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

“Any Person ... Any Study”

within One University



ComprehensiveSelf‐StudyReportsubmittedtothe

MiddleStatesCommissiononHigherEducation

February9,2011

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

Executive Summary i

Executive Summary

“Any Person … Any Study” within One University

Self-Study for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Submitted by

Cornell University

February 9, 2011



Thiscomprehensiveself‐studyofCornellUniversity,undertakenadecade

afterthepreviousMiddleStatesaccreditation,takesasitsthemethe

productivetensionbetweenCornell’shistorical(andstillcherished)goals

ofaccessibilityandbreadthanditsneedtofunctionwithunity,focus,and

efficiency.Aswemeasuretheuniversityby

thecommission’sstandards,

wefindseveralessentialfactsormajordevelopmentsofrecentyearstobe

especiallyrelevant:

 Cornell’sthoroughandfocused2010StrategicPlan;

 thelongstandingdecentralizationofacademicandvariousother

responsibilities;

 Cornell’scharacterasthelandgrantuniversityofNewYorkState;

 theuniversity’s

responsestothenationaleconomicdownturn,

includingimmediatemeasuresaswellasboldchangestocreate

long‐termsavingsinadministrativecosts;

 theapproachingretirementofalargeproportionofthefacultyand

Cornell’sproactiveresponse;

 thecommitmenttoneed‐blindadmissionsandneed‐based

financialaid;

ii Executive Summary

 ongoingeffortstoimproveourstudents’living‐learningexperience

andtocontinueorestablishmeansofassessingthequalityof

studentlearning.

WeintroduceCornellinourfirstchapter, outliningfundamentalfacts

abouttheuniversityanditsindividualcolleges,describing

transformationalinitiativesofthepastdecade,andexplainingthe

external

contextthatledto“ReimaginingCornell,”acomprehensiveself‐

examinationculminatinginthe2010StrategicPlan.Chapter2briefly

explainsourapproachtotheMiddleStatesself‐study.

ThefirstthreeMiddleStatesstandards(MissionandGoals;Planning,

ResourceAllocation,andInstitutionalRenewal;andInstitutional Resources)are

examinedinchapter

3,“InstitutionalStewardship.”Afterexamining

Cornell’sstrategicplanningprocessandoutcome,wediscussthefunctions

ofplanning,resourceallocation,andrenewal,andthendescribethe

university’srevenues,expenses,budgeting,andrelatedareas.Wealso

discusschangesbroughtaboutbytheglobalfinancialcrisis.We 

recommenddevelopingamorecoordinatedapproach

toplanning,tobe

achievedalongthelinesdescribedinthe2010StrategicPlan.Wealso

recommendfurtherplanningfortherefurbishmentofcampusfacilities

andforcampusdevelopmentasprescribedintheCampusMasterPlan.

Inchapter4weaddressstandards4(LeadershipandGovernance),5

(Administration),and6(Integrity).

HereweoutlineCornell’sadministrative

andgovernancestructuresaswellaspoliciesrelatedtointegrityand

ethicalconduct.Wetakenoteofseveralchangesinrecentyearsthathave

centralizedcertainfunctionsoftheuniversity,andwerecommendthat

Cornellcontinueonthispath,solongasdoingsodoes

notjeopardizethe

academicmissionsofthecolleges.Wealsorecommendclarificationofthe

rolesoftheassemblies,continuedmomentumonadministrativecost‐

savingmeasures,andfullimplementationofanin‐processchangein

managementofconflictsofinterest.

Chapter5considersstandards8(StudentAdmissionsandRetention)and9

(StudentSupport

Services).Wefirstexamineadmissionpolicies,enrollment

targets,andrecruitmentofunderrepresentedminorities.Next,we

considergraduationandcompletionrates,advising,careerservices,

Executive Summary iii

psychologicalservices,residentiallife,andotheraspectsofstudentwell‐

being,aswellasgrievancepoliciesandprivacyprotections.We endorse

need‐blindadmissionsandcompetitivepackagesofneed‐basedfinancial

aid,recommendfurtherattentiontotheretentionandsuccessof

underrepresentedminorities,andsuggestthatCornellreconsiderthe

recentpolicy

ofallowingapplicantstochooseanalternatecollege.Wealso

offerrecommendationsconcerningfosteringstudenthealthandwell‐

being,findroomforimprovementinacademicadvisingandcareer

services,andsuggestthatCornellexaminehousingissuesrelatedto

transferadmission.

OurnextchapterexaminesCornell’scompliancewithstandard10:Faculty,

consideringthecompositionofthefaculty,measuresofexcellence,therole

ofnon‐professorialfacultymembers,diversity,mentoring,tenure,and

otherissues.WeendorseCornell’sproactivefacultyrenewaleffortsand

supportinnovativehiringpracticesandeffortstowarddiversity.We

recommendprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforallfaculty,

includingnon‐professorialones,and

advisefurtherconsiderationofthe

roleofemeritusfaculty.Urgingmoreconsistentuniversity‐widesupport

forteaching,werecommendmorewidespreadmentoringofjuniorfaculty

andincentivesforunitstobetterintegratefacultymembers’rolesas

researchers,teachers,advisors,mentors,andagentsofpublicengagement.

Finally,werecommendthatthe

universitycontinuetoexpandcross‐

campusandinter‐campuscollaborations,withparticularemphasisonthe

socialsciencesandbusiness.

“EducationalOfferings,”ourseventhchapter,focusesonstandards11–13:

EducationalOfferings,GeneralEducation,andRelatedEducationalActivities.

Hereweexamineundergraduateeducation,graduateandprofessional

programs,off‐campusstudy,andsupportingfactors

suchasthelibrary,

informationtechnology,andinstructionalfacilities.Weendorsemoving

towardamoreunifiededucationalexperienceforundergraduates,

developingstrongertiesacrosscolleges,andminimizingobstaclesthat

maypreventstudentsinonecollegefromtakingcoursesinanother.We

alsourgegreaterattentiontothecreativeandperforming

artsaswellas

datacollectiononundergraduateresearch.Atthegraduatelevel,we

recommendthatCornellexaminetheviabilityofsomesmallgraduate

fieldsaswellastheadequacyofprogramsinEnglishasasecond

iv Executive Summary

language.Otherrecommendationsconcernlibraryservicesandtheneed

forimprovedmeansofsupportingstudy abroad. 

Nextweaddressstandard14:AssessmentofStudentLearninginchapter8.

Cornell’smanyprogramsareatvaryingpointsintheirprogresstoward

establishingandusingeffectiveassessmentpractices.Weexaminethe

situationacross

undergraduate,graduate,andprofessionalprogramsand

offerageneralrecommendationthatCornellensureamplecentralsupport

fortheassessmentproject.WealsorecommendthatCornellusearangeof

resourcesfordevelopingassessmentactivities,provideadditionalsupport

forassessment‐relatedworkintheCenterforTeachingExcellence,and

createforain

whichunitscanshareassessmentmodels.

Standard7:InstitutionalAssessmentisdiscussedinchapter9.Thischapter

outlinesourdatacollectionandanalysisservices,ourcurrentassessment

activities,andplansforthefuture.WeendorsetheStrategicPlan’saims

forinstitutionalassessmentandrecommendaddressingissuesof

communicationandtransparency

ofdata.Wealsoseeaneedformore

datacollectionintwoareas:(1)thelinksbetweenstudents’Cornell

experiencesandtheirlatercareersand(2)theexperiencesandperceptions

ofgraduateandprofessionalstudents.

Inconclusion,wesurveythehighlightsofourself‐studyandaffirmthe

needfor

CornellUniversitytoactas“oneuniversity”tomaintainand

improveitsresearchprominenceandtoenhancetheundergraduate

experience.Weseeadministrativeefficiencyandacademiccollaboration

asmeanstohelpCornellachieveitsambitiousgoals.

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Table of Contents v

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“Any Person … Any Study” within One University

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Table of Contents

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1. Introducing Cornell University ....................................................... 1

1.1 Facts About Cornell ......................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Mission ................................................................................ 2

1.1.2 Vision ................................................................................... 2

1.1.3 Cornell’s Colleges and Schools ............................................. 3

1.1.4 Cornell’s Leadership ............................................................ 11

1.2 Transformational Initiatives of the Last Decade ........................ 12

1.2.1 Undergraduate Residential Initiatives .................................. 12

1.2.2 Financial Aid Initiatives ....................................................... 14

1.2.3 New Life Sciences Initiative ................................................. 15

1.2.4 “Far Above”: The Campaign for Cornell ............................. 16

1.2.5 Other Initiatives .................................................................. 17

1.3 The External Context and “Reimagining Cornell” ..................... 19

1.4 “Any Person … Any Study” within One University .................... 25

2. Approach to Self Study ................................................................ 27

2.1 Organization of the Self-Study Process ...................................... 27

2.1.1 The Working Groups .......................................................... 30

2.1.2 The Steering Committee ..................................................... 31

2.2 “Any Person … Any Study” within One University .................... 32

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3. Institutional Stewardship ............................................................. 35

Standard 1: Mission and Goals

Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal

Standard 3: Institutional Resources

3.1 Mission, Vision, and Goals ........................................................... 36

3.1.1 An “Overarching Aspiration” ............................................. 38

3.1.2 Strategic Planning in Academic and Administrative Units .... 40

3.2 Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal ........ 41

3.3 Institutional Resources ................................................................. 46

3.3.1 Revenues ........................................................................... 46

3.3.2 Expenses ............................................................................ 49

3.3.3 Assets ................................................................................ 52

3.3.4 Comparison to Other Institutions ........................................ 53

3.3.5 Financial Planning and Budgeting ....................................... 54

vi Table of Contents

3.3.6 Campus Master Plan .......................................................... 57

3.3.7 Auditing ............................................................................. 57

3.3.8 Facilities Resources ............................................................. 58

3.3.9 Human Resources .............................................................. 60

3.3.10 Information Technology ..................................................... 63

3.4 Recommendations ........................................................................ 64

3.4.1 Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal .... 64

3.4.2 Institutional Resources ........................................................ 65



4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration ................................ 67

Standard 4: Leadership and Governance

Standard 5: Administration

Standard 6: Integrity

4.1 Leadership and Administration ................................................... 68

4.1.1 Board of Trustees ............................................................... 68

4.1.2 University Assemblies .......................................................... 71

4.1.3 The Assemblies and Shared Decision Making ...................... 73

4.1.4 Administration ................................................................... 75

4.1.5 Policy Development ............................................................ 76

4.1.6 Selection and Evaluation of Leadership ............................... 77

4.1.7 Communication ................................................................. 78

4.2 Integrity ........................................................................................ 80

4.2.1 Ethical Conduct Policies ...................................................... 80

4.2.2 Enforcement Efforts ........................................................... 82

4.3 Recommendations ........................................................................ 86

4.3.1 Leadership and Administration ........................................... 86

4.3.2 Integrity ............................................................................. 87



5. Student Admissions and Supports .............................................. 89

Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention

Standard 9: Student Support Services

5.1 Admissions and Enrollment Management .................................. 90

5.1.1 Management of Undergraduate Enrollment Targets ............ 92

5.1.2 “Alternate College” Admissions:

Impacts, Risks, and Benefits ................................................ 92

5.1.3 Policies on Transfer Students: Current and Future ............... 93

5.1.4 Early Decision in Admissions ............................................... 94

5.1.5 Communicating Information about Tuition and Financing .. 95

5.1.6 Admission and Retention of

Graduate and Professional Students ................................... 96

Table of Contents vii

5.2 Supporting a Diverse Student Body ............................................ 99

5.2.1 Need-Blind Admissions and Need-Based Aid ....................... 99

5.2.2 Undergraduate Financial Aid Policies ................................. 101

5.2.3 Funding of Graduate Students ........................................... 103

5.2.4 Funding of Professional Students ....................................... 106

5.2.5 Recruitment Efforts for Underrepresented Minorities ......... 107

5.3 Graduation and Completion ..................................................... 111

5.3.1 Undergraduate Graduation Rates ..................................... 111

5.3.2 Completion Rates in the Graduate School ........................ 113

5.4 Advising, Well-Being, and Community ..................................... 117

5.4.1 Undergraduate Advising ................................................... 117

5.4.2 Relationship between Admissions and Advising ................ 118

5.4.3 Career Services ................................................................. 119

5.4.4 Undergraduate Students: Strategies for Success ............... 121

5.4.5 Support for Students with Disabilities ............................... 123

5.4.6 Students in Trouble: Identification and Response .............. 124

5.4.7 The Role of Residences in the Student Experience ............. 127

5.5 Student Grievances and Privacy Protections ............................. 132

5.5.1 Graduate School Grievance Procedures ............................ 133

5.5.2 Access to Confidential Information:

Policies, Practices, and Protections .................................... 134

5.6 Recommendations ...................................................................... 138

5.6.1 Admission and Retention .................................................. 138

5.6.2 Support ............................................................................ 138



6. The Faculty .................................................................................. 141

Standard 10: Faculty

6.1 Faculty Size and Composition .................................................... 142

6.2 Faculty Performance .................................................................. 145

6.2.1 Excellence in Research ....................................................... 145

6.2.2 Excellence in Teaching ...................................................... 149

6.3 “Faculty” Broadly Understood .................................................. 151

6.3.4 Non-Professorial Academic Staff ....................................... 152

6.3.5 Postdoctoral Fellows ......................................................... 154

6.3.6 Emeritus Faculty ............................................................... 154

6.3.7 A.D. White Professors-at-Large and Rhodes Professors ..... 155

6.4 Gender, Diversity, and Work Life .............................................. 156

6.4.1 Faculty Work Life Survey ................................................... 157

6.4.2 CU-ADVANCE .................................................................. 159

6.4.3 Dual-Career Support ........................................................ 160

6.4.4 Offices Promoting Faculty Diversity ................................... 163

6.5 Faculty and University Responsibilities ..................................... 163

viii Table of Contents

6.5.1 Faculty Responsibilities ..................................................... 163

6.5.2 Institutional Support ......................................................... 164

6.5.3 Linkages ........................................................................... 170

6.6 Recommendations ...................................................................... 173

6.6.1 Faculty Composition ......................................................... 173

6.6.2 Faculty Roles and Professional Development ..................... 174

6.6.3 Linkages ........................................................................... 174



7. Educational Offerings ................................................................ 175

Standard 11: Educational Offerings

Standard 12: General Education

Standard 13: Related Educational Activities

7.1 Undergraduate Education .......................................................... 176

7.1.1 University-Wide Learning Goals ........................................ 176

7.1.2 Learning Goals of the Colleges ......................................... 177

7.1.3 Distribution Requirements of the Colleges ........................ 181

7.1.4 Creative and Performing Arts ........................................... 182

7.1.5 Oversight of Curricula ...................................................... 184

7.1.6 The Use of Capstone Projects ........................................... 185

7.1.7 Breadth of the Academic Experience ................................ 186

7.1.8 Extracurricular and Nontraditional Opportunities .............. 187

7.1.9 Undergraduate Research .................................................. 189

7.1.10 The Living-Learning Environment ...................................... 190

7.2 Graduate and Professional Study ............................................... 193

7.2.1 Graduate School ............................................................... 193

7.2.2 Teaching Assistants .......................................................... 196

7.2.3 Professional Schools in Ithaca ........................................... 198

7.2.4 Weil Cornell Medical College and Graduate School .......... 200

7.2.5 Professional Schools’ Connections with

Undergraduate Education ................................................ 202

7.3 Off-Campus Study ...................................................................... 204

7.3.1 Credit Courses and Internships ......................................... 205

7.3.2 Noncredit Internships and Work Experiences .................... 209

7.3.3 Distance Learning ............................................................. 212

7.3.4 Graduate Study Abroad ................................................... 212

7.4 Library, Information Technology, & Instructional Facilities ..... 213

7.4.1 The Cornell University Library ........................................... 213

7.4.2 Cornell Information Technologies ..................................... 216

7.4.3 Instructional Facilities ....................................................... 217

7.5 Recommendations ...................................................................... 218

7.5.1 Common Academic Experience ........................................ 218

7.5.2 Integration Across Colleges .............................................. 219

7.5.3 The Creative and Performing Arts ..................................... 219

7.5.4 Undergraduate Research .................................................. 220

Table of Contents ix

7.5.5 Fields of Graduate Study .................................................. 220

7.5.6 Graduate Student Language Instruction ........................... 220

7.5.7 The University Library ....................................................... 221

7.5.8 Study Abroad ................................................................... 221



8. Assessment of Student Learning ............................................... 223

Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning

8.1 Steps Toward a Culture of Assessment ..................................... 224

8.2 Effects of Cornell’s Complexity and Diversity ........................... 226

8.2.1 Established Approaches to Assessing

Educational Programs ....................................................... 228

8.3 Oversight of Assessment of Student Learning ......................... 229

8.3.1 The Core Assessment Committee ..................................... 229

8.3.2 College Oversight of Assessment Activities ....................... 230

8.3.3 University Activities to Support Assessment ...................... 232

8.4 Status of Assessment in Undergraduate Majors ....................... 233

8.4.1 Examples of Assessment at the Undergraduate Level ........ 235

8.5 Assessment in the Professional Schools .................................... 239

8.5.1 Johnson Graduate School of Management ....................... 239

8.5.2 Law School ...................................................................... 241

8.5.3 College of Veterinary Medicine ......................................... 242

8.5.4 Weill Cornell Medical College ........................................... 243

8.6 Assessment in the Graduate School .......................................... 244

8.6.1 Master of Management in Hospitality ............................... 244

8.6.2 Master of Engineering ...................................................... 245

8.6.3 Master of Architecture ..................................................... 245

8.6.4 Master of Landscape Architecture .................................... 246

8.6.5 Master of Health Administration ....................................... 247

8.6.6 Master of Public Administration ........................................ 248

8.6.7 Research Degrees ............................................................. 249

8.7 Other Assessments of Student Learning ................................... 249

8.7.1 Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines .................... 250

8.7.2 Cornell Undergraduate Information

Competency Initiative ....................................................... 250

8.7.3 Instructional Activities in the Cornell Library ....................... 251

8.7.4 Center for Teaching Excellence and

Engineering Teaching Excellence Institute ......................... 252

8.7.5 Faculty Innovation in Teaching Grants ............................. 252

8.7.6 The Use of VideoNote ..................................................... 253

8.7.7 Assessing Workshops in Math 1910 ................................ 254

8.8

Recommendations ...................................................................... 255



x Table of Contents

9. Institutional Assessment ............................................................ 257

Standard 7: Institutional Assessment

9.1 Institutional Research and Planning ......................................... 258

9.1.1 Suite of Surveys ................................................................ 259

9.2 Assessment Activities Across the University .............................. 260

9.2.1 Financial Data .................................................................. 261

9.2.2 Human Resources ............................................................ 261

9.2.3 Research .......................................................................... 263

9.2.4 Educational Programs, Teaching, and Learning ................. 263

9.2.5 Public Service ................................................................... 264

9.2.6 Student Life ..................................................................... 266

9.2.7 Facilities ........................................................................... 266

9.2.8 Institutional Reputation and Quality ................................. 267

9.3 Planned Assessment Activities ................................................... 267

9.4 Recommendations ...................................................................... 270



10. Conclusion ................................................................................... 291



1. Introducing Cornell University 1

1. Introducing Cornell University

In2015Cornellwillcelebrateitssesquicentennial.Inthischapter,we

introducetheCornellUniversityoftoday:itscharacter,itssize,andits

leadership.Wehighlightsignificanttransformationalinitiativesofthelast

decade.Finally,wedescriberecentstrategicplanningeffortsatthe

universityandthesignificanceofourtheme,“AnyPerson

…AnyStudy”

withinOneUniversity.

1.1 Facts about Cornell

CornellUniversityrepresentsadistinctivemixofeminentscholarshipand

democraticideals.Called“thefirstAmericanuniversity”byeducational

historianFrederickRudolph,Cornellwasconceivedasacoeducational,

non‐sectarianinstitutionthatwouldteachinandcontributetoallfieldsof

knowledge—fromtheclassicstothesciencesandfromthetheoretical

to

theapplied.EzraCornellcapturedtheseidealsin1865withastatement

thathassincebecomeCornell’smotto:“Iwouldfoundaninstitution

whereanypersoncanfindinstructioninanystudy.”

AsthefruitionofEzraCornell’svisionof“anyperson...anystudy,”

CornellUniversitytodayoffers

overahundredprogramsofstudy:from

PhilosophytoCropandSoilSciences;fromAppliedandEngineering

PhysicstoSculpture;fromCollectiveBargaining,LaborLaw,andLabor

HistorytoOphthalmology.Inthe2010Data‐BasedAssessmentofResearch‐

DoctorateProgramsconductedbytheNationalResearchCouncil,Cornell

hadmoredoctorate‐granting

programsrankedthananyotherprivate

institutioninthenation.Astheuniversity’sstrategicplannotes,Cornell

“combinesthefinestattributesofanIvyLeagueinstitutionwithan

2 1. Introducing Cornell University

unusuallydeepcommitmenttopublicservice,stemmingfromitshistory

asalandgrantinstitution.”



OntheIthacacampusalonemorethan20,000studentsrepresentingevery

stateand120countrieschoosefromamong4,000coursesin11

undergraduate,graduate,andprofessionalschoolstaughtby1,600

tenuredandtenure‐trackfaculty.Manyundergraduatesparticipateina

widerangeofinterdisciplinaryprograms,playmeaningfulrolesin

original

research,andstudyinCornellprogramsinWashington,New

YorkCity,andtheworldover.InadditiontothemaincampusinIthaca,

theuniversityalsoincludesWeillCornellMedicalCollegeandGraduate

SchoolofMedicalSciencesinNewYorkCity,abranchofthemedical

collegeinQatar,andthe

NewYorkStateAgriculturalExperimentStation

inGeneva,NewYork.Reflectingitsheritageofegalitarianexcellence,

CornellUniversitytodayisoneofthemostsocioeconomicallyand

educationallydiversemembersoftheIvyLeague.Cornellisalsothe

largestinstitutionintheIvyLeague.

1.1.1 Mission

CornellUniversityisbothaprivateIvyLeagueuniversityandtheland

grantuniversityfortheStateofNewYork.Cornell’smissionisto

discover,preserve,anddisseminateknowledge;producecreativework;

andpromoteacultureofbroadinquirythroughoutandbeyondthe

Cornellcommunity.Cornellalsoaims,throughpublicservice,

toenhance

thelivesandlivelihoodsofourstudents,thepeopleofNewYork,and

othersaroundtheworld.

1.1.2 Vision

Cornellaspirestobetheexemplarycomprehensiveresearchuniversityfor

the21stcenturyon thebasisofourdistinctivestatusasaprivate 

universitywithaformalpublicmission.Faculty,staff,andstudentswill

thriveatCornellbecauseofitsunparalleledcombinationofqualityand

breadth;itshighstandards;itsopen,

collaborative,andinnovativeculture;



CornellUniversityatItsSesquicentennial:AStrategicPlan2010–2015,

http://www.cornell.edu/strategicplan/

1. Introducing Cornell University 3

theopportunitiesprovidedbybeautiful,vibrantruralandurban

campuses;andprogramsthatextendthroughoutthestateofNewYork

andacrosstheglobe.

1.1.3. Cornell’s Colleges and Schools

Bydesign,CornellUniversity’scollegesexerciseconsiderableautonomy

fromoneanotherandfromthecentraladministration.Eachdefinesits

ownacademicprograms,operatesitsownadmissionsandadvising

programs,andestablishestherequirementsforitsowndegrees.This

autonomyiswrittenintotheCornellUniversitybylaws:

It shallbe the duty of each separate college orschool faculty to

determine the entrance requirements for its own students; to

prescribeanddefinecoursesofstudyforthem;todeterminethe

requirements for such degrees as are offered to students under

its jurisdiction; to recommend to the President such

 candidates

for degrees as may have fulfilled the requirements therefor; to

enact and enforce rules for the guidance and supervision of its

students in their academic work;  and in general to exercise

jurisdictionovertheacademicinterestsofstudentsandallother

educationalmattersintheparticularcollegeorschool.

Undergraduatestudentsaffiliatewithaparticularcollegeandmustmeet

thedegreerequirementsofthatunit,butstudentsareencouraged—and

oftenrequired—totakeclassesoutsideoftheirhomecollege.

CornellUniversityisaprivateinstitution,butthreeofits undergraduate

colleges(AgricultureandLifeSciences,HumanEcology,andIndustrial

andLabor

Relations)aswellastheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicinereceive

significantfundingfromthestateofNewYorktosupporttheirteaching,

research,andservicemissions.Asthesecollegesareoperatedunder

statutes,appropriations,andcontractswiththestate,theyarereferredto

asthe“contractcolleges”orthe“statutory

colleges.”Asisthecasewith

publicstateuniversities,residentsofNewYorkenrolledinthecontract

collegespayreducedtuition.Theremainingcollegesandschoolsare

referredtoasthe“endowedcolleges.”Table1.1listsCornell’scollegesand

schools,theirenrollment,andthenumberoffacultyineach.



4 1. Introducing Cornell University

Table 1.1. Cornell’s degree-granting colleges, fall 2010 

College/school Fall2010enrollment Faculty

a

Undergraduate

AgricultureandLifeSciences3,477 undergrad 371

Architecture,Art,andPlanning 487 undergrad 54

ArtsandSciences 4,201 undergrad 513

Engineering 2,775 undergrad 232

HotelAdministration 894 undergrad 37

HumanEcology1,190 undergrad 91

IndustrialandLaborRelations 911 undergrad 54

Graduateandprofessional

GraduateSchool 4,971 graduate —

b

VeterinaryMedicine 363 DVM 131

LawSchool 681 JD,LLM 53

JohnsonGraduateSchoolof

Management 989 MBA 55

WeillCornellMedicalCollege 396 grad/MD 1,187

c

WeillCornellGraduateSchoolof

MedicalSciences 618 grad/MD —

d

WeillCornellMedicalCollegein

Qatar 148 MD

TotalIthaca 20,939  1,591

Totaluniversity 22,101  2,596

a

Facultyaredefinedasthethreeprofessorialranksincludingpart‐time,clinicaland

acting.Adjunct,visiting,courtesy,andemeritusappointmentsareexcluded.Faculty

countsareasofspring2010.

b

Graduateschoolfacultyhavehomeappointmentsinoneofthecolleges.



FacultyofWeillCornellMedicalCollegeincludealargenumberofprimarilyclinical

faculty.

d

WCGSMSandQatarfacultyareappointedthroughWCMC.



OnitsIthacacampus,Cornellenrollsnearly14,000undergraduatesinthe

sevencollegesthatawardbachelor’sdegrees.Heretheyarebriefly

described,listedfromlargesttosmallestundergraduateenrollment:

1. Introducing Cornell University 5



CollegeofArtsandSciences(A&S).

Theoldestandlargestofthe

university’scolleges,A&Sprovidesundergraduate education

characterizedbybreadthanddepthofstudy,andlatitudetoshape

anindividualizedcurriculum.A&Sishometo14humanities

departments,7departmentsinthephysicalandnaturalsciences,

and6socialsciencesdepartments.Ithas43majors

and34minors,

andoffersmorethan40foreignlanguages.Eachyearthecollege

offersapproximately2,000undergraduatecourses—nearlyhalfof

alltheundergraduatecoursestaughtatCornell.



CollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences(CALS).

CALSisthe

secondlargestundergraduatecollegeatCornellandthethird

largestcollegeofagricultureintheUnitedStates.Itoffers24

majorsand26minors,anditslandgrantmissionintersectswithall

ofthecollege’scoreacademicpriorities,fromtheappliedsocial

sciences,totheenvironmentalsciences,

tothelifesciences.Twenty‐

twoacademicdepartmentsofferuniqueteaching,research,and

extensionprogramsfocusedonservingthepublicgoodand

makingapositivedifferenceinthelivesofstakeholdersinNew

YorkState,thenation,andtheworld.



CollegeofEngineering.

Attheundergraduatelevel,Engineering

offers13majorsand18minors.Discoverystretchesacross

disciplinestofindanswerstocomplexandchallengingproblemsin

fieldssuchasnanoscience,biomedicalengineering,chemicaland

biomolecularengineering,advancedmaterials,andinformation

science.Thecollege’sfacultycollaborateinaninterdisciplinary

blendofengineeringand

scienceresearch,providing

undergraduateswithopportunitiestoworkcloselywithfacultyon

avarietyofresearchanddevelopmentprojects.



CollegeofHumanEcology.

Bringingtogethernaturalsciences,

socialsciences,anddesigntoadvanceandimprovethehuman

condition,HumanEcologyisorganizedaroundthe



http://as.cornell.edu/information/index.cfm

http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/about/index.cfm

http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/explore/facts‐figures/index.cfm

http://www.human.cornell.edu/che/About‐Our‐College/More_About_Us/Facts.cfm

6 1. Introducing Cornell University

multidisciplinaryunitsoftheDivisionofNutritionalSciences

(sharedwithCALS)andtheDepartmentsofHumanDevelopment,

FiberScienceandApparelDesign,DesignandEnvironmental

Analysis,andPolicyAnalysisandManagement.Facultyand

studentsconductresearchtoimprovenutritionandhealth,

advancedesignandtechnology,promotedevelopmentandthelife

course,

andsecureeconomicandsocialwell‐beingforindividuals,

families,andcommunities.



SchoolofIndustrialandLaborRelations(ILR).

ILRistheleading

collegeofappliedsocialsciencesrelatingtoworkplace,

employment,andlaborpolicyissuesandpractices.Althoughall

undergraduateshavethesamemajor(IndustrialandLabor

Relations),ILR’ssixacademicdepartmentsensurethatstudents

canchoosecoursesaccordingtoindividualinterestswithinthe

socialormanagementsciences

(includingstatistics);studentsmay

alsoopttopursueaformalminorinfieldsoutsideofILR.Aspart

ofthelandgrantmission,ILRcreatesanddisseminatesworkplace‐

relevantknowledgetosolvehumanproblems,manageandresolve

conflict,establishbestpractices,andinformgovernmentpolicy.



SchoolofHotelAdministration.

TheSchoolofHotel

Administrationwasthefirstcollegiateprogram inhospitality

managementandtodayisregardedastheworldleaderinitsfield.

Coreareasincludefacilitiesmanagement;foodandbeverage

management;humanresourcemanagement;law;leadership;

managerialcommunication;operations;realestateandfinance;

servicesmarketing;andtourism.The

StatlerHotelprovidesanon‐

campuslaboratorywherestudentscanearnpromotionsto

increasinglygreaterlevelsofmanagementresponsibility.



CollegeofArchitecture,Art,andPlanning(AAP).

AAPgrants

fourbachelor’sdegreesthroughcour sesofferedinthree

departments:Architecture,Art,andCityandRegionalPlanning.

Thecurriculumblendstheoreticaltrainingandstudioexperiences,



http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/explore/admissions/

http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/about/

http://www.aap.cornell.edu/aap/explore/collegefacts.cfm

1. Introducing Cornell University 7

encouragingstudentstodevelopimagination,technicalcreativity,

criticalthinking,asenseofhistory,andthedevelopmentofa

social,ethical,andartisticperspective.Inadditiontostudyatthe

Ithacacampus,AAPoffersspecializedoff‐campusstudy

opportunitiesinNewYorkCityandinRome,Italy.AAP’s

BachelorofArchitectureprogram

consistentlyranksfirstinthe

nation.

Theoveralldistributionofbachelor’sdegreesawardedbydisciplineis

illustratedinFigure1.1.

Figure 1.1. Bachelor’s degrees awarded in the 2009–2010 academic year,

by broad disciplinary grouping

Note: Undergraduate degrees in the discipline of business include those in Hotel

Administration and in Applied Economics & Management.



GraduateandprofessionaldegreesareawardedbyCornell’sGraduate

Schoolandfourprofessionalcolleges;distributionbydisciplinesisshown

inFigure1.2.

Engineering

andComputer

Science,21%

Biological

Sciences,12%

Agriculture

andNatural

Resources,

13%

Physical

Sciencesand

Math,4%

Languageand

Humanities,

10%

Fineand

AppliedArts,

Business,13%

Socialand

Behavioral

Sciences,20%

8 1. Introducing Cornell University



GraduateSchool.

Cornellwasoneofthefirstinstitutionsof

highereducationintheUnitedStatestoofferadvanceddegrees.

TodaytheGraduateSchooloffers18differentpost‐baccalaureate

degrees,includingthePhD.Transcendingtheadministrative

boundariesofdepartmentsandcolleges,Cornell’s GraduateSchool

ischaracterizedbythe“fieldsystem.”Graduate“fields”

are

voluntarygroupingsoffacultymemberswhohaveacademic

interestsincommonandwhowishtoexerciseshared

responsibilityforanareaofinquiryandfortheadmission,

education,and,asappropriate,financialsupportofgraduate

students.Whilemanyfieldscorrespondroughlytoacademic

departments,othersarenotdirectlyassociatedwith

any

departmentbutnonethelessrepresentareasoffacultyresearch.As

anexampleofthediversityofrepresentationwithinafield,the

GraduateFieldofNeurobiologyandBehaviorincludescloseto50

members;abouthalfcomefromtheDepartmentofNeurobiology

andBehavior,butthefieldincludesrepresentationfromatotal

of

13departmentsand5colleges.WithintheGraduateSchool,each

fieldisadministeredbyadirectorofgraduatestudieswhoserves

astheprimarypointforadmissions,students’financialsupport,

andthemonitoringofstudentprogress.TheGraduateSchool

includesmorethan90degree‐grantingfieldsinwhichgraduate

students

areadmittedandwhichconferdoctoralandmasterʹs

researchandprofessionaldegrees.Onaverage,afacultymember

belongstotwograduatefields.



JohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagement.

TheJohnsonSchool’s

missionistodevelopbusinessleaderswhocreate,transform,and

sustainsuccessfulorganizationsaroundtheworld,togenerate

researchandscholarshipthatshapethefuturepracticeof

management,andtotrainthenextgenerationofbusinessscholars.

TheJohnsonSchoolenrollsover800MBAstudents,including

residential

andexecutiveMBAstudents.Theschool’sgeneral



http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/

http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/About.aspx

1. Introducing Cornell University 9

managementcurriculumcombinestheoreticalstudywithpractical

performanceandcase‐basedlearning.



LawSchool.

Amongthesmallestoftheelitelawschools,theLaw

Schooloffersathree‐yearJDprogramandaone‐yearLLM

programwithinaclose‐knitandcollegialintellectualcommunity.

Itsmissionistoproducewell‐trained,large‐minded,morallybased

lawyersinthebestsense.TheLawSchool

encouragescollaboration

andinterdisciplinarystudyandhasaglobalemphasisthatis

reflectedinitseducationalpartnershipsaroundtheworld.



CollegeofVeterinaryMedicine.

Consistentlyrankedasthetop

programinveterinarymedicine,theVeterinaryCollegeadvances

animalandhumanhealththrougheducation,research,andpublic

service.Fiveacademicdepartmentsspanbasicbiomedical

research,translationalbiology,andclinicalanddiagnostic

medicine.Thecollegeoperatesastate‐of‐the‐artteachinghospital

andtheAnimal

HealthDiagnosticCenter.



http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/about/index.cfm

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/about/fastfacts.cfm

10 1. Introducing Cornell University

Figure 1.2. Post-baccalaureate degrees awarded from the Ithaca campus

in the 2009–2010 academic year, by broad disciplinary

grouping





WeillCornellMedicalCollege(WCMC),

NewYorkCity.

Foundedin1898,WCMCisamongthetop‐rankedclinicaland

medicalresearchcentersinthecountry.Inadditiontooffering

degreesinmedicine,WCMCalsooffers,throughtheWeillCornell

GraduateSchoolofMedicalSciences,PhDprogramsinbiomedical

researchandeducation.WCMCenrollsnearly1,000

studentsin

NewYorkCityandisdividedinto24basicscienceandpatientcare

departmentsthatfocusonthesciencesunderlyingclinical

medicineand/orencompassthestudy,treatment,andprevention

ofhumandiseases.WCMCalsooperatesanadditionallocationin

Doha,Qatar,makingit

thefirstU.S.medicalschooltoofferitsMD

degreeoverseas.

Inadditiontothedegree‐awardingcollegesandschools,Cornellincludes

theFacultyofComputingandInformationScienceandtheSchoolof

ContinuingEducationandSummerSessions:



http://www.med.cornell.edu/about‐us/index.html

Engineering

andComputer

Science,32%

Biological

Sciences,5%

Agriculture

andNatural

Resources,4%

Physical

Sciencesand

Math,9%

Languageand

Humanities,

Fineand

AppliedArts,

Business,26%

Socialand

Behavioral

Sciences,Law,

12%

1. Introducing Cornell University 11



FacultyofComputingandInformationScience(CIS).

