The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York), February 19, 2007, Monday

Copyright 2007 Post-Standard

All Rights Reserved

All Rights Reserved.

The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)

February 19, 2007 Monday

FINAL EDITION

SECTION: LOCAL; COLLEGES; Pg. B3

HEADLINE: OPENING IN STORM DRAWS HEAT

BYLINE: Staff reports Rebecca James Nancy Cole David L. Shaw Fred A. Mohr Sapna Kollali

BODY:

Cornell University is getting lots of grief over its decision to open the university in the middle of the Valentine's Day storm and then close a couple of hours later.

By Sunday, more than 1,400 people had signed an online petition www.ipetitions.com/petition/safer-cornell/index.html asking the university to reconsider a policy that puts commuting employees at risk.

Local public schools, with forecasts in hand, had announced a day in advance that they would close Wednesday. Syracuse University , Le Moyne College and Onondaga Community College also canceled classes.

Cornell opened Wednesday morning and then closed at 12:30 p.m. The storm snow total was about 17 inches.

Lowell Turner , a Cornell professor of international and comparative labor, called Cornell's decision "breathtakingly irresponsible." Many employees make drives of 30 to 50 miles one way, often because housing is more affordable outside Tompkins County.

"The predictable necessity to close not long after employees arrived forced them again into dangerous drives home," Turner wrote. "It is appalling that our great university would show such bad judgment in such a dangerous situation."

University officials said they have to balance the needs of commuting employees with the needs of a residential campus, but that they will take the comments voiced on the petition into account for decisions made about closings in the future.

- Rebecca James

Investing in local youths

SUNY Upstate Medical University 's president met last week with about 40 clergy who minister to urban communities in the Syracuse area and the Onondaga Nation to talk about investing in the area's youths.

Upstate President Dr. David R. Smith said he would like the university to develop relationships with the clergy and their congregations. Smith said these connections would help the university spread its health education and awareness programs.

The connections also would allow Upstate's students and staff to help local youths get into other colleges, not just Upstate, Smith said. That help could take place through investing in scholarships, mentoring and talking with parents and families about higher education.

"We're worried about what we see if we can't turn around some of the trends and get more students interested in higher education," Smith said. "We think that's part of our responsibility."

A core group of clergy and university officials will be identified to put together a plan. The group will likely meet quarterly to move that plan forward, Smith said.

- Nancy Cole

Obie-winning play planned

Students at Wells College in Aurora will present "The Vagina Monologues" at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Sommer Center of Smith Hall.

Based on interviews with more than 200 women, Eve Ensler 's Obie-winning play takes an intimate look at women's memories and experiences of sexuality and their deepest fantasies and fears.

The play has inspired V-Day, a grass-roots movement to stop violence against women.

More than 20 Wells students make up the cast and crew. Natalie Kemper, of the class of 2010, is director. The play contains adult content and is not suitable for young audiences. It is sponsored by the Wells Women's Resource Center and Collegiate , the college's student government organization.

Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for others. A reception will follow the shows. Proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales will go to the V-Day Foundation. For more information, call 364-3428 or the Web site www.wells.edu .

- David L. Shaw

2 at Oswego State finalists

Two of the five finalists in a national public relations competition are students at the State University College at Oswego .

Public relations majors Melissa Andrews and Leila Boukassi competed in the finals of the PRWeek Student of the Year competition Jan. 28 and 29 in New York City.

Andrews, a senior from Rochester, and Boukassi, a junior from Great Neck, will find out how they finished at a March 8 awards dinner at New York's Tavern on the Green.

Each prepared a 10-page campaign for Motorola in professor Tina Pierracini 's advanced public relations class.

The winner will receive $5,000 and a paid internship at a New York City public relations agency.

- Fred A. Mohr

Century Project at Colgate

The Colgate Bookstore will host The Century Project, a photo exhibition of women by Frank Cordelle , and Cordelle will make several appearances on campus from today through Saturday.

The Century Project is a series of nude photographs of women whose lives span 100 years. The photos are accompanied by statements from the subjects. According to Cordelle, The Century Project forms a powerful statement about body image, society's portrayal of women in the media, sexuality, pornography and women's health issues.

The exhibition has been hosted by many universities, churches and galleries over the years, including Dartmouth College , the College of William & Mary , Cornell University , Texas A&M University , Lehigh University and the University of Vermont . The exhibit last traveled to Colgate in 2003, and this visit is sponsored by the campus Wellness Initiative.

Local residents can see the photos and meet Cordelle on the third floor of the bookstore during regular bookstore hours. They also can see Cordelle at the following events:

Opening reception at the bookstore, 4 to 6 p.m. today.

Brown bag luncheon discussion, East Hall, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Cordelle is a graduate of Hamilton College . For information on The Century Project, visit www.thecenturyproject.com .

- Sapna Kollali

Aid for textbooks offered

Students at Cayuga Community College 's Auburn and Fulton campuses can get help with their textbook bills.

The Follett Higher Education Group , which operates bookstores at both campuses, is making available $5,000 in bookstore scholarships. Follett has worked with the college Faculty Student Association and the financial aid office to give out $500 and $250 bookstore gift cards to new and returning students meeting financial need or grade requirements.

In addition, two $500 gift cards will be awarded on the basis of a 250-word essay contest open to current CCC students. Details are available from the college's Student Development Office.

- David L. Shaw

Lost Boys of Sudan to speak

Hamilton College will host a talk by several Sudanese refugees, known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the college chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

The Lost Boys were driven from Sudan as children because of civil war during the late 1980s and 1990s. In 2001, about 4,000 came to the United States as refugees.

The college previously hosted a program on the Lost Boys in October. Hobart and William Smith Colleges , in Geneva, and Fulton and North Syracuse schools are among other local places to host programs and talks by the Lost Boys.

- Sapna Kollali

Finance professor to talk

Syracuse University finance professor Boyce Watkins will lecture at 6 p.m. Friday at Hamilton College during the campus's Black Empowerment Day.

Watkins is the founder of The Black Financial Economists Association and the director of the Step Up and Go to College Tour.

Hamilton's Black Student Union also will host "To Africa and Back" from 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday to showcase black culture in the arts and performances. Both events are free and are part of the college's Black History Month celebration.

- Sapna Kollali