Dear Uncle Ezra - Questions for Saturday, January 24, 1987

DEAR UNCLE EZRA
I AM A SENIOR APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL. I GOT A UX IN P.E. FRESHAMAN YEAR, AND THE LSDAS CREDITED IT ON MY TRANSCRIPT SUMMARY AS A 1 CREDIT F. I SENT THEM A CORRECTED COPY BUT YESTERDAY I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET BECAUSE THEY HAD ASSUMED IT WAS AN IDENTICAL TRANSCRIPT. I CALLED ALL THE LAW SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED THE MESSED-UP TRANSCRIPT SUMMARY, AND TOLD THEM THAT A NEW ONE WOULD BE SENT, AND THE LSDAS IS SUPPOSED TO CORRECT IT TOMORROW. BUT I AM A MERVOUS WRECK BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THAT AT THE SCHOOLS WHERE MY FILE IS COMPLETE NOW I'LL GET DINGED BECAUSE OF THIS. I DID WELL ON THE LSAT, AND I HAVE A GOOD GPA, BUT THIS IS MAKING ME REALLY NERVOUS. DO YOU KNOW IF THE SCHOOLS WILL BOTHER TO LOOK ON MY TRANSCRIPT IF THEY START REVIEWING BEFORE THE UPDATED CORRECT TRANSCRIPT GETS THERE? HELP ME PLEASE!!! A NEUROTIC SENIOR

Dear Uncle Ezra:

I wrote to you yesterday about residence hall programming, but forgot to ask you about the Experimental College. Would they be prepared to hold classes in residence halls, if sufficient interest were shown, and if proper funding were available? Thanks for your help. JS

DEAR UNCLE EZRA,
IF WE CAN SEND ONE MAN TO THE MOON, WHY CAN'T WE SEND ALL OF THEM?

STILL CURIOUS

Dear Uncle Ezra:
I have found that i understood all the material in one of my courses, but that I did not have time to do justice to the individual projects. How do I tell that a course requires too much work before I take it. i find this particularly hard because i assume that i am challenging myself. I am really over extending myself. Learned too late

Dear Learned Too Late,
Your questions reflects a sentiment expressed by many: How can I know what I'm getting myself into before it's too late? What's the line between challeng- ing and overextending? You can talk with fellow students, but what's "too much" for someone else may be "just right" for you. You can ask the professors and TA's what's expected for a course, but that doesn't tell you whether you'll have difficulty meeting those expectations. Given that we all have to balance priorities, most of us feel we cannot "do complete justice" to each project we're engaged in. It becomes a matter of doing the best you can with what time you have. The fact that you understood all the material in this course is what's most significant. It's unrealistic to ask more of yourself. Uncle Ezra

Uncle Ezra

Dear Unc
How do you make a guy like you if he only thinks of you as a sister? What if this guy is also your best friends brother?

Unwilling Sibling

Dear Unwilling,
First of all, you can't MAKE anybody like you. But I assume your best friend's brother already likes you, or he wouldn't treat you like a sister. Maybe you mean "like" in other, more romantic terms. If that's so, maybe he's treating you like a sister (and nothing more) out of respect for his sibling. You could try the indirect, more direct, or direct approach. Indirect: tell your best friend about your interest in his/her brother, and ask your friend to convey your intentions. (Seems a bit high-schoolish, but it makes it easy for this guy to be honest without hurting your feelings if the interest IS only platonic.) More direct: start dropping hints with the guy or be flirtatious and see how he responds. Direct: ask him out on a date, so you can get to know him better without his sibling around, and see what develops. In the old days women had to wait, and men had to ask. It's a new age. Now you can decide what approach is best for you. Good luck.

Uncle Ezra

DEAR UNCLE EZRA:

WHY ARE THERE NO DOORS ON THE MEN'S ROOM STALLS IN OLIN LIBRARY?

????????

Dear Wondering About No Privacy,
Apparently, a few years ago a University Librarian learned that the downstairs public men's room in Olin had become a preferred meeting place on campus for gay men. This person freaked out and ordered the men's room closed. This was strongly protested by some of the male staff members. The compromise was to reopen the men's room, but remove the doors from all the stalls so there wouldn't be any privacy.
When you raised this question, and I consulted a current member of the staff about the issue, he volunteered to write a letter to the new University Librarian, Alain Seznec, about this matter and see whether he will order the doors re-installed. Hopefully, privacy may return to Olin.

