August 16, 2023

PAGES 8-9

MENSTRUAL

EQUITY CENTER OPENS DOWNTOWN

HEALTH DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIES INCREASE IN OPIOID OVERDOSES

CYNTHIA BROCK

ANNOUNCES THIRD-PARTY CAMPAIGN FOR COMMON COUNCIL

PAGES 11-14

Menstrual Equity Center Opens in Downtown Ithaca

By Staff Report

On August 10, Downtown Ithaca celebrated the opening of the city’s first ever Menstrual Equity Center. The event was organized by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and was attended by State Senator Lea Webb. The ceremony highlighted the community’s collective effort to eliminate period poverty, eradicate stigma, and champion the menstrual health rights of all individuals.

“Period poverty is a challenge impacting countless individuals in our community and across the State. It obstructs education, work, and meaningful engagement in everyday activities,” said Senator Lea Webb. “I was proud to join the Downtown Ithaca Alliance at their Ithaca Period Pantry and Menstrual Equity Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. This pantry will help to ensure menstrual products are accessible to our community, work to advance inclusive menstrual health education, and eliminate stigmas surrounding menstruation.”

“The Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s Menstrual Equity Center not only addresses an essential yet often overlooked aspect of gender equality, but it also symbolizes the collaborative efforts of individuals committed to progress. Terel Marshburn and myself poured our hearts into this project, both of us driven by a shared passion for creating a more equitable and inclusive

society, where no one is held back by barriers beyond their control,” said Galen Morehead, Director of Administration at Downtown Ithaca Alliance.

As the Chair of the Women’s Issues Committee, Senator Webb has been working to advance impactful menstrual product bills during this legislative session. Under her leadership, the committee has successfully moved through her committee four pivotal bills that address various facets of menstrual equity.

These bills include:

A bill that mandates all public colleges and universities to provide menstrual products free of charge in their restrooms, ensuring that accessibility is prioritized for all students.

T ake N ote

A bill that extends the provision of free menstrual products to non-public schools, ensuring that all elementary and secondary institutions serving grades 6-12 offer these products, thereby eliminating disparities in access.

A bill that tackles stigma head-on by updating language in various sections of the law, replacing “feminine hygiene” products with “menstrual products,” a small yet significant step towards normalizing discussions around menstruation.

A bill that enhances the safety of menstrual products by prohibiting the use of restricted substances, thus guaranteeing that the products women and girls use are both safe and reliable.

VOL. XLIII / NO. 51 / August 16, 2023

ON THE COVER:

Student Loan Payments are scheduled to restart in October following a three year pause that began at the start of the pandemic. (Photo: BernieSanders.com)

X Farmers Market Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The Ithaca Farmers Market is celebrating 50 continuous years of operation. Come join us for the celebratory party and fundraiser to help launch the next successful 50 years of Ithaca Farmers Market! Tickets are on sale now!

The Farmers Market is marking the milestone with a party on Thursday, August 17, at the waterfront on Steamboat Landing. The party includes a special Friends Happy Hour starting at 5:30 p.m., that will feature an authentic FARM to TABLE Menu prepared by market farmers and chefs. This will be followed by a party from 7-10 p.m. with 4 local bands (Cast Iron Cowboys, Drew Kiddoo & the

Blackouts, The 86ers and DJ Dijon), a variety of market food and beverages, an opportunity to practice for the Rutabaga Curl, and Silent Auction.

A special slide show/exhibit will feature the market’s 50 year history starting in 1973, when a handful of gardeners, farmers, and bakers came together to host an all-local market, featuring grow or make-it-yourself items. The offerings included farm products, prepared foods, baked goods, and crafts. This set-in motion Ithaca’s local food movement and one of the state’s most successful farmer's markets.

The Market started out on Taughannock Boulevard, but outgrew that location after

12 years, and found its home at Steamboat Landing (Third Street) on the waterfront. The iconic pavilion hosts over 90 vendors each weekend and is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. After 50 years of operation and 37 years at the Steamboat Landing site, the Market is planning upgrades to the parking lot, waterfront, and building to take place in the coming years.

For more information and tickets visit the Ithaca Farmers Market website at: Ithaca Farmers Market Friends (ifmfriends.org)

Tickets are also available to purchase at the Steamboat Landing Office during market hours; Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Visit

M att D ougherty , M anaging E ditor , x 1217

E ditor @ i thaca t im E s com

C hris i bert C al E ndar E ditor , a rts @ i thaca t im E s com

a n D rew s ullivan , S port S E ditor , x 1227 s ports @ flcn org

M att D ougherty , n E w S r E port E r , x 1225 r E port E r @ i thaca t im E s com

s teve l awren C e , S port S C olu M ni S t s t E v E s ports d ud E @ gmail com

l u C y a llen , F ront d ES k F ront @ tha C a t MES C o M

J i M b ilinski , p ubli S h E r , x 1210 jbilinski @ i thaca t im E s com

l arry h o C hberger , a SS o C iat E p ubli S h E r , x 1214 larry @ i thaca t im E s com

F r EE lan CE r S : Barbara Adams, Stephen Burke, G. M Burns, Alyssa Denger, Jane Dieckmann, Charley Githler, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, Bryan VanCampen, and Arthur Whitman

THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE COPYRIGHT © 2023, BY NEWSKI INC.

All rights reserved. Events are listed free of charge in TimesTable. All copy must be received by Friday at noon. The Ithaca Times is available free of charge from various locations around Ithaca. Additional copies may be purchased from the Ithaca Times offices for $1. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $89 one year. Include check or money order and mail to the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. ADVERTISING: Deadlines are Monday 5 p.m. for display, Tuesday at noon for classified. Advertisers should check their ad on publication. The Ithaca Times will not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical error, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the space in which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication.

The Ithaca Times is published weekly Wednesday mornings. Offices are located at 109 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-7000, FAX 607277-1012, MAILING ADDRESS is PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. The Ithaca Times was preceded by the Ithaca New Times (1972–1978) and The Good Times Gazette (1973–1978), combined in 1978. FoundEr good t MES gazEttE: toM newton

State Senator Lea Webb attended the grand opening of Ithaca’s first ever Menstrual Equity Center on August 10. (Photo: Office of State Senator Lea Webb)

IN UIRING PHOTOGR PHER Q A

By Michelle LaMorte

IS THE LAST

Opioid Deaths Increasing in Tompkins County

By Matt Dougherty

The Tompkins County Department of Whole Health has alerted the community to increased opioid-related deaths. The increase has been identified using updated data that has become available from the Tompkins County Medical Examiner’s Office.

According to the data, there have already been 17 drug-related overdose deaths in Tompkins County within the first half of this year from January to June. Compared to annual totals from the past five years, this represents a significant increase in drug-related overdose deaths.

In 2022 there were a total of 28 overdose deaths; in 2021, there were 25 total overdose deaths; in 2020, saw a total of 19 overdose deaths; in 2019, saw a total of 17 overdose deaths; and in 2018, saw a total of 18 overdose deaths. So far this year, there have already been as many overdose deaths as in all of 2019.

From the start of this year through the end of July, 911 call data has revealed that there have been 226 calls placed relating to overdoses or poisonings. For annual comparison in 2022, 385 overdose calls were made over the course of the entire year, 383 calls in 2021, and 282 calls in 2020. If the volume of calls in the first half of 2023 keeps pace in the second half, this year will see the highest number of overdoserelated calls in recent memory.

Several factors affect the rate of overdoses in the community, including the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased presence of substances like fentanyl and xylazine in illicit street drugs, based on Medical Examiner reports. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid added to illegal street drugs to increase consumption and is highly associated with the risk of overdose death. Xylazine — also known as “tranq” or “tranq dope” — is a non-opioid sedative or tranquilizer that is not approved for use in humans but is frequently found in illicit street drugs.

When fentanyl or xylazine are mixed with other substances, the Risk of overdose is increased. This issue is increasingly found with the purchase of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and illicitly manufactured pills, including benzodiazepines and other psychostimu-

lants like Molly and MDMA.

The news release issued by the Whole Health Department identified harmful side effects of fentanyl and xylazine as “sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, pupillary constriction, and respiratory depression.” It continued by saying that “Signs of overdose include stupor, changes in pupillary size (pinpoint size pupils), cold and clammy skin, cyanosis (blue discoloration of the skin), coma and respiratory failure leading to death.”

In response to the increase in opioid overdoses, Tompkins County Whole Health Commissioner Frank Kruppa said, “We are advising the community about the risk of fentanyl in street drugs to promote harm reduction. Fentanyl and xylazine are extremely dangerous. If you buy street drugs, please test for fentanyl and xylazine, carry Narcan, and never use alone. If you want support to reduce your use of street drugs, please reach out to any of our local substance use disorder programs.”

Overdose Prevention Resources

Tompkins County Whole Health Deputy Commissioner of Mental Health Harmony Ayers-Friedlander stated, “We implore everyone in our community to pick up a Narcan kit and become trained in its use. In its nasal spray form, Narcan is simple to use and effective. Having a Narcan kit and being prepared to use it may save someone’s life.”

