Think Before You Act
This morning I woke up to read this sad news regarding the defacement and destruction of property on the Cornell University campus…however, what happened in Ithaca, NY…could have also happened at any other university. Regardless of where such acts take place, this is the WRONG WAY to implement change in a peaceful manner. I offer my compliments to the author of the article “You Poured Paint on the Wrong Guy”, Henry Schechter, for his excellent analysis.
As the author correctly pointed out...carrying out such an act(s) serves no purpose other than defeating any support for the real cause. Such acts only detract from getting positive attention for the cause and to implement change. There are more effective ways to get your point across than to cause physical destruction as part publicity stunts. As the author correctly points out, those who are responsible for this wrong act…should THINK BEFORE YOU ACT next time…including doing more homework and research.
You will gain far more traction by exposing what the administration is doing so the alumni and granting agencies wake up and cut off their donations, gifts, and federal and state funding. Universities receive grant funding based on complying with grant requirements. Here is an article from April 2024 that describes “How Are Public Institutions of Higher Education Funded?”
Here is another interesting article from March 2023 that describes “What do universities do with the billions they receive from the government?”.
According to Wikipedia, “Land Grant Institutions” are defined as those that “receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, or a beneficiary under the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994”. Cornell University is one of the land grant institutions within the United States. Here is an article from March 2022 that describes “Land Grant Institutions: An Overview”.
Instead of wasting time defacing statutes with red paint...a far more effective method is to use "virtual red paint" to show what these university administrations are doing and supporting with the state and federal funds and see if that matches up with their donors and alumni who are their lifeline in the absence of state or federal funding.
In order to receive state and federal funding, and grants from other public and private entities, universities (by way of grant applications) are required to meet specific requirements, including environmental impact, training, health and safety, etc. When universities are inspected by state and federal regulatory agencies and found in violations of various state and federal laws (which happens regularly), then they can be subject to citations, fines, bad press, loss of alumni and donor funding and gifts.
As an environmental health and safety professional (EH&S) who has spent the better part of my 30+ year career working at universities, I have seen this play out over and over again. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with state authorized programs (such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation), initiated the College and University Initiative. This initiative resulted in substantial citations, fines, Supplemental Environmental Projects (to offset wasting money on just fines), both bad and good press for all involved, and both a nightmare and blessing for EH&S professionals such as myself.
While this initiative was indeed a nightmare on many levels…this is what it took to begin instituting change within these colleges and universities. What many people do not realize, is that colleges and universities in many respects function like mini-cities and mini-government…both kingdoms and fiefdoms depending on which side of the fence you fall on or are thrown into.
Hence my suggestion for young professionals to “work from the inside out”…and instead of wasting your time, energy, and resources defacing property with red paint or whatever…you are far better off “painting their faces red by exposing their lies and corruption. Think of it as a modern day version of “Tarring and Feathering”.
Publicly expose the corruption and the hypocrisy…and violations of state and federal laws and granting agency requirements…and then the money will dry up and the walls WILL come tumbling down. It is a tried-and-true method whether it is a college or university, a business or non-profit organization, a local, state, or federal government agency…or an entire nation. The citizens of any nations have the ability to take back control if they want CHANGE bad enough to take meaningful ACTION…however…you will all be stronger together as opposed to random acts of violence and acting before you think.
Try again, but this time THINK BEFORE YOU ACT and keep up with your education and training. Do not wait for your supervisor to tell you to start your training…take individual responsibility for yourselves.
