Category: Uncategorized

  • Statement of Cornell University Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff

    Sept. 20, 2018 For more than a year, Cornell University has been engaged in reviewing allegations of misconduct against Professor Brian Wansink, many of which were highly public in their nature. The process of review and investigation under both federal regulations and university policy requires fairness and confidentiality. For this reason, Cornell has not commented…

  • Vice President Lombardi offers condolences on death of Iris Zhu ’21

    Sept. 7, 2018 I am deeply saddened to share the news that Iris Zhu ‘21, a student in the School of Hotel Administration, died last weekend while receiving treatment for a severe illness near her home in Maryland. We welcomed Iris as an undergraduate student in 2017. She left a lasting impression on those she…

  • Update on diversity and inclusion initiatives

    Sept. 7, 2018 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, As virtually all Cornellians know, our university has a founding commitment to being equitable, inclusive and welcoming: This is our “… any person …” ethos. Last fall, I convened the Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate and charged it with developing actionable recommendations to enhance campus climate. At…

  • Welcome message

    August 27, 2018 Dear Cornellians, Welcome to the start of a new academic year! I hope you are as excited as I am for all that’s ahead. As we kick off the year, I want to take a moment to reiterate the message I shared at New Student Convocation earlier this month. For the many…

  • Welcome message

    Aug. 23, 2018 Dear Members of the Cornell Community, On this first day of classes on the Ithaca campus, I want to welcome everyone to the new academic year. Whether you just arrived or have been a member of the Cornell community for years, I hope you find the start of the year as exciting…

  • Vice President Lombardi offers condolences on death of Rachel Doran ’19

    Aug. 20, 2018 It is with deep sadness that I write to share the news that Rachel Doran ’19 passed away following a severe illness, which she battled courageously after her diagnosis in mid-July. She died peacefully Friday night, with her family by her side. A rising senior in the College of Human Ecology who…

  • Delta Phi fraternity’s recognition revoked

    August 9, 2018 Effective immediately, Delta Phi fraternity’s recognition is revoked for a period of no less than four years, as a result of incidents determined to include hazing. If recognition is requested and approved pursuant to the applicable university procedure in place following the four-year period, upon return the Chapter will remain on probationary…

  • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s recognition revoked

    August 9, 2018 Effective immediately, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s recognition is revoked for a period of no less than two years, as a result of incidents determined to include hazing. If recognition is requested and approved pursuant to the applicable university procedure in place following the two-year period, upon return the Chapter will remain on…

  • Statement on recent acts of gun violence

    Aug. 6, 2018 This past week, dozens of people lost their lives in three separate mass shootings, at least one of which appears to have been racially motivated. The horrific and evil acts in Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton have shaken us deeply as a nation and have further diminished our sense of personal security.…

  • Statement regarding U.S. Supreme Court travel ban ruling

    June 27, 2018 Members of the Cornell Community, I am deeply disappointed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the administration’s executive order restricting entry from certain countries to the United States. The Court’s decision sends a signal to the world that the United States is no longer a welcoming place for international students…

  • Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate submits final reports

    June 8, 2018 Dear Cornell Community, The Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate has now submitted a final report of recommendations from each of the three committees: campus experience; regulation of speech and harassment; and campus response. I am very appreciative of the care and thought that has gone into the report; the recommendations it…

  • President Pollack endorses consensual relationship policy

    May 21, 2018 Members of the Cornell Community, Earlier this month, the Consensual Relationship Policy Committee submitted an extremely thorough report outlining its recommendations for a consensual relations policy governing student-faculty and student-staff relationships. The committee came to these recommendations after months of work, during which they reviewed the policies of many peer universities and…

  • Statement on decision of independent arbitrator on graduate student election result

    May 17, 2018 Cornell University is pleased with the decision released Wednesday by independent Arbitrator Howard Edelman to uphold the March 2017 graduate student election, directing that its result be certified. More than 80 percent of eligible Cornell graduate assistants participated in that election supervised by the American Arbitration Association, with the majority voting against…