Founded

in1999ontherecognitionthattheideasandtechnologyof

computingandinformationsciencearerelevanttoeveryacademic

discipline,CISengageswitheverycollegeatCornelltointegrate

computingandinformationscience—itsideas,technology,and

modesofthought.Whilestudentsworkingtoearndegreesin

computerscience

andinformationscienceareenrolledthroughthe

degree‐grantingunitslistedabove,25academicdepartmentscross‐

listcourseswithCISandthisnumberisexpectedtogrow.



SchoolofContinuingEducationandSummerSessions(CESS).



CESSstrivestoprovideeducationalopportunitiesforanyperson,

inanystudy,atanytime,andinanyplace.Year‐roundofferings

enrollsome7,500students,personsofallagesandallinterests,in

morethan900classesandprogramsannually,inadditionto

thousandsmoreusersofCyberTower,a

websitefeaturingvideo‐

streamedmini‐coursesandinterviewswithleadingCornellfaculty.

CESSclasses,bothcreditandnoncredit,areofferedonCornell

campusesinIthaca,Washington,andQatarandinmanyother

placesaroundtheworld,andviadistancelearning.

1.1.4 Cornell’s Leadership

OnJuly1,2006,DavidJ.Skorton

tookofficeasthe12thpresidentof

CornellUniversity.PresidentSkortoncametoCornellfromtheUniversity

ofIowa,wherehehadservedaspresidentsince2003andasafaculty

membersince1981.Aboard‐certifiedcardiologistandbiomedical

researcher,PresidentSkortonholdsfacultyappointmentsasprofessorin

the

DepartmentsofMedicineandPediatricsatWeillCorne llMedical

CollegeandintheDepartmentofBiomedicalEngineeringattheCollegeof

EngineeringonCornellʹsIthacacampus.



http://www.cis.cornell.edu/about.html

http://www.sce.cornell.edu/

Universityorganizationalchartscanbefoundathttp://dpb.cornell.edu/F_Univ_Org.htm.

http://www.cornell.edu/president/about.cfm

12 1. Introducing Cornell University

Thepresident’sseniorstaffmembersincludeProvostKentFuchs,



ProvostforMedicalAffairsAnthonyGotto,

andthevicepresidents.The

deansofthecollegesandschoolsontheIthacacampusreportdirectlyto

ProvostFuchs.ThedeanoftheWeillCornellGraduateSchoolofMedical

SciencesreportstoProvostGotto.

1.2 Transformational Initiatives of the Last Decade

Intheintervalsinceourlastdecennialaccreditation,Cornellhaslaunched

anumberofinitiativesthathaveprofoundlyshapedthenatureofthe

university.Whilemanyotherchangesoverthelastdecadecouldbe

highlighted,weidentifyherethethreeinitiativesthathavehadthemost

comprehensiveimpactontheuniversity:

theundergraduateresidential

initiatives,theundergraduatefinancialaidinitiatives,andthenewlife

sciencesinitiative,alongwiththecapitalcampaignthatenablesthemtogo

forward.

1.2.1 Undergraduate Residential Initiatives

InthepasttenyearsCornellhasundergoneacompletetransformationin

itscommitmenttooptimizinglivingandlearningenvironments.Before

theresidentialinitiatives,Cornellofferedclustersoftraditionalresidential

hallsintwodistinctareasontheperimetersoftheIthacacampus:West

CampusandNorthCampus.

ThereweredisparitiesbetweenWestand

Northinthecharacterandqualityofthebuildings,butalsointheextentof

residential‐basedprogrammingavailableandintheperceptionsofthe

kindsofstudentswhochosetoliveinthedifferentareas.Foratleasttwo

decades,therewerediscussions

acrosstheuniversityconcerningtheneed

tore‐conceptualizeWestCampushousingandtofindwaysofuniting

livingandlearningatCornell.

InOctober1997,PresidentHunterRawlingsannouncedplanstoco‐locate

allenteringfreshmenonNorthCampusinordertoimprovethe



http://www.cornell.edu/provost/about.cfm

http://www.cornell.edu/medprovost/

Inaddition,arelativelysmallnumberofstudentsliveintraditionalresidencehallsin

Collegetown,aneighborhoodadjoiningthecampus.

1. Introducing Cornell University 13

effectivenessofprogrammingfortheentirefreshmanclass,betterenable

theclasstotakefulladvantageofitsdiversity,andmoregenerallyto

enhancetheintellectualclimateoutsidetheclassroom.Afterthe

constructionofnewbuildingsadded558newbedstoNorthCampus,in

fall2001allfirst‐yearstudentsbegan

tobehousedtheretogether.Afirst‐

yearstudentresourcecenter,theCarolTatkonCenter,openedinfall2003,

offeringspacesforclassesandmeetings,acafé,andawalk‐inwriting

service.TheNorthCampusResidentialInitiativetransformedboth

physicalspacesandtheopportunitiesfordevelopingamorecoherent

first‐yearexperienceforundergraduates.

ThetransformationofWestCampusfollowedshortlyaftertherelocation

ofallfirst‐yearstudentsontoNorth.TheWestCampusResidential

Initiativewasguidedbythefollowinggoals

:



Createaliving/learningenvironmentcapableofattractingstudents

andfacultytoWestCampus.



Encouragestudentsandfacultytoassumeresponsibilityforthe

living/learningenvironment.



Engagestudentsinintellectuallifeandthemissionofthecolleges 

andtheuniversity.



Provideandfosteropportunitiesforincreasedfaculty‐student



interactions.



Enrichstudents’senseofcommunityatCornell.

Withauniversitycommitmentof$200million,thebuildingsonWestthat

wereoriginallyconstructedforthepostwarenrollmentboomweretorn

downandreplacedbyfive“houses,”eachnamedafteranesteemed,now‐

deceasedfacultymemberknownforhisor

herpedagogicalgifts.Thefirst,

AliceCookHouse,openedin2004,followedbyCarlBeckerHousein2005,

HansBetheHousein2007,WilliamKeetonHousein2008,andFloraRose

Housein2009.WestCampus’sNoyesCommunityRecreationCenter—

includingafitnesscenter,agymnasium,aboulderingwall,andmultiple

loungeareas—openedin2007.



http://www.campuslife.cornell.edu/campuslife/wchs/upload/Transforming_West_Campus.pdf

14 1. Introducing Cornell University

Today,eachofthefivehousesservesashometobetween310and380

studentsofsophomoreandabovestatus;alive‐inhouseprofessor‐dean;a

live‐inassistantdean;andastaffoflive‐ingraduateandundergraduate

students(calledgraduateresidentfellowsandstudentassistants

respectively).Eachhouse

alsohasitsowndiningroom,library,computer

lab,studyrooms,frontoffice,visitingfacultyapartment,and

administrativesupportstaff.

Sinceeachhouseisindependentlygovernedbyfacultymembers(though

effortsarecertainlycoordinatedwithotherhousesinthesystem),each

houseisfreetodevelopitsownpersonality,agenda,

rosteroffellowsand

guests,andgoverningsystem.Thereisnoestablishedprogrammatic

“theme”forthehouses;bydesign,studentsfromalltheundergraduate

collegesatCornellliveineachhousetocreateabroad‐based,ratherthan

discipline‐focused,intellectualcommunity.

Whileitremainsthecasethatonlyabouthalf

ofCornellundergraduates

liveoncampus(seeChapter5,“StudentAdmissionsandSupports”),the

transformationofWestCampushascreatedentirelynewopportunitiesfor

engaginginanenhancedintellectualcommunitywithintheuniversity’s

residentialenvironment.

1.2.2 Financial Aid Initiatives

Consistentwithitstraditionofemphasizingaccesstoall,Cornellisoneof

aselectnumberofinstitutionspracticingneed‐blindadmission.Thatis,

whenanapplicantisconsideredforadmission,thestaffisunawareasto

whetherthestudenthasappliedforfinancialaid.Cornellalsohasapolicy

need‐basedaid:allfinancialaidisawardedaccordingtoneed,and

Cornelldoesnotawardfinancialaidbasedonmeritortalenttostudents

whodonotdemonstrateneed.

Theuniversityhasrecentlyunderscoreditscommitmenttoneed‐based

financialaid.InJanuary2008Cornellannouncedanewfinancial

aid

initiative,withfurtherenhancementsinNovember2008eveninthemidst

oftheeconomicdownturn.Thisinitiativeincludedseveralelements.The

parentalcontributionwaseliminatedforstudentsfromfamilieswith

incomelessthan$60,000andassetslessthan$100,000.Inaddition,the

1. Introducing

1.2.

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16 1. Introducing Cornell University

1998–99afaculty‐initiatedCornellGenomicsInitiative(CGI)sweptacross

multiplecolleges,resultingininter‐collegeandinterdepartmentalhiring

practicesfoundedonthepremisethatthefutureofbiologyliesinthe

handsofscholar‐researcherswhoworkattheinterfacesamong

engineering,computerscience,andphysics,aswellasbiology.



In2000PresidentHunterRawlingsandProvostCarolyn(Biddy)Martin

announcedacampus‐wideNewLifeSciencesInitiativeasacenterpieceof

anewcapitalcampaign,designating$500million—thelargestfund‐

raisingcampaignforasingleprojecteverattemptedbyCornell—to

“changethewaylife‐scienceresearchisconductedand

taughtatthe

university.”Fromtheoutset,agoaloftheNewLifeSciencesInitiativewas

that“theworkmustbecross‐disciplinaryandinvolvelargeteamsof

researchers.”Theinitiativehasinvolvedthecollaborationofseven

colleges,theBoyceThompsonInstituteforPlantResearchatCornell,and

theUSDA’sAgricultural

ResearchService,alsoatCornell.Hundredsof

facultymembersand60departmentsbecameinvolvedinacomprehensive

programofinterdisciplinaryresearchandeducation.AniconoftheNew

LifeSciencesInitiativeisthe$162million,263,000‐square‐footWeillHall,

dedicatedinOctober2008.Otherachievementsinclude73newfaculty

hires,68newgraduatefellowships,andthecompletionofotherrelevant

newfacilitiessuchasDuffieldHall,aworld‐classcenterfor

nanotechnologyandnanobiotechnology,andtheEastCampusResearch

Facility,dedicatedtoanimalresearch.AnewPhysicalSciencesBuilding

openedinJanuary2011.

1.2.4 “Far Above”: The Campaign for Cornell

Cornell’scurrentcampaignwasinitiatedinOctober2006withagoalof$4

billionbytheendof2011.BythetimeofCornellʹssesquicentennialin

2015,accordingtothecampaign’sstatedgoals,Cornellaspirestobethe

bestresearchuniversityforundergraduateeducation;tosetthestandard

forinterdisciplinary

collaborationinareasofcriticalsocialimportance;

andtobeamodelforhighereducationinourapproachtothepublic

mission,servingaslandgrantinstitutiontotheworld.

Campaignfundraisingprioritiesaredeterminedbythevicepresidentof

alumniaffairsanddevelopmentandhisseniorleadershipteamin

1. Introducing Cornell University 17

consultationwiththepresident,theprovost,andothermembersofthe

universityʹssenioradministrativeandacademicleadershipandin

alignmentwiththeuniversityʹsstrategicplan.Fundraisingprioritiesare

approvedbytheBoardofTrustees,basedontherecommendationofits

CommitteeonDevelopment.

AreasofemphasisfortheCampaign

forCornellinclude



guaranteeingaccesstothemostdeservingstudents;



advancinginterdisciplinaryinitiativesinfieldswhereCornellcan

leadtheworld,suchaslifesciences,physicalsciences,and

computingandinformationsciences;



preservingandenhancingourleadershipintheartsand

humanities;



advancingourprofessionalschools

andkeysocialscience

disciplinestotoprankings;



transformingtheundergraduatelivingandlearningexperience

throughtheResidentialInitiativeandrelatedefforts.

InNovember2010,theCampaignforCornellreachedthe$3billionmark.

ConsistentwiththeUniversity’snewstrategicplan—describedatsome

lengthinChapter2—continuedareasoffocus

willincludefacultyrenewal

andscholarshipaswellasfinancialaid.

1.2.5 Other Initiatives

Otherinitiativesthathavehadasignificantimpactacrosstheuniversity

include:



Internationalization.WiththeQatarcampusofthemedicalcollege

openingin2001,CornellbecamethefirstAmericanuniversityto

offeritsMDdegreeoverseas.Thiswasthefirstofseveral

internationalinitiativesthatwouldlaterincludeamaster

of

managementinhospitalityprogramhousedprimarilyatthe

NanyangTechnologicalUniversityinSingaporeandamasterof

professionalstudiesdegreeprogramfocusedonwatershed

managementatBahirDarUniversityinEthiopia.

18 1. Introducing Cornell University



Sustainability.Atseveralpointsoverthelastdecade,student

groupsandfacultytaskforceshaveexaminedtherolethatCornell

canplayintheissue ofsustainability.InFebruary2007President

SkortonsignedtheAmericanUniversityandCollegePresidents

ClimateCommitment,committingCornelltodevelopaplanfor

achieving

climateneutralityontheIthacacampus.Laterthatsame

year,theprovost’sofficesupportedthefoundingoftheCornell

CenterforaSustainableFuturetobringtogetherfaculty,staff,and

studentsfromacrosstheuniversityaroundthemesrelatingto

energy,environment,andeconomicdevelopment.Threeyearsin

existence,thecenter

has220facultyfellowsfrom10collegesand

schoolsand55departments.InOctober2010thecenterwas

renamedtheAtkinsonCenterforaSustainableFuturein

recognitionofan$80milliongiftfromDavidR.Atkinson’60and

hiswife,PatriciaAtkinson.Thisgiftwasthesinglelargestgiftto



theIthacacampusfromanindividual.



FacultySalariesImprovementPlan.Inthefallof2000,the

universitycommittedtobringingthesalariesofCornellfaculty

membersinlinewithaveragesalariesatagreed‐uponpeer

institutions.Sincethen,Cornellfacultysalarieshavemadesteady

progressrelativetomostpeers,

particularlyinthefirsthalfofthis

decade.Lagging9–10%behindthepeeraveragein2000,Cornell

facultysalariesincreased30%overafive‐yearperiod,bringingall

ranksclosetotheaveragesalariesatpeerinstitutions.





InstitutefortheSocialSciences.Workingwithmorethan80units

anddepartmentsacross10ofCornell’scolleges,theInstitutefor

theSocialSciencespromotescollaborativeresearchand

interdepartmentalcooperationthroughthree‐year,

interdisciplinary“themeprojects”thatattractattentionfrom

nationalandinternationalacademiccommunities.Currentprojects

include“Persistent

PovertyandUpwardMobility”(2008–2011),

“Judgment,DecisionMaking,andSocialBehavior”(2009–2012),

and“Immigration:Settlement,IntegrationandMembership”

(2010–2013).Asanexampleofthecollaborativenatureofthis



See,forexample,https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=254.

1. Introducing Cornell University 19

work,thethemeprojectonjudgmentanddecisionmaking

representsthecontribut ionsof19facultyand23graduatestudents

fromfivedifferentcolleges.

1.3 The External Context and “Reimagining

Cornell”

Thisself‐studyoccurswithinthecontextofaquicklychangingfinancial

environmentforacademicinstitutionsthroughouttheUnitedStates,while

atthesametimetheneedforacreative,innovative,andwell‐educated

workforcehasneverbeengreater.AsPresidentDavidSkortonhassaid:

Now,morethanever,ournationneedsahighlyskilledandadaptable

workforcetobolsterandgrowoureconomy,alongwithasteadystreamof

newideasgeneratedthroughresearchandcreativeactivitytosolvethe

greatchallengesfacingusandtherestoftheworld—fromdevelopingsafe

andrenewablesources

ofenergy,toaddressingglobalclimatechange,to

improvinghumanhealthandreducingpovertyandinequality,among

otherurgentsocietalconcerns....MoreandmorepeopleintheU.S.and

elsewherewillbeseekingabetterfutureforthemselvesandtheirfamilies

bycontinuingtheireducationbeyondhigh

school.

Ontheotherhand,expandingcapacityforhighereducationisenormously

costly—tothestudents,families,collegesandsocietyatlarge.New

educationalinitiatives,newresearchprograms,andnewformsofoutreach

andserviceusuallyrequireadditionalfunding.Thecontinuingglobal

economicchallengeshavealreadyplacedconsiderablestrains,directlyor

indirectly,

onallAmericanhighereducation,andmanyprivatecolleges

anduniversitieshavebeenespeciallyhardhit.Lossofendowmentincome,

lower‐than‐expectedfund‐raisingresults,greaterneedforfinancialaidby

studentsandtheirfamilies,constraintsontuitionincreases—allpartofthe

falloutfromtheGreatRecession—arethe“new

normal”onmanyofour

campuses.



The“newnormal”aroundfinancialaidisparticularlychallengingfor

institutionslikeCornell.Severalfactorsmakeneed‐blindadmissionwith

need‐basedfinancialaidanexpensiveprincipletouphold,particularlyso



AddresstotheNationalAssociationofIndependentCollegesandUniversities,

http://www.cornell.edu/president/speeches/20100201‐naicu‐annual‐mtg.cfm

20 1. Introducing Cornell University

forCornellrelativetosomeofitscompetitors.ThetotalsizeofCornell’s

endowmentisakeyelementinsupportingthefinancialaidpackagesthat

undergraduatestudentsreceive.Beforethefinancialcrisis,in2007,

Cornell’sendowmentranked18

bytotalsizebutonly73

onaper‐

studentbasis.Itistheper‐studentnumberthatisthemostrelevanttothe

costofneed‐basedfinancialaid.Cornellhasadjusteditsfund‐raising

goals,puttingmoreemphasisonraisingendowmentforundergraduate

financialaid,butthisshiftinresourcesundoubtedlychallengesthe

university

inotherways.

Nationalstudiesoftuitiontrendssuggestwearequicklyapproaching

limitsontheextenttowhichwecanincreasewhatwechargestudentsand

familiesaboveandbeyondtherateofinflation.

TheNationalAssociation

ofIndependentCollegesandUniversitiesreportsthatprivatecolleges

raisedtuitionfor2009‐10bythesmallestaverageamountin37years—just

4.3%,comparedtoanaverageof6%annuallyduringthepreviousdecade.

Atthesametime,thesecollegesincreasedtheirinstitutionalstudentaid

budgetsby

anaverageof9%for2009‐10.

Theuniversitymustincreasinglylookbeyondtuitionforrevenuestreams.

Butthese,too,arechallenged.Statebudgetdeficitsacrossthenationwill

resultinreducedannualdiscretionaryrevenueforinstitutionsofhigher

education.AlthoughCornellisaprivateinstitution,thecontractcolleges

receivesignificant

fundingfromthestateofNewYork.Thosecolleges

haveseendouble‐digitpercentagedecreasesinitsallocationoverthelast

severalyears.WhileNewYorkStatecontinuestoprovide theuniversity

withsignificantsupportthroughconstructionfunds,fringebenefits,and

otherdesignatedareas,thesereductionsindiscretionaryrevenuemake

it

increasinglydifficulttosupportCornell’sbroad effortsinresearch,

education,andoutreach.

CornellisaleadingrecipientoffundingfromboththeNationalScience

FoundationandtheNationalInstitutesofHealth.

Whileweexpectthe

budgetforNSFtoexperiencesomegrowthinthenearterm,NIHbudget

projectionsarelessoptimistic.Fundingfromindustryandotherprivate



http://www.highereducation.org/reports/affordability_pa/affordability_pa.shtml

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=295

1. Introducing Cornell University 21

entitieswilllikelydependonthespeedandsuccessoftheeconomic

recovery.Inshort,thesustainabilityofthislevelofsupportinthefutureis

ofconstantconcern.Addingtothisconcern,weexpectsignificant

turnoverinourfacultyinthenextdecade,andnewfacultywillhaveless

experience

competingforgrantdollars.However,asViceProvostfor

ResearchRobertBurhmanrecentlywrote,“Ourstrategywillcontinueto

betosupportthebestideasofthefaculty,ratherthantryingtopredictand

planforspecificareasofgrowth.”



Inthisself‐studywedocumenttheactionsthatCornellisundertakingto

adjusttothisnewrealityofhighereducation.Thedevelopmentofa

strategicplanaswellasmajorinitiativestolowertheadministrativecosts

ofdeliveringeducationalcapacityaredocumentedinthisself‐studyalong

withsome

oftheinitiativesthatwillfosterbettercollaborationacross

academicprograms—deliveringhighqualityatlowercost.

Someoftheseeffortshavebeenfocusedonaddressingbudgetshortfallsin

theshortterm.Forexample,inordertodecreasethein‐yeardeficitfor

fiscalyears2009and2010,thecentraladministrationcaptured

some

budgetreservesheldatthecollegeandunitlevels.Whilethisstepwas

unprecedented,thedeansandvicepresidentsweresupportive,

understandingthattheneedsoftheuniversitywereforemost.Thebudget

situationin2009alsoledPresidentSkortontoestablishcapital

constructionguidelinesunderwhichnonewconstruction

couldbegin

withoutallfundingidentified,secured,andwithininstitutional

parameters.

Inthe2009fiscalyear,theuniversityinstitutedanacross‐the‐board5%

budgetcut,butresistedfurthercutswithout athoughtfulprocessof

deliberationandreview.Seeingtheneedforathoroughstrategicanalysis,

PresidentSkortonaskedProvostFuchs

toleadCornellina

comprehensive,coordinatedsetofplanningandimplementationactivities

uponwhichthefuturehealthofouruniversitydepends.





Ibid

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/index.cfm

22 1. Introducing Cornell University

Thiswork,dubbed“ReimaginingCornell,”hasensuedusingathree‐

prongedapproach:



Academictaskforces.

Atotalof20taskforcesworkedthrough

2009tomakerecommendationsonstrategiestoenhancethe

universityʹscompetitivenessinpriorityareaswithinadifficult

economicenvironment.Thirteenofthetaskforcestookbroadlooks

atCornell’scollegesandschools:

o Architecture,Art,andPlanning



o AgricultureandLifeSciences



o ArtsandSciences



o Engineering



o HotelAdministration



o HumanEcology



o IndustrialandLaborRelations



o ComputingandInformationScience



o JohnsonSchool



o LawSchool



o VeterinaryMedicine



o GraduateEducation



o ContinuingEducationandSummerSessions





http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/taskforces.cfm

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/aap‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/cals‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/as‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/eng‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/hotel‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/he‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/ilr‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/cis‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/jgsm‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/law‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/vetmed‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/grad‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/cess‐summary‐1109.pdf

1. Introducing Cornell University 23

Threetaskforceswere chargedtoexaminebroaddisciplinary

groupsthatregularlycrosstheboundariesofcolleges:

o LifeSciences



o ManagementSciences



o SocialSciences



Finally,fourtaskforcesexaminedkeyfeaturesoftheuniversity

thataffectthedeliveryofitsfundamentalmission:

o StudentEnrollment



o Libraries



o StudentandAcademicServices



o BudgetModel



Sometaskforcereportrecommendationshavesincemoved

forward.Regardingothers,theprovosthasrequestedadditional

studyanddevelopment.Ashedescribedina December2009

publicresponse

tothetaskforcereports,theprovosthas“sought

torespecttheneedtoaccordindividualacademicunitsan

appropriatedegreeofautonomy,whileatthesametimeensuring

thatallsuchdecisionssupportandadvancetheoverallstrengthof

theuniversity.”



Nonacademicinitiatives.Inourlargeanddecentralized



environment,administrationissometimesinefficient;taskscanbe

duplicated,sometimeswithoutfullawarenessthatservicesare

providedcentrallyorthatsimilaractivitiesareundertaken

elsewhereintheuniversity.Inthefallof2009,theuniversity

retainedBain&Company,amanagementconsultingfirm,to

examinenonacademicinfrastructureandspending,asking

themto



http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/lifesci‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/mgtsci‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/sosci‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/student‐enrollment‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/library‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/sas‐summary‐1109.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/budgetmodel‐taskforce‐summary‐1209.pdf

http://www.cornell.edu/statements/2009/20091218‐fuchs‐task‐force‐response.cfm

24 1. Introducing Cornell University

identifysubstantialsavingsintheannualbudget.Implementation

teamshavebeenestablishedintheseareas,withjointsponsorship

byanacademicdeanandasenioradministrativeleader.Cost‐

savingmeasureswillbeimplementedthroughoutfiscalyears

2011–2014,andcurrentestimatesindicatethatCornellwillsaveat

least$75millioninadministrative

expensesannuallyby2015.

ImplementationeffortsareguidedbytheAdministrative

StreamliningProgramintheDivisionofPlanningandBudget.

Measuresofsuccesshavebeensharedwiththecommunityonthe

ASPwebsite.





StrategicPlan.In2009–10Cornellconductedacollaborative,

transparentprocess,ledbyfacultybutincludingstudentandstaff

input,toproduceanewstrategicplantoreplacetheplanof2008.

ThenewplanwasdraftedbytheStrategicPlanningAdvisory

Council,acommitteeofeminentfacultymembers chaired

by

EdwardLawler,theMartinP.CatherwoodProfessorofIndustrial

andLaborRelations.Initialdraftsoftheplanweremadeavailable

forpubliccomment,andthefinalversionwasendorsedbythe

BoardofTrusteesinMay2010.

Thenewplan,CornellUniversity

atitsSesquicentennial,identifiesgoals,strategies,tacticsand

metricsthatwilldefinetheCornellofthefutureintermsoffive

keyobjectives:promotingfacultyexcellence;promoting

educationalexcellence;promotingexcellenceinresearch,

scholarship,andcreativity;promotingexcellenceinpublic

engagement;andpromotingstaffexcellence.

(Formoreaboutthe

strategicplan,seeChapter3,InstitutionalStewardship.)





Seehttp://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct10/ASP.htmlandhttp://asp.dpb.cornell.edu/

Thefinalstrategicplanisavailableathttp://www.cornell.edu/strategicplan/.

1. Introducing Cornell University 25

1.4 “Any Person … Any Study” within One

University

Cornellhaslongembracedahighlydecentralizedstyleofdecision

making.Ina1940address,facultymemberCarlBeckeridentifiedthe

essentialcharacterofCornellasoneof“freedomandresponsibility,”

notingthat“theadministrationwasn’tmuchinevidenceandexertedlittle

pressure.”Thediversityinprogramsofstudy—reflectingthenotion

that

theuniversitywouldoffer“anystudy”—wouldseemtoresistaheavily

centralizedadministrativestyle.

Theautonomyofthecollegeswellservestheirfundamentalacademic

missions,asdecisionsrelatingtocurriculum,investmentsinresearch,and

programsofoutreachthuscanbefirmly rootedinrelevantdisciplinary

expertise.Yetthereare

areasofuniversityfunctioninginwhichthe

benefitsofcentralization—includingcostefficiencies,thereductionof

redundancy,consistencyinmessaging,andeaseofnavigation—can

clearlyoutweighthecosts.Theneedtoidentifythoseareasandfunctions

isrevisitedcontinuallyatCornell,buthasbecomemoreacutesincelate

2008whenthedecline

inthenationaleconomicoutlookresultedina

substantialuniversitybudgetshortfall.

AsdescribedinChapter2,“ApproachtoSelf‐Study,”thequestionof

whetherandhowCornellfunctionsas“oneuniversity”isacompelling

onetoconsiderasweexaminehowbesttodeliveronCornell’smission

withinthe

contextofresourceconstraints.



26 1. Introducing Cornell University



2. Approach to Self-Study 27

2. Approach to Self-Study

Earlyintheprocessofplanningforourinstitutionalstudy,weelectedto

makeacomprehensiveself‐examinationoftheuniversityratherthanto

takea“specialtopics”approach.Thisdecisionwasconsonantwiththefact

thatthepresidentandtheprovost—bothfairlyrecentlyappointedatthe

timeweinitiatedthe

self‐study—wereinterestedatakingafresh,fulllook

attheuniversity.Inaddition,ourself‐studyunfoldedduringaperiodin

whichfinancialcircumstancesimpelledustoreexaminethecostsand

benefitsoflong‐standingpracticesandassumptionsacrosstheinstitution.

Thus,aholistic,comprehensiveexaminationofallessential

facetsofthe

universitywaswellsuitedtoourneedsatthishistoricperiod.

Followingthisdecision,weorganizedcommitteesandworkinggroupsto

addressall14“CharacteristicsofExcellence”asdefinedbytheMiddle

StatesCommissiononHigherEducation,andchargedthesegroupsto

reflectonthetensionbetweenCornell’s

goalof“AnyPerson...Any

Study”andthecalltooperateas“OneUniversity”astheserelatetothe

standardsforaccreditation.

2.1 Organization of the Self-Study Process

Theself‐studyprocessbeganinNovember2008whenincomingCornell

UniversityProvostW.KentFuchsappointedtwoco‐chairsofthe

AccreditationSteeringCommittee:



MicheleMoody‐Adams,thenviceprovostforundergraduate

education,professorofphilosophy,anddirectoroftheEthicsand

PublicLifeProgram

28 2. Approach to Self-Study



AlanMathios,RebeccaQ.andJamesC.MorganDeanofthe

CollegeofHumanEcologyandprofessorofpolicyanalysisand

management

Theco‐chairssubsequentlyconvenedaPlanningCommitteetodesignthe

self‐studyapproach.Inadditiontotheco‐chairsabove,thefollowing

individualsservedontheSelf

‐StudyPlanningCommittee:



MarinClarkberg,director,institutionalresearchandplanning



WilliamFry,deanoftheuniversityfacultyandprofessorofplant

pathologyandplant‐microbebiology,CollegeofAgricultureand

LifeSciences



KentHubbell,RobertW.andElizabethC.StaleyDeanofStudents

andprofessorofarchitecture,

CollegeofArchitecture,Art,and

Planning



BarbaraKnuth,viceprovost(asofApril1,2010)anddeanofthe

GraduateSchool(asofJuly1,2010)andprofessorofnatural

resources,CollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences



SusanMurphy,vicepresidentforstudentandacademicservices



PaulStreeter,

interimvicepresidentforplanningandbudget



KristinWalker,managerofacademicsupport,institutional

researchandplanning

ThePlanningCommitteeinitiatedtheself‐studydesignprocessby

agreeingonacomprehensiveapproachtotheself‐study(withathemeof

“’AnyPerson…AnyStudy’withinOneUniversity”);conceptualizing

the

formationofsixworkinggroups(illustratedinFigure2.1)toaddressthe

14standardsrequiredforaccreditation;andconceivingofafullSteering

CommitteecomprisedofthePlanningCommittee,workinggroupchairs,

studentrepresentation,andacademicleadershipfromWeillCornell

MedicalCollege.ThePlanningCommitteeprovidedrecommendationsto

ProvostFuchs

regardingtheappointmentofotherSteeringCommittee

members,includingtheworkinggroupchairs.

2. Approach to Self-Study 29

ThefullSteeringCommitteeconvenedforthefirsttimeinearlyMarch

2009.InadditiontothemembersofthePlanningCommittee,theSteering

Committeeincludedthefollowingfacultyandstudents:



KraigAdler,professorandchairofneurobiologyandbehavior,

CollegeofArtsandSciencesandCollegeofAgricultureand

Life

Sciences



LauraBrown,viceprovostforundergraduateeducation (asofJuly

1,2009)andJohnWendellAndersonProfessorofEnglish,College

ofArtsandSciences



DavidGries,associatedeanforundergraduateprogramsandthe

WilliamL.LewisProfessorofComputerScience,Collegeof

Engineering



DavidHajjar,

FrankH.T.RhodesDistinguishedProfessorof

CardiovascularBiologyandGenetics,andprofessorof

biochemistryandofpathologyandlaboratorymedicine,Weill

CornellMedicalCollege



NikhilKumar,undergraduatestudent,SchoolofIndustrialand

LaborRelations



KathleenRasmussen,professorofnutritionalsciences,Collegeof

HumanEcology



GinaRyan,graduatestudent,

microbiology,GraduateSchool



AmyVillarejo,chairandassociateprofessoroftheatre,film,and

dance,CollegeofArtsandSciences



CharlesWalcott,professoremeritusofneurobiologyandbehavior,

CollegeofArtsandSciencesandCollegeofAgricultureandLife

Sciences

OnFebruary27,2009,CornellannouncedthatViceProvost

Michele

Moody‐AdamswouldbenameddeanatColumbiaCollegeandvice

presidentforundergraduateeducationatColumbiaUnive rsi tyasofJuly

1,2009.Inrecognitionoftheimpendingdeparture,ProvostKentFuchs

appointedDeanofStudentsKentHubbell,alreadyamemberofthe

PlanningCommittee,toreplaceViceProvostMoody

‐Adamsasaco‐chair

oftheAccreditationSteeringCommittee.

30 2. Approach to Self-Study

NikhilKumar,asophomoreinfall2008,receivedhisbachelor’sdegree

fromCornellayearearly.Toserveinhisstead,VincentAndrews,an

undergraduatefromIndustrialandLaborRelationsandmemberofthe

StudentAssembly,joinedtheSteeringCommitteeinlatespring2010.

TheAccreditationSteeringCommitteehasmeton

amonthlybasis,and

occasionallymorefrequently,beginninginMarch2009.



Figure 2.1. Self-study steering committee and working groups

2.1.1 The Working Groups

Eachworkinggroupwaschargedtofocuson asomewhatlimitedaspect

oftheuniversity(asillustratedinFigure2.1),butanumberofmechanisms

ensuredthattheworkinggroupsoperatedinharmonywithoneanother.

Steering Committee

Alan Mathios and

Kent Hubbell, co-chairs

Institutional Stewardship

(Standards 1, 2, 3 & 7)

Kathleen Rasmussen, chair

Integrity, Governance, and Administration

(Standards 4, 5 & 6)

Charles Walcott, chair

Student Admissions and Supports

(Standards 8 & 9)

Kraig Adler, chair

The Faculty

(Standard 10)

Amy Villarejo, chair

Educational Offerings

(Standards 11, 12 & 13)

Laura Brown, chair

Assessment of Student Learning

(Standard 14)

David Gries, chair

2. Approach to Self-Study 31

First,allmembersoftheworkinggroupsreceivedCornell’sself‐study

designdocumentaswellasCharacteristicsofExcellenceasguidesfor

understandingtheprocessinitsentirety.Second,thechairsoftheworking

groupswerealsomembersoftheSteeringCommitteethatmetmonthly;

thisconnectionensuredthatthework

ofeachgroupcouldbeinformedby

theworkoftheothers.Third,oneormoreothermembersoftheSteering

Committeevisitedtheworkinggroupsatleastoncetoanswerany

questionsworkinggroupmembershadabouttheprocess.

AsdescribedinCornell’s self‐studydesign,theSteeringCommittee

chargedeachworkinggroupwiththefollowingtasks:



AssessCornell’sstrengthsandweaknesswithrespecttoeach

relevantstandard.



AssesstheextenttowhichCornellisstructuredandoperating

effectivelyandefficientlybyweighingthemeritsofcentralization

ordecentralizationasitpertainstoeachrelevantstandard.



Consider

ifandhowCornellispreparedtomeetthechallengesof

thenextfivetosevenyearswithrespecttoeachrelevantstandard.



Developspecific,realisticrecommendationsforinstitutional

improvementwherewarranted.

Thetaskswereundertakenprimarilyinthecourseofthe2009–2010

academicyear.Workinggroupssubmitteddrafts

oftheirreportsbyMay

2010,thoughinsomecases,workinggroupscontinuedtocompile

evidenceandrevisedraftsintothefallofthatyear.

2.1.2 The Steering Committee

Inthesummerandintothefallof2010,theSteeringCommitteebuiltupon

theworkofthesixworkinggroupstocompiletheself‐study.Muchofthe

workoftheSteeringCommitteeatthisstagewaseditorial:chapterswere

revisedtoreduceredundancyacrosschaptersandtomovetoward

amore

consistentoverallstructure.ElizabethHolmes,astaffwriterfromthe

officeofthepresident,assistedinthisprocessandhelpedtobringamore

consistent“voice”tothedocument.However,theprimary,substantive

contributionstotheself‐studycomedirectlyfromtheworkinggroups.

32 2. Approach to Self-Study

TheSteeringCommitteecarefullyweighedeachofthestrengths,

weaknesses,andrecommendationsthatarosefromthechaptersoftheself‐

study.These,inturn,werebroughttotheattentionofthepresidentand

provostfortheircomments.Therecommendationsforimprovementhave

beencarefullyconsideredandpresentrealisticopportunitiesforchange.



2.2 “Any Person … Any Study” within One

University

Asnotedabove,thebeginningofourself‐studyprocesscoincidedclosely

withthebeginningofaworldwidefinancialdownturn,andCornellwas

hardlyimmunefromitseffects.InaMarch6,2009,communicationtothe

university,PresidentSkortonwrote:

We are at a defining moment in Cornell’s history. It is

 time to

reconfiguretheuniversityinwaysthatnotonlyguardourexcellence

andbreadth,preserveouraccessibilityandmeetourresponsibilities

to the local community and the State of New York, but that also

consolidate our academic and administrative functions in

imaginativeandcost‐effectiveways.

