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The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Inside S.A. Member's Plans to Shield Greek Life

two were campaigning together during a period in which DeLorenzo knew about the allegation.

Conversations between the president of Cornell’s Interfraternity Council and the embattled ex-president of the Student Assembly reveal plans the two had to bar criticism of Greek life from the S.A. floor and block resolutions pertaining to women’s health and gender issues.

Private text messages obtained by The Sun show how the IFC president and influential S.A. member George Rocco DeLorenzo ’24 — who was also running for executive vice president of the Student Assembly at the time — planned on wielding a Greek life “machine” in the Student Assembly to defend the interests of fraternities.

The Sun has reviewed a host of texts between DeLorenzo and Pedro Da Silveira ’25 during last year’s campaign cycle in which the pair discussed their vision and goals for the Student Assembly.

On Feb. 20, 2023, Da Silveira confided in DeLorenzo that a for- mer sexual partner was creating a record of

By SOFIA RUBINSON and KATE SANDERS Sun Senior Reporter and Sun News Editor See

would work to prevent changes to the Greek life system from being considered by the Assembly. When asked what the “mandate of the machine” would be for the upcoming year, DeLorenzo wrote: “Probably two rules - 1. Don’t do anything controversial 2. Leave greek life alone.”

Da Silveira — who was elected president of the Assembly in May 2023 but was ousted moments after being sworn in due to a Title IX allegation which he was later found not responsible for — said the

A Boogie for Slope Day

By MARISA CEFOLA Sun News Editor

The Slope Day Programming Board revealed Saturday that this year’s headliner will be A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, joined by Flo Rida.

The announcement comes after the Student Assembly voted to increase the Slope Day budget by $400,000 after last year’s announcement generated mixed reactions from students. SDPB considered students’ feedback and decided to incorporate two surveys in their artist selection process.

One survey asked students to suggest genres and artists, while the second asked them to rank potential artists within SDPB’s budget.

“We made these changes to amplify the student voice in our selection process,” wrote SDPB Executive Director Margot Baker in an email to The Sun. “Rather than inferring who students would like to see, we wanted their

direct input, which is why, in our first survey, we asked for the genres they would like to see represented at Slope Day in addition to the name of a potential headliner.”

Both A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Flo Rida fell within the top five rankings obtained from the second survey. SDPB also based their decision based on artist availability and costs. The Slope Day budget also accounts for logistical costs, such as staging and emergency service expenses.

“There was definitely a lot of public misunderstanding of how the Board and Campus Activities allocated our funds,” Baker wrote. “People generally assume that our entire budget goes toward talent, … but less than half of our budget is allocated to artist selection.”

Slope Day will be held on May 8, 2024.

DeLorenzo seemed to be particularly upset about the S.A.’s Resolution 16: Condemning Greek Life. The resolution — written in the wake of the suspension of all Cornell fraternities over sexual assault and drugging allegations in November 2022 — called fraternities “misogynistic, racist and transphobic institutions that perpetuate sexual assault and harassment.”

The day after the resolution was adopted in December 2022, DeLorenzo told Da Silveira that the “SA will definitely look different next semester” and that the resolution was tar-

DeLorenzo also appeared to take issue with certain women’s health-related resolutions. He told Da Silveira in February that he “just can’t morally support a Plan B vending machine,” referring to a resolution that supported a pilot program to create a vending machine with emergency contraception.

Kuehl Asks Ofce of Ethics to Investigate Misconduct

By KATE SANDERS Sun News Editor

Amid extensive political controversy, Student Assembly President Patrick Kuehl ’24 directed the S.A. Office of Ethics to investigate himself and several other Assembly members currently or formerly connected to either the Interfraternity Council or the Cornell Democrats.

In a March 22 letter to the editor, Kuehl explained that the investigation was prompted by The Sun’s recent reporting on alliances within the Student Assembly, which seem to implicate current Vice President of Finance George Rocco DeLorenzo ’24, ex-president Pedro Da Silveira ’25 and representative Clyde Lederman ’26 in scheming to utilize the voting power of a Greek life “machine.”

Text messages between then-IFC president DeLorenzo, Da Silveira and

Lederman show several agreements to block legislation pertaining to fraternities in exchange for the IFC’s galvanizing political support in both Student Assembly and Common Council elections.

In the letter, Kuehl also condemned DeLorenzo’s stances on gender-related policies, as several messages obtained by The Sun demonstrate his efforts to block or mock resolutions about women’s health. The Sun recently reported that DeLorenzo told Da Silveira not to campaign on providing free date rape drug testing kits to fraternities through Cornell Health, explaining that there were “other ways to get the female vote.”

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

Marisa Cefola can be reached at mcefola@cornellsun.com.

S.A. to Hold Referendum on Divestment from Weapons Manufacturers

By DOROTHY FRANCE-MILLER Sun Senior Writer

The Student Assembly voted to hold a referendum to poll the student body on whether Cornell should publicly support a ceasefire in Gaza and divest from weapons manufacturers “supporting the ongoing war in Gaza” at its March 21 meeting.

The Student Assembly Charter states: “[A] Call for a Referendum is an action of the student body to determine community opinion regarding matters of student concern.” The Assembly previously rejected a resolution calling for divestment, but the Coalition for Mutual Liberation has held several pro-divestment demonstrations since.

The referendum will prompt students to answer whether they are in favor or against Cornell divesting from several weapons manufacturers, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, that are “supporting the ongoing war in Gaza.” It will also ask students to vote on whether Cornell University should call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, according to the divestment petition form.

The referendum states “Cornell has investments in companies supporting the ongoing war in Gaza, which has been deemed as a ‘plausible genocide’ by the International Court of Justice in South Africa v. Israel.”

Students will have a 36-hour long window to answer the questions. This survey will be sent alongside a list of three points for and three points against adopting the proposal. According to the charter, the executive vice president calls for pro or con statements about the referendum questions from any Cornell community members.

If a majority of undergraduate students vote

yes, then the Office of the President will receive the results of the referendum question. They will be required to respond with the president’s intention to either reject or implement a policy concerning the question within 30 days.

CML, a pro-Palestine coalition of over 40 campus and local organizations, advocated for students to sign the divestment petition form in favor of including questions on a student referendum ballot. CML also led several pro-divestment demonstrations, including occupying Day Hall on Thursday, March 21, and protesting outside Sage Hall — where the Board of Trustees met — on Friday, March 22.

While CML is not a registered student organization, the petition was sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace at Cornell with several co-sponsors including Students for Justice in Palestine, the Arab Student Association, and Cornell Progressives, according to the divestment petition form.

The S.A. charter states that a student or student group can submit a referendum to the S.A. after garnering the support of at least 3 percent of the undergraduate student body, which comes out to approximately 470 students.

Adrián Cardona Young ’26, president of Cornell’s Jewish Voice for Peace, said the referendum was signed by over 950 undergraduate students while presenting the referendum at the S.A. meeting.

“We’ve done demonstrations, and we’ve made statements. So to that end, we are here to propose a referendum that allows the decision to be taken into the student body’s hands,” said Vice President of Cornell Students for Justice in Palestine Sadeen Musa ’25.

