The Midweek Post Where We Talk About Things That Are Going On Around Our World (3/31)

The Midweek Post Where We Talk About Things That Are Going On Around Our World is a new feature on Insider that will appear every Wednesday. Once a week, three Review writers will weigh in on both campus related happenings and national news stories. We hope to provide short, thought provoking opinions on important topics and also generate discussion amongst Insider readers. The inaugural post features Campus Editor Dennis Shiraev ’12, Managing Editor Oliver Renick ’12, and National News Editor Joe Bonica ’12.

Suicide Fences on Campus Bridges

Dennis: They’re hideous, but I think the administration had no choice on this one. The fences accomplish three goals: 1) Reduced likelihood of further suicides. Yes, the fences are negotiable, but there’s no doubt that they significantly decrease the chances of another student taking his or her life in the gorges. 2) PR statement to the outside world that Cornell is doing all it can to ensure the safety of its students. 3) A message is sent to the students that the administration is actively doing all it can to ensure their safety. Obviously the downside of #2 is that we are also signaling to everyone outside Ithaca that Cornell is in crisis mode, but this is much better than refusing to acknowledge the significance of the suicides or not doing enough to prevent another one.

Oliver: Welcome, to Jurassic Park. These new fences send a serious message that basically consists of two parts, or two interpretations: “We’re doing everything we can to prevent disaster,” and “Welcome to Cornell, where we have fences along our bridges so you don’t throw yourself over.”  How will prospective students react during Cornell Days, which are just around the corner?  What are tour guides instructed to say?  The former of the two interpretations reflects the fact that the fences are simply a PR move.  Cornell has to signal to the public that they are trying to solve the problem.  What more does putting a fence over the 25-ft collegetown-engineering footbridge do than send a message?  Cornell has a false stereotype as being a suicide school.  These fences come dangerously close to morphing that stereotype into a description.

Joe:  These fences are pretty much a complete disaster. First of all, they may reduce the risk of suicide by gorge-jumping, but there are plenty of other ways for an intent person to kill him or herself. Also, if we do see a reduction in suicides during a short and long term, it will be basically impossible to tell whether or not the fences were a major reason if one at all. Since their worth is basically impossible to quantify, one cannot truly justify they were worth the cost and defacing of our beautiful campus. Also, this reinforces Cornell’s stereotype as a “suicide school,” which will drive away potential future students, and thus much needed revenue, from the school.

Implications of Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 Run

Dennis: I live right by George Mason University in Virginia, so I’ve seen what great things an NCAA Tournament run can do for a school. Sure, we didn’t make the Final Four, but a Sweet 16 appearance by an Ivy League team that doesn’t give out athletic scholarships is still remarkable. In addition to being a national powerhouse in hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling (plus a bunch of other less-watched sports I’m neglecting), we are now officially an Ivy basketball powerhouse. I think we can definitely expect more alumni giving to athletic programs and more interest in Cornell in general from prospective students.

Oliver: If suicides caused the drought of school spirits, the basketball success was the monsoon that healed our ailing.  Cornell was in need of an upper and the men on the basketball team had what it takes to to bring our school into a positive light.  Hopefully it will outweigh the upsetting impression our tragic month most likely had on prospective students.  Overall, it was an amazing achievement for a program that operates under a budget that makes up only 9% of the same one at Kentucky. Having such immense athletic success at a school that is normally only known  for its academics brings about a whole different side of the student body.  A good one.

Joe: In addition to doing wonders for the school spirit of the student body (which I find to sometimes be a bit lacking), Cornell’s impressive showing in the NCAA tournament should mean big endowments in the future; after all, a college’s athletic program is its best fundraiser. As our athletic legitimacy increases, which it no doubt did during the tournament, more people will want to donate. Also, even though Cornell does not give scholarships to athletes, the fact that Cornell can succeed in a major stage may draw some talented athletes to the school, further improving our sports program. The above goes for all sports, not just basketball.

Obamacare

Dennis: It’s difficult for anyone who’s not a political analyst to make any complete judgment on the healthcare bill- seriously, do any of you supporters or dissenters really know what’s in it?- so I will stick to offering a few observations. First, the government is planning on forcing uninsured individuals to eventually purchase health insurance, which is an unprecedented over-stretching of government power. The Democrats have conveniently placed the IRS in charge of enforcement, effectively disguising it all as a tax. We can disagree about constitutionality, but this is clearly a ruse. Krauthammer has also pointed out that the only way to pay for these new entitlements will be a value-added tax, which he predicts the Obama administration will introduce after the November elections. Let’s hope he’s wrong on this one.

Oliver: At long last, it is finally upon us – the healthcare bill that set a vast chasm between left and right.  One of the most drastic pieces of legislation in American history passed with an equally drastic level of division among the country’s people and in its Congress.  Obama’s success as a president will be directly dependent on the success of this passage as other domestic issues will pale in comparison.  Though it is hard to assess precisely the bill’s visible effect – how can we know its inner workings, its deep darkest secrets – it is by principle directly against what I stand for.  But even already, the cost of providing healthcare to employees is affecting big companies.  AT&T announced $1 bil dollars in costs, and 3M manufacturing company expects $5 bil dollar costs.  But as a Heritage article pointed out, the fight on both sides is just beginning.

Joe: While the bill is no doubt a disaster, it is not the worst bill that could have passed. At the very least, it doesn’t have the public option which history shows serves as the death knell of the healthcare systems of all nations that have such a method. Despite that, it is still laden with large tax increases, onerous regulations such as forcing people to purchase health insurance, and has within it, buried somewhat deeply, a massive government expansion into the student loan system. While the numbers from the CBO indicate that the plan will reduce the federal budget deficit, this is based on the assumption that the program will grow no further than it is now. Any student of government programs knows that this never, ever happens. Oh, and to top it off, people and businesses are paying for the bill, in the midst of a recession, while the benefits don’t kick in for at least 4 years.