Dear Uncle Ezra - Latest Questions

Question #1 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I was wondering if you could tell me the typical punishments for underage drinking. How many times can someone get referred to the JA for alcohol related incidents? Thanks.

Sincerely,
Worried
Dear Worried,
In general, Cornell's response to alcohol violations tends to be educational rather than punitive. In addition to judicial sanctions (which may include a judicial record and a community service requirement) students with alcohol violations are usually referred to Gannett Health Services for alcohol education and counseling. The following is a guide to how services might match violations but it is important to note that there may be some variation depending on the severity of the incident and the clinical judgment of the Gannett provider.

Most students with a first time violation are required to complete BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students). BASICS is a two-session assessment and feedback process that allows students to evaluate for themselves their alcohol or other drug use and to explore the extent to which it may be a problem in their lives. Sessions are with staff at Gannett, typically from the Health Promotion office.

The typical educational requirement for a second time violation is attendance at a Gannett-sponsored Alcohol and Marijuana Education Group. In these four-session groups, students discuss with others the potential effects of alcohol and other drug use on academics, relationships, health, and future plans. These groups emphasize a harm-reduction approach, promoting responsible and educated decision-making around alcohol and other drug use. Groups are held several times a semester.

Students with a third violation usually attend the Explorations Group for at least two semesters. The Explorations Group provide a safe, confidential space for students to discuss changes they are thinking about or are working on with regard to their use of alcohol and other drugs. Students find that attending these groups, sometimes in combination with individual counseling, improves their success at achieving the changes they desire. In these groups, students strategize how to drink less or not drink at all, as well as support one another in a larger campus environment where heavy drinking is commonplace.

If a student has a fourth violation, it is usually an indication of a significant problem with substances that cannot be appropriately addressed within the Cornell environment. In these cases, the goal is that the student takes a break from the university so that he or she may return as a healthy and active member of the Cornell community.

It is also important to consider other infractions that may have also occurred while under the influence of alcohol. These actions might be met with harsher consequences.

Uncle Ezra

Question #2 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Im a graduate student in an engineering program at Cornell, and have an amazing graduate program administrator. Shes really helpful, warm, and caring-- so much so that my fellow students and I have been discussing some way to recognize her. Are there any university or college awards that we could nominate her for?

Thanks for your help,
Grateful Grad
Dear Engineering Student,
It sounds like your administrator is a true gem and it�s wonderful that you want to recognize her. There are a couple of ways you could go about doing so. One way is to talk to your department chair about nominating this staff person for the George Peter Award for Dedicated Service. This award is sponsored by the Employee Assembly and is given each year to a staff person who goes above and beyond the call of duty to help create an exceptional work environment for all involved. You can get more information about the award and the nomination process by going to the main Human Resources website at http://www.ohr.cornell.edu.

A second possibility is for you and your fellow classmates to honor your beloved administrative staff person on Professional Administrators Day. It�s always in late-April sometime (this year it was April 28th) and work groups will frequently do things like take the administrative staff person out to lunch, buy her a gift, etc. Or finally you can simply speak with one or more of your professors and plan some kind of acknowledgement on your own at a time that works best for everyone involved.

Uncle Ezra

Question #3 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I am a freshman, and wondering about how to properly thank professors for a wonderful semester. In high school, I would often write a kind, heartfelt thank you to teachers with whom I bonded or whose class I especially enjoyed at the end of the year. Now that Im at Cornell, in classes bordering on 300-400 students, Im wondering if that is still appropriate. I very much doubt that if I did write a thank-you note that the professors would know who I am, but at the same time, I want to let these professors know how much I enjoyed their classes and that I appreciate all the effort they put into making the class such a wonderful experience. Is there some sort of protocol for these things?
Thanks

Dear Appreciative Student,
A note of thanks is always appropriate and welcome. Even if the prof has no idea who you are, you know who they are and a heartfelt letter is a way of expressing your thanks for the extra effort the professor put in to make that class exceptional. Another thoughtful gesture, especially for professors who do not have tenure, is to send a copy of your letter to the chair of the department.