Uncle Ezra

dear uncle ez,
how come uris libe doesn't have an eating room?  they are the most paranoid--have you seen the signs?  i mean, mann libe has places to eat, just as long as things are not brought upstairs--but still they don't treat us like overgrown three-year olds once we get there. i guess i'd just like to know why uris is such an exception.  aren't all the cornell libraries affiliated?  thanks a lot (yes, this is two words, see?), it's really been eating at me (groan!).

                                     i can't study unless i EAT

                  (grab a sandwich and turn the page...Ezra responds)

DEAR UNC:

WHY DOES IT SNOW SO MUCH IN ITHACA?

NOT FROSTY

Dear Already Snowed Under,
Actually, we here in Ithaca do NOT get as much snow as much of upstate New York. You might have seen big snowstorms on TV in such cities as Buffalo, Rochester, or even Syracuse, our closest neighbor. These cities are in the path of the jet stream that travels across the great lakes. This is why these cities get LAKE EFFECT snow, whereas we are just far enough south to avoid this lake effect snow. Syracuse usually gets over THREE times as much snow as we do, and many of my friends who went to high school there remember the winters when they would get over 10 days off of school. So enjoy the snow, consider taking up skiing, and be thankful that we aren't further north. If this isn't enough, you might consider the Univ. of Miami for graduate work.

Uncle Ezra

DEAR UNCLE EZRA:

SHOULD A FRESHMAN WOMAN PURSUE A GRADUATE STUDENT AS A POSSIBLE MATE, OR IS THIS NOT A WISE THING TO DO? ON THE BRINK

Dear OTB:

Are you at Cornell to earn your B.A., B.S., or Mrs.? Your question about whether or not this is wise suggests you have some doubts that need to be addressed. There's plenty of time, so don't rush into a lifetime commitment. Dating a variety of people during your undergraduate years will help you learn about yourself and what qualities in a mate are important to you. It does take more than love to make a relationship work. Graduate students can make fine mates, and any age difference will be less significant over time. It's more a question of what life experiences you want before marriage. Know yourself, get to know your possible mate, and (if you're still interested) then discuss marriage. Then you'll have a better idea of what's wise to do.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra:

Why did the university build Bradfield Hall with no windows on the outside except tiny ones at the ends of the halls? Is cost more important than sanity? While we're at it, we'd like to know how come Acadamic II has no windows on its west side (it being the side with a view)? Are there any new cavern-buildings coming?

Sincerely, A Couple of Unwilling Troglodytes

Dear Unwilling Troglodytes:

Yours is the latest in a spate of questions about University architecture. Clearly, many of us in the University community have questions, opinions, and concerns about what's going up around us. Since Uncle Ezra cannot become the authority, may I suggest in the future you contact Herb Pallen at 255-7784 for questions concerning statutory buildings, and David Stewart at 255-4908 (he has completed some articles for the Cornell Chronicle on this subject). There is not a simple answer. The following is a partial explaination. In the design process for new buildings the department who will reside there works with the architect to see that their needs are taken care of. Apparently windows would limit the use of the rooms for some laboratories, and useful space often takes precedence over beautiful space. Then there is the question of long term maintenance, utility, and energy savings, which must be paid partially through students' tuition. To counterbalance these and other considerations, final designs must be approved by a University-wide Architectual Review Committee chaired by Senior Vice-President Bill Herbster. Their job, in part, is to balance aesthetics, short- and long-term costs, and function. My guess is that the new buildings have been designed and built more for function than form; building a concrete box is probably cheaper than trying to acheive an ergonomic building that's aesthetic too. Bricks and windows add to the cost, an are a concession to some people's desire for an interesting "skin" and daylight. Academic 1 promises to echo the trend, but I haven't seen any recent plans. If you want to see a building with windows and angles, just wait for the Biotechnology Center; it will break the current mold! Sorry if this still leaves you in the dark; it's tough finding people willing to cast light on this issue.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,
What country are persimmons from and how do you eat them? The seeds or the whole thing. Fruitty

