Opinion
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CHANCELLOR | Everyone is Religious
Every dog has its day, just as every religion has its rise. However, in modern times, especially in places like the university, we claim this is no longer true. We claim that we have evolved past the primitive superstitions of millennia past. When we look up at the sky, we no longer see the stars as gods; we see nuclear fusion. As 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “God is dead” and “we have killed him.” Modernity claims to have no religion. Is this true? Is this even possible? The answer to both questions is no. Everyone has a god, whether money or themselves, because everyone believes in something. Religion…
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FARAJ | Leveling the Play Field for All: Athletics Must Protect All Sports’ Team Budgets
The landscape of college athletics is shifting. Since the NCAA’s landmark policy change in 2021 allowing student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness — commonly referred to as NIL — deals, college sports have become increasingly commercialized, blurring the line between amateurism and professional sports. With record-breaking viewership, multimillion dollar sponsorships and a surge of public interest in athletes like Caitlin Clark and Paige Beukers — and for women’s sports overall — it felt like equity was finally within reach. But now the ground is shifting again. The Trump administration has intervened by rescinding Title IX-based federal guidance that had ensured NIL compensation was distributed equitably across men’s and…
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SCHWARZ | U.S. Universities in Crisis: The Implicit and Explicit Threat of Nationalization
Using the threat of withholding research funds and taxing endowments, Trump and his acolytes are trying to nationalize universities. Under the guise of fighting antisemitism, they want to put universities under the auspices of various kinds of monitors, perhaps in some cases judges, who will control what universities do. Disregarding democracy, autocrats are bullies who stifle dissent and debate to impose their worldview. The Trump administration lives by intimidation, whether it be directed at the press, the legal establishment, cultural resources or the media. Defending the right to express fact-based opinions and different interpretations of the same facts, universities must resist intimidation by an authoritarian regime that seeks compliant silence…
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Calling for Violence Isn’t “Political Opposition”: Why CFI Petitioned Against Kehlani
Dear Professor Kamtekar, We are the Cornellians for Israel Executive Board. Allow us to be clear about why we petitioned against Kehlani: It is not because she supports the Palestinian people, nor that she has criticized the war in Gaza — it’s that she calls for violence against Jews. You defend Kehlani’s rhetoric as “political opposition to Israel and the Israeli government.” However, Kehlani’s beliefs extend past political opposition: Kehlani posted on her Instagram “DISMANTLE ISRAEL” and posted a map of the region that eliminates Israel. You argue your disapproval of the Indian government does not make you anti-Indian. Criticizing a government is political discourse; calling for the eradication of…
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CARUSO | The World Just Lost a Champion. Cornell Needs Its Own.
At 1:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, his holiness Pope Francis passed away after briefly recovering from pneumonia. Despite doctor orders to rest and step away from work, he refused, conducting the papacy from his wheelchair and bed. The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday rattled the world. Though tragic, many believe that the timing of his death was at least symbolic, if not a direct act of God. Regardless, many Catholics like myself felt a vacuum left by his large presence due to his 13-year tenure. Despite the small size of the Vatican, its role in global affairs has been that of a convener and reliable neutral. While anyone…
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GUEST ROOM | Neurodiversity in the Trump Era
April is Autism Acceptance month, a time to intentionally include, faithfully affirm and openly embrace autistic people, who make up around 3% of the population. While the Biden administration formally recognized Autism Acceptance month, President Trump has proclaimed it Autism Awareness month, reverting to the outdated and harmful terminology which emphasizes alertness to a threat rather than welcoming of differences. “Awareness” campaigns serve only to perpetuate stigmas and medicalized attitudes rather than promote belonging and inclusion while acknowledging both our humanity and our uniqueness. Acceptance month centers on an act you take through purposeful learning, reflection and practice. Accepting someone requires educating yourself about their life; unfamiliarity breeds misunderstanding, disdain…
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Cornell Musicians Oppose Kehlani’s Cancellation
We, as graduate students in Cornell’s Department of Music, condemn President Kotlikoff’s cancellation of Kehlani’s Slope Day performance. We reject the selective singling out of certain artists as “political,” as though there were “apolitical” music that exists free of entanglements with the world at large. In our roles as music historians, ethnographers, composers, performers and pedagogues, we understand that all music is political. Any attempt to argue otherwise is, at best, historically misinformed, and at worst, an attempt at censorship. This is not the first time Slope Day has faced controversy. In 2005, Snoop Dogg headlined Slope Day despite objections from some students who perceived his music to be misogynist.…
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Support, Resilience, and Community at Cornell
To the Editor, On behalf of the Mu Chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity at Cornell University, I write to express our deepest gratitude to the Cornell community for its extraordinary support during a challenging chapter in our history. Following the discovery of mold damage in the fall, our undergraduate brothers were displaced from our chapter house as critical repairs and renovations were undertaken. In the midst of uncertainty, it was the strength of our partnership with Cornell that made all the difference. We are especially grateful to Jenny Loeffelman from Student and Campus Life for her guidance and support in coordinating temporary housing and food service for our brothers. We…
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GALPERIN | Slope Day’s Real Problem
When the Slope Day Programming Board announced Kehlani as this year’s headliner, the reaction on campus was swift: Nearly everyone I spoke to seemed to agree that Kehlani was a poor choice. Some students pointed out that she isn’t as high-profile as previous headliners, such as Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Others have felt that her music doesn’t fit the typical energy of Slope Day. But beyond the debates over genre and star power lay a deeper, more disturbing issue — one that goes far beyond music and raises serious questions about how this decision was made in the first place. Kehlani is an antisemite, plain and simple. That is not…
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BURZLAFF | Let the Words Come First: On Final Papers and the Courage to Begin
On my daily stroll, I could feel the tension in the air — in libraries, cafés, carrels. Tabs open, cursor blinking, pressure mounting. The quiet weight of something coming due. Final papers have a way of sneaking up on us — not just in time, but emotionally. Even when we’ve had weeks to prepare, the actual moment of sitting down to write can feel like staring into a mirror we didn’t ask for. I recall the voices in my own head: You don’t sound smart (or worse, academic) enough. You don’t know what you’re saying. And somehow, before we’ve even typed the first sentence, we’re already exhausted. But what if…