Are the values of free and open debate still alive at Cornell University?

Julius Kairey writes in his column for the Cornell Daily Sun.

Conscience of a Cornell Conservative

Before starting classes at Cornell, I joined my fellow freshman in attending the “Tapestry of Possibilities” theater event on North Campus. Presented by an on campus theatre troupe called Ordinary People, the event consisted of satirizing biases that, it was implied, were pervasive on campus, and needed to be stamped out by attitudes of tolerance and inclusion. I was not quite sure what this had to do with furthering my education and knowledge of government, the major I intended on pursuing. Attendance was mandatory, however, so I decided to try to make something of the experience.

One of the skits portrayed a student suggesting that her colleague must have been admitted to Cornell solely as a result of affirmative action. During the audience involvement period, I asked whether the University itself was to blame for the fact that a student could even suggest such a thing. After all, this University consciously decides to factor in race when deciding whom to admit. That does not excuse the rude and disrespectful suggestion of the actor in the skit, of course. But isn’t it odd that the University would treat students differently based on race to begin with, then try to use a satirical skit to clean up its own mess?