Dear Fruity,
According to Frank Liu in the Pomology Department (255-5438), there are two varieties of persimmon. One variety originated on the North American continent; it has a small berry, and is not grown commerically. The other variety originated in China, was extensively developed in Japan, and is now grown in California; its berry is larger, and it is grown commerically.
Less than a month ago, when I was visiting in North Carolina, I ate my first persimmon berries straight from a tree. (I've had plenty of persimmon pudding - yum yum!) Based on the size of the berries - smaller than a plum - I assume this was the North American variety. The berries were cinnamon colored, had several watermelon-sized seeds which I did not eat, had a mushy texture, and tasted good. If you are offered any persimmon pudding, go for it! If you want to try the berries, be prepared for the texture; it's like eating pudding with a skin.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra and friends,
I am the depressed grad student who wrote about having problems with the chair of her committee (see p. 2 above). I want to thank everyone that wrote for their support (especially you Uncle Ezra!) and encouragement. It is very hard to deal with the situation of sexual harrassment. In part the situation is so insidious that it is difficult to even label. Add to that, it is totally discouraging to be faced with the reality that people are not dealing with me as a person with sharp mind, but as a sort of oddity, an interesting aside to academia. When I read some of the questions others asked I wanted to make some suggestions. Look at the resources that are currently available for victims of harrassment on this campus. At best, the huge system that is required to maintain the adminstrative functioning of a university like Cornell is cumbersome. In a situation where harrassment is involved, there are serious problems that need to be addressed by the administration. Education of staff, faculty and students alike is a necessary part of the process that must occur in order to produce an environment that permits change in what is currently a well accepted way of dealing with people. But the wheels that turn a big machine are slow, and the individuals who are victims are not able to wait for some future day to find a place of security and peace. The question is not only what can be done on an administrative level, but what can be done on a personal level to deal with the individuals involved. While, as one person suggested, revenge may be an option, it does little to actually improve the situation. Perhaps, in fact, it makes the problem worse by encouraging individuals to be more covert in their activities. In addition, I find that inflicting suffering on others is not nearly as satisfying as actually seeing them change and learn. What can we do then, if our aim is change? Perhaps we can all become teachers. Share information in your department, sponsor workshops in your dorm, put information in people's mailboxes, talk to people in your classes, etc. For me, the situation here has brought me to a new understanding of what it means to be oppressed. I never knew before. Now I carry in my heart an understanding that is worthwhile, though painful. It is sometimes easier to be concerned about oppression in far away places, and to turn our backs on issues that occur here at home. If we are actually indignant about the situation, then we should be motivated to take action and to participate in helping to bring about change. I may not stay at Cornell, but while I'm here, I will put what I can into making it a place that is healthy and positive for people that come after me. Thanks for reading, hope some of you hear me. A Stronger Grad Student

Dear Uncle Ezra:

What are those ugly buildings being put up on the engineering quad? And when will they be taken done they're a disgusting eyesore! Sore Eyes

Dear Sore,
According to Kenneth Sill, the Assistant Director of Administrative Opera- tions and Facilities for the College of Engineering, the two prefabricated buildings under construction behind Carpenter Library are to be office space for the Theory Center. A new building for the Theory Center is still in the plan- ning stages, but is expected to be completed in under 3 years. At that time the pre-fab units will probably disappear and the Engineering Quad will be restored to its former beauty. Should the work be completed earlier, the buildings might be used to house other facilities. Even in this case, though, they should be gone in less than 3 years. The campus is covered with construction these days; it's only fitting the engineers should get their share. In a few years Cornell should return to (relative) peace and quiet. Uncle Ezra

