Recent Contributions from Ben Eisen

Panhellenic Council Elects New Board

Ben Eisen — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Cornell’s 11 sorority chapters on campus came together last night to elect the Panhellenic Board that will lead them for the next year. The board — which is charged with coordinating between houses and making overarching decisions affecting all sororities — works with the Interfraternity Council and Multicultural Greek Letter Council to govern Greek life on campus.

Leading the Panhel board will be Alison Ewing ’10, a member of Kappa Delta sorority and last year’s vice president of programming.

“I’m really excited about this year’s board,” she said. “We have really great personalities and I think we will all work well together.”

Looking Beyond the Hill

Ben Eisen — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:36:59 -0400

Cornell's historic buildings sit nestled away in East Hill, looking down at Cayuga Lake and the surrounding Finger Lakes region. It's a perfectly manicured little bubble, seemingly free, for the most part, from the harsh realities of the outside world. But the view of Cornell from the bottom of the hill is different — a sprawling monolithic institution extending down to the city around it. Ithaca — surrounded by farmland and the remnants of what was once a lively industrial center — used to be a bastion of conservatism, but now plays host to headshops and peace rallies. The city was once the Hollywood for silent films and now sells education as one of its biggest commodities.

N.Y. Times Reporter Relates Government To Mainstream Media

Ben Eisen — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Fifteen days before the presidential election, New York Times Chief Washington Correspondent David Sanger gave a tour of America far from the hypothetical “Main Street” both candidates have consistently used as campaign jargon.

Kent Fuchs Replaces Martin as Cornell's 15th Provost

Ben Eisen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As Cornell’s highest ranking officers gathered in Ithaca this weekend, President David Skorton announced to a standing ovation that Kent Fuchs has been appointed as the University’s 15th provost. Fuchs, who currently serves as dean of the College of Engineering, will take the reins as Cornell’s chief academic officer and second-in-command to the president in January.

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Skorton chose Fuchs nearly five months after Biddy Martin decided to vacate the position to become chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently David Harris serves as interim provost.

Challenger to Hinchey for Congress Seat Visits Cornell

Ben Eisen — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

George Phillips had no idea that he wanted to go into politics until he started college. While at Villanova University, he took a variety of political science classes, and through the office of Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) worked on issues of human trafficking and refugee safety in Africa.

Now on unpaid leave from his job as a history teacher at Catholic Central High School in Binghamton, Phillips is running for a Congressional Seat in the 22nd District, which includes much of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes Regions. A member of the Republican Party, he is running against eight-term incumbent Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.).

This election season marks the first time since 2004 that Hinchey has had an opponent.

Last West Campus House Named for Flora Rose

Ben Eisen — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Seven years and $225 million after construction began, every brick of the West Campus Housing Initiative is in its place. One of the final steps took place on Friday with the announcement that the last house — formally House 5 — will be named in honor of Flora Rose, a nutrition professor and founder of the College of Human Ecology.

In a ceremony on Friday, Edna Dugan, assistant vice president for student and academic affairs and a Becker House fellow, announced the decision to name the house after Rose.

“We have investigated many, many deceased faculty’s biographies,” Dugan stated in a press release. “So it is so fitting that House Five should become Flora Rose House ... to recognize her legendary status in Cornell history.”

TCAT Service Will Continue Through Negotiations

Ben Eisen — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Though an agreement has not been reached between the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit and the United Auto Workers over labor contracts, TCAT service will continue uninterrupted today. The union, which represents all TCAT drivers and mechanics, will proceed in talks with the bus service as they attempt to strike a deal.

Yesterday afternoon, concern arose that the two groups would not reach a consensus by midnight last night, when all contracts for TCAT workers expired.

Milstein Hall Garners City Approval Regarding Environmental Impact

Ben Eisen — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

After nearly two months of review, the City of Ithaca’s Planning and Development Board has declared Milstein Hall’s draft of the Environmental Impact Statement (dEIS) adequate for the purpose of commencing public review, signifying another step toward the building’s final construction. In a meeting last night at City Hall, the Board commented on the dEIS, citing a number of necessary clarifications to the document, but eventually voted in favor of opening the two-binder document for public comment.

Collegetown Vision Committee Approves Master Plan

Ben Eisen — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Collegetown Vision Implementation Committee, in its final meeting before an indefinite hiatus, has begun to conclude a master plan that has been a year in the making. Since the moratorium on Collegetown construction went into effect last year to enable consultants to formulate the Collegetown Master Plan, the CVIC — under the direction of Mary Tomlan ’71 (D-3rd Ward) and Svante Myrick ’09 (D-4th Ward) — has been hard at work guiding the planning process.

