This past week two trees have been cut down and stolen from Cornell Plantations property.
The first discovery came on Thursday, Dec. 4, when a 12-year old 18-foot white spruce was noticed missing. Plantations gardener Phil Syphrit was cited in an Ithaca Journal report stating that this tree is worth $2000. Then just this past Tuesday Plantations workers noticed a 4-foot red cedar was missing too.
Cornell Plantations’ trees are considered part of an open-air laboratory and a “living museum” according to the site’s website and employees. From their website:
Would you steal a Picasso from the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University? If your answer is no, then you shouldn’t steal a tree or even a plant from Cornell Plantations.
According to Plantations officials, these types of thefts are not uncommon during the holiday season. There is a $200 reward for anyone who provides information leading police to the tree thieves.
Racial discrimination in college admissions has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Now is the time for unity and levelheaded conversation about the best way forward for Cornell.
Resolution 31 is an embarrassment, particularly for students. In fact, this debacle is only an embarrassment for Cornell insofar as how poorly it reflects on the caliber of Cornell students. Cornell students, if the Student Assembly is to be believed, would give up their freedoms—to learn, listen, speak and engage—to avert even the slightest discomfort.
