INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 n ITHACA, NEW YORK
Vol. 143, No. 4 Lifestyle
News
Sports
Patsy’s Pizzeria
Packed Protest
Soccer Scores
The Lifestyle Department reviews the up-and-coming pizza spot in the Commons, noting its good pizza, sides and location.
Men’s soccer earned its 600th program victory, beating UCSB.
Over 100 students rallied on Ho Plaza for a “Student Not Bombs” protest.
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2026 Annual Security Report Released
Reported on-campus rape and dating violence decreased, while reports of stalking and non-campus building rape increased. By KRISTIE TO Sun Senior Writer
Sept. 2 — Cornell released its 2026 Annual Security Report on Tuesday morning, revealing decreases in reported on-campus rape and dating violence, but increased stalking incident reports and non-campus building rape reports. The notice was sent in an email to the Cornell community by Cornell Police Chief Eric Stickel, University Fire Marshall Timothy Ryan and David Honan, associate vice president for public safety. Under federal law, Cornell is required to publish an annual security report. It provides crime statistics from the previous three years, including reported crimes occurring on campus, in certain Cornell-owned buildings and properties, student organization spaces and public areas accessible from campus. A majority of crime reports decreased from 2024 to
2025, according to the report. On-campus reports of rape declined from 28 reported cases in 2024 to six in 2025, reports of fondling decreased from 22 reported cases to seven and reports of dating violence decreased from 35 reported cases to 14. However, reports of stalking increased from 22 reported cases in 2024 to 31 in 2025. The data also show that liquor-law violations remain the most common disciplinary issue, with 396 referrals in 2025, compared to 322 drug-law referrals in 2024. In addition to crime statistics, the report outlines Cornell’s policies and procedures for responding to sexual and interpersonal violence, alcohol and other drug use, hazing, emergency situations and other campus safety concerns. The 2026 report also reflects recent changes, including new federal hazing reporting requirements under the Stop Campus Hazing Act and updates to Cornell’s Student Code of Conduct.
Arson reports also fluctuated, dropping from 16 reported cases in 2023 to three in 2024 before rising to seven in 2025, with reported incidents occurring on campus and in on-campus residential facilities. Hazing reports emerged as a newly introduced figure, with 18 incidents reported in 2025 following a recent reporting requirement. Hate crimes remained present: in 2025, Cornell reported one incident of vandalism motivated by race and one incident of intimidation motivated by ethnicity. Cornell community members who would like a physical copy of the Annual Security Report can request one through the Public Safety Communications Center by call or in-person at G2 Barton Hall. Copies can also be requested by contacting the University Clery Compliance Office at clerycompliance@cornell.edu. Kristie To can be reached at kto@cornellsun.com.
SNL’s Jane Wickline, Josh Riley Votes to Withold Liva Pierce Visit Campus Federal Aid for Universities By ROWAN WALLIN Sun Senior Writer
Sept. 6 — Musical comedy duo Jane Wickline and Liva Pierce brought their Brooklynbased show, “Dukes,” to an audience of approximately 200 people in Statler Auditorium Friday night, incorporating original songs, sketch bits and crowd work into a humorous hour-long set. The show, hosted by the Cornell University Program Board, ran from 7 to 8 p.m. and marked the duo’s second visit to Ithaca, with their first in April 2025 at Ithaca College. Chesterton Back To The Source AD Wickline, a cast member on Saturday Night Live known for her dry sense of humor, and Pierce, who trained at Chicago’s The Second City improv group and has performed stand-up, improv and sketch comedy across the country, joined forces in New York to create “Dukes.” The pair began by discussing Ithaca itself, joking about the constant algae blooms in Cayuga Lake and describing Cornellians as an even split between “hippie” and “preppy.” From there, the set moved through a run of original songs
built around dating mishaps, phone addiction and the gloominess of a corporate workplace environment. One anthem told the story of a disastrous double date at a pizzeria, while another was built around the recurring line, “I hate my job,” that drew some of the loudest laughs of the night. The duo closed out this stretch of the set with a bit about their mutual phone addiction and a shared promise to limit their screen time. Later, Wickline and Pierce invited audience members to share anonymous gossip that they wove into their next number, before closing with songs built around a date with a self-proclaimed psychic and a satirical babysitting-crush storyline that veered into questions of gender identity. “This was my first time seeing a comedy show that was not a Cornell comedy group, like student-run, and it was really, really fun,” said Leah Condon ’29, who added that the psychic-themed song and the performers’ crowd work stood out most. “I would go back to something like this 100%.” To continue reading this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com.
Rowan Wallin can be reached at rwallin@cornellsun.com.
RILEY SMITH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Engaging in Israel Boycotts By ATTICUS JOHNSON Sun News Editor
Sept. 4 — Rep. Josh Riley (N.Y.-19), a Democrat who represents the district encompassing Cornell, Binghamton University and Ithaca College, voted for legislation that would withhold federal aid for universities that engage in boycotts against Israel during a Thursday morning vote. The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, which passed the U.S. House, 237-169, with mostly Republican votes, would make universities who engage in “nonexpressive commercial boycotts” of countries designated as “major strategic partners” — Israel is the only state labelled as such — ineligible for student aid funding. The bill, if written into law, would also limit federal funding eligibility for universities that restrict academic collaborations with Israel — including study abroad programs and joint research. Cornell Tech has a running partnership with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology which has faced criticism from students citing ethical and legal concerns related to Technion’s alleged involvement in the development of military technologies connected to human rights violations. A Student Assembly resolution calling on Cornell Tech to terminate this partnership passed in March 2026 after students packed two Assembly meetings in support. Riley’s vote comes as a student coalition at Cornell launched “Students Not Bombs,” a campaign pressuring the University to divest from weapons manufacturers that provide arms to Israel. In a Spring 2024 referendum, 69% of voters supported divestment from weapons companies who send arms to Israel, with just under half of the student body participating. “While Israel commits war crime after war crime, while Palestinians are killed in thousands and while basic humanitarian aid is systematically denied for them, our administration has remained complicit,” said Yasmeen Masoud ’28, president of Students for Justice in Palestine at Cornell and vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion in the Student Assembly, at the “Students Not Bombs” campaign
launch. Riley’s Thursday vote adds to his recent support for legislation upholding relations between Israel and the U.S. In July, he voted to maintain current U.S. aid to Israel and he voted to sanction the International Criminal Court in January 2025 over its issuing of arrest warrants to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. Though Riley has been critical of the Netanyahu government, which he described as “reckless and belligerent” in a statement posted on Facebook, he has stressed the importance of maintaining an alliance. “From a policy perspective, I believe the American-Israeli alliance is critically important and that we as a country need to continue to stand with our allies around the world,” Riley told The Ithacan in 2025. Riley, who is in the midst of a competitive re-election bid against Republican challenger State Senator Peter Oberacker, has previously faced criticism from some in Ithaca for being too supportive of Israel, which was classified as committing a genocide by the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory on Sept. 16, 2025. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval.
Atticus Johnson can be reached at ajohnson@cornellsun.com.
STEPHAN MENASCHE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
2 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
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Wednesday
Thursday
Approaching America Exhibit 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, The Gold Gallery
Pole Posse Beginner Practice 5 - 7 p.m., Willard Straight Hall 601
Mindful Birding at Sapsucker Woods Noon - 1 p.m., Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Visitor Center
Artist’s Talk: Photographer Mimi Plumb 5:15 - 7:30 p.m., Johnson Museum of Art
Mundinger Lectureship 2026 6 - 7 p.m., Weill Hall 226 Trivia Night 7 - 9 p.m., Ithaca Beer Company
Keeping Common Birds Common 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mann Library Lobby
Verano de Jazz 9 p.m. - midnight, Tres Leches
Free Zumba 6 - 6:45 p.m., Noyes Community Recreation Center
Friday
Saturday
Ezra Systems Seminar: Xue Teng 11:15 a.m. - 12:05 p.m., Upson Hall 216
The Evolution of Trees – A Walk through Time 9 - 10:30 a.m., F. R. Newman Arboretum
Mindful Botany Walk Noon - 1 p.m., Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center
Just Ocean and Coastal Futures Seminar 10 -11 a.m., Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Film Forum
The Art of Saving Democracy 5 - 6 p.m., Buffalo Street Books Documentary Film Screening of Harm in the Water 5 - 7 p.m., Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Film Forum Tree Body Sound Performance 6:45 - 7:30 p.m., F. R. Newman Arboretum
Migration Celebration 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Visitor Center
Sunday Botanic Gardens Highlights Tour 10 - 11 a.m., Nevin Welcome Center
Fashioning Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 and the Power of Presence 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Human Ecology Building
Look Club 2 - 3 p.m., State of the Art Gallery Bienvenidos BBQ 7 - 10 p.m., Anna Comstock Hall
- The Sun’s Data Team
We have merch!
Cuban Chamber Music Concert 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Hall B20
Monday
34th Annual Founder’s Day Concert 2 p.m., DeWitt Park
As you embark on your journey at Cornell, we invite you to take some time and reflect on who you are at this point in your lives. Last year, The Sun launched its inaugural Senior Sunset Survey. To continue this effort to connect with students, we now are creating our first annual Freshman Survey. You can fill it out at the QR code above.
Ellis Hollow Fair 2026 Noon - 5 p.m., 111 Genung Road
Sunday
Souls of Sithis: Tabletop & Live Action Roleplaying 1 - 2 p.m., 415 N Tioga St.
Welcome Class of 2030!
Physics Colloquium, Professor John Thompson 4 - 5 p.m., Physical Sciences Building, 120 Translation and Language Justice in and Beyond Europe Lecture 5 p.m., Uris Hall G08 Trivia Night 6 - 8 p.m., Collegetown Bagels Firelight Live 6 - 8 p.m., Firelight Camps
& more at
shop.cornellsun.com
The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 3
PHOTO
SUNBURSTS: Opening Weekend Sun photographers capture the dynamic attack and strong defense of the Red in a series of home-openers in an exciting sports weekend.
By SUN PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
Julia Leavitt / Sun Staff Photographer BANG! WILLIAMSON! | Freshman outside hitter Ellery Williamson goes head to head against two blockers from the University of Albany.
Julia Leavitt/ Sun Staff Photographer ONE SHOT ONE KILL | Senior middle blocker Ava Bogan tallies nine kills in the match against University of Albany.
Linus Mekhaya / Sun Staff Photographer SNIPE SHOT | Women’s volleyball takes on Howard University in a blow out 3-0 win.image.
Dante de la Pena / Sun Staff Photographer BRACE FOR IMPACT | Sophomore defender Raya Leikin lines up to take her second penalty of the game against Lafayette College.
Dante de la Pena / Sun Staff Photographer WINNERS CIRCLE | Sophomore defender Raya Leikin celebrates her second penalty goal in Women’s soccer’s season opener against Lafayette College.
Adelaide Chow / Sun Assistant Photography Editor META-VISION | Junior defender Justin Melly crosses the ball into the box to create a chance.
Adelaide Chow / Sun Assistant Photography Editor NIGHT IN STOKES | Senior midfielder Connor Miller knee slides after scoring the game-winning goal.
Adelaide Chow / Sun Assistant Photography Editor COLD UNDER PRESSURE | Sophomore forward Sergio Zapata controls the ball with grace.
To see more photos, please visit cornellsun.com.
NEWS
4 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Department of Education Urges Universities to Publicly Address ‘Statements of Principle’ by End of Year By VALENCIA MASSARO Sun Senior Writer
Sept. 4 — The Department of Education published a public letter titled “A National Call to Action to University Presidents and Governing Boards” on Aug. 3, urging university leaders and governing boards to commit to three specific principles, answer a series of seven questions centering on -reforms and display their responses publicly by the end of 2026. The principles outlined in the letter include “rigorous teaching, pathbreaking research, and national service.” Since Cornell has until the end of the year to publish its commitment to the principles, a University spokesperson declined to comment on its plans at the time of publication.
The seven questions listed by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon span transparency in admissions, free speech, intellectual pluralism, affordability, artificial intelligence, protections from foreign actors and a university’s contribution to “American societal success.” “American universities must put Americans, and American interests, first,” the letter reads. The letter does not offer any incentives to universities that follow its requests or clarify if there would be consequences for those that refuse.
By outlining these commitments, the ED hopes to “rebuild public confidence and trust” in universities, something the letter states is at a “record low.” The ED stated in the letter that it believes this call to action will drive reforms, something which it notes some universities have already begun by “adopting positions of institutional neutrality and improving policies related to campus protests.” In February 2026, the University’s Presidential Task Force on Institutional Voice released recommendations on how and when
PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Principle List | Secretary of Education Linda McMahon authored the letter addressed to University leadership.
Cornell should issue official statements on social and political issues, specifically calling for “institutional restraint.” “By limiting institutional voice to matters germane to the University’s mission and to higher education, Cornell respects and protects the individual voices of faculty, staff, and students as they exercise their freedom to speak,” the task force’s statement reads. Additionally, Cornell changed its policies regarding public speech through the creation of an interim expressive activity policy in January 2024, which faced criticism from students and faculty following its release. The University’s Expressive Activity Policy was finalized in March 2025. Valencia Massaro can be reached at vmassaro@cornellsun.com.