While the referendum ultimately passed in a 15 to 10 vote, it faced resistance from S.A. members.

Freshman Representative David Diao ’27 expressed concern about the binary options for student responses.

“This will be a yes or no decision. Yes, meaning there is an ongoing genocide promoted by the State of Israel. No, there is not,” Diao said. “There is no room for dialogue. There is no room for unity. You are either for or against this.”

The S.A. charter stipulates that referendum questions are “neutrally worded” and ask for a yes or no response.

Supporters of the referendum argued that the questions, though binary, would reduce tensions in the future.

“The referendum is a way that finally the student body gets a vote,” Musa said. “And yes, it’s binary, but at the same time, I feel like after all this time, it’s good that we have a final opinion that properly represents the student body to prevent

future tensions.”

Assembly members also expressed concern about the logistics of the referendum.

“If you send this referendum as it is, [the administration] can claim, ‘Oh, the referendum was not neutral’, or something about their tax-exempt status,” said Vice President of Internal Operations Clyde Lederman ’26. “We need something that the University can act on and that is actionable, and it’s not in that form right now.”

Despite this concern, other Assembly members continued to support the referendum as is.

“It’s not the responsibility of the Student Assembly to make large stances on world issues, but it is our responsibility to listen to students,” stated Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Aissatou Barry ‘24. “It’s our responsibility to give [students] the opportunity to tell us what they think.”

Instructors Grapple with AI’s Opportunities, Pitfalls

Since the public release of ChatGPT in 2022, instructors have adapted curriculum in diferent manners

By OLIVIA HOLLOWAY Sun Senior Writer

Debugging code. Fixing grammatical errors. Summarizing research papers. Composing entire essays. Artificial intelligence has significantly broadened academic resources, prompting professors to resist, adapt or embrace an educational shift.

A July 2023 report by a University committee on generative artificial intelligence in education urged educators to consider GAI when developing class objectives, providing a flexible framework with options to prohibit, allow with attribution or actively encourage the use of GAI.

The committee, co-chaired by Kavita Bala, dean of the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, and Alex Colvin Ph.D. ’99, dean of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, broadly recommended that instructors rethink the purpose of education in a GAI-enabled world, address the pitfalls of new technology and explicitly state policies for GAI use in their courses.

Bala, who conducts research in AI and machine learning, hoped the report would address faculty’s uncertainty around the rising influence of AI, especially with ChatGPT, a popular AI chatbot.

In an email to The Sun, Bala explained that some instructors were excited about the opportunity for customized and elevated learning experiences that new AI systems offered, while others feared its replacement of human intelligence.

“There was a lot of misunderstanding around what the technology could or could not do, and it was important to educate our faculty and students to understand the technology so their expectations were realistic,” Bala wrote. “It is important that [students] learn to work with this technology and incorporate it into their professional lives ethically and responsibly.”

The Sun interviewed teaching assistants and professors about how they have decided to institute AI policies according to the report’s recommendations as well as students’ responses to these course policies.

Prof. Jeffrey Perry, global development, who teaches several education classes, described the varied approaches to incorporating new technology into classes.

“We’ve got to be aware, from the negative perspective, that it’s going to influence how we change our assessment tools, because students’ writing [may use AI to cheat] ... and almost

work against what AI can do for us,” Perry said. “Or we lean in using a positive perspective and use it as a tool, but add the expectation for higher order thinking.”

Musckaan Chauhan grad is a graduate teaching assistant in GOVT 2817: America Confronts the World. She discussed the balanced approach employed in the class regarding AI-use stipulations.

The class has utilized both assignments that ask students to complete work without AI and with AI as a brainstorming resource.

“We decided on creating assignments that would ask them to treat AI as an interlocutor while writing as opposed to something that supplants writing,” Chauhan said. “They can develop their own relationship with [large language models] as opposed to us dictating what they should think about LLMs. It was a very reflective and open relationship that allowed for this kind of experimentation to occur.”

“We decided on creating assignments that would ask them to treat AI as an interlocutor while writing as opposed to something that supplants writing.” Musckaan Chauhan grad

Prof. Christopher Byrne, communication, has adopted a similar technique, clarifying whether AI should be used in each of his assignments in his course COMM 2010: Writing and Producing the Narrative for Digital Media. Byrne has his students prompt AI to produce creative content, like public service announcements and scripts.

He has been both critical and accepting of the technology, asking his students to consider how bland ChatGPT’s output can be.

“It’s a great way to reinforce the problems with cliches,” Byrne said. “When you ask ChatGPT to create a script for a [public service announcement], you’re going to see every cliche out there. You really need to come up with something that’s more unique and more creative.”

Despite professors’ goal to challenge students to surpass ChatGPT’s abilities, some Cornell students simply use ChatGPT to critique its initial output — even when instruct-

ed not to.

One student, who requested anonymity due to fears of academic disciplinary action, explained how they used ChatGPT to complete work beyond the portion of the assignment they were allowed to use it for.

“I’m in [ANTHR 2400: Cultural Diversity and Contemporary Issues] and my first assignment had us use ChatGPT to write out an answer to the essay prompt and then we had to critique it,” the anonymous student said. “I used ChatGPT to both produce the answer to the prompt and then to critique itself.”

Jasmine Samadi ’25, who studies operation research and information engineering, told The Sun that her professors, while taking different approaches depending on their course objectives, always provide clear instructions as to when and how AI can be used.

“In some classes, they say that it is acceptable to use ChatGPT, but at the beginning of the homework, you have to say that you used a large language model, the same way you would let them know if you had studied with a friend,” Samadi said.

A couple of Samadi’s professors deter students who might be tempted to cheat with AI on certain assignments by claiming that, as they tested their questions on ChatGPT, AI models would produce incorrect answers.

The commission’s report stated that professors should emphasize the pitfalls of GAI including hallucinations — the presence of inaccuracies in GAI output due to biases in the data used to train models — and ask students to use critical analysis of systems’ output before accepting it and using it in their own work.

Despite his weariness of AI’s writing abilities, Byrne emphasized how crucial it is for current students to use AI to their benefit, rather than avoiding it due to the fear of its potential to dominate certain industries.

“I heard somewhere recently that AI may not replace you in your job, but what will replace you will be someone who knows AI,” Byrne said. “No matter what field you’re going into, you’re going to have to have some sort of working understanding of how artificial intelligence can help you.”

Olivia

Divestment debate | Members of the Student Asembly voted to hold a referrendum on divestment policy following over 950 undergraduate students signing a petition.

Dorothy France-Miller can be reached at dfrancemiller@cornellsun.com.

CML Occupies Day Hall as Board of Trustees Convenes in Ithaca

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

The Coalition for Mutual Liberation staged a 24-person occupation at Day Hall, Cornell’s primary administrative building, on Thursday. CML is calling for President Martha Pollack to call a vote of the Board of Trustees — which is meeting in Ithaca from March 21 to March 22 — to divest from arms suppliers and defense companies.

According to a statement released by CML, the protesters will refuse to leave until Pollack agrees to call this vote, which CML hopes will occur at the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday.