The result is a master plan that will likely steer the future development of Collegetown. Residents hope that it will improve issues of pedestrian transportation, add mixed-use developments, provide for student parking and open up public spaces.

Schedulizer Is Back At C.U. Following Registrar Scuffle

Ben Eisen — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

After just over 24 hours without service, the familiar tabs and lists of Schedulizer.com are once again active. Schedulizer CEO Jay Searson ’08 put the site back online around 8:20 p.m. last night, citing the willingness of the Registrar to work with the website and the outpouring of student support as the two main causes.

“We’ve got a meeting with the Registrar, and we’re going to work with them to keep Cornell accurate,” Searson said. “We haven’t come to any firm agreements, but we are very, very optimistic.”

However, he added that the student support that Schedulizer received, in all forms — from protesting students to e-mails of support — was what eventually made them put the site back up.

Quarrel With Univ. Registrar Forces Schedulizer Website to Shut Down

Ben Eisen — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In a surprising and unprecedented move, the popular website Schedulizer.com decided to discontinue its service for Cornell students, causing massive outcry as Cornellians attempted to plan their classes for the semester. At approximately 8:15 last night, the system shut down all class listings and other Schedulizer services, leaving in its stead only an open note to Cornell students.

“Schedulizer is down because Cornell has made it prohibitively difficult for us to maintain accurate course information,” the note read.

Univ. Welcomes Class of 2012

Ben Eisen — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As wide-eyed freshmen wander aimlessly across campus and noise complaints in Collegetown add up, one thing has become abundantly clear (or maybe blurry to some): orientation is here. Today marks the fourth day since over 3,000 freshmen arrived to campus, and the week has thus far played host to a wide variety of activities.

On Friday, North Campus was bustling with minivans and station wagons piled to the brim as new students moved into their dormitories. Orientation Leaders, aided by Resident Assistants and members of the Greek Community, helped families move in.

The overarching theme for the week was “superheroes,” encouraging Orientation Leaders to be heroes for their new students.

Stormy Waters: Charting The Sun’s Place in the Journalism Industry

Ben Eisen — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:53:15 -0400

Anyone who’s followed the media industry in the slightest knows that print journalism isn’t what it once was. With the internet making news so much easier to obtain, print editions are getting slimmed down, reporters are getting laid off and editors are quitting. Plus, the advent of blogging — which some consider grass-roots journalism while others call it the downfall of legitimate news — means that regular people are breaking news as opposed to institutionalized media outlets. Lastly, print advertising is down because websites like Craigslist cut down on the need to post ads in a newspaper. So, the world is scrambling to find the next big thing that will save the newspaper business, but no one really knows what it is yet. That’s my take anyway.

Ithacans’ Visit to Charlottesville Puts City in Context of Other College Towns

Ben Eisen — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:37:08 -0400

Correction Appended

From Ithaca Hours to the Ithaca Commons, no one can deny that the city Cornell calls home has its fair share of quirks. But the question of how unique Ithaca really is has surfaced recently with the city’s comparison to other college towns.

Last month, a delegation from the Ithaca Downtown Partnership took a trip to Charlottesville, where they observed the town, met with public officials and brought back a wealth of information on how the two cities compare. The trip was part of an effort to develop a 10-year master plan for downtown Ithaca.

The Cornell Daily Sun's City Guide

Ben Eisen — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

From the outside, it’s hard to understand the allure of the city Cornell calls home. But Ithaca, with all its quirks and eccentricities, has tons of opportunities for exploring, playing and having fun. So, here’s a guide of the best Ithaca has to offer.

The heart of downtown Ithaca is called the Commons. Three city blocks in the center of downtown that were made into a pedestriana mall in the 1970s, the Ithaca Commons now has tons of stores and restaurants worth trying. Retail options range from jewelry stores to bookstores to head shops, with everything in between. And restaurants, some of which are on the Commons and some extend around the corner to Aurora Street, serve up a diverse mix of foods.

Skorton Names David Harris as Interim Provost

Ben Eisen — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:05:10 -0400

Updated June 24

Plans have quickly fallen into place to find the University’s next chief academic officer. Less than three weeks after Provost Biddy Martin’s announcement that she will leave Cornell to become the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, President David Skorton named Deputy Provost David Harris to temporarily fill her position. Harris will serve as interim provost until Martin’s successor is chosen, according to the University.

