Dear Uncle Ezra - Questions for Thursday, April 19, 2012

Dear Uncle Ezra,

As the weather warms up, I've noticed more musicians playing on the Commons; in addition, I've always appreciated the music at the Farmer's Market. This makes me curious about the procedures behind this tradition of public music. Do you have to sign up somewhere to play at the Farmer's market, or do you just show up and claim a spot? Do you need some sort of permit to play on the Commons, or is it all good so long as you don't cause a noise violation?

Dear Market Goer,

The Ithaca Farmer's Market is a wonderful place to hang out, see friends, buy produce and handmade goods, as well as sit by the Cayuga inlet and enjoy a delicious lunch! Musicians have had to reserve a spot by lottery in the past. To check out the present procedures contact them with this site: http://www.ithacamarket.com/contact-us/. For more info on this amazing Ithaca adventure, http://www.ithacamarket.com/.

The Ithaca Commons is the home to live music all summer on Thursdays and Contra Dancing every Monday evening. There is always a great pre-Grassroots concert the Wednesday before the Festival. And don't forget the Ithaca Festival, four days of music and performances the first weekend of June. Oh and then there is the Ithaca Festival Parade on Thursday...but I digress!

Contact the Ithaca Downtown Business Alliance for info about performing on The commons, http://www.downtownithaca.com/. Downtown Ithaca is the place to enjoy the best that upstate New York has to offer. Surrounded by waterfalls, lakes, and forests, nowhere else in the region can you find such a wide variety of shops, restaurants, theatres, and historic architecture.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra, I'm planning to stay in Ithaca this summer for the first time, and I'm not sure what to expect. I have housing figured out, but is there a place where I can find out what changes over the summer? Specifically, I'm wondering what will be different in terms of food options, transportation (will my buss pass still work?), etc. Thanks!

Dear Summer Resident,

Summertime is a great time to be in Ithaca – and we’re glad you’ve settled on housing for that time period. Cornell Dining offers a number of meal plan options that you can find at dining.cornell.edu. Several Cornell Dining eateries are open during the summer months. While that schedule is not yet completed, it will be shortly and you can find it again at dining.cornell.edu. If you prefer to take some of your meals off campus, our City Bucks program may be for you. Right now, we have 24 participating merchants – some in Collegetown, some downtown, all convenient. You can find more info at http://www.campuslife.cornell.edu/campuslife/dining/new-city-bucks.cfm.

Related to TCAT routes and your individual bus pass, please see http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/parking/commuting/busservices/students.cfm or talk with the transportation team. They’ll be happy to answer your specific questions.

Have a great summer. TCAT has extra rountes in the summer to take you to the State Parks and other Ithaca attractions that you shouldn't miss.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,

I'm going to be in Ithaca in the summer and as a way to make some extra money I was wondering, does AAP have need for any nude models? I have some experience, and if you could just let me know who to contact (again, if available) that would be fantastic. Really, any location in the Ithaca area. I tried googling it but "art model Ithaca" gave me nothing, and "nude model Ithaca" gave me awful things.

Thanks as usual for all your wisdom and researching prowess!

Dear Potential Model,

The Art Department does indeed still use models for some of its courses. They currently source all of their models through Stafkings, so if you want to be considered for a position, you will need to send them your information.

You can do so by going to www.stafkings.com/ or contacting them at 607-273-5335.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Student.

For those students who are international, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) has some readily available resources with regard to filing taxes. http://www.isso.cornell.edu/tax/tax.php

For those students who are residents of the US, Cornell suggests that you visit a professional tax service provider including H&R Block or Turbo Tax. There is an H&R Block office in the Ithaca Mall, and bus #30 will take you there.

Good luck with your taxes.

Uncle Ezra

DUE,

I know rental Cars are not reimbursed for clubs receiving funds through the SAFC, but I was wondering if "Ithaca Carshare" fees might be? I could not find anything in the guidelines about this. Cornell already subsidizes a lot of Carshare memberships for students and employees. It would make sense that Carshare would be a valid method of transportation for SAFC funding.

Dear Student,

SAFC cannot reimburse any transportation costs that are accrued in Tompkins County. However, mileage associated with travel outside of Tompkins county will be reimbursed.

Thus, if you used the Ithaca Carshare outside of Tompkins County, then that mileage would be reimbursed. The fees to use those cars would not be reimbursed.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,

I am a BioEngineering major and I applied to CALS. However, I know that after my Sophomore year, I was automatically co-registered in both CALS and COE. Does it matter what color tassel I get for graduation?

Dear Student,

The Bio-Engineering program is a unique one in that it is shared between the College of Engineering and CALS. You should contact the registrar from either college (since they share the same student information system), and they will tell you which college you will be graduating from. Once you have this information, you can be sure to order the correct tassel.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,

I am a junior living in campus housing, and I want to volunteer for senior week. Will the dorms still be open? If not, what other housing options can I see?