The New York State Department of Health has issued a statewide pharmacy standing order for Naloxone (Narcan). This medication can be easily administered as a nasal spray to block the effects of opioids. Anyone close to someone suffering from addiction is encouraged to obtain naloxone from a pharmacy or community agency. Individuals will need insurance to access this standing order at no cost in

a pharmacy. Pharmacies will bill insurance through the Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program (N-CAP) to cover fees and co-payments.

If you do not have insurance, dial 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) to receive assistance. Narcan kits are free at local community agencies that provide free Narcan training to educate community members about its use to prevent an overdose from becoming a death. Schedule a Narcan training or request kits by contacting Tompkins County Whole Health, Alcohol & Drug Council, Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, REACH Medical, or the Southern Tier AIDS Program.

Fentanyl testing strips and xylazine testing strips can identify the presence of these drugs. Both fentanyl and xylazine testing strips are available, free of cost, at a variety of locations, including Tompkins County Whole Health’s downtown office at 201 E. Green St. (Ithaca), the Southern Tier AIDS Program, at REACH Medical, Alcohol, and Drug Council, and Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services.

Narcan and testing strips can be ordered for free through the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) and delivered to your residence. Order online at: https://oasas.ny.gov/ harm-reduction. To learn more about other available prevention services, visit: https://providerdirectory.aidsinstituteny. org/

To protect yourself or those you care about, the following overdose prevention strategies are recommended:

• Never use alone

WHAT

THING YOU TOOK A PHOTO OF?

"My ticket to the Oppenheimer movie."

– Fatima M.

"Our Farm."

– Madi A.

"A dent in a car."

– Dan E.

"A video of my booth, for an Instagram post."

– Carol H.

"Blueberries."

– Karin D.

There have already been 17 overdose deaths in Tompkins County in the first six months of the year. (Photo: Tompkins County Department of Whole Health)

Cynthia Brock Announces Third Party Campaign for Common Council

By Matt Dougherty

During a press conference at the Ithaca Farmers Market on August 8, first ward Alderperson Cynthia Brock officially announced her third party campaign for reelection to the Common Council on the Ithacans for Progress line.

Brock lost the Democratic Primary to Southside Community Center Deputy Director Kayla Matos by a margin of 88 votes on June 27. Matos received endorsements from the New York State Working Families Party, the Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America, and the Ithaca Tenants Union. She was one of three Solidarity Slate candidates to run for election, and the only member of the slate to win their primary.

During her campaign announcement, Brock said that she was “deeply disappointed” at the outcome of the primary elections. “The Solidarity Slate ran a well organized, highly resourced campaign. My old school one-on-one approach was no match for the resources of the State Working Families Party, the Democratic Socialists of America and the Ithaca Tenants Union,” Brock said.

In an effort to compete with the resources offered to Matos from the New York State Working Families Party and local left-wing organizations, Brock has received endorsements and support from several local unions such as the AFL-CIO Midstate Central Labor Council, the Tompkins-Cortland Building & Construction Trades Council, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the local chapter of the United Auto Workers (UAW).

Brock said, “It is important to have Councilmembers who will sit down with people from all sides — who are openminded, will facilitate discussion and input, and will work to understand different perspectives and concerns.” She added that it is important to retain some continuity in government at a time when the city’s form of government is being restructured and several searches are underway to find replacements for senior staff members that are retiring.

UPS DOWNS& Ups

A resolution in support of closing the Seneca Meadows Landfill by 2025 passed the Tompkins County Legislature on August first after by a margin of 8-6. The resolution failed to pass by a margin of 7-6 when it was first introduced on July 18.

Downs

The Ithaca Police Department is conducting an investigation into a shooting that occurred on the 400 block of First Street on August 8.

HEARD SEEN&

Heard

The Common Council has approved $6.2 Million in funding for making upgrades to several components of the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Seen

Over the past 4 weeks (July 2023-August 2023), Tompkins County’s 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases has increased to an average of 3 new cases per day. This upward trend is reflective of trends across New York State and nationally.

She continued saying, “We must be as informed as possible so that we on Council can understand the consequences of our actions, and develop solutions that will have a positive meaningful impact in improving people’s lives.” Brock added, “I am running because resilient cities are built on diverse inputs and perspectives. I am here to do the work it takes to build collaborative solutions that allow us to respond to the myriad of issues confronting us.”

According to Brock, “Our challenges don’t recognize jurisdictional boundaries. The city cannot continue to solely be responsible for implementing and funding the solutions we need. So we must commit to expanding collaboration and shared services with the county and neighboring municipalities.” She added that, “We must not only ensure that institutions with enormous economic power in our community pay their fair share, we must also end the city’s tax abatement programs for real estate developers looking to profit from market rate and luxury housing projects.”

Brock has also received the endorsement of First Ward City Councilperson George McGonigal. During the campaign announcement McGonigal said, “For ten years I have seen Cynthia Brock work tirelessly and effectively on behalf of her First Ward constituents. She listens to people, and that propels her public policy posi-

tions. No one is more committed to public safety, to improving city infrastructure, and to improving the working conditions and diversity of city employees.”

According to McGonigal, “Cynthia has long championed the need for affordable, safe and accessible housing, including home ownership for working families, and to quality of life issues for all Ithacans of all ethnicities — housed and unhoused.” McGonigal added, “She’s aware of the housing issues we have, and not only does she advocate for affordable rental housing, but she also advocates for home ownership for working people which is the only way we’re going to stop the gentrification of this city.”

Lifelong Ithaca resident and First Ward voter, Rick Rogers, said “Cynthia is committed to improving community safety as well as ensuring accountability. She knows that we can reach both of these goals when we work TOGETHER.”

Speaking on behalf of Tompkins Cortland Building Trades, Marcus Willamee said, “Cynthia has never been afraid to speak out in support of accountability and public process…Her knowledge and experience are beyond comparison.”

“I am and always will be committed to making sure that our policies, our investments, and our services are grounded in the needs and values of Ithaca’s community and perform and function in full transparency,” Brock said.

IF YOU CARE TO RESPOND to something in this column, or suggest your own praise or blame, write news@ithacatimes. com, with a subject head “U&D.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Are you disappointed in the County Legislature's decision not to pass a resolution in support of closing the Seneca Meadows Landfill?

17.4% Better Pay for Municipal Workers. 52.2% Building Affordable Housing. 30.4% Improving Public Transportation.

How do you feel about an unelected City Manager being the new CEO of the City starting on January 1, 2024? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

Longtime First Ward Alderperson Cynthia Brock as announced a third-party campaign for Common Council on the Ithacan’s for Progress Line. (Photo: Matt Dougherty)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Trans Safe Haven Resolution

City Council has their hearts in the right place with the Trans Safe Haven Resolution. However, what city council has failed to reckon with is that us trans people who already live in Ithaca are an underserved population in multiple ways.

While it’s a great sentiment to make Ithaca into a place where trans people are guaranteed the right to gender affirming care, what City Council seems to be unaware of is that for trans people in Ithaca who aren’t associated with either of the colleges, there effectively is no gender affirming care to speak of. While planned parenthood offers this kind of healthcare nominally, we have found them to not be up to the task of providing quality gender affirming care. As a result, many trans individuals in Ithaca manage our hormone treatments without the supervision of medical professionals.

Furthermore, given the challenges we

face in employment, the cost of living and rent here in Ithaca make it an even more difficult place to be trans. If the City of Ithaca wants to be known as a safe haven for trans people, they need to work to make Ithaca a safe haven to the trans people already living here.

Katherine Pelham

Conifer Residents Desperate for Help

Desperate for some help concerning conifer properties. This mind you is a tri-state area problem. They destroy every property that they control. Increase rents even though they don’t provide basic habitable living. Someone needs to be a voice. Some authority needs to do something about this slumlord. They have issues in Long Island. New Jersey and here in Ithaca where they manage or own multiple properties. Be the one to break this open, as local authorities are apparently limited. Please help those who truly need habitable housing. Have plenty against them. — Maura

Daverin

How America Undervalues Working People, and How Workers are Fighting Back

By Andrew Moss

In Support of Cynthia Brock

Cynthia Brock’s return to the Ithaca Common Council in November election is vital to keep someone

Continued on Page 19

America is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Yet when compared to other advanced industrialized countries, it fares dismally in national laws and policies affecting workers. This is a major claim of a recent cross-national study sponsored by the humanitarian organization Oxfam America, a report that offers a powerful lens for understanding the major strike activity now underway in the U.S. The study notes how political choices create environments that favor or undermine working people — choices that in the U.S. have largely been to the detriment of workers.

In light of the current strikes (e.g., writers, actors, hotel workers, Amazon delivery drivers), the study reminds one that, whatever the political environment may be, it’s the workers themselves — and the unions that represent them — that must continue to assert the leadership needed to bring about a more just and equitable society.

Perhaps the disadvantaging of U.S. workers is no more readily apparent than in policies setting the minimum wage. Unlike 80 other countries that mandate an annual review of a national minimum wage, the U.S. requires no such review, and Congress has failed to raise the hourly wage from $7.25 since 2014, and failed as well to raise the tipped minimum wage (from $2.13) since 1991. Many states and localities have set their minimum wage above the national standard, from $8.75 per hour in West Virginia to $16.50 in the District of Columbia.