School May Be Out for Summer — But the Newsroom Is Up and Running

Ben Eisen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:38:10 -0400

For those of you who stalk The Sun's website looking for the latest in Cornell news, here are some recent headlines to keep you busy.

Provost Biddy Martin Named Finalist in UW-Madison Chancellor Search

Ben Eisen — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:46:20 -0400

Four people are vying to take over for University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jon Wiley at the helm of the nation’s 10th largest university when he steps down in September. One candidate is Cornell’s own Provost Biddy Martin.

U.W. System President Kevin Reilly named Martin a finalist for the position on Wednesday, signifying that she has made one of the last cuts in the chancellor search.

“It is a particularly exciting opportunity because of the quality of the institution and the fact that it is my Ph.D. alma mater,” Martin, who graduated from UW-Madison in 1985 with a degree in German literature, stated in an email.

Provost Biddy Martin Named Finalist in UW-Madison Chancellor Search

Ben Eisen — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

U.W. System President Kevin Reilly named Martin a finalist for the position on Wednesday, signifying that she has made one of the last cuts in the chancellor search.

Police Investigate Death of William Jacobson

Ben Eisen — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As the sun set over Ithaca College last night — ending the fourth long and emotion-filled day since freshman William Jacobson went missing — the I.C. community held a candlelit vigil. Jacobson was found dead yesterday morning when New York State Police found his body in a pond on Farm Road within the college’s campus.

The Ithaca Police Department and other authorities are currently investigating the case, I.C. President Peggy Williams wrote in a statement on the I.C. website.

New Campus Code Gets Skorton’s Nod

Ben Eisen — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Campus Code of Conduct is quickly passing the remaining hurdles on its way to final implementation. Yesterday, in a letter to Rodney Orme, employee chair of the University Assembly, President David Skorton endorsed the current version of the Code.

“I look forward to working with the Judicial Administrator to employ law students in the prosecution of violations to the Code,” Skorton wrote.

The letter — which came just five days after the U.A. re-passed the code — further thanked the Codes and Judicial Committee and the U.A. for their many hours of work in helping to revise the Code since Skorton first rejected it in February.

Planning and Development Board Approves Statler Hall, Hoy Road Renovations

Ben Eisen — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On Tuesday, the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board picked up where it left off last month by approving two proposals for Cornell construction projects.

The addition to the Campus Road side of Statler Hall’s Beck Center that a Cornell team proposed in March will now begin construction in September. Princeton, N.J.-based KSS Architects — which designed the Beck Center in 2004 — will design the addition in the same style by creating a glass and steel-based structure. The addition is expected to create more office and function space for the School of Hotel Administration.

U.A. Approves Conduct Code After Revision

Ben Eisen — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Correction Appended

The new Code of Judicial Conduct may finally be on its way to becoming a permanent part of Cornell policy. In a meeting yesterday, the University Assembly re-approved the CJC by a vote of 14-2, meaning that its next stop will be President David Skorton’s desk.

The U.A. approved the code last fall, but Skorton sent it back to the drawing board with two major issues. His rejection of the Code at the time raised controversy between Skorton, the CJC committee and U.A. However, in its current state — which Andrew Cowan law, vice-chair of the CJC Committee, touts as “something that nobody really likes but that everyone can swallow” — many believe it will eventually be adopted.

Riding to Fight Cancer

Ben Eisen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Philip Haar’s JGSM Surly brand bicycle looks like any other on the rack outside Uris Library. With its turquoise frame, black handlebars and street tires, few would expect that the bike — and its owner — will soon trek over 4000 miles from Oregon to Virginia. On June 9, just days after Philip earns his MBA from Cornell, he and his father, Dr. Jack Haar, will begin a summer-long journey across our great nation that has been years in the making.

Former Med. College Employee Pleads Guilty to Charges of Identity Theft

Ben Eisen — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

A former employee of the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College pleaded guilty on Friday to selling information from the personal records of over 50,000 patients. The Associated Press reported that the hospital — the primary teaching facility for Cornell’s Medical School — found out about the breach after patients’ records were discovered in Atlanta by postal inspectors.

Dwight McPherson, the man arrested in connection with the crimes, was said to have been selling information since 2006, when he was approached with a request for the names, phone numbers and social security numbers of male patients between 38 and 58 years old. According to the AP, the information was used for identity theft.