Student Assembly Debates Budget, Advances International Student Work Resolution By EMMA SPINDLER Sun Senior Writer
Sept. 4 — The Student Assembly spent much of its Thursday meeting debating its proposed operating budget, with members clashing over whether the body should begin the year with money in its Special Projects Fund. The Assembly also advanced a resolution urging the University to provide employment guidance to international students amid stricter federal oversight, in addition to resolutions establishing member outreach requirements and Student Activities Funding Commission allocations. Resolution 4: Approving the 2026-2027 Student Assembly Operating Budget The most extensive debate concerned Resolution 4: Approving the 2026-2027 Student Assembly Operating Budget, authored by Vice President for Finance Christian Tarala ’27. The resolution proposed setting the Assembly’s operating budget at $33,039.36, including $10,686.36 for an “Initiatives” account, a flexible pool of funding for Assembly-led student and community programming. It also set the Special Projects Fund, which allows student organizations to apply to the Assembly for funding for specific projects and activities, at zero. Tarala said the decision reflected his belief that reviewing individual student organization funding requests should not be a central function of the Assembly. “We are not a funding board,” Tarala said during the meeting. “It takes an incredible amount of time to fund relatively small amounts of money.” Tarala said he hopes to work with the Student Activities Funding Commission, which distributes funding to student organizations, to support projects that might
otherwise rely on the Assembly. “Special projects is not our job,” Tarala said. “That’s SAFC’s job.” Tarala emphasized that beginning the account at zero would not eliminate Special Projects. Organizations could still submit applications and the Assembly could transfer money from its reserves when funding requests arise. Student Assembly President Eeshaan Chaudhuri ’27 similarly pushed back on suggestions that the proposal would eliminate a source of funding for student groups. “Nothing is getting defunded,” Chaudhuri said. “This is just the starting amount in their balance.” Several representatives objected, however, arguing that the budget should communicate the Assembly’s priorities even if funds could later be transferred. Acknowledging that the Assembly’s spending would change throughout the year, Representative At-Large Christian Flournoy ’27 argued that the initial budget should still reserve funding for student groups. “Budgets will always fluctuate,” Flournoy said, adding that he wanted to ensure “there is a pool of money designated for students.” Members also questioned the decision to place more than $10,000 in the Initiatives account while leaving Special Projects empty. Chaudhuri said the Initiatives Fund would allow the Assembly to support projects of its own with fewer restrictions, including community outreach and campus engagement. “I would love Assembly to do more with the Ithaca community this year,” Chaudhuri said, describing possible drives and outreach events to engage the broader student body. Tarala added that prolonged fights over
MING DEMERS/SUN FILE PHOTO
Budget Business | The Assembly advanced four resolutions related to internal budgeting, international student work authorizations and Assembly engagement at its meeting.
individual funding requests have distracted the Assembly from broader policy work in previous years. “We will literally sit here for hours and hours on end arguing about whether some group will get a couple thousand dollars versus passing resolutions that will actually effect real change in our community,” Tarala said. “I really don’t think that that’s the best use of our time.” The debate prompted several proposed amendments, including an effort to move $1,000 from the Initiatives account into Special Projects. Members ultimately voted 16-3-5 to close debate without passing the amendments, and the resolution will be voted on at the next meeting. Resolution 2: Clarifying Practical Training Options for International Students The Assembly advanced a resolution calling on Cornell International Services to provide more guidance for international students after the Student and Exchange Visitor Program announced increased oversight of a temporary employment program for students with F-1 visas. Guidance from the University states that the update “significantly narrow[s]” international students’ options for employment off campus. Resolution 2: Clarifying Practical Training Options for International Students, focuses on Curricular Practical Training, which authorizes international students to work in internships and other jobs during their time as students. The guidance from Cornell states that CPT will now only be approved for practical training that is embedded in the curriculum, required of all students for degree completion and supported by a formal agreement with the employee, potentially limiting students’ ability to use CPT for summer internships. Among other questions, the resolution asks International Services to clarify whether students may qualify for CPT through degree-required internships, established co-op programs, independent studies, field studies or comparable academic arrangements. It also calls on Cornell to provide guidance on alternative forms of employment authorization, including pre-completion Optional Practical Training. Unlike CPT, pre-completion OPT requires authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and using OPT while still enrolled can leave students with less time to work under OPT after graduation. The resolution asks Cornell to explain eligibility requirements, application timelines, processing times and how pre-com-
pletion OPT affects work authorization after students’ degree completion. It also asks International Services to coordinate with Cornell Career Services, college-level career offices and academic departments so international students receive consistent guidance. “Internship recruiting for the following summer begins months in advance, and uncertainty about work authorization can affect international students’ ability to apply for positions,” the resolution reads. The resolution will be voted on at the next meeting. Resolution 3: Introducing a Mechanism for Ensured Engagement & Outreach by Members of the Student Assembly Members also considered Resolution 3: Introducing a Mechanism for Ensured Engagement & Outreach by Members of the Student Assembly, authored by Vice President for Communications Alexander Walters ’28 and Chaudhuri. The resolution would require each voting member to earn five points before the final meeting of each semester. Points could be earned through tabling, participating in Assembly communications, organizing events and other approved forms of constituent outreach. Members who do not reach five points would lose voting power and could face a vote to remove them from the Assembly after two weeks. Walters said the system was designed to enforce outreach responsibilities already required of representatives per the Student Assembly bylaws. “We’re going to be implementing a point system … to ensure that voting members of the Assembly are creating outreach and engagement events and doing their charter-mandated job of doing outreach to constituents,” Walters said. Walters said the resolution intentionally avoids prescribing exactly how representatives should engage with students. “We wanted to keep it pretty flexible,” Walters said. “Just as long as you’re doing some sort of outreach, we’re not going to mandate that you do it at a specific time in a specific place.” The resolution will be voted on at the next Assembly meeting. The Assembly also discussed Resolution 5: Removing Fixed SAFC Student Activity Fee Allocation Requirement, a measure to give future Assemblies more flexibility in distributing the Student Activity Fee, which will also be voted on at the next meeting. Emma Spindler can be reached at espindler@cornellsun.com.
The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 5
News
STEPHAN MENASCHE/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
City Commutes | OurBus has expanded its routes from Cornell’s campus to New York City, now offering four to six buses on this route every day.
OurBus Expands Ithaca-NYC Route By CORAL PLATT AND GISELLE REDMOND Sun News Editor and Sun Assistant News Editor
OurBus, a bus service that connects over 300 cities across the Northeast, including Ithaca, announced it will increase its service from Cornell to New York City beginning Tuesday. The bus route will now run from campus to Manhattan four to six times a day, seven days a week, according to a Monday press release from OurBus. The bus service expanded its service in response to a reported 20% increase in ridership between Ithaca and New York City in Spring 2026, according to the OurBus release. Prior to this expansion, stops on Cornell’s campus were primarily offered around major university breaks, the release added. In addition to expanding the number of buses commuting between the two cities, OurBus announced that all new trips will make stops in the Ithaca Commons, West Campus and North Campus. The company has also announced that they will now offer travel options between Cornell and Syracuse six days a week, including to Syracuse Hancock International Airport and Destiny USA. “A 20-minute walk downtown may not sound like much, but it makes a big difference when you’re catching an early morning bus or arriving back in Ithaca late at night — especially with luggage,” wrote Axel Hellman, co-founder of OurBus, in the announcement. “It’s a relatively simple change that can make the whole trip easier for students.” Hellman wrote to The Sun that OurBus is in “regular contact” with the University’s transportation department and worked collaboratively on implementing the new stops. He attributed the increased ridership from Ithaca to New York City to an increase in fuel prices and the loss of Ithaca Tompkins International Airport’s direct flight to Newark Liberty International Airport in 2025. “Ultimately, travelers are looking for a reliable and affordable way to get between Ithaca and New York City, and we’re seeing that demand continue to grow,” Hellman wrote to The Sun. In addition to transport to Manhattan, OurBus is adjusting their Ithaca route on weekends to provide stops in Fresh Meadows, Queens and Melville, Long Island starting Thursday. These weekend routes will also include stops in Cortland, Binghamton, Middletown and Nanuet, similar to previous service that was suspended due to COVID, Hellman wrote to The Sun. Hellman stated that OurBus is already reporting high demand in the new on-campus stops. “That’s a pretty clear signal that bringing the service closer to where students are is filling a need,” Hellman wrote to The Sun. Coral Platt and Giselle Redmond can be reached at cplatt@cornellsun.com and gredmond@cornellsun.com.
‘Ithaca is Books’ Festival Set to Return for Sixth Year By LILA DAVIS Sun Staff Writer
Sept 7 — Ithaca will host its sixth annual Ithaca is Books festival Thursday through Sunday. The festival, taking place across downtown Ithaca, will feature book signings, author presentations, an opportunity to adopt kittens and more community events. The festival was organized through the Tompkins County Public Library and Ithaca’s local bookstores, including Autumn Leaves Books, Buffalo Street Books, Odyssey Bookstore and PM Press. Founded with the purpose of building community between booklovers, the festival has expanded since its genesis in 2021 to the four-day celebration it is today, according to the festival’s website. This fall, nearly 30 festival events will be hosted at 18 locations throughout downtown Ithaca. The festival will host panels on topics ranging from the future of democracy, to children’s books to sapphic love stories. Ithaca’s former mayor, Svante Myrick ’09, will headline the festival and present his book, The Art of Saving Democracy: An Action Kit for Making Change, released in June 2026. The “Action Kit” described in the book provides “artwork, tools, prompts and prac-
tical inspiration to help people make their voices visible,” according to Myrick’s political advocacy organization, People For. Buffalo Street Books will host Myrick and New York State Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D-Tompkins) for a discussion titled, “The Art of Saving Democracy” on Thursday. In addition to panels, there will be handson activities, such as the Story + Craft event held at 4 p.m. on Thursday at the TCPL, and opportunities to buy books from more than 25 vendors at the Saturday and Sunday book fair. On the festival’s final day, Buffalo Street Books will hold a cat-themed book reading and signing for Unconditional: Stories of Women and the Animals They Love by Cat Willett, with kittens to adopt or simply snuggle, provided by the Browncoat Cat Rescue. All 18 locations hosting festival events are local businesses, including non-book related stores like Alphabet Soup and Cayuga Creamery. “Ithaca is Books Festival runs on community power,” the festival’s site reads. Lila Davis can be reached at lrd73@cornell.edu.
JASON WU/SUN FILE PHOTO
Literature Lovers | The Ithaca is Books festival will host book signings, panel presentations and more community events Thursday through Sunday in downtown Ithaca.
6 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Opinion
The Corne¬ Daily Sun The Editorial Board Independent Since 1880 144th Editorial Board SOPHIA DASSER ’28 Editor in Chief SOPHIA ROMANOV IMBER ’28 Associate Editor
VARSHA BHARGAVA ’27 Managing Editor
RAYEN ZHOU ’29 Opinion Editor
KATE TURK ’27 Assistant Managing Editor
ZARA CHEEK ’28 Opinion Editor
CORAL PLATT ’29 News Editor ATTICUS JOHNSON ’28 News Editor MARY CAITLIN CRONIN ’28 News Editor EVERETT CHAMBALA ’27 Assistant News Editor
JADE DUBUCHE ’27 Multimedia Editor BENJAMIN LEYNSE ’27 Multimedia Editor KENDALL MURPHY ’28 Business Manager CHARLIE CLARK ’29 Director of Revenue & Partnerships VICTORIA WROBLEWSKI ’28 Human Resources Manager MELISSA MOON ’28 Arts & Culture Editor JAMES PALM ’27 Assistant Arts & Culture Editor MATTHEW RENTEZELAS ’28 Assistant Arts & Culture Editor HAZEL TJADEN ’28 Assistant Arts & Culture Editor MARC STAIANO ’27 Assistant Arts & Culture Editor KATELYN HALVERSON ’28 Lifestyle Editor AVA BETNAR ’29 Assistant Lifestyle Editor SANIKA SARAF ’28 Assistant Lifestyle Editor KATHERINE ISTOMIN ’29 Marketing Manager JOIE JEAN-PAUL ’29 Assistant Social Media Editor ASHLIN KWONG ’28 Graphics Editor TAVAN BHATIA ’27 Games Editor RENA GEULA ’28 Layout Editor
SHUBHA GAUTAM ’28 Assistant News Editor GISELLE REDMOND ’28 Assistant News Editor ANGELINA TANG ’28 Science & Technology Editor TANIA HAO ’28 Science & Technology Editor SIMRAN LABORE ’27 Weather & Climate Editor MATTHEW LEONARD ’28 Sports Editor GRACE REUBEN ’28 Sports Editor JANE HAVILAND ’28 Features Editor NATHAN ELLISON ’28 Photography Editor NATHAN BO ’28 Assistant Photography Editor ADELAIDE CHOW ’29 Assistant Photography Editor MIA SOFIA ORENGO ’28 Video Editor OAKLEY DECRISTOFARO ’29 Video Editor DEAN THAKUR ’27 Newsletter Editor SMRITHE RAJESH ’29 Newsletter Editor AMELIA GARCIA ’27 Data Editor HUNTER PETMECKY ’28 Layout Editor
WORKING ON TODAY'S SUN MANAGING NEWS DESKERS
SPORTS DESKER OPINION DESKERS LIFESTYLE DESKERS ARTS DESKER PHOTO DESKERS
Varsha Bhargava '27 Kate Turk '27 Sophia Romanov Imber '28 Everett Chambala '27 Shubha Gautam '28 Giselle Redmond '28 Mary Caitlin Cronin '28 Grace Reuben '28 Rayen Zhou '29 Zara Cheek '28 Ava Betnar '29 Matthew Rentezelas '28 Nathan Bo '28 Adelaide Chow '29
Nael Karpinski Nael Karpinski is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a First Class Midshipman for the Navy ROTC. She can be reached at mnk59@cornell.edu.
