Your portal for all things CAU Summer.

Bookmark this page so you can refer to it frequently. Information about the program, details about your course, and bonus content will continue to be added leading up to the start of your CAU Summer experience. For quick access, find your course on the right sidebar. Or, for even more inspiration, scroll the whole page.

Logistics you will need

  • Arrival + check in

    CAU Summer Headquarters are located at Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) Hall, 224 Cradit Farm Drive, Ithaca NY 14850

    • Signs for CAU will be visible as you get closer to RBG Hall.
    • Park your vehicle in the Appel Parking Lot.
    o You do not need a parking permit upon arrival since Cornell will not issue parking tickets on Sunday.
    • Then, follow the signs to CAU check-In.
    • CAU staff will be available to help carry your luggage into RGB Hall to the Welcome Desk for check-in.

  • Sunday check-in schedule

    Unfortunately, early arrivals can’t be accommodated. Thanks in advance for arriving on time.

    Residential participants 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.: Check in at CAU’s front desk on the first floor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall to pick up your welcome packet which includes your red folder, a parking permit, lanyard, name tag, hallway/elevator key, suite key, room key, and meal card.

    Commuter participants/those not staying at RBG Hall 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.: Check in at CAU’s front desk on the first floor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall to pick up your welcome packet, meal card, and parking permit.

    Late arrivals
    • Arriving after 5:00 p.m. on Sunday? Late arrivals will be able to pick up a folder, name badge, meal card, and other information at the CAU Hospitality Desk at Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall. Late arriving residential participants will need to pick up their hall/elevator, suite, and room keys on the first floor of Robert Purcell Community Center, a short distance from RBG Hall. The RPCC service desk’s phone number is 607.255.6214. The CAU Hospitality Desk phone is 607.255.6260.

    • Arriving after 9:00 p.m. on Sunday? If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 p.m. on Sunday evening, plan ahead and let CAU know in advance so we can help. Contact cauinfo@cornell.edu ahead of time to make arrangements.

  • Sunday activity schedule

    Unfortunately, early arrivals can’t be accommodated. Thanks in advance for arriving on time. (Residents: 2 -4; Commuters: 4 -5)

    2:00 - 5:00 During check-in, the CAU Social Lounge located on the first floor of RBG Hall (room 125/127) will be open for light refreshments.

    5:00 Welcome reception, CAU Social Lounge.

    6:00 – 7:00 Dinner, Toni Morrison Multipurpose Room (room 102/104)

    7:00 Orientation, Toni Morrison Hall Multipurpose Room
    (followed by a brief get-acquainted meeting of faculty with their students)

    8:30 – 9:00 Ice cream social (optional), CAU Social Lounge at RBG Hall

  • Departure

    CAU Summer concludes after breakfast on Saturday morning.

    Check-out time for the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall is 10:00 a.m.

    Assistance with luggage will be available to those in need from 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Liability Waiver: required for all participants

Parking + getting around campus

  • Cornell University’s campus is beautiful, large, and hilly. CAU’s residence hall, parking, and dining facility are one-third of a mile or slightly more from most classroom buildings over hilly terrain. Since you’ll walk back and forth from class each day, please give yourself plenty of time and bring comfortable shoes! We’re confident you’ll enjoy these strolls is your mobility is good. However, if you are uncertain or if you anticipate problems walking, you can ride the TCAT bus using a complimentary bus pass, purchase a Red Runner shuttle pass by contacting CAU, drive your car onto campus and park at a Park Mobile location, or order an accessible parking permit for Central Campus.

  • Parking permits

    Each car on campus must have a parking permit. The Appel parking lot is the designated move-in lot only. Parking is free on Sundays though so you will not be issued a ticket upon arrival on Sunday afternoon or evening at check-in if you do not have a permit.

    Starting Monday:
    Parking Lot A is the designated parking lot for CAU participants. One entrance to Parking Lot A is located off Pleasant Grove Road, across from the Robert Trent Jones golf course. The other entrance is located off Jessup Road across from Toni Morrison Hall, turning south on Northcross Road.

