File photo

DJ Afrika Bambaataa, appointed a Cornell visiting scholar in 2012, comes to campus Oct. 6-8.

Meet the ombudsman

The Office of the University Ombudsman, 118 Stimson Hall, has been a sounding board for staff, faculty and students for 45 years and celebrates that milestone with an open house, Friday, Oct. 3, 9-11 a.m.

Members of the Cornell community are welcome to stop by for refreshments and become acquainted with the office staff – Charles Walcott, university ombudsman since 2011; Linda Falkson, associate ombudsman; and Helen Lang, ombudsman office coordinator.

Based on guidelines of independence, neutrality, impartiality, confidentiality and informality, the office is independent of the administration and does not advocate for either individuals or the university. It functions as a place for issues to be heard without judgment.

Bambaataa returns

Pioneering hip-hop DJ and Visiting Scholar Afrika Bambaataa will visit Cornell and Ithaca Oct. 6-8.

His only public appearance will be at a listening party with DJs Marly Marl, Jazzy Jay and Red Alert, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8-10 p.m. at The Dock (formerly Castaways), 415 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca. Admission is free and open to all ages.

The event will feature the four DJs spinning – and telling stories about – various records from Bambaataa’s archive, a legendary collection of vinyl that is part of the Cornell Hip Hop Collection in Cornell University Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.

While on campus, Bambaataa will meet over lunch with students in the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives and will guest lecture at a seminar, “The Black ’70s: From Politics to Popular Culture,” taught by associate professor Noliwe Rooks at the Africana Studies and Research Center.

Hard cider science

Associate professor of food science Gavin Sacks will lead the next Science Cabaret, “With Malus and Forethought: A Flavor Chemist’s Perspective on Hard Cider,” Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Lot 10 Lounge, 106 S. Cayuga St., Ithaca. Free and open to the public.

Sacks and cider maker Autumn Stoscheck, owner of Eve's Cidery in Van Etten, New York, will present tastings revealing the variations in flavor and aroma among hard ciders. Flights of cider will be available for purchase, and select ciders will be poured at the bar.


Sacks’ research includes a focus on wine and grape flavor chemistry and particularly on cultivars popular in New York state and other cool climates.

The event is part of Finger Lakes Cider Week, Oct. 3-12, which begins with the Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival, Oct. 3-5.

Personal filmmaking

The LGBT Studies Film Series presents a conversation with filmmaker Jonathan Caouette, Oct. 7 at 4:30 p.m. in the Schwartz Center Film Forum. Cauoette will screen his 2010 short film, “All Flowers in Time,” a 12-minute fantasy starring Chloe Sevigny.

The event is followed by a Cornell Cinema screening of his acclaimed personal documentary “Tarnation” at 7:15 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre. Both events are free and open to the public.

Caouette began journaling, filming, photographing and investigating his family at age 11, which led to “Tarnation” – an innovative and explosive collage of memories, fantasies and nightmares, deemed “a masterpiece” by major film critics and named one of the best films of 2004 by the Village Voice, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and Film Comment magazine.

“Tarnation” will be shown with Caouette’s new nine-minute music video that chronicles the history of gay rights in America and will be followed by a Q&A with the director.

Sexuality exhibit

“Speaking of Sex,” the exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of Cornell Library’s Human Sexuality Collection, ends its eight-month run Saturday, Oct. 11 – National Coming Out Day.

The Hirshland Exhibition Gallery in Kroch Library Level 2B will be open Oct. 11, 1-5 p.m., with exhibition curator Brenda Marston on hand to answer questions and guide visitors. The gallery also is open during regular Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections hours, Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Rare book dealer and historian Gerard Koskovich also presents “Dealing in Queer History,” Oct. 9, noon-1:30 p.m. in 2B48 Kroch Library. The San Francisco-based collector will discuss how he discovered some of the items in the exhibition. He also has contributed to a number of Cornell collections of historic queer material.

Homecoming concert

Grace Potter and Icona Pop will headline Cornell’s 2014 Homecoming Concert, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. in Barton Hall.

Tickets are $20 for Cornell alumni and $25 for the general public, available at www.CornellConcerts.com. Day of show prices if tickets remain are $25 and $30. Student tickets are sold out.

The event is presented by the Cornell Concert Commission and Alumni Affairs and Development.

Writing competition

The Heermans-McCalmon Writing Competition is accepting students’ original 10-minute screenplays and stage plays, the Department of Performing and Media Arts announced.

First- and second-place prizes ($500 and $250 respectively) will be awarded in each category. All four winning entries will be presented at a public reading with professional actors, Feb. 27, 2015, at 4:30 p.m. at the Schwartz Center. A panel of faculty and industry professionals will provide feedback on the winning scripts following the readings.

The competition is open to all Cornell undergraduates who are registered for both fall 2014 and spring 2015. Scripts must engage some aspect of life in America, and previously produced projects are not eligible.

Scripts must be submitted by Monday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m. All applicants will be contacted by email with announcement of the winners. A complete list of rules and details of the submission process are available at http://pma.cornell.edu/academics/special-programs/Heermans.cfm. For more information, contact Pam Lillard, pam.lillard@cornell.edu or 607-254-2703.