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Any and Every Study
spent the summer in Boston, one of the greatest cities in the world, sitting in my cubicle at Pyramid Global Hospitality and the intern next to me wasn’t a hospitality major. Neither am I. The stereotype at Cornell is that if you work in hospitality, you're supposed to be a Hotelie. Or vice versa: if you’re a Hotelie, you’re supposed to work in hospitality. Let me preface that words cannot describe what an incredible experience I had in Boston, on top of the awesome internship, outside of the office. Boston happened to be the place to be for the summer of 2026 with FIFA World Cup games, Boston 250 for the Fourth of July and the Tall Ships at Sail Boston 2026. I made an incredibly extensive bucket list, and proudly made my way through it — seeing and experiencing more of the city than I ever thought I could. As a senior on campus I am a First Class Midshipman as part of Cornell’s ROTC, currently serving as the Tri-Service Brigade Executive Officer and the former Executive Director of the Cornell Slope Day Programming Board. In May, I’ll receive a commission as an active-duty officer in the Navy and serve our country for five years. I have been told by numerous people that I’d be a ‘great Hotelie,’ maybe because I’m outgoing and service-oriented. Instead, I study economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Out of high school, I was excited to ground myself in CAS and take four years' worth of classes within that college. I wanted to see the abstract relationship between supply and demand, and how the dynamic movement of money and credit behaved in and affected the world around me. But somewhere along the way I got curious about a different kind of economics: the abstract social and intrapersonal dynamics behind business. Exogenous and endogenous variables, sure, but also the strategy and logistics behind how a company actually runs. So, I made it a point to take classes at The Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Not because I planned or wanted to transfer, I took them because they were there, and because nothing in my major stopped me from taking them. From finance to real estate principles, those classes are the reason I ended up spending this past summer as I did. Of all the courses I took bouncing between CAS and the Hotel School, the biggest thing I learned is that hospitality isn’t just hotel management. It's finance. It's real estate. It's market research, sales,
The Cornell Daily Sun’s Editorial Board is a collaborative team composed of Editor-in-Chief Sophia Dasser ’28, Associate Editor Sophia Romanov Imber ’28 and Opinion Editors Zara Cheek ’28 and Rayen Zhou '29. The Editorial Board’s opinions are informed by expertise, research and debate to represent The Sun’s long-standing values. The Sun’s editorials are independent of its news coverage, other columnists and advertisers.
H
Franco’s Run in the Media
ate favors hate. Grifter culture — profiting off of performative outrage — feeds off hate. As recent events have shown, Cornell has become a flash point for grift. Austin Franco ’28 responded to a job offer from the startup VrfyID with “Not interested in working for a jew. Thanks.” Gabe Einhorn and Aiden Einhorn, the company’s founders, are both Jewish. Gabe subsequently posted a screenshot of Franco’s response on X, censoring his last name and commenting: “This kid applied to our job on handshake, we accepted him, and then he responded this. He probably knows nothing about Jews accept for what they tell him in college and on social media. Sad world.” The post has since received 2.8 million views. It is beyond anyone’s ability to speculate as to why Franco wrote the initial comment to Aiden. It is, however, worth considering the way Franco has acted since. Much like the media’s goals to drive profit through manufactured outrage, individuals can operate similarly. In politics and social media, this often takes the form of political rage to drive sales off of someone’s personal brand, also known as grifting. Two major fundraisers for Franco have emerged on GiveSendGo since the original incident. His own campaign, opened after he was evicted on Aug. 1, has raised over $11,000. A campaign created by far-right British YouTuber Miles Routledge has raised over $27,000 to “Fund Austin Franco after jewish doxxing.” Franco has not apologized; he has instead been rewarded. When thinking about how this controversy began, we have to ask why Gabe first went to X. Perhaps 10 years ago, a business owner like Gabe would have reported Franco to his university without fanfare. But, Gabe instead went straight to social media and put Franco’s actions squarely in the court of public opinion. This beeline to a social media platform demonstrates the increased reliance on social media for accountability rather than the bureaucratic systems of accountability and punishment in higher education. In this case, social media offered an immediate outlet to the issue, spurring outrage and chaos instead of going through the long-winded procedure that Cornell would have conducted. Gabe’s audience was not one to hold Franco accountable, but rather one to get immediate reprisal. More telling is the aftermath of the backlash — and support from a vocal minority — Franco received. Following the post’s virality, Franco chose to double down on his flippantly antisemitic rhetoric. He got his opportunity to do so on Piers Morgan Uncensored, a British political talk-
show. But, why was he given the opportunity to be in the news cycle to begin with? Why have national news outlets like Fox News, as well as international outlets like the Times of Israel, covered this story with such intrigue? The answer lies in the modern engagement economy. While the pursuit of truth is integral to journalism, so too is profit. In an era when massive amounts of information are available in a click, outrage generates the most engagement and drives profit. Instead of condemning this language by not providing Franco a platform, the current media climate needs to tackle this story because it is guaranteed to generate engagement. In Hate Inc.: Why Today's Media Makes Us Despise One Another, journalist Matt Taibi explains that there are 10 rules of hate. Out of those 10 rules, three stand out today: Hate people, not institutions; Everything is someone else’s fault; Root, don’t think. These rules of hate help us understand the feedback loop of grifter culture: the media covers what their audience will engage with and what we find entertaining, which is hate. News outlets don’t see this hate as harmful, in fact, it’s the exact opposite: profitable. In Franco’s case, antisemitic actions, once fed through the mass media machine and given the Ivy League amplifier, perversely became an opportunity for his own monetary gain. It would be difficult to discern and speculate as to what caused the original message, but the events that followed its virality are crystal clear: Franco saw an opportunity to make easy money and he took it. It is regrettable for the thought of financial windfall to even be part of the calculus before, during or subsequent to such hateful rhetoric. Grifter culture is a snowball effect that rewards greater grift. Hate feeds off hate. We hold temporary titles in life, like our stage in college or at a company. However, there are also permanent ideas: You are a consumer. But you can also be a life-long learner. You may be studying at Cornell now and not plan on pursuing education beyond your bachelor’s, or you might be considering graduate school. Regardless, choose to be a student before a consumer. Hate and grift favor entertainment and rage. Antisemitic and prejudiced views like Franco’s are not entertainment for you to consume. The Sun itself is complicit in providing him a platform regardless of the story’s relevance to the Cornell community. This is a societal issue that can only be addressed through conscious efforts toward not treating hate as entertaining. Hold your institutions accountable so that the media isn’t the only outlet that can do something about it. Media outrage does not equate to accountability.
marketing, logistics, accounting and leadership. That collage of disciplines is what took the summer from good to incredible. I learned a lot about hospitality specifically: how a hotel company thinks about real estate, how it prices risk, how it reads a market and more. If I'd been only a Hotelie, I might have known the ins and outs of every pro forma I looked at, but missed the wider and liberal arts contexts that I got from my classes in CAS. If I'd been only an Arts and Sciences student with no Hotel School classes at all, I'd have had the big picture thinking cap and none of the industry fluency. Neither version of me, on its own, would have been as ready for that internship as the combination brought me to be. I came away with a better sense of business, but better yet, I now have a more grounded understanding of myself, my interests, what drives my ambitions and goals and the knowledge that my future is built upon the diverse foundations I set for myself. Here's the pattern I keep noticing at Cornell: people arrive at their college and then stay there. Engineers take engineering classes. Industrial and Labor Relations students take ILR classes. Hotelies take Hotel School classes. Every college on campus is genuinely good at training people for its field, and there's real community and credibility that comes from committing to one school. But it also means most students only ever get one lens on the University when Cornell offers a dozen. Our ability to build broader perspectives before we jump into careers becomes limited and we miss out on meeting new people within the student body. I'd encourage anyone reading this to go find a class outside their own college, in whatever corner of Cornell actually interests them, not because it looks good on a transcript, but because it changes what you notice. An engineering student sitting in on an Architecture, Art and Planning studio sees design differently afterward. An ILR student in an Agriculture class sees labor and land differently. A Hotelie in a CAS seminar sees the industry they're training for from outside it for once. You don't need a plan for how it'll be useful. Mine wasn't planned. I just wanted to explore an industry, in addition to the market. Chances are high that you’ll make a few new friends along the way. Cornell’s motto exists for a reason: “... any person … any study.” Embody that. Go forth and act on that curiosity. By August, I stopped worrying about whether I was supposed to be in my internship. I realized the better question was what my undergraduate education as a whole could bring to the table.
The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 7
COLUMNS
Narcissus Meets Zeus Cafe Adrian Belmonte Saved By The Bel
Adrian Belmonte '28 is an Opinion Columnist studying Government in the College of Arts & Sciences. Hailing from D.C. and Spain, his fortnightly column ‘Saved By The Bel’ has a voice as cosmopolitan as it is candid. Belmonte takes on politics and media with clarity and a touch of wit. He can be reached at abelmonte@cornellsun.com.
A
s the freshmen settle into their new lives, they’ll wander around campus mapping out what will be their playground for the next four years. One day, walking between Rockefeller Hall and Olin Library, they’ll stumble upon the Temple of Zeus Cafe. There, an open-floor plan coffee shop, with endless chatter resonating into its high ceilings, will feel like you’ve entered the main room of the New York Stock Exchange. However, these new students will soon come to realize that the asset most valuably traded here isn’t a bond or an exchange-traded fund, but a round marble table, and with it, a sea of eyes fixated on you helplessly searching for this highly sought after real estate. In 1964, Zeus was established as a simple coffee and donut shop in the basement of Goldwin Smith Hall, awkwardly styled with old Navy ROTC furniture. In 1993, Thomas Walls, a former employee of Moosewood, reimagined the space to become a “profitable vegetarian-friendly, soup-and-sandwich joint.” Today, the cafe seems to garner a reputation on campus as ‘facey’ — a popular term used to describe a ‘see to be seen’ nature. A nature by which I embarrassingly conform and contribute to. If you’re lucky enough to find a seat, even
after passing four tables absently claimed by a Longchamp bag or set of keys, you’ll now have to wait in line while reviewing a menu that rarely changes. The seat must be found before the food, because you’re not here to eat, you’re here to meet. Among you will be hedge-fund club members on their fifth coffee chat of the day, or groups of friends laughing with their best pairs of shoes on display. In a place you're buying a product, our interactions may also feel transactional. No work really ever gets done here, except for the progress of your own self-image. By the end of your first semester, you may put together that the social architecture of Zeus is a larger reflection of Cornell. The prices are comparable to a cafe in New York City, yet we’re really just in Ithaca, and the sandwiches are mediocre. My usual latte order comes out to an astonishing $9.50 after tax, a price that somehow feels both absurd and completely unsurprising, maybe because much of Zeus’ clientele consists of profligate students who don’t particularly mind spending $7 to $8 on a latte every day — or, perhaps more accurately, have been raised to afford the luxury of not thinking about it. Sitting at the center of the Arts Quad, Zeus perfectly contributes to the nature of the college surrounding it: expensive, social and deeply conscious of where everyone is academically and professionally standing. Wealth, school clubs and societies aren’t enough, hierarchy pervades even into our morning coffee. There are unspoken rules for the places that are best and worst to sit, and although this may seem arbitrary — because it is, yet we’ve all thought it — the farther you are from the kitchen, the better. But preferably not too close to the outer ring of tables, because then you’re exposed. If the only place you can find is the benches on the perimeter of the cafe, you might as well place your order to go. The ideal seat places you somewhere in the middle, surrounded by a judging clientele and their tables, where you can comfortably look out at the table-
less people occupying a place you stood just a moment ago. There, you can perceptually assimilate to your peers, the Ivy League and its elite lifestyle. Once you’re in, it’s easier to look down upon those who aren’t. This gets to my most troubling opinion of Zeus — and, at that, of Cornell: We are always being judged by our exterior perception. I know the call is coming from inside the house, but the sheer number of people you see and wave to — people whom, just a couple days ago, you were partying with in a fraternity and whose names you definitely don’t remember — or the club member who rejected your application and you can’t seem to stop making uncomfortable eye contact with, that is truly what defines the quintessential Zeus experience. So, to our freshmen settling into this wonderful campus, and to all of those hopefully reading this at Zeus, I plead with you to break the cycle of performativity. I won’t argue against the fact that we all like feeling seen and enjoy showing off our new outfits, and for this reason, Zeus has its benefits: it truly fosters a place where we can connect with people, even if, at times, that connection is rooted in pure self-indulgence. But this isn’t the qualm I primarily aim to attack. Instead, I look to expose the consequences of an environment centered around one’s personal social standing. Zeus Cafe, and Cornell as its host, can become a place where our position in relation to others seems to matter most — where we see ourselves through the people around us, and perhaps see them through what they reflect back onto us. As Paulo Coelho writes in the prologue of The Alchemist, recounting the story of Narcissus’ death: “I weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, I could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty reflected.” For all I care, sit on the floor, drop your books in front of seniors, wear sweatpants, laugh hard — too hard. But most importantly, just enjoy your $8 latte.