    See the interactive Cornell Campus Map for additional details.

    Starting Monday, participants may pay for parking near their classroom through Park Mobile

    Accessible parking permit holders (Commuter or residential participants) may purchase a PO permit. A copy of your municipal handicap permit or plate registration is required. Permits for accessible parking spaces are only available for purchase in person at the Transportation Services Building (116 Maple Avenue Ithaca NY 14850) between 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

  • Transportation

    The TCAT bus is also a wonderful way to make your way around campus and to sites around town. Participants who wish to ride the TCAT bus will be provided with a free bus pass. TCAT #81 will pick up participants every 15 minutes in front of Robert Purcell Community Center (RPCC), at the intersection of Cradit Farm Road and Pleasant Grove Road, and in front of Helen Newman Hall every 15 minutes to take participants to classes along East Ave and Tower Road. Bus #81 will pick up participants along Tower Road and East Ave and take them back to north campus every 15 minutes.

    TCAT Bus schedule

    You are welcome to drive your vehicle to class and pay to park at various Park Mobile locations around campus.

    If your mobility is impaired, Red Runner service is available for those individuals with special needs, walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs. Please contact cauinfo@cornell.edu if you have questions.

    If you are a residential participant and your course takes place off campus, transportation from RBG Hall has been arranged to take you to and from class each day. You are free to drive your own vehicle if you prefer. If you are a commuter and your course takes place off-campus, you may park in Parking Lot A, walk to RBG Hall, and take the arranged transportation to your course.

On-Campus Housing: Requirement

  • Are you staying with us at RBG Hall?

    Here’s a copy of Conference and Event Services’ Housing Terms and Conditions. Please download this fillable pdf, add your name/signature to the bottom, and bring the signed copy to Sunday check-in at Ruth Bader Ginsberg Hall, where we’ll also have paper copies for anyone who hasn’t yet completed the form. Thanks!

Dining Details

  • Click the link above to fill out the Cornell Dining form to share your particular dietary needs and arrange for accommodation during CAU Summer.

  • Summer Bucks, boxed lunches, + special meals

    Summer Bucks
    Each program participant starts the week with $200 of Summer Bucks loaded on their meal cards. Summer Bucks are accepted in all on-campus cafes and dining halls, excluding the Temple of Zeus in Klarman Hall. A list of eateries and hours of operation will be placed in your welcome packet. Many participants are enrolled in courses that provide breaks and lunches as part of the course or as part of an off-campus excursion. The cost of these snacks and lunches has been deducted from meal cards. A written explanation of any deductions along with the total amount of Summer Bucks remaining on your meal card will be placed in your red folder.

    Boxed Lunches
    If you are on the meal plan and will be going on field trips with your class, a boxed lunch will be provided to you. Protocols for ordering a lunch of your choice will be in your red folder when you arrive.

    Special Meals
    Your Summer Bucks are valid in most eateries across campus. Most residential participants enjoy dinner at Toni Morrison Dining Hall, an all-you-care-to-eat facility with an array of offerings for vegetarians and vegans. Limited kosher meals are available, but you must request them well in advance of arrival. Please make sure to fill out the Cornell Dining Form to share your particular dietary needs and arrange for accommodations during CAU summer. Cornell Dining will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Additional Information

  • Internet access

    There is an easy system for you to use to get on the Cornell Visitor network. To register your device to use the Cornell-Visitor Wi-Fi network, select Cornell-Visitor from the list of available networks. Once connected, the browser window should open automatically. You should see a Cornell-Visitor welcome message and registration screen. Enter your name and email, then check the box that you accept the terms of use. You will then see a confirmation screen. Click Log In. Because this is a visitor’s network, you will need to register your device daily.