Uncle Ezra

Question #4 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I recently received an e-mail from President Skorton about Maintaining Ethical Standards. And I am now forced to question the standards of my CS100M final. It was given on 58 from 9:00 to 11:30 AM in Barton Hall. But unlike all the other prelims and finals Ive taken, the TAs said to start as soon as you got the exam and to sign in once you finished. Because of my location in the hall, I was one of the last people to start the exam, several minutes after 9:00. At 11:30, it was announced the test was over. One of the TAs came up to me and made me leave my pencil at my table to go sign in (without my pencil). While it may have just been a coincidence that the students who received their exams last were forced to get up first, when I got to the sign-in area there were students with pencils in hand still writing on their exam papers. The professors and TAs were standing around and just talking to each other. After I signed in, I stayed to see if they would say anything to these students. But not a single one said anything to them, not even the TA who made me leave my pencil behind at my table. At 11:40, there was still at least one student who was writing on his exam right by the sign-in area where the TAs and professors were standing. Because our grade in the class is based on strictly points without any curve, just 5 minutes could have raised my overall grade significantly and could have meant the difference between passing and failing. I can only imagine what an impact those 10 extra minutes must have had on those lucky students grades. I am now very distraught and aggravated, but I still have to take two more finals and submit a six-essay portfolio. I hope you will bring my concerns to appropriate peoples attentions.
Dear Student,
The professors from CS100M wrote this reply:
"Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We will pay even more attention to proctoring in the future. We had 12 proctors handing out exam paper to about 360 students in Barton Hall so that students would receive the exam paper quickly. While the students didn't get the exam at exactly the same time, the difference was not big. We announced at the end of the exam (11:35, since we started at 9:05) that students should finish writing their last few lines and submit the exam. (More than 2/3 of the class left the exam room early before the end.) It was not our intention to "force" anyone to stop, but perhaps some students got that impression from some of the proctors.

"Please feel free to contact us after you're finished with your exams if you want to talk to us about your concern. If you wish, you can wait until the end of next week after we release the CS100M grades."

Uncle Ezra

Question #5 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Hey Ez,
If you have BRBs and laundry money left over at the end of the year, what happens to the money? Does Housing and Dining use it for anything or is just lost?
Dear Concerned About Left Overs,
All BRB funds are forfeited if they are not used. Cornell Dining uses Dining Plan purchases (including BRB allocations) for the whole year to plan what they can spend on supplies, pay their staff, pay for utilities, return back to the university in �rent�, etc. It�s a complicated process. So there isn�t actually any hard cash to return to students at the end of the year. It�s like going to a buffet and paying a set price. If you leave after eating only one plate of food instead of two, the restaurant owners won�t give you half the admission cost back.

You may have noticed all the signage around the retail units that accept BRB�s recently. This reflects Cornell Dining�s efforts to remind students that they need to use it or lose it by the end of the semester.

As for laundry vending, it works the same way, except students load money onto their laundry accounts in increments. Any money left on the account at the end of the academic year is forfeited.

Uncle Ezra

Question #6 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
What is the Williard Straight Student Union Board? How are its members electedchosen? It was recently told to me that they run Williard Straight. I just wanted to know more information about them and how they operate.
Sincerely,
It never hurts to ask

Dear Student,
Since it opened, Willard Straight Hall was directed by a board of appointed Governors. It was the wish of Willard and his wife Dorothy Straight to create a space on campus that had a more humane feel. "The living room of the campus" as it was once quoted.

Over time, that board has transformed into (S.U.B.), The WSH Student Union Board. S.U.B. is an organization of and for Cornell University students, whose purpose is to foster the spirit of Willard Straight Hall, bring life to the student union mission and enrich the Cornell community through the administration of the building and the programming of events which are both financially sound and responsive to the community's needs and desires.

Membership in the S.U.B. is limited to full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Cornell University, unless otherwise voted by the Executive Board. We still have Director positions open for next year's Board of Directors if anyone is interested they can contact David Bell, 5-4311.

Uncle Ezra

Question #7 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I am looking for a room on campus to hold a reception that: (1) has a piano and (2) is free or very inexpensive.

Any suggestions?
Dear Reception Planner,
There is a piano in the Unit One Lounge in Balch Hall. The professional staff person in that building is Amy Snyder and she is the one who oversees reservations, etc. Her NetID is as874. If you contact her directly she�ll let you know if the lounge might be available for your event. And I believe there is no fee for using it.

Willard Straight Hall has a few rooms with pianos, but I think there is a fee for the use of the room. For a full list of buildings and who to contact see http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Sched/roomres.html.

Uncle Ezra

Question #8 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I have been seeing a lot of construction near MVR and I was wondering what is being built there. Ive heard rumors that it is a new wing and a parking garage. Is there any truth to these rumors?
Dear Reader,

Construction on a new 290-car garage behind Martha Van Rensselaer (MVR) Hall has officially begun. It is the first of a two-phase, $77.7 million construction project; the second phase comprises construction of a new 88,228-square-foot building for the College of Human Ecology on Forest Home Drive that will be connected to MVR.

Slated to open in 2012, the new Human Ecology building will provide the college with state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research in science and design.

