Nearly a year after the United States Department of Education slashed funding for “critical language programs,” the federal government has indicated that it will only continue to cut funding. The University has not yet found a way to continue to fund these 11 language programs beyond a one-year provisional basis. One option the University is considering is to offer some of these languages through collaborations with other universities. This option strikes a good compromise between keeping costs low while maintaining the breadth of curriculum Cornell is known for. 

Cornell, and other universities, should look internally to increase efficiancy and cut costs, rather than wating for increased funding from the government. 

As the University moves forward with CornellNYC Tech, it must ensure that the Ithaca campus does not suffer as a result of the project.

The University must take the lessons learned from this weekend’s events at The Bear's Den and on North Campus and apply them to its effort to address the problem of high-risk drinking.

As recently as last semester, some students on campus said they felt that a sense of entrepreneurship visible on other campuses was unseen at Cornell. This led the students to take it upon themselves to bring the 3 Day Startup event — a forum for student entrepreneurs to showcase their startup pitches — to campus in November. The event, which featured the work of 40 Cornell students, sought to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and startup businesses on campus, the organizers said; something they believed to be missing from Cornell’s culture.

The loss of valuable teaching assistants and research assistants that resulted from the recent downsizing will likely have a negative impact on many students. The administration should explore alternative methods to balancing the budget.

As Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) considers implementing a statewide policy allowing the practice of hydraulic fracturing, it is critical that he acknowledge the strong outcry and persistent concerns within local communities and governments. 

Congress’ decision to decrease the maximum amount that university and medical researchers can be paid from National Institutes of Health grants may eventually limit the research advances from Weill Cornell Medical College. Administrators at WCMC fear that decreased funding allocated to research may push medical college scientists out of their labs. Compensating for the lost grant funding could cost Cornell hundreds of thousands of dollars, but decreased attention to research could create a more serious pressure within a school that has long prided itself on medical discovery.

The University — a primary beneficiary of taxpayer dollars through its contract colleges and federal aid programs — must find other means to provide substantial financial aid without letting the burden fall solely on the student population.

Recently inaugurated Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 announced Friday that he would personally look into the investigation of Marlon Byrd, a lieutenant in the Ithaca Police Department accused of assisting drug dealers. We hope Myrick’s decision to tackle this problem is evident of a leader looking to improve the department both internally and in its dealings with the citizens of Ithaca.