Statements Prod

Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • Cannabis use remains prohibited on campus

    April 2, 2021 Dear Cornell Community, As many of you may know, this week New York state legalized the recreational use of cannabis for adults over the age of 21. However, Cornell University is subject to federal laws that expressly prohibit the possession, use or distribution of cannabis on university property or as part of…

  • Update on May 2021 Commencement planning

    March 25, 2021 Dear Cornellians, On a beautiful spring day like today, my thoughts quickly turn to what, for me, is the highlight of the season – the opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of our graduates at Commencement. My expectation remains that I will be able to announce…

  • Increase in COVID-19 cases and the future of campus operations

    March 19, 2021 As you recently learned, a disturbing increase in the number of COVID-19 cases within our student body has forced the university to move to COVID-19 Alert Level Yellow. Even more disturbing than the number of new cases is what is behind those numbers: a blatant disregard by some students for the public…

  • Statement on Anti-Asian Violence

    March 17, 2021 Members of the Cornell Community, The recent string of shootings in the Atlanta area, which left at least six Asian women dead, is appalling, and my heart goes out to the victims and their families. While the details of these killings are still forthcoming, we do know that throughout the course of…

  • Update on the Campus Mental Health Review

    Feb. 16, 2021 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, In October of last year, we released the final report from a year-long Mental Health Review, an effort that built upon longstanding work to examine and address mental health at Cornell. The review examined our campus culture, environment, academic root causes, strategies, and services in relation to student…

  • Upcoming Public Safety Advisory Committee survey

    Feb. 5, 2021 Dear Ithaca campus community, On Monday, February 8, you will receive an invitation to participate in a confidential, secure survey on behalf of Cornell’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). Your response is important to help the PSAC understand campus community perspectives and experiences related to policing and emergency response on our Ithaca…

  • COVID-19 cluster identified on Ithaca campus

    Feb. 5, 2021 Members of the Cornell Community As noted in the CornellALERT sent moments ago, the university has identified a cluster of at least 12 positive COVID-19 cases within our student body. The cases are related to a party in Collegetown, which many members of Greek life organizations attended and where face covering and…

  • Statement from VP Lombardi on the death of Matthew Crovella ’23

    Feb. 1, 2021 It is with deep sadness that I share the news that Matthew Crovella ’23 died unexpectedly in his residence hall room last evening. His death was the result of a medical episode. Matthew, a major in Health Care Policy in the College of Human Ecology, was active in several organizations both on…

  • Update on diversity and inclusion initiatives at Cornell

    Jan. 26, 2021 Dear Cornell community, Last semester, our campus community came together as never before to enable a successful, in-person campus experience. It was also a time of vigorous activity and debate on our campus, with faculty, staff and students investing significant time and effort towards the critical, long-term goal of changing societal structures…

  • President Pollack reflects on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Jan 18, 2021 Dear Cornell community, Each year, on the day that celebrates the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I reread his speech, “I have a dream.” Each year, his words—words of grief, words of determination, words of hope—ring down through the decades, to rouse and challenge us anew.…

  • President Pollack condemns events at U.S. Capitol

    Jan. 6, 2021 What happened today in Washington D.C. is unlike anything I have seen in my lifetime. Like millions and millions of Americans, as well as people from around the world, I am horrified, disgusted, and deeply saddened by this violent attempt to overturn an election. Never could I have imagined citizens of our…

  • Vice President Lombardi offers condolences on the death of KAR Robison

    Dec. 31, 2020 It is with profound sadness that I share the news that KAR Robison, a junior majoring in Environment & Sustainability, died unexpectedly last week. A research assistant and recent intern with the Global Citizenship and Sustainability Program, they were instrumental in the development of an online digital museum project to document the…

