The sudden transition from the real world to our isolated scholarly preserve at Cornell is always disorienting — it never fails to jolt me like a bucket of ice water.

A good part of the adjustment is physical. The first time I visited Ithaca — on the sacred pre-college pilgrimage — it was the middle of August. The sunny day reminded me of my hometown in Northern Virginia and I was convinced that reports of arctic Ithaca winters were quite exaggerated. After all, we also get snow in Northern Virginia — how different could Cornell really be? Little did I know that, meteorologically, Ithaca was shockingly similar to Outer Siberia. Yet, in reality, Ithaca is not a gulag in the frozen Russian tundra.

Along with the physical adjustment, returning to Cornell after a month-long break is a psychological challenge because it demands a recalibration of one’s mind-set. Cornell, like many other universities, can be a bit shut off from the outside world. Of course, we have the ability to debate every imaginable issue in our ivory towers on East Hill, but let’s face it — we too often allow ourselves to be disconnected from the rest of the world. We find it far easier to block out what is happening in the real world, while we immerse ourselves in scholarly endeavors. It is paradoxical that an institution dedicated to learning and expanding intellectual boundaries somehow fosters an insular environment that too easily allows us to be clueless about current events. The other world is held at arm’s-length.

What is at the root of this aloofness and apathy? Of course we are busy with academic pursuits, extracurricular activities and social commitments. Yet I think it is the combination of Cornell’s isolation and inclement weather that leads to disengagement. Our physical situation provides a convenient excuse for mental laziness.

Years ago, the Student Assembly recognized the problem and attempted a simple and brilliant solution: to distribute free copies of The New York Times in various locations around campus. Having The Times easily accessible made it possible for every Cornellian on campus to be well-informed about national and international events. All one had to do was reach out and snag a free newspaper.

We need more of what is clearly a good thing. Libe Café provides complimentary copies of The Times; wisely, the powers that be have expanded the concept to the various dining halls and cafeterias across campus. However, since we live in an increasingly wired world, perhaps the on-line version of The Cornell Daily Sun can provide links to major national and international newspapers such as The New York Times, The Financial Times, the International Herald Tribune and Haaretz. I am sure on-line readership of The Sun would soar. Also, the University should explore the concept of having TV screens in high traffic areas with news running continuously for most of the day. The Cornell Store has already successfully implemented this idea.

Simply making news resources easily available will do wonders for student involvement and campus debate. The burden of meeting this challenge should be taken up by a consortium of student groups who have a common interest in fostering awareness of national and international issues, such as The Sun, campus political organizations and Americans for Informed Democracy, among others.

The Cornell administration would have to cooperate in this effort. Obviously financial considerations will come into play. Certainly accessing some newspapers on-line is easy and free. On the other hand, TV screens will involve costs that will have to be funded. But we must address the issue now in order to assess the magnitude of the funding challenges ahead. Student apathy does not have to be a natural condition. We can remedy the problem now by ensuring that access to information extends well beyond the classroom.

As I write this column, I can see our beautiful campus sheathed in pristine snow and ice. It is serene and tranquil. It is truly another world far removed from the agony of Palestine, the insecurity and angst of Israel, the continuing tragedy of Darfur, the challenges of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the global economic and financial meltdown. As comfortable and tempting as it may be, we cannot ignore or be ignorant of the outside world while at Cornell. Soon, our generation will become participants and players on the world stage. We owe it to ourselves to be informed, engaged citizens.