From The Forgotten Borough: 25 Years After 9/11 Lali Tobin
The Tobin Times Lali Tobin '27 is an Opinion Columnist and a master's student at the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Her monthly column, The Tobin Times, explores public policy and politics through different lenses. She hopes to engage readers in hearing how politics is the most discussed topic in the media and why it is important to stay on top of current issues. She also hopes to tackle current social trends that can be connected through public policy. She can be reached at ltobin@cornellsun.com.
E
very September, there's a noticeable shift in New York City. The familiar aroma of hot dog carts lingers, the hustle and bustle of the streets continues, but for a brief moment, something heavier hangs in the air. 25 years after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the debris has been cleared, the skyline has been reshaped and a memorial now stands where the Twin Towers once soared. Still, while the physical reminders fade, the grief remains. For New Yorkers, especially for the Staten Island community that shaped my upbringing, 9/11 is not just a date on a calendar; it’s a legacy we carry. I was born two years after that tragic day. I don’t have memories of watching the towers collapse or the smoke engulfing Lower Manhattan. Still, it feels like I grew up with those memories. I grasp them through my dad. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was merely a few blocks away from the Twin Towers, and in an instant, his city, and his life, were forever altered. As a seasoned New Yorker (I’ll keep his age a secret, knowing he’ll
read this), he has witnessed the city navigate its ups and downs. But there’s something uniquely profound in the way he recounts that day. As a child, I didn’t need to know every detail to feel the impact it left on him. Growing up on Staten Island, I quickly grasped what it meant to come from New York City's so-called ‘forgotten borough.’A borough that is so vastly different from the others due to its geographical isolation, political conservatism and cultural differences. Yet, every September, ‘forgotten’ is the last term I’d use for us. Families, friends and neighbors gather near the Staten Island Ferry and throughout the borough to honor those who never returned home. I remember being a kid and watching the Tribute in Light shine across the skyline from the harbor, two beams marking the spot where two buildings, where 3,000 lives were taken from us, once stood. For many people in Staten Island, the impact of Sept. 11 goes beyond just emotional scars. Even after 25 years, residents dealing with cancers linked to the attacks are still looking for answers about their health issues tied to the toxic fallout. Recent news serves as a reminder that the effects of that day didn’t disappear when the smoke cleared. Instead, they followed first responders, workers and residents back home, and for some families, these consequences have lingered for decades. This ongoing health crisis has transformed September 11th into a present-day reality for many families in Staten Island, rather than just a historical event. First responders, recovery workers, and others are still battling illnesses years later. The anniversary serves as a reminder of the support and resources they continue to need. For the borough, honoring those we lost is closely tied to acknowledging those who live with the ongoing effects of the attacks. 25 years on, their stories highlight that the legacy of September 11th goes beyond that fateful morning; it also encompasses the challenges Staten Islanders have faced in the years that followed. And still, Staten Island remembers together. This
year, local performers will gather for a memorial concert honoring 9/11 victims on the 25th anniversary. Events like these might seem ceremonial to someone looking in from the outside. To me, they represent something deeper. They are how a community refuses to allow the passage of time to become forgotten. As a child, I understood Sept. 11 on a surface level. I knew the events, I knew why we came together and I could sense the somber mood among adults as the anniversary approached. But it was when I felt my father grip my hand as we looked at the New York Skyline, trying to hold back tears, that I truly understood the weight of the day. Grief can be passed down, even when the memories fade. Growing up in New York, I came to understand that remembering September 11th wasn't just for those who experienced it directly. It lived on through the stories our parents shared, the names read aloud every year, and the moments of silence that felt heavier than I could grasp at the time. As the years went by, those traditions turned into more than just ways to remember; they became a means for my generation to grasp the loss our city faced on that day. While I may not have my own memories of September 11th, I carry the feelings of those who do — and with that, a duty to remember. I sometimes wonder what Sept. 11 will mean when my generation is the one responsible for telling its story. We are the generation that came after, too young, or not yet alive, to tell you where we were when the towers fell. But I can tell you where I was afterward. I was standing beside the Staten Island Ferry, looking across the harbor. I was watching two beams of light rise into a skyline I had only ever known without the Twin Towers. I was holding my father's hand and beginning to understand why he held mine so tightly. 25 years later, New York has been rebuilt. Staten Island is still jokingly called the forgotten borough. I was born too late to remember Sept. 11. But I was raised by people who made sure I would never forget it.
8 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Science
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Mice, Magic Mushrooms and ... a Cure for Depression? Inside Prof. Kwan’s Lab By ELENI PUZAS Sun Contributor
Could magic mushrooms be a window into treating depression? This is the question is a Cornell professor and his team seek to answer by studying the effects of psychedelics on the brain and how they could be replicated to create more effective depression medications. Prof. Alex Kwan Ph.D. ’09, biomedical engineering, researches how the brain’s response to drugs like psilocybin — the mind-altering chemical found in magic mushrooms — could help researchers develop more specialized treatments for depression. Kwan began his career studying engineering physics as an undergraduate at Simon Fraser University. He went on to get his Ph.D. in applied physics from Cornell University. After a postdoctoral fellowship at U.C. Berkeley and a stint as a professor of psychiatry at Yale Medical School, he landed back in Ithaca in 2022, where he now investigates how psychiatric drugs affect brain cells. Kwan said his research is driven by asking why. Even though psychiatric medications are widely used, how and why they work remains a mystery. “Shockingly, we still don’t quite know why they are efficacious,” Kwan said. His strategy is to take a late-stage or recently approved antidepressant drug and investigate what it’s doing to the brain. Psilocybin, one such drug, is now in its third phase of clinical trials for general depression, as well as treatment-resistant depression, a type of depression that is highly resistant to medication, Kwan said.
Specifically, Kwan focuses on the effect of these drugs on the connections between neurons, nerve cells responsible for signaling in the brain. Depression and its symptoms are closely associated with a loss in brain volume, says Kwan, but this is not because neurons are dying, but because the connections between these cells begin to deteriorate. The branch-like extensions of neurons responsible for cell communication throughout the brain are referred to as dendrites. As dendrites weaken, so does the brain’s capacity to process emotional and cognitive signalling throughout, manifesting as symptoms of depression, says Kwan. Drugs such as Psilocybin appear to encourage the growth of neural connections, and understanding why could be a key to uncovering the why behind depressive symptoms and the mechanisms behind their treatment, Kwan said. “We want to, in a way, reverse engineer and figure out: we know this thing works, but what does it actually do in the brain?” Kwan said. This can then help researchers develop future drugs that target changes known to be effective. Kwan uses mice as subjects in his lab, where a typical experiment may examine the effects of psilocybin on a group of mice, compared to another group that is treated with an inert substance like saline. Using two-photon microscopy, a visualization technique that Kwan uses on the mice’s brain, the team monitors and visualizes the neurons and connections in the mice’s brains to observe the structural effects of the drug. A group of mice treated with psilocy-
bin will hold the chemical in their system for only a few hours, during which they exhibit head twitches, which indicate to the researchers that the mouse is under the influence of the psychedelic. Then, for up to two months following the initial treatment, Kwan’s team observes the remodeled brain. They have found that the mice’s brains begin to remodel and rewire within one to three days of the trip, despite the drug already being out of their systems.
“We know this thing works, but what does it actually do to the brain?” Prof. Alex Kwan
“A common theme with these drugs is they all have some type of short-acting effect, and then also some longer-term therapeutic effect,” Kwan said. Kwan and his team have found that drugs like psilocybin cause sustained growth of neural connections over time, which could mean that patients don’t have to take them as often as daily medications like Prozac or Lexapro. Knowing that these drugs spur growth of brain cell connections raises a second question: where are connections growing? Kwan’s lab also studies the directionality of this cell connectivity. During experiments, shortly after the mice are given psychiatric drug treatments, they are infected with a fluorescent engineered rabies virus that the team can visually trace as it moves through the
brain. When the virus jumps from one cell to the next, it fluoresces, or lights up, indicating that the two cells are signalling to each other. This technique allows Kwan and his team to track where the dendrites are growing during the remodeling, kind of like creating a map of the brain. This can help inform which areas of the brain are involved in symptom recovery or are involved in the response to treatments. “That could be quite useful [for] figuring out what areas of the brain are now more connected that might then be therapeutic and lead to these improvements in behavior,” Kwan said. By reverse-engineering existing drugs to better understand what they are actually doing in the brain, Kwan hopes to help scientists more easily create new drugs. Instead of having to rely on the time-consuming process of trial and error, future scientists can draw on his research to learn what changes in the brain are actually contributing to a drug’s therapeutic effects. “If you can have those insights, then it will help us quite a lot in terms of drug discovery and drug developments,” Kwan said. “We can find other compounds that can do those things.” Differences in genetics, brain chemistries and individual biologies can all influence how a treatment affects someone, Kwan said. But by having more options out for patients to choose from, their treatment can become more specialized and personalized, hopefully evoking better patient outcomes. Eleni Puzas can be reached at emp257@ cornell.edu.
Ecological Impacts of a Data Center on Cayuga Lake By CHLOE YU Sun Contributor
Plans for an AI data center drawing water from Cayuga Lake were met with heavy opposition from local activist groups before a state moratorium in July halted plans. But, the moratorium lasts for only one year. After its expiration, plans for the center could resume. The Sun spoke with experts and local activists to break down the science behind how this data center could impact the ecosystem if construction were to proceed — and to learn about why groups are pushing for stricter regulation beyond a temporary moratorium. Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now! and No Data Center FLX, two such groups, emphasized concerns surrounding noise pollution, increased temperatures, water loss and runoff impacting the ecosystem and biodiversity of Cayuga Lake. “If the project in Lansing goes through, 24/7 noise from fans cooling their equipment is projected to impact wildlife and humans on both sides of the lake,” No Data Center FLX wrote to The Sun. Noise Pollution Harms Local Residents and Wildlife Prof. Steven Jackson, information science, who has researched the impacts of bitcoin mining on Seneca Lake, emphasized that the noise and air pollution of the
data center construction would affect the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as the nearby bird sanctuary. A recent study highlighted that birds are especially vulnerable to noise pollution because they rely on sound for communication and information, and found that noise “significantly impacts” reproduction, communication, foraging behavior and physiology — even altering birds’ hormone levels after exposure.
“If the project in Lansing goes through, 24/7 noise from fans cooling their equipment is projected to impact wildlife and humans on both sides of the lake.” No Data Center FLX “Noise has been a central concern in many other places that we’ve seen data center development. There are all kinds of reports from very blue states to very red states about local communities being negatively affected,” Jackson said. Residents who live near data centers have reported sleep deprivation, insomnia, headaches, internal ear pressure and anxiety. John Dennis, one of the founders of
CAMERON POLLACK / SUN FILE PHOTO
Center concern | A data center on Cayuga Lake could significantly impact the ecosystem.
CLEAN!, emphasized that many would be affected from the proposed Cayuga Lake center, due to its proximity to residential areas. “Low frequency noise penetrates houses quite readily and the nearest house is less than half a mile [away],” he wrote. A 2026 study showed that excessive noise from data centers can have a range of mental and physical health effects. Since the brain is constantly monitoring sounds for signs of danger, even during sleep, frequent or loud noise may lead to anxiety and stress in the short term. Long term exposure is associated with cardiovascular, cognitive and mental health impacts. No Data Center FLX noted that noise pollution would greatly affect the lake’s ecological environment, pointing to Tera
Wulf’s data center operations in other locations. “In Somerset, NY [TeraWulf] operates a bitcoin-turned HPC AI data center and residents have been complaining of the noise since their operations started,” No Data Center FLX wrote in an email to The Sun. Water Withdrawals Increase Temperature, Disrupt Environment In addition to noise concerns, water withdrawals used to cool the center can have harmful impacts to the environment. To continue reading this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Chloe Yu can be reached at cy572@cornell. edu.