  • Evening Activities

    Optional cultural and entertainment events will be available in the evenings. These include CAU lectures, walks, and talks; Summer Session lectures and concerts; and other campus events. A list and description of CAU-sponsored activities will be provided in your folder, and announcements and sign-up sheets are posted at the Hospitality desk. Tickets for off-site attractions can be purchased online. All CAU students and faculty are invited to gather for Friday’s reception and banquet dinner at the Moakley House. Guests who are not enrolled in a CAU summer course will need to purchase a Banquet ticket to attend Friday’s reception and dinner.

  • Climate + clothing

    Summer temperatures in Ithaca are generally comfortable and pleasant. Bring a light jacket or sweater for air-conditioned spaces. Informal, casual clothes and comfortable shoes are desirable. However, most people prefer to dress up a bit for the Friday night festivities. Don’t forget some sort of rain protection and be prepared for the occasional cool morning.

  • Linens + laundry for residents

    The housing staff on campus furnishes linens and towels weekly. Self-service laundry facilities are available in Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall.

  • Recreation facilities

    Cornell offers a free daily fitness pass to use the on-campus recreational facilities. This pass includes access to fitness centers, the pool, and gymnasiums at Helen Newman Hall and Noyes Fitness Center. To request a daily pass, please see the CAU Hospitality Desk. Users will need to carry their fitness pass and a photo ID to access a fitness facility.

  • CAU Social Lounge

    The CAU Social Lounge will be located on the first floor of RBG in rooms 125/127. Soft drinks, wine, beer, and light snacks will be available each day after class, starting at 4:00 p.m., and again after dinner until 10:00 p.m. Adults only in this lounge, please.

  • Mail

    Unfortunately, RBG Hall cannot accept mail during the summer. DO NOT have mail or packages sent to the RBG residence hall. Please contact cauinfo@cornell.edu to arrange for mail delivery if necessary.

  • Messages

    If you wish to leave phone numbers for those who may want to reach you at CAU, please give them the CAU Hospitality Desk and message board. Cell phones are highly recommended.

  • Pets

    Cornell University housing regulations do not allow pets in any residence unless they are registered Emotional Support Animals or registered Service Animals.

  • Phones

    Landline phones in residence hall rooms have been removed. Bringing your own cell phone is strongly encouraged.

  • What to bring

    Suggested items for your stay with CAU:
    • alarm clock
    • extra clothes hangers
    • rain gear, light jacket, or sweater
    • comfortable walking shoes
    • a water bottle (for field courses or hot weather)
    • a day pack, tote bag, or backpack for carrying class supplies
    • a pouch or purse for carrying keys and identification
    • toiletries, bug spray, sunscreen
    • laundry detergent if you are planning to wash your clothes

Health services + emergencies

  • Health Services
    Emergency medical care is available at the Cayuga Medical Center (607.274.4011) on route 96 and at its Convenient Care (607.274.4150) extension at 10 Arrowwood Drive off Warren Road. Convenient care is open 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. daily. Registrants are responsible for their own emergency, surgical, medical, and hospital care fees.

    Emergencies
    In the case of a true emergency, you can reach the campus police at 607.255.1111 or dial 911. Be sure to tell them where you are staying or located at the time of the emergency.

CAU Summer 2023 Private Facebook Group

  • What is it and how to join?

    Join this private group to start getting to know other each other before CAU Summer even starts!

    You will receive an invitation to join the group by email. You may have to look for the invite in your clutter, other, junk, or spam folder. Don't want to wait for that email? Go into Facebook and search for CAU Summer 2023 and request to join the group.

    • Gmail users: The invite will appear in your "social" tab.
    • Cornell.edu users: You may experience difficulty responding to the email invitation. If that happens, go into Facebook, search for CAU Summer 2023, and request to join the group.

    If you don't get the invite, or you experience any issues joining, just email the CAU team cauinfo@cornell.edu for further assistance.

WEEK ONE COURSES (July 9 - 15)

  • Your instructor has provided a letter of welcome, preparation instructions, a block schedule with detailed times, building location, and classroom numbers for your class below.

