Statements Prod

Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • Statement on university policy

    Dec. 9, 2023 Over the past few days, a number of universities, including Cornell, have been asked by members of Congress to make clear their policies around genocide. Genocide is abhorrent, and Cornell condemns calls for the genocide of any people. An explicit call for genocide, to kill all members of a group of people,…

  • Impacts of a potential government shutdown

    Nov. 15, 2023 Dear Cornellians, We are writing regarding the possibility that the U.S. federal government will shut down on Saturday, November 18, pausing several government functions that affect university education, research, and other operations. This disruption will occur if the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are unable to agree on a…

  • Standing against antisemitism and all forms of hate

    Nov. 1, 2023 Dear Cornell community, The past two and a half days have been difficult ones for our university. In addition to the vile antisemitic posts that threatened our Jewish community on Sunday, today we had a concerning crime alert. Even though it was unsubstantiated, it adds to the stress we are all feeling.…

  • Suspect identified in online threats against Jewish students

    Oct. 31, 2023 We can confirm that a subject has been identified as a suspect in the antisemitic threats made against our Jewish students on Sunday and is currently in custody. We thank the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for their coordination. We will update the public as we have further details to release.…

  • Criminal charges issued against Cornell student

    Oct. 31, 2023 Cornell University is grateful to the FBI for working so swiftly to identify and apprehend the suspect in this case, a Cornell student, who remains in custody. We also thank Cornell Police and Chief Anthony Bellamy for extraordinary efforts in supporting the investigation and protecting our campus community. The university will continue…

  • Antisemitic threats to our community

    Oct. 29, 2023 Dear members of the Cornell community, Earlier today, a series of horrendous, antisemitic messages threatening violence to our Jewish community and specifically naming 104 West — the home of the Center for Jewish Living — was posted on a website unaffiliated with Cornell. Law enforcement was immediately notified. At this time, Cornell…

  • Supporting our community

    Oct. 27, 2023 Dear Cornell Students, I write to address the strong emotions that many of us are experiencing during these challenging times. I have spoken with many students who represent a range of beliefs, identities, and perspectives. Despite these differences, a common thread is the recognition that we are all Cornellians and deserve the…

  • Statement of President Pollack and Board Chair Kayser on Prof. Russell Rickford comments

    Oct. 17, 2023 We learned yesterday of comments that Professor Russell Rickford made over the weekend at an off-campus rally where he described the Hamas terrorist attacks as “exhilarating.” This is a reprehensible comment that demonstrates no regard whatsoever for humanity. As we said in yesterday’s statement, endorsed by senior leadership of the Board of…

  • Supporting one another as we stand against hatred (Follow up on events in Israel)

    Oct. 16, 2023 Dear Cornell Community, The despicable atrocities perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist organization in Israel last week left the world reeling with shock, horror, anger and grief. The brutal attacks shattered countless innocent lives, caused unimaginable pain and challenged our very understanding of humanity. The intentional targeting and killing of innocent civilians is…

  • Response to the terrorism in Israel

    Oct. 10, 2023 Dear Cornell Community, Earlier today, I wrote to you with the goal of providing information about the efforts that we have made over the last few days to reach out to and support our faculty, students and staff who have been impacted by the devastation in Israel, and to acknowledge the impact…

  • Follow up to Israel message

    Oct. 10, 2023 Dear Cornell Community, Earlier today, I wrote to you with the goal of providing information about the efforts that we have made over the last few days to reach out to and support our faculty, students and staff who have been impacted by the devastation in Israel, and to acknowledge the impact…

  • 2023 Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct Survey Results

    October 5, 2023 Dear Cornell Community, Today we release the findings of the 2023 Cornell Survey of Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct, in which 11% of student respondents said they experienced nonconsensual sexual contact since entering Cornell. The findings are similar to results from 2015, 2017 and 2019, before in-person education was disrupted during the…

  • Impacts of a potential government shutdown

    Sept. 28, 2023 Dear Cornellians, We are writing regarding the expectation that the U.S. federal government will shut down next week, pausing several government functions that affect university education, research, and other operations. This disruption occurs when Congress does not approve appropriations of federal funding by the start of the government’s fiscal year, which starts…