The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 9
Lifestyle
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
Robert H. Treman State Park: Ithaca’s Other Swimming Spot By SAVANNAH SANDHAUS Lifestyle Writer
W
hen I was a freshman at Cornell, Second Dam was the most talked-about swimming spot, perfect for Ithaca’s warmer weekends. I went a full year before hearing about Robert H. Treman State Park, and honestly, it’s the more appealing choice for a day trip — particularly because it doesn’t require climbing 15 minutes down a steep, rocky hill in slippery flip-flops like I did to get to Second Dam during my Orientation Week freshman year. (Yes, it was still worth it for the view and swim, but regardless.) Compared to Second Dam, Treman feels less like a Cornell rite of passage and more like an actual small escape from campus. The summer swimming season at Treman runs from late June through Labor Day weekend, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., so make your plans quick! It’s about a 25-minute drive from campus, with $10 parking, or you could take Route 67 on the TCAT. I’d recommend getting there a bit earlier on especially warm weekends when the swimming hole gets particularly busy. When I finally ventured over in late August, a large wooden sign read the water was 63 degrees Fahrenheit. And for Ithaca, I’ll take it. Was it cold? Absolutely. Was that going to stop me from getting in? Apparently not. As soon as you enter the park, the view is, no pun intended, ‘gorgeous.’ There’s a massive waterfall flowing into a large swimming hole with varying depths,
ranging from the roughly 4-foot shallow end to the more than 10 feet deep “Lower Falls,” which has a diving board and lifeguard on duty. The swimming hole is also a great spot for a photo opportunity, whether you’re under the waterfall with friends, sitting alongside the rocks or attempting to capture the pure scenery without accidentally dropping your phone into the water’s abyss. I did indeed have to get acclimatized in the shallower end before taking the adrenaline-inducing plunge off the diving board at the Lower Falls. Calling it an “acclimatization period” is a generous way of saying I stood there questioning my decisions before forcing myself to dunk my entire body underwater. But it was more than worth the shivering and goosebumps to dive into the fresh water below. I more than recommend Treman for a day trip and picnic with friends, or as a mini solo outing to dip your feet in and clear your mind as you contemplate dropping that PE class you were already barely convincing yourself to follow through on. The warm weekends of Ithaca are brief. No one really knows when the few 75 degree Fahrenheit days we’ve been lucky enough to receive will turn into 30 degrees overnight. So enjoy it while you can. Soak up nature. Take the plunge. It really is gorgeous. Savannah Sandhaus is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at sshandhaus@cornellsun. com.
SAVANNAH SANDHAUS / LIFESTYLE STAFF WRITER
ADELAIDE CHOW / SUN ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
NYC In Ithaca: Patsy’s Pizzeria By YIANNI METIS and JARED MILLER Lifestyle Writers
L
et us paint a picture for you. Rewind to our first year at Cornell University. The gang has just spent a lovely night in Ithaca, the vibes are high and the TCAT is on its way. While we wait, we kill time in our favorite latenight eatery: Collegetown Pizza. Now let’s fast-forward to the present, where we’re waiting for the TCAT in the worst possible state: pizza-less. This was until the murmurs of Patsy’s Pizzeria entered the stratosphere. Can Patsy’s manage to fill the hole CTP left behind? A great slice in Ithaca is hard to find outside of Thompson and Bleecker, so Patsy’s may be a new great option. Patsy’s is a New York City pizzeria opened in 1933 and has two locations on the East Side. The pizza is coal-oven, regarded as a legendary New York institution and was famously frequented by Frank
Sinatra. Their newest location in Ithaca is located inside the Marriott on South Aurora Street. Good pizza, good sides and a convenient location in the Ithaca Commons could make it a great spot for a dinner out on the weekend. The pizza at Patsy’s is, in our opinion, their best dining option and was incredibly high quality. Every pizza had a fairly thin crust with a proportional layer of cheese. It was cooked to where the crust was a bit burnt at the ends, offering a great crunch. The first pizza they offered was a mixture of cheeses, sauces and pepperoni — a delicious combo. Aside from that, they served a Classic New York and a Pepperoni Pizza. Both were well-executed and had rich, fresh ingredients. If I were in New York, I would probably choose Patsy’s for pizza a few times a year. This place will instantly be one of the best pizza options in Ithaca, but similar to Thompson and Bleecker, it’s a sit-down restaurant and not a stop for a quick slice. Consequently, the late-night CTP hole remains unfilled. Yet on the topic of its sit-down qual-
COURTESY OF PATSY’S PIZZERIA ITHACA
COURTESY OF PATSY’S PIZZERIA ITHACA
ity, the other non-pizza dishes we were served were quite good. For the antipasta, we were huge fans of their Tuna Crudo — an exciting addition in Ithaca, as fish can be something to be wary about here. The pastas were also a highlight, with the meats and sauces complementing each other very well in each dish we tried. Our standout pastas were the Candele Genovese and the Beef Meatballs. Additionally, the restaurant had a neat atmosphere, with modern lighting, large windows and a lively bar along the back wall. The large windows along the front also offered great views of the Commons. However, Patsy’s is expensive. Based on the pizza portions they gave us at the opening, $28 to $36 per pie is a high range. This pricing suggests the rest of their menu and the experience of eating there should be good enough to justify these prices. Nevertheless, the overall service and experience of dining there were average to subpar. There was no distinct ambience to the restaurant, and
the service was fairly slow. For an opening event that the restaurant had months to prepare for with a set menu, it’s a bit strange to have 15 to 20-minute delays. The vibes were overall a bit off, but that might be from the fact that it’s in a hotel lobby. All the servers and staff were very nice, but we figured a New York pizzeria would have New York timing. All in all, with its convenient location, quality food and lively atmosphere, Patsy’s is definitely an option to add to your Ithaca eatery arsenal. If you’re ever in the Commons and looking for a good bite, Patsy’s is worth a visit. Yianni Metis is a member of the Class of 2028 in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. He can be reached at ymetis@ cornellsun.com. Jared Miller is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He can be reached at jmm792@ cornell.edu.
10 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
NEWS
‘Students Not Bombs’ Rally Draws Over 100 Students By MAYA JOHANSEN Sun Contributor
Sept. 4 — Approximately 120 students gathered on Ho Plaza to demand Cornell divest from Israel on Wednesday evening, as part of the “Students Not Bombs” campaign. “Students Not Bombs” is a joint campaign by Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voices for Peace and Young Democratic Socialists of America dedicated to “end[ing] Cornell’s complicity in the genocide in Palestine,” according to a a social media post made by SJP. The campaign includes seven demands: divesting from weapons manufacturers, severing ties with TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology, discontinuing Cornell Career Services events “with institutions underpinning genocide and mass deporations,” establishing an “independent ethical reserach review board,” “pay[ing] its fair share towards Ithaca,” redirecting internal investments to prioritise affordability and investing in academic opportunities, according to SJP’s post. “Our demands are clear. Our movement is growing, and we are not going anywhere,” said Yasmeen Masoud ’28,
SJP president and Student Assembly vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, at the rally. “We eagerly await [the University’s] response.” This rally follows a campaign launch on Aug. 24 that drew around 40 demonstrators. Masoud opened Wednesday’s rally by reassuring demonstrators that their actions are allowed within Cornell’s Expressive Activity Policy. “We are following the rules. There’s no need to be worried here,” she said. The organizers also offered face masks for demonstrators to wear to protect their privacy if they felt more comfortable. After Masoud’s speech, Prof. Russell Rickford, history, spoke to the crowd in support of the Students Not Bombs campaign. “If you all can find the temerity amid all the repression and amid all the conformity and amid all the indifference, to stand against imperialism and to resist genocide, then I suppose I can find the courage to stand with you,” Rickford said. “I don’t think our ruling elites, including the sycophants in Day Hall, liberal imperialists as I like to call them, understand how much we love the oppressed.”
Rickford took a leave of absence in 2023 after facing backlash for referring to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which 1,400 Israelis were killed, as “exhilarating.”
“Do you think [Cornell is] going to invest [its endowment] in affordable housing, tuition and transportation? No. Instead they invested in land grabs, bombs and genocide.” Graduate student Katie Rohrbaugh Rickford later issued a statement to The Sun apologizing “for the horrible choice of words” and stating that he “unequivocally oppose[s] and denounce[s] racism, anti-semitism …and all systems that dehumanize, divide and oppress people.” During the Wednesday rally, Rickford invoked the words of Amílcar Cabral, an African thinker of the 20th century who helped Guinea-Bissau attain independence: “tell no lies and claim no easy victories.”
STEPHAN MENASCHE / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Students not bombs | Cornell chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Young Democratic Socialists of America launched a new joint campaign.
“The struggle will be long, and they will continue to demonize us, and they will continue to vilify us, and they will continue to criminalize us,” Rickford said. “Why will they not turn us around? Because we are new people. We are internationalists. We are anti-racists. We are anti-imperialists. If we stand as internationalists, then we may, in some small way, contribute to the liberation of Palestine.” After the speeches, the demonstrators marched down Ho Plaza, around Sage Hall and concluded at Day Hall. The final speech was led by third-year graduate student Katie Rohrbaugh, the political action city chair of the Cornell Graduate Student Union. “Do you think [Cornell is] going to invest [its endowment] in affordable housing, tuition and transportation?” Rohrbaugh said. “No. Instead they invested in land grabs, bombs and genocide.” To continue reading this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Maya Johansen can be reached at mhj49@ cornell.edu.
STEPHAN MENASCHE / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
'No easy victories' | In his speech, Prof. Russell Rickford, history, invoked the words of African thinker Amílcar Cabral, who said to "tell no lies and claim no easy victories."
301 College Ave Opens for Student Housing A resident remarked that the dorm felt"incomplete" and "rushed" when she moved in, while an RA said the building opened "prematurely."
By ISABELLA HANSON Sun Senior Writer
Sept. 7 — After purchasing the property for $15 million in March 2025, Cornell opened its doors to a new dorm at 301 College Ave. in August. Forty-three students moved into the building, which remains partially occupied as renovations to the building continue, Housing and Residential Life wrote to The Sun. The building offers different styles of rooms, ranging from studios to six-bedroom suites. The suites consist of single bedrooms and communal kitchens, living areas and bathrooms. The University expects the building to meet its full capacity of 105 residents by Fall 2027. Following its opening, the building has also drawn complaints regarding its condition and readiness from a resident and concerns from a South Campus resident advisor. Eleanor McNamara ’28 chose to live in the new dorm this year, expecting to experience “the upperclassman feel” by living in Collegetown, but upon arrival she found that the building “might be on the more incomplete side.” When McNamara moved in, she noticed that things were “dirty” and the bathroom had not been cleaned,
despite a posted service date that had passed. She also said that her unit’s refrigerator was not working properly.
COURTESY OF ELEANOR MCNAMARA '28
Absent appliance | Eleanor McNamara's
condition of the building, Housing and Residential Life wrote that “Cornell Facilities and Building Care are addressing resident-identified concerns reported through the established Service Request system, which is used across Cornell to address building and campus needs. Service is ongoing in the new property.” The purchase of 301 College Ave. marks the University’s fourth Collegetown residence. About six months after its purchase, the property became available as an option in the University’s 2026-2027 student housing selection.
'28 kitchen, which she said is large but does not include a stove.
“A fridge is supposed to be kept at under 40 degrees, and ours right now is at 55, ” McNamara said. “It's borderline kind of dangerous to eat food at that temperature.” The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service classifies temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit as the “danger zone” where bacteria grow most rapidly. She said that her suitemate submitted a service request, and that it was fulfilled a few days later. In response to concerns about the
COURTESY OF ELEANOR MCNAMARA '28
Brand new bedroom | Eleanor McNamara
'28 enjoyed her bedroom, except for the construction outside her window.
Jason’s Grocery & Deli, which previously operated in the building’s
commercial space, closed around the time the property opened to students. In a statement to The Sun, Housing and Residential Life wrote that the University acquired the dorm “out of foreclosure with the goal of furthering the economic revitalization of Collegetown and addressing growing student housing needs.” A South Campus resident advisor, who was granted anonymity by The Sun due to contractual obligations, described the building as having opened “a little bit prematurely.” 301 College Ave. currently has one resident RA, leaving the other RAs on South Campus also responsible for responding to calls, according to the RA. “It’s definitely been difficult to deal with calls there,” the RA said. “They had issues accessing keys, [both] for the master key and for the office.” They added that, recently, a 301 College Ave. resident was locked out for almost an hour. The building has since solved the keys issue, the RA said. To continue reading this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Isabella Hanson can be reached at ihanson@cornellsun.com.