Demonstrators donned matching red shirts with the message “Trustees: Divest” on the front and back. Many wore keffiyehs, traditional scarfs that have become a key cultural symbol of Palestinian identity.

Signs reading “Divest from death,” “You do not represent us” and “Be on the right side of history” were placed in front of Day Hall. Some posters placed on the building by demonstrators were removed by University staff and handed back to protestors, according to demonstrators.

In the fall, CML, a coalition of over 40 campus and local organizations aimed to take action against forces of imperialism and oppression, hosted similar occupations in Willard Straight Hall and Day Hall.

CML has recently petitioned for a student referendum to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Cornell’s divestment from weapons manufacturers complicit in the conflict.

In a Jan. 31 post, CML argued that “arms companies complicit in the Israeli invasion of Gaza are guilty of morally reprehensible actions and are thus subject to divestment in accordance with the 2016 Standard to Guide Divestment Consideration,” referencing a set of divestment guidelines approved by the Board of

Trustees just over eight years ago.

Joshua Kam grad, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Asian Studies participating in the occupation, said that the demonstration is particularly timely amid the Board of Trustees meeting in Ithaca.

“The people who can make these decisions are here in Cornell right now,” Kam said. “I think it’s one thing to hear about these stories or hear about protests or sit-ins, but it’s another thing to be in a place where we are visual and can meet and communicate with each other.”

Jacob Berman ’25, another protestor at the occupation, underscored the significance of the protest in the context of the Board of Trustees meetings.

“This is coinciding with the Board of Trustee[s’] meetings happening [on] Thursday and Friday, and we are here to send a message to Martha and the Board of Trustees that your community members, your students and [your] staff are not okay with your University funding this genocide,” Berman said.

CML held an emergency rally in front of Day Hall at 2 p.m. Thursday and plans to continue pushing for divestment at a Ho Plaza rally Friday at 12:30 p.m.

While Day Hall typically closes at 5:15 p.m., demonstrators were told at approximately 4 p.m. that a request from the trustees — some of whom visited the protestors throughout the occupation — to allow protestors to stay in the building without repercussions until 6 p.m. would be honored.

According to a statement released by Joel Malina, vice president for University relations, Cornell Trustees Stephen Robinson and Martin Scheinman visited the demonstrators at Day Hall to listen to the protestors’ concerns. The Trustees informed the group that while they would inform the other Trustees about the group’s concerns, their demands could not be met.

“At 6 o’clock [p.m.], [Cornell University Police Department] will come to ask you to leave,” said

Christine Nye, associate director for group behavior and development in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, to the demonstrators. “At that time, if you fail to comply, you may be referred and/or arrested.”

In a follow-up interview with The Sun at 5:10 p.m., Nye confirmed that this request would be honored.

Police prevented individuals from entering the building as the demonstration approached the 6 p.m. deadline. Protestors sat in a wide circle surrounding the door and sang songs of solidarity.

Approximately 75 people protested outside Day Hall shouting phrases including “Free, free Palestine.” Protestors also cheered on the passing of a campus-wide referendum on ceasefire and divestment which CML advocated for, meaning the student body will vote on whether the University should publicly call for a ceasefire in Gaza and divest from weapons manufacturers, and Pollack must respond to the result.

Despite warnings from campus staff and the Cornell University Police Department emphasizing the building’s closure, demonstrators continued occupying Day Hall.

Starting at just past 6 p.m., police removed demonstrators from the lobby by a few people at a time. Approximately an hour later, all demonstrators were removed from the lobby.

22 students were referred to OSCCS for breaching the Student Code of Conduct and two employees were referred to Human Resources for violating university policy, Malina wrote.

Police collected students’ identification. The police charged demonstrators with trespassing, with a court order to appear before Ithaca City Court set for over spring break.

Student Assembly Passes Resolution Urging End to Legacy Admissions

By ERIC LECHPAMMER Sun Staff Writer

The Student Assembly unanimously approved a measure advocating for the end of legacy preferencing in Cornell’s admissions process on Thursday.

The overturn of affirmative action by the Supreme Court in June sparked a national conversation over the continuation of legacy college admissions.

Many colleges including Michigan State University and Bryn Mawr College disclosed that they would not consider legacy status in future admissions. They also said that they would indicate the absence of legacy preference from their policy in the Common Data Set, the main data source used by higher education publishers such as U.S. News & World Report.

Cornell has so far maintained its consideration of legacy connections for applicants.

Students who are children of alumni are nearly four times as likely to be admitted to elite colleges as students who have identical test scores but are not children of alumni. 14.7 percent of students in the Class of 2025 are descendants of Cornell alumni, outnumbering the proportion of Black students in the same class, at 13.7 percent. S.A. President Patrick Kuehl ’24 introduced Resolution 68 before the Assembly alongside Evan Mandery, a constitutional law professor at John Jay College of Criminal Law. Kuehl prepared the resolution in conjunction with the student assembly presidents of Columbia, Brown and Yale University.

The Assembly passed a similar resolution in a near-unanimous vote in 2021, when Claire Tempelman ’24, former college of human ecology representative, introduced Resolution 35 calling on Cornell to end legacy admissions.

Mandery is the author of Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us, a book concerning how legacy preference is used to perpetuate the over-inclusion of the wealthy in elite higher education. He explained that at 38 higher education institutions in the United States, more students come from the top one percent of national income than the entire bottom 60 percent.

At Cornell, 10 percent of students come from families in the top one percent of income while approximately 20 percent come from the bottom 60 percent.

“Ending legacy preference would not end inequity in college admissions,” Mandery said. “But I think it would be a very powerful statement for all of you to decry legacy preference.”

To promote inclusive admissions processes, Cornell implemented identity-based essays and vowed to decrease the proportion of students admitted through the early decision track beginning with the Class of 2028, following the University’s Presidential

Task Force on Undergraduate Admissions’s recommendations, which were released in September.

Former interim vice president for enrollment Jason C. Locke told The Sun in 2018 that legacy students have a greater chance of being accepted in the early decision round as a result of a mutual commitment relationship.

However, the University was not yet certain about adapting legacy advantages, according to Prof. Avery August, immunology, at an Oct. 11 Faculty Senate meeting.

“The task force and administration felt that they weren’t yet ready to decide on the issue of legacy. But it’s still being very heavily considered and thought about,” Avery said.

According to the resolution, legacy admissions originated as a “discriminatory strategy to exclude immigrant and Jewish students from accessing higher education,” and today it “has been proven to inhibit social mobility, undercut socioeconomic and racial diversity and reproduce cycles of privilege” in higher education.

Kuehl explained the lack of financial justification for legacy admissions. While many argue that legacy preferencing in admissions propels higher alumni donations, the authors of Affirmative Action for the Rich: Legacy Preferences in College Admissions determined a lack of statistically significant evidence to back this claim.

Jahmal Wallen ’24, undergraduate representative to the University Assembly, noted that legacy students also disproportionately come from wealthy or donor backgrounds, diminishing the value of individual candidates’ merit in admissions decisions.