But these numbers only begin to become meaningful when you factor in the cost of housing. According to latest figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, workers in this country must earn on average $28.58 an hour for a “modest two-bedroom rental home” and $23.67 for a “modest one-bedroom rental home.” In California, where housing costs are the highest in the nation, a working person must earn $42.25 an hour for a two-bedroom rental.

For hotel housekeepers in Los Angeles, who currently make on average only $20-25 an hour, the only way to survive financially is to take on two or three jobs — or to commute two or three hours a day from distant, less expensive locations. So these workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 11, opted to take collective action. Once contracts with 61 Southern California hotels expired on June 30, they began a series of rolling strikes, walking off the job at selected groups of hotels to make clear to employers their critical role to the industry. The strikes continue to this day.

As hurtful as the rent/wage disparity is, it’s still part of a much bigger picture of policy failures. The U.S. is almost alone among advanced industrialized nations in tying health insurance to employment. Without universal, tax-based health insurance, many workers risk losing their insurance as a result of work-related issues and changes.

As the current SAG-AFTRA strike has made clear, many actors are at risk of losing their insurance if they’re not able to work a minimum number of days per year or reach a minimum earnings threshold. Some 86 percent of the union’s 160,000 members do not earn enough to qualify for health insurance.

And health care is only one of the comparative indices with which to measure a nation’s commitment to the well-being of its workers and their families. The U.S. stands alone among advanced nations in lacking a federal mandate to provide paid leave. By way of contrast, consider Spain’s mandate of 16 weeks of paid maternity leave and 16 weeks of paid paternity leave for new parents.

As challenging as the current strikes are for workers in a wide range of sectors, it’s even more challenging for workers to begin organizing unions and securing fair contracts. In a nation where union busting is a major industry, and where penalties against companies for labor violations are relatively minor, it’s

Back to School

By Marjorie Olds

Growing up in Bloomington, Indiana, Angela went with her parents to watch her 5-year-old sister practice and perform gymnastics. Not to steal the show, Angela would do somersaults on the sidelines. So, Angela began gymnastic lessons too, before she turned 3. By the time the girls were in 1st grade, they would go from school to practice to arriving home, tired and hungry, with homework to do. “ Gymnastics taught me practical time-management skills, goal setting, relationship-building, positive team dynamics, and discipline to keep striving for more skills by practicing day after day, year-round. And we loved gymnastics! We become aware of our bodies, learned to minimize injuries and to appreciate intricacies of the body during movement.”

Angela explains that being a gymnast left her with a few broken bones and concussions, which introduced her to some fine physical therapists. When considering college, Angela narrowed her choice down to four outstanding, but competitive Physical Therapy programs. “My sister was studying at Syracuse University, so that clenched the deal. Ithaca College had a renowned 6-year undergraduate through doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) program, and that was my first

choice…Plus they also had a fine Gymnastics program.”

Clinical internships play a central role in IC’s renowned DPT program. Jill Mayer, Angela’s professor, and mentor introduced Angela to a quadriplegic patient, recovering from a spinal cord injury. “I went home and cried. I saw how important it is for the therapist to greet and interact with the patient, and establish rapport…Professor Mayer focused on each patient as a person, not as a disabled patient…Jill taught me to focus on what can this person do? With a power wheelchair? With other assistive devices? What is possible that we can together achieve?”

In August 2018 Angela was awarded her DPT degree. With degree in hand, she set her sights on becoming a Neurologic Certified Specialist and headed to the Schuyler Hospital for her first job, while applying for neurological residencies. Angela’s upbeat, energetic, engaged manner was warmly received by her new mentors: “This cohesive, team-oriented group of talented professionals provided me with invaluable guidance, and I admire and savor their friendship and guidance ever since.”

Next Angela headed to the Rochester Regional Health Center for her one-year neurologic residency. “This was one of the best years of my life.” I saw the impact of the neurologic PTs one-on-one relationship with patients and observed what a lifeline touch is to injured people. Together with my six PT mentors we designed and implemented a plan for each patient.

During the first year of COVID, Angela’s next job was in a long-term acute care hospital. Despite the serious injury of the patients, often requiring ventilators and IV medication, Angela and two other specialist worked with 8-10 patients, along with the medical staff.

In Chicago, Angela worked in a “hospital skyscraper of neurologic diagnoses.” Each floor focused and treated patients grouped according to diagnosis. On the 25th floor Angela was part of the locked door traumatic brain injury floor, serving severely physically, cognitively injured, and challenged patients. “It was

GUEST OPINION

In Support of the LLC Transparency Act

By Judy Patrick, New York Press Association

Citizens have a right to know who they’re dealing with, whether it be in government or private enterprise. But that's not the case when it comes to Limited Liability Companies, or LLCs.

LLCs, for example, can own property, apply for grants, operate as landlords and donate to political campaigns. Holding the government accountable for its actions demands a well-informed public.

We need to know who, not what, is benefiting in order to do our jobs as citizens. Discovering who’s behind the curtain isn’t easy.

Cruise through your local property tax rolls or the state’s campaign finance disclosure database. You’ll see plenty of LLCs but you won’t see plenty of names.

Anonymous shell companies have been a popular vehicle for money laundering, tax evasion, organized crime, terrorism and other forms of corruption for decades. Yet, as the bill notes, establishing an LLC requires less personal information than getting a library card. That’s why it’s important for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Limited Liability Companies Transparency Act, passed by both the Assembly and Senate , which would require these special kinds of business organizations to publicly identify the owners to the state and to the public registry run by the Department of State.

At the federal level, the Corporate Transparency Act, which takes effect next year, seeks similar disclosures from businesses, including LLCs, but stops short of making the information publicly available.

A wide variety of businesses, from pizza shops to mall developers and property buyers, use the LLCs as an organizing business structure. The approach,

OPIOID DEATHS INCREASING

continued from page 4

• Use fentanyl and xylazine testing strips as a precaution

• Carry Narcan and be trained in its use

• Seek treatment and support

• Create an overdose prevention safety plan

sanctioned by state law, provides the owners some limits on liabilities the company could face.

As a practical matter, LLCs also offer the people who actually own the company the ability to remain anonymous. Under current reporting requirements, LLCs need only supply a company name, county of operation and a basic address where legal documents should be sent. Sometimes, the address is a post office box; sometimes it’s an attorney’s office; sometimes it’s a registered agent. For anyone interested in knowing more, the information provided is often frustratingly nondescript and consequently useless.

But we all have a well-established interest in this information and the legislature should be commended for recognizing this by including solid public disclosure requirements.

The lack of transparency with campaign donations is just one of the reasons the LLC Transparency Act has the support of good government groups such as Common Cause and the League of Women Voters. While a 2019 law change required LLCs making political donations to disclose their owners, many are ignoring the requirement, the groups say.

The Business Council of New York State opposes the law, saying it will violate the privacy of law-abiding businesses — including thousands of small businesses organized as LLCs — and put their security at risk. There are some provisions in the legislation for public disclosure to be waived when “a significant privacy interest exists.” The law’s efficacy will be determined in part in how waiver requests are handled.

Given the benefits state law confers on LLCs, it’s not too much to ask that they at least let us know who they are. This is a good step toward much-needed transparency.

• Always dial 9-1-1 in the event of a medical emergency

• Addiction and Mental Health Community Resources

Tompkins County Whole Health’s Mental Health Services provide individual and group therapy and programs for mental health and substance use support. Open

Angela Di Francesco and former patient Diego Vierya as he was graduating rehab at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago, IL.

(Photo: Ceci Sampaio)

Student Loan Payments Restart for Ithacans in October

By Matt Dougherty

Student loan payments have been on pause since the start of the pandemic in 2020, but Congress recently voted to end that pause which will result in millions of people being required to start making payments toward their student loan debt this October.

More than 40 million Americans hold a total of $1.6 trillion collectively in student loan debt, with the average borrower of federal loans having about $37,000 in student debt. According to educationdata.org, 92% of borrowers have federal loans.

The student debt crisis is no secret to Ithacan’s as the city — which Cornell University and Ithaca College call home — has been named as one of the top 10 cities nationwide with the most student debt. According to the WalletHub analysis, the me-

dian student debt in Ithaca is $25,235, and the ratio of debt to median earnings stands at 77%. Overall, New York State has the fourth most student debt nationwide, with more than two million people holding a total of $92.7 billion in student debt, according to the Education Data Initiative.

The Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows that 31% of Cornell University students receive federal loans and that the median amount of debt a Cornell student owes after graduation is $14,000. At Ithaca College, 71% of students receive federal loans, and the average student graduates with about $24,000 in student debt. Lastly, 46% of students at Tompkins Cortland Community College receive federal loans, and the median debt for students following graduation is about $15,750.

Even though Ithaca has been included in the top 10 cities with the most student

President Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan has been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but some have argued that the plan could have provided for the complete elimination of student debt for all borrowers since there is no explicit limit for the amount of debt that can be “waived” or “modified” using the HEROES Act. (Photo: Getty Images/Paul Morigi)

debt, the data shows that the median debt for an individual who attended one of the area’s three higher education institutions is still lower than the national average.