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12 The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Features
Food Influencer Jeremy Scheck ’22 Returns to Cornell By RAFAELA GANDOLFO BUSTAMANTE Sun Senior Writer
From working as a full-time, self-employed content creator to returning to Cornell as a full-time student with an 8 a.m. chemistry lecture, Jeremy Scheck ‘22 faces a new reality. While studying Spanish and Italian during his undergraduate studies at Cornell, Scheck built a platform on his viral recipes and food content on social media, amassing over 2.3 million followers across his profiles. He also authored a cookbook called Cooking Smarter: Friendly Recipes with a Side of Science, which has sold over 15,000 copies. The book features simple recipes with the chemistry behind the interacting ingredients. Four years later, Scheck is returning to Cornell with a purpose: receiving a master’s degree in food science. “I felt like I had unfinished business with food science because it remained a huge interest of mine,” Scheck told The Sun. “I wanted to not just be a food science enthusiast, but also a food scientist.” Early Interests Food has always interested Scheck. After being hired at a local bakery in high school, Scheck was hooked. He started “After School Bakery,” a food blog that emphasized his passion for food science. Dating back to 2016, Scheck’s blog posts discussed topics such as why the comparison between flour of “11.7% protein content” flour with “12.7% protein content” can make “a drastic difference.” As Scheck’s pursuit of food science and blogging solidified, so did his ambitions for where those interests could take him. For him, that destination was Cornell. “Cornell was the first school I ever visited,” Scheck said. “When I ended up seriously looking for colleges, it was like no other school stacked up to it.” The robust food science and agricultural programs at Cornell were a driving factor for Scheck, he said. He applied early decision and began his undergraduate degree pursuing a food science major the next year. Undergraduate Career Takeoff Scheck’s food blogging remained a constant throughout his academic career. Upon arrival, “After School Bakery” transformed into “Collegetown Kitchen,” a blog that “share[s] accessible recipes for college students” and
“include[s] diverse perspectives from college students and wise cooks,” according to the site. What did change, however, were Scheck’s educational pursuits. After spending a summer as an au pair, providing childcare for a host family in Spain, he switched from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to the College of Arts and Sciences to pursue a double major in Spanish and Italian while continuing to take courses in food science. “With the food science program, it was [not] going to be until my junior year that I had truly enough space to take an elective that was completely out of the scope of food science,” Scheck said. “I just wanted to explore a little bit more. It was a tough decision, but I’m glad I made it.” Despite the shift in his academics, Scheck continued to find inspiration for his content creation in the classes he took throughout his time at Cornell. “I didn’t take marketing or business classes,” Scheck explained. “But I think what helped me was that I was learning interesting information in my food classes, whether it was Italian food culture in the romance studies department, or hands-on horticulture, or the histories of food insecurity.” sized that his experiHe emphaences in interdisciplinary food classes informed his content. cation and experience Using his eduing, Scheck shifted with content-creatfrom blogging to short-form videos on TikTok as demic the panhit.
What started as a leap of faith became the launchpad for his social media success. His videos quickly gained traction throughout the pandemic, with one video from 2020 gaining 12 million views. Scheck’s success allowed him to pursue content creation full-time, making use of “engaging topics that were informed by [the] substantive” learning Cornell provided, he said. The Return After graduating from Cornell, Scheck took on many business ventures. From being a self-sustained content creator, author and even living abroad while creating travel and tasting itineraries for tourists, he gained experience that has shaped his pursuit of food science today. As a current student in the Master of Food Science program, Scheck is undergoing a “one-year, STEMdesignated, course-based master’s degree” that “emphasizes professional development and intellectual investigation in the areas of agriculture, life sciences and global development,” per the program’s site. At its conclusion, he will complete a capstone project in his chosen field of study. “I would love to work possibly in product development,” Scheck said. “Not necessarily the nitty gritty, but I want to understand what’s going on in a lab so that I can then communicate it and figure out how to turn that into a consumer-facing message.” As an undergraduate, pursuing a degree was an expected part of his education, he said. This time, earning his master’s is a choice driven by his own “volition.” Scheck is excited to leave the program with deeper expertise in an interest that has remained a constant throughout most of his life. From “Afterschool Bakery” to “Collegetown Kitchen” and, now, @ScheckEats, Scheck’s many experiences have contributed to a greater gratitude and a motivation to return to his Ithaca origins. “I think that you might just have a deeper appreciation for what you’re doing if you wait a little bit and get some alternate experience,” Scheck said. “It gives you a lot more perspective when you’ve had a little bit of a change.”
Scheck is Back | Jeremy Scheck ’22 pictured as an undergraduate student at Cornell (left) and now (right).
Rafaela Gandolfo Bustamante can be reached at rgandolfobustamante@cornellsun.com.
Tatkon Center Provides Support to First-Years By HARLAN FLAMM Sun Contributor
Tucked into a corner of Balch Hall, the Tatkon Center for New Students plays a central role for incoming first-year students. The Sun spoke with student workers and the director of the center to learn about the history of the center as well as the resources available for first-years. The Tatkon Center, located in the south wing of Balch Hall on North Campus, is dedicated to supporting first-year and transfer students throughout their first year. It offers a staffed study and community space open into the evening, along with workshops, peer mentoring, orientation programming and referrals to academic and wellness resources across the University. “A lot of the times when [students] come into the space, they’re like, ‘What is the Tatkon Center?’” said Skylar Minerva-Medina ’27, a student programming assistant at the center. “I think it’s kind of hard to match the physical space to the office that you’re getting tons of emails from.” History of the Tatkon Center The center opened in Balch Hall in 2003 in honor of Carol Tatkon ’59, who served as president of Balch Hall and as a Cornell trustee. The facility was designed to improve campus life for new students. The center just finished its first full year back in its renovated space in Balch Hall, which underwent construction from 2021 to 2024 before reopening fully in 2025. During this time, the center was re-located to the Robert Purcell Community Center. Though the center is now back in its original location, it still hosts a classroom in RPCC. Tatkon Center Director Kevin Perry, who has led the center since 2022, said that the
center’s mission is built around five guiding principles: agency, connection, community, support and readiness. “We like to say that we serve as the conduit,” Perry said. “We bring resources from across the University to North Campus so that students can make an initial connection, and they’ll know more about that resource, as well as our office. Then they know where to go find them when they need them again.” Passive and Active Programs Perry splits the center’s offerings into two categories: active and passive. Active programs have the goal of providing students with structured engagement, like a workshop presentation or small-group conversation. Passive programs, on the other hand, allow students to “choose how [they] want to engage” with the center’s space without structured activities, Perry said. The center plans out passive programs for “high stress key times,” such as establishing quiet hours, bringing in snacks for students and doing workshops to make self-care kits, Perry explained. This year, the center introduced trivia nights as a new active program. Hosted by student staff, they act as a way for students to meet new people, Perry said. The center offers students a community and study space as late as 11 p.m. most nights, staffed after 5 p.m. by a rotating team of 14 student programming assistants who sit at the front desk, check students in, answer questions and run their own programming like tea time and a slime night. Minerva-Medina said that programming helps students form connections and friendships. She also helped organize the center’s National Transfer Student Week, drawing on
her own experience as a transfer student. “I would have definitely loved to go to these events as a transfer because I wanted to make connections, but I didn’t know where to do that or who to do that with,” MinervaMedina said. The full range of activities offered during the semester are found on the center’s public event calendar. Alongside workshops on topics like building study skills, mindfulness meditation and navigating a first career fair, the Tatkon Center co-hosts Cornell on Ice with Campus Activities each spring, offering free entry and skate rentals at Lynah Rink. An ‘Optimistic Foundation’ for First-Years While the Tatkon Center has programming all year long, they are especially active during orientation week. Each night of that week, the center hosts or runs events for incoming freshmen. Daniel Silva ’29, an orientation leader, said his own orientation week experience gave him “such an optimistic foundation” that he wanted to recreate it for others. His role is now split between running small group sessions, where new students do icebreakers and ask questions, and evening events like movie or glow nights, where orientation leaders handle everything from checking students in to handing out water and snacks. Silva said he advises incoming students “[to not] be afraid to put yourself out there” and “to be that positive ray of sunshine in someone else’s life.” Lauren Wilkes ’27, who has been an orientation leader for three years, said she had an easy transition to Cornell and wants to pass that ease along. “I was very lucky that I had a very smooth adjustment to college,” Wilkes said. “It made me realize that a lot of the worries I had
coming in were things I didn’t need to worry about.” Wilkes also explained how the job has produced its share of full-circle moments. She recalled a student who was quietly struggling to find community that she checked in with throughout the semester. “At the end of last semester, I saw them and they’re doing incredible now, and really found their people,” she said. Tatkon’s Future When looking to the future, Perry said he hopes the center becomes a place that students “can really rely on throughout their Cornell journey.” He recounted stories of students returning to Tatkon to work as student programming assistants or as orientation leaders with fondness. “That full life cycle is something I’m particularly proud of,” Perry said. “Students aren’t just coming to Tatkon to receive information … they are coming to give back.” Perry also explained his goals for the center to come up with “creative ways” to support transfer students even though many of them live far from Tatkon’s North Campus office. He said that in five years, he hopes that returning students will talk about the Tatkon Center as something that was “instrumental in helping them build their foundation for their Cornell experience, whether that meant finding a community, navigating a challenge, figuring out the academics, or simply just having a place where they felt comfortable asking a question.” To continue reading this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Harlan Flamm can be reached at hpf7@cornell. edu.
The Cornell Daily Sun | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 13
Features
‘Ongoing, Living Art Project’: Ithaca Murals By LILA DAVIS Sun Staff Writer
Nowadays, it is difficult to miss the cacophony of colors that dress electrical boxes, alleys and other formerly bare spaces in Ithaca. But Ithaca has not always hosted such a diverse array of art. Since 2009, the nonprofit Ithaca Murals has facilitated public art around Tompkins County. What began with 15 murals in 2009, has grown to over 400 across Ithaca today. There is no official New York ranking, but according to Dorothy Lovelace, board chair of Ithaca Murals, Ithaca has the most murals in the state outside of New York City. Buffalo also claims to be a contender for most murals per capita. The subject matter of the Ithaca pieces range from largerthan-life animals, to local activists, to community-designed pieces that reflect the values of a neighborhood. Ithaca Murals “considers itself less of an arts organization and more a social justice organization that is using art to meet those objectives,” Lovelace said. ‘Spurring the Conversation’ Some of the downtown murals take stances on political issues such as black history, pride and Palestine, receiving mixed responses from the community. One mural, an electrical box depicting Kermit the Frog waving a pride flag on Stewart Avenue, has been vandalized numerous times. In response, community members have taken to restoring the mural. “People are coming together and having these little community paints,” Lovelace said. “It keeps getting redone again and again. [It is] an ongoing living art project.” Other murals, including one depicting the Underground
LILA DAVIS / STAFF WRITER
Ample art | Ithaca Murals is an organization that facilitates the creation of murals across Ithaca that share themes of social justice, community and more.
Railroad that was updated in 2025 by local artists Terrance Vann and Maryam Adib, have faced vandalism as well. In this mural, the word “Black” was crossed out in “Black Lives Matter” and, in a phrase that originally read “Free Gaza,” the word “Gaza” was painted over with “Love”. Vann and Adib’s mural was a point of controversy at the March Ithaca Common Council meeting, where council members debated whether “Free Gaza” should be kept on the wall, as some considered it politically charged. Vann accepted backlash as part of making his art, saying “when you put things out in the public, you’re gonna get responses.” He said art is responsible for “spurring the conversation [and] spurring a challenge” besides being aesthetically pleasing. Another part of Vann’s art is embracing his identity. “I used to just call myself an artist, but now I lean into being known as a Black artist,” Vann said, adding that he sees it as “part of [his] responsibility.” For Caleb Thomas, founder of Ithaca Murals, mural art is “an inclusive movement to shift our cultural cityscape” from one that is “dominated by … buildings named for white privileged men” to one that honors “anybody who values justice.” In that way, many of Ithaca Murals’ pieces are meant to “take up some space with a different version of inclusion, and cultural diversity and welcoming people of all kinds into the space,” Thomas said. Ithaca Murals encourages everyone to get involved with the creation of public art, as Thomas puts it, “the pieces turn out better... when we just [provide] resources and connections in the community to make a project happen.” Bringing the Conversation to Campus One Cornell student is partnering with Ithaca Murals to create a mural in Ujamaa Residential College. Jocelyn Swavy ’28, founder and president of The Black Arts Collective and College of Arts & Sciences representative for the Student Assembly, said she wants the piece “to depict Black joy” and to combat “the fact that a lot of us aren’t in [Ujamaa], but it still is our space.” Ujamaa, a program house founded to serve Black students at Cornell, has seen its Black resident population decline significantly, and residents have voiced concerns that the dorm is grappling with low funding, deteriorating conditions and a shift away from its founding purpose. The Black Arts Collective received a grant from the Community Partnership Funding Board for this project, which requires collaboration with a community non-profit organization. Swavy chose Ithaca Murals. They will also be working with Cornell Black Architects, Artists and Planners,
LILA DAVIS / STAFF WRITER
Bright box | An abstract mural on an electric box depicts a purple and teal illustration surrounded by flowers at the intersection where Green Street merges into State Street.
as well as Black Students United to plan and execute the piece. Part of the reason for a decline in the number of Black students living in the program house, Swavy said, is a lack of priority for the building. She pointed to declining facilities and “mold complaints.” She hopes the mural will make Ujamaa feel “more like home.” Community Impact and Involvement Murals are an important part of the Ithaca community, Cornell students told The Sun. Camilla MacLean ’28 said she believes Ithaca “has a knack for using murals to combine collective action, nature and social justice.” MacLean specifically highlighted an electrical box that says “Fall in Love Not In Line,” and said she thinks painted electrical boxes are “such a simple way to make a space feel owned and held by its community.” Another student, Zahari Fine ’30, finds murals “a great way to uplift community.” Fine, who comes from a family of artists and can see herself “collaborating on public art.” Lovelace told The Sun that at Ithaca Murals, “we want people to participate, not just digest the murals, but also paint their own murals.” She encourages anyone interested to get involved with public mural art. Ithaca Murals will host a Mural Jam on Oct. 4, featuring music, art and food trucks. The event, hosted in the Southworks neighborhood, is open to the public. Thomas says the Jam will be “a big party with a purpose... bringing artists together and transforming the space.” Ithaca Murals encourages anyone interested to come, help paint, meet the artists and enjoy the festivities. Lila Davis can be reached at ldavis@cornellsun.com.