Wallen said that ending legacy preference would be a logical choice, following the overturn of affirmative action.

“I think that all [legacy preference] does is reaffirm a system where people who have access to resources get an advantage. Simply having wealth does not make you more deserving of education [than others],” Wallen said.

Aissatou Barry ’24, vice president of diversity and inclusion and minority students liaison at-large, said that the existence of legacy preference undermines Cornell’s founding principle of being an institution where “any person can find instruction in any study,” particularly by alienating low-income students, many of whom are students of color.

“Lower-income students that come to Cornell are uncomfortable,” Barry said, “Once they’re better represented in the student body, the overall Cornell experience will be a lot better [for them].”

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

Occupation interrupted | Protesters in Day Hall sat while the Cornell Police Department prevented people from entering the building as the 6 p.m. deadline approached. JULIA NAGEL / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Anuska Shorewala can be reached at ashorewala@cornellsun.com.

Senzon can be reached at jsenzon@cornellsun.com.

Texts Reveal Former IFC President’s Stance on Gender Policies

face, there are only two genders.”

“All I gotta say is under the machine greek life sweep coming, this stuff wouldn’t ever make it to the floor,” DeLorenzo wrote, referring to the Plan B vending machine proposal.

In an April 21, 2023, text, DeLorenzo told Da Silveira not to campaign on providing free date rape drug testing kits to fraternities through Cornell Health. “As promised everything Frat will be kept out of the mouth of the SA so if you feel strongly I can cut it,” Da Silveira wrote.

DeLorenzo responded that since date rape drugs at fraternities were no longer a focus on campus, it was best to not bring it up and that there were “other ways to get the female vote.” DeLorenzo also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the test kits.

DeLorenzo seemed to take issue with the Gender Justice Advocacy Coalition’s initiative of providing free menstrual products in restrooms across campus. On March 13, 2023, he wrote to Da Silveira: “If I see any more tampons in the men’s room, I’m going to lose it. Such a waste of money. … I’ll tell them to their

Last semester, DeLorenzo, as S.A. vice president of finance, recommended that the GJAC receive a decrease in funding due to the lack of quantitative data supporting the usage of free menstrual products across campus bathrooms, though that decision was reversed following extensive student testimonials.

On March 19, 2023, DeLorenzo called Da Silveira to say he wanted to run as his executive vice president, according to Da Silveira. Da Silveira’s call record indicates they talked on the phone, but The Sun could not independently confirm the specific content of their conversation.

In a text message hours later, Da Silveira told Clyde Lederman ’26 — who was on the executive board of the Cornell Democrats and served as the legislative clerk for the Office of the Assemblies at the time — that he was “willing to take bat for [DeLorenzo] entirely” and that “[DeLorenzo] can confidently claim that he can whip however many votes from his ifc ppl (sic).”

When asked what DeLorenzo is pushing for in the Assembly, Da Silveira told Lederman: “Something that CAN interest him is pledging to scrub ifc and Greek life from all platforms, speeches, everything. Nothing with Greek life will ever emerge.”

Da Silveira told Lederman on March 16, 2023, that they could put forth a “compromise consensus slate” that has a mix of Cornell Democrats-endorsed candidates, Da Silveira’s allies and candidates beholden to the IFC. Lederman wrote that there was “definitely a deal to be had here” as he needed fraternity votes for his Common Council run — which he ultimately garnered.

Toward the end of April, Da Silveira appeared to have lost the support of both the IFC and the Cornell Democrats. DeLorenzo — as IFC president — opted to endorse Patrick Kuehl ’24 (Fourth Ward) as the most “level-headed” presidential candidate. Cornell Democrats viewed Da Silveira as “unserious” because of his focus on student life as opposed to broader policy change, according to then president of the Cornell Democrats Javed Jokhai ’24.

The Cornell Democrats — who endorsed Kuehl for president — also endorsed both DeLorenzo and Claire Ting ’25 for executive vice president. When asked why DeLorenzo received the endorsement, Jokhai said that the Cornell Democrats wanted to honor his “commitment to the S.A.” and “abilities as a leader” in their endorsement rather than his “content politics.”

DeLorenzo did not respond to repeated requests for comment on this story, including about why he had a change of heart and came out in support of Kuehl despite having apparently planned a platform with Da Silveira. In a message to the IFC, DeLorenzo wrote of Da Silveira: “Compared to [Kuehl], [Da Silveira] is less level headed and can sometimes come off as a politician by saying things he doesn’t really believe to get people support.”

On May 9 at around 1 p.m., it was announced that Da Silveira won the presidential election with around 45 percent of the vote. In the following hours, DeLorenzo sent a letter to all Student Assembly member-elects, which openly accused Da Silveira of having sexual relations with the student while she “was in no state to be a consenting individual.”

Da Silveira maintains that he did not commit sexual assault and instead that he was a victim of sexual assault by the complainant.

Shortly after all members were sworn into their positions, DeLorenzo introduced a motion to vacate the chair and expel Da Silveira due to the nature of the allegation.

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

Sofa Rubinson can be reached at srubinson@cornellsun.com.

Kate Sanders can be reached at ksanders@cornellsun.com.

Pre-Med Firefghter Wins JFK Public Service Award

By MARIAN CABALLO Sun Multimedia Editor

As a firefighter, emergency medical technician and computer science student on the premedical track, Sarah Jane McMorrow ‘24 wears many hats.

She will now be awarded $15,000 for her commitment to social good as the recipient of the 2024 Class of 1964 John F. Kennedy Memorial Award. Pursuing a computer science major and an anthropology minor, McMorrow aspires to further her dedication to public service by attaining a medical degree and forging a career in forensic pathology.

Originally from Concord, MA, McMorrow has served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Varna Volunteer Fire Company since 2022.

“I never would have expected myself to become a firefighter — I mean, I’m not the strongest person, and I’m also pretty small,” McMorrow said. “But I realize it’s better to be doing something rather than just saying ‘I’ll let someone else do it,’ because more help is always better.”

McMorrow was named “Fire Rookie of the Year,” after devoting more than 260 hours to the company and responding to 911 calls in the last year. She took several courses and pursued numerous certifications in firefighting essentials, including surface water rescue.

“We were impressed by her humility regarding all she has accomplished and the sincerity of her commitment to serving the public.”

Cynthia Wolloch ’64

“We were impressed by her humility regarding all she has accomplished and the sincerity of her commitment to serving the public,” wrote Cynthia Wolloch ’64, chair of the JFK Memorial Award for Public Service in an email to The Sun. “While there were several top contenders in our application pool, McMorrow quickly rose to the top. We are proud to have her in the JFK family.”

According to Wolloch, the Class of 1964 created the $15,000 JFK Award during their final year as a tribute to President John F. Kennedy’s dedication to public service. The JFK Award has been presented annually since 1965 to graduating seniors who are pursuing careers in service.

“I was very surprised to receive the award, because I know that there’s a lot of really talented people at the school,” McMorrow said. “It’s a really huge honor to be chosen for this [award].”

McMorrow said she originally intended to major in anthropology, where she identified her passion in archaeology and forensics, but realized she was less interested in the historical components of the field. Instead, she said she opted for computer science to build valuable technical skills for

research opportunities.