In an attempt to alleviate a portion of the student debt crisis, the Biden administration proposed a student loan forgiveness plan that would have put a $400 billion dent in the colossal $1.6 trillion student debt problem. The plan called for eliminating up to $20,000 worth of student debt for individuals with annual incomes under $125,000.

However, on June 30, the Supreme Court ruled that the proposal was unconstitutional by a vote of 6-3. Conservative Justices John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett voted in favor of the ruling. In contrast, liberal Jus-

tices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson voted against it.

With the end of the moratorium on student loan payments looming over the heads of millions of people around the country, the Supreme Court’s decision that President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan was unconstitutional came as a crushing blow to the President’s campaign promise to eliminate a portion of the debt held by millions of Americans. The proposal hoped to expand upon the moratorium issued by the Department of Education at the start of the pandemic. According to SCOTUSblog reporter and editor Amy Howe, the legal precedent that allowed the suspension to be approved in the first place was based on the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 — also known as the HEROES Act — which gave “the sec-

New York State has the 4th most student debt nationwide, with more than 2 million borrowers holding a total of $92.7 billion in student debt.(Photo: WalletHub)

Data shows that the median debt for an individual who attended one of the area’s three higher education institutions is still lower than the national average. —

College tuition costs have increased by more than 1,400% between 1977 and 2021, interest rates on student loans have been as high as 12%. —

retary of education the power of respond to a national emergency by ‘waiv[ing] or modify[ing] any statutory or regulatory provision’ governing the student-loan programs so that borrowers are not worse off financially because of the emergency.”

Supporters of the forgiveness plan and the court’s liberal Justices insisted that the HEROES Act allowed the President to direct the Secretary of Education to eliminate a portion of student debt for some individuals. Additionally, some have even argued that the law provides for the complete elimination of student debt for all borrowers because there is no explicit limit for the amount of debt that can be waived or modified.

However, in the Supreme Court's decision, Chief Justice John Roberts said that the HEROES Act does not give the President the authority to eliminate even a small amount of student debt. According to Roberts, the use of the word “modify” meant that the administration could make “modest adjustments” to student loan provisions but that it could “not transform them.”

In the decision, Roberts explained that Congress would need to pass legislation that would explicitly give the President the authority to direct the Secretary of Education to forgive student debt for the administration’s proposal to be constitutional. However, with Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, Congress is extremely unlikely to pass anything that would explicitly authorize the administration to take action.

Despite the unfortunate outcome of the Supreme Court's decision, on July 14, the Biden administration announced that it would be automatically forgiving $39 billion in student debt for 804,000 borrowers. The measure is much smaller than Biden’s original proposal. It has been allowed to take place because it made a series of moderate adjustments to the student loan system’s income-driven repayment plans instead of providing a more comprehensive range of forgiveness offered by the original proposal.

The measure will impact borrowers that have paused payments in deferments and forbearances, as well as those who have made partial or late payments. As a result, many borrowers that have made payments towards their debt that have not yet been accounted for will see their debt reduced. In a statement responding to the measure, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said, “For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness.”

Outside of the legal arguments against student debt forgiveness, those in opposition to eliminating student loan debt usually provide statements along the lines of, ‘I paid off my loans, they should have to pay off theirs’ or ‘student debt forgiveness would primarily help affluent white people’ or simply the age-old ‘we can’t afford it’. While Republicans and Democrats frequently use these responses in their explanations regarding why they don’t or can’t support student loan forgiveness, they don’t hold up to scrutiny.

Many individuals who say, ‘I paid off my loans; they should have to pay off theirs’ went to college at a time when tuition costs were much lower than they are today. Many didn't even have to take out loans to pay tuition just a few decades ago, and if they did, those loans were much easier to pay off. On top of college tuition costs which have increased by more than 1,400% between 1977 and 2021, interest rates on student loans have been as high as 12%. Interest rates this high keep most borrowers locked in an endless cycle of indebtedness for their entire lives.

Even Republican Congressman Marc Molinaro — who did not support President Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan — has identified “astronomically high” interest rates as an issue driving the student debt crisis. While Molinaro has opposed Biden’s proposals to forgive a small amount of student debt, he has said, “the [Biden] administration could take action to enforce a realistic address of interest rates.” According to Molinaro, “the federal government continues to subsidize [high tuitions] with astronomically high-interest rates.”

Second, the argument that ‘student debt forgiveness would primarily help affluent white people’ doesn’t hold up when you look at the data. The average borrower has about $37,000 in student debt, but according to an NBC News report on average Black and African American borrowers have an average of $52,000 in student debt. In addition, researchers found that “23% of residents in black-majority neighborhoods [took out student loans]… that figure drops to 17% among people in Latino-majority neighborhoods and 14% in white-majority areas.”

According to a report by Brookings, the “Black-white disparity in student loan debt more than triples after graduation.” The report said that “Four years after graduation, black graduates have nearly $25,000 more student loan debt than white graduates: $52,726 on average, compared to $28,006.” So the claim that student debt forgiveness would primarily benefit affluent white people doesn’t hold up.

Lastly, the argument that ‘we can’t afford it’ doesn’t make any sense when you look at how the federal government allocates its resources. The Federal Reserve was authorized to create more than $4 trillion as part of the CARES Act so it could be used to prop up the entire American economy throughout the pandemic. The United States spends more than $1 trillion on defense annually, and even before the CARES Act, the Federal Reserve was pumping up to $1 trillion into the financial system every day to avert disaster. The federal government always has enough money for military spending or bank bailouts, but when it comes to providing relief to the rest of the American public, they act like they’re bankrupt.

For example, the United States Air Force admitted that their $1.5 trillion F-35 fighter jet program has been a complete failure. According to Forbes, after trillions of dollars and two decades of development, the F-35 is “costly and unreliable.” The federal government has no problem allocating $1.5 trillion towards a failed attempt to develop more innovative killing machines, but lawmakers will say that they can’t afford to cancel $1.6 trillion in student loan debt because it would be fiscally irresponsible.

31% of Cornell University students receive federal loans and the median amout of debt students owe after graduation is about $14,000. (Photo: Cornell University)

71% of Ithaca College students receive federal loans and the average student graduates with about $24,000 in student debt.(Photo: Ithaca College)

“Federal government continues to subsidize [high tuitions] with astronomically highinterest rates.”

— Congressman Marc Molinaro

“Four years after graduation, black graduates have nearly $25,000 more student loan debt than white graduates: $52,726 on average, compared to $28,006.”

— “Brookings Institute”

Someday is Today

For Courtney McGuire, Scottish Games Someday is Now

By Steve Lawrence

We have all visited “Someday Isle,” and truth be told, some of us never leave. We see something interesting, and we say “Someday I’ll do that,” but too often, we don’t.

When Courtney McGuire and her wife, Janet, attended a local stop on the Scottish Highland Games competition circuit, Courtney said, “Someday I’ll do that.” Looking back on that transformative experience, she told me, “Three weeks later, I had my first kilt and I was headed to my first competition.”

Since 2015, McGuire has signed up for eight to ten events every year, and she has taken part in the World Championships every year (except for the one-year Covid interruption), and she and Janet are boarding a plane this week to head for Switzerland for the 2023 World Championships.

“The organizers try to rotate the World Championship locations,” Courtney offered. “Two years in the U.S., then two years in Europe.” She said that the entire event, consisting of nine events — while usually split up over two days — will be compressed into one day, and that many of the events are divided into a light and a

heavy category. For example, she said, “We will throw two stones — an eight-pound and a 12-pound, and two Scots Hammers, which has a 12 or a 16-pound weight on the end of a 50-inch rigid handle.” She described a few other events, and added, “The signature event of the Highland Games is the Caber…it’s a big tree.”

Describing the Caber event, McGuire said, “You have to pick it up and balance it vertically, and establish a line. A judge stands behind you to make sure you stay on your line, and you take a couple of steps and get the Caber up to a vertical position, then turn it to its other end.” Finally, she said, “You get three attempts, and you’re scored on your best one.”

McGuire — who is an after-school specialist at GIAC in her professional life — finished second in last year’s Worlds, but she moves up and age group this year and hopes to stand atop the podium. She said, “Last year I was the oldest in the 45-49 group, now I’m the youngest in the 50-54.” She also said that that one of her main competitors is “at least a foot taller than me,” and when asked about the physics involved, she explained, “Taller athletes have more leverage, a bigger wingspan, and more length. I have to be stronger

and faster than all of my competitors.”

I asked Courtney if there are any sponsors involved, and she said, “Most of us in the Masters category do this as a hobby, and our expenses come out of our own pockets. I do, however, represent Clan Trumbull, and they kick in some money, and I appreciate that.”

● ● ●

The Tompkins County Football Luncheons are about to kick off for the 46th year, and is getting an assist from Purity Ice Cream, which has a flavor for the month of August called Gridiron Glory. The Tompkins County Football Council is going to benefit from a portion of the sales, and the money will be given to local high school football programs. Last year, the group gave $6,500 to the six high school football programs in Tompkins County.

