Tom Cook's no nonsense metal working class is a must for any self respecting farm boy at Cornell. These skills are vital for machinery maintenance and repair. They should be taught, and taught well. Where better than at Cornell?
I support this petition. I took my father's woodworking class during my last semester at Cornell in 2000. While appreciative of the things I learned in other classes, there wasn't a more practical course that I took (or knew of). Consider that many alumni now work in different fields in which they studied and the rate at which people change careers nowadays. As this petition nears 1,000 signatures, it is remarkable to see how folks from all different backgrounds and working in all different capacities see the value of these courses. The common denominator in all of this? Most of us are homeowners. To that end, I know my father takes a great amount of personal pride in teaching his students how to be more self-reliant...how to be a "survivor". In the shop and out of it, he just can't stand to see someone not meet their full potential, and has given greatly of himself to go the extra mile for any student willing to work for it. I was a business management & marketing major and the woodworking course was not required, but it was "core" to my education in other ways. Many of my best classes I took at Cornell taught critical thinking skills, problem-solving, how to learn from the mistakes of others and make good decisions. The courses we're talking about here are no exception, and for that reason it would be an incredible mistake to cancel these courses and lose the opportunity to have future Cornellians benefit from the type of education everyone who took the time to write in to this petition saw such value in. Thank you for listening.
I transferred to Cornell because I knew that I would have the opportunity to take practical, hands-on courses such as these. It would be a tremendous mistake to cancel these courses, as these classes are part of what makes Cornell such a unique and academically diverse school. Introduction to Wood Construction has been one of the most useful courses I have taken so far at Cornell - I can see myself using these concepts everyday after I graduate. I had planned on taking welding when I decided to transfer to Cornell, and with such tremendous support for these classes, I can't see why they are being canceled. I support this petition.
I was pretty excited about taking woodworking before I graduate. Students need real-world hands-on experience and skills, both because it's valuable in life and to provide diversity in a bookwork-based curriculum. Classes like these are exactly what ivy league schools need to diversify the academic experiences of their students and types of graduates they produce.
As a practicing structural engineer working on building envelopes, I know how important it is for students to have practical knowledge and be able to visualize how something is put together. When I recruit at Cornell I intentionally look for students who have practical, hands-on experience. People with only theories and textbook learning are not as useful to my firm. I support this position.
As a practicing structural engineer at Space Exploration Technologies, I can say that the experience gained in Tom Cooks advanced welding class is extremely valuable. I work every day designing, analyzing and figuring out how to build complex metal structures. Having hands on experience with this type of work puts me far ahead of fellow graduates who only have theoretical knowledge. At our company it is very important for an engineer to figure out how to build a part correctly. A design is not successful if it can not be built. Cornell can not afford to cut classes that culture these type of design and fabrication skills. If the university does end these programs, it will be giving the graduates a disadvantage when they need to face real world problems. Engineering is not just about having a good idea, it is about making an idea work when it comes time to build it. My industry needs these classes.
I support this petition. Ironically, about 24 hours before hearing about this petition, I had been extolling the virtues of Tom Cook and the Wood Construction course to my girlfriend -- it was one of the most useful and memorable courses I took during my time in Ithaca.
I support this petition. The creativity and personal expression explored in these courses level out the theoretical course loads that dominate most students' schedules.
I support this petition. When I decided to return to Cornell University I wanted to find courses that had hands on applications. Thankfully I came across the above mentioned courses by Tom Cook. The courses gave me a better understanding and appreciation of the world around me, more than any other courses I have taken at the university. With the knowledge I gained from the courses I was able to consult family, friends and community about projects they were going to undertake. I have recommended these courses to friends and have had nothing but good experiences to remember. To cancel these courses is a disservice to not only Cornell, but to the community as a whole.
"Introduction to Wood Construction" was the best class I took at Cornell, and I firmly support this petition. The final project that I created in the class has become a family heirloom that we will have forever. The class teaches life skills that no other class on campus can teach. Canceling this class would be a tremendous loss for the Cornell community. Instead of canceling it, Cornell should be promoting and expanding it. This is one of those classes that create long lasting Cornell memories, and that translates into caring, continually donating, alumni.
I support this petition. I took the metal fabrication class where I learned skills that helped me get my first real job (which also was a dream job) building race cars. I have since turned that experience into a career in engineering. Metal fabrication is a dying art that needs to be preserved and taught to future generations.
I support this petition. I believe the existence of practical, hands on courses in engineering and fabrication to be vital to any well rounded engineering curriculum.
I support this petition. I took all three of these courses and genuinely believe that I am a more well-rounded individual as a result. Learning to use your hands, eyes, and brains benefits students in all facets of life. Please do not cancel these courses.
I support this petition.