Top-Ranked Juggler Draws Hundreds to Schwartz By JONATHAN McCORMACK Sun Senior Writer
The Hupstate Circus Festival brought Wes Peden’s juggling show Rollercoaster to the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday evening. The show sold out, with over 400 audience members in attendance to see one of the world’s best jugglers. The event was part of the four-day Hupstate Circus Festival that happens annually in Ithaca over Labor Day weekend. The festival, which includes a variety of live circus performances, began in 2021 with the goal of elevating circus arts in the U.S. through accessible programming. Peden has been a top-ranked juggler globally since he was a teenager in 2007, according to the “Top 40 Jugglers” Youtube poll run by juggler Luke Burrage, where he took first place 10 different times from 2007-2019. Taking inspiration from fast-food packaging, sumo wrestling and playgrounds, Peden’s vibrant performances have been shared on global stages from Olympic stadiums to Broadway theaters. Rollercoaster was inspired by the game Rollercoaster Tycoon, in which players build their own theme parks. The game inspired Peden’s set design, and he uses audio tracks from the game to capture the sounds of amusement parks. The performance began when Peden took the stage balancing a large, fuzzy orange box on his head, which matched his orange hair and clothing. From then
on, he juggled various props that he revealed from the box. In the first part, Peden pulled out a long, transparent plastic tube that he knotted and wound across his body. He used it to juggle brightly colored balls, catching them in one end, guiding them through the tube and letting them fall from the other end. Afterwards, Peden juggled colored rings and balls, using different techniques and patterns, including crossing his arms, going between his legs and maneuvering through obstacles. “I have been going to circus school for three years, and I am not very good at juggling, but I loved how Peden was showing us all types of different patterns of juggling,” Mara Braddy, a member of the audience, said. “It keeps you engaged.” The second half of the performance opened as Peden took the stage donning a black cloak and mustache, in contrast to the neon green and orange athletic wear he had on prior. He spun two plates on sticks, carefully weaving them through his legs and arms. Then, Peden placed his mystery box on center stage, unveiling 35 juggling pins, which he juggled in seven sets of five with 10 drumsticks tied around his ankles. In transitioning between one set of pins to the next, Peden reached into his mystery box, pulled out a random item and began to juggle it too. Some of these items included handkerchiefs, a mechanical claw, a balloon, a dart and dartboard, a butterfly net, a
cymbal, a beanie, a broom and a velcro bib. By the time he reached the bottom of his box, the stage was littered with objects. The performance winded down as Peden simplified his juggling to three pins, showing off different juggling patterns and maneuvers before the auditorium went dark. In the final part of the show, Peden used a flashlight to follow the contours of an imaginary rollercoaster with his light while subtle rollercoaster sounds played overhead. When Peden reached the end of the track with his light, he switched it off, ending his act. Lee Cotman, a member of the audience who attended the show alongside a cohort of friends from their circus troupe, said their favorite part of the show was when Peden pulled random items from his mystery box and performed with them. “I feel like [Peden] always does something really innovative with juggling, using different props and techniques that I have never seen before,” Cotman said. While Cotman and Braddy were interested in Peden’s juggling style, audience member Becca Ames said that she enjoyed it when he made mistakes, such as occasionally dropping items. “Something that is really cool about the circus is that it’s real and there are stakes to it,” Ames said. “There’s the possibility that not everything will go correct, but [Peden] seemed to get enjoyment out of that.” Jonathan McCormack can be reached at jmccormack@cornellsun.com.
ADELAIDE CHOW / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
ADELAIDE CHOW / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
ADELAIDE CHOW / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
14 | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun
ARTS & CULTURE
A & C
HATER FRIDAY | AI Doomers, Take the Wheel By LUKE DOLAN Arts & Culture Writer
More than two centuries ago, textile workers in Nottinghamshire, England, began destroying machinery. This 1811 Luddite uprising emerged amid economic hardship, the Napoleonic wars and disputes over wages, skilled labor and the quality of goods. This machine-breaking was targeted at employers whose production methods threatened workers’ livelihoods. However, the Luddites also petitioned officials, organized public protests and wrote to industrialists. Fundamentally, they were people who understood the machinery they opposed and had specific objections as to how it was being used and how it was affecting them. Today, calling someone a Luddite doubles as an insult for someone frightened by or unaware of technology. I find that interpretation particularly frustrating because it entirely misses the question that their struggle continues to raise: Who gets to decide what technological progress means for the people living through it? That question belongs at the center of our arguments about artificial intelligence. The variety of AI doomerism I object to takes the possibility of exploitation and turns it into an argument for personal helplessness. In conversations about AI, admitting to using a tool can feel like confessing allegiance to the company behind it or endorsing every use to which the technology might eventually be put. When I say “AI doomerism,” I mean the reflexive suspicion of AI use. Researchers studying misaligned models, workers and unions defending their livelihoods and people challenging the status quo surveillance system deserve to have their arguments taken seriously. Criticize the companies. Reject unsatisfactory products. Question what data they collect and who is allowed to use it. However, the leap from those objections to a blanket refusal of AI must also be scrutinized, because your unopened laptop does very little to inconvenience the people making decisions about how these technologies will be
adopted. A useful technology allows someone to accomplish more with a fixed amount of effort. Previous examples of useful technologies that multiplied productivity and allowed for greater specialization include: the cotton gin, the steam engine and the development of electrical transmission lines. These changes might become an employer’s excuse to cut staff or increase expectations, even though history has shown again and again that technology creates jobs and strengthens the economy. More importantly, technological advancements often save time, by teaching workers new skills or by making previously impossible projects possible. Treating exploitation as the only imaginable outcome concedes a remarkable amount of control to the same people these ‘doomers’ disapprove of. Scientific AI further complicates blanket generalizations about AI. AlphaFold, an AI biology company, predicts a protein’s three-dimensional structure from its amino acid sequence. By 2022 it had already developed a public database of more than 200 million protein sequences, each sequence giving a researcher a unique starting point for investigating how proteins work and where possible cures exist. At Oxford, researchers combined AlphaFold predictions with laboratory evidence to determine the structure of a protein that shows promise for a malaria vaccine, providing vital information to future disease prevention work. AlphaFold’s success illustrates just how much the category of “AI” encompasses. A protein-structure predictor and a generator of disposable internet content deserve judgments based on what each actually does; the label of “artificial intelligence” will not do that thinking for us. The same specificity and knowledgeability can make opposition movements far more effective; rather than blanket hostility towards the technology, workers can instead seek to adjust technological adoption to benefit them. For example, the Writers Guild of America’s 2023 agreement secured concrete protections grounded in specific and well-reasoned demands.
Companies could not require writers on covered projects to use AI and specified that AI-generated material could not be used to undermine their compensation or writing credits. Furthermore, writers retained the option to use AI with the studio’s consent. Circling back to the Luddites, their grievances force us to ask who controls a technology, who benefits from it and who deals with the inevitable disruption. Learning to use AI does not answer those questions. It does, however, help people recognize useful applications and understand model limits amongst a sea of exaggerated claims. This technical understanding becomes more consequential when paired with collective bargaining, public movements and demands for accountability. People who distrust AI companies have a unique set of reasons to participate. They can better demand agreements before a workplace adopts a system, they can organize for a share of the productivity it generates and they can argue for limits on use cases that threaten their wellbeing. Participation should include the power to refuse a particular application. But it should also involve understanding what is being refused and working toward an alternative; if you destroy your machines and refuse to participate or find alternatives, you will simply be left behind. You do not owe an AI company your enthusiasm, and you have no obligation to give them your money or your trust. But if you believe their decisions could reshape your livelihood, you have a stake in influencing those decisions. Skeptics often supply the best questions that enthusiasts have overlooked. Therefore, if you distrust the people steering the ship, you have every reason to fight for a hand on the wheel. ‘Hater Friday’ runs on Fridays and centers around critiquing media or culture. Luke Dolan is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is a staff writer for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at lpd39@cornell.edu.
How Social Media Hijacked the Lindsay Clancy Trial By KATHERINE WINTON Arts & Culture Writer
Editor’s Note: This article contains references to infanticide and self-harm. Over the past few weeks, my newsfeed and social media have been filled with new updates and theories on the Lindsay Clancy trial. The murder trial, which began on July 20, centers on the tragic deaths of Clancy’s three children in early 2023. Following the birth of her third child, Clancy sought medical treatment for severe depression and intrusive thoughts, among other mental health issues. On Jan. 24, 2023, Clancy strangled her three young children to death using exercise resistance bands, then proceeded to cut her wrists and neck and jump from a second-story window in an attempt to take her own life. Clancy’s defense has argued that, at the time of the deaths, she was experiencing postpartum psychosis as a result of the failings of the medical system and thus is not criminally responsible for her actions. My social media feed has been overtaken by this case. Commenters have doubted the facts presented in the trial, criticized the testimonies and given their own thoughts on what “actually” happened. These statements run on the assumption that what has been covered in the media is the entirety of what the defense and prosecution teams know. I believe part of social media’s (sometimes unhealthy) interest in this case has to do with
the growing public interest in true crime. Boston University media researcher Kathryn D. Coduto performed a study asking adults about their online engagement with crime stories, finding that “true crime followers often get sucked into cases, compulsively using and posting on social media, developing one-sided relationships with the characters, and experiencing negative feelings surrounding the stories they follow.” The Lindsay Clancy trial is more than just a podcast on a years-old case; it is an evolving, current case with no clear end, which gives viewers the opportunity to feel like they can help solve it. The defense’s argument of this trial has never been whether or not Clancy killed her three children; it is about whether or not she is criminally responsible for their deaths, or whether she was mentally incapable of distinguishing right from wrong at the time of her crime. Nevertheless, social media has taken this case in a different direction. On each Instagram post I’ve seen regarding the trial, the comments (and sometimes the posts themselves) discuss the possibility that Patrick Clancy, Lindsay’s husband at the time of the killings, is actually the one responsible for the deaths of their children. Online sleuths have taken the case into their own hands, pointing out inconsistencies in facts and testimonies, suggesting this case is not focused on the truly responsible parties. Namely, they point out the fact that Lindsay was physically unable to speak to paramedics who arrived on the scene, yet was allegedly able to tell Patrick the location of the children when he came back home and found her.
Additionally, people have questioned the timeline of Patrick’s absence from the house and the fact that he is the only immediate witness to the aftermath of the crimes. Nevertheless, there is some good that has come from the case’s widespread coverage. More mothers online are speaking on their experiences with postpartum depression and psychosis, bringing attention to the lack of adequate mental health resources for postpartum care and the failings of the U.S. healthcare system. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with engaging with true crime media — in fact, I believe true crime media helps viewers be more aware of their environments by providing vulnerable groups information about potential warning signs of danger. However, social media has taken the coverage of this case as an opportunity to undermine legal and forensic experts. Lindsay Clancy has a team of experts supporting her through the trial, from a strong defense team to expert testimonies testifying to how Clancy’s mental health could have impaired her judgement and actions. The Lindsay Clancy trial is a perfect example of how people develop parasocial feelings and relationships with people and cases they see online. Should the prosecution decide to retry the case, online obsession with theories about the case will only become more intense, possibly affecting innocent parties. Katherine Winton is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at kwinton@cornellsun.com.
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‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Capitalism and Comedy CAROLINE KELLY ARTS & CULTURE WRITER
Coyote vs. Acme is a tale of unsuspecting heroines and classic villains. The audience is introduced to Wile E. Coyote (Eric Bauza) as an archetypal loser as he fails to catch his nemesis, a bird called Road Runner, with gadgets from the company ACME that continuously malfunction in embarrassing and seemingly impossible ways. However, after watching a commercial for a personal injury law firm named Avery, Jones & Maltese that claims his machines’ mishaps are not his fault, Coyote heads to Albuquerque, New Mexico to seek justice. Upon arrival, Coyote encounters the lazy and dejected attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte) and his ambitious and bright-eyed niece/intern Paige (Lana Condor). When faced with Coyote and Paige’s desire to pursue a class action lawsuit against ACME, Kevin immediately dismisses the idea as impossible but is tricked into filing the suit by Coyote. The film then follows the trio’s efforts to fight ACME in court as they face internal rifts, the unyielding power of a monopoly and uncover clues that lead them towards uncovering the truth of why Coyote’s ACME gadgets perpetually fail. Although the movie is a live-action/animated hybrid featuring numerous empirical impossibilities, the film felt more like reality than fantasy. The film’s central theme is how monopolies abuse their power to exploit consumers while corrupting the legal system to avoid responsibility. As someone who typically dislikes films that venture far beyond the scope of reality, the cartoonish elements of the movie blended seamlessly into the real-world plot rather than providing a distraction. Instead of relying on the absurdist humor often associated with cartoons, the film’s comedy centers on satirizing corporate power. This comedy is so effective because capitalist malfeasance resonates so deeply with the general public. It’s often too difficult to separate satire from what
is an accurate representation of real-world corporate corruption. Furthermore, the film proves its relevance by tackling cultural issues, namely, whether big business is fundamentally American. In the courtroom, ACME’s defense attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), claims that the success of major corporations is intrinsically American by ascribing Coyote’s freedom to keep buying and subsequently failing with ACME products as symbolic of pursuing the American dream. On the other hand, the battle between Coyote, who has few resources or societal power, and the corporate monopoly ACME is a David vs. Goliath narrative which, in many ways, parallels the underdog tale of America’s fight against the British as well as raises the American ideal that everyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success. This conflict brought to mind the Gilded Age, when the rise of corporate monopolies and the political, social and economic harms they inflicted on a large swath of society raised questions about whether monopolies had a right to exist under capitalism. The film has many explicit parallels to the era, most notably the pervasiveness of crony capitalism, the legal system’s unequivocal bias towards ACME and the emergence of class differentiation, represented by the difference in status between cartoons and humans. However, there is no need to turn to the past, as wealth inequality in the U.S. has significantly increased in recent decades, making a film about capital gone wrong increasingly likely to resonate with Americans today. As someone initially skeptical of how engaging and relevant a live-action/animated hybrid film featuring Looney Tunes characters could be, I was thoroughly impressed. I was never once thrown off by the mix of the cartoon and human worlds, and found the corrupt corporate monopoly storyline captivating and relevant. The actors delivered comedy while
keeping the plot plausible. John Cena and Will Forte both perfectly capture their respective roles as the corrupt corporate figurehead and the uninspired billboard lawyer. Meanwhile, Lana Condor’s stereotypical, ambitious young intern persona is a refreshing addition to their opposing, idiosyncratic personalities. Additionally, for a classic David vs. Goliath tale where I expected few genuinely unexpected plot twists, the film contained enough surprises and suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat. Furthermore, the ending struck a nice balance between avoiding complete wish fulfillment and still leaving the audience in high spirits. Overall, Coyote vs. ACME is an entertaining, hilarious and thought-provoking film that left me wanting a sequel.