The luncheon series will begin on Thursday, Sept. 14. The weekly luncheons will commence at 11:45 a.m. for nine Thursdays over the course of the 2023 season at The Fraternal Order of Eagles at 161 Cecil Malone Drive in Ithaca. The cost is $170 for the nine luncheons, with Oct. 19 serving as a “bye” week to gear up for the season’s stretch run.

For

ACROSS

1 It may follow you

4 Be up

5 Give the once-over DOWN

1 Fiver

2 Beam

your answers: CrosswordCompetition@hotmail.com 1

Each week the head varsity football coaches at Ithaca High School, Ithaca

College (Mike Toerper) and Cornell University (David Archer) will discuss the previous week’s games and give a scouting report on the future opponent. Head football coaches at five other Tompkins County high schools, as well as Ithaca’s women’s flag football program, will make guest appearances throughout the fall.

S at. August 19th and S un., Aug. 20th 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Immac ulate Conception Church at 113 N. Geneva St. Ithac a

A fundraiser for Tompkins Learning Partners on Saturday, September 23

To register: CrosswordCompetition.com

3 Nice time of the year? Currently, fewer than 10% of adults in need of literacy services are being assisted due to federal and state budget cuts.

The Vatican Eucharistic Miracles Photographic Exhibition recounts well documented miraculous occurrences of Jesus Christ’s Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. If you would like to understand more about Catholics’ core faith belief, this exhibit is a must see. All are invited to see it in our Parish Hall and our newly renovated church.

Sponsored by Ithaca Council

Courtney won’t be working at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center while she participates in the Scottish Highland Games World Championships.

a chance to win a free entry, complete this Tiny Town Teaser by Puzzlemaster Adam Perl. Collect all 4 puzzles and name the song from a recently revived Broadway musical for a Merl Reagle Crossword Book. Submit

SURVIVAL GUIDE

New Initiatives for College Student Mental Health and Wellness

By Vee Cipperman

Mental health among U.S. college students has worsened exponentially in the past ten years, and Ithaca has mobilized to help. Local organizations, from regional government to private colleges, are bolstering mental health resources for student and community wellness.

National health organizations have long identified that student mental health is declining. The American Psychological Association reported that 60% of students have a mental health problem, based on the 2022 Healthy Minds Survey; this percentage has increased by 50% since 2013. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22% of students considered suicide and 10% attempted it in 2021.

The APA and the CDC recommend a proactive approach to mental health and wellness. According to the APA, colleges across the country have begun to adopt holistic wellness measures beyond crisis management.

Ithaca College

Ithaca College has made significant adjustments to its wellness approach over the past five years. Administrators have partnered with the Cayuga Health System to create a new on-campus center, which has expanded the school’s capacity for screening and treatment. IC has also taken part in a four-year wellness development program with The Jed Foundation, which will conclude in 2024.

IC’s emergency hotline, which reaches their Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, is 607 274 3333. During business hours, callers can reach the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services at 607 274 3136.

CAPS provides free, confidential services to students. It offers consultations, short-term individual or group counseling, crisis intervention, and referrals. It uses a model of care called IC Stepped Care 2.0, which branches into many treatment options after initial screening. The goal is flexibility and a tailored mental health approach for each student.

“Because enrollment numbers have come down, our ratio of counselors to students is pretty effective at the moment,” said CAPS Director Brian Petersen, “so we’re able to offer a variety of services effectively.”

CAPS employs 10 clinicians, and it aims to hire one more this year. Counselors create liaison relationships with specific departments, organizations, and

teams at IC, giving them a point person within CAPS.

The new Cayuga Health Center, Petersen noted, is not intended to replace CAPS, but to expand and supplement IC’s mental health offerings. The center offers psychiatry services, including medication, and Brief Behavioral Health Interventions.

The Health Center requires mental health screening for all students who enter. Michelle Goode, program director at the Center for Health Promotion, explained the JED recommendation that healthcare providers of any kind screen patients for depression, anxiety, and substance use. This approach more reliably identifies at-risk individuals across a population, because more people utilize a primary care provider than a targeted mental health service each year.

“We can reach more students for at least a brief assessment than we could before, when all services were based through CAPS,” Petersen said.

The Health Center also makes offcampus Cayuga System referrals easier. IC sponsors a Medicar program, which provides transportation to third party medical appointments. CAPS and the Health Center serve a growing population of IC students each year.

“Between the two services last year,” Petersen said, “we offered some kind of mental health or behavioral health intervention to almost 20% of the student body.”

Ithaca College also has a Center for Health Promotion, which supports a healthy lifestyle for students with various education and wellness programs. It hosts a Wellness Resource Room with yoga mats, coloring books, and a relaxing environment for students. It also conducts the National College Health Assessment

for Ithaca College, a biennial survey on student health issues.

“Our overall office mission and vision is to help students be healthy, well, and successful while they’re here at Ithaca College,” Goode said.

The JED Campus Initiative has guided recent changes across IC’s wellness departments. The program, which began for IC in 2020, provides resources for mental health and suicide prevention. It encourages institutions to adopt its guidelines and build solutions for their specific needs.

“JED wants you to create things that are sustainable,” Petersen said. He noted the proactive focus of the program.

Various committees and subgroups have formed at IC to address JED recommendations. Goode noted the Communications Subcommittee, which campaigned to reduce the stigma around mental health last semester. The Mental Health Awareness Events Subcommittee launched the first anxiety screening day on campus in February.

Every semester, the Jed Foundation provides an assessment of IC’s progress. Thus far, the JED program has helped IC to implement college-wide postvention procedures, peer training for suicide prevention, and various events including Stop and Breathe days in May.

IC also gives all community members a premium subscription to Sanvello, a self-care app, which the campus adopted to help students weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The app screens users and suggests relevant wellness tools, including meditation and journaling.

“At the end of May, we had 747 Ithaca College users,” Goode said. “Out of those folks, about 664 of them have been an active user for at least one month.”

Sanvello sponsors an on-campus brand ambassador program, which currently includes five students. Other online wellness services at IC include Mind Wise, where students can anonymously assess their mental health, and Liberate, an app for students of color which the college is currently testing. Continued on Page

Classes Everyone Wants to Take

From Wine Tasting to Grant Writing, Local College Courses Provide Fresh Opportunities for Students

By Christopher Walker

For new college students, many concerns are top of mind: the pressure of making new friends, the rigor of higher education and adjusting to dorm life. While these worries often subside within months, the juggling act of course enrollment recurs each semester. Students should not fret, however, because with 80 majors and 70 majors respectively, Cornell University and Ithaca College have no shortage of courses for them to explore.

HADM 4300: Introduction to Wines at Cornell University

A staple of the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, HADM 4300 is a highly soughtafter course that has become a rite

of passage for many students, regardless of major. Often referred to as “school-sanctioned day drinking,” HADM 4300 offers students the opportunity to taste wines from all over the globe, though drinking is not a requirement for students who do not wish to do so. For 50 years, the course has introduced Cornellians to the basics of wine, such as different flavors and aromas, grape varieties, labeling laws and the history and culture of the alcohol. Although the course is especially popular amongst Hotel School students, the nearly 700 students enrolled in HADM 4300 each semester represent a large swath of the areas of studies that Cornell University has to offer. Senior Lecturer, Cheryl Stanley, who is entering her eleventh year teaching the course, believes that knowledge of wine is applicable to a range of

industries– and she has anecdotes to back her position up.

As Introduction to Wines celebrates its 50th anniversary, a beloved Cornell continues a long-standing tradition that shows no sign of stopping.

MGMT 21300: Hidden Entrepreneurs at Ithaca College

Taught by Instructor Edward Catto, MGMT 21300: Hidden Entrepreneurs isn’t your typical business course. Rather than the typical crunching of numbers and close studies of graphs, MGMT 21300 at Ithaca College is a celebration of entrepreneurship and its many avenues for success.

“When you think about entrepreneurs, many times people think of Shark Tank and they’ll think of those start-up-y entrepreneurs,” Catto said. “But in reality, there’s a lot of entrepreneurs who have very different paths, and this is what we celebrate in [MGMT 21300].”

In line with that ethos, each week Catto introduces students to a new batch of

successful entrepreneurs who act as guest speakers. Past guest speakers, which run the gamut of industries, include freelance and book editor, Will Dennis, a recent recipient of an Eisner Award at San Diego Comic-Con and Brad White, the founder of New England Burials at Sea, a company that provides ash scattering ceremonies and burials at sea, among others.

“Hidden Entrepreneurs is full of guest speakers, people who I’ve met over the years who come in and speak about all the different things that they are doing, really fostering a mindset of looking at the world a little differently and understanding what makes an entrepreneur great and then what makes them succeed,” Catto said.

AMST 2001: The First American University at Cornell University

While going to school to learn about school may seem redundant, Cornell’s AMST 2001: The First American University provides students with an increased sense of community and belonging by teaching them the history of the University and its development, according to Visiting Lecturer Corey Ryan Earle. Earle, who has been informing students about the history

Continued on Page 14

Cornell University

Cornell University has also made significant steps to re-envision health on campus. Under the 131 recommendations of the Mental Health Review and the eight guiding principles of the Okanagan Charter, the school is creating new initiatives and committees to improve holistic wellness.