Concerns Linger After Relaunch of CoursEnroll

Ben Eisen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

CoursEnroll went back up yesterday afternoon to the applause of those who were unable to enroll in classes on Monday. But while the commotion may have only been temporary, PeopleSoft — the recently installed replacement for Just the Facts — has a long and storied history of what many claim to be sub par software.

In Jan. 2004, Ohio’s attorney general, Jim Petro, filed a lawsuit against PeopleSoft, seeking $510 million in damages. Petro charged the company with fraud, breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation among other counts, stemming from a faulty installation of the software at Cleveland State University.

Collegetown Vision Implementation Committee Reviews Draft of Master Plan Ideas

Ben Eisen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Collegetown Vision Implementation Committee has gotten used to thinking about the future. At its meeting yesterday in the basement of St. Luke’s Church, the group went over a draft of potential ideas for the Collegetown Master Plan that consulting firm Goody Clancy had prepared.

Following their last visit to Cornell at the beginning of March, the consultants drew up specific recommendations for the neighborhood that were separated by region in order to work within the atmosphere of each.

One suggestion that spurred much discussion among those in attendance was the idea to turn the area near the corner of Dryden Ave. and Linden Ave. into primarily graduate student housing.

New CoursEnroll Software Causes Distress, Difficulties

Ben Eisen — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

When Jason Cohen ’09 logged into the new PeopleSoft replacement for Just The Facts at 6:30 yesterday morning to sign up for his fall semester classes, he expected CoursEnroll to be a breeze. What he found, however, was a stress-inducing procedure full of bugs and glitches that didn’t allow him to finalize his schedule until 1:30 in the afternoon.

With the University’s newly implemented and more technologically advanced system in place, Cohen, along with most juniors and seniors, had hopes of a quick and easy process.

Big Red Barn Reopens

Ben Eisen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Big Red Barn resumed its role as one of Cornell’s campus icons yesterday when the building reopened its doors for business. As a dining hall and center of graduate student life, the Barn closed in December, due to severe structural damage caused by a caving roof.

The construction that took place over the last three months entailed reinforcing the roof to keep it from falling in by putting in new trusses and beams, according to Kris Corda, director of the BRB. With the new infrastructure in place, Corda is confident that the problems have been fixed and the building will remain open permanently.

Cornell Univ. Presents Renovation Plans for School of Hotel Admin.

Ben Eisen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Under the yellowish lights deep within the Ithaca City Hall building last night, the Ithaca Planning and Development Board heard the first public proposal for a renovation to Statler Hall, the home of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration. Cornell’s Facilities Services presented plans for a renovation to Statler Hall that would dramatically change the façade of the building as it faces Campus Road.

The Beck Center, the glass encased building attached to Statler Hall, was completed in 2004 by KSS architects.

Architecture Students Celebrate Dragon Day

Ben Eisen — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The smoke that rose up from the Arts Quad was visible to anyone whose eyes were turned to East Hill on March 14. As the remnants of a wire and paper-maché structure blackened the sky on a surprisingly warm afternoon, thousands of people cheered and chanted, played music and danced.

“Burn it down,” one yelled.

“Look at all that carbon monoxide,” another remarked.

This was the annual burning of the dragon — a 100-year old Cornell tradition upheld every year before Spring Break by first-year architecture students. Donning all black, they stood and watched the destruction of their creation, a project that they had spent many hours preparing.

N.Y. State Gov. Spitzer Leaves Ofﬁce; Paterson to Take Over

Ben Eisen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Two days after Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D-N.Y.) was implicated on prostitution charges, he stood with his wife before members of the media in his Manhattan office.

“Over the course of my public life, I have insisted, I believe correctly, that people, regardless of their position or power, take responsibility for their conduct,” he said. “I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of the governor.”

N.Y. Times Associate Editor Discusses Presidential Race

Ben Eisen — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On his way to Ithaca yesterday, Robert B. Semple Jr., New York Times associate editor and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, got a call from his wife. She told him that when he was speaking to students at Cornell, he should tell them not to give up on politics.

With recent news of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s (D-N.Y.) involvement with prostitution, many are losing hope in the way our government works. But Semple, in his lecture to students in Goldwin Smith’s Lewis Auditorium last night, tried to stay optimistic. As one of the editors who puts together editorials for The Times, he gave his perspective on the three remaining presidential candidates and challenges that each of them faces in the coming months.

