The Ithacan

The invisible work of educational maintenance

By Gabe Hendershot, Columnist • September 11, 2024

Over the last couple of weeks, Cornell University experienced the longest employee strike in the institution’s history. The strike lasted 15 days, with Cornell workers picketing around Ithaca. Workers were striking because the school, despite its steady financial growth, has been paying its workers low wages with incredibly small raises each year. The cost of living has been on a relentless climb in the past few years and many Cornell employees, some of whom have worked at the institution for two or three decades, were struggling to survive.

How marketing trends shape back-to-school culture

By Gabe Hendershot, Columnist • August 28, 2024

With the back-to-school season in full swing, I got to thinking about why I love this part of the year so much. Maybe it is the new notebooks and pens, or the excitement of new classes and seeing friends...

Pencils Down: Academic validation can create excessive stress in students

By Gabe Hendershot • April 17, 2024

College is an advantageous time for many young adults because there are so many academic, social and career opportunities available to them. This is a sentiment echoed constantly by parents and, for the most part, it is true. It’s the messaging hidden behind statements like this that causes a problem.

Pencils Down: How generational divides are impacting the classroom

By Gabe Hendershot • March 6, 2024

This growing division between generations is harming the classroom environment.

Pencils Down: Students should not be starving for success

By Gabe Hendershot • February 22, 2024

It is part of a college’s job to ensure that its students' basic needs are met while they are in pursuit of their degree. This includes safety, housing, mental wellness, physical health and nutrition....

Pencils Down: Why childcare must be made more affordable

By Gabe Hendershot, Columnist • January 24, 2024

Childcare and preschool costs are becoming so unreasonably high that parents are running out of options.

Pencils Down: Why academic standards should not prevent graduation

By Gabe Hendershot, Columnist • November 1, 2023

For many students, graduating high school is a given. After all, the process is often spelled out for them and most have a support system to help along the way. In the eyes of these students, the academic standards required by many high schools in order to receive a diploma are not a roadblock, but rather just another step in the process.

Pencils Down: Why labeling children as gifted is toxic to the learning environment

By Gabe Hendershot • October 19, 2023

How do you teach from a single curriculum while still accommodating all, or at least most, of your students? One way to cope with this problem is to have sections of the school day where students are divided up into different classrooms based on their academic capability.