Underthebanner

of“ReimaginingCornell,”strategicplanningactivities

throughout2009and2010havetakenupthechallengePresidentSkorton

soclearlyarticulated:toidentifywaystoconsolidatefunctionstoincrease

ourefficiencywhileguardingCornell’sfundamentalstrengthswith

vigilance.

AtthesametimethatCornellembarkedonstrategicplanning,the

AccreditationSteeringCommittee

chargedsixworkinggroupstoexamine

the14CharacteristicsofExcellenceandto“assesstheextenttowhich

Cornellisstructuredandoperatingeffectivelyandefficientlybyweighing

themeritsofcentralizationanddecentralizationasitpertainstoeach

relevantstandard.”Ourself‐studyactivitieshaveinformed,facilitated,

andcomplemented

strategicplanningefforts.

Thecorrespondencebetweenstrategicplanningeffortsandtheself‐study

foraccreditationispartlyattributabletooverlapbetweenparticipantsin

theself‐studyandparticipantsinstrategicplanning—ateverylevelof

2. Approach to Self-Study 33

involvementinboth.Perhapsmoresignificantly,however,therewas

considerableoverlapinthekindsofquestionsthatwereasked—andinthe

informationthatwasrequiredtoanswerthosequestions—across

activities.Theself‐studyandstrategicplanningwereundertakeninan

environmentthatinvitedustoexaminetheextenttowhichthe

institution

functionsasasingle,sensible,coherentsystem.Inmanycases,the

informationgatheredandtheconclusionsdrawnaspartoftheself‐study

effortdirectlyinformedtheformulationofthestrategicplan.Conversely,

therecommendationsthatcomeoutofstrategicplanningfrequentlyfed

backintoourthinkingforthis

selfstudy.The2010strategicplan,Cornell

UniversityatItsSesquicentennial,opensbystating,“Thisstrategicplan

treatsCornellUniversityasasingleunit”(emphasisintheoriginal),

reflectingtoaremarkabledegreethe“oneuniversity”themeofthisself‐

studyproposedayearprior.

Thusithasbecomeapparent

thatourfocusonwhetherandhowCornell

functionsas“oneuniversity”isthequestionofourtime.Theuniversityis

presentlyadoptingplansthatwilladjustthebalancebetween

centralizationandindependence,efficiencyandlatitude,andcontroland

creativityinwayswehopewillpreserveCornell’sfundamentalstrengths.

Weexpect

thatthisself‐studywillcontinuetoinformuniversitystrategic

planning—andtheimplementationofthestrategicplan—overthenext

decade.



34 2. Approach to Self-Study



3. Institutional Stewardship 35

3. Institutional Stewardship

Standards:

Mission and Goals

Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal

Institutional Resources

ThischapterassesseshowCornellmeetsStandards1–3,whichwehave

calledInstitutionalStewardship.Thefirstsection,titled“Mission,Vision,

andGoals,”focusesonthecomprehensivestrategicplanningprocessthat

Cornellhasundertakenin2009–10.Faculty‐ledbutengagingthe

participationofthebroaderCornellcommunity,

thisprocessresultedina

StrategicPlanthatclarifiestheuniversity’sprimarygoalsandprovides

metricsforassessingprogresstowardunderlyingobjectives.Inlightofthe

recenteconomicdownturn,theplanoffersguidanceforenhancingthe

university’soverallqualitywhilefocusingresourcesonpriorityareas.

Thesecondsection,“Planning,Resource

Allocation,andInstitutional

Renewal,”discussesthesemattersinthecontextofCornell’sstatusasboth

aprivateuniversityandthelandgrantuniversityoftheStateofNew

York.WeoutlinesomeofthewaysthatCornellassessesitsfunctioningin

theseareasthroughspecificinitiativesandprojects,ongoingevaluations,

and

responsestospecialsituations.

In“InstitutionalResources,”ourthirdsection,wedescribeCornell’s

revenues,expenses,assets,financialplanningandbudgeting,facilities

masterplan,andauditing,aswellastheuniversity’sresourcesintheform

offacilities,humanbeings,andinformationtechnology.Wealsodiscuss

howtherecentfinancialcrisisled

tonumerouschanges—including

administrativereorganization,newbudgetmodels,andnewprocurement

36 3. Institutional Stewardship

procedures—whichhavereducedtheuniversity’sfiscalimbalanceand

positionedittoaccelerateinvestmentsinthefuturetoachieveitsgoals.

Ourfinalsectionoffersrecommendationsforthefuture.



3.1 Mission, Vision, and Goals

Inthepast,strategicplanninghasbeendoneepisodicallyatCornell.In

1994acomprehensiveplanwasdevelopedshortlybeforeapresidential

transition.In2003,thenPresidentJeffreyLehman,withhis“Callto

Engagement,”begantheprocessofdevelopingavisionforCornellatits

150

anniversary(2015).The2008StrategicPlan,conceivedasafirststep

inamorecompleteprocess,wasatop‐downeffortledbythenProvost

Carolyn(Biddy)Martin.Withthefinancialcrisisandtheeffortto

“reimagine”Cornell,PresidentDavidSkortonandProvostKentFuchs

haltedthiseffortandinitiated

anew,faculty‐drivenprocess.

Thenewstrategicplanwouldbede signedtocaptureCornellasawhole

and,forthefirsttime,wouldemphasizemetricsforassessingprogress

towarditsuniversity‐wideobjectives.Todeveloptheplan,ProvostFuchs

establishedaStrategicPlanningAdvisoryCouncil,whichthendeviseda

set

ofquestionsandissuesthatseveralworkinggroupsexploredinan

interactiveprocesswiththeAdvisoryCouncilandthesenior

administrationoveraperiodofseveralmonths.Adraftoutlinewasmade

availabletotheuniversitycommunity,andtheprovostandthechairof

theAdvisoryCouncilheldaseries

ofmeetingsineverycollegeand

numerousothervenuestoelicitcommentsontheoutline.Thisprocessled

toarevisionofthedocument,whichwasagaindistributedwidely.

TheBoardofTrustees,whichdiscussedtheplanningprocesscontinually,

alsoheldawell‐attendeddaylongretreatinApril2010specificallyto

focus

ontheplan.Aftersmall‐groupdiscussionscenteredonspecificpartsofthe

plan,thetrusteesprovidedinputandexpressedenthusiasmfortheoverall

documentandprocess.TheboardgaveitsfinalapprovalinMay2010.

3. Institutional Stewardship 37

“CornellUniversityatItsSesquicentennial:AStrategicPlan,2010–

2015”

identifiesfive“umbrella”goalsthatarelinkedcloselytothe

university’smissionandvision(describedinChapter1,“Introducing

CornellUniversity”).Thesearebroadandoverarchingaswellastimeless

andenduring.

1. Enroll,educate,andgraduatethemostdeserving,promising,and

diversestudentbodypossible.Provideallstudents

(undergraduate,graduate,

professional)withaneducationthatis

innovative,distinctive,andofthehighestquality,andthatinspires

inthemazestforlearning.

2. Maintainandenhanceworldleadershipinresearch,scholarship,

andcreativity.

3. Maintainandenhanceeffortstorecruit,nurture,andretaina

diversefacultywhoareoutstanding

scholarsandteachersandan

excellent,diversestaffwhoprovideoutstandingsupporttofaculty

andstudents.

4. Strengthenthepublicengagementoftheuniversityʹseducation,

research,andclinicalprogramswithlocal,national,and

internationalcommunities,consonantwithitsstatureasan

academicallydistinguishedprivateuniversitywithapublic

mission.

5. Establishandmaintainorganizationalstructuresandprocesses

thatpromoteandsupportacademicexcellence.

Theplanalsodescribesfivegeneralobjectivesthatarecloselyrelatedto

thesegoals:

1. facultyexcellence

2. educationalexcellence

3. excellenceinresearch,scholarship,andcreativity

4. excellenceinpublicengagement

5. staffexcellence

The

planincludesdetailed,specificobjectivesundereachgeneral

heading.



ForCornellUniversityatitsSesquicentennial:AStrategicPlan,2010–2015,May2010,see:

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/051110‐strategic‐plan‐final.pdf.

38 3. Institutional Stewardship

3.1.1 An “Overarching Aspiration”

Includedinthe2010StrategicPlanisanoverarchingaspirationforthe

university:“tobewidelyrecognizedasatop‐tenresearchuniversityinthe

nationandworld,andamodeluniversityfortheinterweavingofliberal

educationandfundamentalknowledgewithpracticaleducationand

impactonsocietalandworldproblems.

”Thisaspirationreflectsboth

Cornellʹsstatureasafirst‐tier,IvyLeagueinstitutionofhighereducation

anditsspecialcapacitytobridgetheworldofthoughtandideastothe

worldofpracticeandaction.

Thegeneralstrategyproposedforachievingthisaspirationiscapturedby

twowords:focus

andconnectivity.Cornellistofocusonstrongor

potentiallystrongacademicprogramsthatare strategicallyimportantto

theuniversityandmaintainareasofexcellencewithineachofthebasic

academicgroupings—humanitiesandthearts;lifesciencesand

agriculturalsciences;physicalsciencesandengineering;socialsciences;

andprofessionalschools.In

otherwords,theuniversityshouldcreateand

maintainacademicleadershipacrossallofthebroadareasbutdoso

selectivelyandstrategicallywithineach.

Cornellalsoaimstobuildgreaterconnectivityamongthediversecolleges,

schools,andprogramsaroundthesebasicacademicareasbydeveloping

newintegrations,boundary‐crossingstructures,

andproductivesynergies.

Greaterconnectivityimpliesthatitwillbeeasyforstudentsandfacultyto

crosscollegeandprogramboundariesinpursuitoftheiracademicgoals.

TheideaistomakeacademicboundariesatCornellaspermeable and

seamlessaspossible.

Toachievethis“overarchingaspiration,”the2010StrategicPlan



articulatessevenstrategicinitiativesforthenextfiveyears:

1. Facultyrenewalinthecontextofacademicprioritiesand

substantialretirements.Identifystrategicallyimportant

departmentswheretheagedistributionwillresultinasignificant

lossofqualityoverthenexttenyearsanddevelopmulti‐year

hiringplansgivingpriority

torecruitingnewPh.D.sandʺrising

stars.ʺUsepre‐fillsofretirements,internalreallocation,andfund‐

raisingtogeneratenecessaryresources.

3. Institutional Stewardship 39

2. Identifyafewdepartmentsorfieldsofcriticalimportancetothe

universityandmovethemintoapositionofworldleadership

whileworkingtopreventothersfromlosingsuchstature.Identify

departmentsonthecuspofleadershiporonthevergeoflosingit

andmakeproactiveeffortstogenerate

orpreservethatleadership.

3. Createacultureinsupportofteachingineverydepartmentacross

campus.Improveassessmentsofteachingandenhancethe

importanceofteachingexcellenceintheallocationofresourcesto

departments,programs,andfaculty.Identifygoodmodelsfor

promotingacultureinsupportofteachingand

usetheseas

benchmarkstoassessandimproveteachinginotherunits.

4. Developstrongerconnectionsacrosscollegestoenhance

educationalopportunitiesforstudentsandthequalityandstature

ofdisciplinesorfields.Developpoliciesthatencouragestudentsin

onecollegeorcampustotakecoursesinanother,anddevise

new

mechanismsofcoordinationandconnectivityacrossacademic

disciplinesoracrosscollegeswithinagivenacademicdiscipline.

5. Implementstrategicallyfocused,cost‐effectiveenhancementstothe

infrastructureinsupportofresearch,scholarship,andcreativity.

Thisincludesinparticulartheuniversitylibraries,sharedresearch

facilitiesinthesciencesandsocialsciences,

andadministrative

supportforfacultyapplyingforormanagingresearchgrants.

6. Makesignificantprogresstowardamorediversefaculty,student

body,andstaffintermsofgenderandraceandethnicity.Establish

explicitandambitioustargets,consideringappropriatepipelines

andtheimportanceof“criticalmass”;enhancerecruitmentand

retention

processes;andensurethatmechanismsholdingunits

accountableareeffective.

7. StronglyconnectoutreachandpublicengagementwithCornellʹs

areasofstrengthinresearch,scholarship,andeducation.Broadly

redefinetheoutreachmissionaspublicengagement,extendit

acrosscampus,anddevelopapproachesappropriatetodifferent

academicdisciplinesorfields;

strengthentheopportunitiesfor

studentsto“engagetheworld”aspartoftheiracademicwork.



40 3. Institutional Stewardship

3.1.2 Strategic Planning in Academic and Administrative Units

Someacademicunitsandadministrativedivisionshavetheirown

preexistingstrategicplansthathaveevolvedseparately,

asdocertain

academicdepartmentsandadministrativesubunits.Historically,the

processofdevelopinggoalsintheuniversityanditsvariousunitshasnot

beenwellcoordinated,soitisnotsurprisingthattherearedifferentfocal

pointsamongtheplans.Sincethereleaseofthe2010StrategicPlan,there

has

notbeentimeforthecollegesandotheradministrativeunitsto

developtheirnewstrategicplansthatreferencethisdocument.However,

theprovostexpectsthecollegestoalignthefocusoftheirannualreports

withthenewstrategicplan.

Aspartofthe2008StrategicPlan,arelatedstrategicplanwas

includedfor

eachcollegeandmajoradministrativeunit.Ananalysisoftheseplansfor

theacademicunitsshowsthattheyreflectthemajorthemesofthe

university’smissionandgoals.Asmightbeexpected,thecorrespondence

betweenunitanduniversitygoalsishighestforthethemesthatdealwith

the

qualityofthefacultyandstudents,thequalityoftheeducational

experience,carefulresourceplanningandstewardship,andtheoverall

goalofdiscoveryanddisseminationofknowledge.Thecorrespondenceis

lowestforthemesrelatedtoproducingcreativework,enrollingthemost

deservingstudentsregardlessofbackground,inspiringstudentstobe

ethical

andpurposefulcitizens,andpromotingacultureofbroadinquiry

acrosstheuniversity.Foracompletelistofthelearninggoalsestablished

byeachcollege,seeChapter7,“EducationalOfferings.”

Inthemajoradministrativeunits,thereisstrongcorrespondencebetween

theunit’sgoalsandtheuniversity’smissionto“enhancethe

livesand

livelihoodsofitsstudents,thepeopleofNewYorkandothersaroundthe

world.”Unitgoalsalsocorrespondstronglywiththeuniversity’s goalto

“usecarefulplanning,efficiencies,appropriateintegrationofoperations,

thedevelopmentofnewincomesources,andincreasesinprivatesupport

asthefoundationofourstewardship.”







See,forexample,OrientationManual,WeillCornellMedicalCollegeandWeillCornellGraduate

SchoolofMedicalSciences,https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=558.

3. Institutional Stewardship 41

3.2 Planning, Resource Allocation, and

Institutional Renewal

Cornellhasanelaboratesystemofresourcemanagementthatreflectsthe

factthatitisaprivateuniversitythatisalsocharteredunderthelawsof

NewYorkStateasthestate’slandgrantinstitution.Cornelloperatesfour

collegesundercontractfromNewYorkState.Thegeographicseparation

ofCornell’sseveral

campusesaddstothiscomplexity.Asaresult,Cornell

hastwoprovosts,themedicalprovostforWeillCornellMedicalCollege

andGraduateSchoolofMedicalSciencesandtheprovostforthe

remainderoftheuniversity.

Responsibilityforuniversity‐levelstrategicdirectionsandassuranceof

accountabilityultimatelyrestswiththeBoard

ofTrustees,althoughthisis

delegatedtothepresident.Attheunitlevel,responsibilityresideswiththe

provostandthemedicalprovostaswellastheseveralvicepresidents.

Althoughthedeansandvicepresidentsarechargedwithoverall

managementoftheirownareas,theprovostandvicepresidentfor

planning

andbudgetoverseeresourceallocationontheIthacacampus,

andtheWeillCornellMedicalCollegeprovostandexecutivevicedeanfor

administrationandfinanceareresponsibleforresourceallocationatthe

medicalcollege.Inaddition,thechieffinancialofficerreviewsoperating

andcapitalbudgetsonbothcampusesbeforetheyare

finalized.Academic

responsibilityisdelegatedtothedeans,whomeetregularlywiththe

provostandprovideannualreports;internalandexternalreviewsof

departments(seebelow)alsoserveamonitoringpurpose.

TheofficeofInstitutionalResearchandPlanning(IRP)—situatedwithin

theprovost’sofficeandreportingdirectlytothevicepresidentfor



planningandbudget—supportstheannualbudgetaryprocessand

resourceallocationdecisionsmoregenerallybyprovidingcomprehensive

informationabouttheuniversityandspecificunitstotheuniversity

leadership,includingtheacademicdeans.IRPregularlyengagesinadhoc

analysesandnewinformationgatheringefforts(suchassurveys,focus

groups,orexit

interviews)inordertoinformstrategicdecision‐making.

Appropriately,academicleadersviewstatisticalindicatorsasessential

contextforinformedandintelligentresourceallocation.Thoughcomplex

42 3. Institutional Stewardship

andvaried,Cornell’sbudgetmodels(describedbelow)donotblindly

couplesimplisticmeasuresdirectlywith fundingconsequences.

Formoreinformationonadministrationandgovernanceaswellas

processesforpolicydevelopment,seeChapter4,“Integrity,Governance,

andAdministration.”

Periodicassessmentoftheeffectivenessofplanning,resourceallocation

andinstitutionalrenewalis

quitecomprehensiveatCornell.Thereare

multipleplanningprocesses(e.g.,anindividualcollegeoftenhasbothan

academicandafacilitiesplan;therearebothcapitalandoperating

budgets;facilitiesplanningreflectsinstitutionalandacademicdirections

andneeds).Theplanningprocessisbothregular(e.g.,annualandfive‐

yearcapital

plans,majorfund‐raisingcampaigns)andadhoc(e.g.,

university‐widerenewalofanimalfacilities,therecentBudgetModelTask

Force).Itcanbemajor(e.g.,theCampusMasterPlan)ormuchsmaller. 

Finally,theperiodicityoftheeffortvarieswiththenatureoftheactivity.

Cornellperiodicallyassessesitsplanning,

resourceallocationand

institutionalrenewalusingthreedifferentapproaches:specificinitiatives

andprojects,on‐goingevaluations,andresponsestospecialsituations.

Specificinitiativesandprojectsincludetheimprovementoffacultysalaries

tomeetpeerbenchmarks(discussedinChapter6,“Faculty”),the

developmentoftheWestCampushousinginitiative(seeChapter

1,

“IntroducingCornellUniversity,”andChapter7,“Educational

Offerings”),theCampusMasterPlan,

andtheongoingcapitalcampaign

(ashighlightedinChapter1).

TheWestCampusinitiativegrewoutofthe

recognition,articulatedinCornell’slastdecennialreview,thatthe

campus’sliving/learningenvironmentneededimprovement.Thesuccess

ofthissystemisevaluatedregularlybyIRPandbyfacultyandstaff

associatedwiththehousesystem.Developmentofafacilitiesmasterplan

involveda

multi‐yearplanningeffortwithamulti‐decadeimplementation

horizon.Acapitalcampaignalsoinvolvesyearsofplanningbeforeitis

launched,planningthatlinksoverallinstitutionalprioritiestoneedsatthe

unitlevel.Planningcontinuesduringtheseveralyearsofthecampaign



http://masterplan.cornell.edu/

http://www.campaign.cornell.edu/

3. Institutional Stewardship 43

andmayinvolve,asCornell’shas,changingprioritiesinresponseto

changingcircumstances.Developmentofboththecapitalcampaignand

themasterplanincludedinputfroma widevarietyofstakeholders.

Resourceallocationforinstitutionalrenewalisalsodonethroughongoing

planning.Agoodexampleofthisishowdecisions are

madeabout

plannedmaintenancefunding.FacilitiesServicesstaffidentifydeficiencies

andcorrectivemeasuresthroughdiscussionswithusersandunitfacilities

staffmembers,annualaudits,correctivemaintenancedata,life‐safety

systeminspections,andunit‐drivenplanningefforts.FacilitiesServices

thenassessestheirstewardshipagainstnationalaveragesaswellastheir

peer

groupandassignspriorityforfundingbasedonasetofcriteria.The

outcomesofthisprocessareincludedintheprocessforcapitalplanning

andfunding.

Anotherexampleofthisapproachistherepeatedreassessmentoverthe

last10yearsoftheuniversity’scost‐allocationmodelbywhichunitsare



“taxed”tosupportthecostsofcampus‐wideservicessuchasutilitiesand

roads.Theobjectiveofthesereassessmentswastorefinethemethodsoit

woulddoabetterjobofmeetinginstitutionalneeds.

Finally,resourceallocationforinstitutionalrenewalisalsocarriedout in

specialsituationssuchas

thosecreatedbythefinancialcrisisof2008–2009,

whichaddedurgencytoanalready‐neededadjustmentoftheworkingsof

theuniversity’soperatingandcapitalbudgets.TheBudgetModelTask

Forceproposedahybridmodelthatincludesbothactivity‐based

budgetinganddiscretionarybudgetingtomeetinstitutionalpriorities.

5



Forthecapitalbudget,newstructures,timing,andcontrolprocesseshave

beenestablished.

Inaddition,Cornellisnowlinkingitsfive‐yearfinancial

plantoproformainstitution‐widebalancesheets.



ForBudgetModelTaskForceFinalReport,ExecutiveSummary,December24,2009,see:

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/budgetmodel‐taskforce‐summary‐1209.pdf

ForCapitalPlanning,see:http://www.dpb.cornell.edu/FP_3_A_Capital_Planning.htm

ForCapitalProjectSpendingGuidelines,see:http://www.dpb.cornell.edu/documents/

capital_proj_spend_guide.pdfForManagingCapitalActivity,see:

http://www.dpb.cornell.edu/documents/Managing%20Capital%20Activity.pdf



44 3. Institutional Stewardship

Thefinancialcrisisalsoledtothecreationofaconcertedadministrative

streamliningeffort—describedinChapter1,“IntroducingCornell

University”—whichhasproducedplansforsubstantialsavingsin

operationalexpenditures.Focusingonsuchareasasprocurement,

facilities,informationtechnology,finance,humanresources,and

communications,Cornellexpectstosaveatleast$75million

annuallyby

2015.Implementationofthecost‐savingmeasuresisguidedbythe

AdministrativeStreamliningProgramintheDivisionofPlanningand

Budget.Progressisreportedpubliclyviathewebsite,contributingto

transparentprocessesandexplicitaccountability.



Attheunitlevel,collegemission statementsandgoalsareusedtofine‐

tunetheallocationofresourcesamongdepartments.Theyarealsousedas

abenchmarkforreportingofaccomplishmentsandassessmentofprogress

andneedsinannualreportstotheprovost.Inaddition,someacademic

departmentsandprograms—especially

thosethatareaccreditedby

externalorganizations—havetheirownmissionstatements.

Theuseof

thesestatementsforassessmentaspartoftheaccreditationprocessis

discussedinChapter8,“AssessmentofStudentLearning.”

AkeywayinwhichCornellachievesitsinstitutionalgoalsisbyhiringand

retainingtalentedfacultyandstaffmemberswithcompetitive

compensationpackages.Sincethelastdecennial

reviewforaccreditation,

Cornellsetanobjectiveofraisingthesalariesofbothfacultyandstaff

memberstomeetcertainbenchmarks.Aidedbyannualmeasurementsof

progressandadjustmentofresourcestostayontrack,Cornellwas

successfulinmeetingitsstatedgoals.

Cornellalsostrivestorewardfacultyforoutstanding

performancein

ordertoretainthem.IRPsuppliesinformation(i.e.,currentsalariesfor

individualsinrelevantdisciplineswithsimilarrankandtimeinrank)to

deanstohelpthemdevelopandallocateraises.Insomefields,thenational

trendtowardhigherstartingsalarieshasresultedinsignificantsalary

compressionin

theseniorranks—andCornellhasnotbeenimmunetothis

process.Afteranassessmentofthisproblematleasttwocolleges,Artsand



http://asp.dpb.cornell.edu/

Itwasnotpossibletodocumentthedegreetowhichdepartment‐levelmissionstatementsare

usedforresourceallocationforCornell’snearly100academicdepartments.

3. Institutional Stewardship 45

Sciences(A&S)andAgricultureandLifeSciences(CALS),respondedby

substantiallyincreasingraisesofferedatthetimeofpromotionsoasto

maintainacompetitivepositionnationally.

ThefrequencyofassessmentofCornell’sacademicandadministrative

unitsisdictatedbyexternalorganizationsaswellasinternalprocessesand

needs.Manydepartments

inthecontract collegesareunderregular

reviewbytheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture.Since1996,whenthe

FacultySenatecreatedtheFacultyCommittee onProgramReview,

academicdepartmentshavebeensubjecttoaformalreviewoftheir

currentprograms,futureplans,andacademicstandingnationallyand

internationally.Arecent

assessmentofthereviewprocess,whilegenerally

positive,resultedinanumberofimprovements. 

Inadditiontothisformalreviewprocess,allunitsarecontinually

evaluatingtheirabilitytomeettheirgoalsandmakingchangestoimprove

theirprocesses.Someunitsholdannualplanningmeetingstoconsider

morecomplexacademicand

programmaticissuesthancanbehandledin

regularstaffmeetings.Academicandadministrativeprocesseswithin

unitsaresubjecttoconstantadhocreview.Thiskindofreviewhas

recentlyresultedinmajorimprovementsincourseenrollmentforfirst‐

semesterfreshmenandcompletionofgraduationrequirementsforseniors

inA&S,as

wellasintheabilityoftransferstudentstomeetthecourse

requirementsintheSchoolofIndustrialandLaborRelations.

Theseeffortsalsooccuracrossunits.Forexample,in2003a“workforce

planning”processwasusedtoreviewadministrativeprocesseswithinthe

academicandcentralserviceunits.Toincreasecompliance,

accuracy,and

qualityofservice,theuniversitycreated“businessservicecenters”ineach

collegeandwithintheadministrativedepartments.Thesecentershave

establishedconsistentpracticeandtrainingforstaffengagedinfinancial

andhumanresourcestransactions.Thisconsolidationiscontinuingto

advancethroughReimaginingCornellandtheeffortsoverseenby

the

AdministrativeStreamliningProject.



46 3. Institutional Stewardship

3.3 Institutional Resources

Insupportofitscoreacademicmissions,Cornellfostersadherenceto

principlesofgoodstewardshipatalllevelsoftheuniversity.These

principlesincludeacommitmenttoprotectandenhancethereputationof

theuniversity,anunderstandingofprioritiesandresponsibilitiesatan

organizationalandanindividuallevel,anappropriaterespect

forshared

governanceandcollaborativedecisionmaking,andacommitmenttoopen

communicationandtransparencyinplanning,prioritysetting,and

decisionmaking.Giventheaspirationsdescribedinthe2010Strategic

Plan,excellenceinthestewardshipofinstitutionalresourcesisessential.

Belowweconsiderfirstrevenues,expenses,andassetsandthen

financial

planning,budgeting,theCampusMasterPlan,andauditing.Nextwe

discussfacilities,humanresources,andinformationtechnology.

3.3.1 Revenues

Cornellhasseveralimportantsourcesofrevenue:tuition,appropriations

fromNewYorkStateandtheU.S.government,contributions,payment

fromitsendowment,incomefromthephysicians’practiceassociatedwith

WeillCornellMedicalCollege,andoverheadfromgrantsandcontractsas

wellasfromotherenterprises(Figure3.1).Infact,Moody’sInvestors



ServicesdescribesCornellas“possiblythemostdiversifiedprivate

universityintheU.S.fromanoperatingperspective,withsixseparate

revenuesourceseachcomprisingatleast9%ofrevenues.”

Between

FY2000andFY2010,operatingbudgetrevenueincreasedbynearly$1.3

billion.Thelargestcontributorswereeducationalenterprises,the

physicians’practice,andgrantsandcontracts.Contributionsdropped

from16%to6%ofrevenuesduringthisperiod,whiletheproportionof

revenuefromeducationalenterprisesandthephysicians’practicesboth

increased—from

8%to14%andfrom15%to19%,respectively(Figure

3.2).Thiscomparisoncoincideswithaparticular lystrongyearoffund‐

raisingin2000,whilerecentyearshavebeenweakasaresultofthe



“Moody’sassignsAa1ratingstoCornellUniversity’s$305millionofSeries2009Arevenue

bondsand$500millionseries2009taxablebonds;outlookisstable.”Moody’sInvestorsService,

GlobalCreditResearch,3/25/09.

3. Institutional Stewardship 47

recession.Before2009,twooftheprecedingthreeyearshadrecord‐

breakingfund‐raisingtotalsaspartofourcurrentcampaign,whichis

continuingtowardits$4billiongoal.

Cornellfirstsettheprioritiesforitscurrentcapitalcampaignbyusinga

complexprocessthatincludedinputfromnumerousstakeholders,with



resolutionofcompetingopportunitiesatthehighestlevelofuniversity

administration.Sincethen,majorexternalandinternalchanges(e.g.,the

economiccrisis,competitioninhighereducationrelativetou n dergraduate 

financialaid,andexperiencewithdonors’givingpreferences)haveledto

furtherrefinementofthecampaigngoals.Thecurrentgoals,which

were

developedwithalessextensivereviewbycampusconstituencies,are

giveninChapter1,“IntroducingCornellUniversity.”Continuedareasof

focusincludefaculty renewalaswellasscholarshipandfinancialaid.

TheIthacacampusandWeillCornellMedicalCollege(WCMC)

contributed64%and36%oftheuniversity’s$2.92billionin

revenues,

respectively,inFY2009.SinceFY2000,theproportionoftherevenues

contributedbytheIthacacampushasdecreasedwhilethatofWCMChas

increased(from29%to36%).

Amoredetailedexaminationofrevenuesourcesrevealsasubstantial

relativereductioninappropriationsfrom NewYorkState(from9%to6%)

betweenFY2000andFY2010(Figure3.3).Atthesametime,therewasa

relativeincreaseinrevenuesfromthephysicians’practice(from14%to

18%)andothersources(from5%to7%).Trendsinsponsoredresearchare

furtherdescribedinChapter6,Faculty.



48 3. Institutional Stewardship

Figure 3.1. Cornell University operating revenues (in millions),

FY2000, FY2010, and the difference between them



 

$288

$48

$311

$158

-$74

$355

$15

$164

$416

$152

$557

$305

$190

$679

$177

$462

$129

$105

$246

$146

$264

$324

$161

$297

-$200 $0 $200 $400 $600 $800

Educational & Other

Auxilliary Enterprises

edical Physicians' Org.

Investment Return, Dist.

Contributions

Grants & Contracts

Govt. Appropriations

Tuition, Net

millions

FY00 * FY10 $ Change

*FY00 Restated to new financial statement format

3. Institutional Stewardship 49

Figure 3.2. Cornell University’s proportional distribution of operating

revenue: FY2000 and FY2010



3.3.2 Expenses

Cornell’smajorcategoriesofoperatingexpensesincludeinstruction,

research,thephysicians’practice,institutionalsupport,andacademic

support(Figure3.4).BetweenFY2000andFY2010,operatingbudget

expensesincreasedby$1.26billion.Thelargestincreasesinexpenses

duringthisperiodwereinthephysicians’practice,instruction,and

institutionalsupport.Asaresult,institutional

supportandthephysicians’

practicebecameagreaterproportionofexpenses(from10%to12%and

from15%to22%,respectively)whileresearchdecreasedfrom23%to20%

14%

19%

10%

23%

16%

15%

16%

19%

10%

18%

0% 10% 20%

Educational & Other

Auxilliary Enterprises

Medical Physicians' Org.

Investment Return,

Distributed

Contributions

Grants & Contracts

Govt. Appropriations

Tuition, Net

Percent of Total

FY00 * FY10

*FY00 Restated to new financial statement format

50 3. Institutional Stewardship

ofexpenses(Figure3.5).Expensescloselytrackrevenues,sothatthe

changesamongthemajordivisionsintheproportionofexpensesbetween

FY2000andFY2010aresimilartothosedescribedaboveforrevenues.



Figure 3.3. Cornell University’s proportional distribution of operating

budget revenues: FY2000 and FY2010



18%

15%

10%

25%

14%

17%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Inter-unit Transfers

Other Sources

Enterprise Sales

New York Presbyterian

Hospital

Medical Physicians' Org.

Federal Appropriations

State Appropriations

Institutional Allowances

Sponsored Programs,

Direct

Restricted Gifts

Unrestricted Gifts

Investment Distributions

Tuition & Fees

Percent of Total

FY00 FY10

3. Institutional Stewardship 51

Figure 3.4. Cornell University’s operating expenses (in millions): FY2000,

FY2010, and the difference between them



$48

$196

$396

$35

$122

$23

$202

$242

$197

$348

$625

$119

$252

$110

$558

$594

$149

$152

$229

$83

$131

$87

$356

$352

$0 $200 $400 $600

Enterprises and Subsidiaries

Institutional Support

Medical Physicians' Org.

Student Services

Academic Support

Public Service

Research

Instruction

millions

FY00 * FY10 $ Change

*FY00 Restated to new financial statement format

52 3. Institutional Stewardship

Figure 3.5. Cornell University’s proportional distribution of operating

expenses: FY2000 and FY2010



3.3.3 Assets

Theuniversity’snetassetsincreasedfrom$5.27billionto$8.04billion

from2000to2008,butdeclined24.5%withtherecentfiscalcrisisto$6.07

billionin2009.Thisdeclineresultedfromacombinationofdecreased

endowmentvalueandincreasedliabilityastheuniversitytookon$800

millioninbondsto

meetanticipatedcash‐flowneeds.Withthestock

12%

22%

20%

21%

10%

15%

23%

0% 10% 20%

Enterprises & Subsidiaries

Institutional Support

Medical Physicians' Org.

Student Services

Academic Support

Public Service

Research

Instruction

Percent of Total

FY00 FY10

*FY00 Restated to new financial statement format

3. Institutional Stewardship 53

market’srecovery,theuniversity’snetassetsimprovedby10.3%in

FY2010.



3.3.4 Comparison to Other Institutions

Cornellbenchmarksitsfinancialhealthtothatofother,similarinstitutions

usingtheexpendableresourcestodebtratio(“viabilityratio ” ).This

indicateswhetheraninstitutionhassufficientexpendablenetassetsto

meetitsdebtobligations.Itmayalsoindicateatwhatpointthefinancial

burdenoftakingonnewdebtoutweighs

thestrategicvaluesaddedto

achievetheinstitutionalmission.Althougharatioof1.0orhighersignifies

sufficientexpendableresourcestomeetdebtobligations,aninstitutioncan

operatewitharatiolessthan1.0.Thisratioisstronglyrelatedtothe

institution’sbondratingand,thereby,tothecostof

borrowingmoney.For

example,inFY2009,Cornell’sratiowasabout1.3(bondratingofAa1)

whilethatofHarvard,thehighestintheIvygroup,wascloserto4.0(bond

ratingofAaa).

America’suniversitiesdiffervastlyinwealth,andsomeofthewealthiest

areinCornell’sbenchmarkgroup.Thetotal

resourcesofeachinstitutionin

thegrouprangedfrom$1.9to$42.8billionin2008.Cornell’stotal

resources,$6.22billion,weresimilartothoseofEmory,Northwestern,the

UniversityofChicago,andtheUniversityofPennsylvaniabutwerebelow

themedianofthebenchmarkgroupasawhole.Therewere

alsovast

differenceswithinthebenchmarkgroupintermsoftheratioof

unrestrictedresourcestooperatingexpenses;Princetonfaroutdistanced

therestwitharatioof13.22.HerealsoCornellwasbelowthemedianwith

aratioof1.24.Cornell’soperatingstructure,asalandgrantuniversity

withfourstate

‐supportedcolleges,isalsodifferentfromitspeers.Asa

result,Cornell’sratiostendtobehigherthanthoseofotherpublicland

grantuniversitiesandlowerthanthoseofitsIvyLeaguepeers.The

slightlylowerfinancialratioisoffsetbythediversityofCornell’srevenue 

streamswhichinclude

somestateappropriations.



Formoreinformation,see:StatementofFinancialPositionatJune30,2010andStatementof

ActivitiesforYearEndedJune30,2010,https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=542andhttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=543,respectively.

54 3. Institutional Stewardship

Atpresent,Cornell’sbalancesheetisstressed;withactivemanagement,

however,theinstitutionhasnotretreatedfromitscoremission of

providinganaffordableeducation.Cornellhasenhancedfinancialaid

packageswhilemakingcutselsewheretobalancethebudget.

