Dear Curious Halloweener,

Llenroc (Cornell spelled backwards) is the beautiful Gothic Revival mansion I had built for my family, but I died before it was completed in 1875. The mansion stayed in my family’s possession until 1911, when my successors sold the house to the Delta Phi fraternity, whose brothers reside there today. The building is located at 100 Cornell Avenue and was constructed of what is known as Llenroc limestone, hauled from a quarry just west of White Hall.

Delta Phi turns Llenroc into a haunted house each Halloween. This year, it will be held Friday, Oct. 29. The Delta Phi brothers haven’t nailed down a time yet, but they said it usually starts about 7 or 8 pm and goes til 10 or 11. You can check their website (www.llenroc.org) closer to Halloween, look for flyers, or ask around.

You just might run into my ghost there!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Niece,

I can see how sad and disappointed you are that she decided to live with others next year, especially since you consider her your best friend.  You value that friendship and with this change probably worried that you might lose that friendship.

I congratulate you both on having diverse groups of friends to hang out with.  It is unusual for any one person to meet all of our needs.  Ups and downs are also a part of any relationship and the indicator of a good relationship is not whether you have ups and downs but how you handle them.

The two of you are now faced with one of these challenges in your relationship.  One person's needs are changing, while to other person's aren't.  Navigating this transition will take some skill, but my guess is that your long history together and your past success in communicating will benefit you during this time. 

You have done a very good job of explaining your thoughts and feelings to me and so my advice is to now let her know how you feel.  It will be important to mention how much you appreciate her friendship, but that you also want her to be happy, and you are also afraid of losing the closeness that the two of you have by living together.  Discuss ideas about how you can remain in touch after you are no longer living together. Remember that you still have time to live with her and that you really don't want to sacrifice the time you have left together by being miserable and lonely.  Think of some special things you might do together to celebrate this friendship that can clearly continue after the move. 

Try to brainstorm opportunities and positive consequences that may come from this event that feels traumatic to you right now.  When you take time to imagine a positive future in detail, you will recognize signs of that positive future unfolding.  That way you can continue doing what is working to make you happier.

During transitions, and always, it is helpful to jot down a number of things that bring you happiness each day.  Appreciating what you do have will enable you to weather challenges and changes in your life.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Dorothy,

I asked Michael Tomlan, professor and director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, to answer your question. His response: “It is a nice story but, unfortunately, has no basis in fact.  ‘Yellow’ bricks are common throughout the Great Lakes region, a feature that is primarily the result of the chemical nature of the clay that is burnt to produce them.”  

It is true that many of Ithaca’s downtown streets were paved with bricks back in the old days—and some of that brick was yellow still under the asphalt on those streets. So, yes, Dorothy, you can follow the Yellow Brick Road in Ithaca.  For the more typical red brick paved streets in Ithaca just drive down Stewart Avenue near Buffalo Street for a wild and bumpy ride!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Pre-Med,

I would love to answer your question and I totally understand the anxiety that this decision creates for you.  It sounds like there are a number of good options open to you and the important thing right now is to have a conversation with someone who has the information you need to make some informed decisions.

A premed advisor like Judy Jensvold in the Cornell Career Center can do that for you. Please see her soon. She is the Senior Associate Director in Health Careers at 103 Barnes Hall

• Walk-ins:  Monday-Thursday, 3:00 to 4:00 pm; Fridays 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
  Summers: 1:30 - 2:30, M-F
• Telephone/E-mail: Direct line 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm almost every day (607-255-0542); jmj5
•  By appointment: See Information Services Assistants in 103 Barnes Hall or phone 255-5296.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Hangten,

If you are talking about surfing the ocean’s waves, I’m not coming up with an answer. So, readers out there, anyone know some surfing profs?

You could check out the Cayuga Windsurfing Club, which was formed by a handful of enthusiasts to rejuvenate the sport of windsurfing on Cayuga Lake. Go to http://groups.google.com/group/cayuga-windsurfing?lnk= or call 914-320-5483 for more information.

There’s a course offered by Cornell Outdoor Education, PE 1617 Surfing in Baja Mexico, this spring. The course description says, “Whether students are catching a wave or spotting dolphins, this class is sure to excite! Students will spend their nights overlooking the ocean from their cliffside campsite and their days catching a wave. Participants will learn the basics of how to surf, ocean safety, and basic outdoor living skills.” For details, contact Chris Leeming at CSL45@cornell.edu. learn the basics of how to surf, ocean safety, and basic outdoor living skills.” For details, contact Chris Leeming at CSL45@cornell.edu.

It is also important to know that your advisor doesn't have to be a surfer to advise, just a faculty or staff member at the university willing to support your organization.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Studious,

You are correct that that libraries are not open before 10AM on weekends, http://www.library.cornell.edu/FallHours2010, but do you need a library or just a quiet place to study.

There are many places like Community Centers and Willard Straight Hall that open at or before 8AM on Saturday and Sunday that have lovely, comfortable, quiet rooms for studying.