Consultants Plan for Collegetown’s Future

Ben Eisen — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Though some may see Collegetown as no more than a rundown neighborhood, the planning consultants who spent the last three days at Cornell have a more optimistic vision for it. This weekend, phrases like “mix-use development,” “pedestrian circulation” and “urban environment” floated around the basement of St. Luke’s Church more frequently than snowstorms in Ithaca.

Provost Delivers State of University Address

Ben Eisen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

In a speech that was at times solemn and at others lighthearted, Provost Biddy Martin discussed Cornell’s role within higher education yesterday afternoon in Call Auditorium. Her second annual Academic State of the University focused on how Cornell stacks up against the trends in what she called “the golden age” of higher education.

Last year Martin focused on many of the challenges that Cornell faced, including the replacement of retiring faculty, making innovative changes to the curriculum and insuring diversity in all facets of the University.

Plant Science Majors Blossom

Ben Eisen — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Plant science majors aren’t afraid of the dirt. While most are taking notes in lecture halls, they’re out exploring the earth. These students are required to take classes like plant physiology, ecology and taxonomy, but after that it’s up to them to choose their own paths. With concentrations in everything from horticulture to plant breeding and genetics, students have a variety of options to choose from.

Ben Riccardi ’08 is concentrating in viticulture, as he hopes to someday run a vineyard. He takes classes in vineyard management and grape and wine flavor development. He’s also a part of the Cornell University Viticulture and Enology Club, which organizes wine tasting and grape stomping on the Ag Quad, an homage to the traditional way of crushing grapes to produce wine.

Ithaca Commons May Be Home to $17 Million Hotel

Ben Eisen — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Ithaca may be home to a new 102-room hotel if plans for the development on the corner of Green St. and Aurora St. go through. Jeffrey Rimland, a developer for Ithaca Properties L.L.C., along with architect Scott Whitham of Thomas Associates, has proposed the initiative as a means of “expansion and diversification of the economic base of the community,” according to a letter from Whitham to Mayor Carolyn Peterson dated Feb. 5. The hotel would cost approximately $17 million and be leased by a chain.

Rimland is also the owner of the Rothschild’s Building, which sits adjacent to the proposed site. The lot has remained empty since the buildings which once occupied the lot were torn down 42 years ago.

Consultants Gather Input For a New C-Town Vision

Ben Eisen — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Residents of Collegetown may be glad to know that a facelift for the neighborhood is in the works. Four consultants from Goody Clancy Architects have spent an intensive two days meeting with students, permanent residents of Collegetown, merchants, property owners, Cornell administrators, trustees and the City of Ithaca planning officials. Their visit — the initial phase of a process that will continue through October — was arranged to gather the community's ideas for the neighborhood.

C.U. Maintains Extensive Corporate Relations

Ben Eisen — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Correction Appended

At a time when many have criticized American universities for their resemblance to corporations, Cornell’s extensive relationships with large for-profit companies prove little to the contrary. Over the past few years, the University has instituted a number of decentralized offices that work within individual colleges and through independent programs to connect with corporations for the purpose of research, philanthropy and recruiting.

I.C. Student Allegedly Raped in Dorm Room

Ben Eisen — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

An Ithaca College student reported that she was raped last Sunday around 1:30 a.m. in her Emerson Hall dormitory room. According to The Ithacan, the female student returned to her room to find an unknown assailant waiting for her. There was no sign of forced entry into the room. The student reported the rape almost 12 hours later.

The male was identified to be Hispanic, about 170 pounds, 5’10’’ inches, with a thin build and no facial hair. He was also seen wearing loose jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt and red fitted hat, according to News 10 Now.

Snapshot: A Day in the Life of a Performing Arts Major

Ben Eisen — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

As host to the Department of Theater, Film and Dance, the Schwartz Center is home to performance spaces, studios, classrooms, film-editing suites, costume shops and more.

Dance majors learn about the subject from both an academic and technique standpoint. They take classes in dance history and theory, as well composition and performance. Every year the students put on three shows, as well as Stoglia, the dance major’s biggest performance, in which both faculty and students participate. Outside of the studio, all seven students in the major are good friends. “I think we intimidate people when we go out together,” said Virginia Cromwell ’10. “No one wants to dance with us because we’re dance majors.”