3.3.5 Financial Planning and Budgeting

Initstraditionofdecentralizedauthority,Cornellhaslongoperatedwitha

complexsetofpoliciesandproceduresformanagingitsrevenuesand

expenses.SeveralbudgetmodelsarecurrentlyinuseacrosstheIthaca

campus,withsomeunitsusingmultiplemodels.Theprimarymodelsare



Generalpurpose.Fundingsourcefor

thethreegeneralpurpose

colleges(Engineering,ArtsandSciences,andArchitecture,Art,

andPlanning)andfortheGraduateSchool.TheGPbudgetalso

providesinitialfundingforinstitutionaladministrativeand

supportcostsandundergraduatefinancialaidthatare

subsequentlydistributedtoandrecoveredfromthemajorrevenue

producingactivities.



Contractcolleges.Revenues(suchastuitiondollars)generatedby

thecontractcollegesaredistributeddirectlytoeachcollege.State

appropriationsareallocatedtoeachcollegebasedonthedecisions

oftheprovost.NewYorkalsodirectlyfundsemployeebenefit

costsforthecontractcollegesaswellasmajorcapitalinvestments,

which

areprovidedthroughtheStateUniversityConstruction 

Fund.



Designatedcolleges.ThisgroupincludestheSchoolofHotel

Administration,theJohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagement,and

theLawSchool.Revenuesgeneratedbyeachofthesecollegesare

distributeddirectlytoeachcollege.Unliketheothercolleges,the

JohnsonSchooland

LawSchoolestablishtheirowntuitionand

enrollmentlevels.



Auxiliaryenterprises.Includeshousinganddiningoperations

(CampusLife)andCampusStore.Revenuesearnedareheld

directlybyeach.

. Institutional

igure 3.6. F

Stewardship



res

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Figure3.6

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56 3. Institutional Stewardship

executivevicepresidentforfinanceandadministrationandhavingthe

chieffinancialofficernowreportdirectlytothepresident.Inaddition,

newfinancialcontrolswereimplemented,suchasrequiringthechief

financialofficertoapprovethebudgetsofboththeIthacaandWCMC

campusesbeforetheyarepresentedtotheBoard

ofTrustees.

Recently,newguidelinesforcapitalplanningandbudgetingwere

approved,withtheinclusionofcapitalprojectsintheannualbudgetand

five‐yearplanningcycles.

Asaresult,capitalbudgetingisnowpartof

theoveralluniversitybudgetingprocessalongwiththedevelopmentof

theoperatingbudget.Inaddition,aBudgetModelTaskForcewascharged

torecommendchangestotheoperatingbudgetingprocessasawhole,in

recognitionthatthemultipleandcomplexfinancial

modelsandstructures

madeitdifficulttounderstand,manage,andsupporteffectiveplanning.

Thecomplexitycontributedtothefailuretomaintain abalancedand

sustainableoperatingbudget.

Thetaskforceproposed

anumberofsubstantivechanges,chiefamong

themtheimplementationofasinglebudgetmodelfortheentireIthaca

campus.Theparametersforsuchabudgetmodelarethatitbedata‐

informed,transparent,involveaccountabilitythroughouttheorganization,

alignfiscalresponsibilitywithbudgetary activity,empowerdeansand

othercampus

leaders,andcreateanadequateinstitutionalresourcepool

forpriorityinvestments.

AtthecoreoftheBudgetModelTaskForcerecommendationisthatmost

revenuesandexpensesareattributeddirectlytotheunitresponsiblefor

theactivity,withthecriticalexceptionofundergraduatetuition,as

undergraduateinstructioninvolvescross‐collegeactivity

andcentrally

determinedenrollmentandtuitionlevels.

Changesofsuchacomprehensivescopecouldbefar‐reaching,and

campusconversationsonthefutureofthebudgetmodelcontinue.



http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/capital_proj_spend_guide.pdf

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=182

3. Institutional Stewardship 57

3.3.6 Campus Master Plan

Cornell’scampusisstrikinglybeautifulandhasstate‐of‐the‐artresearch

facilities.Withthegoalofmaintainingthebestofthisenvironmentand

developingittomeetfutureneeds,theuniversity createdadetailedand

forward‐lookingCampusMasterPlanfortheIthacacampusand

surroundingareas,whichprojectsdevelopment

overa30‐to60‐year

period.

TheBoardofTrusteesinitiatedtheplanningprocessin2005

when,withnewdevelopmentonthecampusincreasinglyconstrained,

Cornelldetermineditneededavisionandstrategyforthebestuseofthe

university’slands.Afteraperiodofintensework,conductedwiththe

assistanceofconsultantsandbroadcampus

discussion,theplanwas

adoptedbytheBoardofTrusteesin2008.TheMasterPlanprovidesthe

universitywithanintegratedframeworktoguideitslong‐rangephysical

development.Thisdocumentarticulatesavisionfordevelopment,

capturedinsixwordstodescribetheessenceofthefuturecampus:“open,

green,compact,

integrated,connectedandengaged.”

Drivenbyacademicplanningpriorities,theMasterPlanprovides

guidelinesfordecisionsaboutwheretolocatetheuniversity’sresearch,

teaching,residential,andrecreationalprioritiesandprograms.Italso

offersacampus‐wideframeofreferencefortheuniversity’scurrentcapital

planandlinkslocalandprecinct

plangoalstothebroaderplan.The

MasterPlanalsodrawsuponpreviousphysicalplanningefforts,including

the1989campusplanandprecinctplansaswellastheComprehensive

PoliciesforthePhysicalPlanningandDesignfortheIthacaCampusfrom

1989and1972.

3.3.7 Auditing

Asalargeresearchinstitution,CornellUniversity isauditedextensively

bymanyauditorganizations.InadditiontoitsownUniversityAudit

Officestaffof13auditprofessionals,Cornellissubjecttoafinancial

statement

andanOMBCircularA‐133

auditperformedby



http://masterplan.cornell.edu/

Forthe2009audit,see:http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/cms/accounting/

reporting/annualstatements/upload/cufinancialrept0809.pdf

58 3. Institutional Stewardship

PricewaterhouseCoopersLLP.ThefirmalsoperformstherequiredNCAA

“agreeduponprocedures”audit.Theminority‐ownedCPAfirmTCBA

WatsonRiceconductsauditsoftheCornellsubsidiariesandallCornell

retirementplans.ThefourcontractcollegesatCornellare subjecttoaudits

fromSUNYandtheNewYorkOfficeofthe

StateComptroller.Cornell’s

federalauditagencyistheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,

althoughallgrantingagenciessendauditorstoreviewCornell’spolicies,

procedures,systems,grants,andcontracts.Cornellhasbeenselectedas

oneof40collegesanduniversitiesbeingreviewedaspartoftheInternal

RevenueService’sColleges

andUniversitiesComplianceProject.Cornell

isalsoundergoingaroutineIRSbenefitreview.

CornellhasaveryactiveandengagedAuditCommitteeoftheBoardof

Trustees,whichmeetsfivetimesperyear.Allmembersareexternaltothe

universityandarechargedwiththeoversightoftheexternalandinternal



audits,internalcontrols,conflictsofinterest,andvariousriskareas

includingresearch,physicianbilling,andinformationtechnologysecurity.

3.3.8 Facilities Resources

Projectplanningandexecution,energymanagementanddelivery,and

maintenanceaswellasbuildingandgroundscarefortheIthacacampus

areallprovidedbythe850staffmembersofFacilities Services.Thisstaff,

whichincludesdesignprofessionals,buildingtradespeople,custodians,

maintenancemechanics,andmanagers,ischaracterizedbylongservice



andexceptionallylowturnover(7%comparedto25%incomparable

operationselsewhere).

OntheIthacacampusalone,750facilitiesoccupy15.9milliongrosssquare

feetofspace,9.5millionofwhichisassignedforprogrammaticuse(21%

ofthisisusedforresearch).Theaverageageofthesefacilitiesis

50years,

and56%ofthespacehasnotbeenrenovatedwithinthelast25years.To

remainfunctional,the0.5millionsquarefeetofresearchspacethatismore

than20yearsoldwillrequirerenovationinthenearfuture.TheIthaca

infrastructurealsoincludes38milesofsidewalksand

streets,11bridges,



Forthe2009audit,see:http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/cms/accounting/

topics/sponsoredfinance/upload/cu_act_A13309.pdf

3. Institutional Stewardship 59

and90acresofparkinglots.Intotal,theIthacafacilitiesresourcesare

valuedat$4.5billion.

Theeconomicrecession,combinedwithCornell’sownfinancial

challenges,hassubstantiallyreducedapprovedcapitalactivity(down

from$1.95billioninFY2009to$1.43billioninFY2010)combinedwith

one‐timemaintenancereduction

of35%asaresultofa“pause”innew

capitalactivity.Unfortunately,Cornell’songoingfundingformaintenance

isonlyabout33%oftheindustry‐acceptedannualtargetof1.5%of

replacementvalue,anditisexpectedtoremainlowinthenearfuture.The

universityhasdevelopedaprioritization

processaspartofitsannual

capitalplanningprocesstoaddressthemosturgentandcriticalneedsfirst.

Inthisenvironmentcapitalplanningcannotbefocusedprimarilyon

specificprojects;itmustpayattentiontothefabricandfunctionofthe

campusasawhole.Factorsthatinfluenceorareaffected

bycampus

facilitiesincludetheneedforinfrastructure(e.g.,utilities,transportation,

parking,andservice);theprovisionofindoorandoutdoorpublicspaces;

thecampuslandscapeandpreservationandtreatmentofopenspaces;

efficientutilizationofspace;theaestheticsofdesign;financialtrade



offs

betweenfacilitiesneedsandothercampuspriorities

andinitiatives;

fundraisingcapacityandpriorities;theavailabilityofeducational,

research,andoutreachsupportfromNewYorkState,thefederal

government,andprivateresources;debtcapacityandrepaymentburden;

andoperatingandmaintenancecosts.Cornellhasformalprocessesfor

decidingwhattobuildandwhen.

Italsomaintainsadetailedlistof

capitalprojectsthatisreviewedseveraltimesannuallybytheBuildings

andPropertiesCommitteeoftheBoardofTrustees.



ManagementofCornell’sfacilitiesisunusuallycomplexbecause theIthaca

campusaloneinvolvesfourdifferentmunicipalities—eachwithdifferent

requirementsandprocessesforbuildingpermitsandinspections—and

mustberesponsivetotheneedsoftheStateofNewYorkinthe



Foradescriptionofthefacilitiespriorityplanningprocess,see:

http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000448.pdf,http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/

capital_proj_spend_guide.pdfandhttp://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/

Managing%20Capital%20Activity.pdf

Foralistofcurrentprojects,seehttp://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000448.pdf.

60 3. Institutional Stewardship

managementofthefacilitiesofthefourcontractcollegesinadditiontothe

needsoftheendowedunits.

Cornellhaslongbeeninvolvedinenergyconservationandisrecognized

nationallyforitsleadershipintransportationmanagement,whichhasled

toacoordinated,county‐widetransportationsystemandnogrowthinthe



demandforparkingduringatimeofsubstantialuniversityexpansion.In

thisgrowthperiod,theuniversity’senergypurchaseshavealsoremained

flatasaresultoftwoinnovativeenergyconservationprojects:LakeSource

CoolingandtheCornellCombinedHeatandPowerProject,which

togetherhavereducedCornell’sgreenhousegasemissions

by30%.Lake

SourceCoolingusesthecoldwaterofCayugaLakeasaheatexchangerto

provideyear‐round,campus‐widecooling.TheCombinedHeatand

PowerProjecthasreplacedacoal‐firedplantwithgasturbinesthatuse

naturalgasforelectricityandwasteheatforsteamgeneration.This

project

allowsCornelltosignificantlyreduceitsrelianceon obtainingelectricity

fromthegridandwillreduceCornell’stotalcarbonemissionsby20%,a

majorcontributiontotheuniversity’sClimateActionPlan.

3.3.9 Human Resources

Thestrengthofanyacademicinstitutionisinthequalityofthefaculty,

staff,andstudentsthatitattracts,andCornellhaslongunderstoodthis

premise.Therecruitment,retention,anddevelopmentofthefacultyand

staffareinstitutionalpriorities.

Cornellcontinuestoberecognizedwithnationalawardsforworkplace

quality.For

example,inthefirstquarterofFY2009,Cornellwasplacedon

theChronicleofHigherEducation’s“GreatCollegestoWorkFor”list,

WorkingMothermagazine’s“100BestEmployersforWorkingMothers”

list,andAARP’slistof“50BestEmployersforWorkersOver50,”where

Cornellplacedfirst.Cornellwasalso

recognizedbyConceivemagazinefor

prospectiveparents(secondtimeinarow),theDaveThomasFoundation

forAdoption’s“Top100Adoption‐FriendlyWorkplaces”(third

consecutiveyear),andComputerWorld’s“BestPlacestoWorkinIT”(third

consecutiveyear).Cornellalsoplacedasoneofthetopuniversitiesin

diversityforDiversity

Inc’sinauguralrecognitionofuniversities

3. Institutional Stewardship 61

addressingdiversity.

Theseawardsproviderecognitionfortheworkthat

Cornellhasputintocreatingasupportiveworkplace.Theactionsthatthe

universityhastakentoearntheseawardsincludeopeninganewchildcare

facilityforthechildrenoffaculty,staff,andstudents;flexiblework

policies;state‐of‐the‐artwellnessfacilities;

generousleavebenefits;anda

panoplyofbenefitservicestomeettheneedsofemployeesatalllifeand

careerstages.

Inresponsetotheeconomicdownturn,theOfficeofHumanResources

recentlyhadtoshiftmuchofitsfocusfromrecruitmenttoworkforce

realignmentwhileworkingtoretainitstop

facultyandstaffmembers.

OfferingaStaffRetirementIncentivein2009reflectedoneofHR’score

values(“treatallemployeeswithdignityandrespect”),andallowed432

staffmemberstoretirevoluntarily.Thissignificantlyreducedthenumber

ofindividualswhohadtofaceinvoluntaryreductionsandlayoffs.Cornell

alsoinstituted

aninternalhiringprocesssothatthosewhosepositions

wereeliminatedwouldhaveeasieraccesstoreemploymentpossibilities

withinthecampus,andhiredprofessionaloutplacementservicestoassist

staffmembersinfindingemploymentoutsideCornell.

Staffperformanceisreviewedannually,butthenatureoftheprocesshas

variedconsiderablybyunit.

Ina2008HR‐runleadershipdevelopment

programcalledLeadingCornell,

agroupofstafffromacrossthecampus

undertookafullandcarefulreviewofperformanceevaluationpractices.

Thegroup’srecommendationsformedthebasisofchanges toperformance

reviewguidelines.Proposedrevisionswerepilotedinfourareasofthe

campusin2009andreviewedandadjustedonthebasis of

thatexperience.

Thenewguidelinesforstaffperformancereviewwillberolledoutacross

campusby2011.Theresultwillbeamoreuniformprocesspromising

clearfeedbacktoallstaffabouttheirachievementofworkgoalsandtheir

ownprofessionaldevelopment.





FortheDivisionofHumanResourcesAnnualReport,see:

http://www.hr.cornell.edu/about/annual_report.pdf.

http://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/career/leading_cornell.html

http://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/career/performance_management.html

62 3. Institutional Stewardship

Professional Development

Tohelpensurethatstaffmembershavetheskillsandabilitiestoperform

theirjobswell,theuniversityoffersnumerouscoursestoadvanceskill

development.

Theserangefrombriefon‐linecourses—hundredsof

whichareavailablethrough“Skillsoft”—tointensive,multi‐day

workshopsinleadershipdevelopment,suchastheHaroldD.Craft

LeadershipProgram.TheDepartmentofEnvironmentalHealthandSafety

offersgeneralandspecifictrainingcoursesforallemployees,forthose

engagedinlaboratoryresearch,

forgeneralservicesandtradesworkers,

andforadministrativeandofficeprofessionals.Inaddition,theDivisionof

FinancialAffairsofferstraininginuniversityfinancialmanagement,and

eCornellofferson‐linecourses inbusinessskills,supervision,anda

numberofhotelandrestauranttopics—someofwhichleadto

certification.

Recognizingthatthe

abilitytonavigateCornellisavaluablecomponentof

humancapitalamongemployees,theOfficeofHumanResourceshas

soughttoincreasetheexposureofstafftodifferentpartsoftheinstitution

throughenhancingopportunitiesforinternalcareermobility.Insupport

ofthiseffort,HR’son‐linejobapplica t ionssystem,

Taleo,tagsandtracks

internalapplicantsasacategoryofspecialinterest.HumanResourceshas

alsobecomemoreinvolvedinsuccessionplanning;givencurrent

demographictrends,itappearsthatmanyoftheuniversity’sbest

employeeswillretirewithinthenextdecade.

BeyondtheeffortsofthecentralOfficeofHumanResources,

someunits

havecreatedtheirowncareerdevelopmentprograms.Forexample,the

DivisionofCampusLife(encompassingresidentialprograms,dining,and

conferenceservices)hasintroducedaninternshipprogramtogive

workersachancetolearnandexperienceadministrative jobs.Thehopeis

todevelopemployees’skillsastheymovewithin

thedepartmentandinto

thebroaderCornellcommunity.

Theuniversityhasalsomadesignificantinvestmentsinfosteringthemore

generaleducationalaspirationsofstaffmembers.Forexample,througha

partnershipamongtheUnitedAutoWorkers,theOfficeofHuman



Coursesarelistedat:http://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/career/professional_development.html

3. Institutional Stewardship 63

Resources,andtheDepartmentofCommunication,employeeswhoare

pursuingGEDsorotherwiseworkingtoimprovetheirreadingand

writingskillsreceivementoringfromstudentsincommunication.

The

universityalsohasaprogramthatallowsqualifiedemployeestoearn

CornellUniversitydegrees—undergraduateorgraduate—atnocosttothe

employee.Currentlyabout25staffmembersareworkingtowardan

undergraduatedegreeand149areworkingtowardgraduatedegrees

throughtheEmployeeDegreeProgram.

Forinformationonthefaculty—quality,

evaluation,careerdevelopment,

anddiversity—seeChapter6,“Faculty.”

3.3.10 Information Technology

Asinotheruniversities,Cornell’sITserviceshavedevelopedinresponse

tounitandadministrativeneedsinarelativelyuncoordinatedfashion.

Thisevolution,combinedwithCornell’sdecentralizedstructure,hasledto

acomplicatedgovernancestructure;alackofclarityinroles,

responsibilities,anddecisionrights;andalackofstrategicmanagement

of

ITresourcesinsupportofwell‐articulatedanddefinedgoals—problem s 

thatarerecognizedbytheuniversity’sITleadership.Cornellspendsabout

$40millionperyearonitsinformationtechnologyoperation.About$28

millionofthisisforapplicationdevelopment,enhancement,and

maintenance,butthequalityoftheseapplicationsis

uneven.The

remaining$12millionisforend‐usersupporttofacultyandstaff.Cornell

spendsabouttwiceasmuchasitspeersondesktopsupport.Ananalysis

byoutsideconsultantsindicatedthatsubstantialcostsavingscouldbe

achievedbyleveragingeconomiesofscaleandstandardizing

infrastructure.

Tothisend,Cornell’s

informationtechnologyunithasrecentlydeveloped

avisionstatement:“TheCornellITcommunitywillfunctioninaunified

mannerinthedeliveryandmaintenanceofacademic,administrativeand

generalcampusITservices.Themostappropriatestandards,processes

andprocedureswillbefollowedtomeettheprioritiesoftheuniversityby



http://vivo.cornell.edu/all/individual/vivo/CommunityLearningandServicePartnershipCLASP.

64 3. Institutional Stewardship

usingthemostsecure,efficientandeffectivemeanspossible.”

This

statementwasdevelopedinresponsetoconstrainedfinancialresources

andinthecontextofachangeinleadership.Itisrecognizedthatachieving

thisvisionwillrequireachangeinboththecultureandenvironmentin

whichITsupportisprovidedatCornell.Tothisend,afive‐year

(2011–

2015)planhasbeendevelopedwithspecific,sequentialstepstoaddress

theidentifiedproblems.



InNovember2010,Cornellappointedachiefinformationofficerandvice

presidentafterarigorousnationwidesearchforleadership.Thisposition

isanewoneforCornellandisakeypartoftheuniversityʹsvisionfor

coordinatedcampus‐wideITstrategyandservicedelivery.



3.4 Recommendations

3.4.1 Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal

CornellUniversityhasacompelling“overarchingaspiration”andan

ambitious,integratedstrategicplanbywhichtoreachthisaspirationinthe

nearfuture.Withregardtoinstitutionalstewardship,theplanpromotes

severalimportantgoals.Insupportofthis,werecommend



thatCornelldevelopamorecoordinatedapproachtoplanning,

following

theguidelinesinthenewstrategicplan,whichis

designedtoachieveseveralimportantgoals:(1)toaffirmgeneral

guidelinesfororganizationalstewardship,(2)tomakecontinual

improvementsinthestewardshipoffinancialresources,(3)to

promoteeffectivestewardshipofthebuiltandnatural

environment,and(4)toprovidecost‐

effectiveinfrastructuresfor

informationtechnology.



FortheCornellInitiativeonInformationTechnology,see:

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/20100512_info_tech_vision.pdf.

Ibid.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov10/InfotechChief.html

3. Institutional Stewardship 65

3.4.2 Institutional Resources

Cornell’svastinfrastructureincludesnumerousstate‐of‐the‐artfacilities

butalsoincludesmanyolderfacilitiesforwhichmaintenanceand

renovationfundingisbelowtheindustrystandard.Werecommend



thatCornelldevelopaplantorefurbishcampusfacilities,

identifyingclearprioritiesandassigningfundingresponsibility,

sources,andtimeframefor

theseneeds;



thattheuniversitydeve lopitscampusinfrastructureforthefuture

accordingtothepreceptsoftheCampusMasterPlan.



66 3. Institutional Stewardship



4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 67

4. Integrity, Governance, and

Administration

Standards:

4. Leadership and Governance

5. Administration

6. Integrity

Thefirstsectionofthischapter,“LeadershipandAdministration,”

outlinesadministrativeandgovernancestructureandpolicies,and

describeshowdifferentconstituentgroupsparticipateinpolicy

developmentanddecisionmaking.Thecoreleadershipandgovernance

structuresoftheuniversityeasilyspancollegeboundariesandfrequently

adoptexplicitpoliciesforensuring

broadconstituentrepresentation.

Whiledecision‐makingauthorityisformallyvestedwithintheuniversity

hierarchy,administrativereportingstructuresareinproductivedialogue

withelectedorappointedrepresentatives,suchastheStudentAssembly

andthedeanoftheuniversityfaculty.

Drawingonthe1940addressofCarlBecker,theCornellcommunity

speaksoften

offreedomwithresponsibilityasafoundationalprinciple.

Thesecondsectionofthischapter,“Integrity,”describesseveralofthe

university’sformalpoliciesthatrepresentthoughtfuleffortstomakethese

responsibilitiesexplicit.Regarding breaches ofpolicy,enforcementefforts

seemtoprovideadequateprotectionforallinvolved.



Finally,in“Recommendations,”weoffersuggestionsforimprovementin

specificareasbutconcludethattheessentialadministrativestructures

describedinthischapterlargelyreflect anappropriate“oneuniversity”

approach.

68 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

4.1 Leadership and Administration

4.1.1 Board of Trustees

CornellUniversityhasalarge,active,andwidelyrepresentativeBoardof

Trustees.Thestructureoftheboardreflectsaconsciousefforttoembody

thediversenatureofCornell’seducationalmissionandconstituencies.



Thus,theboard’sbylawsstatethatthe64‐memberboardshallincludethe

NewYorkStategovernor(oneoffourexofficiobutvotingmembers);three

trusteesappointedbythegovernor;membersselectedtorepresentthe

fieldsofagriculture,business,andlaborinNewYorkState;eightelected

fromand

bythealumni;twoelectedfromandbythefaculty;twoelected

fromandbythestudents;oneelectedfromandbythenonacademicstaff;

aswellastheeldestlinealdescendantofuniversityfounderEzraCornell.

Mosttrusteesareelectedforfour‐yearterms.Onceelectedorappointedto

the

board,allnewmembersreceivetheannuallyproducedTrustee

OrientationNotebookandengage inannualorientationactivitieswiththe

chairpersonoftheboard,thesecretaryofthecorporation,andmembersof

theadministration.Afollow‐uptothisorientationoccurssevenmonths

later.

BecauseWeillCornellMedicalCollege’sdistancefrom

Ithacaposes

challengestocommunicationandshareddecisionmaking,in1980the

BoardofTrusteescreatedaseparateBoardofOverseerswithcertain

delegatedpowersregardingtheMedicalCollegeandGraduateSchoolof

MedicalSciences.

TheBoardofTrusteesretainsultimategovernance

authorityoverWeillCornell,buttheBoardofOverseersismoreactively

engagedwithday‐to‐dayoperations.

LiketheBoardofTrustees,theBoardofOverseersachievesshared

governancethroughbroadrepresentation.Therearefiveexofficio

members(includingthepresidentand

chairoftheBoardofTrustees)as

wellastenuniversitytrustees,onefull‐timeWeillCornellfacultymember,

onememberofthevoluntaryfacultyofWeill,onemedicalstudent,and



SeetheUniversityCharter,BylawsandadescriptionoftheBoardofTrustees:

http://www.cornell.edu/trustees.

http://www.med.cornell.edu/about‐us/board‐of‐overseers.html.

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 69

twomembersoftheboardofNewYork–PresbyterianHospital(Weill

Cornell’sprimaryteachinghospitalaffiliate).Theoverseersalsoelect50

publicmembersdrawnprimarilyfromthegreatermetropolitanNewYork

Cityarea;thisgroupincludesalumni,medicaleducators,community

partners,anddonors,amongothers.

MembersoftheBoardofTrusteessee

theirroleassupportiveofthe

presidentandseniorofficers,andthissupportiscrucialtotheproper

functionoftheuniversity.Theboardexpectsthepresidenttoserveasthe

visionary,leader,manager,andspokespersonoftheuniversity.Theboard

thereforeavoidssecond‐guessingthepresidentandexpectsfaculty,

staff,

andstudentstoviewthepresidentasthepersonwithwhombusinessis

done.

Theboardcontinuallyconsidershowbesttoevaluateitsown

effectiveness,workingwithCornell’ssecretaryofthecorporationto

compareandbenchmarkagainstourpeersthroughtheAssociationof

BoardSecretaries.Inaddition,theboardsolicits

inputandfeedbackonan

ongoingbasis.Forexample,theboardreceivesannualreportsfromthe

variouscollegecouncilsandtheassemblies,anditsCommunity

CommunicationsCommitteefacilitatescommunicationwiththecampus

andthelargercommunity.Theboardalsosetsasidetimeforopen

dialogueateachboardandExecutive

Committeemeeting.

Aspartofitsself‐examination,theboardanduniversityadministration

periodicallyreviewwhetherrepresentationontheboardissufficient,and

whetherthenumbersofboardmembersfromthestaff,student,and

facultyconstituenciesareappropriate.Thus,theCommitteeonBoard

Membership,inconsultationwithuniversityofficialsandboard



leadership,recentlyidentifiedareasthatcouldbebetterrepresentedonthe

board,

includingfiscal/developmentabilities,ethnicdiversity,and

specificareasofacademicand/oradministrativeexpertise.Discussionsin

2006alsoresultedinaprovisionalchangefromtwostudentstoone

undergraduatestudentandonegraduate/professionalstudentinorderto

ensureadequaterepresentation.





http://www.cornell.edu/trustees/committees.cfm

Thischangecameupforreviewin2010;avoteonwhethertomakeitpermanentislikely

in2011.

70 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

Theopeninputstyleofboardleadershipwasreflectedinthelasttwo

searchesforanewuniversitypresident(2002and2005).Inbothcases,

searchcommitteesincludedabroadarrayofconstituents:trustees,

students,faculty,andstaff.Openforaoncampusandelsewheresolicited

broadfeedback.



Inordertoincreasetransparencyandcommunication,Cornell’scurrent

leadershaveaskedthedeansofthevariouscolleges—inadditionto

membersofthecentraluniversityadministration—toattendallboard

meetings.TheExecutiveCommitteeoftheboardalsomeetsannuallywith

thedeansofthecollegesandschoolsforfrankexchange

about

governance,strategicplanning,andtheoverallmissionoftheuniversity.

Thedeanofthefacultyhasattendedboardmeetingsregularlyfordecades

andhasoftenplayedanimportantroleinhelpingtheadministrationand

trusteesworkthroughissuesinvolvingfaculty.

Theboardhasfrequentlyscrutinizedandaltereditsgovernancestructure,



whichinvolvesanumberofstandingcommittees.Forexample,reviews

commissionedbytheboardhaveledtodecisionstoallocatemore

authoritytotheBoardofOverseers(1996),addtheFinanceCommittee

(1999),reconstitutetheInvestmentCommittee(2002),andsplitthe

AcademicAffairsandStudentLifeCommitteeintotwoseparate

standing

committees(2005).

Themostrecentofthesereviews,launchedinMarch2010,includedthis

introductorystatementinitschargedocument:“Inkeepingwiththe

trustees’prudentpracticeofundertakingsuchgovernancestructure

reviews—andmindfuloftheMiddleStatesAccreditationCommission’s

imperativethatgoverningboardsshouldperiodicallyevaluatetheir

effectiveness—thechairman

andthepresidenthaveformedataskforceto

reviewtherolesandrelationshipsofandamongseveralsubordinate

committees.”Theresulting“ReportoftheTaskForceonBoard

Governance,”adoptedbythefullBoardofTrusteesinOctober2010,

containedsixrecommendations,includingaclarificationofthereview



Forexample,http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug05/Search.meetings.html

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 71

processesforannualandfive‐yearcapitalbudgetsanddiscretecapital

projects.



4.1.2 University Assemblies

CornellUniversityiscommittedtotheideals ofsharedgovernanceand

constituentrepresentation,andexpressesthiscommitmentthroughaset

offormalrepresentativebodiestogetherknownastheassemblies.

Five

assemblies,fourofwhichrepresentspecificconstituentgroups,meeton

theIthacacampus.Thefifth—theUniversityAssembly—isanoverarching

groupthatincludesrepresentationfromundergraduatestudents,

graduate/professionalstudents,faculty,andstaffontheIthacacampus:



StudentAssembly.Comprisedof23electedundergraduates,the

SAincludesrepresentativesfromeach

undergraduatecollegeand

includesseatsthatrepresentfirst‐yearstudents,transferstudents,

minoritystudents,internationalstudents,andlesbian,gay,

bisexual,transgender,orquestioningstudents.Therearealso“at

large”representatives.TheSAmeetsweekly,establishesthe

undergraduatestudentactivityfee,managesthedistributionof

thosefunds,andadvisestheoffice

oftheDeanofStudentsaswell

asotheradministrativeunits.



GraduateandProfessionalStudentAssembly.LiketheSA,the

GPSAbroadlyrepresentsashareofthestudentbody,establishes

thegraduateandprofessionalstudentactivityfee,andaddresses

non‐academicissuesaffectinggraduateandprofessionalstudents.

Currently,the

GPSAgoverningstructureincludesa19‐member

votingcouncilandanadvisorybody,composedofrepresentatives

fromeachgraduatefieldandthethreeprofessionalschools.During

theacademicyear,boththeadvisoryandvotingcouncilmeetings

areheldmonthly.



EmployeeAssembly.The13‐memberEAincludesrepresentation

fromthe

endowedandstatutoryunits,aswellastheNewYork



Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=255forthefinalreport.

Seehttp://assembly.cornell.edu/Main/OverviewOfAssembliesforadescriptionofthevarious

assemblies.

72 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

StateAgriculturalExperimentStationatGeneva,NewYork.The

EAmeetstwiceamonthandmakesrecommendationstothe

appropriateuniversityadministratorsconcerningpoliciesaffecting

staffandtheirworkingenvironment.



FacultySenate.ThedeanofthefacultyconvenestheFaculty

Senate,thegoverningbodyoftheuniversityfaculty.Constituency



membersareelectedbytheSchoolofHotelAdministration,School

ofIndustrialandLaborRelations,JohnsonGraduateSchoolof

Management,andLawSchool,andtheacademicdepartments

withintheothercollegesinIthacaandGeneva;ninemembersare

electedat‐largebytheuniversityfaculty.Inadditiontothedean

of

thefaculty,votingmembersofthesenateincludethepresident,the

associatedeanandsecretaryofthefaculty,andthetwofaculty

trustees.Meetingsareheldmonthly.



UniversityAssembly.TheUAiscomprisedofsevenfaculty,five

staff,twoundergraduatesandthreegraduateorprofessional

studentsappointedby

thefourjust‐describedconstituent

assemblies.Fouradditionalundergraduaterepresentativesare

directlyelected.TheUAdealswithissuesofcommoninteresttoall

membersoftheCornellcommunity.Morespecifically,theUAhas

responsibilityfortheCampusCodeofConductandparticipatesin

theselectionofthejudicialadministrator,theuniversity



ombudsman,andthejudicialadvisor.TheUAhasalsoadvised

UniversityHealthServices,TransportationandMailServices,

CornellUnitedReligiousWork,andtheCornellStore.Meetingsare

heldmonthly.

TheassembliesprovideanimportantlinkbetweentheBoardofTrustees

andtheirconstituencies.Thestudent,faculty,andstaffrepresentativeson

theboardareallexofficiomembersoftheirassemblycounterparts:the

employee‐electedtrusteecommunicateswiththeEA,thefacultytrustees

withtheFacultySenate,andstudenttrusteeswiththeSAortheGPSA.In

addition,thesetrusteesparticipateincampuscommittees,taskforces,and

otherprojectsinserviceof

theuniversity.

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 73

Inadditiontotheassemblies,eachcollegehasitsowngovernance

structuretosolicitinputfromandrepresenttheconcernsoffaculty,

students,andstaff.Theformofthisvaries.AtWeillCornell,theExecutive

andGeneralFacultyCouncilsarethefunctionalanaloguestothe

assembliesinIthaca.

TheCollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences—oneof

thelargercollegesinIthaca—hasitsownfacultysenate.Smallercolleges—

suchasHotelAdministrationandIndustrialandLaborRelations—

convenetheentirefacultyregularly.Eachcollegealsohasanadvisory

counciltoassistthedeaninimplementationofitsmission,andsome

have

studentadvisorycouncilsaswell.

4.1.3 The Assemblies and Shared Governance

Outsideofalimitedsphere(includingmanagementandallocationof

studentactivityfees),theassembliesactprimarilyinanadvisoryroleto

theuniversityadministration.Overmostmatters,decision‐making

authorityremainswiththepresident,theprovost,theacademicdeans,the

vicepresidentsoftheadministrativeunits,andtheirdesignees.

However,

advicefromthevariousassembliescarriessignificantweight

andhasresultedinsubstantialchangesinuniversitypoliciesand

practices.Fourexamplesdescribedbelow—chosentoreflectthediverse

natureofissuesaddressedthroughsharedgovernance—illustratehowthe

assembliesareusedtogreateffect.

ThefirstexampleinvolvesreviewoftheCampus

CodeofConduct,which

establishesstandardsforallmembersoftheuniversitycommunity.

Throughtheassembliesandotherfora,alluniversityconstituentswere

involvedinthedevelopmentoftherevisedcode.Ultimately,therevisions

wereapprovedbyallconstituentassembliesandsubsequentlyratifiedby

boththeadministrationandtheBoardof

Trustees.Thereviewprocess

beganinearly2006,andfinalapprovaloftherevisedcodeoccurredinlate

spring2008.





http://weill.cornell.edu/about‐us/weill‐cornell‐faculty‐councils.html

Forthefinalproduct,seehttp://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/

policies/volumes/governance/campuscode.cfm

74 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

Asecondexampleofsharedgovernanceinaneffectiveadvisorycapacity

involvesthedevelopmentandadoptionoftheCampusMasterPlan.An

initiativeoftheBoardofTrustees,themasterplanwasdesignedto

representavisionandstrategyforthebestuseoftheuniversity’slands

overthenext

severaldecades.Thetwo‐yearprocessresultedinan

integratedframeworktoguidetheuniversity’slong‐termphysical

development,drivenbyacademicplanningpriorities,research,teaching,

andresidentialandrecreationalprioritiesandprograms.Themasterplan

wasapprovedbytheBoardofTrusteesin2008followingconstituentinput

throughbroadrepresentation

onthemasterplanningtaskforce,

consultationandadvisingviatheassemblies,andopen,publicfora.



Athirdexampleoftheeffectivenessofsharedgovernancearisesoutofa 

controversyoncampusinvolvinginclementweather.Afteramajor

snowstorminFebruary2007inwhichtheuniversityofficiallyclosed,there

wasagrassrootsmovementtoamendtheInclementWeatherPolicywhich

hadbeeninplacefor10

years.Anadhoccampus‐widecommittee

developedrevisionsandcontingencyplans,andtheupdatedpolicywas

approvedinDecember2008.



