Dear Concerned Chemist,
Jon Clardy, Chemistry Department chair, assured me that the department does take students' complaints and comments seriously, and is dedicated to having good teachers.  In fact, the Chemistry Department has a Teaching Evaluation Committee, which reads course evaluations and sits in on lectures. When a problem is found, the members discuss the problem with the professor in question.  Despite these measures, Jon said it is often difficult to get a tenured professor to change courses or teaching habits.  And, of course, just because the professor is still teaching the course does not mean that your input was ignored.  He may be applying the feedback he received last year to improve his teaching this year.
        Jon would like to know more about your complaint.  You can talk to him at 122 Baker Lab, 255-4174.  Only by knowing which professor you're concerned about and what, specifically, your concerns are can he do anything to improve the situation.  He might also be able to give you information as to why this professor is still teaching the same course. You can also talk to Larry Palmer, Vice President of Academic Programs, about your concerns.  He is in 309 Day Hall, 255-7595. Perhaps your voice really can make a difference to the next group of students.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear C,
What a lovely idea!  A Shinto shrine would be a beautiful and unique addition to our campus.  In fact, Paula Sidle of the Plantations says there's a section of land there that they would like to beautify, which might be appropriate for a shrine.  Paula would like you to send her a more detailed description of what such a shrine would be.  Write to her at:   The Plantations, Plantations Road, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853.  CURW would also consider putting a shrine by Anabel Taylor, so it might be worth your while to write or call Bob Johnson, Director, at 5-6004.
        However, there could be some problems, such as (what else?) funding. If funding could be found (by someone like yourself?) for construction and maintenance of a shrine, it would probably be approved. Without funding, it is less likely that one will be built.  Nevertheless, you and your friends can bring a written proposal to the Student Assembly, 165 Day Hall.
        This leads us to the next potential problem. Funders at Cornell may not want to sponsor such a shrine for fear of a snowball effect; other religious groups on campus might reasonably request and expect their own religious shrines, requiring yet more space and funding.
        Unfortunately, as you suggest in your letter, vandalism is another possible problem; no place is safe from pranksters and/or vandals of the more malicious type.
        It may be easier to have an area similar to a shrine developed, without attaching a specific religion to it.  It could simply be a peaceful, soothing place for anyone to go for religious or personal thought.  I know at least one

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Inquiring Mind,
If I said no, would you believe me? They do look like they serve some sort of sinister purpose. However, when I took a walk over to look at these mysterious structures, I found that they were the walls surrounding a parking lot. (Of course, this could simply be a clever disguise.) Now, as we all know, the parking regulations at Cornell are sometimes a bit confusing, but I don't think they qualify as sinister experiments upon the minds of unsuspecting Cornell students, staff and faculty. And then again....