Cornell’s Counseling and Psychological Services department is based at Cornell Health. It offers consultations with CAPS counselors during business hours or calls with third-party ProtoCall Services after hours at 607 255 5155.

CAPS care begins with 25-minute consultations, which aim to match students with relevant services. These include individual therapy sessions for a $10 copay or group sessions and classes for free. CAPS also offers psychiatry services and thirdparty referrals. It hosts educational Zoom workshops, provides mental health fact sheets, and teaches relaxation techniques in the classes Let’s Meditate and Refresh: Cornell’s Sleep Program. The Mental Health at Cornell website centralizes these resources.

“We are a specialized department in that we deliver mental health services, treatment interventions, and education through our clinical lens,” said CAPS Director David Reetz. “We provide educational opportunities to promote prevention and early intervention.”

CAPS is currently working to create more clinical spaces on campus. This year, they’re partnering with the College of Veterinary Medicine to hire a full time, licensed clinical provider. Reetz said that this expansion will give students another access point to CAPS within their home college. He expressed the goal of reaching more colleges and gathering specific information about the mental health struggles on different parts of campus.

The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives leads research, education, and engagement programs to support student health. Its projects address substance usage, bias and racism, hazing, mental health, sexual violence, and suicide on campus.

Cornell offers online avenues to report bias and other concerning incidents. Student Support and Advocacy Services, based within the Office of the Dean of Students, offers life counseling and solutions to students in one-on-one sessions. Students can visit drop-in hours or call at 607 254 8598. The SHARE — Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education — office offers resources and relevant contacts at Cornell.

Cornell has made recent moves to update mental health offerings and consider a more holistic approach to wellness. Since fall 2018, Cornell has conducted a Mental Health Review. This process, involving various surveys, discussions, and campus committees, aims to make Cornell into a health-promoting campus. It has identified 131 recommenda-

October 26, 2022. 380 delegates from 45 countries developed the Charter after a 2015 Conference on Health-Promoting Universities and Colleges, held at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna, Canada. Over 20 institutions of higher education have formally adopted this document.

The Charter aims to inspire positive change across communities. It encourages research and dialogues that will extend wellness concepts into all aspects of campus life and operations. It takes a contextual, environmental, and communal approach to health, emphasizing “whole system approaches” that prioritize group solutions and local Indigenous communities.

Cornell’s upper-level administration signed the charter and guides the broader health-promoting campus project. The main oversight groups are the Student Wellbeing Council, composed of 20 to 25 members from different branches of student government, and the Advisory Committee of faculty and staff. The SWC will form six subcommittees: Research and Evaluation, Policies and Practices, Supportive Environments, Belonging and Connection, Personal and Professional Development, and Services and Resources.

Edwards expressed that the committees help create and reimagine resources as Cornell becomes a health-promoting campus. They can provide feedback and assistance to community members or departments working on specific wellness projects. The committees also conduct campus-wide research to identify weaker areas for wellness.

In the fall, the university will release a wellbeing mission statement and call for people on campus to get involved with specific initiatives. It will also launch a website dedicated to health-promoting campus work, including logistics, structures, and opportunities for participation.

“We’re working on those recommendations in the spirit of looking at holistic wellbeing across our campus,” Edwards said.

This year, SHARE will also bring back the Cornell Social Consultants. Originally introduced before the outbreak of COVID-19, the Social Consultants are students paid through the Skorton Center to identify high-risk social dynamics and develop solutions. A previous group campaigned to move coat racks from inaccessible upper floors to downstairs levels at fraternity parties.

“They will help develop skills and try to design and evaluate different effective intervention strategies that might be able to decrease sexual violence,” Edwards said.

Collaborations

Ithaca students have taken mental health into their own hands with organizations like Nature RX, which operates at both Cornell University and Ithaca College. This club supports spending time outdoors to assist mental health; it promotes local nature-based events and documents the best spots to visit.

Cornell Minds Matter, EARS, and the Sexual Violence Prevention Network offer peer education and mentorship on wellness-related topics at Cornell. Ithaca College has several organizations to spread mental health awareness, including Active Minds.

Goode expressed that students are an important part of the Ithaca and Tompkins County communities. She encouraged them to get involved at the governmental level, working on wellness initiatives with the County Health Department.

Petersen noted that mental health needs will vary across institutions, and

Top Rated Pizza in Ithaca (Google & Yelp)

of Cornell University for 11 years, believes that his course remains so popular due to its relatability to students, along with its relative ease.

“The course is a good combination of relatively low commitment … with fun and engaging content that students can relate to,” Earle said. “Every student has heard of traditions like Slope Day and Dragon Day, but most people don’t know the stories behind them or who are the people with their names on buildings.”

Topics discussed throughout the course include the founding of the University, campus diversity, the Ivy League and Cornell in popular culture, providing students with a breadth of insight on the place they call home for most of the year. With this information, Earle hopes that Cornellians gain a better understanding of how their school functions administratively, become more familiar with campus resources and appreciate the diversity that Cornell offers.

“The course cap is 441 students, which is the room capacity for Uris Auditorium,” Earle said. “Last spring, the course filled within four minutes of the start of preenrollment for seniors.”

HLTH 11300: Personal Health at Ithaca College

Even for students who have established healthy habits, the culture shock of college life can be enough to throw longstanding routines off balance. That’s why, along with three other Ithaca College faculty members, Lecturer Joanie Groome emphasizes the importance of wellness in HLTH 11300: Personal Health at Ithaca College. According to Groome, the course takes a holistic approach to wellness, focusing on many different components that impact the health of students.

“Personal Health is a 100-level course and focuses on topics that are most likely to impact college students in their first 2 years of college,” Groome said. “These topics typically include stress management, sleep, alcohol, addiction, fitness, sexuality, mental health and communication”

BIOEE 1540: Introduction to Oceanography at Cornell University

In the 2022 Fall semester, BIOEE 1540: Introduction to Oceanography had the third-highest enrollment total of any course at Cornell University, according to the Cornell University Media Rela-

tions Office. The course taught by Senior Lecturer Bruce Monger welcomes over a thousand students each semester– but it wasn’t always that way.

When BIOEE 1540 was first introduced to the University over a decade ago, it had 130 students. With each coming semester, however, demand for the course grew, forcing Monger to turn students away. Since then, the course has relocated its classroom numerous times, each time moving to a larger room to make space for waves of interested undergraduates until finally settling in Bailey Hall, the University’s largest auditorium with a capacity of 1,324 people.

Despite its title, the course is about much more than water. Through teaching about the ocean, the professor hopes to encourage students to take on a major threat to the ocean’s health: climate change.

“[BIOEE: 1540] is one part how the ocean works, but it’s a big part climate change and human impacts on the ocean, [which is] just growing bigger and bigger every year and becomes more dramatic. And then a really vital part [of the course] is okay, now you know we’re in big trouble, what are you going to do about it?” Monger said. “[With] this idea of empowering students to act on what they’ve learned in it, all of a sudden, it’s not just a science distribution class that they check off and walk away from.”

While ostensibly a weekly study of the ocean, for many, BIOEE 1540: Introduction to Oceanography has become much more.

WRTG 31700: Proposal and Grant Writing at Ithaca College

Instructed by Professor Anthony DiRenzo, WRTG 31700: Proposal and Grant Writing provides Ithaca College students with tangible experience writing for nonprofit organizations. For both students and nonprofits, both parties win: students improve their writing skills, while nonprofits receive invaluable services.

Throughout the semester, students work in project teams as consultants for local nonprofit organizations, such as the Thompkins County Public Library Foundation and Free Science Workshop. Nonprofits partner with the course for a variety of reasons, making each iteration of Proposal and Grant Writing a unique experience.

HADM 3350: Restaurant Management at Cornell University

Few courses offer a similar experience to Cornell University’s HADM 3350:

Region’s tick-borne diseases require precautions

The warm weeks ahead will bring more opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreational sports, gardening, and family gatherings. They also bring a higher risk of contracting tickborne infections such as Lyme disease, the most common disease spread by ticks in New York, and anaplasmosis, a relatively new disease spread by ticks in our region. A few precautions can minimize the risk of contracting a tick-borne disease without reducing the enjoyment of outdoor activities.

The bacterium that causes Lyme disease and anaplasmosis is spread by black-legged deer ticks. These ticks have expanded their range in upstate New York. Tests show about half of the adult ticks in the Finger Lakes region carry Lyme disease and a much smaller, but rising, percentage of ticks, carry anaplasmosis. Two other tickborne diseases, babesiosis caused by a bacterium and Powassan virus, have been rare in this region, but are more common in downstate communities.

Deer ticks live in shady moist areas and can be found throughout New York State. Adult deer ticks are the size of sesame seeds and are most active from March to mid-May and from mid-August to November. Nymphal ticks are active from midMay to mid-August and are about the size of poppy seeds. Both adults and nymphs can transmit Lyme disease, but it usually takes 36 to 48 hours after an infected tick has attached itself to a person to transmit the bacterium.