It will house a new art gallery, teaching and research labs, design studios, a wood shop, administrative and faculty offices, and conference and seminar space for the college. It will be connected to MVR via an inner courtyard and by way of the new 5,348-square-foot Commons, a large, open, multipurpose interior space. A terrace and exterior walkway will provide extensive outdoor public space and expansive views across Beebe Lake and North Campus.

See the Cornell Chronicle article, by Susan Lang, for the full story, http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Feb08/HumEc.building.sl.html.

Uncle Ezra

Question #9 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I will be transferring to Cornell in Fall 08 and I am interested on living at Lyon Hall. Is there anyway for me find more information about it besides the campus life website.

Thank You,
Not Feminist
Dear Not Feminist,
The Campus Life website is the best place for information. There isn�t any other single repository of information about Lyon or any of the other building in the �Gothics� complex. By signing your name �Not Feminist� I�m thinking that you may be curious about the type of women who choose to live in Lyon? It is in fact a women�s residence hall and has a little over 50 spaces. Those who choose to live there come from a very wide variety of backgrounds, so characterizing residents would be hard (and I�m not even sure this is what you�re asking).

You may want to email the professional staff person in charge of Lyon with some questions. Her name is Lauren Nelson and her NetID is len5 (and that to @cornell.edu for email). We�re looking forward to having you here in the fall!

Uncle Ezra

Question #10 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra:
I am writing this to you from the Campus2Campus bus, and a thought suddenly occurred to me. Should I be tipping the driver when I take the bus? If so, how much?
Dear Wondering About Tipping,
This is a good question because the Campus to Campus bus straddles two VERY different tipping cultures by traveling from Ithaca to NYC. In Ithaca, people tend NOT to tip drivers and other service providers but in NYC it is a given that tipping will take place. Also, you would not tip a Greyhound Bus driver, but would tip a limo or cab driver. So the choice is really yours. I think it�s nice to tip service providers especially given they may not be making a whole lot of money through the salaried portion of their pay. I feel especially inclined when the provider does a particularly good job or when he/she spends time answering questions or assisting me in some way. So use your conscience on this one. If you decide to tip, a few dollars will suffice.

Uncle Ezra

Question #11 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I am in the class of 2010 and I am confused by the median grade announcements. When will median grades start being posted on our transcripts. Does it not affect my year? I heard it will only happen to students who are coming in the next years.

Thanks,
confused
Dear Confused,

In 1996, the University Faculty approved a resolution to post median grades on undergraduate transcripts for most courses. The legislation was intended to help with the grade inflation debate - whether Cornell had harder grading policies than other peer institutions, thereby putting students at a disadvantage. Faculty felt that displaying the median grade would portray a more accurate picture of the student's grade report.
Nice idea, but difficult to implement with an aging student information system. So in response to the resolution the Office of the University Registrar began publishing median grade reports. The reports were to be short lived because a new student system was going to be implemented that did have the capability of printing median grades on the transcript. Ten-plus years later the system is finally here. So, beginning with the class of 2012 (undergraduates entering this fall) median grades will be printed on transcripts, and the reports will no longer be posted on the web. You're exempt.

Uncle Ezra

Question #12 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Why doesnt Human Ecology have Latin Honors? Seems odd and somewhat unfair.
Dear Reader,
It's hard to know the original intent of the College Faculty, but what we do know for sure is that each Cornell college has its own way of doing things! In the College of Human Ecology we award "Degrees with Distinction" to the top 10% of the graduating class. Students who complete an original piece of research leading to an honors thesis earn their degrees with Honors.

Uncle Ezra

Question #13 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I am currently a freshman and enjoy free TCAT bus service. I am staying in Ithaca for the summer, and I was wondering whether this luxury will last throughout the summer.
Dear Bus Rider,
Yes, your Cornell ID should remain valid for use on TCAT buses throughout the summer. But at this time of year the bus dos not come as frequently so it�ll be important to check out the schedule online before you plan to use it. You can do so by going to www.tcatbus.com.

Uncle Ezra

Question #14 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle ezra,
How can I send a care package to an off-campus student? Possible?

Thanks!
Sue in Asheville, NC
Dear Sue,
Yes, It is possible to send a care package to a student off campus (On campus students receive care packages supplied by Cornell Dining which can only be delivered to one of the Service Centers). There are several web-based companies that specialize in sending gift baskets and other goodies anywhere in the U.S. One of them is http://www.surprise.com. They have a special section of gifts �for college students�. But if you don�t see what you are looking for at this particular site, you might also want to ask about care package creation and mailing at your local gourmet food store or florist. Whatever you chose I�m sure your student will feel very happy about receiving something special in the mail.