Finally,afourthexamplerelatestooversightoffacultyconduct.Although

therehaslongbeenapolicygoverningthedismissaloftenuredfaculty,

therewasnopolicygoverningtheirsuspension.Inspring2007,after

severalyearsofdiscussionbetweentheFacultySenateandthe

administration,aswellassubstantialeffort

byafacultycommittee,the 

BoardofTrusteesamendedthedismissalpolicyandadoptedasuspension

policy.Whilethiswasalonganddifficultprocess,theendproduct—a

policythatallconstituentsfelttheycouldsupport—clearlybenefitedfrom

thecollaborativeprocess.



Whilevaluingtheseexamplesofproductiveexchanges,werecognizethat

theassemblies—togetherwiththeuniversity’sespousedcommitmentto

broadrepresentationindecisionmaking—createveryhighexpectationsof

inclusionthatcanbeproblematic.Thereareoccasional,butrecurring,



http://masterplan.cornell.edu

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/riskandsafety/

inclementweather.cfm

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/policies/pol_main.html

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 75

disagreementsoverthenatureandimportoftheadvisoryrolethatthe

assembliesplayintheadministrationoftheuniversity.

Notalldecisionsarebestvettedthroughtheassemblies.Further,

consultationwiththeassembliesdoesnot,andshouldnot,implythat

majorityopinionswillbeenacted.Inmanyareasthataffect

thedirectionof

theuniversity,administrativeofficersbearresponsibility—and

accountability—fordecisions.

Toavoidunnecessarytensionsandpromulgatereasonableexpectations

amongassemblymembersandthebroadercampuscommunity,the

universityshouldbetterclarifytherolesoftheassembliesinuniversity

governance.

4.1.4 Administration

WhiletheBoardofTrusteesisvestedwith“supremecontrol”overCornell

University,ourboardhasdelegatedauthorityforthedailyoperationsof

theuniversitytothepresidentandhisorherdesignees.Itisthis

presidentialoversightthatallowsfortheadministrationandfunctioning

oftheuniversityonbehalfof

theBoardofTrustees.

Thesenioradministrationoftheuniversityconsistsofthepresident,the

provost,andtheprovostformedicalaffairs,allofwhomareelectedbythe

board,aswellasthevicepresidentsandviceprovosts.

Theprovost,in

turn,delegatescollege‐specificdecisionmakingtothecollegedeans,who

allocateresourcestosupporttheunitstrategicplan.

Ingeneral,decisionmakingisplacedclosetothepartieswhoare

accountablefortheimpactofthedecision.Forexample,whiletheFaculty

SenateandtheExecutive

andGeneralFacultyCouncilsatWeillCornell

makedecisionsaboutpossibleacademictitles,facultyhiringismanagedat

theacademicdepartmentlevelwithinputfromthedean.Thecollegesare

responsibleforoverallacademicdirection.Universityleadershipis

responsibleforoveralluniversityfinancialhealth,thecommonstudent

experience,andoverarchingpolicies

andpracticesthatgovernsome

aspectsoflocaldecisionmaking.



Acurrentlistoftheadministrativeleadership,withlinkstoorganizationalcharts,isat

http://www.cornell.edu/administration.

76 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

Inpractice,identifyingthepropersphereforaspecificdecisionwithinthe

overallhierarchycanbeasourceofcontention.Thehistorictendency

towarddecentralizationandlocalizeddecisionmakingislaudablebecause

itwellservesthecoreacademicmissionsofcollegesandprograms.

However,withinthecontextoftheentire

university,localizeddecision

making—especiallywhencoupledwithimperfectbudgetmodels—can

resultinasplinteringofefforts,orevencreateincentivesforcollegesto

competeagainstoneanotherinwaysthatfailtoservethelargerinterests

oftheuniversity.Whiletheremaybeareas inwhichgreatercentralization

wouldbedesirable,

inabroadsense,theuniversity’scoreorganizational

structuredoesmeettheneedforclear“linesofsight”upanddownthe

organization.

4.1.5 Policy Development

CornellUniversityisrecognizedasamodelinstitutionforcentralized

policydevelopmentbecauseoftheworkoftheUniversityPolicyOffice.

Eachyear,thisunitoffersaPolicyDevelopmentProgramthatgives

participantsinsightintoCornell’shighlysuccessfulmodelforinstitutional

policydevelopmentandmaintenance.Overitsnineyearsofexistence,

this

programhasbeenattendedbyrepresentativesofcollegesanduniversities

fromaroundtheworldaswellasbyrepresentativesofstateuniversity

systemsandcorporations.

Todate,noteveryofficialuniversitypolicyhasgonethroughtheprocess

overseenbytheExecutivePolicyReviewGroups;somepolicieshavebeen

shepherded

byofficesoutsideoftheUniversityPolicyOffice,suchas

thoseoftheviceprovostforresearchorthedeanofstudents.

However,

alluniversitypoliciesarereadilyavailableinacentralpolicylibraryand

aresearchableontheUniversityPolicyOfficewebsite.

Inaddition,

policiesthatarespecificallyrelevanttotheemploymentandscholarly

activitiesoffacultyarecontainedintheFacultyHandbook.

16

TheGraduate

SchoolCodeofLegislationprovidespoliciesrelevanttotheconductof



http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/governance/other.cfm

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/treasurer/policyoffice

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/handbook_main.html

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 77

graduateeducation.

Ingeneral,effortstodisseminateinformationabout

universitypolicies—suchasthroughregulare‐mailsaswellasperiodic

articlesinuniversitypublications—arethoughtfulandseemadequateto

reachallmembersoftheCornellcommunity.

4.1.6 Selection and Evaluation of Leadership

TheprocessofselectionofCornell’sleadership,includingtherecent

searchesforpresidentandprovost,beginswithcarefulandthorough

developmentofthepositionoverview.Broadconsultation takesplacewith

faculty,trustees,andmanyotherconstituencies.Asearchcommitteeis

thencreated.Forpresidentialsearches,thecommitteehasbroad

representationincluding

leadership,trustees,faculty,staff,andstudents.

Dependingonthenatureoftheposition,asearchfirmmaybebroughtin.

Recruitmentincludesidentifyingqualifiedcandidatesandconductinga

thoroughscreening.Partsoftheselectionprocessmaybeopen—for

example,whenfinalcandidatesforadeanshiparerequiredtomakepublic

presentations—butconfidentialityismaintainedwhentopcandidates

requireit,forexample,inapresidentialsearch.

Everyleaderisevaluatedannually.Thepresidentaskseachofhisdirect

reportstocommentonhisorherprogresstowardpre‐establishedgoals,

notingthosethatwereaccomplishedandthosethatwerenot,against

specific

pre‐establishedmeasurementstandards.Eachleaderisalso

expectedtosetnextyear’sgoalswithmeasurableoutcomes.The

evaluationandgoalsaredeliveredinwriting,inadvanceofameetingat

whichthepresidentcommentsupontheself‐evaluation.Thepresident’s

commentsarerecordedinawrittenmemorandum.Theleader

isthen

requiredtoacceptthememoinwriting,withorwithoutcomment,and

thisformsthewrittendocumentationfortheyear.Thisinformationis

reviewedalongwithmarketdataonsalarybeforedevelopingany

recommendationsforpayincreases,whicharereviewedwiththeboard.

Inadditiontotheannualreporting

process,eachdeanandtheprovost

participateina360‐degreereviewinthesecon dyearofafive‐yearterm.

ThoughasurveyadministeredthroughLearningBridge,inputiscollected



http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/pubs_and_forms/pubs/codeoflegislation.pdf

78 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

frompeers(e.g.fellowdeans),directreports(e.g.assistantandassociate

deans),institutionalleaders(theprovost,presidentand/orboard

chairman),andexternalaudiences(suchcollegeadvisorycouncils).

In

thefourthyearofadean’sterm,open‐endedinputissolicit edfroma

broadconstituency,includingallfacultyinthatcollegeaswellasleaders

fromothercollegesacrosstheuniversity.

Thepresidentisreviewedeachyearbytheboard.Heisrequiredto

developshort‐andlong‐

termgoals,andtheboard’sevaluationincludesa

reviewofhisprogressontheseaswellasasummaryofconfidential

feedbacksolicitedfromhisdirectreports,whichiscollectedbythevice

presidentofhumanresourcesanddeliveredtotheboard.Thisinformation

isreviewedalongwithmarketdatain

ordertodeterminewhetheranypay

increasewillbeawarded.

Forinformationonperformancereviewsandprofessionaldevelopment

forstaffotherthanthoseatthehighestlevels,seeChapter3,“Institutional

Stewardship.”SimilarinformationonthefacultyisavailableinChapter6,

“Faculty.”

4.1.7 Communication

Effectivecommunicationisanessentialcomponentofadministrationand

governance—especiallyataninstitutionaslargeandcomplexasCornell.

WhiletheleadershipatCornellunderstandsthis,ensuringthat

communicationspansthebreadthoftheuniversitycanprovechallenging.

CommunicationatCornellhasbeentransformedinthepastsixyears.In

2004

anewoffice—UniversityCommunications—wascreatedwiththe

goalofimprovingandmodernizingcommunicationswithintheuniversity

andincreasingtheprofileofCornellinthemedia.Thisofficeservesasan

umbrellacoveringPublicationsandMarketing,CampusRelations,Press

Relations,PublicAffairs,andotherunits.

Amodelof“oneuniversity”in

adecentralizedculture,Cornell’s

communicationsstructureischaracterizedbya “hubandspokes”model.

UniversityCommunicationsisthe“hub”;the“spokes”arethemany



http://www.learningbridge.com

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 79

collegeandunitcommunicationsoffices,eachledbyadirectorand

focusedoncommunicationsforanindividualunit.Thecollege 

communicationsdirectorsandthevicepresidentforuniversity

communicationsandhisleadershipstaffconvenemonthlytodiscuss

communicationsissues,bothatthecollegelevelandtheuniversitylevel.

Communicationandcollaboration

betweentheIthacacampusandWeill

CornellMedicalCollegehaveincreasedgreatlyoverthepastfiveyears.

Overall,thisstrategyappearstobeeffective.Availablemetricssuggesta

muchhigherprofileforCornellanditscollegeswithalltheirrespective

audiences;overthepastfiveyears,therehavebeenregular,

annual

increasesinmajormarketmediacoverage,visitorstotheCornellweb

environment,andreadershipofcommunicationsvehiclessupportedby

theuniversity.

However,supportingandcoordinatingnumerouscommunicationsunits

poseschallenges.Withinthecontextofthestrategic“Reimagining

Cornell”efforts,the“hub”hasbeguntoassumegreaterresponsibilities

withrespectto

theuniversity’scentraladministrativeoffices,including

HumanResources;StudentandAcademicServices;Governmentand

CommunityRelations;AlumniAffairsandDevelopment;Financeand

Administration;PlanningandBudget;theOfficeofthePresident;andthe

OfficeoftheProvost.Asthesecoreunitshavebroadaudiencesandaclear

needforconsistent

messagingacrossoffices,acentralizedapproachto

communicationwouldseemtooffermoreadvantagesthanthelocalized‐

controlapproach.

In2009,inafurthercentralizingstep,Cornellcreatedthenewpositionof

vicepresidentforuniversityrelations,withresponsibilityforarticulating

andoverseeinguniversitystrategiesrelatedtocommunications,

governmentrelations,and

landgrantaffairs.

80 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

4.2 Integrity

4.2.1 Ethical Conduct Policies

ThepreambletoUniversityPolicy4.6:StandardsofEthicalConductreads:

The university’s commitment to the highest standard of ethical

conduct is an integral part of its mission to “foster initiative,

integrity and excellence, in an environment of collegiality,

civility and responsible stewardship.” That commitment

upholds the reputation of the university, both locally and

globally, and encourages compliance with applicable laws and



regulations.

This17‐pagepolicy—inplacesince1996—isthefoundationaluniversity

pronouncementonethicalconduct.Itprovidesguidanceinmanyareas,

includingconflictsofinterestandcommitment;harassmentandabuseof

power;handlingofgrantsandcontracts;confidentiality;andthe

stewardshipofuniversityresources.

Inaddition,anumberofother

policiesunderscoretheuniversity’scommitmenttointegrityandethical

behavior.Perhapsthethreemostimportantare:



TheCampusCodeofConduct.Developedthroughtheuniversity

assemblies,theCampusCodeestablishesstandardsofbehaviorfor

theentirecampuscommunity(notjuststudents)innon

‐academic

arenas.Thecodeaddressesavarietyoftypesofmisconduct,

includingseriousacts(forexample,sexualassaultandotheractsof

violence)aswellasmisbehaviorthatismoretypicalamongolder

adolescentsoryoungadults(forexample,falseidentificationand

minortheft).





TheCodeofAcademicIntegrity.

DevelopedthroughtheOffice

oftheDeanoftheFaculty,theCodeofAcademicIntegrityguides

studentsonissuesincludingsubmittingonlytheirownwork;

propercitationpracticeswhenquotingfromtheworkofothers;

usingexamsasawaytodemonstratetheirownknowledge;and



http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/governance/ethical.cfm.

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

governance/campuscode.cfm.

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/policies/pol_main.html.

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 81

generallyrepresentingtheuniversityandtheircollegesinways

consistentwithCornell’scorevalues.Theissueofplagiarismis

furtherexplicatedinaninstructionalwebsitesponsoredbythe

CollegeofArtsandSciences;thisresourceincludesaconcise

explanationofplagiarismandrelatedissuesaswellasasetofcase



studiesthroughwhichstudentscantesttheirunderstandingof

properuseofsources.





ConflictsPolicy.Theuniversityhasrecentlyevaluatedthe

adequacyofitsapproachtoconflictsofinterest,reflectinginpart

theincreasedscrutinyassociatedwithgrantsfromfederalagencies

suchasNSFandNIH.Untilrecently,conflictmanagementpolicies

weredevelopedandmonitoredatthecollegelevel,buttoensure



thatunifiedpoliciesareenforcedacrossallpartsofCornell,

oversightisnowbeingtransferredtotheOfficeoftheViceProvost

forResearch.Asingle,coherentpolicydevelopedthroughthat

officeaddressesconflictsofinterestandconflictsofcommitment

foracademicandnonacademicstaff.Itaddressesavarietyof

ethicaldilemmas,includinggainsinfinances,employment,or

prestigethatmightconflictwithobligationstoCornell;romantic

relationshipsintheworkplace;andsituationsinwhichaperson’s

participationinoutsideactivitiesmightconflictwithhisorher

workatCornellUniversity.



Inaddition,WeillCornellMedicalCollegeoutlinesethicalstandards

specificallyrelevanttoamedicalcommunityforitsfaculty,staff,and

students.TheStandardsofConduct,alsoknownastheHonorCode,as

wellasarelatedIntroductiontoAcademicRegulations,areavailableon

themedicalcollegewebsite.





http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm.Alinktothisvaluableresourceappearson

Cornell’sacademicintegritywebsiteathttp://www.theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/AcadInteg/

plagiarism.html.

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

governance/conflicts.cfmandhttp://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/

volumes/governance/ethical.cfm

StandardsofConduct:http://weill.cornell.edu/education/about/honor_code.html.Introduction

toAcademicRegulations:http://weill.cornell.edu/education/about/intro_acad_reg.html.

82 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

Inadditiontomakingallpoliciesavailableontheweb,theuniversity

takesextrastepstopublicizepolicies relatingtoethicalbehavioronan

ongoingbasis.Forexample,newsupervisors’training,orientationsfor

newstudentsandnewemployees,andtrainingsrequiredbytheOfficeof

ResearchIntegrityandAssuranceas

aconditionofgrantfundingall

includeinformationaboutoneormoreethics‐basedpolicies.Inaddition,

thepresidentsendsanannuallettertoallCornellcommunitymembers

highlightingtheethicspolicy,andtheviceprovostforresearchsendsa

lettertoallfacultymembersannuallyconcerningtheconflictsofinterests



policies.

AsPresidentSkortonoutlinedinaMarch2010lettertotheCornell

community,“allofusareresponsibleforupholdingtheintegrityofthe

institution.”Incaseanyconcernrelatingtointegrityshouldarise and

anonymityisdesirableinreportingoraddressingit,theuniversitymakes

availableatelephone

hotlineandawebsite,bothadministeredby

EthicsPoint,acompanyindependentofCornell.

4.2.2 Enforcement Efforts

TheUniversityAuditOfficeassumesprimaryresponsibilityfor

enforcementoftheStandardsofEthicalConduct.If,forexample,a

communitymemberprovidesinformationthroughtheEthicsPointhotline

aboutanallegedbreachofthispolic y,theAuditOfficehandlesthe

complaint,eitherbyassessingtheevidencetosubstantiatetheallegations

orby

forwardingthecomplainttoanotherappropriateoffice.Ifthe

allegationsaresubstantiated,responsibleuniversityofficialswillbe

notified.Dependingontheparticularsituation,deans,thejudicial

administrator,orthepolicemayinitiatetheapplicabledisciplinaryprocess

andsanctions.



TheAuditOfficealsohasresponsibilityforinvestigatingallegedviolations

oftheFinancialIrregularitiesPolicyandconductsroutineaudits

throughouttheuniversitytoensurethatfinancialmattersarebeing



Seealsohttp://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

academic/other.cfm.

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 83

handledproperly.

Whenfinancialirregularitiesarealleged,theAudit

Officebringsitsconclusionstoastandingcommittee,theFinancial

IrregularitiesCommittee,whichdecideswhethertoreferthematterfor

criminalprosecutionandalsoadjudicatesdisagreementsoverappropriate

sanctions.Inrecommendingsanctions,theAuditOfficereliesupona

databasetoensuretreatmentthat

isconsistentwithpriorcases,andthe

FinancialIrregularitiesCommitteereviewsthesameinformation.



TheCodeofAcademicIntegrityestablishesacomprehensiveprocessto

maintainacademicintegrityandaddressdeviationsfromcommunity

standards.

Astudentaccusedofviolatingacademicintegritywillbe

calledtoa“primaryhearing”withtherelevantfacultymemberanda

neutralobserver.Ifthefacultymemberfindsthestudentguilty,agrade

sanctionmaybeimposed.Ifthestudentwishestoappealorifthefaculty

memberbelievesa

moresubstantialsanctioniscalledfor,thematterwill

bereferredtoanAcademicIntegrityHearingBoard.Eachcollegeand

schoolintheuniversityhasitsownboard,buttheproceduresareuniform

andgovernedbytheCodeofAcademicIntegrity.Allhearingsbeforethe

boardsareconducteddenovo,and

theboardsmayacquitorconvictthe

student.Theboardshaveauthoritytorecommendadifferentgrade

sanctiontothefacultymemberortorecommendthatthedeanimpose

moresubstantialsanctions(includingsuspensionordismissal).

EnforcementoftheCodeofAcademicIntegrityisdecentralized,witheach

collegehavingresponsibility

forallegedviolationsinthatcollege.The

chairsofthecollegeAcademicIntegrityHearingBoardsdevoted

substantialeffortsin2009todraftingandimplementingacomprehensive

setofprotocolsforissuesnotaddresseddirectlyintheCodeofAcademic

Integrity.Thiseffortwillpromoteconsistencyintheprocessandin

outcomes

acrosstheuniversity.

AllegedviolationsoftheCampusCodeofConductarehandledthrough

thecampusjudicialsystem.

TheOfficeoftheJudicialAdministrator



http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

finance/irregularities.cfm

Ibid.

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/policies/pol_main.html

http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Admin/judicial_system.html.

84 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

receivesthecomplaint,investigatesit,and,ifthereisevidenceofa

violation,attemptstoresolvethematterwiththeaccusedstudent,staff,or

facultymember.Ifaresolutionisnotreachedbetweentheaccusedperson

andthejudicialadministrator,thematterisreferredtotheUniversity

HearingBoard,whose

decisionsmaybeappealedtotheUniversity

ReviewBoard.Incasesofviolence,thepresidentmayhearappealsfrom

theReviewBoard.Eachofthesejudicialboardsincludesstudent,faculty,

andstaffmembers.

Cornell’sprocessborrowsheavilyfromthecriminaljusticesystem.For

example,theallegedperpetratormaychoosenotto

speakaboutthe

allegations,mayhaveanadvisor(includinganattorney),andhasaccessto

severallevelsofappeal.Thislegalisticapproachmayhinderthejudicial

administratoranddelaytheprocessbutattemptstoensurefairnessforthe

accused.Simultaneously,thecodeprovidesopportunitiesforavictimto

participateand

beheardthroughouttheprocess.Forexample,avictim

maybeaccompaniedbyasupportperson,hasanopportunitytoweighin

onproposedsanctions(butdoesnothavethefinalword),mayreceive

immunityforherorhisowntransgressions,andhasseverallevelsof

appealrights.Thissystemof

checksandbalanceshelpstoprotectthe

interestsofallcommunitymembers.



Toaddressfacultynonfeasanceandmalfeasance,theBoardofTrusteesin

2007approvedanewsuspensionanddismissalpolicy.

Thepolicygives

deansclearguidancewhenfacultymisconductneedstobeaddressedand

providesdueprocessforthefacultymemberinvolved.Inadditiontothe

policy‐relatedgrievanceprocedures,theBoardofTrusteesadoptedamore

general,formalgrievancepolicyforfaculty.

Eachcollegeandschool,in

turn,hasestablishedaformalgrievanceprocessfoundedonthatpolicy.

Theseprocesseshelpensurecompliancewithuniversitypoliciesand



http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

governance/campuscode.cfm.

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/policies/pol_main.html.

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

humanresources/grievance.cfm.

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 85

permitfacultytochallengedecisionsaffectingtheiremploymentand

status.



IncasesofallegedviolationsofHRpolicies,

anumberofdifferentoffices

maybeinvolved.Forexample,theOfficeofWorkforceDiversityand

Inclusion

mightinvestigateallegationsofharassmentordiscrimination

inemploymentsettings.AnHRprofessionalmayassistasupervisorwith

thedisciplinaryprocess.Formalpoliciesalsoprovideemployeeswiththe

opportunitytoappealadisciplinarydecision.

AtWeillCornellMedicalCollege,theOfficeofResearchandSponsored

Programsisresponsibleforinvestigating

andauditingcompliancewith

policiesregardingresearch,includin ghumansubjectandanimalresearch,

researchcompliance,researchmisconduct,andconflictsofinterest.The

WeillCornellOfficeofBillingComplianceisresponsibleforoverseeing

andauditingcompliancewithcomplex(andoftenconflicting)federal,

state,andprivateinsurancerequirementsforclinicalcarebillingby

Weill

Cornell’sphysicians.

TheOfficeoftheUniversityOmbudsmanmayassistanycommunity

memberwhobelievesheorshehasbeentreatedimproperlybythe

university.

TheOmbudsmanisanindependentofficethathasthe

authoritytoinvestigateallegationsofpolicyviolationsbytheuniversity.

Forexample,theombudsman’sofficemightassistanemployeethrough

thegrievanceprocessonanemploymentmatter,ormightinvestigate

whetherthejudicialadministratorfollowedproceduresininvestigatinga

case.The

ombudsmanservesinanadvisoryroletoother,formal

structureswithintheuniversityadministration.

Morethan1400peopleutilizedtheservicesofombudsman’sofficeover

thepastfiveyears;inadditiontofaculty,staff,andstudents,these

included155alumniorparents,and78individualswhoareeither

unaffiliatedorwho

chosenottodiscloseanyaffiliationwiththe



Foranexample,seehttp://www2.johnson.cornell.edu/Administrativeservices/academic/

JSinfo/grievance.html#4

http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/

humanresources/index.cfm.

http://hr.cornell.edu/about/wdi.html.

Seealsohttp://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=125.

86 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration

university.Nearlyhalfoftheissuesbroughttotheombudsmanhave

involvedemploymentsituations(notincludingdismissals);177

representedethicalconcernsand/orhumanrightsissues.

Throughtheprocessofcreatingexplicitpolicies,widelydisseminating

informationaboutthosepoliciestothecommunity,andprovidingrobust

processesforenforcement,theuniversitydemonstrates

acommitmentto

thehigheststandardsofethicalconduct.Alltold,theproceduresinplace

seemtoavoidarbitraryandcapriciousdecisionmakingandprovide

safeguardsforthefairtreatmentofallmembersofthecommunity.

However,thedecentralizationofenforcementhas,attimes,created

uneventreatmentofsimilarsituations.As

theuniversityhassignificantly

increaseditsexternalfundingportfolioandisattemptingtoseekmore

technologytransferactivities,therearelikelytobesignificantincreasesin

managedconflictsofinterest.Asnotedabove,theuniversityisnow

movingtowardsamorecentralizedapproachtomanagingconflictof

interest.



4.3 Recommendations

4.3.1 Leadership and Administration

AsregardsCornell’soveralladministrativestructure,thestrategic

planningactivitiesofthelasttwoyearshavesoughttoassessthebalance

betweencentralizationanddecentralization.Werecommend



thattheuniversitycontinuetocentralizeitsfunctionswheresuch

actiondoesnotjeopardizethefundamentalacademicmissionsof

thecolleges.

Ashighlighted

inthischapter,therearemanyinstancesofproductive

dialoguebetweentheassembliesandtheadministration.Atthesametime,

however,theassemblies’powerislimited,asdecision‐makingauthority

remainswiththeadministration.Werecommend



thatCornellbetterclarifytherolesandresponsibilitiesofthe

assembliesinuniversity

governance,asuncertaintycanerodethe

4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration 87

trustbetweenconstituentrepresentativebodiesandthe

administration.

AsdescribedinChapter1,“IntroducingCornellUniversity,”the

universityhasconductedacarefulexaminationoftheentireinstitution—

andespeciallyitsadministration—inlightofbudgetshortfalls.External

consultantshavehelpedguidetheuniversityinidentifyingsavingsinthe

administrativearena.Thekey

issueforthenextfiveyearswillbe

implementation.Werecommend



thattheuniversitydevotethenecessarychangemanagement

resourcesforsuccessfulimplementationofthesignificant

administrativesavingsthathavebeenidentified—evenifthe

financialpressurestodosoarealleviated.



4.3.2 Integrity

Cornellhasthestructuresinplacetoensurethatweimplementour

missionwiththehighestethicalprinciples.However,asnotedabove,

decentralizedenforcementmayattimesleadtoinconsistency.We

recommend



thatCornellfullyimplementthetransfer(currentlyinprogress)of

managementofconflictsofinterestfromthecolleges

totheOffice

oftheViceProvostforResearch,withappropriateinputfromthe

colleges.







Formoreinformationseehttp://www.research.cornell.edu/VPR/Policies/default.html.

88 4. Integrity, Governance, and Administration



5. Student Admissions and Supports 89

5. Student Admissions and

Supports

Standards:

8. Student Admissions and Retention

9. Student Support Services

Consistentwithourfoundingmissiontoserve“anyperson,”Cornell

Universityisdeeplycommittedtoadmittingandsupportingstudents

fromawidevarietyofbackgrounds.Thissupportincludesagenerous

financialaidpackageforundergraduates,enrichmentofthecampus

residentialenvironment,andtheinstitutionalizationofpracticesthat

supportstudent

well‐being.Asarelativelylarge , decentralizedinstitution

withasubstantialproportionofstudentslivingoffcampus,Cornellis

continuallychallengedtofindwaystobuildcommunityandasenseof

belongingamongbothundergraduatesandgraduate/professional

students.

Inthefirstsectionofthischapter,“AdmissionsandEnrollment

Management,”weexamine

admissionpoliciesforundergraduatesaswell

asgraduateandprofessionalstudents.Wealsodiscussenrollmenttarget

figuresandthefactorsthataffectthem.Ournextsection,“Supportinga

DiverseStudentBody,”focusesonCornell’sneed‐blindadmissionsand

need‐basedfinancialaidpoliciesandexplainseffortstorecruit

underrepresentedminorities

attheundergraduateandgraduatelevels

andintheprofessionalschools.

In“GraduationandCompletion”wediscussthetrendsovertimeinrates

ofgraduationafterfour,five,andsixyears,includingfactorsofraceand

gender.ForCornell’sGraduateSchool,wecomparecompletionratesand

90 5. Student Admissions and Supports

timetodegreeatCornellwithratesnationwide.Ourfourthsection,

“Advising,Well‐Being,andCommunity,”looksatvariousformsof

studentsupport,includingacademicadvising,careerservices,academic

supportforminoritystudents,servicesforstudentswithdisabilities,and

counselingandpsychologicalservices,aswellassystemsforidentifying

studentsexperiencing

academicorpersonaldifficulties.Inthissectionwe

alsodiscusstheroleofresidencesinthestudentexperience,including

specialresidentialinitiatives,Greeklife,andtheresidentialexperiencesof

transferstudents.

“StudentGrievancesandPrivacyProtections,”ourfifthsection,refers

readerstothecomprehensivediscussionofethicalconduct policiesin

the

precedingchapterbutexplainsinsomedetailthegrievanceprocedures

availabletograduatestudents.Herewealsodiscussaccesstosuch

confidentialinformationasgrades,healthrecords,anddisciplinary

proceedings.

Finally,in“Recommendations”wesuggestwaystoreinforceCornell’s

commitmentstocoreprinciplesofexcellenceandaccesssoasto

createa

diversestudentbody,aswellastoenhancesupportandadvisingforthe

talentedstudentsthatwearefortunatetohavetheopportunitytoeducate.



5.1 Admissions and Enrollment Management

AsdescribedinChapter1,“IntroducingCornellUniversity,”in1997the

universityembarkedonaplantohouseallfirst‐yearstudentstogetheron

NorthCampus.Thisdecisioncreatednewstructuralconstraintsonthe

sizeofthefreshmanclass.Accordingly,anewUndergraduateEnrollment

PlanningTeam(UEPT)waschargedtoform

recommendationsforoverall

undergraduateenrollmentand,inparticular,thesizeoftheincoming

freshmanclass.Initsinitialreport,theUEPTrecommendedthat

undergraduateenrollmentbesetat13,000studentsandfirst‐year

enrollmentat3,000.Sincethattime,enrollmenttargetshaveremained

fairlystable.Whentheuniversitystoppedadmitting

springfreshmen,the

first‐yearstudenttargetwasmovedto3,050.Inthecontextofrecent

budgetcrises,andontheadviceofaStudentEnrollmentTaskForce,the

5. Student Admissions and Supports 91

targetwasraisedto3,150.

Thetaskforcerecom mendedexploringother

budgetoptionsbeforeimplementingfurtherincreases,whichmight

requireadditionalsupportservices.

Whilethenumberofenteringfallfreshmenstudentshasremainedfairly

stableovertime,thenumberoffallfreshmanapplicationstoCornellhas

risen69%overthelastdecade,from21,519in

2000to36,338in2010.While

applicationsareincreasingatmanyschools,especiallysincethecreationof

theCommonApplication(whichCornelljoinedin2004),therisein

applicationsistakenasasignofcontinuedgreatdemandforaCornell

education.Evenwithanincreasedenrollmenttarget,Cornellhasbecome



muchmoreselective:in2001,27%offreshmanapplicantswereoffered

admission;in2010,theadmitratewasonly18%.Totalundergraduate

enrollmenthasrisensomewhatoverthepastdecade,varyingfromalowof

13,510in2007toahighof13,935in2010(the2009totalwasnearly

thesame

at13,931).



Basedonanoverallfirst‐yearenrollmentgoalof3,182(thistotalincludes32

“alternatecollege”admits),thefallfirst‐yearenrollmenttargetsforeach

undergraduatecollege/schoolareasshowninTable5.1.

Table 5.1. Undergraduate college enrollment targets

College EnrollmentTarget

Agriculture&LifeSciences(CALS) 663

Architecture,Art,&Planning(AAP) 109

Arts&Sciences(A&S) 1,063

Engineering 742

HotelAdministration(Hotel) 172

HumanEcology(HE) 275

Industrial&LaborRelations(ILR) 158



Untilall2010,“alternatecollege(describedbelow)admitswerenotincludedinthetargetsfor

firstyearstudents,althoughenrollmentlimitswereidentifiedforthesegroups.Thatpracticehas

recentlychanged,andthecurrentenrollmenttargetisnowstatedas3,182includingprimaryand

alternatecollegeenrollmenttargets.

SeetheUniversityFactbook,e.g.http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000178.pdf

92 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Tohelpamelioratetheworkloadimpactofthelargeincreaseinthenumber

ofapplications,Cornellimplementedanon‐linereadingprocessand

encouragedapplicantstoapplyon‐line.

5.1.1 Management of Undergraduate Enrollment Targets

Prospectivestudentsapplytooneofthesevenundergraduatecolleges

ratherthantoacentraloffice.Accordingly,eachcollegemanagesitsown

admissionsofficeandadmitsitsownstudents.Theconstraintonhousing

onNorthCampuscreatesaneedtominimizethelikelihoodofuniversity‐

wideover‐enrollment;somecollegesmay

over‐enrollsomewhatifothers

comeinunderinitialtargets.Forthisandotherreasons,coordinationof

theseparateadmissionsofficesisessential.Thiscoordinationhasbeen

underthepurviewoftheassociateviceprovostforadmissionsand

financialaid,andthedirectorofundergraduateadmissions.

Inthelasteight

years,theuniversityasawholemettheenrollmenttarget

(withinthe1%tolerance)infouryears,edgedaboveitthreetimes,andfell

shortonce.

Withatotalfreshmanenrollmentgoalof3,000or3,050,there

wasmoreroomforerrorinaccommodatingstudentsonNorthCampus

thanthereistoday.Withanenrollmenttargetof3,150plusupto32

alternateadmits,thereisasubstantialriskthathigherthanexpectedyield

couldresult

inburdeninghousingandotheruniversityservicesbeyond

theircapacity.

In2009theenrollmentof3,181didnotcauseacute infrastructureissues,

butthisfiguremayrepresentsomethingclosetoanabsolutemaximum

withoutfurtherinvestmentsinthebuildings,academicprograms,and

otherservicesthatsupportCornell’sfirst‐yearstudents.

5.1.2 “Alternate College” Admissions: Impacts, Risks, and

Benefits

Asdescribedabove,prospectivestudentsapplytoaspecificcollegerather

thantotheuniversityasawhole.In2008theuniversityadoptedanew

practiceinwhichapplicantswerepermittedtoidentifyan“alternate

college.”Thestudentmustmeettheapplicationrequirementsofboththe



Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=270.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 93

primaryandalternatecollege,includingadditionalalternatecollege

essays,tobeconsideredasanalternatecandidate.Iftheprimarycollege

doesnotadmitthestudent,theapplicationmaybereviewedbythe

alternatecollege.Studentsreceiveonefinaldecision;ifadmitted,theyare

informedwhethertheywereadmittedtotheprimary

oralternatecollege.

Theimpactofthispolicyismixed.Veryfewstudents—only40infall2010,

about1%oftheclass—areenrolledthroughthealternateadmissions

process.Inadditiontocreatingextraworkfortheapplicant,thispolicy

alsocreatesextraworkforcolleges,asaportionofthe

alreadygrowing

numberofapplicationsisreadbytwocollegesinsteadofone.Most

alternateapplications,however,arenotviewedbythealternatecollege.



In2008,thefirstyearofthisnewpractice,8%ofalternateapplicantswere

reviewed.In2009only2%werereviewed,butthosestudentshadabetter

chanceofbeingadmitted.In2008theoveralladmitrateforreviewed

applicationswas26%;in2009,itsoaredto63%.In2010

thereviewratefell

further,to1%,withanevenhigheracceptancerateof71%.

Theveryhighadmitratesfortheapplicantswhowererevie wed(inthree

collegesthe2010admitratewas100%)suggestthatalternateadmitsmay

beidentifiedviaathleticsorURMroundtables,whichfurthercallsinto



questiontheaddedvalueofalternatecollegeadmissionsandsuggeststhat

thispolicyshouldbereassessed.

5.1.3 Policies on Transfer Students: Current and Future

Cornellhastraditionallywelcomedtransfersandseekstoattractstudents

whohavebeensuccessfulintwo‐yearandothercommunitycolleges,as

wellasatotherfour‐yearinstitutions.Inaddition,anumberoffreshman

applicantswhoarenotacceptedaregivenatransferoption,offering

admissiontoCornellasa

transferstudentconditionalonthesuccessful

completionofspecifiedcoursestobetakenelsewhere.Informationfor

prospectivetransferstudentsisavailableontheCornelladmissions

website.





Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=187forthe2008‐2010

AlternateCollegeAdmissionsProfile.

http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/transfer

94 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Inkeepingwithitslandgrantmission,Cornelliseagertocreatepathways

tosuccessforstudentswhoattendcommunitycolleges,andtheuniversity

workscloselywiththesecolleges—oftenthrougharticulation

agreements

—tocreateclearexpectationsaboutwhatittakestobea

successfultransferapplicant.Transferarticulationagreementstypically

listthecoursesthatstudentsshouldbetakingwhiletheyareattending

otherinstitutions.Inmanycasesthesecourseexpectationsarespecificto

transferringintoparticularmajorsorprograms.

