News
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Can You Take the Israel Connection Out of Being Jewish?
When Cornell students see classmates posting about the Israel-Hamas war, or Israeli flags waving on campus, I imagine many wonder why Israel is important to their peers. Most pro-Israel students are simply American Jews, yet their passion for a faraway country the size of New Jersey is personal and paramount. There are those who feel differently, who can’t hold two truths: the ability to disagree with a country’s government, and the incredible importance of the existence of a Jewish state in the homeland critical to Judaism. Israel is inherently connected to Jewish cultural and religious practice, but, could you take the Israel connection out of being Jewish? Preview: only with…
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‘The Last of Us’ and Toxic Fan Culture
A few weeks back, after seeing a remarkable number of reels hyping up the return of The Last of Us, I finally binged the first season of the acclaimed video game adaptation. With each episode, I found myself slowly falling in love with the chemistry between Joel (portrayed by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (portrayed by Bella Ramsey), the lore of the post-apocalyptic world and the brilliant production design. I eagerly awaited the show’s return, grateful that I would not have to wait two years to watch new episodes like those who tuned in during the original release. However, I soon found my Instagram feed infiltrated by reels with a concerning…
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From Native American History to Martial Art: Exploring the Murals of Ithaca
A Haudenosaunee-Dutch treaty. A form of martial arts. Mentorship program participants. Marine biology. These are the focus of four of over 400 vibrant murals that together embellish nearly every street in Ithaca. Each mural contains intricate details that tell a unique story, from historical events to environmental protection. The Sun spoke with four artists about the inspirations behind a few of Ithaca’s many murals. “Two Row Wampum 400 Year Anniversary” by Brandon Lazore A mural painted on the Seneca Street Garage honors the 400-year anniversary of the Two Row Wampum. On Seneca Street Garage, community members get a snapshot of Native American history through artist Brandon Lazore’s mural, “Two Row…
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Paul Sellew ’80 Leads Efforts in Sustainable Hydroponic Agriculture
“It’s a big clock!” said Cornell alumnus and Little Leaf Farms founder and CEO Paul Sellew ’80. Life at Little Leaf Farms is rhythmic, a meticulously controlled environmental system following a precisely timed and executed loop. Sellew started Little Leaf Farms, a hydroponic packaged lettuce farm in Devens, MA, in 2015. Hydroponics refers to the technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution instead of soil. Its greenhouses integrate engineering and plant science to provide a fresh product and solution for soil degradation, food waste and changing climates. Sellew was immersed in the agricultural business from a young age, growing up on his family’s ornamental farm in Connecticut. From…
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A New Era for the Academy: Oscars Revitalized
Some could argue that the 97th Oscars competition was one of the most controversial of all time. Though no Oscars ceremony has been without scandal and uproar, the most recent performance put on by the Academy and the films it chose to recognize — or not — rivals that of last year’s Best Actor winner Cillian Murphy in terms of pure entertainment. From the use of artificial intelligence in The Brutalist to the complete dismissal of Dune: Part Two by Academy voters, the 97th Oscars was a show to remember. However, no piece of entertainment is complete without a big finale, and for the Academy, they are attempting to turn…
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Student Assembly Passes Resolution to Create a 5-Day Study Period Before Final Exams
The Student Assembly sent Resolution 43, which calls for an extended study period before finals, to President Michael Kotlikoff’s desk last Thursday, where it now awaits approval from him. A three-day study period is currently in place for this year and is not subject to change. Implementing a five-day study period will require the administration and faculty to change the academic calendar per New York State’s requirement that colleges and universities have a minimum of 15 weeks per semester for a two-semester system. The study period does not count towards the 15-week minimum requirement — increasing the study period would likely lengthen the academic year. The resolution highlighted the need…
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Graduate Students Revive Push for Divestment, Elect 2025-2026 Representatives
Cornell’s Graduate and Professional Student Assembly presented its 2025 election results — including results of a ballot question about divestment — during their final meeting of the year on Monday. Graduate student Nicholas Brennan, current executive vice president of GPSA, was elected to be the next president in a sweeping victory, garnering nearly five times as many votes as his two competitors, Bhagvat Patel and Mario Keputa. The election results also revealed broad support for divestment from the voting graduate student body, with about two-thirds of voters believing Cornell should divest from weapons manufacturers. The divestment ballot question was modeled after the Spring 2024 Student Assembly referendum, in which 69.3…
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Christian Flournoy ’27 Plans to Maximize Student Voices as Executive Vice President of the Student Assembly
Heading into his second year of being on the Student Assembly executive board, Christian Flournoy ’27 said that there are two ideals he envisions for his term as executive vice president: “[maximizing] the student voice” and “ensuring community representation.” Flournoy was announced as the next executive vice president for the Assembly on Wednesday, April 25, beating out three competitors in a narrow race. He currently serves as the vice president for diversity and inclusion for the Assembly, sitting on its executive board. Flournoy is pursuing the pre-medical path and noted a passion for promoting student health and well-being. Amid a string of campus tragedies in the Fall 2024 semester, Flournoy…
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Misty Copeland Announced as 2025 Senior Convocation Keynote Address Speaker
Renowned ballerina Misty Copeland will be the 2025 Senior Convocation Keynote Address Speaker, as announced by Cornell Student Activities, Cornell Convocation and Cornell Student & Campus Life in an Instagram post on Monday. Each year, the student-led Senior Convocation Committee invites a guest speaker to impart advice to graduation seniors in a keynote address during the Senior Convocation event held during the Senior Days that lead into Commencement Weekend. In addition to the guest speaker, the event includes performances from student organizations, a student speaker and comments from University leadership. Past keynote speakers at Senior Convocation have included former President Bill Clinton in 2004 and science communicator Bill Nye ’77…
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‘The Patients Are the Ones that Suffer the Most’: Researchers Left in Limbo After Cornell Funding Freeze, Stop-Work Orders
A quantum materials professor. A space weapons researcher. A breast cancer oncologist. In the wake of at least 90 stop-work orders sent to Cornell University by the federal government just in April, researchers across Cornell’s campuses have seen their projects halted and are left grappling for answers. An April 21 statement from Cornell administration noted the federal stop-work orders began in February of this year, impacting “vital research” across its main Ithaca campus, Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medicine. Cornell Media Relations confirmed that stop-work orders on more than 80 research grants were from the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture. The stop-work orders impacted research focused on…