  • Congratulatory message honoring December graduates

    Dec. 19, 2020 Dear December 2020 graduates and families, At the end of this semester like no other at Cornell, Provost Mike Kotlikoff, University Marshal Poppy McLeod and I are pleased to present one last “first”: our first virtual recognition ceremony for December graduates (above). A Cornell education is rigorous, and a Cornell degree is…

  • Message from Vice President Lombardi

    Dec. 18, 2020 Dear Students, Over the last number of weeks, a vigorous debate about the role of policing on our campus has ensued among the Cornell student body. The Student Assembly has served as a forum for this debate, which is wholly appropriate and important given its role as a self-governing entity designed to…

  • Statement on Financial Times Report

    Dec. 18, 2020 When the Financial Times reached out to us earlier this September, we were actively engaged in a review of our relationship with the manager of this fund. At that time, our contract restricted us from commenting further on its individual investment choices. Our examination swiftly discovered that in 2016 this fund manager,…

  • Gift from Ann S. Bowers ’59 creating new college of computing and information science

    Dec. 17, 2020 Dear Cornell Community, Today marks a historic day for Cornell University, as we announce the creation of the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, made possible by a generous gift from Ann S. Bowers ’59, an early leader in Silicon Valley, philanthropist and longtime Cornell supporter. This is…

  • Vice President Lombardi offers condolences on the death of Wai Hang (Will) Lee

    Dec. 16, 2020 It is with deep sadness that I share the news that Wai Hang (Will) Lee, a doctoral student in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, died unexpectedly on Monday. A graduate of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Will joined the graduate program at Cornell in Fall 2018. He had an interest in…

  • Renaming Cornell’s Goldwin Smith Professorships

    Dec. 14, 2020 On Dec. 10, the Cornell University Board of Trustees, through its Executive Committee, accepted a recommendation made by a special task force to rename the Goldwin Smith Professorships, currently held by 14 faculty members within the College of Arts and Sciences. The Board also accepted a task force recommendation that the university…

  • Planning for the spring semester

    Nov. 19, 2020 Dear Cornell community, As the end of the fall semester approaches, it is worth noting, once again, how thankful I am for our community’s collective resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Across our campuses, faculty, staff, and students have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and a…

  • Ithaca campus moving to COVID Alert Level Yellow

    Nov. 13, 2020 Dear Cornell community, The Tompkins County Health Department has identified additional positive cases related to the cluster that was described in yesterday’s communication. All students who have been identified as close contacts are currently in quarantine and undergoing testing; however, we anticipate that additional students may be contacted by the health department…

  • Election Day is tomorrow

    November 2, 2020 Dear Campus Community, Tomorrow is Election Day, which is always an exciting time for our democracy. If you are a registered voter and you have not already cast your ballot, please remember to vote tomorrow. Information on how to locate your polling place and additional resources are detailed below. Many commentators have…

  • Mental Health Review Final Report Available

    Oct. 22, 2020 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, In the fall of 2018, President Pollack initiated a comprehensive review of student mental health. This initiative reflected the university’s commitment to promoting health and well-being as a foundation for academic and life success for all students. It also built upon the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force…

  • Compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act

    Oct. 21, 2020 In June 2019, the U.S. Department of Education announced it was working with two of our peer institutions to review their compliance with the Department’s Section 117 foreign gift and contract reporting requirements, with a specific focus on work occurring in Qatar. Given that Cornell operates a medical school in Qatar, the…

  • Election 2020 voter registration, resources

    October 7, 2020 Dear Cornell Community, Our democracy relies on an informed and engaged electorate. We each have an active role to play in upholding that civic responsibility by educating ourselves on the issues, registering to vote and casting our ballots. With the 2020 United States general election less than one month away, I encourage…

  • Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity recognition revoked

    Sept. 23, 2020 Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity has permanently lost recognition from Cornell University and may not be considered for University Recognition at any point in the future. We regret deeply that the actions of the recent membership will have a lasting impact on a large number of proud Cornell alumni. Additional details can be…

Got any book recommendations?

Get In Touch