-Senior Week helper

Dear Senior Week Helper,

Thanks so much for volunteering for Senior Week!

All of Cornell’s undergraduate residences close for the academic year on Saturday, May 19 at 2:00pm. Only graduating seniors may stay in their building beyond that time to participate in Commencement. Unfortunately, non-graduating students who are volunteering during senior week are not permitted to stay in university housing during that time.

My friends in the Office of Fraternities, Sororities & Independent Living suggest that you look for a sublet for the time you’ll be on campus. You can find sublets listed on their Search Rental Listings website. You may also join Cornell’s “OFSIL” listserv, which provides a forum for those seeking housing, looking for someone to share housing with, or looking for sublets/subletters. Subscribe here (type "Join" in the subject line and leave the body of the email blank). Once you no longer need the listserv you may unsubscribe here (the subject line must be blank, and type "Leave" in the body of the email).

Another option, and maybe the best, is to think of a friend who lives in an apartment with a housemate who will be gone for that week.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,

I was recently looking at the big red buck package and noticed that big red bucks expire. I understand that this is legal in New York. However, in 9 states this is illegal. How can Cornell dining justify activity that is so immoral that it is found to be illegal in 9 states. Secondly, I noticed that there is a $50 administrative fee regardless of whether you get a $4,000 meal plan or a $250 big red bucks plan. This does not make sense, why would someone ever pay a $50 fee to have the right to spend $250 at a store. Wouldn't a more reasonable fee structure be a percentage of the dollar amount the plan costs, and be for all you can eat plans only?

Dear Concerned About Big Red Bucks,

Cornell Dining meal plans are tax exempt – whether our students select our Golden Bear unlimited access plan or the $250 Big Red Bucks plan. This means that New York State provides us the opportunity to give our customers extra buying power in Cornell Dining eateries. New York State tax law PROHIBITS us from engaging in the activity you refer to in your letters. To do so would jeopardize our tax exempt status, and would truly be illegal.

Cornell Dining charges a $50 administrative fee to cover costs associated with managing and administering meal plans – staff dedicated to helping our customers resolve issues, cover credit card fees, change or cancel meal plans – all of the activities that our customers need throughout the academic year.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Ezra Cornell,

I am an admitted student who hopefully(If finances allow) will be attending this University. I will be studying a science in the college of arts and sciences, however, I am also a classical pianist(11 years now) and I do not want my talent to be reduced down to a mere hobby. I have read on a web-page of Cornell University there are several Steinway D pianos on campus, are any of these instruments readily accessible to people like myself? I am simply trying to circumvent having to pay 100$ a semester to use the practice rooms in Lincoln Hall.

Kalen

Dear Kalen,

A similar question was asked on October 12, 2010. I noted some other locations of pianos that may be useful for those who are piano enthusiasts.

“Some of the most accessible pianos around campus include:

• A baby grand in the Reading Room (Browsing Library) in Willard Straight Hall.

• On North Campus, there’s a piano in the Wendy Purcell Lounge in RPCC—just go to the Service Center there to get a key to the room.

• On West Campus, Ethan Stephenson, Assistant House Dean of William Keeton House, writes: “Four of the five houses on West have two pianos, one on the common room and one in the music room. The common room is available to the entire Cornell community but some of the music rooms are located in sections of the house that are only accessible to residents of that house. Becker House has two pianos in its common room, one a 1937 Steinway baby grand, which was a gift.””

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra, I really find teaching very interesting and have a deep interest in becoming a TA (a discussion section TA, a grader TA, a tutor, whatever is available) next semester; however, the problem is that I'm in the College of Arts and Science and I heard that it's very difficult if not impossible for Arts and Sciences students to become a TA.

I'm primarily interested in Chemistry, Economics and Math (but more interested in the first two) - all of which are departments in the College of Arts and Science. I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find myself a TA position in these departments (if those positions do exist). If not, do you think it will be possible for these departments opera open up TA positions to students?

Yours sincerely, Hopeful TA

Dear Hopeful TA,

It’s wonderful to hear that you have a passion and deep interest in teaching others. If you are interested in becoming a TA, it is best to contact the departments that you are interested in working with. They will have more information about which courses would need TAs and they can also direct you to the professors in charge of those courses.

For the departments you mentioned, Economics department is located in 404 Uris, Chemistry is in 131 Baker Lab, and Math is in 310 Malott Hall.

Another way to approach this would be to contact professors in courses that you did well in to see if they need TAs next semester.

Additionally, you should consider looking through the Cornell student employment website, as there are frequently posting for tutors. http://studentemployment.cornell.edu/

Uncle Ezra