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November 2008

David Skorton

Skorton on higher education: Special interest or national asset?

In a commentary published in the Nov. 21 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, President David Skorton writes, "If there was ever a time for higher education to be front and center in solving societal problems -- including those related to economic diversification and development -- that time is now." Read a reprint of the article.

Cornell enhances financial aid for undergraduates

The university announced earlier this month that it will further bolster its financial aid program for undergraduates by eliminating parental contribution for families with incomes below $60,000 and by further reducing student loans.

Big Red pride pumps up parade in the Big Apple
Sy Katz Parade photos

On Nov. 15 New York Gov. David A. Paterson helped lead Cornell's Seymour "Sy" Katz '31 Parade in midtown Manhattan. The biennial parade, from St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue to the Cornell Club on E. 44th Street, is considered New York City's longest-running, shortest parade.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

CAMPUS:
Interim engineering dean ... Cost savings ... ChemE car champs ...
Elevator Pitch Contest ... Financial engineering ... Safety videos

PEOPLE:
Student impresario ... Rawlings' 'last lecture' ... Writing prize ...
Alice Pell interview ... Seibald honored ... Bartels Award ...
Remembering Robert Foote, Raymond Sheldrake

RESEARCH:
Christmas lights danger ... Space waste ... Cyber interaction ...
Allergies and cancer ... Autism and rainfall ... Flapping flags ...
Crohn's disease advances ... Food safety ... Climate change

OUTREACH:
Skorton to Iran ... Environmental stewards ... Syrup campaign ...
Agribusiness outlook ... Sheep gets a leg up

FAR ABOVE ... A CAMPAIGN UPDATE:
Weill Institute mission ... Undergraduate research ...
Thinking critically about morality ... Inequality seminar

ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS:
Holiday baskets ... Food bank volunteers ... Cornell Cares Day ...
Investment forum ... Glee Club concert

CORNELL LINKS:
Quick links to Cornell resources

CAMPUS:

Chris Ober named interim dean of engineering

More than 200 responses fill cost-savings suggestion box

With perfect accuracy, students' ChemE car wins national competition

Online receipt idea wins Elevator Pitch Contest

Despite market turmoil, financial engineering "quants" see bright future

New videos offer Cornell students safety tips

PEOPLE:

Student brings historically faithful "Don Giovanni" to Risley Hall

Hunter Rawlings urges rejection of superficial reading

MFA grad Manuel Muñoz wins $50,000 Whiting Award

A chat with Alice Pell, vice provost for international relations

Max Seibald named semifinalist for Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup

Bartels family celebrates Cornell Building Care staff

Robert Foote, pioneer in livestock reproduction, dies at 86

Crop scientist Raymond Sheldrake dies at 85

RESEARCH:

'Tis the season ... to beware of lead in Christmas lights

What to do with trash when a dumpster is 100 million miles away

Want to win friends and influence people? Use Facebook and IM

The miseries of allergies may help prevent some cancers, study finds

Rainfall and autism: Cornell researchers find a curious link

Following the leader can be a drag, shows study of flapping flags

Crohn's disease surgery makes steady advances

Food scientists awarded $1.67 million to improve fresh food safety

Climate change predictions are overestimated, study suggests

OUTREACH:

Skorton travels to Iran with U.S. delegation

Program mobilizes retirees as environmental stewards

Maple expert campaigns to boost New York's syrup production

Agribusiness Economic Outlook Conference slated for Dec. 9

Samantha the sheep gets a leg up, thanks to CU veterinarians

FAR ABOVE ... A CAMPAIGN UPDATE:

Weill Institute solves fundamental problems in cell biology [video]

Undergraduates are doing research they can't do at other universities

Training students to think critically about morality [video]

Expert offers clues to why grinding poverty in Africa persists

ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS:

Rochester, N.Y., holiday basket project
The Cornell Club of Rochester will be collecting nonperishable food items Dec. 14-19. On Saturday morning, Dec. 20, donations will be sorted and delivered to needy families. Donations of food or money are gladly accepted. For more information or to volunteer to help, contact Ross Lanzafame '77, MPS '79, at rlanzafame@hselaw.com or 585-231-1203.

Volunteer at the Regional Food Bank, Latham, N.Y.
Join the Cornell Club of the Greater Capital District on Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, 965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, N.Y., to assist in preparing donated food items for distribution. RSVP to Kristina Hong '03 at kh222@cornell.edu by Dec. 15.

Cornell Cares, Jan. 3 and 10
Cornell Cares Day, sponsored by Cornell's Public Service Center, brings students and alumni together to donate their services to a nonprofit community service project. Check the alumni events calendar for the Cornell Cares event nearest you on Jan. 3 or Jan. 10.

Cornell/Plug and Play Investment Forum
Cornell Entrepreneur Network of Northern California and Cornell Silicon Valley present their second investment forum Jan. 7. The event will feature Steven Gal '88, chairman and CEO of ProQuo, and Eric Young '78, general partner at Canaan Partners. $20 per person includes reception. This event is expected to sell out and requires preregistration. Visit the CEN Web site for details.

Glee Club Concert in Austin, Texas
Give my regards to Davy! Mark your calendars for Jan. 9 and get ready to sing. Cornell Club of Austin members also will have the opportunity to host Glee Club members overnight. Check back on the Cornell Club of Austin Web site soon for more information or contact Pat Ko '91 at pk53@cornell.edu or 512-491-5090.

CORNELL LINKS:

Far Above ... The Campaign for Cornell: http://www.campaign.cornell.edu/
Cornell alumni: http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/
Alumni events calendar: http://online.aad.cornell.edu/Content/event/calendar/index.cfm
Get involved: http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/volunteer.cfm

Cornell Alumni Magazine: http://cornellalumnimagazine.com/
Cornell's gorges are as deadly as they are beautiful, and drownings are an all-too-frequent occurrence. "Wild Water," the cover story in the November/December 2008 issue, examines the efforts by local and university officials to alert students to the hazards.

Cornell home page: http://www.cornell.edu/
Search Cornell: http://www.cornell.edu/search/
Campus Events Calendar: http://www.cornell.edu/events/
CornellCast videos: http://www.cornell.edu/video/

Chronicle Online: http://www.news.cornell.edu/
Get Cornell news by RSS: http://www.news.cornell.edu/RSS/RSS.shtml
Ezra magazine: http://ezramagazine.cornell.edu/

Big Red sports: http://cornellbigred.com/
CyberTower: http://cybertower.cornell.edu/
Cornell Adult University: https://www.sce.cornell.edu/cau/
The Cornell Store: http://www.store.cornell.edu

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