She has so far applied her computational skills to maize genetics research at the Buckler Lab and while studying human remains at the Human and Animal Bone Laboratory.

However, balancing 30 hours of volunteering per week with research commitments and a challenging workload is no easy feat. As a pre-med student in computer science, McMorrow must also simultaneously meet the requirements for both her major and her future medical studies.

As a self-described workaholic, McMorrow said she squeezes in homework time while at the station, but volunteering has helped her reassess her academic pressure.

“I guess things have really been put into perspective for me because exams and homework — they don’t really feel all that dire to me anymore when I deal with real emergencies,” McMorrow said. “I really just care about finding a strong community and helping the people that I can.”

“I really just care about finding a strong community and helping the people that I can.”

Sarah McMorrow ’24

Beyond her work at the station, McMorrow helped found Bicons to support bi+ individuals at Cornell. She is also involved in Cornell’s On Tap Dance Troupe and the Cornell Center for Health Equity.

McMorrow said that her involvement in anthropological, community-based and scientific activities speaks to her affinity for interdisciplinary subjects. Her ultimate goal to become a forensic pathologist aligns with both her diverse interests and desire to better the world.

“I like forensics because the [I like the idea] of helping bring justice to people and doing a job that a lot of people wouldn’t be [willing] to handle,” McMorrow said. “Being able to go to a crime scene and go to court and also work in a medical lab — I like interdisciplinary things. I think I would really enjoy [it].”

McMorrow will work on an archeological dig in Peru this summer, in addition to continuing to volunteer with the fire department.

McMorrow does not know what she will do with her award money just yet, but she said she plans to take two gap years before hopefully pursuing an M.D.Ph.D. dual degree to cover both forensic pathology and anthropology.

“I’ve just leaned about all the inequalities in our country, and a lot of that does stem from the criminal justice system,” McMorrow said. “From a forensic standpoint — that’s a way I can help.”

House Committee Sends Second Letter to Pollack

By KATE SANDERS Sun News Editor

Rep. Jason Smith (R-M.O.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sent a second letter to President Martha Pollack regarding concerns about Cornell’s “approach to protecting Jewish students” amid controversial demonstrations on campus.

Two months ago, Smith sent his first letter to Pollack and other elite university presidents alleging that the institutions’ diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and expression and protest guidelines reflected a “failure to adequately protect Jewish students from discrimination and harassment.” In the letter from January, Smith requested information about the contents of these policies and called into question whether the universities suitably complied with federal anti-discrimination laws to justify sustaining their tax-exempt statuses.

The Thursday letter includes six questions requesting similar information about antisemitism; diversity, equity and inclusion and freedom of speech, as well as information on foreign funding to Cornell.

Smith disclosed that the University responded to the January letter and requested additional information in response to “antisemitic incidents” that have occurred since the start of the semester. The letter states that compliance with Smith’s request for information is “essential to justifying the generous tax-exempt status that the American people have provided institutions like [Cornell] for decades.”

Lindsey Knewstub, a representative of Cornell University Media Relations, said that the University has received the March 21 letter and will issue a response but declined to comment on the contents of this planned response and about the University’s previous correspondence with the Ways and Means Committee in January.

In his letter on Thursday, Smith said the Ways and Means Committee intended to gain a better understanding of a “pervasive culture [that] has created a hostile environment for Jews on campus.”

Smith cited a Feb. 2 rally in front of Day Hall led by the Coalition for Mutual Liberation where protesters praised the Yemeni Houthi rebels.

“Yemen, Yemen, make us proud. Turn another ship around,” protesters chanted, referencing the rebels’ attacks on commercial vessels and a U.S. warship in the Red Sea.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced in a Jan. 17 press release that the U.S. Department of State would designate the Houthis — whose official slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews and victory to Islam” — as a terrorist organization on Feb. 16.

Smith said the structure of CML — a coalition of over 40 campus and surrounding community organizations rather than a registered student group — “appears designed to avoid university discipline.”

Smith asked Pollack to detail the specific disciplinary actions taken against protesters and “incident[s] at issue related to such discipline” at demonstrations since Oct. 7.

Knewstub told The Sun that federal law guards the privacy of students’ educational records when

asked in a Feb. 12 email for updates about the disciplinary action for participants in the Feb. 8 divestment protest, where students were referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards after the protest broke the Interim Expressive Activity Policy.

Smith also inquired about the University’s free speech policies and funding from foreign governments.

The controversial Interim Expressive Activity Policy, which was issued Jan. 24 and updated March 11, outlines guidelines restricting disruptive protests and demonstrations. Vice President and General Counsel Donica Varner told The Sun that work on the policy predated the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and that she saw a need for expressive activity guidelines as early as December 2020.

When asked, Knewstub did not indicate whether the initial letter from the Ways and Means Committee had any influence on the provisions of the Interim Expressive Activity Policy.

Smith also inquired about the University’s free speech policies and funding from foreign governments.

The controversial Interim Expressive Activity Policy, which was issued Jan. 24 and updated March 11, outlines guidelines restricting disruptive protests and demonstrations. Vice President and General Counsel Donica Varner told The Sun that work on the policy predated the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and that she saw a need for expressive activity guidelines as early as December 2020.

When asked, Knewstub did not indicate whether the initial letter from the Ways and Means Committee had any influence on the provisions of the Interim Expressive Activity Policy.

In July 2019, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Cornell’s compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act after it accused the University of failing to report foreign gifts and contracts from Qatar, which is Hamas’ largest financial backer and the country where several of Hamas’ billionaire leaders have taken refuge.

According to an October 2020 University statement, Cornell found over $1 billion missing from its reporting of funds received from the Qatar Foundation — a stateled education and research nonprofit — for the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

Smith gave Pollack an April 4 deadline to answer the six questions included in the letter for the committee.

By Eric Han Sun Arts Editor

A Boogie: Outdated or Just Right?

Outdated Just Right

I hadn’t heard the name “A Boogie” mentioned once on Cornell campus until rumors indicated that he would be the headliner for this year’s Slope Day concert. The last time I heard his name, I think, was a year or two ago in New York City, where he redefined what it means to make rap music from the Bronx.

Time flies in the music industry. A Boogie’s most popular two albums, Artist 2.0 and Hoodie Szn , were released four and six years ago respectively. From that era, readers will likely be familiar with “Look Back at It” and “Drowning,” featuring Kodak Black. I had to listen to his latest EP, B4 BOA, to understand where he is now. Frankly, it’s not worth your time.

It’s no wonder in my mind why A Boogie hasn’t been relevant for years. On Hoodie Szn’s “4 Min Convo,” Boogie says, “I hear too much of me in n****s’ songs, so I had to switch it up.” Pitchfork’s Alphonse Pierre wrote in 2018, “The Bronx’s Lil Tjay, Brooklyn’s Jay Gwuapo, and Long Island’s Lil Tecca, are three emerging New York stars … [that] have all found inspiration in the vocals of A Boogie.” In the six years since then, Lil Tjay and Lil Tecca have risen as the superior

contemporaries to A Boogie’s style.