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Not Knowing,
You have good reason for concern about government support of the tobacco industry.  In addition to the more than 350,000 deaths per year attributable to smoking, the economic costs of medical care and losses in productivity are a heavy burden. While there actually is no tobacco "subsidy" in effect, there is a system of price supports, loans, and other forms of support. These amount to basically the same thing as a subsidy.
        The reasons behind this system of supports are economic, political, and historical.  One economic reason is that the people who work in tobacco industry provide revenue (in the form of taxes) for various levels of government. Tobacco companies also have a lot of economic clout because their recent moves to diversify themselves have given them holdings in many other areas. Philip Morris, for example, is involved in Seven Up and Miller Brewing; American Brands has interests in Jergens, Duffy-Mott, Master Locks, and Swingline Staplers; Brown and Williamson is connected to Gimbels, Marshall Fields, and Saks Fifth Avenue; and R.J. Reynolds is connected to Del Monte and Sea-Land Industries.
        Politically, there is not a lot of opposition to tobacco in the houses of Congress, partly because of the money involved.  Also, many Congresspeople do not oppose tobacco either because their own constituencies support tobacco, or because of vote trading with Representatives and Senators of tobacco states. Furthermore, in order to win elections, politicians at the national level have to satisfy many different groups, including the tobacco companies' powerful lobbies.
        To justify governmental support, tobacco companies also often point to their role in history. Tobacco was America's first profitable crop, in spite of the anti-tobacco stance of King James I. Another historical factor is that tobacco has been classified by Congress to be neither a food product nor a drug, and so it is not subject to the controls normally surrounding those substances.
        If you want more information about the history of tobacco, as well as its costs to both life and economy, you might look at "A Smoking Gun: How the Tobacco Industry Gets Away with Murder" by E. Whelan (Catalog number HD 9135 W56 in Olin Library). Also, a number of other books are available in the same location which will give you information from the tobacco industry's side of things. Finally, if you want to know more about the actual regulation of tobacco price supports, look through the transcripts of the proceedings of the various Congressional and Senatorial committees which regulate them. These are also available in Olin.
        If you want to have an effect on support for the tobacco industry you should indeed write to your Congresspeople, as well as to the Food and Drug Administration, the President, and the Department of Agriculture. In addition, if you wish to affect local or state regulations about smoking, you should contact your state and local legislators and executives. If you are disturbed by the print, radio and billboard advertising for cigarettes, contact the Federal Communications Commission, as well as the publishers, broadcasters or advertising firms concerned. It might also be a good idea to get more information from the tobacco companies themselves, and from the Tobacco Institute, their media, research, and lobbying group, in Washington, DC.
        Often, it is only by letting our voices be heard that we can bring about needed changes in our society and government. Your voice is a welcome addition to the growing chorus.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Seen It Before,
Thanks for reminding me that physiological causes might be indicated by some symptoms.  Sometimes it's too easy to think "psychology" and forget the mind/body link. Certainly everyone in a situation like Fearing Finals (the person who'd rather have a disease than take a test) should see a physician if there is even a slight chance their anxiety symptoms have a physical basis.
        I spoke with Dr. McCally at Gannett about Tourette's Syndrome.  He says the symptoms of the syndrome are not usually triggered by stress, but appear spontaneously, usually as uncontrollable twitching, cursing, or acting out. He emphasized that anyone having odd or unusual symptoms should come to Gannett and get checked out. Even though Tourette's Syndrome probably isn't involved in Fearing Final's case, thanks for reminding me there's more than one cause to our ills.                                            Uncle Ezra

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Ginger,
Thank YOU for taking the time to let me know how your evening went. I was wondering what you would decide to do, and you did make a fine choice. I didn't know about the jazz on Friday nights. I'll have to check it out sometime.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear ICC,
I talked to Ann Shumate, Associate Director of Residence Life, to find the whereabouts of the missing high rises.  She explained that the original plan (which was started in the '50's) included five high rises, but planners became worried that the buildings wouldn't all be filled. Given today's housing crunch that's hard to believe, but at that time very few upper-class males lived on campus.  Evidently, planners assumed that men would continue to live off campus even if there were space on campus. So, high rises 2 through 4 were never built and probably never will be, because the University is now interested in other forms of housing.  However, the numbers were never changed. Ultimately, the high and low rises will be named (for example, Low Rise 10 has been officially named Ujamaa), and no one (except us) will miss numbers 2, 3, and 4.  For right now, though, high rises 2 through 4 are only drawings on an obsolete North Campus planning map.     Uncle Ezra

Uncle Ezra   

Dear GT,
Knowing your rights means knowing Cornell's rules, applying the relevant public statutes, and finding out what services are available for students. Knowing your obligations means, among other things, knowing your college's academic demands and finding out what the Bursar's Office expects from you.  A good place for you to start looking for such information is the Student Handbook, which will be available in the Dean of Students Office Barnes Hall) as soon as it is revised and reprinted, probably early this fall. If you can't wait until fall, call the Dean of Students Office at 5-6839 and someone will assist you in finding what you need.  If you have a more specific question, let me know and I'll point you in a more specific direction.
        I'm impressed with your caring and concern for your office-mate. A-exams are very stressful for most students and I'm sure that he appreciates your concern.  I spoke with Alison Casarett, Dean of the Graduate School, to get some information.  According to the rules, any faculty member is permitted to be present at any A-exam, so your office-mate will not be able to control the professor's presence.  Any conflicts that arise during the course of the exam between a student and a faculty member are mediated by the committee chair.
        If your office-mate anticipates a conflict during his exam, he can make an appointment to see his committee chair beforehand to discuss the situation.  If he explains the nature of the problem and discusses his fears, the chairperson will be better able to understand and mediate should a conflict occur.  Perhaps this will help your office-mate feel more confident during the exam. Dealing with people we don't like is a necessary fact of life, but it becomes especially unnerving when that person has a stake in our future.  I hope all goes well!

Uncle Ezra