Turn Left

Infobox_Newspaper
name = Turn Left


type = Monthly newspaper
format = Tabloid, on newsprint
foundation = 2000
last published = Fall 2006
price = Free
owners = Independent
publisher =
editor =
political = Liberal/Progressive
circulation = 3,000+
headquarters = Ithaca, New York
ISSN =
website = [http://www.cuturnleft.org www.cuturnleft.org]

"Turn Left" (sometimes referred to as "TL") was an independent student-run publication at Cornell University from 2000 to 2007. Calling itself "Cornell's Liberal Voice," "Turn Left" focused on political and humanitarian issues that it believed were underreported by other media outlets. [ [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=about/missionstatement Turn Left's mission statement] ] It also participated in campus dialogs through debates and other events in collaboration with other student organizations. [Nelson, Steven. " [http://cornellsun.com/node/14400 Greenstreet Screens Political Film at C.U.] ," "The Cornell Daily Sun", March 31, 2005.]

In a controversial decision, "Turn Left" was renamed "The Cornell Progressive" in February 2007. [Editorial, "The Cornell Progressive" Volume VII Issue III; Letters to The Editor, Volume VII Issue IV]

History

Founded in 2000 by three engineering students to counter the domination of the independent campus press by the conservative "Cornell Review", "Turn Left" became an influential source for political discussion and debate at Cornell. During the 2004 election, the "Turn Left" staff generally backed moderate Democrat John Kerry for the presidency over more liberal candidates such as independent Ralph Nader. The publication itself did not endorse a candidate. ["Turn Left" Volume V, Volume III] "TL" notably avoided a hard line on such hot-button issues as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Turn Left" attracted much notice among Cornellians in the spring of 2005 for its scathing attack on the "Cornell Daily Sun" in response to what it considered poor reporting of major issues on campus, such as the 2005 Student Assembly elections scandal, and a dearth of quality opinion writing. [ [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=archives/508/burner04# "We Do Not Apologize!"] "Turn Left" Volume V Issue VIII] "TL" also raised its profile with its efforts to expand coverage of local and campus issues, as well as its sometimes biting satire [TL staff. " [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=archives/508/staff05# Top 10 Reasons We'd Rather Use the Cornell Daily Sun for Toilet Paper] ," "Turn Left", retrieved on January 8, 2007] and extensive coverage of international events. "Turn Left" was the only publication at Cornell that consistently covered the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. ["Turn Left" Volume V, Volume VI]

In 2005, "Turn Left" exposed a scandal involving alleged improprieties in the conduct of the leadership of The Cornell Democrats and the Cornell Student Assembly, both led at the time by Tim Lim '06. ["Turn Left" Volume V Issue VII] Lim later removed himself from the presidency of the Democrats in a cloud of controversy, [ [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=archives/507/marshak01 "Move made to impeach President Tim Lim"] , "Turn Left" Volume V, Issue VII; [http://cornellsun.com/node/14072 "C.U. Dems Resign"] , "The Cornell Daily Sun", retrieved on May 21, 2007] and Cornell students launched a campaign to discredit the allegedly fraudulent March 2005 Student Assembly elections [ [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=archives/508/marshak02 "Move to Disapprove SA Election Results"] , [http://cuturnleft.org/index.php?page=archives/508/burner05# "SMACK or the Two-Thirds Majority That Could"] , "Turn Left" Volume V, Issue VIII] - both events influenced in large part by "TL" reporting and opinion.

In the Spring of 2007, co-editors Shai Akabas '09 and Ethan Felder '09 launched a successful but controversial campaign to change the name of the publication to "The Cornell Progressive". The executive board voted 6-2 to amend the organization's constitution in March 2007. ["The Cornell Progressive" Volume VII Issue III] [ [http://left.wikia.com/wiki/AN_OPEN_LETTER_TO_THE_EDITORS_OF_THE_CORNELL_PROGRESSIVE An Open Letter to The Editors of "The Cornell Progressive"] , March 2007]

In 2005, "Turn Left" began to bill itself as "Cornell's premier political newspaper," signaling its editors' belief that it eclipsed the once monolithic "Cornell Review" in terms of influence and quality. ["Turn Left" Volume V Issue V]

Milestones

*"Turn Left" premiered in a bounded magazine format in time for Election 2000. All subsequent issues were in newsprint.

*From 2005 to 2007, The Center for American Progress's campus outreach division, Campus Progress, provided "Turn Left" with a substantial grant. "Turn Left" was also funded in part by Cornell's Student Assembly and ad revenue. [Graham-Felsen, Sam. " [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060213/grahamfelsen The New Face of the Campus Left] ," "The Nation", January 26, 2006.]

Founders

*Tsee Yuan Lee '02
*Tsee Yung Lee '02
*Thomas M. Leung '02, '03

Recent Editors

*Ethan Felder '09 and Shai Akabas '09, Spring 2007
*Jamie Gullen '07 and Rich Getzel '08, Fall 2006
*Evan Marshak '07, Spring 2006
*Wayne Huang '07, Spring 2005 - Fall 2005
*Andrew Garib '06, Spring 2003 - Fall 2004 [DiNapoli, Christie. " [http://cornellsun.com/node/16741 Marcus Highlights Palestinian Media] ," "The Cornell Daily Sun", February 21, 2006.]
*David Lew, Fall 2002

Editors Emeriti

*Wayne Huang '07
*Andrew Garib '06

References

External links

*" [http://www.cuturnleft.org/ Turn Left Archives Website] "