It’s awkward that our generation is defined so much by nostalgia and referential thinking in music but have largely left A Boogie behind with our high school years. His style fits into this liminal space of “outdated” and “too soon” — he’s not A$AP Rocky, and he’s certainly not Nas. Even those who are still interested in hearing new music that sounds like him will turn to Tjay or Tecca instead.

It is still an accomplishment that the Slope Day committee has rallied to book names more recognizable than COIN. It is an amazing thing, I think, that our campus community will be ready to hear songs they already know. But don’t forget that we hosted Kendrick Lamar only a year after the release of good kid, m.A.A.d city . When nostalgia runs its course, we might wonder if we will ever get to see an emerging or currently relevant artist on the Slope Day line-up.

so much more and is also a place that hosts immense artistic and creative talent.

Eric Han is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at ehan@cornellsun.com.

It’s official: A Boogie Wit da Hoodie is headlining Slope Day 2024, with support from Flo Rida. My first reaction to hearing this news was shock — I was really impressed that we managed to get such big artists. As a freshman, this is my first Slope Day, and yet I am still aware of the controversy over last year’s Slope Day headliner, COIN. Though I’m personally a huge COIN fan, and of indie music in general, I know that for an event meant to wrap up the school year and give people the chance to let loose before finals, the rap of A Boogie gives the people what they want, what they need. A Boogie is perfect for Slope Day because his music is recognizable enough for Cornell students to know the lyrics to many of his songs, and being able to sing and dance to the music is a key component of any concert-going experience. A Boogie is a rapper beloved across our generation, and was responsible for

By Sydney Levinton Sun Arts Editor

the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse song “Calling,” along with Metro Boomin, NAV and Swae Lee. This, on top of hits like “Look Back at It” and “Swervin,” makes A Boogie a great fit for the vibe of Slope Day. Flo Rida’s Slope Day appearance is something I’m looking forward to as well, and songs like “My House” will make for a great set-up for A Boogie. Personally, the announcement that A Boogie would be headlining Slope Day made me more excited for it. After a year of tough classes, prelims and dependably irritating Ithaca weather, we will have earned this. Slope Day is a chance for us to have some fun before that finals week push, and A Boogie’s energy, topped with the iconic sound of Flo Rida, will definitely make my first Slope Day an unforgettable experience.

Sydney Levinton is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at slevinton@cornellsun.com.

Te Untold Story of Queer Intimacy on Dating Apps

By FINLEY WILLIAMS Arts Columnist

I didn’t think C was the love of my life. I didn’t even think she was going to be my girlfriend. But I was happy to be there, walking side by side beneath the warm lights of Chicago’s French Market, still giggling and swaying under the influence of a first date’s customarily sweet awkwardness.

Those who suffer from dating burnout, a term describing the hopelessness and cynicism daters often feel about finding long-lasting love — especially in the age of dating apps — might wonder at my willingness to go out with a woman from Tinder, even while thinking that she would not be my person. For many, that knowledge contradicts the purpose of going on the date in the first place — to receive a return on the investment of a perfectly curated profile, a couple of days of messaging beforehand, a well-groomed appearance on the day of the date and ultimately to settle down.

But as a young queer woman on Tinder and Bumble, I’ve found that burnout (which seems to primarily affect straight users) is often a result of misplaced expectations. I realized that one can circumvent this fatigue by approach-

ing dating apps with open-minded curiosity and an eye toward finding joy in connections, irrespective of outcomes. This mindset is particularly crucial in women-loving-women relationships, allowing for a unique exploration of sexuality and queerness.

Dating app burnout has caused Gen Z and others to turn away from the apps and move toward in-person, old-fashioned methods. While I believe wholly in the virtue of these traditions, I propose a perspective altogether different from the dominant dating burnout philosophy, which implies a subscription to the notion that dates not leading to long-term partners are not worth one’s time.

Instead, I basked in the brief tenderness of my time with C. We met on Thursday and she was to return to school out of state on Monday — we would have no time for a second date. This did not stop us from appreciating one another’s company. As we walked to Marshall’s, she told me the story of her childhood through her glasses: At first, the pink and purple ones in grade school that broke when another student opened a door into her face, up until her current blue tortoise shells that she preferred less than her contacts. Once at Marshall’s, we walked through the aisles making sardonic comments about the

products and tried not to smile when our fingers grazed. I had just come from a long-term relationship with a man and felt out of touch with the WLW side of myself — so these small moments bore a great meaning to me. To walk with a woman, to touch her hand and feel the heart pitter-patter, was simple and good — even if she was set to leave in but a few days; even if I didn’t think she would be mine. I had to accept the notion that that which is not long-lasting could still be worthwhile, and abandon the idea that meeting people is simply a means toward entering a relationship. Rather, meeting people, forging a connection however brief, finding these little instances of queer communion, is the end.

Of course, dating apps are rife with men who are entitled, proud and even dangerous. And there is an unparalleled joy of meeting someone for the first time in person. But for me, the dating apps were an opportunity, a dedicated space in which I could intentionally reconnect with my sexuality and connect for the first time with a host of lovely people. And there was something salutary about sharing my time and space with these women, something affirming to see myself exist in a romantic context with other women after such a long time away.

L and I had been talking for a number of weeks before we met — and when we finally did, it was like we had met many times before. Our second and last date, we took one of her YA volumes from the shelf and laughingly read lesbian smut to each other. We stood at her kitchen counter in our underwear shaking Everything But the Bagel seasoning into split avocados and playing For the Girls card game. The Willis Tower glimmered faintly in the fog beyond her wide windows.

It was casual, yes, but not meaningless. Impermanent but memorable. It was a contrasting point to the disappointment app users feel when their “path to love” has not been realized. But burnout can be so easily sidestepped when one adjusts their expectations and allows each connection to live as itself. The express aim should not be to find a spouse, nor even merely to enter a serious partnership, but to delight for a few hours in the strange and new company of another person. I still text C and L today, months after we met. A bond is made and kept. The future glows with possible, if improbable, things.

Finley Williams is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at fwilliams@cornellsun.com.

Letters to the Editor

Kuehl: Statement on SA Controversy To the Student Assembly: You Don’t Speak for Us

Re: “Influential Student Assembly Member’s Texts Expose Plans to Shield Greek Life, Block Women’s Health Resolutions” (news, March 21).

Throughout this year, I have done my best to appreciate voices from all corners of our student body and make them feel welcome in the assembly. All assembly members, community members or student organizations are encouraged to bring resolutions through the proper channels on any issue to be discussed and voted on by the assembly. I have not, nor will I ever stand in the way of that. I condemn in the strongest terms Rocco DeLorenzo’s positions on gender issues that impact our campus community. His views on the world do not represent mine.

As many of you know, I ran my campaign on a platform of building community here at Cornell and I have done my best to enact that change through the policies that I have worked on this year. Though tensions, frustrations and anger are understandably high, I, along with the rest of the assembly, ask that the Cornell community, while holding members accountable, refrain from harassment, intimidation and physical acts of violence against our members.