    Course Transfers: Sunday or Monday transfers from one course to another will be accommodated IF space is available and logistics allow. Please consult the CAU Program Coordinator, Kenny Berkowitz at cauinfo@cornelle.edu

How to Build a University

Fabric and the Human Form

  • Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection

    To prepare for your course, Catherine Blumenkamp recommends visiting the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection website.

  • Your class location

    This course will be held in room T13 in the Human Ecology Building. The Human Ecology Building is on Forest Home Drive. HEB is situated between Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR) and Beebe Lake. It is on top of a parking garage. From within MVR, go to level T, walk through the Commons, and turn right at the other end - you are now in HEB. GPS: enter “37 Forest Home Dr, Ithaca, NY 14853.”

Wine and Food: The Principles and Pleasures of Pairing

Chile, the Pacific, and the World

  • Suggested Readings

    (in order of preference):
    Isabel Allende, My Invented Country. A wonderful memoir by one of the most important novelists of our time.
    Pablo Neruda, Memoirs. The life of one of Chile’s two Nobel-prize winning poets, in his own words and completed shortly before his death in 1973.
    Gabriela Mistral, Selected Poems (ed. and trans. by Ursula K. LeGuin). An excellent collection of the poetry of Chile’s other Nobel-prize winner, Gabriela Mistral.
    Pedro Lemebel, My Tender Matador. A moving, funny, and serious novel set in the authoritarian Chile of the 1980s by an important queer activist and writer.

  • Your class location

    This course is taught in 149 Lincoln Hall, a handsome brick structure built in 1881. You may enter through the Arts Quad or Feeney Way and walk down the hall to room 149. After class, you may visit the Sidney Cox Library of Music and Dance, which has an excellent collection containing approximately 131,000 periodicals, books, scores, and parts; 56,000 sound and video recordings; and a microfilm collection of early printed and manuscript sources. Its depth and breadth serve the needs of a wide variety of users on the campus. Highlights of the research collection include early opera libretti and scores, eighteenth-century keyboard and chamber music, and an archive of American popular songs from 1850-1950.

Natural History Collections: A Crucial Cornerstone for Science and Society

  • Pre-course participant survey

    Welcome to Natural History Collections with Vanya Rohwer. Your instructor has provided this survey to learn a little more about you!

  • Suggested readings

    Allison Byrne, Reimagining the Future of Natural History Museums with Compassionate Collection.
    Chris Filardi et al, a sequence of stories surrounding the collection of a single Mustached Kingfisher.
    Emma Marris, Bloodshed for Diversity.
    Vanya Rohwer, Yasha Rohwer, Casey Dillman, Declining Growth of Natural History Collections Fails Future Generations.

  • Your class location

    This course is taught partly on campus, at the Lab of Ornithology and out in nature. On campus part of the week the class will meet in in 316 Lincoln Hall, a handsome brick structure built in 1881. You may enter through the Arts Quad or Feeney Way and take the elevator or stairs to the third floor. After class, you may visit the Sidney Cox Library of Music and Dance, which has an excellent collection containing approximately 131,000 periodicals, books, scores, and parts; 56,000 sound and video recordings; and a microfilm collection of early printed and manuscript sources. Its depth and breadth serve the needs of a wide variety of users on the campus. Highlights of the research collection include early opera libretti and scores, eighteenth-century keyboard and chamber music, and an archive of American popular songs from 1850-1950. A van will take the class on trips to natural areas around the Lab of Ornithology for exploration and to visit the Lab of Ornithology to tour various collections at the lab.
    Dedicated to advancing the understanding and protection of the natural world, the Cornell Lab joins with people from all walks of life to make new scientific discoveries, share insights, and galvanize conservation action.

