Statements Prod

Tag: Pollack

  • COVID-19 Vaccination and Fall Instruction

    April 2, 2021 Dear Cornell Community, Although we all appreciate that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over and that we must remain vigilant around public health measures to protect ourselves and our community, there is reason to be hopeful as we plan for the future. More than 90 million U.S. residents have safely received one…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54

    Sept. 18, 2020 Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a true hero and a giant of American jurisprudence. A relentless champion of equity, she dedicated her life to innumerable, honorable causes, always fighting for what was right. While the nation mourns her passing, we can find solace in the indelible imprint that she leaves on American society…

  • Update on racial justice initiatives at Cornell

    Sept. 4, 2020 Dear Cornell community, In June, as the nation reeled over racial injustice following the killings of Black Americans, we announced a number of actions that we would take to support and strengthen our community and to create a more just and equitable Cornell. We are writing to update you on some of…

  • Important message regarding New York state guidelines

    Sept. 2, 2020 Dear Cornell community, Last Friday, the State of New York issued new guidelines for universities and colleges. These guidelines require significant changes in operation whenever the number of positive COVID-19 cases over a two-week period on a college campus exceeds 100 or 5% of the campus population (faculty, staff, and students), whichever…

  • Statement on Beirut explosion

    Aug. 7, 2020 This week’s explosion in Beirut, which took over 145 lives, injured thousands more, and left some quarter of a million people homeless, has been a devastating blow to the people of Lebanon, who have already suffered so much tragedy and pain. I am enormously saddened to see the impact of this needless…

  • President Pollack emphasizes science behind reactivation decision

    Aug. 5, 2020 Dear Cornell and Ithaca community members, As we look ahead to the autumn and to the return of students to Ithaca, I know that many of you have concerns about Cornell’s decision to reopen for residential instruction. Since we announced our plans, I have replied to dozens of messages from the Cornell…

  • Additional actions to create a more just and equitable Cornell

    July 16, 2020 Dear Cornellians, A little more than a month ago, I announced a set of actions to enhance our existing programs to promote racial justice. While it was important to take immediate steps in the wake of the racialized violence in our nation, we realize that there is much more to do. I…

  • A positive outcome for international students

    July 14, 2020 Dear Cornellians, Earlier this afternoon, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its July 6order requiring international students who take online-only classes this fall to leave the U.S. This means that national guidance issued in March that allows currently enrolled students who take online courses to reside in the U.S. and maintain legal…

  • Standing with our international students

    July 8, 2020 Dear Cornellians, On Monday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released guidelines prohibiting international students from remaining on campus if classes are held online. This was wholly unexpected, and it is a senseless and unfair policy that runs counter to all that we stand for as a global academic community. I write…

  • Additional measures to address the FY21 budget deficit

    July 2, 2020 Dear Colleagues, As you know, earlier this week we announced our plans for the fall semester. We are writing today to share our financial plans. While the expected in-person semester with hybrid instruction adds clarity to our financial position, we still face significant uncertainty as we navigate the coming months. That said,…

  • Plans to reactivate Ithaca campus for fall semester

    June 30, 2020 Dear Cornellians, It was just over three months ago, in the wake of the emerging pandemic, that we needed to swiftly deactivate our campus and shift – mid-semester – to online instruction. Since then, the question I have been asked the most is whether we will reopen for instruction this fall. Today…

  • Campus reactivation planning

    June 22, 2020 Dear Cornellians, As I write this, it is one of those picture-perfect days in the Finger Lakes, with a blue sky unbroken by clouds, a gentle breeze and the temperature just warm enough to make me want to spend the whole day outside – even if in front of a laptop. I…

  • Cornell marks Juneteenth with day of reflection

    June 17, 2020 Dear Colleagues, Juneteenth, the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, is celebrated on June 19. This year, as our country confronts its history of racism and oppression, it is especially important for us to pause on Juneteenth to reflect on how we – collectively and…

  • Statement on Prof. David Collum’s Tweets

    June 5, 2020 We watched the video of the events in Buffalo yesterday where police officers shoved an elderly man to the ground and walked past while he lay bleeding on the sidewalk. The behavior we saw was deplorable. We are heartened that the authorities took immediate actions and that the two police officers involved…

  • Immediate actions to support and strengthen our community

    June 3, 2020 Dear Cornellians, Like so many of you, my family and I have been reeling over the events of the past week – events for which words seem inadequate. The images we have seen and the sounds we have heard have horrified us and broken our hearts. We are ashamed of the injustices…