In light of the article written about the conduct of members of the Student Assembly, I have directed the Office of Ethics, an independent executive office of the assembly, to investigate myself, Rocco DeLorenzo, Clyde Lederman as well as any members who are currently or were formally associated with either the Cornell Democrats or the Interfraternity Council at Cornell. They will be performing their investigation from this point forward in concurrence with the processes set forth by the bylaws of the Student Assembly. I would request that any student with information about this matter contact the Office at sa-ethics@cornell.edu.

I am happy to talk with any student about any matter at any time. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

— Patrick Kuehl ’24, Student Assembly President

Re: “Influential Student Assembly Member’s Texts Expose Plans to Shield Greek Life, Block Women’s Health Resolutions” (news, March 21)

Last week, The Sun revealed that George Rocco DeLorenzo’s ’24, former president of the Interfraternity Council, influential Student Assembly member and executive vice president runner-up, planned to bar criticism of Greek life from the S.A. floor and block resolutions on women’s health and gender issues. In conversations with Pedro Da Silveira ’25, who was elected president of the assembly in May 2023 but ousted moments later over a Title IX allegation, DeLorenzo consistently condemned diverse expressions of gender identity, Cornell’s Plan B vending machine and Gender Justice Advocacy Coalition’s initiative of providing free menstrual products in restrooms.

While Cornellians assume that attacks on women’s rights happen elsewhere — in esteemed legislatures and gilded courts — DeLorenzo’s actions remind us that many of the attacks on reproductive freedom and gender equality occur on campus. Even more so, they are the choices of a select few. Sexism pervades the S.A., hindering its ability to effectively represent all students and undermining the principles of equality and inclusivity that our institution claims to uphold. As such, it is time to reform the S.A. and create new systems for cooperation, engagement and accountability. We need mediums for our voices to be heard.

To the Student Assembly: We not only need investigations of bigoted S.A. members but also changes to the structure of how the S.A. is run. Too much happens between closed doors — or in text messages of close friends — for a transparent and just use of power. When the S.A. attracts a singular type of person, it does not represent the diversity of opinion on campus. Additionally, since the S.A. has many members blatantly opposing reproductive justice, it is necessary to set rules and resolutions in place to ensure women’s equality and freedom on campus. Wield your power correctly for once.

And, to the greater Cornell community: With Student Assembly elections coming up on April 9, despite the limited choice you’ll likely have, choose someone with the least questionable morality. And if you choose to run, question your own hatred and bigotry first.

CML Represents the Best of Us

We, the undersigned Cornell faculty, staff and alumni, strongly support the student activists who have disrupted business as usual to protest the University’s conduct amid the horrifying, ongoing assault on Palestinian populations. The students who have mobilized under the banner of the Coalition for Mutual Liberation have fulfilled the best principles of global citizenship, engaged learning and social justice. We applaud their principled struggle.

Commending the students for opposing the wanton destruction of Palestinian lives and territories does not go far enough. These young people are, quite simply, the best of us. They have shown tremendous courage in a climate of fear and repression. We thank them for their commitment and integrity. We will do what we can to ensure that they are not unduly targeted.

The CML activists have made significant personal sacrifices to publicize the demand that Cornell divest from corporations that are linked to Israeli militarism, occupation and collective punishment. Their nonviolent demonstrations have provided a moral compass at a time of official hypocrisy..

In countless ways, the leaders of our society and our institution have signaled that silence is the only acceptable response to the profound suffering within and beyond Gaza. Cornell administrators have exacerbated campus anxiety by attempting to stifle student dissent with a draconian “Interim Expressive Activity Policy,” bypassing the faculty senate. In a moment of anguish for many members of our community, the University has chosen the path of intimidation and bureaucratic aggression.

The crackdown on student protest at Cornell is part of a disturbing trend throughout our society. Efforts to smother critiques of the state of Israel have dovetailed with attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, ethnic studies and other vital dimensions of modern education. Wealthy elites and reactionary forces wish to deepen the atmosphere of conformity, social apathy and narrow careerism on campus.

By contrast, the activist students have concluded that the suffering of humanity is their own suffering. They have refused to remain willfully blind to injustice. They have combated complacency and moral paralysis. They have shown their Cornell peers that they are members of a global community and not just professionals in training. They have provided a worthy alternative to indifference and political expedience. As the core faculty in the Department of Anthropology have recently affirmed: “Protests and other expressive activities should be seen as a course correction: a signal that something is profoundly wrong and needs to change.”

The University is not just a sterile technocracy. Its highest value is not order or even civility. Truth and justice should be essential goals of all learning. The actions of CML remind us that the production and dissemination of knowledge cannot be divorced from the most urgent moral questions of the day.

It is in moments of polarization that the values of free expression and dissent require greatest protection. Many of us struggle to respond ethically to the bloodshed and agony that we are witnessing every day. While we differ on how best to meet the crisis, none of us see coerced silence and obedience as viable solutions.

Sometimes students become teachers. The CML activists have acted in the best traditions of direct action and nonviolent protest. They have disrupted the status quo. They have shaken the establishment. They have furnished a welcome example of civic duty and selfless love. We are proud of them, and we stand with them in solidarity.

— Prof. Tracy McNulty, comparative literature, French

— Prof. Shannon Gleeson, industrial labor relations, public policy

— Prof. Paul Fleming, German, comparitive literature

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DeLorenzo Step Down Now

Does anyone trust the Student Assembly anymore? How could they after The Sun ran an exposé on the slimy, misogynistic politics of George Rocco DeLorenzo ’24? DeLorenzo’s antics, and those of the entire Greek system for that matter, can’t go unchecked.

In a string of leaked text messages unearthed by The Sun from last year’s election season, DeLorenzo, who serves as S.A. vice president of finance, revealed his disgusting plans to systematically upend various feminist resolutions and shield Cornell Greek life from any and all scrutiny.

The only correct answer to the shame DeLorenzo, the former president of the Interfraternity Council, has brought upon the Assembly is to set a strong example. The Sun urges every S.A. member to speak out against his chicanery and take steps to once and for all eliminate the undue and unfair influence the IFC has over the Assembly.

DeLorenzo said he opposed date rape drug testing kits for fraternities and that he “just can’t morally support a Plan B vending machine,” referring to a resolution to increase access to the emergency contraceptive tablet. DeLorenzo is also an out-and-out transphobe: “If I see any more tampons in the men’s room,” he wrote, “I’m going to lose it. Such a waste of money. … I’ll tell them to their face, there are only two genders.”

The question you’re probably asking is how a sexist poser like DeLorenzo came to represent Cornell’s student body.

The answer is that the S.A.’s leadership is rife with sycophants who constantly bow down to the Greek life political machine. DeLorenzo and his S.A. stooges — who care more about the deeply predatory Greek system than the Cornellians they purport to serve — should step down immediately. They are an embarrassment to this campus.

That includes Clyde Lederman ’26 and Patrick Kuehl ’24, who colluded with fraternities in the fall to win their respective Ithaca Common Council races — an underhanded ploy to strip the Ithaca community of representation and violate the spirit of civic democracy. Under Kuehl’s leadership, the S.A. has passed no resolutions keeping the IFC in check.

