The Midweek Post Where We Talk About Things That Are Going on Around Our World (4/7)

This week’s post features Peter Bouris ’12, Managing Editor Oliver Renick ’12, and President John Farragut ’11.

Decorations on Campus Fences

John: If you ask me, the “decorations” adorning the fences look pretty tacky on average.  Mostly dying or artificial flowers, which stand out not because they’re pretty to look at, but because they’re so small in comparison to the fences.  The whole response to the suicides to me has been pretty distasteful.  Sure the community has “come together,” but I don’t really like this “all you need is a smile and a hug” culture.  We have programs and centers for every condition and problem imaginable.  Whatever happened to “all you need is a shot and a beer?”  I’m not trying to trivialize suicide, but is it really something that any administration policy can systematically prevent?

Peter: The decorations simply undermine a thinly veiled attempt to give the appearance of action.  They damage the school’s legitimacy as a whole and give outsiders the indication that everyone here is trying to trick themselves into happiness in what must be a dreary and stress-packed environment since everyone is resorting to decorating wired fence.  It is not a profundity to state that suicides cannot be prevented by means of physical barriers–anyone with a modicum of sense realizes this.  The fences alone are stains on the school.  Decorations on the fences are massive ink blots on school.

Oliver: Responding to the suicides is a hard thing to go about doing.  It seems that no matter how students and faculty try to come to terms with the issue, the result has had an overwhelmingly negative response.  The bottom line is that any recognition of the suicides is heartbreaking and unwanted.  People put underwear on the bridges – awkward; people put flowers on the bridges – feels like a cemetery; people paint the fences – it’s… groovy? We obviously won’t find a unanimous way to ease the pain over the suicides.  Things will only feel normal when the bridges are normal: fenceless.  John also brings up a good point: the “hugs and smiles” culture is impractical, easy, and most importantly, self-satisfying.  Bandanna-toting acoustic guitar players humming “peace and love” messages never accomplish as much as people like to think.  Yet when has faith and selflessness ever been mentioned over the past month as a method for battling life’s hardships and extending yourself to others?  Not once.

Skorton’s Response to Resolution 44

John: He said about what I expected him to say:  Groups are free to do as they like, but they shouldn’t count on funding if they discriminate.  This is a lot better than what the S.A. originally came up with, and seems potentially reasonable.  (Certainly some groups, e.g. the Cornell KKK, ought not be funded by the S.A.  But they ought to be allowed to exist.)  Of course it all depends on how it’s applied.  I still say Chi Alpha didn’t discriminate in the sense of precluding anyone from leadership based on inherent qualities.  Most likely, whoever makes the hypothetical call would see otherwise.

Peter: Not to beat a dead horse, but this is rather expected.  Skorton does not want to be perceived as a tyrannical administrator.  This would too heavily contradict Cornell’s desired image of an intellectual playground.  Additionally, his stance of allowing discriminating groups on campus while advocating a cut in their funding appeases everyone, which is generally how decisions are made when multiple constituencies are involved.

Oliver: Simply unsurprising.  There would be too many liabilities if Skorton advocated denying the existence of clubs which ‘infringed’ upon Cornell’s discrimination standards.  Our president Skorton is a very knowledgeable man in many fields, and knows that without any legal precedent, the elimination of the mentioned student organizations would be a serious breach of first amendment rights on campus.  He acknowledges that Cornell has every right to do so, but taking such action would set our school down a very questionable path.  His appeal to both parties is expected.

One Thing You Would Say To Accepted Students Visiting for Cornell Days

John: You all should relax!  Many of the things you probably think matter right now won’t in the end.  That said, take a full schedule first semester:  you’ll figure out what you like and get those damn distribution requirements out of the way.

Peter: Don’t apply your high school mentality to this environment–you’ll burn out in a few weeks.  By that I mean work hard, but always remember that the race of life is a long-haul; one academic slip up does not mean your destiny (contrary to what you probably thought  in high school).  The fact that you are even considering this school puts you pretty far ahead in the game anyway.

Oliver: Cornell is a fantastic place! Don’t mind the fences, we’ve had an overwhelming bear problem this year!