Cornellhashadgreat

successingeneratingahighgraduationratefor

transferstudentswithoutsignificantlyextendingtimetodegree.Typicalof

allprecedingyears,about90%ofexternaltransfersenteringinthe2003–

2004academicyeargraduatedwithinfouryearsofentering.Thisrateis

quitecomparabletothegraduationrateofnon‐transfer

students.

Eachyear,560–700externaltransferstudentsmatriculateatCornell;most

enterinthefall.Thereisgreatvariabilityacrossthesevenundergraduate

colleges.Amongthosereceivingbachelor’sdegreesduringAY2008–2009,

externaltransfersrepresented26%inCALS;16%inAAP;6%inA&S;6%in

Engineering;30%inHotel;

18%inHE;and41%inILR.

Indiscussionwiththedeans,theuniversityadministrationset

college/school‐specifictransferstudentenrollmenttargetsforthefirsttime

forthe2009–2010admissionscycle,forfall2010transfermatriculants.



Targetswereinformedbyacademicandbudgetgoals.Achievementof

thesetargetswillbemonitoredandrevisedforfutureyearsas

appropriate.

5.1.4 Early Decision in Admissions

EarlyDecision(ED)isanimportanttoolinenrollmentmanagementinthat

itallowstheuniversitytoconfirmaportionoftheclassearlyinthe

admissionscycle.ThereisacosttorelyingheavilyonED,however:ED

studentstendtorepresentalessdiversepoolofstudentsthanthe

regular

admitpool.



http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/docs/transfer‐credit‐certification.pdf

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=186

5. Student Admissions and Supports 95

CornellhasnotsetEDenrollmenttargetsatafixedlevelbutmonitorsthis

figureannually.Since2005thepercentageoftheclassthathasbeen

admittedEDhasrisenfairlysteadily,increasingfrom33.8%oftheClassof

2009to38.0%oftheClassof2013.

FortheClassof2014thefigureis

somewhatlower,at35.5%.

5.1.5 Communicating Information about Tuition and Financing

TheUndergraduateAdmissionsOfficeandtheOfficeofFinancialAidand

StudentEmploymentinvestsignificantresourcestoprovideprospective

andcurrentstudentswithinformationaboutCornell’spoliciesand

practicesregardingtuition,financialaid,andpaymentplans.Theoffices

disseminatetheinformationinseveralways:



Policiesareprominentlyfeaturedonthe

financialaidwebsite.





Electronicmailingstoprospectiveandcurrentstudentsprovide

linkstothefinancialaidwebsite.



Theadmissionsandfinancialaidofficesconductinformational

sessions,oncampusandincitiesaroundtheworld,forprospective

studentsandtheirparents.Allacceptedstudents,whether

applyingforfinancialaidornot,receive

abrochurethatdescribes

Cornell’sfinancingoptionsandpaymentplans.Thefinancialaid

officeconductsinformationsessionsoncampusforcurrentCornell

students.



EachstudentwhoreceivesfinancialaidfromCornellreceivesan

annualmailingwithinformationontheprocessforapplyingfor

financialaidfortheupcomingacademicyear.





Thefinancialaidofficemaintainswalk‐inhoursforstudentsto

speaktoafinancialaidcounselor.Thesehoursareadvertisedin

mailingstostudents.



https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=362

OfficeofFinancialAidandStudentEmploymentwebsite:http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/.

InformationforstudentsonfindingjobsatCornellandintheareacanbefoundat

http://www.studentemployment.cornell.edu/index.htm.



96 5. Student Admissions and Supports

5.1.6 Admission and Retention of Graduate and Professional

Students

Becausegraduateeducationisahighlyindividualizedprogramofstudy

tailoredtoastudent’suniqueresearchinterestsandthedevelopmentof

newscholarship,generalizationsaboutadmissionsprocessesacrossthe

universityaremoredifficultthantheyareforundergraduateadmissions,

evenwithsevenseparateprocessesatthatlevel.Withinthegraduate

school,

individualfacultycommitteesineachofthe92majorgraduate

fieldsmakeadmissionsdecisions.Unlikesomepeerinstitutions,Cornell’s

GraduateSchooldoesnotrevieweachfield’sadmissions

recommendationsbeforeauthorizinganofferofadmission.



Figure5.1showstheadmissionandmatriculationratesforCornell’s

graduateprogramsfrom1998to2009.Selectivityinthedoctoralprograms

hasincreasedmodestlyoverthisperiod,whiletheresearchmaster’sand

professionalmaster’sprogramshaveshownmorefluctuation.

Matriculationrateswerefairlysteady,withasignificantincreaseonlyin

theprofessionalmaster’sprograms.

IntheLawSchool,theadmissionprocessisoverseenbyafaculty

admissionscommitteeappointedannuallybythedean.Applicationsare

reviewedbyadmissionsofficersinitiallyandthenreferredtothe

committeeasnecessary.TheLawSchooladmitted17.6%ofapplicantsin

2010,downfrom23%in

2006.

IntheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,thefacultyadmissionscommittee

reviewsandscoresapplicantsaccordingtotheoverallqualityoftheir

academicprogram,animal/veterinary/biomedicalresearchexperience,

non‐cognitiveskills,allotherachievements,andthequalityofthe

applicant’sessay.Inadditiontotraditionalveterinaryroles,thecollege

alsoseeks

individualswithacademicinterestsinproductionanimal

medicine,research,andnon‐traditionalcareerpathsthatwillmeetthe



TheGraduateSchooldoescheckthequalityoffellowshipofferseachfallbyhavingtheGeneral

Committeereviewthefilesofallstudentswhohavebeenadmittedonfellowship,butthisoccurs

afterthefactsoastoavoiddelayingtheadmissionsprocess.Fieldswithevidenceof

inappropriatestandardsfor

fellowshipawardsareadmonishedandmayexperienceareduction

infuturefellowshipallocations.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 97

currentandfutureneedsoftheveterinaryprofession.Fortheclassof2014,

thecollegeofferedadmissionto108of875applicants(about12%).

Figure 5.1. Admission and matriculation rates for graduate programs,

1998–2009



AttheJohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagement,everyapplicationis

reviewedbytheAdmissionsCommittee,ateamcomprisedofadmissions

professionals,students,andadministrators.

Afteraninitialreview,the

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

AdmissionRates,Fall'98throughFall'09

Doctoral

ResearchMasters

ProfessionalMasters

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

MatriculationRates,Fall'98throughFall'09

Doctoral

ResearchMasters

ProfessionalMasters

98 5. Student Admissions and Supports

committeeinvitesselectedcandidatestointerview.ThemedianGMAT

scoreforadmittedstudentsintheMBAclassof2012was700,andthe

medianGPAwas3.3.

TheAdmissionsCommitteeatWeillCornellMedicalCollege(WCMC),as

afaculty‐studentcommittee,makesitsdecisionsindependentlyandisnot

advisorytothe

deanorotheradministrativeleadershipinselecting

students.Fortheclassenteringin2010,WCMCreceived5,565

applications,fromwhichitaccepted317andenrolledjust101students.

AdmittedstudentshadanaverageGPAof3.7+andMCATscores

averaging34.5.

Theprofessionalschoolshavevariousmechanismstoevaluateadmissions

practicesandmonitortherelationshipofadmissionsstandardsto

outcomes.



LawSchool(JD,LLM).GiventheLawSchool’sveryrigorous

admissionsstandards,itisrareforastudenttobedroppedfor

academicdeficiency.Whenthatoccurs,theAdmissionsCommittee

isnotifiedandconductsareviewofthefile.In

addition,theLaw

Schoolparticipatesinannualvalidationstudiesconductedbythe

LawSchoolAdmissionsCouncil,whichprovidesuseful

informationoncorrelatingLSATscoresandundergraduategrade

pointaveragedatawithactualfirst‐yearCornellLawSchool

grades.



JohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagement(MBA).AnAcademic

StandardsCommitteecomprised

offacultyandstaffreviews

students’progress.Gradepointaverages(GPAs)arereviewedeach

semester,andthosestudentsfallingundertherequiredGPAfor

graduationmeetwiththecommitteetodevelopaplanfor

improvement.TheAcademicStandardsCommitteemeetswiththe

directorofadmissionstoreviewtheadmissionsfilesof

allstudents

onprobationinanefforttoimprovetheadmissionsscreening

processasitrelatestothelikelihoodofacademicsuccess.



CollegeofVeterinaryMedicine(DVM).Admissiontoveterinary

collegeisextremelycompetitive;onlythemostqualifiedstudents

gainadmission.Asaresult,itisunusualforstudents

torequire

5. Student Admissions and Supports 99

morethanfouryearstocompletetheDVMprogram,andthe

college’sattritionratesareverylow(<3%).Attritionistypicallyfor

personalreasons,notpooracademicperformance.Faculty

membersreviewDVMstudents’progresseachsemester.Students

placedonacademicprobationmeetwithateamoffacultyandstaff

developaplanforimprovementandongoingsupport.Ifa

studentfailstocompletetheprogramordoesnotcompletethe

veterinarydegreeinfouryears,hisorherfileisreviewedto

determinewhetheranyadjustmentsarewarrantedinthe

admissionsprocess.



WeillCornellMedicalCollege(MD,PhD).

Eachstudent’s

performanceinthecurriculumisreviewedatregularlyscheduled

meetingsoftheCommitteeonPromotionandGraduation.

Studentswhoareexperiencingacademicdifficultyareusually

identifiedearlyandareofferedsupportandguidancefromcourse

directorsandcoursefaculty.Strategiesareplannedtoassistthem

withremediationandcompletion

ofrequirements.



5.2 Supporting a Diverse Student Body

5.2.1 Need-Blind Admissions and Need-Based Aid

Buildingonalongtraditionofaccessandopportunityforstudents

withoutregardtopersonalbackgroundandcircumstances,Cornelltoday

practicesneed‐blindadmission.Financialaidapplicationsarehandled

separatelyfromadmissionsapplicationssothatreviewersareunawareof

whetheraprospectivestudenthastheabilitytopayfulltuition.Cornell



alsopracticesneed‐basedfinancialaid:allfinancialaidisbasedon need,

andCornelldoesnotawardaidbasedonmeritortalenttostudentswho

donotdemonstratefinancialneed.

Althoughstandardizedtestresultsarenotthebestoronlyindicatorof

academicquality,theyprovideauseful

measureforcharacterizing

aggregates.FortheCornellClassof2014,96%oftheenteringfirst‐year



FormoreinformationseetheWeillCornellMedicalCollegeself‐study,at

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=372

100 5. Student Admissions and Supports

studentssubmittingSATscoreshadcriticalreading/verbalscoresabove

thenationalaverageof501;98%ofenteringstudentshadmathscores

abovethenationalaverageof516.

SATtrendsareshowninFigure5.2.

Figure 5.2. SAT 1 Math and SAT 1 Verbal/Critical Reading scores of entering

freshmen, Cornell University, 1996–2010





For2010meanSATCriticalReading/VerbalandMathtestscoresofcollege‐boundseniors,see

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=366

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

SAT1Math

Math700‐800 Math600‐690 Math500‐590 MathBelow500

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

SAT1Verbal/CriticalReading

Verbal/CR700‐800 Verbal/CR600‐690 Verbal/CR500‐590 Verbal/CRBelow500

5. Student Admissions and Supports 101

RecentdatahighlightCornell’ssocioeconomicdiversity:about17%of

CornellstudentsarerecipientsoffederalPellgrants,awardedtostudents

whosefamilyincomesfallbelow$60,000.Asof2008–2009,Cornellranked

eighthamongitspeersinPellgrantrecipientsasapercentageoftotal

enrollment.

FortrenddataonPellgrantrecipientsatCornell,seeFigure

5.3.

Figure 5.3. Percent of enrolled undergraduates receiving Pell grants,

Cornell University, 2005–2011



5.2.2 Undergraduate Financial Aid Policies

WhileCornell’slong‐termgoalistokeepthegrowthintuitioncloseto

inflation,tuitionattheendowedcollegeshasincreasedslightlyfasterthan

inflationduringthepastdecade.Thisisconsistentwiththenationaltrend;

indeed,Cornell’srecentincreasesinendowedtuitionhavebeenlessthan

severalotherpeers’

increases.



Despitethehighcostoftuition,carefulanalyseshavedemonstratedat

Cornellandelsewherethattuitiondoesnotcoverthefullcost of



PellrankingisfromanadhocanalysisdonebyInstitutionalResearchandPlanninginJanuary

2010.USNews&WorldReportranksCornellninthinpercentageofPellgrantrecipientswithina

largergroupof25“top‐rankednationaluniversities.”

2008‐09FinancialPlan,p.15.http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000405.pdf.

15.5%

14.2%

13.5%

13.8%

12.9%

16.0%

17.0%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

102 5. Student Admissions and Supports

education.

Studentsinprivatecollegesanduniversitiespayonly40–60%

ofthecostoftheireducation.A2008studycompletedatCornellfound

thattheratiooftuitionratestoeducationcostswasintherangeof55–60%.

AsillustratedinTable5.2,Cornellprovidesgenerousfinancialaid

packagestoneedy

students.Mostgrantaidisinstitutionallyprovided

(ratherthanfinancedthroughthegovernmentorotherexternalsources).

Overthepast10years,theamountofstateandfederalgrantaidasa

proportionoftotalaidhasdeclined,from7.3%in1997–1998to5.6%in

2009–2010.

Similarly,theuseofgovernmentloanresourcesasapartof

need‐basedfinancialaidpackaginghasdeclinedsincethelate1990s.By

contrast,Cornell‐fundedgrantaidhasquadrupledoverthesameperiod,

risingto$171.9millionin2009–2010.



Table 5.2. Cornell-funded grant aid as a percent of tuition and fees,

2010–2011 undergraduates

Number

students

% of grant-

aid

population

% of overall

undergrad

enrollment

Average

grant

Total with Cornell grant aid 6,515

100.0%

46.75% $29,376

<=25% of tuition/fees 535

8.2%

3.84% $4,692

>25% and <=50% of tuition/fees 782

12.0%

5.61% $13,971

>50% and <=75% of tuition/fees 1,075

16.5%

7.71% $22,971

>75% of tuition/fees 4,123

63.3%

29.59% $37,205

Recentlyimplementedinitiativeswillfurthertransformthetrends

displayedinthistablebyincreasingtheamountofCornell‐fundedgrant

aidandloweringstudents’relianceonfederalloanprograms.

As

describedinChapter1,itisnowthecasethatnoparentalcontributionis

expectedfromfamilieswithincomelessthan$60,000andassetsunder

$100,000.Forfamilieswithincomeunder$75,000,loansareeliminatedand

replacedwithgrants.Forthosewithincomesof$75,000to$120,000,loans



GordonC.WinstonandIvanC.Yen,Costs,Prices,Subsidies,andAidinU.S.HigherEducation

(Williamstown,MA:WilliamsCollege,1995);http://www.williams.edu/wpehe/DPs/DP‐32.pdf.

Calculatedfrom:2008‐09FinancialPlan,p.76;http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000405.pdf.

2010‐11FinancialPlan,p.41;http://irp.cornell.edu/documents/1000447.pdf.

2008‐09FinancialPlan,p.23;http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000405.pdf.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 103

arecappedat$3,000annually,andatincomeshigherthan$120,000,the

maximumannualloanis$7,500forthosereceivingneed‐basedaid.

ResultsfromCooperativeInstitutionalResearchProgram(CIRP)surveys

administeredtoincomingfreshmeneachyearindicatethatthemajorityof

Cornellstudentsexperience“some”or“major”concernsabouttheir



abilitytofinancetheircollegeeducation.DatafromtheEnrolledStudent

Surveysin2003andin2007similarlysuggestthatmostundergraduate

studentsfeelthattheimpactoffinancingtheireducationhasbeen

“considerable”or“severe”ontheirfamilies.

Althoughthesedataareaconcern,itisimportanttoput

themincontext.

ThisispossiblebecauseCornelladministersthelargestshareofstudent

surveysinconsortiumwithotherhighlyselective,researchuniversities.

Peercomparisonssuggestthatfinancialstrainsarenotuniquely

Cornellian.Forexample,thepercentageofCornellseniorswhoreportthey

are“generally”or“very”satisfiedwiththequality

ofthefinancialaid

office,theservicestheyreceivefromthisoffice,andtheactualfinancialaid

awardsreceivedcomparesfavorablywithstudentsfrompeer

institutions—especiallythosewithwhichwemostcloselycompeteinthe

admissionsprocess.



5.2.3 Funding of Graduate Students

Thefundingofgraduatestudentsiscomplexandreflectsthebreadthof

programsatCornell.Eachdiscipline(humanities,biologicalsciences,

physicalsciencesandengineering,socialsciences)hasdevelopeda

fundingmodelthatbestsuitstheneedsofitsstudentsandreflectsthe

realityofresourcesavailabletotheprogram.Forexample,

inthe

humanities—whichhavelittleopportunityforexternalgrantdollarsbut

supportlargeundergraduateenrollments—studentsreceivethreeormore

yearsofteachingassistantshipandtwoyearsoffellowship(toprovide

relieffromteachingresponsibilities).Inthephysicalsciencesand

engineering,facultyrelyprimarilyonexternalgrants(governmentor

industry)to

provideGraduateResearchAssistantships(GRAs).Withinthe



https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=379;“SSFAaward,”“SSFA

office,”and“SSFAservices”tabs.

104 5. Student Admissions and Supports

socialsciencesandbiologicalsciences,specificareasofresearchmayhave

verydifferentfundingmodels,relyingoncombinationsoffellowships,

traininggrants,teachingassistantships,andresearchassistantships.While

facultyacknowledgethatmorefellowshipswouldbedesirableinevery

field,thegeneralconsensusisthatthedifferingfundingmodelsreflecta

desirable

flexibilitytosupportstudents inthemostappropriatemanner

basedontheresourcesavailableandtheparticularneedsofstudentsand

facultymembers.

Cornellhasmadeequitableandcompetitivefundingpackagesapriority.

Nearlyall(97%)ofon‐campusPhDstudentsreceivefundingfortheir

studies,forexample.TheBoard

ofTrusteesmandatescompetitive

funding,settingannualstipendlevelsdesignedtokeepCornellatthe

medianofthepeergroup(UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley;Brown;

Chicago;Columbia;Harvard;MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology;

UniversityofPennsylvania;Princeton;Stanford;andYale).

Student

fundingpackagesalsoinclude12monthsofindividualstudenthealth

insurance.

Inadditiontodepartment‐orcollege‐fundedfellowshipawards

(supportedbyendowmentsorgovernmentfunds,suchasForeign

LanguageandAreaStudiesawards),theGraduateSchoolitselfannually

awardsabout290fellowships.Ofthese,themajorityaretwo‐

yearawards:

120SageFellowshipsinthehumanitiesandendowed‐collegesocial

sciences;30SUNYDiversityFellowships;and40SageDiversity

Fellowships.Theremainder(about100annually)areone‐yearCornell

Fellowshipsinthebiologicalandphysicalsciencesorcontract‐college

socialsciences.

Thelargestproblemwiththeexistingfundingmodel

istheneedformore

fellowshipsinallfieldsanddisciplines.Inparticular,endowmentfunds



Anti‐trustlawprohibitsCornellfromsharinginformationaboutfutureyearstipendswithpeer

institutions,sotheactualmethodforsettingstipendsinvolvesreviewingpeerdatafortheprior

year,checkingtheincreasesthathaveoccurredwithinthepeergroupoverthepastfiveyearsor

so,thenmakinga

projectionaboutwhatincreasewillbenecessarytokeepCornell’sstipends

nearthepeergroupmedian,providedthecurrent‐yearpeergroupincreaseaveragesoutthe

sameasinthepast.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 105

aredesperatelyneededatboththecollegeanduniversitylevelstoreduce

therelianceongeneral‐purposefunds.

Becausesomefieldshavefeweropportunitiesforexternalfundingthan

othersandteachingassistantshipsarenotavailableinalldepartments,the

numberofpackagesavailableinsupportofgraduatestudentsinsimilar

fields

varies.Forexample,inthethreefieldswherestudentscanstudy

economics(AppliedEconomicsandManagement;Economics;andPolicy

AnalysisandManagement)thefundingsources,policies,andsupport

packagescanvarysignificantly.ThefieldofEconomicsadmitsarelatively

largecohortofstudents(typically15–20)intoastraightPhDoption

with

approximatelyhalfofthestudentsreceivingafive‐yearguarantee,

includingtwoyearsoffellowshipfundedbytheGeneralPurposebudget.

InAppliedEconomicsandManagement,alargenumberofstudentsare

admittedtoaself‐payMSprogramwhichservesasafeederforthePhD

program.MSstudents

thencompete foralimitednumberoffullyfunded

PhDslots.InPolicyAnalysisandManagement,asmallernumberof

studentsareadmitteddirectlyintoaPhDprogramwithgrantfunding

guaranteed.Applicantsmaybeunawarethatfinancialsupportcandiffer

inrelatedfields,eventhoughtheprofessorwithwhom

theyplantowork

isamemberoftherelevantfields.Fundingproblemsalsoariseiffaculty

extendtoomanyadmissionsoffers,enrollingmorestudentsthanthey

havethecapacitytosupport.Inrecentyears,however,therehasbeena

significantpushtoeliminate“self‐pay”admitstoavoidthecomplications



associatedwithenrollingalargernumberofdoctoralstudentsthancanbe

supported.

Arelatedproblemoccurswith“unilateraladmits”—studentswhose

admissionisbasedonadvocacybyasinglefacultymemberwho

guaranteesfinancialsupportfromindividualfundswithoutaback‐up

guaranteefromthefield.Thispracticeexistsin

thephysicalsciencesand

someotherfieldsinwhich facultyrelyongraduatestudentresearchersto

fulfillsponsoredprojectobligations.Whenasinglefacultymembermakes

theadmissiondecision—eventhoughthatdecisionisofficiallyapproved

bytheadmissionscommittee—thestudentmayfeelboundtothatperson

andmayfinditdifficult

tomovetoanotherprofessoriftherelationship to

106 5. Student Admissions and Supports

thefirstsours.Qualifiedstudentsmaybeforcedtoleavetheprogramif

otherfundingcannotbefound.

5.2.4 Funding of Professional Students

TheLawSchoolawardsinstitutionalgrantsbasedonacombinationof

meritandneed.In2010almosthalfoftheenteringclassreceivedsuch

grants,averagingover$14,000.Eachapplicantsubmitsafinancialaid

applicationthatisprocessedbyNeedAccess,aweb‐basedfinancialaid

managementtool.

TheJohnsonSchooloffers

ParkLeadershipFellowshipstoupto25

enteringstudentseachyear.Thefellowshipisafull‐tuitiongrantplusa

stipend.Inaddition,theJohnsonSchoolhasover$1millioninmerit‐based

scholarshipfundstoawardeachyeartonewandreturningstudents.The

schoolprovidespartialscholarshipsto

asubstantialpercentageofits

students.Almost30%ofJohnsonSchoolstudentsreceivesomescholarship

assistance.

AttheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,approximately$1.3millionof

endowmentearningsisusedforfinancialaid.Therecentdeclinein

earningshasbeenoffsetwithtuitionandpreviouslyaccumulatedearnings

tomaintainastable

financialaidbudget.Mostunderrepresentedminority

studentsacceptedintotheDVMprogramareofferedaSUNYDiversity

Fellowship.Whileloansandfamilycontributionsstillrepresentthemajor

sourcesofmoneyforveterinarystudents,increasingavailablegrantand

scholarshipmoneyshasbeenamajorfundraisingpriorityforthepast

severalyears.

AtWeillCornellMedicalCollege,totalstudentcosts,andaverageunit

loanlevelsrankinthelowerthirdamongpeerinstitutions.Theunitloan

(theamountstudentsmustborrowbeforereceivingascholarship/grant)

hasshownmoderateincreasessince2001,goingfromalowof$18,000to

thecurrenthighof$26,985.

Ascostsincrease,thedebtburdenforstudents

hasrisen.Themostrecentgraduates(AY2009)whoreceivedfinancialaid

hadanaveragedebtof$129,571.





FormoreinformationseetheWCMCself‐studyhttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=372

5. Student Admissions and Supports 107

5.2.5 Recruitment Efforts for Underrepresented Minorities

Inadditiontofinancialaidpoliciesthatalloweconomicallydisadvantaged

studentstoattendCornell,ongoinginitiativesattheuniversityleveland

intheindividualcollegesareaimedatrecruitingunderrepresented

minority(URM)students.

Formanyyears,theUndergraduate

AdmissionsOfficehasreliedheavilyuponthepurchaseofstudentnames

fromCollegeBoard(studentswhohadtakenthePSAT).Thisgeneral

strategyhasbeenenhancedinrecentyears,andCornellnowacquireslists

ofminoritystudentswhohadtakenothercollegeentranceexamsand

lists

fromseveralnationalprograms,includingVentureScholars,National

Achievement,WashingtonMetroScholars,NationalHispanicRecognition

Program,NationalLEAD,andRonBrownScholars.

Additionally,theUndergraduateAdmissionsOfficebegandevelopinga

databaseofCommunityBasedOrganizations(CBOs)andindependent

agenciesthatserveprimarilylow‐incomeandunderrepresentedstudents.

Overthepast

severalyears,thisdatabasehasgrowntoseveralhundred

andhasservedasawaytocommunicatedirectlywithindividualswho

areactivelypromotingtheadmissionofminoritystudentstohighly

selectiveinstitutions.Notonlyaretheseorganizationssponsoring

invitation‐onlycollegefairsandarrangingforstudentstovisitcampus,

buttheyalsoguidestudentsthroughtheapplicationprocess.Overthe

pastfewyears,theundergraduateadmissionsofficehashosted

workshopsaroundthecountryforCBOandagencyrepresentativesand

hasalsobroughtrepresentativestoCornelltopart icipate in“Selection

Institutes”.

Bothopportunitiesservetoeducaterepresentativesonthe

educationalpreparationnecessaryforstudentstosucceedinthe

admissionsprocessandatCornell.Inaddition,Cornellparticipatesinthe

NewYorkStateOpportunityProgramfundedpartiallybythestate,which

providesprogrammingfundsandsomefinancialaidtargetedtoward

lowerincome,underrepresented

minority,and1

‐generationstudents

whoareNewYorkStateresidents.



AtCornell,URMreferstostudentswhoare(a)U.S.citizensorpermanentresidentsand(b)

self‐identifiedasoneormoreofthefollowing:African‐American,Hispanic‐American,American

Indian,orNativeHawaiian/PacificIslander.

108 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Cornellhasseenasignificantincreaseinundergraduateapplicationsfrom

allmajorracial/ethnicgroupsinrecentyears,ashavepeerinstitutions.At

Cornell,between2003and2009,applicationsfromAfrican‐Americans

haveincreased116%,AmericanIndians92%,Hispanic‐Americans117%,

andbi/multiculturalunderrepresentedstudents197%.



Theprovost’spresentationtotheBoardofTrust ees,“Admissions,Climate,

andRetention:RaceandEthnicity,”providestrenddatahighlighting

undergraduateadmissionsandgraduationratesforselectedpopulations.



Atthegraduatelevel,traditionallyunderrepresentedstudentshavebeen

reachedthrough



recruitingfairsatotherinstitutionsandon‐siterecruitingeventsat

targeteduniversities,includingschoolsinPuertoRico



publicationsdisseminatedateventsdetailingresourcesfor

minoritystudents



aphone‐a‐thon,inwhichcurrentlyenrolledgraduate

students

(typicallyrepresentingminoritygroups)contactadmittedminority

studentstoanswerquestionsandencourageenrollment



collaborationofrecruitersoncampustostreamlineinformation

andefforts



providingsupporttotheAmericanIndianProgramfortheir

recruitingefforts



providingsupportforfieldstobringminoritystudentsforcampus

visitation



Cornellisalsorepresentedatavarietyofconferencesandsymposiathat

targetminoritycandidates,includingtheInstructionandRecruitmentof

Teachersconference,theGradHorizonsconferenceforminoritystudents,

andtheAnnualBiomedicalResearchConferenceforMinorityStudents.

Senioradministratorsalsoplayaroleinrecruitingminoritycandidatesat

the

graduatelevel.Forexample,theassociatedeanforacademicaffairsin



https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=400

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=405

5. Student Admissions and Supports 109

theGraduateSchoolmeetsindividuallywithstudentsduringtheirfield‐

sponsoredvisittocampusandservesastheinstitutionalcoordinatorfor

theLeadershipAllianceSummerResearchProgram(

see below,

“UnderrepresentedStudents:StrategiesforSuccess”),workingclosely

withthestudentsforthesummer.

Thereissomeevidencetheseeffortshavepaidoff.Between1994and

2000,theGraduateSchoolreceived400–500applicationsayearfrom

underrepresentedminoritystudents;sincethattime,URMapplications

havesteadilyincreasedandreachednearly700

infall2008(themost

recentyearavailable).

Applicationsfromwhiteandundeclaredrace

studentswerelargelyflat.Reflectingthatpositivetrend,underrepresented

minoritymatriculationshavealsoincreasedoverthisinterval.

Atthegraduatelevel,studentsfromothercountriesareamajor

componentofenrollment:whileabout10%ofourundergraduatesare

foreignnationals,justoverathird

ofgraduate/professionalstudentsare

citizensofothercountries.

Thediversityofthegraduateapplicantpool

andthesubsequentmatriculantpopulationvariessubstantiallyby

discipline:inthesciences,halfofallapplicationstothegraduateschool

arefrominternationalstudents;inthehumanities,itisclosertoaquarter

(seeFigure5.4).

Theprofessionalschoolsalsoencourageminorityapplicants.

TheLaw

Schoolinvitesapplicationsfromunderrepresentedgroupsusinganational

databasemaintainedbytheLawSchoolAdmissionCouncil.Amongother

initiatives,theschoolrecruitsatschoolsandinregionswithlarge

populationsofunderrepresentedgroupsandhostsadiversityweekendin

conjunctionwithanopenhouseforadmittedstudents.





Seep.15ofhttp://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/pubs_and_forms/

pubs/Annual_Report_2008_09_Final.pdf.

WithintheUniversityFactbook,seehttp://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000437.pdfand

http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000199.pdf.

110 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Figure 5.4. Applicants (fall 2007) and matriculants (fall 2008) to graduate-level

research degree programs (including master’s), by sex, race/ethnicity

and citizenship



AttheJohnsonSchool,programstoreachprospectivestudentsofcolor

andencouragethemtoapplyincludepartnershipswiththeConsortium

forGraduateStudyinManagementandManagementLeadershipfor

Tomorrow(MLT);theJohnsonMeansBusinessannualrecruiting

weekend;andMosaiceventstowelcomenewandreturningstudentsand

facilitate

theirnetworkingwitheachother,faculty,andstaff.TheJohnson

SchoolalsoworkswithstudentclubsandorganizationssuchastheBlack

GraduateBusinessAssociation(BGBA),andLatinoBusinessStudents

Association(LBSA)toprovidesupportformembersandevents.

AttheVetCollege,recruitmentofunderrepresentedminoritiesincludes

outreachtohigh

schoolandcollegestudents.Atthehighschoollevel,

activitiesincludetraveltotalkwithstudentsaboutveterinarymedicine

careers;representationatconferencesandsymposiaforminoritystudents

interestedinhealthcareersand/orbiomedicalsciences;anelectronicpre‐

vetnewsletter;andtheopportunitytocommunicatewithacurrentDVM

student

throughtheAdmissionsStudentAmbassadorProgram.Atthe

25%

50%

75%

100%

Women

White,US

Nonwhite,US

International

Women

White,US

Nonwhite,US

International

Women

White,US

Nonwhite,US

International

Women

White,US

Nonwhite,US

International

Humanities LifeSciences PhysicalSciences SocialSciences

Applicants Matriculants

5. Student Admissions and Supports 111

undergraduatelevel,recruitmenteffortsincludepresentations atcolleges

withlargeminoritypopulations;developmentoflinkswithminoritypre‐

vetgroups;andpresentationsatmeetingsofcollegesthatparticipatein

theCollegiateScienceandTechnologyProgram,whichaimstoincrease

thenumberofunderrepresentedminoritystudentswhopursuecareersin

healthsciences

orrelatedprofessions.

AtWeillCornellMedicalCollege,asaresultofrobustpipeline programs

thathavebeeninexistencefor30years,20–25%ofeachmedicalstudent

classisfromgroupsunderrepresentedinmedicine.Thepatientsandstaff

atNewYork–PresbyterianHospitalandaffiliatedinstitutionsarealso

remarkablydiverse,

reflectingtheNewYorkCitypopulations.

5.3 Graduation and Completion

5.3.1 Undergraduate Graduation Rates

Ofthefirst‐timefreshmenenteringCornellinfall2003,92%earneda

baccalaureatedegreewithinsixyears,anincreaseofninepercentage

pointsovertheclassthatenteredinfall1980.AsillustratedinTable5.3,

six‐yeargraduationrateshaveconsistentlyimprovedsince1980forsixof

theseven

undergraduatecolleges;rateshavenotsignificantlyimproved

withinArchitecture,Art,andPlanning,asmallcollegehousingCornell’s 

onlysubstantialfive‐yearbaccalaureateprogram.



Asatmanyinstitutions,graduationpatternsdiffersomewhatbythe

race/ethnicityofstudents(seeFigure5.5).Thedifferencesbyraceare

largerinthefour‐yeargraduationratethaninthesix‐yeargraduationrate;

forexample,87%ofwhitefreshmenin2003graduatedwithinfouryears,

ascomparedto

just75%ofAfrican‐Americanfreshmen—agapof12

percentagepoints.Aftersixyears,thegapwasreducedto6points,with

92%ofwhiteU.S.citizensand86%ofblackU.S.citizensgraduating.





Seepages4‐6ofhttp://www.irp.cornell.edu/documents/1000403.pdf

112 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Table 5.3. Six-year graduation rates by matriculating college

First‐timefreshmenenteringin:

Entering

fall: AAP A&S Eng. Hotel CALS HE ILR

2004 88.7% 92.8% 92.5% 90.9% 92.0% 94.7% 99.4%

2003 66.7% 92.0% 92.2% 94.2% 93.0% 95.9% 94.4%

2002 85.2% 93.7% 91.4% 92.7% 93.3% 95.8% 95.9%

2001 68.1% 92.4% 93.7% 90.1% 93.6% 93.4% 93.2%

2000 78.3% 92.0% 92.2% 90.5% 93.5% 95.7% 94.4%

1999 76.5% 92.4% 93.7% 92.2% 93.0% 97.8% 94.0%

1998 81.1% 90.7% 93.7% 94.9% 94.8% 96.4% 94.7%

1997 77.0% 91.5%

 91.7% 92.8% 94.4% 95.8% 92.6%

1996 69.7% 88.7% 89.9% 91.8% 91.9% 95.0% 95.1%

1995 73.3% 92.4% 88.3% 89.0% 93.6% 94.3% 93.1%

1994 68.1% 89.8% 90.3% 85.5% 93.2% 92.0% 93.7%

1993 81.1% 90.1% 90.3% 88.4% 93.8% 96.0% 95.0%

Since1995thefour‐yeargraduationratesforwhiteandAsianstudents

haveremainedrelativelystableatorjustabove85%.Thefour‐year

graduationratesforHispanicandblackstudentshavebeensomewhatless

stableoverthisperiod,buthavetrendedupwardoverall.

Ingeneral,womengraduateataslightly

higherratethanmen,butthe

gendergapisquitemodestinsizeforallracial/ethnicgroupsexcept

African‐Americans.Among2003freshmen,thesix‐yeargraduationrate

was92%amongAfrican‐Americanwomenbutonly75%amongAfrican‐

Americanmen.

Transferstudentsgraduateataratecomparabletothat

ofthegeneral

studentpopulation.Asnotedabove,about90%ofexternaltransfers

enteringinthe2003–2004academicyeargraduatedwithinfouryearsof

entering.





. Student Ad

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rea.

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

UnitedStat

ates‐dpb‐stg

85%

90%

HispanicAmerican(n=162)

ring stude

ifferencesb

tesareexc

rategapar

trategiesf

in the G

5.4,Cornell

’

ortertime‐

thereare

sUniversiti

.hosting.cor

79%

88%

AfricanAmerican(n=150)

=4years 5

nts’ gradua

yraceand

ptionallyhi

edescribed

rSuccess”).

aduate S

’

sgraduate

‐

to‐degreet

anyfactors

s,Summary

ell.edu/get_f

89%

95%

AsianAmerican(n=518)

ce/Ethnicity

years

6ye

tion in 4, 5

thnicitytha

gh.Instituti

below(see

“



hool

rogramsd

anthenati

indegreec

Report2005,

le.cfm?doc=

86%

93%

Caucasian(n=1,724)

ars

and 6 yea

tcausecon

onalefforts

“

Under‐

splayhigh

nalaverag

mpletion,t

SurveyofEa

08

84%

91%

Other/Undelcared(n=282)

Undeclared

113

s by

ern,

to

r

sby

ese

rned

TotalCohort(n=3,051)

114 5. Student Admissions and Supports

datasuggestthatCornell’sgraduatefieldsystemservesstudents

reasonablywell.