Most deer tick bites will not transmit Lyme or anaplasmosis, and finding a tick on your body does not require an emergency room or doctor’s office visit. If the tick is fully engorged you have two options after removing the tick: Monitor the bite area to see if a circular rash develops, or take a one-time dose of antibiotic, which may decrease the chance of getting Lyme disease. My recommendation is to limit antibiotic exposure and monitor for symptoms.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Some people experience fever, aches, sweats, and low energy. A roundish, red rash that sometimes looks like a bullseye and slowly gets bigger often appears around or near the site of the tick bite. If the illness remains untreated for a few weeks, it may cause multiple red rashes and fever. In rare instances, untreated Lyme can infect heart tissue, spinal fluid, and joints. However, even at these later stages, Lyme and anaplasmosis are curable with antibiotics. Commonly used oral antibiotics include doxycycline or cefuroxime for adults, and amoxicillin, which is most often used to treat young children and pregnant women.

What are the symptoms of anaplasmosis?

Anaplasmosis symptoms are like a Lyme disease infection, but rarely include a rash. Some patients have chills, nausea, muscle aches, cough, fatigue, and mental confusion, but not everyone has symptoms.

What steps can I take to avoid tick bites?

Ticks are active any time the temperature is above 30 degrees and there is no snow cover. After you have been hiking in brushy areas, check yourself and your family for ticks. Look in all the nooks and crannies, including your armpits and in your hair. Be sure to check young children because they may not notice a tick. Adult deer ticks are hard to find; nymphal deer ticks are even smaller and look like freckles with legs.

How can I prevent getting ticks on me?

• During tick season treat your clothing with insect-repellent and wear long pants and long sleeves whenever possible. Trim brush in your yard and keep the grass cut to reduce tick habitat. The New York State Health Department lists many tick and insectrepellent products. Some things to know about repellents:

• DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) products have been used for many years and come in many concentrations, some as high as 100 percent. The health department recommends avoiding products with DEET concentrations of more than 35 percent.

• Products containing picaridin, or KBR 3023 on some labels repel ticks as effectively as products containing similar concentrations of DEET.

• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) is found naturally in eucalyptus trees. Products containing OLE are about as effective in repelling ticks as lower concentration DEET products.

• P-menthane 3,8-diol is a manufactured version of OLE and has similar repellent properties.

• IR3535 is used in insect repellents; but in some cases, these products also contain sunscreen and moisturizers. Avoid combination products. Sunscreen and moisturizers should be applied generously; repellents should be applied sparingly.

• Permethrin kills ticks on contact. Permethrin-containing repellent products are only registered for use on clothing, not on skin. Permethrin-treated clothing remains effective against ticks through several washings.

What do I do if I find a tick on my body?

Use tweezers to grasp the tick at its head where it is embedded in the skin; pull with gentle, steady pressure, then flush it down the toilet. Clean that spot with soap and water. If the tick is not full of blood when removed, it has not had enough time to transmit the diseases. Testing for Lyme and anaplasmosis is not helpful just after a tick bite because it takes four to six weeks to develop antibodies that indicate an infection is present. Monitor for symptoms noted earlier in this article during tick season and check with your doctor if they develop.

Douglas MacQueen, MD

Dr. Douglas MacQueen is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. He is on the medical staff of Cayuga Medical Center and can be reached at the Cayuga Center for Infectious Diseases at (607) 241-1118.

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse

By Barbara Adams

“I’m at ‘Beautiful’ — it’s wonderful!” So texted the woman in the row in front of me at intermission. And I’d say the entire audience seemed equally pleased throughout this nearly sold-out third show of The Rev’s 65th season, at Auburn’s Merry-Go-Round Playhouse.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” which ran on Broadway for six years, relates the early career of legendary singer-songwriter Carole King. And while no show can do justice to her hundreds of pop hits, this jukebox musical provides plenty of tunes and memories.

Aptly enough for this former carousel space, Scott Adam Davis’ turntable set spins fluidly through multiple sets — studios, stages, apartments — with an ever-present piano, whether an upright or baby grand. As the moods shift, from intimate to bold, so does José Santiago’s lighting.

Carole’s story (book by Douglas McGrath) begins as a teen penning songs and resisting her mother’s nagging to pursue a sensible career, like teaching. At Queens College she falls in love with Gerry Coffin, who writes lyrics as passionately as she writes music. Then a surprise pregnancy leads them to an early marriage — she’s only 17. The loving couple collaborate successfully for years, thanks to the mentorship of music producer Don Kirshner. Two other talents he works with, composer Barry Mann and lyricist Cynthia Weil, become

an intimate part of their lives, as close friends and gleeful competitors.

Then come the years when Gerry starts philandering and has mental episodes. Carole sticks with him for love and the sake of their daughters for perhaps too long. But when she finally breaks away, she also comes into her own, writing songs from the heart that she decides only she can sing. That leads to her first solo album, then to “Tapestry” and ultimately a Carnegie Hall performance.

King’s five decades of creative output, studded with hits — along with songs by Mann and Weil — are unfolded in a narrative that gives these familiar tunes even more resonance. The standards we’ve been humming for years now reflect her own biography, her successes and struggles.

Carole and her husband Gerry are an inseparable team — until they’re not. CJ Eldred makes him loveable in the early years, an attentive dad, and credible, though unsympathetic, in the bad ones.

Their counterparts are the other songwriting couple in Kirshner’s stable. Carole is grateful to discover another woman in the business, Cynthia Weil — delightfully played with brash good nature by Charlotte Maltby. Cynthia is hired to collaborate with the hypochondriacal Barry Mann (a wonderfully comic David R. Gordon), and after many years, their rowdy relationship turns to marriage. Throughout everything, their promoter Don Kirshner stays a loyal friend to all four; Reed Campbell is immensely likeable in this role.

Book by Douglas McGrath; words and music by Gerry Coffin & Carole King and Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil.

Directed by Scott Weinstein with choreography by James Alonzo White and musical direction by Alan J. Plado. Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, The Rev Theatre Company, Emerson Park, 6877 E Lake Rd,Auburn

Evenings and some matinees through August 29. For tickets: TheRevTheatre.com or 315-255-1785.

In this production, director Scott Weinstein effectively foregrounds the music and the key players. As Carole King’s mother, Joanne Baum is nicely irritating. Maggie Kuntz is a dynamic, vibrant Carole, passionate and inexhaustible. Maggie is sweet and modest, comfortable with being in the creative background as bigger names perform her work. Just a few: Bobby Vee (“Take Good Care of My Baby”), The Shirelles (“Will You Love Me Tomorrow”), the Drifters (“Some Kind of Wonderful”), The Chiffons (“One Fine Day”), and Aretha Franklin (“(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”). Vocally, Kuntz dominates the house, powerfully delivering these songs — and, impressively, playing piano at the same time.

A slick ensemble of 12 dancers performs song after song, with period-style choreography by James Alonzo White and robust support from Alan J. Plado’s orchestra. Those pop hits from the ’60s and ’70s come alive, complemented by the groups’ smooth monochromatic costumes (by Tiffany Howard). And if you haven’t already twitched in your seat, their version of “Loco-Motion” will get you bouncing.

Definitely a “Beautiful” experience, for all who love this music. It’s been a great summer at The Rev, and we can look forward to the closing show in September, “A Chorus Line.”

Arts & Entertainment

Barbara Adams, a regional arts journalist, teaches writing at Ithaca College.

Carole King’s journey from pregnant teen to music-writing powerhouse is musically portrayed by the Rev Theatre.

“Beautiful, the Carole King Musical.”

“Theatre Camp” and “Shortcomings”

A Warm Mockumentary and Acidic Rom-Com at Local Cinemas

By Bryan VanCampen

The new mockumentary “Theater Camp” manages to have a lot of fun at the expense of youth-led performance camps without descending into the meanness and condescending humor found in Christopher Guest’s “Waiting for Guffman” (1996). The film compresses a summer of theater productions and rehearsals at AdirondACTS, a scrappy upstate New York theater camp. As the film opens, Amy Sedaris as the camp founder suffers a stroke, and now her clueless son Troy has to take the reins.

There’s more trouble. The camp is wracked with debt, one of the staff members was the only person to apply for a job and she’s clearly faking. And the musicbook team assigned to create a musical honoring the comatose Sedaris is fracturing badly.

Co-produced by Will Ferrell, “Theater Camp” was directed, conceived by Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Ben Platt and Noah Galvin, who also star in the film. As much as the film pokes holes in pretentious theater types, the filmmakers have a great deal of affection for their subject matter; almost uncomfortably intimate and painful and shot hand-held doc style, “Theater Camp” captures not only the pretentions and arrogance of those afflicted with “Hey, look at me!” disease; it also acknowledges that good, bad or indifferent, theater is a team sport that requires a lot of hard work, and there’s nothing bad about that.

I’m a big fan of the actor Randall Park. Park had a fun cameo in season six of “Community” in the episode where Chang (Ken Jeong) becomes a spokesman for canned ham. Park has also been having a lot of fun in the MCU as Agent Jimmy Woo in the TV series “Wanda/Vision” and in “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018), where he had a few funny moments with Abby Ryder Fortson, and a bit where Woo calls himself a youth pastor that still slays me.