  • Presidential Task Force on Undergraduate Admissions Final Report

    September 14, 2023 Dear Cornellians, The Presidential Task Force on Undergraduate Admissions has now submitted a final report of recommendations for updated policies and best practices related to undergraduate admissions at Cornell. I have carefully reviewed their recommendations, and Provost Michael Kotlikoff and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Interim Vice Provost for Enrollment Lisa…

  • Vice President Malina offers condolences on the death of Yohanes Kidane ’23

    September 7, 2023 Our community mourns the death of Yohanes Kidane ’23, a recent graduate in computer science from the College of Engineering and the Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. We are devastated by the tragic nature of his passing, and we encourage all who knew him on campus to seek…

  • Welcome message from President Pollack

    August 24, 2023 Dear Cornellians, Welcome to the 2023-24 academic year! It’s a pleasure to see the campus again full of students and activity. While the start of every academic year at Cornell is marked by great anticipation, this autumn is especially exciting as we embark together on our university-wide theme year, “The Indispensable Condition:…

  • Supreme Court decision on consideration of race in college admissions

    June 29, 2023 Members of the Cornell Community, Cornell University was founded in 1865 as a university where “any person can find instruction in any study.” We have been committed ever since to diversity and inclusion, a commitment that was reiterated and enshrined in the University’s core values adopted in 2019. Cornell is disappointed by…

  • The Indispensable Condition: Freedom of Expression at Cornell

    April 17, 2023 Dear Cornell community: "Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every other form of freedom." -Benjamin Nathan Cardozo, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States Free expression is the bedrock of democracy, just as academic freedom is the bedrock of higher education. These twin freedoms are at…

  • Supporting those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

    Feb. 14, 2023 Dear Ithaca and AgriTech campus communities, The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred last week in Turkey has caused almost unthinkable damage. It is estimated to have taken more than 36,000 lives across Turkey and Syria, wounding many more and inflicting billions of dollars of damage to housing and infrastructure. Our thoughts are…

  • Emergency Resources and Support Following Mass Shooting at Michigan State University

    February 14, 2023 Dear Ithaca and AgriTech campus communities, We are devastated by last night’s mass shooting at Michigan State University, which claimed the lives of three students and critically injured five others. We send our condolences to the Spartan community and ask that you keep them in your thoughts. We know the news of…

  • Presidential Task Force on Undergraduate Admissions

    Dec. 6, 2022 Dear Cornellians, Cornell’s commitment to diversity as reflected in its founding principle of “Any person… any study” is both historical and tied to Cornell’s academic mission, stemming from an understanding that a diverse community ensures better educational experiences, prepares students for the world they are entering and leads to better solutions to…

  • Response to recent crime alerts

    November 7, 2022 Dear Cornell students, Like you, we are outraged and saddened by the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD) crime alerts issued this weekend alleging the drugging of at least four students, and sexual assault of another student. These incidents reportedly occurred at off-campus residences affiliated with registered fraternities. We strongly condemn the actions…

  • Our Core Value as a Community of Belonging

    Sept. 15, 2022 Dear Ithaca campus community, As we start another academic year, I want to remind everyone that Cornell has a set of core values that were created after extensive discussions with people from all parts of our community and that are rooted in our long history. You can find them here. Among those…

  • Campus Mental Health Review update

    Sept. 12, 2022 Dear students, faculty, and staff: As the academic year begins, we’d like to share updates on campus-wide initiatives to support and improve our community’s well-being in response to recommendations from the Mental Health Review (MHR). Following the 2020 Final Report, we have implemented dozens of improvements including promoting social connectedness and belonging…

  • Information on registering to vote in New York state and elsewhere

    Sept. 6, 2022 Dear Students, To vote in state or federal elections, you must be a registered voter. I am pleased to provide you with information about how to register to vote in New York state and elsewhere. To register in New York state, you must be a United States citizen, be 18 years old…

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