Table 5.4. Completion rates and time to PhD by discipline

Disciplinearea



Completionrates



Timetodegree(years)



Cornell

 National

 Cornell

 National



Biologicalsciences 78%

63%

5.5

7.0

Humanities

64%

53%

6.6

9.7

Physicalsciences&

engineering

74%

64%



55%

5.4

7.2



6.9

Socialsciences

68%

56%

5.6

8.2



CornellUniversityGraduateSchool2005‐2006AnnualReport

 Ph.D.CompletionandAttrition,AnalysisofBaselineProgramDatafromthePh.D.CompletionProject,Councilof

GraduateSchools,2008

 DoctorateRecipientsfromUnitedStatesUniversities,SummaryReport2005,SurveyofEarnedDoctorates

 Engineering

 Mathandphysicalsciences

However,whilesuchcomparisonsmayhelpidentifyseverely

underperformingprograms,betterdataarerequiredtoinformeffective

decisions.Degreecompletiondatafromselectpeerscouldbehelpfulin

comparingprogramsandassessingquality,butthosedataaredifficultto

accessonaregularbasis.TherecentlycompletedNRCAssessmentof

Research

DoctorateProgramsprojectallowsustoexaminepeerdatain

moredetail—andCornelldevelopedapublic,on‐linetooltomakethat

analysiseasier

—butasothercriticshavenoted,theNRC‐collecteddata

werealreadydatedatthetimeofthepublicrelea s e.

Becausepeerdataarescarce,Cornellreliesmostheavilyoninternal

comparisonsoffieldswithintheirdisciplinegroupingswithinthe

university.ThisapproachhasbeenusedwithsupportfromaCouncil

of

GraduateSchoolsCompletiongrant.Fieldsthatshowsignificantnegative

deviationfromthemeanfortheoveralldisciplineareawithinCornell

havebeenselectedforfurtherstudyandinterventions.



Theworkinggroup’sinterviewwiththefaculty‐electedGeneralCommitteeoftheGraduate

Schoolin2009confirmedthatthisisthegenerallyheldviewofthefieldsystemacrosscampus.

ThisanalysistoolwasdevelopedbytheofficeofInstitutionalResearch&Planningin

collaborationwithCornell’sKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPI)project

http://testsvr1.kpi.cornell.edu/views/NationalResearchCouncilReports2/StatsbyFieldPOST

5. Student Admissions and Supports 115

Internal‐to‐Cornellcomparisonsofresearchdegreecompletionbygender,

andrace/ethnicity/citizenshipareillustratedinFigure5.6.Inthesefigures,

itisimportanttonotethatthesizesofthegroupsvarysubstantially.For

example,onlyninedoctoralstudentsinthisanalysisofPhDcompletion

self‐identifiedasNativeAmerican.Further,

15–20%ofthesestudentsdid

notself‐identifyanyraceorethnicityandareincludedinthe“other”

category.However,thesedatasuggestthattimelydegreecompletion

ratesarequitehigh amongblack,Hispanic,andinternationalstudents,

sometimesexceedingthatofwhiteAmericanstudents.

Figure 5.6. On-time degree completion of research degrees at the master’s and

doctoral levels, by gender and race/ethnicity/citizenship



Notes:On‐timedegreecompletionisdefinedas3‐yearsatthemaster’slevel,6‐yearsatthe

doctorallevelinthephysicalsciences,and7‐yearsatthedoctorallevelinallother

disciplinaryareas.Formoredetailsonthisanalysis,seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=411

InformationprovidedfromthemostrecentSurveyofEarnedDoctorates

(SED)alsosuggeststhatCornell’sPhDrecipientsaremoresuccessfulthan

PhD’sfromother“veryhighresearchinstitutions”infindingpositions

78%

85%

86%

80%

87%

67%

75%

81%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Women

Men

White

Asian

Black

Hispanic

NatAm

Other

Intl

Sex Race/Ethnicity/Citizenship

CompletionofMA/MS

61%

59%

65%

57%

67%

75%

50%

44%

63%

Women

Men

White

Asian

Black

Hispanic

NatAm

Other

Intl

Sex Race/Ethnicity/Citizenship

CompletionofPhD

116 5. Student Admissions and Supports

aftergraduation.Forexample,resultsfromthe2009SEDindicatethat

76%ofournewPhDshavedefiniteemploymentplans(includingpost

doctoralpositions),ascomparedto69%ofgraduatesfrompeer

institutions.



Ingeneral,becauseofthedecentralizedfieldsystemmodel,therolethat

centralunits(suchastheGraduateSchoolorthecolleges)canplayin

assessingandimprovingadmissionprocesses—andassociated

educationaloutcomessuchascompletionortime‐to‐degree—islimitedto

financialcontrolsorprovidingtrainingandprofessionaldevelopment

opportunitiesforgraduatestudentsandfacultytobetterunderstand

factorsaffectingsuccessfulcompletionofgraduatestudies.Boththe

annualteachingassistantshipallocationsfromthecollegestodepartments

andthefellowshipallocationsfromtheGraduateSchool—conductedin

coordinationwiththeindividualcolleges—are influencedtosomeextent

bydataonselectivityinadmissions

(measuredbothbyGREscoresand

thepercentageofapplicantsadmitted),thepercentageofadmitted

studentswhodecidetomatriculate(yield),time‐to‐degree,attrition,and

jobplacement.Therearefactors,however,thatlimittheeffectivenessof

thesecontrols:



Programswithweakerstandardsmaygraduatestudentsquickly

orhave

highercompletionrates,sorelianceuponattritionand

time‐to‐degreemeasurementsalonecanbemisleading.



Theallocationofteachingassistantshipscorrespondsmostdirectly

toundergraduateenrollments,notgraduateenrollments.Toavoid

disruptionstotheundergraduateexperience,therearerarely

radicalshiftsinteachingassistantshipallocationstoreward

excellencein

aparticulargraduateprogram.



Cornell’slandgrantmissionresponsibilitiesandtheStateofNew

York’sinterestsinparticularareasofstudyinfluenceresource

allocation,soinvestmentlevelsmaynotberelatedonlytothe

qualityofthegraduateprogram.



Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=412formoreinformation

onpost‐graduateplans.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 117

Asaresultofthesefactors,changesinresourceallocation—theprimary

meansbywhichacollegecaninfluencegraduateadmissions—tendtobe

small.



5.4 Advising, Well-Being, and Community

5.4.1 Undergraduate Advising

Withsevenundergraduatecollegesandnearly80majorsfromwhichto

choose,Cornellstudentsfaceanenormousrangeofacademicoptions.



Eachcollegehasitsowndistinctiveadvisingsystemandstructuretoassist

studentsastheynavigatethroughtheseoptions.Thesystemsrangefrom

thosehavingfacultyactingasprimaryacademicadvisors(asinArtsand

Sciences,Engineering,andCALS)tohavingprofessionalstaffasadvisors

(ILR),thoughinpracticeall

collegeshaveablendoffacultyandstaff

advising.Advisingneedsdiffersomewhatincollegeswherestudents

enterwithoutadeclaredmajor(A&S,forexample)andcollegessuchas

CALSthatacceptstudentsdirectlyintoamajor.



Beyondthecollegeadvisingstructure,anotablesourceofundergraduate

advisingistheBiologyAdvisingCenter,partoftheOfficeof

UndergraduateBiology.Studentscanmajorinbiologythrougheither

CALSorA&S,andthecenter’sstaffcanguidethemfromtheirinitial

applicationtothemajorthroughplanningfor

graduateschool.

Surveydatasuggestthatstudentsatisfactionwithundergraduateadvising

leavesroomforimprovement,especiallyinpre‐majoradvising.Datafrom

the2010SeniorSurvey,forexample,indicatethat45%ofCornellstudents



See“UndergraduateMajorFieldsofStudy”athttp://www.cornell.edu/academics/majors.cfm.

Seeadvisingofficehomepagesforeachcollege:

AgricultureandLifeSciences:http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/current/advising/index.cfm

Architecture,ArtandPlanning:http://www.aap.cornell.edu/student‐services/

ArtsandSciences:http://as.cornell.edu/academics/advising/index.cfm

Engineering:http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/resources/advising/index.cfm

HotelAdministration:http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/academics/ugrad/advising.html

HumanEcology:http://www.human.cornell.edu/student‐services/advising/index.cfm

IndustrialandLaborRelations:http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/studentservices/

118 5. Student Admissions and Supports

whohadusedpre‐majoradvisingwereeither“generallydissatisfied”or

“verydissatisfied.”InArtsandSciences,morethan50%ofstudents

answeredinthisway.However,thispatternisquiteconsistentwiththe

patternatpeerschools.

Forexample,71%ofourseniorsindicatedthat

theywere“somewhatsatisfied”or“verysatisfied”withacademic

advisingintheirmajors,ascomparedto70%ofseniorsfromasmallgroup

ofveryeliteinstitutionswithwhomwesharedata.Nevertheless,

improvingacademicadvisingatalllevelsisaninstitutional

priorityat

Cornell.



Anecdotalevidence—suchasthatgleanedfromopen‐endedcommentson

studentsurveys—suggeststhatstudentsarefrequentlydisappointedby

facultymembers’engagementinfine‐grained,detailedanalysesof

bureaucraticrulesandprocesses,suchaswhetheraparticularcourse

addressesaparticulardistributionrequirement.Collegesandthe

universityhavetakenstepsto

amelioratethesemomentsofdisconnectby

designing(insomecases)andimplementingcomputersystemsthat

providestudents,faculty,andstaffwithup‐to‐dateandaccurate

informationaboutcourses,requirements,andstudentprogresstoward

fulfillingdegrees.DistributedUndergraduateStudentTracking(DUST)is

onesuchdegreeauditandadvisingreviewsystem,designed

and

implementedbyCALSandA&S.Othercollegeshaveexpressedinterestin

implementingDUSTaswell.Withthefinalphaseoftheuniversity’s

implementationofPeoplesoft,Cornellhopestolaunchacampus‐wide

systemfortrackingstudents’degreeprogress.Inotherwords,the

universitywilllooktoautomationtotake

onthe“bean‐counting”aspects

ofadvising,freeingthefacultyandstaffadvisorsformoreofthe

substantiveintellectualengagementthattypifiesthesuccessfuladvising

relationship.

5.4.2 Relationship between Admissions and Advising

InatleastfiveoftheundergraduatecollegesatCornell,admissionsstaff

andadvisingstaffoverlaptoalargedegree.Agreatbenefitisthat



Seepages2and3ofhttp://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000456.pdf

Forexample,seetherecentreportfromViceProvostforUndergraduateEducation,

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=521

5. Student Admissions and Supports 119

informationonstudents’academicprogressthatadvisorsmonitorcanbe

usedtoassessandimproveadmissionsprocesses.Forexample,whenan

applicantindicatesaninterestinamathematicallychallengingfieldlike

physics,admissionsstaffcanassesstheapplicant’shighschool

curriculum,inadditiontotheotherelementsofanapplication,to

ascertain

whetherheorsheisprepared.Whenstudentsarriveoncampus,advising

staff,armedwithstrongfamiliaritywithhighschoolcurricula,canassist

theminjudiciouscourseselection.

Theclosecollaborationbetween(andoverlappingof)advisingand

admissionsstaffshasbeenparticularlyusefulforstudentswhoare

identifiedas

universitypriorities,especiallyunderrepresentedminority

students,first‐generationcollegestudents,andrecruitedathletes.Manyof

thesestudentscomefromunder‐resourcedhighschoolsandhavehadfew

opportunitiesforadvancedacademicwork.Advisingstaffin

collaborationwithotheruniversityofficesandresourcesworkwiththese

studentstomakecertainthatthe

deficienciesoftheirhighschool

preparationareaddressedbythecourseselectionsfortheirfirstsemesters

attheuniversity.

5.4.3 Career Services

CornellCareerServices(CCS)educatesstudentsaboutcareerplanning

andthejob‐searchprocessandpromoteslinkagesbetweenstudentsand

employersandgraduate/professionalschools.Inlinewiththismission,the

CCSsupportsstudentsastheyprogressthroughthreestagesofthecareer‐

developmentmodel:UnderstandYourself(interests,values,strengths,

goals);Explore

Options(careerresearch,networking,activities,

internships);andTakeAction(jobandgraduate‐schoolapplications,

letters,resumes,interviews).

CornellCareerServiceshascentralofficesinBarnesHallaswellascareer

officesineachoftheundergraduatecolleges.TheLawSchool,Johnson

School,CollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,andseveralprofessionalmaster’s

programshavetheirowncareerofficesorcareer‐relatedpositionsthatare

independentofCCS.Thereiscurrentlyunmetdemandforcareerservices

amongstudentsenrolledintheGraduateSchool,particularlythosewho

120 5. Student Admissions and Supports

choosenottopursueanacademiccareertrackandthoseincertain

expandingmaster’sprograms.

AttheWeillCornellGraduateSchoolofMedicalSciences(WCGSMS),the

CareerPathwaysseminarseriesintroducesstudentstoawiderangeof

careeropportunitiessuchasacademia,biotechnology,consulting,

investmentbanking,privateequity,patentlaw,publishing,



pharmaceuticals,andgovernmentservice.Consultingfirmssuchas

McKinseyandBostonConsultingcomeoncampustorecruitWCGSMS

students.WCGSMSAlumniactivelyparticipateintheseseminarsby

givingadviceandsharingtheirexperience.

ParticularstrengthsofCCSincludethealumni‐shadowingprogramsthat

enablestudentstospendtimeinthe

workplacewithalumniandother

Cornellfriendstoexplorecareerfields;theHealthCareersProgram,

coordinatingacomprehensivecross‐campusadvisingnetworkanda

dossierpreparationservice;graduateschooladvising;prestigious

fellowshipsadvisingandapplicationsupport;readilyavailable career

advising,throughdailywalk‐insandscheduledappointments;androbust

employmentservices,

offeringcareerfairs,recruitingconsortia,andon‐

campusrecruiting.

Useofservicesishigh.Forexample,inarecentyearCCSstaffmet

individuallywithstudentsinnearly14,000appointmentsorwalk‐ins and

offered500programsandpresentationsaswellasspecialeventssuchas

careerandgraduate/professionalschool

fairs.Intheclassof2010,69.1%of

seniorssurveyedreportedbeinggenerallyorverysatisfiedwithcareer

servicesoncampus.Thiscomparesfavorablyto56.4%atotherIvyLeague

institutions.

Cornellgraduatesfarewellintheirpostgraduateendeavors.Bachelor’s

degreerecipientsintheClassof2009reportedactivitiesasfollows:

50.0%

employed,34.3%attendinggraduateschool,and15.7%engagedinother

endeavors(pursuinggraduateadmissionoremployment,volunteering,

travel,etc.).TheacceptancerateforCornellapplicantstolawschoolsin

2009was92%(comparedtoanationalaverageof67%),andforCornell

applicantstomedicalschools,70%comparedto

44%.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 121

5.4.4 Underrepresented Students: Strategies for Success

Cornellhasnumerouscampus‐wideprogramsthataddressthechallenges

knowngenerallyastheachievementgap.

Formanyyears,abreadthof

serviceshasbeenoverseenbytheOfficeofMinorityEducationalAffairs

(OMEA),whichsoughttofacilitateacademicandpersonaladjustmentto

Cornellandtoincreasethegraduationrateofminoritystudents.The

universityisworking,however,torevisethatstructuretoincreaseits

effectiveness

indeliveringservices.ThecoreofOMEAisevolvingintothe

OfficeofAcademicDiversityInitiatives—ledbytheassistantviceprovost

foracademicdiversityinitiativesandreportingdirectlytotheviceprovost

forundergraduateeducation—andwillprovideleadershipand

coordinationforinitiativesdesignedtopromoteacademicachievementof

theundergraduate

studentbody.Thisofficewillpartnerwithanother

newposition—associatedeanofstudentsforinterculturalprograms—to

addressbroaderissuesofdiversity,community‐building,andinclusion

acrosscampus.Thenewassociatedeanofstudentswilloperateoutofa

newlyrenovatedfacilityataprominentlocationonNorthCampus.



TheOfficeofAcademicDiversityInitiativeswilloverseeandcoordinate

theNewYorkStateOpportunityProgramsOffice—whichincludesthe

EducationOpportunityProgram(EOP),theHigherEducation

OpportunityProgram(HEOP),

theCollegiateScienceandTechnology

EntryProgram(CSTEP),andtheCornellProfessionalOpportunities

Program(CPOP)

—aswellasprovidedirectionfortheCommitteeon

SpecialEducationalProjects(COSEP).



OtherprogramstoaddresstheachievementgapatCornellinclude:



BiologyScholarsProgram.BasedintheOfficeofUndergraduate

BiologyincollaborationwiththeCollegeofAgricultureandLife



ForaninvestigationoftheachievementgapbyCornell’sdeputyprovostandcommittee,see

DavidHarrisetal.,EliminatingRacialDisparitiesinCollegeCompletionandAchievement:Current

Initiatives,NewIdeas,andAssessment(ATeagleFoundationWorkingGroupWhitePaper,

September2006).http://www.teaglefoundation.org/learning/pdf/2006_cornell_whitepaper.pdf.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept10/626Thurston.html

http://www.omea.cornell.edu/heop/.

http://www.omea.cornell.edu/cstepcpop/.

http://www.omea.cornell.edu/about/index.cfm.

122 5. Student Admissions and Supports

SciencesandtheCollegeofArtsandSciences,thisprogramis

designedtosupportacademicexcellenceforunderrepresented

studentsmajoringinbiologicalscien ces.



Mellon‐MaysUndergraduateFellowships.TheMellon‐Mays

programwasestablishedin1988inresponsetoanationwide

concernwithincreasingthenumberofhighereducationfaculty

membersfromhistoricallydisadvantagedgroups.Theprogram

aimstoencourageNativeAmericans,Latinos/as,African‐

Americans,andotherU.S.citizensandpermanentresidentswho

arecommittedtoeradicatingracialdisparitiestopursuedoctoral

degreesinanthropology,areastudies,arthistory,classics,

computerscience,demography,earthscience,ecology,English,

ethnomusicology,foreignlanguagesand

linguistics,geology,

history,literature,mathematics,musicology,philosophy,physics,

politicaltheory,religion,andsociology.



LeadershipAlliance.ThemissionoftheLeadershipAllianceisto

supportanddevelopyoungscholarsfromgroupstraditionally 

underrepresentedintheacademy.Cornellwasoneofthe13

foundingmembersofthealliance,whichhasnow

grownto31

members.Since1990Cornellhasofferedsummeropportunitiesfor

studentsinalldisciplinesstudiedatCornell,andhostsprograms

bothinIthacaandinNewYorkCityatWCMC.Elevenofthe88

studentswhohavespentasummerherehavereturnedto

matriculateinaCornellgraduate

program.



Pre‐freshmanSummerProgram.ThePre‐freshmanSummer

Program(PSP)isdesignedtohelpstudentsprepareforthe

challengesofthefreshmanyearatCornell.Participantsmustbe

selectedbycollegeorspecial‐programoffices;somestudentsare

requiredtoattendasaconditionofadmission,andothers

are

invitedtoparticipate.Thecoursescheduleforeachstudentis

determinedbythestudentʹscollege,andfieldtrips,guestlectures,

andsocialandculturalactivitiesareincluded.Theprogramcovers

tuition,fees,room,andboardforallstudents.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 123

Inadditiontotheseuniversity‐wideprogramsandinitiatives,eachof

Cornell’sundergraduatecollegeshavestaffwhoworktopromotethe

successofourdiverseundergraduatepopulation,particularlystudents

fromgroupstraditionallyunderrepresentedinU.S.collegesand

universities.



Periodically,theseprogramsworkwiththeofficeofInstitutionalResearch

andPlanning(IRP)toevaluateoutcomes(suchasgradesandgraduation

rates)orexamineperceptions(usingsurveydata)associatedwithprogram

participantsinrelationtootherstudents.Sometimescompletedaspartof

alargerprogramreview,theseassessmentshavebeen

quite

comprehensive,butthereisnoregularprogramofdatareportingand

analysisrelatingtotheseprogramofferings.Anexplicitchargeofthenew

OfficeofAcademicDiversityInitiativesistoworkwith IRPtomonitor

progresstowardstatedgoalsandtoreportprogressregularlytothe

provost,thecollegedeans,

andtheUniversityDiversityCouncil.

5.4.5 Support for Students with Disabilities

Cornell’sofficeofStudentDisabilityServiceshasbeenproviding

reasonableaccommodationsforstudentswithdisabilitiesfordecadesand

haswell‐establishedprocedurestoensurethatstudentswithdisabilities

havethesameexceptionalopportunitiesastheirpeers.

Cornellis

responsibleforandcommittedtoprovidingequitableaccesstoallofits

programs,services,events,andmeetings.Theuniversityiscurrentlyinthe

processofcreatingacampus‐wideDisabilityAccessManagement

StrategicPlan,includinganEducationalProgramsandServicesPlan,

basedupontheuniqueorganizationalstructuresof

theindividualschools

andcolleges.TheEducationalProgramsandServicesPlanwillserveasa



Forlinkstothecollegeprogramsdealingwithunderrepresentedstudents,see:

CALS:http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/current/multipro/index.cfm

AAP:http://aap.cornell.edu/student‐services/diversity/index.cfm

A&S:http://as.cornell.edu/information/diversity.cfm

Engineering:http://engineering.cornell.edu/diversity/

Hotel:http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/students/programs.html

HE:http://www.human.cornell.edu/administration/diversity/index.cfm

ILR:http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/studentservices/advising/multicultural/

Seehttp://sds.cornell.edu

124 5. Student Admissions and Supports

templatetobeadaptedbyeachcollege/division.Thepurposeoftheplanis

todefinecomplianceresponsibilities;tomakethisinformationreadily

availabletoprogramplanners(faculty,staff, andstudents);tomakeaccess

informationeasilyavailabletocampusvisitorsandprogramparticipants;

andtoidentifyresourcesfordisabilityaccessincourses,

programs,

workshops,services,meetings,andevents.

5.4.6 Students in Trouble: Identification and Response

Cornellemploysacampus‐wide,community‐basedapproachto

identifyingandsupportingstudentswhoexperienceacademicand/or

personaldifficulties.

Duringthepast10years,theuniversityhas

expandedconsiderablyitssupportnetwork,whichisguidedbythe

CouncilonMentalHealthandWelfare.

PresidentDavidSkorton’scallto

makeCornell“anevermorecaringcommunity”

reflectstheviewthat

supportformentalhealthisvitaltothelearningmissionoftheuniversity.

Theuniversityhasdevelopedmultiplestrategiesforinformingfaculty,

staff,students,andparentsaboutthesignsofdistressandavailable

campusresources.Mentalhealthprofessionalshavedelivered

presentationsonstudentmentalhealthto

numerousacademic

departmentsandstaffunits.InresponsetoresearchindicatingthatCornell

studentsaremostlikelytoturntofriendsandparentswhenfacing

personaldifficulties,

educationalresourcestargetingthesegroupshave

alsobeendeveloped.

Withinthecollegesandprofessionalschools,advisingstaffmembers

monitortheacademicprogressofstudents.Toidentifypotentialproblems

early,academicdeanssystematicallyrequestinformationfromfaculty

membersregardingstudentswhoseperformanceorbehaviorisof

concern.Facultyresponseshavebeen

effectiveinidentifyingstudentswho

werebeginningtostruggleacademically,includingcasesinwhichpoor

performancewasthefirstindicatorofa seriousmentalhealthproblem.In



Seehttp://www.gannett.cornell.edu/cms/campus/council/framework.cfm

See“CouncilonMentalHealthandWelfareCommissionandCharge”at

http://author.gannett.cornell.edu/campus/council/index.cfm

http://www.cornell.edu/president/speeches_2007_0818.cfm

Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=525

5. Student Admissions and Supports 125

addition,eachoftheundergraduatecollegesperiodically(especiallylatein

thesemester)convenesacommitteeoffacultyandstaffwhoreviewthe

recordsofstudentsexperiencingacademicdifficulties.Thecommittees

makerecommendationsthatmayleadtoplacingstudentsonacademic

warningorsuspension.

TheGraduateSchoolusesa“casemanagement”approach

forstudents

experiencingdifficulties.Graduatestudentsindistressmaybeidentified

bytheirfieldsorbyconcernedindividualsoncampus,orthestudentmay

self‐identifybycomingtotheGraduateSchoolforassistance.Once

identified,thestudentisassignedtoeithertheassistantdeanforstudent

lifeorthe

associatedean.Theseadministratorsworkwithatherapistat

GannettHealthServicestoensurethatstudentsreceiveappropriate

assistanceandaccesstothefullrangeofuniversityresourcesasoutlined

inthissection.

In2005theuniversityestablishedanAlertTeamofkeyadministrators

whomeetweeklytocoordinatecommunicationregarding

studentswhose

behaviorhasconcernedmembersofthecommunity.

Theteamservesasa

bridgebetweenstudentservicesoffices,andbetweentheseofficesandthe

colleges.In2008–2009,theteamreviewed48cases.

TheCouncilonMentalHealthandWelfare’sMentalHealthPolicyGroup

fostersdevelopmentofpoliciesandproceduresthatfacilitatesupportfor

troubledstudents.In2008Cornell

modifieditsinterpretationoftheFamily

EducationalRightsandPrivacyActinordertofacilitatecommunication

withparentsregardingstudents’academicdifficulties.Thischangehas

alloweddesignatedfacultymembersandadministratorstoshare

academicinformationwithparentsoffinanciallydependentstudentsin

exceptionalcases,suchaswhenastudentdemonstrateserratic

behavior.

Theuniversityprovidesarangeofsupportservices.

Academicadvisors

andresidencehallstaffserveasafirstlineofsupportformanystudents

whoarecontendingwithdevelopmentalorsituationalissues.The

LearningStrategiesCenterisakeyresourceforstudentsinneedof

academicsupport.Forstudentswithhighlevelsofdistress,Gannett



Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=526

See,forexample,theNotice&Respondwebsite,http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/notice/

126 5. Student Admissions and Supports

HealthServicesprovidescomprehensivehealthcare,including

CounselingandPsychologicalServices(CAPS).Between1999and2009,

thenumberofvisitstoCAPSeachyeardoubledfromapproximately

10,000to20,000.In2009,14%ofstudentsutilizedCAPSservices.These

figuresareconsistentwithtrendsinhighereducationgenerally.

InnovationsinGannett

serviceshavefosteredincreasedaccesstocarefor

troubledstudents.In2003aCAPSphonetriagesystemwasimplemented

toassurecontactwithacounselorwithin24hours.Community

ConsultationandInterventionwasdevelopedtoassistfacultyandstaffin

dealingwithstudentswithmentalhealthproblems,andtoreach

outto

studentswhoarereluctanttoseekservices.The“Let’sTalk”program

placescounselorsinlocationsaroundcampusforwalk‐inhours.This 

approachhasbeeneffectiveinincreasingutilizationofservicesby

studentsofcolorandinternationalstudents,groupsthatreport

disproportionatelyhighlevelsofemotionaldistress.In2007,

55%of

studentsusing“Let’sTalk”werefromthesetwogroups,comparedto32%

ofstudentswhoreceivedservicesinCAPS.Inaddition,regularscreening

ofpatientsduringprimarymedicalcarevisitshasbeeneffectivein

identifyingmentalhealthproblemsamongstudentswhohadnot

previouslysoughtcounseling.

Empathy,Assistance,

andReferralServices(EARS)isastudent‐run

organizationthatoffersnonjudgmental,short‐termcounselingbyskilled

volunteerswhohaveundergoneathree‐semestertrainingprogramand

havepassedthrougharigorousselectionprocess.EARScounselorscan

providereferralsforserviceswithintheCornellandIthacacommunities.

Servicesarefreeand

confidential.AnyoneintheCornellcommunityis

welcometotraintobeacounselor.Duetotheconfidentialnatureofthe

service,allcounselorsarestrictlyanonymous.Workingwithanadvisor

fromtheOfficeoftheDeanofStudents,EARScounselorsandtrainers

offerfree,interactiveworkshopsuponrequestfor

anycampusgroup.

Topicscanbeinanyarearelatedtohumanrelations,communication,

counseling,personalgrowth,orconflictmanagement.

5. Student Admissions and Supports 127

Inthewakeofthe2007VirginiaTechtragedy,Cornell’sstrategicapproach

tostudentmentalhealthwasfeaturedinboththeNewYorkTimesandthe

WallStreetJournalasamodelforotherinstitutionstoemulate.



Despiteconsiderableattentiontostudentmentalhealthoverthelast

decade,theCornellcampuswasshakenbyastatisticallyanomalous

numberofsuicidesinthe2009–2010academicyear.Atotalofsixstudents

endedtheirlives,withthreesuicidestranspiringwithinamonthinthe

springsemester.Afterconsultationwith

expertsandareviewofthe

literatureonsuicideclusters,theuniversitytooktheboldstepoferecting

temporary10‐footchain‐linkfencesalongsevenofthecampus’s

bridges.

Thesehavesincebeenreplacedwithshorter,lessaesthetically

objectionableblackwirefences,andinSeptember2010theuniversity

contractedwithanarchitecturalfirmtodesignpermanentsuicide

barriers.

Inadditiontothesesteps,PresidentSkortonhascalledforthe

campustotakeafreshlookattheacademicpoliciesoftheuniversityand

therelationshipbetweenthesepoliciesandstudentstress.



5.4.7 The Role of Residences in the Student Experience

Cornellisaresidentialcampus,butcomparedtoourIvypee rs,alower

percentageofourundergraduatesliveinuniversity‐ownedhousing.As

illustratedinTable5.5,thepercentageofstudentsinuniversityhousing

variessubstantiallybyclassyear;essentiallyallfreshmenliveoncampus,

whilemostseniorsdonot.Much

oftheavailableoff‐campushousingis

quiteclosetocampus—such asinCollegetown,orjustwestoftheWest

CampusHouseSystem.



ForCornell’sapproach,seethesenewsarticles:NewYorkTimes:http://www.nytimes.com/

2008/04/20/education/edlife/mental.html?_r=1&ex=1209355200&en=0ab634c28a7fe2fc

&ei=5070&emc=eta1andtheWallStreetJournal:http://online.wsj.com/article/

SB119881134406054777.html.

http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2010/03/29/university‐installs‐fences‐campus‐

bridges

http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2010/09/02/cornell‐selects‐architect‐permanent‐

bridge‐barriers

http://cornellsun.com/section/opinion/content/2010/04/05/way‐forward

128 5. Student Admissions and Supports

Table 5.5. Students living in university-owned campus housing, fall 2010

Year

Studentsin

universityhousing

Freshmen 99%

Sophomores 56%

Juniors 26%

Seniors 11%

Graduate/professional 11%

Cornellmanagesapproximately6,370undergraduatebedsintraditional

residencehalls,programhouses,andthehousesystemonWestCampus,

withabout160additionalbedsinuniversity‐ownedcooperativehouses.

Freshmenaswellassophomoreswhowanttoliveoncampusare

guaranteedhousing,asaretransferstudentsoncampusforthe

firsttime.

Asmallernumberofbedsareavailabletoupper‐levelstudents.

Evidencedescribedinthe2009HousingMasterPlan

suggeststhat

Cornelldoesnotmeetstudentdemandforon‐campuslivingandthat

undergraduatesfindthehousinglotteryadauntingandstressful

process.Giventherecentsubstantialinvestmentsinhousingoncampus

coupledwiththecurrentfiscalenvironment,however,itseemsunlikely

thatCornellwillcommittosubstantiallyincreasing

thenumberofon‐

campusbedsintheshortterm.

North and West Campus Residential Initiatives

AsdescribedinChapter1,“IntroducingCornellUniversity,”programs

createdonbothNorthandWestCampusesoverthelastdecadeare

designedtopromoteandsupportstudentengagementwiththe

intellectuallifeoftheuniversity.Theseprogramscreateopportunitiesfor

studentstoparticipateinthegovernanceanddirectionoftheirliving



communities,tointeractinmeaningfulwayswithfaculty,toengagein

service,andtobuildcommunitywithintheresidentialenvironment.The

“living‐learningenvironment”establishedbytheseprogramsisdescribed

morefullyinChapter7,“EducationalOfferings.”



https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=293

5. Student Admissions and Supports 129

TheNorthCampusandWestCampusResidentialInitiativeseachhavean

explicitresearchandevaluationcomponent.OnNorthCampus,astaff

positionhasbeendedicatedtoanalyzingdataaboutvariousaspectsofthe

residentialinitiative.OnWestCampus,beginningin2005,theWest

CampusResearchandEvaluationCommittee(WC‐REC)created

a

researchandevaluationplandrawingonageneralmodelofstudent

developmentandlinkingdataanalysisofinstitutionalsurveys(suchasthe

EnrolledStudentSurvey,theHousingChoiceSurvey,orotherCornell‐

administeredsurveys)tothegoalsofWestCampus.AsWestCampus

matures,weanticipatebuildingamore

robustandcomprehensivebodyof

evidencetodescribeandassesstheresidentialexperience.

Inaddition,

senioradministratorsandtrusteesperiodicallyrequestscheduledorad

hocreviewsofresidentiallife,includingreviewsofCornell’s program

housesandtheGreekhouses.

Greek Life

Cornell’sGreeksystemhasbeenanintegralpartoftheresidential

communitysincesixfraternalsocietieswereestablishedin1868,theyear

thattheuniversityadmitteditsfirststudents.In1881thefirstsororitywas

establishedatCornell.Todayapproximately30%ofundergraduatesare

membersofchapterswithintheInterfraternityCouncil,

Panhellenic

Council,orMulticulturalGreekLetterCouncil.Cornell’scurrentGreek

systemisoneofthelargestinthecountry,with65chaptersand49

residences.Notallmembersliveinofficialfraternityorsororityhouses,

butGreekswholiveinindependentoff‐campusresidencessometimes

clustertogetherinapartmentsor

housesthatbegintoresemblesatellite

facilities.

Cornelladministrationshaveconsistentlyaffirmedtheirsupportforthe

Greeksystemasavaluedresidentialoptionforundergraduates.Through

theOfficeofFraternityandSororityAffairs(reportingtothedeanof

students),theuniversityofficiallyrecognizeschaptersandprovidesstaff



See“WhatDoWeKnowAboutHowOurResidentialProgramsAreWorkingandIssuesforthe

Future”(PresentedtotheTrusteeCommitteeonStudentLife,January24,2008)

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=438.

and“SophomoreYearExperiencesoftheFirstSophomoreCohortinAliceH.CookHouse,”p.6.

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=437.

130 5. Student Admissions and Supports

toadvisethesystem.Therelationshipmaybecharacterizedasa

partnershipbetweentheuniversityandthe65self‐governedsmall

residentialcommunities.GreeklifeatCornellhaspromotedstudent

initiativeandcreatedimportantleadershipopportunitiesforitsmembers,

buttheuniversity’sinfluenceonthequalityoffraternityandsorority

experience

islimited.

TheGreeksystemcanprovideopportunitiesforleadershipdevelopment 

andcommunityservice,andmembershipcanfosterasenseofconnection

thatmayotherwisebedifficulttoestablishwithinCornell’slargestudent

body.Thesocialtiescreatedthroughfraternityorsororitylifecanbethe

mostmeaningfulformembers

duringtheirundergraduateyearsandoften

persistwellbeyondgraduation.Atthesametime,thesystemhasdeep‐

rootedculturalproblems—hardlyuniquetoCornell: 



Hazing.Sixchaptershavebeenfoundresponsibleforhazing

duringthepastdecade.





Compromisedacademicachievement.AnalysisfromtheOfficeof

InstitutionalResearchandPlanningfoundthatthegradepoint 

averagesofmalestudentsengagedintheGreek“rush”period

(primarilyduringthespringofthefreshmanyear)decline

significantly.Further,theGPAsofthosemenwhojoinfraternities

donotrebound

andremainlowercomparedtomalenon‐members

throughouttheirundergraduateeducation(GPAsofsorority

members,bycontrast,donotdiffersignificantlyfromnon‐

members).





Drugandalcoholabuse.High‐riskdrinking,otherdruguse,and

relatedconsequences(e.g.,vandalism,drunkdriving)occuramong

fraternityandsororitymembersattwotothreetimesthelevel

reportedbynon‐members.





See“FraternityandSororityCommitteeOne‐YearProgressReport,”

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=527

See“CreatingChaptersofExcellence”athttp://author.dos.cornell.edu/dos/cms/greek/

info_for_students/chapters_excellence/index.cfm.

See“BehaviorsAmongCornellFraternityandSororityMembers”at

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=528

5. Student Admissions and Supports 131

Inresponsetotheseandrelatedfindings,studentandalumnileaders

workedwithuniversityofficialsonaplanforaddressingchallenges

withintheGreeksystembeginninginthefallof2009.

