Capt. Sean "Skeet" Richardson '05 fought for his country in Afghanistan after graduating from Cornell.

The University Greek community came together this past weekend to participate in the Days of Demeter, a weekend-long charitable event that assists organizations across campus and in Ithaca. The fourth annual event of its kind, the Days of Demeter has grown exponentially in size over the past several years to become the largest coordinated Greek service event of the year, with an estimated 400 students participating.

“This event is just focused on giving back and the unquestionable need in Ithaca,” said Jason Shapiro ’10, vice president for university and community relations of the interfraternity council. “The showing of the event was a testament to the fact that everyone was more than willing to help out.”

“Sick! Thank God!” Deanna Surma ’12 exclaimed.

Had Surma just learned that Slope Day was sooner than she thought? No, she was actually reacting to the announcement that AT&T will build two new cell phone facilities on campus. After two-and-a-half to three years of contract negotiations, the facilities, which will be on Bradfield and Donlon Hall, will be completed by late summer.

These have been greeted with enthusiasm by students with AT&T who despair at the lack of good reception on North Campus.

“It’s awesome to hear,” said Philip Alley ’12. “North Campus is plagued with AT&T holes [of service] near Ujamaa and Balch as well as some areas in Donlon. Countless times I’ve been walking through North and my call has been dropped.”

January 20th marked a new page in American politics, as well as the equally-celebrated turning of an old one. President Obama is inheriting obstacles whose solutions well surpass the power of any one individual. If we expect a new president, new cabinet or new government to fix all of our problems and mend all of our wounds, we are simply naïve.

The tasks that face our new president are daunting and the solutions to our problems are not simple. But the dawn of a new Era of Responsibility means the burden is a collective one, and does not fall on the government alone.

Offering few tangible examples of what his tenure as president will bring, Obama struck a somber tone that starkly contrasted with the optimistic underpinnings of his victory speech we saw 77 days ago. The president strayed from his trademark message of change that steered his trek to the White House, instead treading down a path emphasizing one of the most rudimentary and fundamental American values: truth.