… What Cornell [University] is putting into Cayuga’s waters and possibly ending up in the water glasses at graduation dinners could become important table discussion.
Cornell plans to deliver a liquefied brew of animal carcasses and veterinary medical waste to the Ithaca Wastewater Treatment plant. There, the material would be treated and discharged into Cayuga Lake. The lake is the source of drinking water for thousands of county residents, businesses and visitors – like those Cornell families staying in area hotels this weekend.
For more than a month, Cornell has refused to disclose the components of its liquefied brew of dead animals and medical waste. In early April, The Ithaca Journal requested under the New York Freedom of Information Law that Cornell provide details on the chemical and biological ingredients of the waste.
Cornell argues New York’s FOIL does not apply to the university. Even though New York taxpayers fund many of the university’s programs and several state schools are located on its campus, Cornell claims it is a private institution and not subject to FOIL.
… Cornell’s brew of animal carcasses and waste is generated by the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. That state college also houses the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center and the New York State Diagnostic Lab. Note the word “state” in the previous sentence.
… The list of possibilities of what may be in the Cornell waste is broad and is a significant public health and safety concern. We’ve asked Cornell to provide documents that detail the chemicals and/or materials that the waste might contain, including:
* Anesthetics, carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic agents and chemotherapeutic agents.
* Contraceptives, drugs, pharmaceuticals and other therapeutic agents.
* Dyes, formaldehyde, formalin, other tissue preservatives, phenol and phenolic compounds.
* Sterilizing solutions, immunization agents or laboratory chemicals.
* Mercury, lead, silver, iodine or other heavy and non-heavy metals and metalloids.
* Persistent compounds of potential environmental or public health concern or volatile organic chemicals.
* Radioactive solutions, tracers or elements…
the ithaca journal
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:44PM
UD should establish an annual top ten review of college scandals. Granted that it may be difficult to narrow the field to ten from among so many deserving contenders. Let the readers help by voting for their favorite corruption of higher education. The "winner" would receive an award similar to the "Golden Fleece" that former U.S. Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin gave to those who abused the public trust. Here is my nominee for 2009: the Regents and senior administrators at the University of Minnesota for building a new football stadium while allowing the existing academic facilities to crumble around them. It will cost $330 million (including the interest on state bonds) to build a stadium that will be used for six games each year.
Michael W. McNabb
University of Minnesota B.A. 1971; J.D. 1974