Cornell administrators are criticizing a recent article in The New York Times that questions the ethics and frequency of granting acceptance to freshman applicants on the condition they attend another university first.

The newly formed Committee on Transfer Affairs presented an extensive survey to the Student Assembly three weeks ago, detailing their findings that an overwhelming proportion of transfer students feel that their first-year living situation hindered their transition to Cornell. This survey is now being used as the backbone of the committee’s efforts to convince C.U. administration to reinstate an optional transfer program house.

Before the West Campus initiative was completed in 2006, transfer students had the option of living in the Transfer Center Program House in the Class of ’17 Hall. The survey, which was open to all transfer students, received 527 respondents, including many current seniors who experienced the transfer program house before it was dismantled.

To the Editor:

Re: “A Solution to Transfer Housing,” Opinion, April 7.

When I first arrived at Cornell as a sophomore transfer, I was entirely convinced that the University hated me. I found orientation to be completely disorienting. I was absolutely befuddled as to which orientation activities were for transfers, which were for freshmen and which were for both. I was also thoroughly lost. Weaving around the rampant construction on West Campus, I went through a couple of campus maps as I frantically deciphered building codes trying to find out where on earth the Transfer Center was supposed to be. To make matters worse, the weather was decidedly fickle, and I had yet to discover the wisdom of carrying an umbrella on my person at all times.

Resolution 30, calling for the creation of an optional transfer programming house, was sponsored by Andrew Brokman ’11, transfer representative, and Jared Feldman ’11, vice-chair of the Committee on Transfer Affairs. The two spoke about the struggles of the transfer community at Cornell since the closing of the Transfer Center. Brokman cited statistics, from a survey he conducted, that “88 percent of transfer students [had] a positive experience [at] the Transfer Center.”

The West Campus Residential Initiative, which began construction in 2003, has failed the transfer community, according to Feldman. “Transfer students were not included in the plans.”

The Student Assembly passed a resolution — by a vote of 17 to 1 — yesterday that seeks to ensure that current transfer students will not be subjected to the University’s new policy of publishing median grades on transcripts.

Andrew Brokman ’11, S.A. Transfer Representative, had proposed Resolution 26, which “requests that the registrar clarify the Median Grade Policy, so that it is in conformity with the Faculty Senate Resolution.” It states that students who will graduate any date earlier than June 2012 should not have the median grades on their transcripts.

The Student Assembly announced yesterday that the S.A. Appropriations Committee unanimously approved on Tuesday the decision to buy a $4,500 package from Zimride, a nation-wide online carpool and rideshare application service founded by a Cornell alumnus. Zimride is not free to the public, but Cornell will have access to its service after buying the package, which includes its Facebook application.

Jennifer Jensen ’11, Arts & Sciences

So, what brings you to the Libe [Café] on a Friday afternoon?

Well, I am just killing time. I have to meet with a dean for academic advising to figure out my transfer credits. I just transferred from Northwestern. I started at Cornell, tried Northwestern, and then came back.

What made you come back?

Well, I just like Cornell better. I’m happier here.

Being from Chicago, what do you think about the recent inauguration, since Obama is from your home?

Amazing is the first word that comes to mind. Life-changing is another.

If he could enact any policy, your choice, what would it be?

A resolution to create University committee to assist transfer students was passed at the Student Assembly meeting held yesterday. The resolution, proposed by Andrew Brokman ’11, Transfer Representative At-Large, and co-sponsored by Nikhil Kumar ’11, S.A. Minority Representative, was for the establishment for an ad-hoc committee, known as The Committee on Transfer Affairs, with the responsibility of maintaining transfer-related activities and legislation,

S.A. president Ryan Lavin ’09 said the resolution was the result of problems within the transfer community that had arisen, particularly since the transfer student center had been demolished in September 2006.

It was move-in day and he was a 30-minute walk from Central Campus. His window opened up into a cement wall. His room was located one floor below ground level. Living in the basement of graduate housing was not what Kyle Doebler ’10 was expecting when he transferred to Cornell from East Stroudsburg University.

Technically, Schuyler House, where Doebler lives, is “on-campus housing” because it is owned by Cornell, although it is located just beyond lower Collegetown. The closest dining hall where he can use his meal plan is on West Campus.

Like most other transfer students, Doebler submitted his housing application in June before the July 1 deadline. But unlike the other transfers, Doebler is living with graduate students.