Voting for this year’s S.A. elections begins on April 9 and closes on April 14. To every student reading this, vote. Only your vote can ensure that crooked politicians like DeLorenzo stay out of the halls of power.

The unscrupulous opportunists who run today’s Assembly prey on low-turnout elections to win. Their agenda is to shield fraternities from accountability. Your participation in the electoral process is their single greatest fear. Your vote is the only way to ensure the IFC is regulated by the Assembly for once — not the other way around.

Cornell is chock-full of some of the brightest and most passionate minds our generation has to offer. We need to elect deserving student representatives, and there’s no shortage of good candidates.

Now more than ever, the Assembly needs reformers — genuine leaders who aren't afraid of the frats or standing up for what’s right. The deadline for registration to run for a position on the Student Assembly is Friday, March 29. That’s this week. If you’re sick of seeing resume-padding, morally bankrupt frat bros running amok in Willard Straight Hall, then get up, run for office and send them packing.

Carlin Reyen

Carlin Reyen is a third year student in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her fortnightly column Just Carlin’ It Like It Is centers around student life, social issues, Cornell life hacks and the University’s interactions with the broader community. Carlin can be reached at creyen@cornellsun.com.

Dear Rocco: Te SA Needs to Represent Us

Last spring, several of my friends and I were approached by Rocco DeLorenzo and Pedro Da Silveira to sign their petitions to run for Student Assembly. When we asked the duo what their plans to reduce sexual assault on campus might be, DeLorenzo told us an anecdote in which he had been tabling for IFC and a woman had approached him to share her experience of sexual assault in Cornell’s Greek Life system.

DeLorenzo followed this with a scoff and a statement along the lines of: Why was she telling me? What am I supposed to do about that?

That’s why, while deeply unsettling, The Sun’s March 21 article exposing the former-Interfraternity Council President and Student Assembly Vice President of Finance’s private text messages came as no surprise to me.

I’m aware that many SA representatives view their campus constituents and larger community of Ithaca as a stepping stone in their political careers rather than keeping student interests at heart (see Patrick Kuehl’s Common Council campaign tactics).

After reading DeLorenzo’s text messages with Da Silveira in The Sun, I see his inaction on sexual assault as downright malice, not just ignorance. Rocco DeLorenzo does not want to fix the systemic sexual assault issues present in what he dubs the Greek life “machine.” He’d rather maintain the status quo and, what’s more, avoid regulation of frats altogether.

What stuck out to me most about DeLorenzo’s text messages was his advising Da Silveira to not campaign on the use of date rape drugs at fraternities since it was no longer a focus on campus. Rape should always be a focus.

The overarching implications in these messages suggest that date rape as a campus issue was only important to DeLorenzo when it helped him politically: he was perfectly happy capitalizing on the issue to gain votes when it was already being discussed by the masses, but would rather it get swept under the rug in the long run. The belief that date rape — or any form of sexual assault in general — is an issue only for women underscores the silence and bystander behavior of powerful men that allows rape culture to persist.

While this type of corrupt behavior seems inescapable in the world of politics, it is extremely disheartening to see DeLorenzo view the wellbeing of his fellow students so callously.

DeLorenzo’s weaponizing of Title IX as a political ploy while privately supporting the accused is a sickening and terrifying precedent. If truly concerned about the allegations against Da Silveira, why didn’t DeLorenzo distance himself from Da Silveira earlier in his campaign? It seems DeLorenzo was not truly bothered by

the possibility that his running mate had sexually assaulted someone, but only cared about the issue when it could be used to his benefit: in this case, to hoist Patrick Kuehl into power as the new SA President. This “get the first mover advantage” talk delegitimizes the Title IX system and treats it as a sort of battle between adversaries rather than a grievance procedure for legitimate complaints of sexual misconduct.

Also, as DeLorenzo says that he “can’t morally support a Plan B vending machine” while adamantly opposing discussion of (or solutions to) the date rape issue on campus, I’d be curious to know how DeLorenzo considers it moral to limit access to medical treatment for individuals who have been sexually assaulted. Beyond emergency contraception being a part of equal healthcare access, the National Women’s Law Center states that providing emergency contraception is a critical part of comprehensive healthcare for sexual assault survivors.

DeLorenzo also complained that criticism of fraternity sexual assault and harassment is targeted hate speech, but had no problem telling Da Silveira, “I’ll tell them to their face, there are only two genders,” during a rant about the presence of tampons in men’s bathrooms.

Frankly, I’m wondering why a measure intended to make campus more inclusive bothers him so much. There are plenty of implements in society — accessible parking spots, for example — that I know aren’t created for me personally, but make spaces accessible and inclusive for others who need them. Accessible parking spots don’t impede my life, and neither do tampons in men’s bathrooms. Is it really that difficult to just be respectful, even if you don’t fully understand the perspective of every single other person on our campus?

As DeLorenzo has the privilege to attend a university with such vast educational opportunities, I call on him to take a class in the Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies department before he graduates and takes these toxic mentalities into a future workplace — or worse, an elected office.

I went on Sidechat to see if other students shared my repulsion and saw that one student had anonymously written, “Feeling very terrible as a trans person at this university right now.” The Student Assembly is meant to be a voice for our student body; not a soapbox for privileged attitudes. Cornell needs to set an example by not turning a blind eye to outright intolerance by an elected student representative.

Let’s reward someone who understands the positive impacts the VP of Finance role can have on campus culture and inclusivity, rather than letting DeLorenzo retain the position as a boost for his resume.

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cornellsuncom

From the Archive: March 26, 1976

Mustache

The

Sports

Men’s Hockey

After 14 Years, Whitelaw Cup Returns to the Hill

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

By JANE McNALLY Sun Sports Editor

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

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

Head coach Mike Schafer ’86 embraced his coaching staff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

When asked about both of his goals in the game, Castagna had few words to describe how he felt on the biggest of stages: “I would like to [say how it felt], but honestly, it was kind of a blur. It was a big game. … That first goal wasn’t the prettiest in the world,

but it got in the back of the net.”

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

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

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

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

Though the second period began with a bout of St. Lawrence possession, Cornell was able to prevail and create rush chances the other way.

It wasn’t long before Castagna got the second goal he was looking for.

5:13 into the second period, Castagna cleaned up a loose puck around the net and tucked it past Kraws to make it 2-0.

Castagna celebrated as his teammates engulfed him in a hug after his second tally.

“[Castagna] and all the other freshmen –– all nine of them –– in the game tonight did a tremendous job,” Schafer said.

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

Jonathan Castagna ’27

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

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

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

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

St. Lawrence took the penalty kill as ammunition for its next attack –– as time expired, the Saints took the puck the other way and created a quick odd-

man rush. St. Lawrence’s 13th forward, Cameron Buhl, opted to shoot the puck instead of pass it across, beating Shane cleanly to halve the Cornell lead.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANTHONY CORRALES / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

CORNELL VS ST LAWRENCE

Jane McNally can be reached at jmcnally@ cornellsun.com.