Although I am not a graduate of Cornell (nor of any university, for that matter) I have a great esteem for the reputation of the Ivy League in general and of Cornell in particular. It would be the greatest of shames if the shop classes were to be cancelled simply to provide storage space for boxes. There is a tremendous need now that will only increase for people who know how to work with their hands. How can an engineer be expected to specify work he cannot himself accomplish? How can an engineer be expected to hold others to a standard she cannot herself reach? Retain the classes and put the boxes in a shipping container. It will be more cost-effective and generations yet to come will thank you.
I support this petition. Some of the only hands on experiences I have from Cornell are the metal courses I took. I learned a great deal of practical knowledge and a skill that separates me from nearly all my colleagues. It is hard to earn respect trying to lead and manage hands on people if you possess no hands on experience. Regardless of whether or not is required, it is a very useful class for those who have time to take it, and for those who need a break from problem sets.
I support this petition. Mr Cooks metal course was one of the most hands on and practicle calsses I took during my time at Cornell. I looked foward every week to my lecture and lab time at Riley Robb hall beause I knew when I walked in that welding lab I was going to be pushed to produce quality work every time. I learned proper welding methods and saftey that I use every day on my dairy farm. Students from every walk of life on campus can learn valuable life skills from this class and it would be a shame to the BEE program and to the whole campus as a land grant university if it was dropped.
I am writing to express my firm disagreement with the attempt to cancel BEE 110,310, and 132. To rob the current and future Cornell student body of the opportunity to learn from Prof Cook's memorable and extremely relevant experiences is nothing short of a crime. Since graduating in '05 I cannot begin to count the number of times I've been asked to describe my favorite class at Cornell. Every time this subject is breached, my automatic response is to describe in detail my time spent in Metal Working.
After graduation I went to work in New York City for Capgemini, a Consultancy firm based in Paris. After one year I formed an independent consulting corporation and have worked full time the last two years for two clients: JPMorgan Chase, and Credit-Suisse First Boston. In my current role with CSFB I work alongside the CEO of Fixed Income Technology as part of the management team. During my interviews with all three of these employers/clients I distinctly remember being asked to talk about the Cornell metal working class listed on my resume. It was clear from the interest and engagement that the interviewers displayed while I was recounting my experiences: The personal enrichment I gained from this class directly contributed to my success in obtaining a job – more directly than any of the other classes I attended in my four years at Cornell.
I enrolled in metal working on some very strong endorsements from some friends I respected, although there was no way they could communicate to me the quality of the education I would receive every week in Riley-Robb Hall. I do not believe the value of these classes can be described on paper – it needs to be experienced firsthand.
While teaching us the basic abilities that anyone should possess, Professor Cook also conveyed the core values that are the most difficult to learn. Work ethic, accountability, and self-improvement are just a few of the things I practiced daily in the shop. I currently do not practice my metal workin
I proudly support this petition. I took Tom Cook's wood working class and in my four years, it was the only class at Cornell where I got to take an idea and make it a real. Designing, planning, and creating my wood working project was my most rewarding experience at Cornell and it still sits proudly in my families living room back home. Bottom line Cornell costs a lot of money and I wish I had the receipt for some of the required classes I had to take......the class I took from Tom Cook was worth every penny.
As a CALS alumni, it's critical that we offer practical, hands on courses that enable students to improve the world around them. Professor Cook provides this opportunity, and thankfully socially- and environmentally-concerned engineers can learn the skills needed to actually create useful tools and technology. To rob students of this learning opportunity would be criminal.
As Cornellians in the working world well know, the diverse learning opportunities offered by our alma mater helped shape us into multi faceted, knowledgeable, and capable members of society. Breadth of knowledge engenders creativity that propels Cornellians along exciting and rewarding career paths. I urge the University to find the resources to support this class and to continue to offer the range of many other non-required courses that students enjoy delving into. As such I strongly support this petition.
I support this petition, and I support the continuation of practical, hands-on instruction in wood and metal work at Cornell. I'm class of '89, the last class that got a degree with the words "Agricultural Engineering Technology" on it. I was dismayed that the name was changed. I'm even more dismayed that the University would consider Tom Cook's classrooms to be better used as storage space. What is the Cornell motto? Has it been changed? Has the definition of "any subject" been changed to no longer include the industrial arts which give artists and engineers a grounding in physical objects?
KEEP THIS PROGRAM GOING!
As a graduate of Cornell, Class of 2002, I'm proud of the bevy of courses offered to students by my alma mater, from the academic, to the practical, to the technical, to the downright exploratory (depending on one's needs and interests). I took many such classes, and though I never took a wood or metal shop class, I highly support their continued inclusion among Cornell's diverse offerings, and thus support this petition.
