campbell has Derraugh as a resource as she moves through the professional coaching ranks.

While Cornell has already left its mark on Campbell, she continues to give back to the school and its women’s hockey program. She was back in Ithaca for senior weekend this year — when the Red captured its seventh ECAC regular season title — and narrated the team’s playoff hype video.

“It’s our time to show what Big Red hockey is made of: relentless grit, determination, and unwavering heart,” Campbell said in the video.

According to those who knew her best when she was in Ithaca, Campbell embodied those values as a Cornellian and has used them to get to the barrier-breaking place she is today.

COURTESY