C.U. Works to Eliminate Hazing in Greek System

Ben Eisen — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

After a mass meeting of Cornell students on Oct. 17, 1901, the University decided to eliminate fraternity hazing for good. An article in The New York Times reported, “rushees attended by personal injuries have been frequent, and students have been taken by force to gatherings where they were made the sport of the throng. [Cornell] President Schurman regards the latter practice as interfering with the rights of the students, and says that the practice must be stopped.”

AAP Students Propose New Concepts for C-Town

Ben Eisen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Collegetown — often thought to be a quintessential part of the upperclassman experience — is little more than a clustered group of houses, restaurants and bars. But professors and students alike are working to shape it into something more. Classes in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning have begun using Collegetown as a model on which to recommend innovative and lasting changes.

This past semester, Prof. Julian Varas, architecture, assigned his design studio to choose different Collegetown properties on which to develop proposals for residential concepts. The idea was to create spaces that are open and available as social configurations, allowing for a diverse group of people to live in the neighborhood.

Eyes on the Primaries: Senator Hillary Clinton

Ben Eisen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is no new contender in the political arena. Having been in the national spotlight since her husband was elected president 16 years ago, Hillary Clinton’s announcement that she is running for our nation’s highest office was all but a surprise. And with Super Tuesday — the day many believe will decide who wins the primaries — less than two weeks away, Clinton is looking good in the polls.

Despite Trends, C.U. Tenure Rate Remains Steady

Ben Eisen — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Though percentages of tenured professors have been declining at universities across the country, Cornell’s rate of faculty with tenure appointments has remained steady over the past ten years. Amid growing financial concerns at many schools, which have forced administrators to turn to adjunct and non-tenure track faculty, the nationwide percentage of tenured faculty has dropped to about 30 percent of all educators over the last 30 years.

Cornell, however, has stayed above the average. During the 1996-1997 school year, nearly 80 percent of the 1,871 faculty members were tenured or on tenure-track according to Cornell’s Academic Personnel Data Base.

Seniors Choose to Live in Ithaca During Retirement

Ben Eisen — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:01 -0500

If you’re thinking of skipping right from your college years to your golden years, you might want to consider settling down in Ithaca. Though the city is best known for its large population of college students, it is also home to three elderly care alternatives to nursing homes.

Scattered throughout the city, these facilities range from assisted living to continuing care, housing many of Cornell’s most notable emeriti.

These homes may be just what elderly people need, according to a 1999 study released by Cornell Profs Peter Chi, policy analysis and management, and Joseph Laquatra, design and environmental analysis.

Immigrants Flock To Upstate Towns

Ben Eisen — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Whenever Prof. Susan Christopherson, city and regional planning, gets into a cab in New York City, she tends to make conversation with the driver. To her surprise, the drivers, mostly originating from other countries, often speak of leaving the City for quieter locales and possibly settling upstate. This is becoming less obscure an aspiration, as many foreign-born citizens are migrating to the cities of Upstate New York.

A recently released study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says that a huge influx of foreign-born workers — over 200,000 in all — live in upstate metropolitan areas like Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany. Many of these residents are highly educated and tend to be attracted by jobs in technical fields.

Facebook: Giving Personal Info for Proﬁt?

Ben Eisen — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

When Facebook announced last week that it would begin tailoring advertisements to users’ preferences, all sorts of reactions surfaced.

The Internet social networking site, which has over 50 million active users, decided to allow companies to create personalized ads for account holders with their friends’ profile pictures attached.

Young Professionals Find a Home in Downtown Ithaca

Ben Eisen — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:01:00 -0500

With recent news of the brain drain in Upstate New York, it may seem like Ithaca is populated solely by college students and aging baby-boomers. But contrary to popular belief, the city and county are home to many young professionals. In fact, forgetting college students, about 19 percent of Ithaca is between 25 and 40 years old, according to Deb Mohlenhoff, chair of Ithaca Forward, a young professional networking group.And with Cornell’s attempt to attract newer, younger professors over the next few years, that number is likely to increase.

Upstate New York Suffers Brain Drain

Ben Eisen — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

With the decline of manufacturing in Upstate New York over the last century, the region has suffered a perpetual population loss. Failure to attract young, educated people has begun to put some cities in limbo, threatening their long-term sustainability. This has come to be known as the brain drain: the inability to keep educated people in the area.

Experts addressed these issues last Friday in a seminar entitled “The Brain Drain/ Brain Gain Issue in Upstate New York: Research, Education, and Outreach Responses.” A panel made up of two regional experts, a Cornell professor and one local expert dissected the issues facing Upstate New York and looked at the steps necessary to reverse current patterns.