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I am currently a first semester Junior and am on Final academic warning. I have received three previous warnings due to failing three English
classes, each in a different semester. Other than that, I am not a bad student. I've finally licked the English problem and now I have another one. My French 203 teacher is going to flunk me for missing more than 8 days of lectures and sections this semester (the class meets for section 3 times a week and lecture once a week). This policy was made clear at the beginning of the semester, and I had no intention of violating it. Unfortunately, I was ill twice this semester and missed several classes. Also, at the beginning of the semester, I made several changes to my schedule which caused me to miss some classes. I always tried to make up the classes whenever possible, but according to my professor and TA, I've missed a total of 10 days. The professor refuses to accept my last illness as excused, basically she is accusing me of lying about my being sick even though the TA could see in section that I was ill. I've talked to people in the academic advising office in Goldwin Smith and they told me that an F in a class this semester would probably mean that I would be requested to take a leave of absence next year. I've seriously considered whether this would be a good thing for me at this time and I've come to the conclusion that the negatives (losing financial aid, having to to work for just one year before coming back, being one year behind, mental strain on my parents, etc.) outweigh any possible pros of the decision. I'd like to know what I can do to convince the academic committee that a leave of absence would be more harmful than helpful. I really feel that I am not a bad student who needs more motivation and time off to appreciate a university education, I already do appreciate the opportunity to learn here, and have been trying my best to learn, especially this semester (I have been working 25-35 hours/week and being a full-time student, believe me it hasn't been easy. I calculated that I've been getting an average of 4 or 5 hours sleep a night and 1 and a half meals a day. And I've forgotten the meaning of a social life. That's why I feel so bummed that my prof believes that I've just been blowing off her class or something when I've been doing my best. I know it's her perogative to accept or not accept my illness as an excuse. I've explained my situation to her, and I wish she could have been more understanding. I really want to learn the language and I was willing to make up any work. The TA even volunteered to help me make up some work I had not done, and when I told the professor, she said that it was asking too much from the TA (I hadn't asked) and that she would not allow it.) I think that the absences notwithstanding I could have gotten at least a C or C- in the class. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do? I will be writing to the Committee soon and including a letter from my supervisor (I work as an RA) as a witness that I was ill since I did not check in with Gannett (if I had been well enough to drag myself out of bed to go to Gannett in order to be told I was sick, I would have just gone to class. In any event, I have been sick before and missed classes before in my 5 semesters at Cornell and no one so far has told me that I needed to go to Gannett just to verify that I was ill at all. In any case, if the concern is for the truth, anyone can go to Gannett, fake coughing their lungs out, and have it on record that they had gone to Gannett. My TA could see that I was sick since I was coughing pretty badly for over three weeks.) If you do have any suggestions, I would appreciate it it greatly if you could send me a note at home. Thank you for taking the time to read this long letter. (signed) HELP!

Dear HELP!
Your letter arrived while I was reading other mail.  I tried writing, then calling, but missed you.  (You must move fast.)  Rats!
        Based on your letter, you have taken the appropriate steps.  Your letter to the Arts & Sciences Dean, detailing what happened this semester and why you want to continue during Spring '87, will be very important.  You might also want to include an explaination of your performance in previous semesters.  What contributed to your poor grades?  What steps did you take to correct the situation?  The

academic committee will consider your past performance, the comments from the Dean with whom you spoke, and your letter when deciding your fate.  I would also suggest that you plead your case in writing to the faculty member who is giving you an F as soon as possible; your arguements may be more clear, and she may be better able to understand your perspective when it's presented in black and white.
        If the College grants your appeal and gives you another chance, please seek assistance with your academic/personal/financial issues immediately upon your return to Cornell.  You will be in a precarious position ("perform or get out") and cannot afford to blow it.  I would suggest you start with someone like Greg McQuater in the Learning Skills Center (357 Olin Hall, 255-6310) or with an EARS counselor (211 W.S.H.).
        If the College does not allow you to continue, please do not despair.  Your first reactions may be panic ("WhatamIgonnadonow???!!!) and anger ("How could THEY do this to me?").  After these get under control, please realize that 1) You're not the first bright person to fail, 2) Many other fine colleges and universities would be happy to accept you, especially if you can give a reasonable explaination for your performance, and one of those schools may even be better for you, and 3) After some time away (which can be productive - just think, a break from academic pressure means time to put other parts of your life in order) Cornell will most likely readmit you.
        I am sorry you had such a rough semester.  I hope your break gives you time to rest, relax, and think about how you want to deal with this situation.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Hum Eccie:

Charles Proteus Steinmetz was born in Germany and came to the USA in 1889. He did pioneering work on alternating current and artificial lightning. He was an early employee of General Electric and taught at Union College in Schenectady. Consult your neighborhood library for more details.

DEAR UNCLE EZRA
I AM CURRENTLY HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH MY T.A. SHE HAS GIVEN ME HIGHER GRADES THAN MY CLASSMATES. SO THERE

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Who are the Camel Breeders? And how did they get their name?

