Ups and Downs — March 22 issue

By The Ithacan • April 5, 2012

Students have been fighting for an official Asian-American Studies minor, and Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president of academic affairs, has given her OK.

Editorial: Once more, with feeling

By The Ithacan • April 5, 2012

In the ’90s, teachers flooded their students with praise, even when it wasn’t deserved. “Good try,” they would console elementary school students after answering a question incorrectly. “A for effort.” Current college students rode the yellow bus to school during a feel-good period of education where boosting the students’ self-worth was more important than getting…

Editorial: Getting it up-loaded

By The Ithacan • March 29, 2012

Planned Parenthood usually hits the mark — advocating for women’s control over their bodies and fighting Congress for legislation to make birth control more affordable and accessible. But its recent campaign isn’t quite as in-check as past efforts.

IC Progress has the experience to take over SGA board next year

By Lindsey Smith and Andrew Buraczenski • March 29, 2012

For 1.5 years, I have served as a senator on the Ithaca College Student Government Association. Junior Rob Flaherty is one of the most dedicated students at IC. As a colleague, he is supportive and inspiring. His passion for change is contagious. The rest of the board has plenty of SGA experience, so I trust…

Pakistan wants a U.S. apology

By Shaza Elsheshtawy • March 29, 2012

Pakistan’s parliament demanded last week that the United States issue an official apology regarding NATO air strikes over Pakistan last November that killed two-dozen Pakistani soldiers. It also called for the ending of drone attacks over their territory.

Commentary: Triumph peeks out from gloomy environmental news

By Jessica Santos • March 29, 2012

Much of the modern environmental movement is based on tension, whether it’s between corporations and citizens or governments and communities. This may seem overwhelming and depressing to individuals outside the movement, resulting in nonparticipation, but the movement needs as many participants as it can get to make the biggest change possible. To rectify this, Sustainable…

Commentary: Four-way brawl will hurt Republican party

By Alex Litke • March 29, 2012

It’s the end of March, and the Republican primaries are still under way. GOP candidates are fighting to be the campaign frontrunner in what seems like an endless four-way brawl. Recent polls show that the heavy contenders are Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, while Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul remain far behind in the dust.…

Editorial: Talk it through

By The Ithacan • March 29, 2012

Offering just a phone service to talk through feelings of suicide doesn’t always work so well these days for a generation more inclined to type and click, but reaching out to young people online where they’re most visible is right on target. The Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service of Ithaca offers an online chat for…

A risky redesign for Microsoft

By TJ Gunther • March 22, 2012

Microsoft needs help. The company is no longer the dominant PC force and is prepared to gamble its future to halt Apple’s momentum by making major changes to its core product, Windows. After more than a decade without any massive changes, with Windows 8 Microsoft is throwing out one of the most iconic symbols in…

Kony 2012: The video that got us all talking

By The Ithacan • March 22, 2012

Commentary: The Kony video plays up “White savior” archetype. In many ways, the Kony 2012 campaign was perfectly executed. It was fast, got widespread attention and, best of all, it provided people with a simple answer to a complex issue. Unfortunately, the video failed to portray the reality of the Lord’s Resistance Army, and its…

Editorial: That’s the spirit

By The Ithacan • March 22, 2012

Students with different spiritual ties coexist on Ithaca College’s campus. Now, more can be done to move beyond interfaith coexistence and into understanding. Greater participation in on-campus religious organizations has helped initiate the creation of the Interfaith Council. It makes sense that as more students attend religious services and events, a council would form to…

Editorial: When a friend doesn’t ‘like’ it

By The Ithacan • March 22, 2012

Last week, former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was convicted of 15 charges, including invasion of privacy and committing a hate crime. Two years ago at age 18, he used a webcam to spy on his roommate kissing another man in their dorm and streamed the footage over the Internet. Shortly after, his roommate, Tyler…