All the same, I was surprised at how real Park was willing to go with his directorial debut “Shortcomings”, an acidic character study hiding inside the shell of a

more conventional romantic comedy.

Written by Adrian Tolmine and based on his graphic novel, “Shortcomings” follows the romantic misadventures of Ben (Justin H. Min), a young aspiring Asian filmmaker stuck managing a struggling multiplex that specializes in Asian cinema. Ben is in a relationship with Miko (Ally Maki) that has been deteriorating for quite some time. She takes a NYC internship but doesn’t ask him to come with her. Meanwhile, Ben’s pal Alice (Sherry Cole), that stalwart rom-com character, the gay best friend, talks his ears off about all the relationship troubles he’s brought on himself.

Because Min is so handsome and presentable, it takes a while to see that he really is the problem in relation to every other character in the story. My beef with most rom-coms is that I don’t believe the couple at the end will last more than a week after declaring their love, a dilemma I can trace back as far as “Pillow Talk” (1959); it’s much braver and rarer to see a movie like this, with Ben’s tightly-wound passive aggression, or Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy”, in which Ben Affleck’s character makes every seemingly wrong choice, no matter what kind of rom-com cliché he’s confronted with, whether its dating a lesbian (Debby Ryan) or running through the streets of New York in search of his ex. Whatever it is, it’s the wrong thing to do. It’s like Tomine and Park

examined all those cliches and decided to flip the whole script.

As the action ping-pongs between San Francisco and New York City, two scene stealers do emerge. There’s Leon (Timothy Simons), Miko’s new boyfriend, who is PC enough to acknowledge that he has an Asian fetish; he and Min have a very funny encounter on the street; Jacob Batalon of the Tom Holland “Spider-Man” series is a hoot as one of the theater’s snooty filmsnob employees.

RIP Paul Reubens (“Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams”, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”, “Big Top Pee Wee”, “ Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Mystery Men”)

“Theater Camp”

(Searchlight Pictures-Picturestart-Topic Studios-Gloria Sanchez Productions, 2023, 93 min.) playing at Cinemapolis and Regal Stadium 14

“Shortcomings”

(Sony Pictures Classics-Topic Studios-Tango-Imminent Collision-Roadside Attractions-Picture Films, 2023, 92 min.) playing at Cinemapolis.

● ● ●

Molly Gordon and Ben Platt in Theatre Camp.

Actor Randall Park makes a bold directing debut with Shortcomings.

continued

not difficult for large corporations like Amazon or Starbucks to stonewall efforts at collective bargaining.

Though Starbucks workers have voted to unionize at more than 340 stores since the first successful vote in 2021, the company has failed to negotiate a single contract with workers at any of the stores. Once again, a contrast with other nations is instructive, particularly in countries like Austria, where sectoral bargaining allows panels of workers to bargain with employers across an entire industry, rather than company by company.

BACK TO SCHOOL

continued from page 7

a passionate, all-consuming life amongst experienced specialists, whose skill was enhanced by physical, emotional and cognitive bonding with the patients. And lots of human touch.”

When her Spanish— speaking patient Diego (pictured with Angela for this column) arrived in a barely conscious state, communication was challenging. “I stopped by his room and would talk “with” him. As he began to recover I would wheel him to other floors, take him outside…but not a word from Diego. After a month, one day when I greeted him, he responded “Hello.” That was the beginning! After much work together Diego returned home, and he sent me a note: “Thank you for treating me like a person.”

By the time Angela had worked in such varied settings and widened her network of fellow neurologic PT specialists, she had achieved her Board Certified Clinical Neurologic Specialist certification. With so

NEW INITIATIVES

continued from page 13

solutions for one community may not work for them all.

“I think, unfortunately, there is this standardized idea of what mental health services need to be on college campuses,” he said, “but they really need to be tailored to the specific needs and culture and contexts of a school to be the most efficient.” Reetz and Edwards also commented on the necessity of creative, school-specific interventions, even between Cornell’s different colleges.

“It’s much more difficult to understand broad generalizations across the college,”

Workers and unions do need allies in government and in the community. They can’t change laws and policy without strong support.

And current strikes demonstrate how such support can be manifested in many ways — from open letters to employers, to legislative initiatives, to direct participation in worker-led actions, including civil disobedience.

But ultimately the initiative, the perseverance, and the courage lie with the workers themselves — seeking dignity and a better life for themselves and their families. It is out of this leadership that a more equitable society must, in the final analysis, emerge for us all.

many options available, Dr. Jill Mayer again advised Angela: Dr. Mayer was headed to Buffalo, New York. She advised Angela to apply to Ithaca College to become the instructor for Dr. Mayer’s IC classes.

Since January 2023, Dr. DiFransesco (PT, DPT, CBIS) has led neurologic labs and clinical coursework at IC, including in the award-winning Center for Life Skills at Longview where IC PT students work with former stroke patients.

Much as Angela is honored to be selected by IC, and as satisfying it is to instruct and mentor IC students, as they follow in her footsteps in the program she savored and graduated from 5 years ago, Angela felt there was one missing piece she for so long planned to provide.

Angela found that piece when she signed on to offer Neurologic PT services to individual clients through Reilly Physical Therapy. “Anne Reilly, the founder of Reilly PT, is so focused on the patient experience. She provides so much support for each client, working in the community, her patients love her. I knew this was the missing piece.”

Reetz said. “You really have to learn the uniqueness of each of those cultures.”

Representatives from both schools emphasized their willingness to build new solutions for mental health and wellness in the coming years. Ithaca will continue to develop better care options for its college population.

Emergency Service Hotlines

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

1 800 273 8255 or dial 988

• Veterans Crisis Line: 1 800 273 8255 and press 1, or text 838255

• National Crisis Text Line: text HELLO to 741 741

• Ithaca’s Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service Hotline: 1 607 272 1616

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

continued from page 6

who understands city government and realizes that to do the job you have to make tough decisions and work with the resources the city has. It is clear to me that some of the DSA and Working Family endorsed candidates have big dreams but have no idea how to pay for them. Ms Brock possesses the knowledge and experience to continue to be an effective CC member. —

By Jim Dennis

Ihave had concerns for the unhoused community in the Westend. Reaching out to our local Common Council and public services, Cynthia has been

OPIOID DEATHS INCREASING

continued from page 7

Access hours for these programs are Mondays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m.– 2 p.m. If you want to use these services, call 607-274-6200 to learn more.

The Whole Health Department also has several community partners that provide various services for those needing addiction support. The Alcohol and Drug Council offers a variety of education programs, counseling services, and treatment options, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services offers men’s residential rehabilitation and outpatient treatment services, as well as a specific Opioid Treatment Program and MAT. REACH Medical also provides a wide range of medical and behavioral health services, including MAT, available to anyone in the community, regardless of their ability to pay. To find other available treatment programs throughout the state, use the NYS Office of Addiction Services & Supports online directory.

Community-based support groups are

CLASSES EVERYONE WANTS TO TAKE

continued from page 14

Restaurant Management, which thrusts undergraduates into a fast-paced kitchen environment at Establishment, a studentrun restaurant in the School of Hotel Administration. Students, or chefs, rather, have a weekly six-hour lab in which they manage the Establishment, either serving in the front-of-house or working in the kitchen.

foremost in giving an ear to its residents. I can personally attest her generosity of time and concern for our issues. I will support her, if solely for her tenacity, though I’m sure she follows through with any task out before her.

— Nancy Raza

Responding to Ithaca’s Proposed Gun Safety Legislation

Redundant. NY state law already require safe storage. Responsible gun owners already safely store their guns regardless of what the law demands. Irresponsible gun owners typically couldn’t care less about gun laws and just ignore them. Thus, this local gun law is just a feel good measure that accomplishes nothing. —

Richard Ballantyne

available for individuals to help navigate their recovery, as well as for friends and families affected by their loved ones’ substance use. NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports hosts HOPEline, a 24/7 helpline to call or text for support. Call 1-877-8-HOPENY (467369) or Text HOPENY (467369) for immediate assistance.

The 9-8-8 Lifeline call service is also available, 24/7, to speak confidentially with mental health professionals about your concerns; dial 9-8-8 to connect with this support. Need help to find help? Dial 2-1-1 (1.877.211.8667) for supportive, local referrals and resource connections.

NYS OASAS also hosts the “Project COPE” website, which promotes overdose prevention and harm reduction education in New York State. This initiative aims to empower people to learn how to prevent overdoses and save lives in their community.

Resources are readily available in Tompkins County. Learn more about local opioid statistics and additional resources online at: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/ health/opioids.

The students who manage the Establishment each week oversee every step of the restaurant process, from marketing to meal pricing. Senior Lecturer Douglass Miller has seen this full process numerous times over the course of his seven years teaching the course.

As a new set of students eases into HADM 3350 this semester, the Establishment will open up once again in mid-September.

The college experience is full of new opportunities. These seven courses are just a taste of what the next four years have to offer.