Hope that helps and good luck on your pre-lims. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Archi-wannabe,

Your uncle thinks that you’ll need to get much better advice than I can give you, my artistic nephew. The staff in the AAP Office of Advising and Diversity, in B1 W. Sibley Hall, 255-4376, can tell you about your chances of switching to an architecture major. A staff member there says that you should come in or call their office to make an appointment with a counselor.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Peg,

Contact Student Disability Services (SDS) at 607-254-4545 to discuss transportation options, including CULift, as well as access to buildings and classrooms. SDS has a responsibility for ensuring equitable access for students to courses, programs and services. With regard to accessible entrances to buildings, there is a map that provides information on accessible entrances to buildings at http://www.cornell.edu/disability/docs/ADA_Parking&Entrances.pdf (for best viewing, zoom it up to 150-200%).

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Anonymous,

There is not a minimum GPA requirement to participate in Panhellenic sorority recruitment at Cornell; however, each individual sorority may have a minimum GPA requirement that they follow as a guideline for selecting new members.  This GPA is usually set by the sorority's national organization and is consistent from campus to campus.  The sororities do have a list of the college you are in as completed on your recruitment registration, but membership decisions are at their discretion.  You would be eligible to sign up to participate in Panhellenic recruitment (http://dos.cornell.edu/greek/info_for_students/index.cfm).  Below is the exact text from the recruitment registration form:

*Although Panhellenic does not require a grade point average to participate in Formal Membership Recruitment, each of the sorority chapters has a minimum grade point average for pledging. These range from a 2.50 to 3.00 on a four-point scale. I understand that if my grade point average is below the minimum or much lower than the average, my chances of joining may be lower.

*I understand at some point of the recruitment process, I may be asked to report my grade point average to each Panhellenic Sorority at Cornell University and, with my consent, permit the Panhellenic Council of Cornell University to verify it.

I suggest you speak to Alison Ewing, Panhellenic Council President at aee8@cornell.edu or Laura Sanders, Assistant Dean of Students, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, lew76@cornell.edu for further information.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Need to Save Paper,

Thanks for calling me “wise.” I found this information on the Library’s website and confirmed it with a phone call: You can use the photocopiers in Uris, Olin, and Kroch Libraries, which can scan two-sided documents directly to your USB drive or send to your email. There are two public photocopiers on the main level of Uris Library past the Circulation and Reference Desks. Olin has copiers on the Lower Level and in Room 402 on the Fourth Floor. Kroch has copiers on both stack levels.

There’s also a full copy center on the Lower Level of Olin Library. From the entrance to Olin, make a right. Continue down the hall to the elevators, press “B” to reach the Lower Level, and take a right. Copy Services is the second office on the right.

Their hours are Monday to Thursday 8:00 am–4:30 pm and Friday
8:00 am–3:30 pm.

For more details, call 255-4700 or go to http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/info/photocopy.html.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Googled Out,

Wikipedia probably has the most comprehensive list of famous Cornell faculty members. Its list of legendary Cornellians, including alumni, goes on for more than 30 pages!

Wikipedia says Burt Green Wilder was a professor of Neurology and Vertebrate Zoology from 1867 to 1910, and Carl L. Becker was the John Wendell Anderson Professor of History from 1917 to 1941. But shame of Wikipedia for not including Alice Cook in its list of illustrious faculty. Cook, after whom one of the new West Campus residence houses was named, was a professor of Industrial and Labor Relations from 1952 until 1973, and was the university’s first ombudsman. There’s a great write-up on Professor Cook at http://alicecookhouse.cornell.edu/who-was-alice-cook.cfm.

As always, confirm the information you get from Wikipedia from other sources, but it is a good starting point.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear EC Nephew,

If you want an overview of everything this campus recycles —computers and electronic stuff, refrigerators, furniture, steel, and the usual paper products, glass and plastics, aluminum cans and much, much more —visit the Grounds Department Recycling Center, 307 East Palm Road (out past the Vet College and across Route 366) between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays. 

Closer to home—if you live in a residence hall—custodians collect fluorescent lamps of all kinds (compact as well as tube-type) in the custodian “closets.” (For batteries, most residence halls have collection points somewhere on the ground floor). Try to get to know the custodians in your building. And if you think they’re doing a good job, a word of “Thanks” goes a long ways.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear “R” on Your Transcript,

The Registrar says that the “R” will be changed to a letter grade once you have completed the entire course. So nothing to worry about . . . just keep up your good work!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Going to Cortland,

Getting to Cortland will be quite a bit quicker on a motor coach than the stage coaches of my day.

First, you take TCAT bus route 43 from the Statler to TC3 in Dryden. See http://tcat.nextinsight.com/routes/326 for departures from Statler, which go about every hour or two depending on the time of day. Then, from the TC3 stop, catch the Cortland Transit route 6 to several stops on Broadway in Cortland and SUNY Cortland, among others. To see times and all stops in Cortland, go to http://www.odyssey.net/subscribers/corttrans/CTS%20Route%206.html. 

You’ll need exact change for all buses. TCAT’s fare is $1.50 and the Cortland bus fare is $1.00.

Uncle Ezra