Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Guidelines on Ethical International Engagement
Nov. 14, 2019 Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to share Cornell’s guidelines on ethical international engagement, which will support our faculty members in creating and sustaining ethical relationships and collaborations with partners outside the United States. The guidelines below were developed with and refined by Cornell’s International Council, composed of senior leaders from each of…
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Message regarding sorority and fraternity activities on campus
Nov. 8, 2019 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, The passing of first-year student Antonio Tsialas nearly two weeks ago is still under active investigation by the Cornell University Police. While we do not yet have definitive answers about the cause of his death, it is already widely known that an unregistered fraternity-sponsored event took place on…
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Statement regarding Alliance for Science fellow dismissal
October 23, 2019 The Cornell Alliance for Science Global Leadership Fellows Program is a 12-week intensive training course held on our Ithaca campus. It is designed to equip and empower emerging international leaders who are committed to advocating for science-based communications and access to scientific innovation. The Alliance for Science is not a degree seeking…
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Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. recognition revoked
September 25, 2019 Effective immediately, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.’s recognition is revoked for a period of no less than one year, 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 one-year period, upon return the Chapter will…
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Cornell Community Welcome
Aug. 28, 2019 Dear Members of the Cornell Community, As we begin the 2019-2020 academic year, I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of you to—or back to—campus. The first days of a new semester are, for all of us, a time of excitement and potential: a time to look ahead at the…
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Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity recognition revoked
July 12, 2019 Effective immediately, Sigma Phi Epsilon 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…
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Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity placed on probationary recognition
June 21, 2019 Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity’s recognition was revoked effective December 20, 2018 for a period of one semester as a result of incidents determined to include hazing. Beginning May 31, 2019, the Chapter will be placed on probationary recognition status and remain on probationary recognition until December 31, 2019. Vijay Pendakur, Ed.D. Robert…
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Year-end message from President Pollack
May 9, 2019 Dear Cornell Community, As we look forward to our plans for the summer and beyond, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you progress that has been made toward building a more equitable and welcoming community at Cornell. As many of you may remember, in the fall of 2017,…
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Statement from Chairman of the Committee on Board Composition and Governance on Student Trustee Election
April 24, 2019 On Monday, April 22, the Trustee Nominating Committee (TNC) asked the Committee on Board Composition and Governance (CBCG) of the Cornell University Board of Trustees to review the recent student trustee election. The TNC asked the CBCG to consider whether further action was needed to preserve the integrity of the election process…
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Statement on terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka
April 21, 2019 Dear Cornell Community, I was shocked and horrified by the attacks in Sri Lanka that took the lives of hundreds of individuals observing Easter Sunday in their houses of worship. As we all try to grasp yet another atrocity in the world targeting people based solely on their religious affiliation, let us…
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Statement from Board Chairman on Student Trustee Election
April 18, 2019 In light of the controversy surrounding this year’s student trustee election, I feel that it is important for the campus community to understand a bit of history and context. Over 35 years ago, the University’s Board of Trustees, out of respect for the concept of “shared governance,” voted to create a Trustee…
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Message from President Martha E. Pollack
April 14, 2019 Dear Ithaca Campus Community, Yesterday, I was saddened to learn that a swastika had been found on the facade of a building on the Arts Quad. Apparently, it had been there for quite some time. This symbol of hatred, intolerance and anti-Semitism has no place at Cornell. While this cowardly act, which…
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Statement on Cornell Political Union Speaker Invitation
March 27, 2019 As we have frequently noted , free speech is an essential part of Cornell University’s commitment to the discovery of truth, and the University’s leadership is resolute in upholding the principle of freedom of expression on our campuses. Recently, we learned that an independent, student-run organization, the Cornell Political Union, had already…
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Statement on terrorist attack in New Zealand
March 15, 2019 Dear Cornell Community, Yet again, our world has experienced a despicable, evil act of hatred: the Islamophobic murder of dozens of Muslims in their houses of worship in New Zealand. Such terrible acts make us furious, sad, and confused. But we must, each of us, continue to reject the bigotry and hatred…
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Statement on Provisional Status Designation by the U.S. Department of Education
Feb 25, 2019 Cornell was recently notified by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that with respect to Cornell’s participation in the federal student aid programs it has received a provisional certification status for a three-year period ending December 2021. Cornell will seek regular approval from ED in 2021. Cornell’s provisional status was based on…
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Statement on racist fraternity photo captions in 1980 Cornell yearbook
Feb. 20, 2019 USA Today’s recent article on racist photos in old college yearbooks describes a 1980 photo of the Cornell chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity with captions that are both racist and anti-Semitic. I strongly denounce the use of these offensive captions, which are completely at odds with the values of our university.…
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Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Incorporated’s recognition revoked
Dec. 10, 2018 Effective immediately, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Incorporated’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…
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Statement regarding ILR exchange programs with China’s Renmin University
Oct. 30, 2018 The ILR School at Cornell University has suspended two exchange programs with China’s Renmin University. The programs are part of a partnership started in 2014 to advance labor studies in both countries. The decision stemmed from concerns that students at the Chinese institution were being penalized for speaking out about labor rights.…
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