COURTESY OF KETCHUP ENTERTAINMENT
Caroline Kelly is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a contributor for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at ckelly@cornellsun.com.
Stop Adapting Everything: ‘The Dog Stars’ MICHELLE BOOKBINDER ARTS & CULTURE WRITER
For most of us, imagining a world where a pandemic wipes out the majority of humanity unfortunately does not seem so foreign. In Peter Heller’s novel, The Dog Stars (2012), Heller paints a picture of this post-apocalyptic world, riddled with abandoned roads, dilapidated buildings and immeasurable grief. Although Heller’s novel predates the COVID19 pandemic, the dystopian world designed in The Dog Stars resonates now more than ever. In Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Heller’s story in his film The Dog Stars, released on August 28, Scott reintroduces this fictional dystopia into a post-COVID society. The Dog Stars follows Hig, an ex-mechanic grappling with the death of his wife and unborn child in the aftermath of a fatal, flu-like virus. Jacob Elordi plays the role of Hig, yet another brooding man (this time with more lines than The Creature in Frankenstein and slightly more hillbilly than Nate Jacobs). Amid overwhelming grief, Hig traverses a desolate version of Denver in 2035. Hearing a faint voice on a radio, he sets out for Grand Central Junction on his search for greater human connection and life. Hig meets Cima (Margaret Qualley) along the way and finds unexpected love. While the skeleton of The Dog Stars seemingly illustrates an uplifting story of hope and connection, the body of the film feels empty. With a poorly paced plot structure, The Dog Stars fades into a nebulous tale — mirroring the vacant world it describes. Although Hig’s driving motivation for much of the film is landing at Grand Central Junction, his actual arrival at the aircraft hangar only serves as a small blip in the story. Scott
depicts Grand Central Junction in a Hunger Games-esque fashion, with an artificial vibrancy that juxtaposes the grayness of the surrounding world. Flamboyant outfits populate the hangar, concealing the vapidity of the people wearing them. Just as audiences grow curious about what sinister truths underlie Grand Central Junction, Hig escapes and the plot point is abandoned. What is supposed to be the climactic peak of the plot lasts on screen for mere moments. The unexplored territory of Grand Central Junction is not the storyline’s only shortcoming. Scott also fails to address crucial expository questions such as the nature of the virus destroying almost all of the human race. Furthermore, the relationship between Hig and Cima falls flat. The couple experiences almost no real conflict throughout their relationship. Whenever a problem arises between the pair, Scott resolves it in the following scene, never fleshing out a relationship that feels organic or subject to change. Instead of gradually developing a love story with imperfection and depth, Scott again opts for a surface-level portrayal. Aside from the film’s questionable pacing and its glossing over of the story’s most compelling elements, I also found the overt product placement distracting. As Hig sipped on a bottle of Coca-Cola and ostentatiously presented several Mennonite children with a 10-pack of Sprite, I couldn’t help but get taken out of the story. Instead of focusing on pivotal moments between characters, my eyes drifted toward the anachronistic soda carefully placed on screen. In moments like these, this post-apocalyptic movie felt more like an AMC advertisement. Despite these setbacks, Elordi and Qualley’s performances salvaged much of the film. Both actors brought charm to their characters, and I enjoyed watching the pair share the screen.
Elordi, in particular, delivered a convincing representation of loss in a series of repeated flashback scenes. In addition to Elordi and Qualley’s strong performances, the relationships between survivors stood out as a captivating aspect of the adaptation. Even after the enormous scale of fatalities from the unknown virus, humans continue to commit gruesome acts upon each other within their dystopian state. Hig attacks unfamiliar tribes with his partner, Bangley, and survivors in opposing groups steal from and murder one another. Once the virus ceases, destruction persists through the hands of men While I found Scott’s storytelling shallow and vacant in The Dog Stars, his exploration into grief and violence was undeniably compelling. The awe-inspiring landscapes and scenery also greatly enhanced the film. Although The Dog Stars missed the mark on execution, the movie’s relevancy today is valuable. It allows us to revisit the original novel through a post-pandemic lens, so we can appreciate the resilience of our real world.
COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
Michelle Bookbinder is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at msb394@cornell.edu.
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WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
Men’s Soccer Defeats UCSB for 600th Program Victory By LYDIA LEKHAL Sun Staff Writer
Under Friday night lights, in Ithaca, World Cup fever lived on as the men’s soccer team lined up against the University of California, Santa Barbara in front of a sold-out, loud crowd at Newman Arena. No. 20 Cornell (2-0-0, Ivy 0-0-0) came out strong immediately against No. 21 UCSB (1-12, WCC 0-0-0). The bench and the crowd matched the players’ energy and after every block, shot or recovery, the fans made themselves heard: a boost that showed up in how the Red played. Right from kickoff, the Red set the tone early, asserting its dominance as the crowd rallied behind it. Senior captain midfielder Connor Miller summarized the team’s motivation from the fans. “I think it’s easier to play when you have someone to play for besides yourself,” Miller said. “With the crowd here, you can hear them, you can see them … it’s easy to play for them.” With Cornellian support roaring in the stands, the action began quickly as a shot from senior forward Liam May was blocked within the first three minutes. Two minutes later, sophomore forward Sergio Zapata delivered a pass to the outside toward senior forward Adam Schaban who fired another shot on net for the Red. After the save and rebound off UCSB goalkeeper Owen Beninga, Schaban had another chance to cross the ball into the box, resulting in a header from May that flew just over the crossbar. The Red kept up the pressure for the rest of the first half, totaling nine shots with two on target. Despite the missed chances, junior defender Justin Melly anchored the back line, holding UCSB without a single shot the rest of the way. While Cornell was eager to get back onto the
field after halftime, Newman Arena had other plans. Technical difficulties with the arena’s lighting kept both teams off the field for another 30 minutes. Head coach John Smith said the team was prepared for the delay. “We had a lightning delay in training the other day,” Smith said. “I think that kind of helped prepare them for staying calm and the thing for us was starting off the second half just in the same intensity.” That is exactly what the Red did, keeping its composure and pace right from kickoff and finally breaking through. Schaban found the back of the net in the 48th minute to open the scoring. He pressured the UCSB defense into a turnover, recovered the ball, found freshman forward Andrew Miles and received the pass to get a touch on it to send it into the net.
“It didn’t seem like a game that was just our second game of the season. It was almost played with a postseason intensity. Quite often that happens when you play against a really good opponent. ” Jeff Foote ’10
“I thought [the defense] was a little bit slow at the back, especially when the ball was transitioning,” Schaban said. “I pressed him … I slid, touch, toe poke, big toe, goal!” Cornell had the touch it needed, but UCSB did not travel 3,000 miles to let the game end 1-0. After a quiet first half and start to the second, the Gauchos fought back. In the 69th minute, midfielder Steinar Bjornsson buried a shot into the bottom right corner for the equalizer.
The balance shifted for only a couple of minutes before the Red put its foot back on the gas. After a string of chances, Miller delivered the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute. “After they got the equalizer, we had them pinned into their end,” Miller said. “I just kept moving, hoping for the set and when it came, I saw that the far post was open.” Off a one-touch pass to the edge of the box from sophomore forward Blake Donahue, Miller slotted it into the bottom left corner to seal a 2-1 win. This game marked a few additions to the history books, including the 600th program win, as well as Smith’s 91st victory with the program, tying him with former head coach Jack Writer as the winningest Red coach of all time. “It didn’t seem like a game that was just our second game of the season,” Smith said. “It was almost played with a postseason intensity. Quite often that happens when you play against a really good opponent.” UCSB is currently ranked No. 21 in the nation, but the Red will next face No. 9 Akron, a team it tied in a scoreless match last season. “Last year, it was a tale of two halves. They dominated us in the first half and I think we dominated them in the second,” Smith said. “They’re an extremely good soccer-playing team and this [match] gives us preparation for how quickly a ball will move around the field.” Two games in, the Red looks ready to go toe-to-toe in high intensity matchups and come away with wins, building momentum for the rest of the season. The Red will play at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Akron, Ohio. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Lydia Lekhal can be reached at ll962@cornell.edu
Men’s Hockey Hires Lifelong Goaltender Austin Keiser By ELI KWAIT Sun Senior Writer
Under Friday night lights, in Ithaca, World Cup feveAfter losing its star goaltender, Alexis Cournoyer, to the 2026 national championship runner-up Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA transfer portal, the Red went to the drawing board. How can a non-NIL-rich program like Cornell draw and retain premier talents in net? The answer was simple: add an experienced, accomplished goaltending mind to the coaching staff. Men’s hockey has hired a new director of hockey operations and video coordinator, Austin Keiser. Alongside his duties as director of hockey operations and video coordinator, Keiser brings
PHOTO COURTESY OF KURT STEISS
Goaltender’s Perspective | Austin Keiser as goaltending coach and video coordinator for the Toledo Walleye.
an accomplished record of goaltending development. “Talking with Casey [Jones], this was a huge pickup,” Keiser said. “I’m going to build back this legacy of Cornell goaltending. Like you see it on the walls here at the rink, it’s pretty impressive, and I’m pumped to be the staple of it.” Keiser will replace Josh Robinson, who served as the Red’s director of hockey operations for two years and is now working as director of player personnel and video for the Omaha Mavericks. A lifelong goaltender, Keiser played four years of NCAA Division III hockey — three years at SUNY-Potsdam and one year at Western New England University for his senior season. After his playing career, Keiser made his coaching debut at his alma mater Western New England and has worked across the AAA, junior and professional ranks. Most recently, Keiser worked as goaltending coach and video coordinator for the Toledo Walleye (ECHL). Keiser was referred to the job by Princeton’s assistant coach, Shane Talarico, who served as Cornell’s director of hockey operations from 2019 to 2022. “One of my best friends, Shane Talarico, reached out to me over the summer and was like, ‘Are you interested in college hockey?’” Keiser said. “Cornell had an opening, and it’s the best place ever to get back into college hockey, especially just the history of the goaltenders too. I mean, it’s unbelievable.” During games, Keiser will work as video coordinator, “live coding” video to allow for easy review in between periods or after games. “Whatever the coaches want, I have a button for,” Keiser said. “So, say there was a power play,
I would hit ‘P’, watch the whole power play, click ‘P’ to end it, and same thing with penalty kill.” Keiser will have help from a product of today’s modern world — artificial intelligence. “We’re going to use a new system this year, which I’m pretty excited about,” Keiser said. “It’s an AI technology that’s going to help break down our game film.” Using this AI system, which organizes video clips, players will be able to watch their shifts, while coaches can pinpoint moments to review with ease. It is not just video coaching that Keiser will help with, he will provide another perspective to aid in challenging plays during action. “During the games, I will be looking at challenges,” Keiser said. “I will have an earpiece in. So I can challenge offsides or goals or anything that the coaches see on the ice. I’ll be the eye in the sky.” Keiser will be beneficial to the Red’s three netminders despite not officially being the team’s goaltending coach. Whether reviewing video or making tweaks on the ice, he will individually tailor his coaching to each goaltender’s style of play. “I don’t do cookie-cutter goaltending,” Keiser said. “The player, the goalie, is the most important thing to me, and I want to get to know them on a personal basis. They can trust me on the ice, and they can trust me personally. That’s where I see the most growth.”w While Keiser grows the current class of Cornell netminders, the hope is that the honor of being in-between the pipes at Lynah Rink is rebuilt. Eli Kwait can be reached at ekwait@cornellsun.com.