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The Cornell Daily Sun
Friday, Dec. 5, 2025

Opinion
Ithaca-Commons

POGGI | Ithaca Is Monopolized

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In her column, Julia Poggi urges readers to confront tough questions: Who benefits from Ithaca’s monopolies? Who’s left out? To protect the Ithaca we love — gorges, granola, grassroots — we must demand transparency, equity, and people-first solutions. 




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BADAWI | Watch the Throne

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Opinion Columnist Leah Badawi implores the reader to watch the throne. She writes: In the end, it is not the face, the figure behind the power that leads nations into authoritarianism, but it is the stretching of precedent, the disregard of the norms essential for democracy, that brings us closer to Caesar’s throne with each passing day. Even when Trump loses power, the precedent will already be set, and our democracy is vulnerable to whichever politician tries to fill the throne.


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HARNEY | A Chill Comes Over Cornell

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Sun Columnist and second-year law student Liam Harney makes an intrinsically American argument against the Trump administration's suspension of Cornell funding. Constitutional values and legal precedent are at stake.


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CHEEK | The Toxic and Elitist Culture of Pre-Professional Clubs

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In her first-ever column, Zara Cheek reflects on pre-professional clubs. She argues:Rather than fostering genuine learning and mentorship, these clubs often prioritize prestige and resume padding, reinforcing success as determined by connections and status rather than intellectual curiosity or ethical leadership.


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WEIRENS | Dressed to Distress: White Dress Woes

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Senior columnist Aurora Weirens takes us through the grueling process of finding a graduation dress, specifically a white one. Is it truly worth it for the 15 second walk across the stage and the onslaught of awkward pictures? Weirens is here to tell us!





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REYEN | Qualitative Study Reveals ChatGPT Up, Critical Thinking Down

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GPT may seem like the busy student’s solution to managing heavy course loads, job applications, and club activities. But what writing skills will we have left if the tool becomes the first — and final — draft? Using GPT as a crutch removes the process of forming connections and patterns while writing, minimizing the ability to learn from writing feedback and academic improvement. 


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GUEST ROOM | “Little p” Politics

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In a Guest Room Column, Professor Alexandra Dufresne defines "little p" politics — the emotional and interpersonal considerations that drive people’s behavior. How does this impact public policy and political decisions?



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SEIELSTAD | A Degree in Decline: The Hidden Costs of Cornell's Changes

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Columnist Pilar Seielstad chose CALS for its unique blend: Ivy League rigor coupled with the practicality of a land-grant institution. However, Cornell's recent push for self-sufficiency within CALS has her questioning whether University decisions are inadvertently diminishing the value of its degrees by fostering academic silos, limiting interdisciplinary exposure and obscuring student achievement.


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BURZLAFF | The Tip Jar (1)

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How do you empathize with someone you can’t understand? In his first The Tip Jar series, Professor and Opinion Columnist Jan Burzlaff explores the need for understanding and community in a time of societal division.