July 1, 2024
Dear colleagues,
It is an honor to begin my term as Cornell’s interim president, and to have the opportunity to advance, in this new role, the work of the extraordinary university and community I am proud to call home.
I have been at Cornell for 24 years: teaching students, running a laboratory, collaborating with faculty and staff, and developing deep ties across the university, with members of our many communities upstate and downstate, and with alumni and friends around our “pale blue dot.”
Over that time, I have come to know Cornell to truly be a place like no other: a university with a breadth of academic excellence, a commitment to using that excellence to benefit humanity, and a diverse community united by the strength of our shared values and common purpose.
Cornell was created out of radical ambitions, with a radical belief in the power of education to bridge division, transcend boundaries, and advance societies.
In every generation, as our nation has encountered new challenges, Cornellians have risen to them: educating, exploring, and finding solutions, with a particular culture of creativity and curiosity, humility and hard work, collaboration and respect.
It is a privilege to be part of Cornell’s mission, and part of this remarkable community of faculty, staff, and students who embrace our ambitions, cherish our values, and, like me, call Cornell home.
I wish you all a wonderful summer, and look forward to our work together.
Sincerely,
Michael Kotlikoff
Interim President
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