Uncle Ezra

Question #15 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Im going to the summer college this year! are we allowed to have parties?
Dear Summer College Student,
Congratulations on your acceptance to Cornell Summer College. For many, it is one of the most wonderful experiences of their lives.

Here is the response that I received form the summer residence life staff:
"If a student wants to have a small party in their room - i.e. for someone's birthday, a Friday night gathering, etc. students may do this with the support and guidance from their Residential Community Advisor. The rooms have capacity limits due to fire codes, so the RCA can help them sort through rules to make sure it is safe.

"Though I shouldn't have to state this - parties with alcohol are absolutely forbidden due to the age of the students. Students could be removed from the program which results in no credit and no grades for the courses taken - even if they have already taken the final exams and passed."

Uncle Ezra

Question #16 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Today I received an email from the Cornell Store telling me that some of the books from my course schedule are being bought back at 50% by the store. The email encouraged me to sell back these books at that price if I wished.
This gave me cause for some alarm. At first, I thought they were just telling me that the books Id purchased from the store for the course were being bought back. But then I looked at the names of the two books and remembered that I hadnt actually ever bought these, I had just photocopied their relevant parts from the library.
This could only mean that the Cornell Store has access to my course schedule and knows which courses Ive been enrolled in this year so they could inform me of personalized buy-back options, regardless of my purchases.
I dont know how to feel about this. Isnt giving the Cornell Store everyones course schedule a violation of students privacy? I know the store is owned and operated by Cornell, but its still a for-profit venture, isnt it? I wonder if giving out students schedules to the store is strictly legal, since it could be used for consumer research purposes without our consent. I would appreciate your help in the matter.
Thank you very much.
Your bewildered niece.
Dear Bewildered,

Here's what the Cornell Store staff had to say in response to your question:

For many years, The Cornell Store has received student schedules from the Office of the Registrar in order to provide services that have been requested either by the administration or by students. Our system matches the course information to our book list and is able to display each student's book list by schedule on our web site and at kiosks in the store. Those lists can only be viewed after the student logs in and is authenticated, so the data remains confidential. We post the book lists before the beginning of each term and include ISBNs, which makes the process of purchasing textbooks from us, or any of our competitors, a much smoother task.

Cornell no longer provides paper drop slips because that process is now conducted online. As a department of the university (not-for-profit actually), the store provides the paperless verification of drop so that students can return texts from dropped courses for up to three days after the drop date, regardless of when they were purchased. The store's system tracks the classes that drop from a student's schedule and then validates that they are eligible for the returns extension. Students really value both of these services and we maintain the confidentiality of the data in accordance with the university's (appropriately) strict policies.

Our email communications are sent only to students who have agreed to hear from us. During the past two academic years we've encouraged students, faculty, and staff to give us permission to communicate with them through email. Nearly every full time student has chosen to participate. Each of our messages offers a clear opt out opportunity and customers can also manage their preferences on our web site. Very few have opted out of the program, but those that have do not receive any further communication from us.

Students have asked us to provide more used textbooks, and our best method for obtaining used copies is to buy them back from Cornell students. In December of 2006 we began using the course schedules to send students personalized lists of titles we are buying back for 50% of the new book price, regardless of whether they purchased their book from us. Many students were unaware of how much money they could get back, and we've been able to increase our inventory of used copies, so students have benefited in two ways. The schedule information remains confidential.

The Cornell Store is not a for-profit organization, although we need to cover our operating costs in order to run the business in a sustainable fashion. We are a department of the university whose mission is to provide course materials. In addition to providing every title requested for each course, we do everything we can to minimize the total cost to students. Purchasing used books and selling back those no longer needed are the most effective tools students have to reduce the cost of textbooks (other than making copies in the library, of course). We see the personalized emails as a service to our students and feel that most of them agree. In all our activities we adhere to the university's standards for data protection, confidentiality, decision-making and accountability to students, faculty and staff.

Uncle Ezra

Question #17 5/15/2008

Uncle Ezra — 2008-05-15T06:00:00+01:00

dear unc,
have we missed the 08 athletic rummage sale?
Dear Sports Enthusiast,
Yes, the rummage sale is in March each year so you did miss it.

And, I, Uncle Ezra, will miss all of you! Please have a wonderful summer. Take time to relax and have fun, laugh a lot, do something new, read that book you always wanted to, but didn't get around to, look up some old friends. And above all be grateful for all that you have. Take the time to appreciate the little things that others do for you and think about what you can do to make someone else's life a bit easier. Happy summer!

Uncle Ezra