The Golf Clinic for All Players

  • Faculty:
    Matt Baughan, Head Varsity Coach for Men’s Golf with Kelly Baughan and staff of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course

  • Your class location

    The Cornell University golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and proves to be a challenging test for all levels of golfers. The course is conveniently located at the edge of the Cornell University campus. Our facility has all the amenities needed to improve your game from tee to green – practice greens, chipping area, practice sand trap, and 300-yard driving range. There is ample parking for your vehicle, or you can walk from north campus to the course. You may leave your labeled clubs and equipment at the clubhouse each day.

WEEK TWO COURSES (July 16 - 22)

  • Your instructor has provided a letter of welcome, preparation instructions, a block schedule with detailed times, building location, and classroom numbers for your class below.

    Course Transfers: Sunday or Monday transfers from one course to another will be accommodated IF space is available and logistics allow. Please consult the CAU Program Coordinator, Kenny Berkowitz at cauinfo@cornelle.edu

The Personal Essay: A Writing Workshop

  • Your class location

    This course is taught in 107 Lincoln Hall, a handsome brick structure built in 1881. You may enter through the Arts Quad or Feeney Way and walk down the hall to room 107.
    After class, you may visit the Sidney Cox Library of Music and Dance, which has an excellent collection containing approximately 131,000 periodicals, books, scores, and parts; 56,000 sound and video recordings; and a microfilm collection of early printed and manuscript sources. Its depth and breadth serve the needs of a wide variety of users on the campus. Highlights of the research collection include early opera libretti and scores, eighteenth-century keyboard and chamber music, and an archive of American popular songs from 1850-1950.

Nature Photography

  • Pre-course participant survey

    Welcome to Nature Photography with Jennifer Gioffre Todd and David Todd. Your instructors have provided this survey to learn a little more about you!

  • Your class location

    Nature Photography will be out in nature, taking pictures each morning and in the Photography Lab located in Tjaden Hall each afternoon. Tjaden Hall houses the Olive Tjaden Gallery, the Experimental Gallery, numerous classrooms and art studios, printmaking labs, and a darkroom. Formerly known as Franklin Hall, the structure was built during a university building boom in the late 19th century. Named for America's first great scientist, Benjamin Franklin, this first home for physics and chemistry on the Cornell campus was designed by the Reverend Charles Babcock, the university's first professor of architecture, who designed several campus buildings during his tenure. The building was completed in 1883.

Art for Its Time: Reflections of Recent American Movements

Jews on Film: Movie Musicals

  • Pre-course participant survey

    Welcome to Jews on Film: Movie Musicals with Elliot Shapiro. Your instructor has provided this survey to learn a little more about you!

  • Your class location

    This course is taught in 124 Lincoln Hall, a handsome brick structure built in 1881. You may enter through the Arts Quad or Feeney Way and walk down the hall to room 124. After class, you may visit the Sidney Cox Library of Music and Dance, which has an excellent collection containing approximately 131,000 periodicals, books, scores, and parts; 56,000 sound and video recordings; and a microfilm collection of early printed and manuscript sources. Its depth and breadth serve the needs of a wide variety of users on the campus. Highlights of the research collection include early opera libretti and scores, eighteenth-century keyboard and chamber music, and an archive of American popular songs from 1850-1950.

Delicious and Nutritious: Food for Healthy Living

Gorgeous Gorges: The Prehistoric Past of the Finger Lakes

Bicycling the Byways: Ithaca and Beyond

The Sailing Clinic

  • Your class location

    The sailing course is located at the Cornell Merrill Family Sailing Center, 1000 East Shore Dr., which is also State Route 34 North towards Lansing. The middle of the lake reaches depths over 500ft, but off the sailing center, the water is roughly 15ft deep. On the water, we are provided with various sailing conditions, and the balance of conditions provides a tremendous natural arena for us. Northerly winds are typically steady, bringing 2-3ft waves rolling down the lake. It’s a great condition for straight-line speed and tuning. Southerly winds generate flat water & shifty conditions, something we see at many other college venues. Easterly winds are rare because of the general weather patterns. Westerly winds create dynamic sailing conditions due to the local typography featuring high hills.