Camel Confused

Dear CC:

        The Camel Breeders full name is actually the International Association of Camel Breeders. Formed several years ago, this informal on-campus group adresses international development issues with a multidisciplinary approach.
        They have three main goals: (1) educating themselves and the Cornell community about development issues, (2) helping to get their members employed after they leave Cornell, and (3) getting to know other people with different experiences and similar interests.
        If you have an interest in international development you are welcome to join them. Contact Joe McGee (255-3035) or Alex Singer, co-presidents of the IACB.
        Regarding the origin of the group's name: there doesn't appear to be any agrreed-upon history.  McGee says that the name represents an appreciation for indigenous knowledge systems.  For more information, consult page 19 of the October 1986 (Volume LXXXIV, Number 1) Cornell Countryman.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra:

I'm writing in reply to your letter to in a bind, about the shortage of funding for the graduate population in general. You said, will your advanced degree really satisfy open enough doors for you to pay back $36,000? I take extreme offense at this remark. Not all of us are in grad school for the Yuppie doctrine - to get more money. Some of us have a genuine interest in our discipline, and would like to contribute to it. Others are fufilling themselves, and enriching the lives of others through teaching or research. If economics were the sole impetus, would not our needs be more efficiently served by the inside of a match-book cover, than by a $40,000 undergraduate degree? In a day when hundred-billion-dollar deficits are accumulating in order to increase the arsenal of overpriced, shoddy and outdated waeaponry, I think $36,000 is a small investment in the future. (signed) a grad student who isn't in it for the money

Hi U.E.
Me again. (Previously 'Steamed Senior'.) I never dreamed how far my little beef would go, and the replies that I would get back. (I also didn't realize how angry I sounded. I'm not storming mad... just a little irked.) At any rate, thanks for the forum.

A new note, just for interest. About all the bad rap the Engineering Quad Architecture (or lack thereof) gets:

The buildings are all designed to be expandable -- including in the up direction. Thus the current two-story addition to Upson. They may not be pretty, but they ARE expandable easily and cheaply. Just a little tid-bit. Formerly 'Steamed Senior', now just 'Informative Engineer.'

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Please tell what happens to all the toxic wastes produced in Cornell's labs and nuclear reactor. I know Life Safety trucks them to a depot on Maple Ave in Upper Collegetown. I've been told this depot does not have proper safeguards against fire and explosion. Is this true? Please tell the truth. I know that you are a Cornell administrator and often they do not tell the public everything we ought to know, but residents near the depot have a right to know.

A Concerned Resident of Upper Collegetown

Dear Concerned Resident,
I do not know about any conspiracy of silence at Cornell.  No one has yet said "We won't tell!" As long as I work at Cornell, I intend to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, except for a few opinions.
        I spoke with Barb Merithew, at Life Safety, and shared our common concerns about toxic waste with her.
        Materials are brought to a depot on Maple Ave., but not under the conditions you described.  In actuality, there are a great number of safeguards employed in handling any sort of toxic waste.  The material is placed in appropriate containers for storage, and is protected from fire by both alarm and sprinkler systems.  In a worst-case situation there is a defense plan which provides for all sorts of emergencies.  The plan is subject to annual review by the State Department of Environmental Conservation, and compliance with their regulations and recommendations is rigidly enforced.  In addition, there is a Federally enforced, 90-day

limit on how long such material may be stored.  Finally, the material is removed, on a regular basis, by a professional disposal company, which takes the substances to approved landfill sites or incinerators, depending upon the nature of the waste.
        There are plans to build a new facility in the near future, but no specific date has been set for its completion.
        If you want to talk about this or any other, related issues in greater detail, please feel free to call Ms. Merithew at Life Safety. Her number is 255-3741.  Thanks for expressing your concern.  Knowledge is better than fear.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Fellow Epicurean:

        Thank you for your question regarding eating rooms in the libraries. The basic policy at Cornell is that there should be no food or drink around books. This practice of restricting food and beverages in libraries is one part of the overall effort to preserve our research collections for future generations. There are serious problems with insects and rodents which ensue from careless use of food and drink in the libraries.
        Cornell's libraries (there are 17 in total and our system is the 11th largest in America) and the buildings within which they are housed vary considerably. This means their rules also vary; what goes in one may not in another.  Mann is able to allow food and drink on their first floor because the book collection is in a separate location; this is not true in Uris.  You may wish to contact Yoram Szekely, Uris Librarian, for a detailed response concerning your question.

        Regarding the affiliation of the libraries: there are both state (statuatory) and private (endowed) libraries at Cornell.  Cooperation and coordination amongst them occurs through various committees and channels, under the direction and leadership of the University Librarian, Alain Seznec.
        Finally, a suggestion.  If you must eat when you study, and you are only using the libraries as a study hall and not as a place of research/inquiry, consider finding a quiet, empty classroom somewhere on campus where you can study and eat to your intestinal content.  Happy studying/eating/learning.