  • Trustees express support for Greek letter organization reforms

    May 4, 2018 Today, President Pollack announced a series of policy reforms for Greek letter organizations at Cornell in response to a troubling pattern of hazing and related misconduct. President Pollack has our full and unanimous support in instituting these measures. Cornell’s Greek letter organizations have a long and rich tradition of contributing to the…

  • President Pollack initiates reforms for Greek letter organizations

    May 4, 2018 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, Greek letter organizations have a long history at Cornell University and have been a prominent feature of the undergraduate experience since 1868. Members of these organizations have made great contributions to our university; year after year, sororities and fraternities have helped to foster a vibrant community spirit on…

  • Sigma Nu fraternity recognition revoked

    May 4, 2018 Effective immediately, Sigma Nu fraternity’s recognition is revoked for a period of no less than three years, as a result of incidents determined to include hazing. If recognition is requested and approved pursuant to the applicable university procedure in place following the three-year period, upon return the Chapter will remain on probationary…

  • Update from President Pollack

    May 2, 2018 Dear Cornell Community, Last fall, I asked our community to come together to address several issues of critical importance to the university, leading to the establishment of three working groups: the Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate; the Consensual Relationships Policy Committee; and the President’s Visioning Committee on Cornell in New York…

  • Important message about community safety

    March 16, 2018 Dear Ithaca Campus Community On Thursday, March 15, FBI agents arrested Maximilien R. Reynolds, a former Cornell student, following the reported seizure by the Ithaca Police Department (IPD) earlier this month of a number of weapons at his residence in Collegetown. Please know that the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD) is working…

  • VP Lombardi and VP Opperman address recent Collegetown incidents

    March 12, 2018 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, Late last night, a Cornell student reported she was sexually assaulted while trying to gain access to her apartment in Collegetown. She was ultimately able to fight off the attacker who fled the scene. Cornell Police issued a crime alert early this morning and were able to provide…

  • Statement from President Pollack and VP Lombardi on Collegetown incident

    March 10, 2018 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, Early this morning, Ithaca and Cornell police responded to an assault in Collegetown in which racial slurs were used. The Cornell police have launched an investigation and are searching for the individual responsible. While we know very little about the details of the incident at this time, if…

  • University statement on nonviolent protest and admissions

    March 1, 2018 Cornell University values civic discourse as essential to the academic mission and promotes public engagement as critical to inspiring future leaders. Disciplinary action resulting from responsible engagement in nonviolent protest will not jeopardize admission to Cornell. Michael Kotlikoff Provost Barbara A. Knuth Senior Vice Provost

  • An important health and safety message from Vice President Lombardi

    Jan. 23, 2018 Dear Campus Community, The health and safety of Cornell students is fundamental to the educational mission of our university. I write to ask for your help in addressing a recognized serious risk to our students’ health, safety and well-being: hazing. This past year, the nation was jarred by the hazing deaths of…

  • Vice President Lombardi issues condolences on death of Miaoxiu “Tina” Tian, ’18

    Dec. 14, 2017 Dear Cornell Community, As we close the semester, it is with profound sadness that I write to inform you that we have lost a member of our community. Miaoxiu “Tina” Tian ’18 was found dead in her apartment yesterday. The Ithaca Police Department is investigating, but foul play is not suspected. A…

  • Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate membership announced

    Dec. 4, 2017 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, Earlier in the semester, I asked the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations to engage with the Ithaca campus community in a clear and transparent manner to identify students, faculty and staff willing to serve on the Presidential Task Force on…

  • In honor of our nation’s veterans

    Nov. 10, 2017 As our nation honors U.S. military veterans, past and present, this Veterans Day, I extend my gratitude to those in the Cornell community–faculty, students, staff, and alumni–who have served our country in the armed forces. In keeping with our status as a land-grant university and our founding aspiration to be an institution…