55 years of "Best. Summer. Ever."

  • For 55 years, CAU has been creating the "Best. Summer. Ever." for alumni, family, and friends on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. Now, as you are about to embark on your own "Best. Summer. Ever," start your learning adventure with a history lesson about how this legendary program grew from an earnest dream (pun intended, for those of you who already know this cherished tale) into the vibrant, full-scale experience you are about to share with participants from all over the world.

    CAU is celebrating 55 years of learning! It’s 2023, and many of the trends of the 1970s like bell bottoms are back in style! Fondue restaurants are popping up in chic cities again. Throwback Atari games can be downloaded for your iPhone. And of course, kids are still solving Rubik’s cubes in record speed.

    As trends come and go, one thing never goes out of style: learning at CAU! Some might think that learning in the ’70s was a much different experience than it is today. Back then, you had to rely on textbooks, encyclopedias, and lectures to get your information. Fast forward to today, and learning looks much different. You can search the internet and even have artificial intelligence (AI) do the thinking for you. But even with all the advances in technology, there are still some similarities between learning in the ’70s and learning today.

    Learning today is the same as it was in the ’70s in the sense that, no matter the era, some students will find themselves dozing off in class. In the ’70s, students may have been caught snoozing in geometry, while today's students may be found snoozing in AP Calculus. Seriously though, going to class, engaging in learning through discussions, active learning, and exchanges within your classmates and professors is a timeless classic.

    Active engagement is a necessity for learning and gaining knowledge, while styles come and go with the changing times. CAU has been providing the opportunity for deep, rich lifelong learning since 1968, and CAU’s fundamental mission has remained steadfast and steady.

    Whether you're interested in taking a course in art history, mastering a new skill, or exploring the world of finance, CAU has something for you. CAU classes are taught by world renowned professors, and CAU faculty are passionate about their work and dedicated to the art of lifelong learning.

    With a variety of topics and classes, you’ll be sure to find something that piques your interest. Discover the power of learning. We are thrilled you will be with us this summer to share the experience that so many before us have loved and cherished. At CAU, learning never goes out of style!

    What was happening in the world while CAU hosted the first CAU Summer in 1968? Lots! In sports news, Billie Jean King won the Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles tennis competition and the United States brought home 107 medals in the Olympic Games in Mexico City! (Who can forget seeing the Fosbury Flop for the first time?!) Charlene Mitchell became the first Black woman to run for president, and Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey was leading Republican Richard M. Nixon in the polls by 46% to 35%.

    And here in Ithaca? CAU launched the first CAU Summer with one week-long residential course! Over the next ten years, CAU Summer grew to five or six courses each week for four weeks In 1973, CAU was among the first American universities to offer alumni, family, and friends the chance to travel together with Cornell faculty who are specialized in each destination. In 1980, CAU led its first tour to China—a huge milestone—Over the years, CAU grew from offering weekend birding excursions with Cornell ornithologists to making it possible for you to learn on location around the globe with acclaimed scholars, You’ve been traveling with CAU ever since!

    Fifty-five years later, CAU is still focused on providing vibrant, engaging, faculty-driven content for people who are smart, active, curious, and driven to learn more. Like you! So far in 2023, CAU participants have experienced Egypt, Hawaii, and Greece with leading Cornell faculty. To learn more about traveling with Cornell faculty in 2023 and 2024, go here .

Learn more about the CAU Summer experience

Learn more about CAU study tours

  • From a Broadway-filled weekend in NYC, to an Antarctica cruise with Cornell scientists, CAU keeps learning with you. In addition to CAU Summer, CAU offers domestic and international study tours and subject-specific seminars.

Contact us

  • CAU Summer 2023

    Cornell’s Adult University
    Cornell University Alumni Affairs and Development
    607-255-6260
    cauinfo@cornell.edu