Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Statement on campus graffiti
May 3, 2024 We were appalled this morning to find graffiti spraypainted overnight in several campus buildings and outdoor locations. These acts of vandalism are not just violations of university policy but are also crimes. They are being thoroughly investigated by Cornell Police, and perpetrators will face conduct referrals and potential criminal charges. Joel M.…
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Update on campus events
April 29, 2024 Dear Cornellians: Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen turmoil at campuses across the country. Universities are grappling with the inherent tension that I have often mentioned between free expression, which includes the right to peaceful protest, and ensuring that protests do not encroach upon the rights of our students,…
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Update on unauthorized encampment on the Arts Quad
April 27, 2024 Free expression is a core value of our university, and the right to peacefully protest on our campus has a deep and respected history. However, such protests must respect the rights of others to teach, learn, and work without undue disturbance. These protests must also comply with our individual and collective responsibilities…
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Statement on unauthorized tents on Arts Quad
April 25, 2024 Free and open expression, including peaceful protest, is core to Cornell’s values. We want always to allow a diversity of voices to speak and to be heard. At the same time, it is important that such expression not infringe on the rights of others in our campus community nor pose a risk…
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Patient safety programs at Weill Cornell Medicine
April 22, 2024 Dear Weill Cornell Medicine Community, This week you will likely see updates on serious allegations of misconduct against a former faculty member, which are extremely disturbing. We feel deeply for the survivors and their families. No patient who entrusts us with their care should ever experience such appalling behavior. Shortly after learning…
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Patient safety programs at Weill Cornell Medicine
April 22, 2024 Dear Weill Cornell Medicine Community, This week you will likely see updates on serious allegations of misconduct against a former faculty member, which are extremely disturbing. We feel deeply for the survivors and their families. No patient who entrusts us with their care should ever experience such appalling behavior. Shortly after learning…
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Patient safety programs at Weill Cornell Medicine
April 22, 2024 Dear Weill Cornell Medicine Community, This week you will likely see updates on serious allegations of misconduct against a former faculty member, which are extremely disturbing. We feel deeply for the survivors and their families. No patient who entrusts us with their care should ever experience such appalling behavior. Shortly after learning…
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Harassment charge issued in spitting incident
April 19, 2024 Salim Dridi, 25, has been charged with harassment in the second degree by the Ithaca Police Department for spitting on a female Muslim Cornell student while she was walking in Collegetown last month. At the time of the incident, Dridi was pursuing a master’s of engineering (MEng) in computer science at Cornell.…
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Protecting the rights of our community to teach and learn without disruption
March 27, 2024 This letter first appeared in The Cornell Daily Sun on March 26, 2024. In light of ongoing protests by the Coalition of Mutual Liberation — a group that has stated its intention to repeatedly disrupt the activities of the University — The Cornell Daily Sun has published several letters from our faculty…
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April 8: Solar eclipse safety and campus pause
March 26, 2024 Dear Ithaca and Geneva campus communities, On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America. A partial eclipse with a magnitude of 98.8% will be visible in Ithaca, with 100% totality occurring further north in Geneva. The university will “pause” classes and some outdoor activities between 3-4 p.m. during the…
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Statement on student and employee arrests at Day Hall
March 21, 2024 This afternoon, student and employee demonstrators engaged in peaceful expressive activity inside and outside of Day Hall, Cornell’s main administrative building. The demonstrators demanded that Cornell Trustees vote during their meetings today and tomorrow to divest from ten named companies. Cornell Trustees Stephen Robinson and Martin Scheinman came to Day Hall and…
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Statement on Islamophobic incident in Collegetown
March 19, 2024 Dear Ithaca campus community, I write today after being made aware that a Muslim Cornell student was spat upon yesterday while walking in Collegetown. If the individual who committed this awful, Islamophobic act is identified as a member of the Cornell community, they will be held fully accountable for this deplorable and…
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Update on Interim Expressive Activity Policy
March 11, 2024 Dear Cornell Community: Over the past weeks, the University Assembly (UA) has been soliciting feedback from our community on the Interim Expressive Activity Policy. We are very appreciative of the thoughtful input received from faculty, staff, and students, and we thank the UA for its continued work on this important issue. We…
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Statement on disruption in Klarman Hall
March 6, 2024 We are disappointed that again today there was a disruptive protest held using amplified sound in Klarman Hall, in violation of our policies. Although the protestors were only there for a very short period of time before they dispersed, this type of disruption will not be tolerated at Cornell. Participants were referred…
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Preparing for a potential government shutdown
Feb. 29, 2024 Dear Cornellians, Cornell is closely monitoring discussions in Washington, D.C., about the potential for a partial federal government shutdown in the coming days or weeks. A disruption in government functions could affect university education, research, and other operations. Please know that Cornell and federal agencies have contingency plans in place. Across all…
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Unsubstantiated threat to campus
Feb. 23, 2024 Dear Ithaca campus community, Earlier today, Cornell and a number of other universities received an identical anonymous email threatening violence against these campus communities. Cornell University Police have investigated this threat and deemed it not to be credible. There is no active threat to campus at this time, and Cornell community members…
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Statement on disruption in Duffield Hall
Feb. 22, 2024 Earlier today, a group of students held a demonstration in academic spaces including Duffield Hall, where amplified sound was used and university business was disrupted. Individuals were referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for conduct action. Sanctions will be imposed where there are violations of policy; repeat violations…
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Spring semester updates
Feb. 8, 2024 Dear Cornellians, I hope all of you had a chance to rest and relax over the winter break, and that you’ve come back to campus with a renewed sense of commitment to our academic community. We experienced a difficult fall, indeed, but through it all I have seen many instances of Cornellians…
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Statement on disruption of library and academic spaces
Feb. 8, 2024 Earlier today, a group of students disrupted university business by holding a demonstration inside library and academic spaces. Cornell University Police were called to the site and worked to quickly remove the students and to gather identification from students to refer for disciplinary action. While Cornell values and protects students’ right to…
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Statement on disruption of library and academic spaces
Feb. 8, 2024 Earlier today, a group of students disrupted university business by holding a demonstration inside library and academic spaces. Cornell University Police were called to the site and worked to quickly remove the students and to gather identification from students to refer for disciplinary action. While Cornell values and protects students’ right to…
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Unanimous Vote in Support of President Martha E. Pollack
Jan. 27, 2024 Cornell University Board of Trustees Jan. 27, 2024 Cornell was founded on the principle that ‘any person can find instruction in any study.’ Under President Martha E. Pollack’s leadership, the university has remained faithful to this principle and to the core values that unite our institution. Today, the Board of Trustees of…
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Important Message for Faculty and Instructors
Jan. 23, 2024 Dear Colleagues, As we begin the new academic term, I am writing to underscore some of the thoughts I shared last fall around expectations for modeling civic discourse in our classrooms. Many of us have deep personal connections and strong feelings regarding events occurring in the Middle East. It is incumbent on…
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Hateful social media post
Jan. 11, 2024 Dear Cornell community, This morning we learned of a post on social media allegedly from a Cornell student explicitly stating that “Zionists must die.” Cornell Police and the Office of Student Conduct are investigating and if we determine that it was posted by a member of the Cornell community, they will be…
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