Theseefforts

complementthesystem’sCreatingChaptersofExcellenceinitiative

launchedin2003toincreasementoringofchaptermembers,fostercultural

andeducationalprogramming,andimprovechapteroperations.

InOctober2010,theBoardofTrusteesamendedtheexistingRecognition

PolicyforFraternitiesandSororities

suchthatrecognizedorganizations



Shallrefrainfromusing,furnishing,orhavingalcoholandother

drugspresentduringtherecruitment,education,initiation,or

intakeofnewmembers;



Willnotimplementortoleratehazing,asdefinedbytheCampus

CodeofConduct,inanyform,atanytime;and



Shallcomplywiththeinitiationdeadlinedeterminedbythe

Universityeachsemester.

Residential Experiences of Transfer Students

Althoughtransferstudentsaresmoothlyintegratedintotheacademiclife

oftheuniversity,theirintegrationintothecampuscommunitythrough

theirresidencelifeexperienceischallenging.Studentleadersamong

transferstudentshavecriticizedtheclosingoftheTransferCenter(a

residentialfacilityspecificallyfortransferstudents)in2007–2008.Priorto

its

closing,94%ofstudentswholivedinthehousereportedapositiveor

somewhatpositivefirst‐yearlivingexperience,whileonly64%oftransfer

studentswhomatriculatedintheyearaftertheclosingresponded

similarly.Effortsto“block”transfersingroupsofsixonWestCampus

havenotassuagedthe

concernsoftransfer‐studentleaders,whocontinue

toadvocateforareturntoaTransferCenterlocatedoncentralcampus.

Thus,thepictureismixed,withtransfersexpressinghighsatisfactionwith

theeducationandadvisingtheyreceiveatCornellbutalsopushingfora

dedicatedresidencehallwheretheycansocialize

withothersfacing



“Call2ActionSummit”https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=546

Seehttp://dos.cornell.edu/cms/greek/upload/RECOGNITION‐POLICY.pdfand

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=564.

132 5. Student Admissions and Supports

similarchallenges.Moreeffortshouldbefocusedonprovidingstronger

socialsupportforthesestudents.

Housing of Graduate and Professional Students

Cornellpresentlyprovideson‐campushousingforarelativelysmall

percentageofitsgraduateandprofessionalstudents.InOctober2010only

778(11.4%)ofthe7004graduateandprofessionalstudentswerelivingon

campus.(Comparablefiguresfrom2008–2009are74%atPrinceton,58%at

Stanford,and22%atYale.)Ithas

longbeenCampusLife’splantoprovide

additional,up‐to‐datehousingforgraduateandprofessionalstudents.The

universityiscurrentlyexaminingcreativemeanstoachievethatvision

withinresourceconstraints,andisexploringthepossibilityofpublic‐

privatepartnerships.



5.5 Student Grievances and Privacy Protections

Theuniversity’sfoundationalpoliciesaddressingintegrityandethical

behavioraretheCampusCodeofConductandtheCodeofAcademic

Integrity.ViolationsoftheCampusCodeofConduct—assaults,thefts,

etc.—areadjudicatedthroughtheOfficeoftheJudicialAdministrator.

Academicgrievances—allegedplagiarismorcheating, forexample—are

governedundertheCodeofAcademic

Integrity,

whichisadministered

byanacademicintegrityboardineachcollege.Afulldescriptionofthese

proceduresandtheroleoftheOfficeoftheUniversityOmbudsmanis

giveninChapter4,“Integrity,Governance,andAdministration.”

Forundergraduates,thesemechanismsprovidesatisfactorywaysto

addressgrievancesandappealjudgments.However,

thespecial

conditionsofgraduateeducation—inwhichstudents’circumstancescan

betiedquitecloselytoindividualfacultymembers—requireadditional

procedures.



Seehttp://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/AIC.html

5. Student Admissions and Supports 133

5.5.1 Graduate School Grievance Procedures

TheGrievanceProcedureforGraduateStudentsRelatingtoGraduate

EducationandSupport

providesamechanismfordealingwithmost

grievancesinvolvinggraduatestudentsandfacultymembers.Themost

frequentissuebroughttothegrievanceprocedureisresignationofa

specialcommitteechairresultinginterminationofastudentfroma degree

program.Theproceduremayalsobeusedtoaddressmattersof

academic

integrity,remunerationissues,allegedviolationsofwritten agreements

andguidelines,andissuesofjointpublication.

Thegrievanceprocessbeginswithinformalstepsbytheaggrievedperson: 

speakingtothesourceofthegrievance,contactingthedirectorofgraduate

studies,andconsultingwiththedeanoftheGraduateSchool.Ifthese



stepsdonotleadtoresolution,theaggrievedparty(eitherastudentora

facultymember)refersthecasetotheGraduateGrievanceReviewBoard.

Thefive‐memberboard(twograduatestudents,twofaculty,andafaculty

chair)issuesarecommendationtotheprovost,whoserulingisfinal.

Thegrievance

procedureisreadilyavailableinGraduateSchoolprint

publicationsandontheGraduateSchoolwebsite.Inaddition,whena

specialcommitteechairresignsfromastudent’scommittee,thestudent

receivesaletterfromtheGraduateSchoolreferringtothegrievance

procedure.Students,however,seemtofindtheinformationlessthan

perfectly

clear,asFigure5.7indicates.

Thegrievanceproceduremaynothavebeengivensufficientprominence

withinpublicationsandwebsites.Anewsearchablewebsiteandanew

Living/Learningpublicationmayhelptomaketheinformationmore

accessible.

Whilethegrievanceprocedureoffersanappealsprocess,theinherent

powerimbalancebetweengraduate

studentsandfacultymayimpede

studentsfromfilinganofficialgrievance.Althoughsomestudentshave

successfullynavigatedtheprocessandcontinuedinthegraduate

program,thegrievanceprocedurefrequentlyintroducesanirreparablerift

betweenstudentandadvisor.Therisktostudentsisgreat:aninabilityto



Seehttp://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=125

134

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5. Student Admissions and Supports 135

WhileCornelltakesseriouslytheprivacyissuesrepresentedbyFERPA

andhealthprivacylawsandregulations,recentchangestohowFERPAis

implementedhaveallowedCornelltobemoreproactiveinhelping

studentswhoareexperiencingdifficulty.The“FrequentlyAsked

Questions”document

forPolicy4.5clarifieswhenandhowdefault

protectionsofconfidentialinformationshouldbeoverridden.For

example,inresponsetothehypotheticalquestion,“Mayinformationfrom

astudent’seducationrecordsbedisclosedtoprotecthealthorsafety?”the

supplementexplains:

Yes. FERPApermits the disclosure of information fromstudent

educationrecordstoappropriatepartieseitherinsideoroutside

ofCornellinconnectionwithanemergencyifknowledgeofthe

information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the

studentor otherindividuals.For example,ifastudentsends an



e‐mail to his resident advisor saying that he has just been

diagnosed with a highly contagious disease such as measles,

Cornell couldalert the student’s roommate, andperhaps others

withwhom thestudent hascome inclosecontact, tourgethem

to seek appropriate testing and medical care. Safety

concerns

warranting disclosure could include a student’s suicidal

statements or ideations, unusually erratic and angry behaviors,

orsimilarconductthatothers would reasonablyseeasposinga

riskofseriousharm.Thisexceptionpermitslimiteddisclosureto

a limited number of people… [for example,] professionals

trained to evaluate and handle such

 emergencies, such as

campus mentalhealth orlaw enforcement personnel,or college

dean who can then determine whether further and broader

disclosuresareappropriate.

TheFAQalsodescribesspecialcircumstancesinwhichtheeducational

recordsofdependentstudentscanbedisclosedtotheirparents/guardians,

eventhoughstudentsmaynothavegivenwrittenconsentforthe

universitytodoso.

Cornellhasspecificpoliciesfordatacustodiansanddatastewards,

consistentwithPolicy4.5,that

guidetheusesofdifferenttypesofstudent

information.Forexample:



GradesandPersonalInformation.Employeesoftheregistrar’s

officeandotherstaffrequiringaccesstopersonalinformation 



Ibid.

136 5. Student Admissions and Supports

followadetailedsetofpracticesstipulatedin“StudentData:

GuidelinesforUse.”

Thesepoliciesarecommunicatedtostudents

andtheirfamilies,incompliancewithFERPA,onanannualbasis

(see“StudentRecordPrivacyStatement:AnnualNotification

UnderFERPA”

).Relevantstaffarenotifiedofthesepoliciesand

practiceseachyearbytheregistrar’soffice.Facultyreceive ayearly

communicationfromthedeanofthefacultyviaemail.



HealthRecords.GannettHealthServiceshasawell‐developed

“CommitmenttoConfidentiality”

thatispostedonitswebsite

(viaalinkinthefooterofeverypage).Inthewaitingroomsofits

physicalfacilities,Gannetthasalsoposteda“NoticeofPrivacy

Practices”

and“PatientRightsandResponsibilities.”

The

Gannettconfidentialitypolicyisalsoprintedinmanygeneral

Cornelloutlets,suchaswebsitesfornewstudentsand

internationalstudentsandscholars,the“CampusWatch”brochure

oftheCornellUniversityPoliceDepartment,the“Cornell

UniversityTeachingAssistantsHandbook,”andafaculty

handbook,“RecognizingandRespondingtoStudentsinDistress.”

Parentsandguardiansareinformedofthesepoliciesthrougha

dedicatedportionoftheGannettwebsite.

Finally,protected

healthinformationisreleasedbyGannetttoothermedicaloffices

onlyafterpatientauthorization.Gannettemployeesreceiveannual

confidentialitytraining,afterwhichtheysignconfidentiality

agreements.(Gannettalsooffersregulartrainingforresidential,

studentservices,andacademicadvisingstaffonproceduresto

protectconfidentialityofhealthinformation.)



DisciplinaryProceedings.TheCampusCodeofConduct



stipulatesexpectationsandproceduresfordisciplinary



http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Fa culty/studentinfo.html

http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/records.html

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/gannett/cms/staff/confidentiality/

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/cms/staff/confidentiality/privacy.cfm

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/gannett/cms/staff/confidentiality/rights.cfm

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/for/parents/privacy.cfm

Seehttp://www.dfa.cornell.edu/dfa/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/

volumes/governance/campuscode.cfm

5. Student Admissions and Supports 137

proceedings.TheOfficeoftheJudicialAdministratoristhe

custodianoftherecordsofalldisciplinaryproceedings,and

SectionIII.G.4specifiestheconfidentialityoftheserecords.Unlike

healthrecords,noabsolutecommitmenttoconfidentialitycanbe

given.TheCampusCodeofConductspecifiesthecross‐cutting

obligationsasfollows.First,section

III.G.4.bstates:

All who are involved in the complaint, investigation,

hearing, appeal, and reporting processes are obliged to

maintain confidentiality of the proceedings, except as

otherwise specifically provided in this Code. They shall

protecttheconfidentialityofalljudicialrecords,exceptthose

records specifically referred to in Article II.B [which

provides illustrative examples].

 Copies of judicial records

shall not be released to outside sources without written

consent of the subject of such record, except as may be

requiredbylaw.

Second,sectionIII.G.4.cclarifies:

The University will take reasonable measures to ensure the

confidentialityoftheproceedingsandrecords;however,the

University cannot and does not guarantee that

confidentiality can or will always be maintained. The

University may disclose otherwise confidential information

when required by law, or when authorized by law and

necessary to protect

 the safety or well‐being of the

Universitycommunitymembers ortopreservetheintegrity

ofproceedingsunderthisCode.



138 5. Student Admissions and Supports

5.6 Recommendations

5.6.1 Admission and Retention

Cornellisproudofitscombinationofexcellenceandaccess,aswellasits

academicsupportstructuresandliving‐learningenvironmentsthathelp

supportandretainstudents,includingunderrepresentedminority

students.Werecommend



thatCornellmaintainneed‐blindadmissionsandthe

competitivenessofneed‐basedfinancialaidpackagesfor

undergraduate

students;



thatCornellcontinueandimprovesupportmechanismsdesigned

topromotetheacademicsuccessandretentionof

underrepresentedminoritiesatCornell,focusingnotsimplyonsix‐

yeargraduationratesbutonabroaderdefinitionofacademic

success.

Currentlytheuniversityallowsapplicantstodesignateaprimaryandan

alternate

college,butitisnotclearthatthisprocedureisbeneficial.We

recommend



thatCornellreassesswhetherCornellshouldcontinuetoofferan

“alternatecollege”option,consideringthevariouscostsand

benefitstotheuniversityandtotheapplicantsthemselves.

5.6.2 Support

Cornellhasmanystronginitiativesandpracticesthatfosterstudenthealth

andwell‐being.Werecommend



thatCornellcontinuetobeanationalleaderandinnovatorin

promotingthehealthandwell‐beingofstudents(undergraduate,

graduate,andprofessional)asafoundationforacademicandlife

success;providesufficientresources

forproactiveoutreachand

interventionandtimelyavailabilityofservicestostudents;ensure

thatfaculty,asteachersandadvisors,recognizetheimportanceof

studenthealthandwell‐beingforlearning,academicsuccess,and

5. Student Admissions and Supports 139

generalsuccessinlife;makethehealthandwell‐beingofstudents

acommunity‐wideresponsibility;andfindwaystofostereven

closertiesbetweenfacultyandstudents(throughimproved

advisingandacademicprogrammingonNorthandWest

Campus).

Asdescribedinthischapter,surveysindicatethatasignificantnumberof



studentsarelessthansatisfiedwiththeacademicadvisingtheyreceive.

Werecommend



thatCornellcontinuetoimproveacademicadvisingandin

particularexpandinstitutionalmechanismstoinvolve

undergraduatesinresearchwithfaculty;encouragefaculty to

involveundergraduatesactivelyintheirresearchprojects.

Cornell’scareerservicesforundergraduatesare

quitecomprehensive,but

theneedsofgraduatestudentsarenotfullymet.Werecommend



thatCornellfurtherdevelopcareerserviceprogramsforgraduate

andprofessionalstudents,particularlythoseinterestedincareers

outsideacademia.

Withregardtotransferstudents,surveyssuggestthattheiracademic

experiencesatCornellareexcellentbuttheir

socialandresidential

experiencesarelessso.Werecommend



thatCornellexaminethehousingissuesrelatedtotransfer

admissionpoliciesand,inparticular,evaluatewhether

guaranteeinghousingfortransferstudentsisessentialforsuccess

orwhetherremovingtheneedtohonortheguaranteeofon‐

campushousingmightexpand

thenumberoftransferstudents

whowouldtakeadvantageofaCornelleducation.



140 5. Student Admissions and Supports



6. Faculty 141

6. Faculty

Standard:

10: Faculty

Cornell’ssuperbreputationrestsuponthatofitsfaculty,acommunityof

“otherwise‐thinking”menandwomenwhohavefosteredexcellencein

teaching,research,outreach,andservice.

AsCornellstrivestowardeven

greaterdistinction,however,anumberofprioritiesemergewithrespectto

maintainingafaculty,“onefaculty,”adequatetoCornell’scomplex

institutionalmission,acrossallcolleges,programs,anddepartments.As

outlinedintheStrategicPlan,theseincludetheneedtorenewfaculty

ranksgivenanticipatedretirements

ofanagingfaculty;keepabreastof

anddealwithintensecompetitionfrompeerinstitutions;reducelossof

valuedfaculty;enhancediversity;andmitigatethedisadvantagesand

leveragetheadvantagesofIthaca’sstatusasarelativelysmall,isolated

community.

Inthefirstsectionofthischapterwegiveabroadoutline

ofthe

compositionofCornell’sfaculty.Oursecondsectionreviewsmeasuresof

facultyexcellenceinbothresearchandteaching.

Ourthirdsection,“’Faculty’BroadlyUnderstood,”considersthehostof

titlesanddifferingresponsibilitiesindicatedbytheterm“faculty.”The

rolesofCornell’slecturersandothernon‐professorialfacultymembers

have

beenseriouslyexaminedsincethelastaccreditationandself‐study,

andweaddresstheirimportantcontributionsinthissection.



“Otherwise‐thinking”ishistorianCarlBecker’sphrase,fromCornellUniversity,Foundersandthe

Founding,CornellUniversityPress,1943.

142 6. Faculty

Inourfourthsection,“Gender,Diversity,andWorkLife,”weanalyzethe

statusofethnicandgenderdiversityamongCornellfacultyandeffortsto

enhancethatdiversity.

Inthefifthsection,wefocuson facultyanduniversityresponsibilitiesand

thetoolsavailabletofacultytoincreasetheirunderstandingofuniversity

policies

andpractices.Wedescribeinstitutionalsupportforfacultyinthe

formofmentoring,thetenuresystem,andcompensation,andweexamine

boththephysicallinksandinterdisciplinarystructuresthatconnectfaculty

acrossCornell’scollegesandschoolsaswellasgeographicallyseparate

campuses.

Finally,in“Recommendations,”wehighlightongoinginstitutionalsteps

toassurefacultyexcellenceanddiversityaswellasspecific

recommendationsofthisworkinggroup.

6.1 Faculty Size and Composition

Theprofessorialfaculty—definedasassistant,associate,andfullprofessor

andincludingpart‐time,clinical,visiting,andactingappointments—on

theIthacacampusnumbered1,591infall2010,

andcloseto1,200atthe

WeillCornellMedicalCollegeinNewYorkCity.Forthedistributionof

Cornell’sfacultyamongthecollegesandunits,seeTable1.1inChapter1,

“IntroducingCornellUniversity.”Overthelastdecade,thesizeofthe

facultyhasremainedfairlystable,butonthe

Ithacacampustherewasa

modestbutsteadyincreasefrom1,516inspring2000toahighof1,639in

the2008–2009academicyear,followedbyaslightdeclineintheperiod

aftertheonsetoftherecession.

Whilesystemsofrankinguniversitiestendtopresentanover‐simplified

view,an

analysisoftheannualrankingsbyUSNews&WorldReportis

instructiveinunderstandingCornell’splaceinthetoptierofresearch 

universities,andtherelativesizeofourfaculty.Ranked15

overallonthe

listofnationaluniversities,Cornellwasranked16

withrespecttofaculty



Facultyherearedefinedasthethreeprofessorialranks(assistant,associateandfull)including

part‐time,clinical,andacting,butexcludingadjunct,visiting,courtesy,andemeritus

appointments.ThispracticeisinkeepingwiththeUniversityFactbookmaintainedby

InstitutionalResearch&Planning,http://dpb.cornell.edu/F_Factbook.htm.

6. Faculty 143

resources.Asisthecaseatmosttop‐tierinstitutions,nearlyall(98%)

Cornellfacultyarefull‐timeandnearlyall(98%)haveearnedthehighest

degreeintheirfield(typicallyaPhD).Cornellisdistinctamongthevery

eliteinstitutions,however,inmeasuresrelatedtothestudent‐facultyratio

and

toclasssize.Inthemostrecentrankings(publishedinAugust2010),

Cornellappearedwithastudent‐facultyratioof11:1.Bycontrast,Harvard

andPenn(rankednumber1andnumber2inFacultyResources)have

student‐facultyratiosof7:1and6:1respectively.Indeed,17outofthetop

20schoolsontheUSNewslisthavestudent‐facultyratiosof9:1orless.

Consistentwiththis,Cornellalsotendstoofferlargerclasssizesthanmost

oftheveryhighlyrankedinstitutions.OntheUSNewsnational

universitieslist,Cornellisoneofonlythreetop‐20schoolswith

lessthan

65%ofclassesenrolling20orfewerstudents.

AmongtheIthacafaculty,887(56%)arefullprofessors,416(26%)are

associateprofessors,and270(17%)areassistantprofessors.(Fora

discussionoftheseproportionssee“Tenure”under“Institutional

Support,”below.)Thedistributionbyrankisquitedifferentat

Weill

CornellMedicalCollege,withonly26%fullprofessorsand50%assistant

professors.Theproportionsofwomenandminorityfacultyareincreasing

onbothcampuses,asillustratedinTable6.1.

ReflectedinthefactthatthemodalfacultymemberontheIthacacampus

isafullprofessor,theIthacafacultyhas

agedsignificantlyoverthelast

severaldecades.Indeed,inhisOctober29,2010,StateoftheUniversity

Address,PresidentSkortonhighlightedthattoday’sfacultyis“theoldest

facultyinCornell’s145‐yearhistory.”

AsillustratedinFigure6.1,nearly

halfoftoday’sfacultyare55orover.Thiscomparestojustoverathirda

mere10yearsago,andjust25%intheearly1980s.Toreplacethosewho

willretireinthenearterm,thepresidenthasstatedthatweexpect

tohire

between800and1000newfacultyoverthenextdecade.Atthishistoric

moment,wearefacinganewopportunitytorecreatethefaculty,andwith

that,theinstitutionaswhole.





Atranscriptisavailableon‐line:http://www.cornell.edu/president/speeches/20101029‐state‐of‐

university.cfm.

144 6. Faculty

Table 6.1. Faculty headcounts and composition by gender and

race/ethnicity,

fall 2010 and fall 2000/2003



Fall2010

Fall2000forIthaca,2003forWeill

Rank

Head‐

count

%

Women

%

Minority

b

Head‐

count

%

Women

%

Minority

Ithacacampus

Professor 887 20% 11% 890 14% 9%

AssociateProf 416 36% 15% 383 32% 11%

AssistantProf 270 33% 24% 256 34% 20%

WeillCornellMedicalCollege

Professor 310 23% 10% 213 21% [15%]



AssociateProf 288 36% 18% 202 32%

AssistantProf 589 48% 15% 391 40%

Facultyaredefinedasthethreeprofessorialranksincludingpart‐time,clinical,andacting.

Adjunct,visiting,courtesy,andemeritusappointmentsareexcluded.

b

MinorityfacultyaredefinedasU.S.citizenswhoareAsian,Black,Hispanic,and/orNative

American.



Minoritycountsarenotavailablebyrankinthe2003dataforWCMC.However,15%ofall

WCMCfacultyatthattimeidentifiedasAsian,Black,Hispanic,orNativeAmerican.



Figure 6.1. Distribution of faculty by age, academic years 1990–2000

through 2009–2010



13%

18%

20%

16%

10%

13%

12%

16%

11%

10%

15%

20%

25%

<30 30‐34 35‐39 40‐44 45‐49 50‐54 55‐59 60‐64 65‐69 70+

Facultyage

1999‐00

2000‐01

2001‐02

2002‐03

2003‐04

2004‐05

2005‐06

2006‐07

2007‐08

2008‐09

2009‐10

6. Faculty 145

Theuniversityhasrecentlydemonstratedafreshcommitmenttorenewits

facultyinnumberscommensuratewithenrollmentgoals.InJune2010

PresidentSkortonannouncedtheestablishmentofaFacultyRenewal

Fundintheamountof$100million,halfofwhichistocomefrominternal

universitysourcesandtheotherhalf

toberaisedthroughphilanthropy.

Recognizingthefinancialchallengesfacingtheuniversity,thepresident

noted,“Weareatamomentofprofoundopportunity—withextraordinary

talentavailableatallranksandthebestmarketforfacultyhiringin

decades,withourpeerinstitutionshiringataquartertoahalfthe

normal

rate.Actingnowtoreplenishourfacultywillgiveusacomparative

strategicadvantageifweseizetheopportunity.”





6.2 Faculty Performance

Measuresoffacultyexcellenceandproductivitydemonstratethat

Cornell’sfacultyisexceptional.Forexample,Cornellhasrankednumber

12everyyearsince2003intheShanghaiJiaoTongUniversityAcademic

RankingofWorldUniversities,arankingthatisheavilydependenton

facultyexcellenceandproductivity.

IntheQSWorldUniversity

Rankings—anotherrankingrelyingonmeasuresofscholarlyimpact—

Cornellwasnumber16in2010andnumber15in2009.



6.2.1 Excellence in Research

Cornellfacultymembershaveearnedrecognitionineverymajorcategory

ofawardanddistinctionintheworld.EighteencurrentorformerCornell

facultyhavewontheNobelPrize(notincludingA.D.White Professors‐at‐

Large).

Thirty‐ninearemembersoftheNationalAcademyofSciences.

Twenty‐threearemembersoftheNationalAcademyofEngineering.



http://www.cornell.edu/president/speeches/20100612‐reunion‐address.cfm

ThisrankingemphasizesNobelPrizes,FieldsMedals,highlycitedresearchers,andpaper

counts.Themostrecentresultsareonline:http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010.jsp.

Inadditiontomeasuresofacademicreputation,thisrankingemphasizescitationcounts.The

mostrecentresultsareonline;http://www.topuniversities.com/university‐rankings/world‐

university‐rankings/2010.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/campus/Nobel_Laureates_at_CUk1.shtml.

146 6. Faculty

EighteenhavebeeninductedintotheInstituteofMedicine.Sevenhave

wonthePresident’sNationalMedalofScience.Eachyear,fourorfive

CornellfacultymembersareelectedtotheAmericanAcademyofArtsand

Sciences.In2009alone,13wereelectedtotheAmericanAssociationfor

theAdvancementofScience.

CornellfacultymembershavewonPulitzer

Prizes,MacArthurFoundation“genius”awards,Guggenheimfellowships,

RussellSagefellowships,NationalEndowmentfortheHumanities

fellowships,HowardHughesawards,theCrafoordPrize,theTuring

Award,theFieldsMedal,FulbrightFellowships,andotherstoonumerous

tolisthere.Theirdistinctionextendstobelongingtolearned

societies,

servingoncommissionsandasofficersofprofessionalorganizations,

receivingnationalgrantsandfunding,filingpatents,andreceiving

nationalteachingawards.

CornellUniversityfacultymembersarehighlycitedinprofessional

journalsandotherliterature,including54facultymembersnamedas

“highlycitedresearchers”byISIHighlyCited.comofThomsonReuters.

Thisstanding

honorsthemosthighlycitedauthorsfortheperiodfrom

1984to2007withineachof21broadsubjectcategoriesinlifesciences,

medicine,physicalsciences,engineering,andsocialsciences.

A

November2010reportfromThomsonReuterslistedCornellasthe14



mostprolificAmericanuniversityforthefive‐yearperiod2005–2009.



Cornellfacultyreceiveanimpressiveleveloffunding(forexample,see

Table6.2)andrecognitionfortheirresearchactivities.

Cornellexpended

$192millioninfundingfromtheDepartmentofHealthandHuman

ServicesinFY2009,and$115millionfromtheNationalScience

Foundation.Overthelastdecade,Cornellhasconsistentlyrankedinthe

topthreeamongresearchuniversitiesintotalNSFgrantawards

(seealso

Table6.3).Inaddition,Cornellannuallyranksinthetop10U.S.

universitiesinnewtechnologiesandnumberofpatentsissued.Infiscal

2009,Cornellfacultyreceived13NSFFacultyEarlyCareerDevelopment

Awards(thesecondhighesttotalinthenation),twoPresidentialEarly



Someofthesefacultymembershavesubsequentlypassedaway,retired,orleftCornell.

TheNovember2010report,“GlobalResearchReport:UnitedStates,”isavailableon‐line:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=406.

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=295

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=296

6. Faculty 147

CareerAwards,andtwoDepartmentofEnergyEarlyCareerResearch

Awards.



Table 6.2. Twenty institutions reporting the largest FY 2009 R&D

expenditures, ranked by FY 2009 amount

2009

Rank

Inmillionsofdollars

Institution FY09 FY08 FY07

1 JohnsHopkins

 1,856 1,681 1,554

2 U.Michigan(allcampuses) 1,007 876 809

3 U.Wisconsin,Madison 952 882 841

4 UC‐SanFrancisco 948 885 843

5 UC‐LosAngeles 890 871 823

6 UC‐SanDiego 879 842 799

7 DukeU. 805 767 782

8 U.Washington 778 765 757

9 PennState(allcampuses) 753 701 652

10 U.Minnesota(allcampuses) 741 683 624

11 MIT 736 660 614

12 U.Pennsylvania 727 708 648

13 OhioState(allcampuses) 716 703 720

14 Stanford 704 688 688

15 UC‐Davis 682 643 601

16 CornellUniversity 671 654 642

17 UC‐Berkeley 652 592 552

18 U.Colorado(allcampuses) 648 536 528

19 UNC‐ChapelHill 646 526 477

20 TexasA&M 631 582 544

TheJohnsHopkinsUniversityincludestheAppliedPhysicsLaboratory,with

$778million,$845million,and$978millionintotalR&DexpendituresinFY2007–

09,respectively.

Cornell’sNationalAstronomyandIonosphereCenter(NAIC)arereported

separatelyandnotincludeabove.

SOURCE:“InfoBriefSRS”,NationalScienceFoundation,DirectorateforSocial,

Behavioral,and

EconomicSciences,September2010,NSF10‐329.

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf10329/nsf10329.pdf





Ibid.

148 6. Faculty

Table 6.3. Top 10 Funding Award Recipients from the National Science

Foundation, Fiscal Years 2008-2010

Fiscal

year

Institution

Funding

(inthousands)

Number

ofgrants

2010  

 NationalOpticalAstronomyObs. $234,312 10

 U.Illinois‐Urbana‐Champaign $184,929 346

 UniversityCorp.forAtmosphericRes $153,976 41

 Raytheon $130,897 1

 UC‐Berkeley $125,872 339



CornellUniversity $119,810 278

 Caltech $116,506 114

 Nat.RadioAstronomyObs. $111,183 6

 DeptofDefense $95,538 1

 Consortium

forOceanLeadership $94,637 6

2009  

 U.Alaska‐Fairbanks $204,425 116

 ConsortiumforOceanLeadership $202,793 6



CornellUniversity $177,709 327

 U.Illinois‐Urbana‐Champaign $167,474 402

 Raytheon $167,144 1

 Nat.RadioAstronomyObs. $149,076 8

 UniversityCorp.forAtmosphericRes $145,468 49

 Caltech $142,614 150

 U.

Wisconsin‐Madison $122,859 358

 UC‐Berkeley $120,513 402

2008  

 Nat.RadioAstronomyObs. $155,333 7

 Raytheon $147,915 1



CornellUniversity $127,786 304

 UniversityCorp.forAtmosphericRes $111,428 37

 Caltech $106,278 133

 U.Illinois‐Urbana‐Champaign $102,331 353

 UC‐Berkeley $89,477 344

 U.Wisconsin‐Madison $89,256

298

 U.Washington $81,757 345

 DeptofDefense $81,021 1

WhilethereisnoquestionthattheCornellfacultyisofanexceptional

caliberoverallanditiseasytofindmanyinstancesoffacultyexcellence

acrosstheuniversity,theuniversitycoulddomoresystematicallytotrack

andmonitorfacultyproductivity.Likesomanyotheraspectsofthe

university,measures

ofscholarshipandscholarlyimpacttendtobefound

6. Faculty 149

withinthecollegesandlargelyabsentcentrally.Forexample,anumberof

collegesuseacommercialproduct,ActivityInsight,

togenerateannual

reportsandmonitorproductivity.Thissystem—andotherfunctionally

similarsystems—arenotdirectlyavailabletotheprovostortotheofficeof

InstitutionalResearchandPlanning.

Severaloftheacademictaskforcesestablishedaspartofstrategic

planningin2009(seeChapter1,“IntroducingCornellUniversity”)

identifieda

needforamorerobustsystemofpost‐tenure(andpost‐

promotion‐to‐full)performancereview.Whileacademicunitsbear

primaryresponsibilityforexecutingthistask,theprovosthasestablished

theclearexpectationthatallunitsmustconductanannualreviewfor

everyfacultymember,thattheannualreviewmustinclude

cleardata‐

basedindicators(suchasthenumberofpublications),andthatsalary

increaseswillbetiedtothesemeasuresofperformanceandotherwise

meetingestablishedexpectations.

6.2.2 Excellence in Teaching

CornellrewardsitsbesttenuredteacherswiththeStephenH.Weiss

PresidentialFellowsAward.EstablishedbytheBoardofTrusteesin1992,

theawardrecognizestenuredfacultywhohaveasustainedrecordof

effective,inspiring,anddistinguishedteachingofundergraduatestudents.

WeissFellowsreceive$5,000ayearforfiveyearsand

holdthetitleaslong

astheycontinuetoholdaprofessorialappointmentatCornell.

Approximately50facultymembershavebeennamedWeissFellows.

Whilethisprogramisquiteadmirable,itrewardsonlyahandfulofthe

mostdeservingfaculty.ThereisaneedatCornell—asatmanyresearch

universities—for

moreconsistentpracticestoassurethehighestpossible

standardofteachingacrossallunits.Theoverallstructureforsupporting

teachingexcellencecouldbedescribedasinformalandnotwell

coordinated.Discussionsamongfacultyrevealdifferencesacrossunitsin

teachertraining,teachingassistantallocations,incentives,andawardsfor

teaching.Resourcesvarynot

onlyacrosscollegesbutfromde partmentto

department,evenwithinthesamedisciplinarygrouping.



http://www.digitalmeasures.com/ActivityInsight/

150 6. Faculty

Theuniversitytookavaluablestepin2008whenitestablishedtheCenter

forTeachingExcellence(CTE).

CTEoffersservicesforbothfacultyand

teachingassistants,withprogramsdesignedtosupplementtrainingand

supportprovidedbyindividualdepartmentsorunits.CTE’sTeaching

AssistantProgramprovidesconfidentialindividualizedassistance,

seminars,groupforums,classroomobservation,microteaching,courses,

andworkshopsonteachingissuesandskills.Programsaretailoredto

meet

theneedsofundergraduateandgraduateteachingassistants,

graduatestudents,andpostdoctoralstudents.AnewMasterTAprogram,

supportedbytheMenschelFoundation,providescashincentivesfor

studentstoparticipateandcompleteacertificateprogram.Forfaculty,

CTEoffersindividualconsultations,classroomobservation,and

videotaping.Thecenteralsopresentsdepartment‐wide

workshopson

suchmattersascoursedesignandsyllabusdevelopment,assessment,and

documentingteachingandpeerreview.

Anotherentity,theKnightInstituteforWritingintheDisciplines,

coordinatesthetrainingoffacultyandgraduatestudentswhoofferFirst‐

YearWritingSeminars—classesdesignedbothtointroducenewstudents

toparticularfields

ofstudyandtohelpthemdevelopthesophisticated

writingskillstheywillneedthroughouttheirundergraduatecareers.The

graduatestudentswhoprovidethesecoursestofirst‐yearstudentsenroll

inWriting7100,TeachingWriting—acoursethatprovidesanoverviewof

theteachingofwritingwithinadisciplinarycontextandincorporates



readingsonpedagogicaltheoriesandpractices.TheKnightInstitutealso

runstheFacultySeminar,begunin1986,thatoffersincentivesforfaculty

memberstoreconsidertheroleofwritingintheircoursesandprovidesan

opportunityforfacultytodiscusstheteachingofwritingwiththestaff

specialistsofthe

KnightInstitute.



Therapidlychangingnatureofinformationaccessduetointernet

resourcescontinuallychallengesthefacultytointegratenewhardware,

software,andon‐linematerialsintotheirscholarlyactivitiesandteaching.

AcademicTechnologyServicesandUserSupport(ATSUS)isaunitwithin



http://www.cte.cornell.edu

http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute/

6. Faculty 151

CornellInformationTechnologiesthatprovideswide‐rangingservicesfor

faculty:



courseandresearchwebsites(includingthe“Blackboard”course

managementsystem),audiovisualpodcastingforinstruction,on‐

linesurveysandquizzes,coursecommunication‐collaboration

tools,i‐Clickerclassroomresponse“polling”systems,workshops

tosetupfacultyblogsandwikis;



individualand

workshopinstructiontohelpfacultyintegratethese

technologytoolsandpracticesintoclassrooms;



theAcademicTechnologyCenter,whichprovidesstate‐of‐the‐art

computersandcreativesoftwarelikePhotoshopandFinalCutPro,

aswellassupportequipmenttopreparemultimediacourse

contentforclassroomandlabina

web‐baseddeliverysystem,such

aspodcasts,audio,andvideo;



theFacultyInnovationinTeaching

program,whichsponsors

faculty‐initiatedprojectsthroughgrantsupporttohelpfaculty

designandincorporatenovelorbestpracticestoimprovelearning

withtechnology.Todate140facultyhavewongrantsandabout20

peryearareawardedthroughcampus‐widecompetition.

WhiletheCTE,KnightInstitute,andATSUSprograms

providemodelsof

teachertraining,Cornellcoulddomoretostrengtheninfrastructure,

providestaffsupport,addressassessmentprocedures,anddevelopmodes

ofevaluationforexistingandnewprograms.

6.3 “Faculty” Broadly Understood

Theprofessorialfacultyisresponsible,throughtheFacultySenate,for

governanceandtheoversightofinstruction.

Otheracademicpositions

thatfalllooselyunderthedesignationof“faculty”areacademicnon‐

faculty(lecturers,seniorlecturers,researchassociates,andsoon),



http://innovation.cornell.edu/

Fordetails,see:http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/handbook_main.html.

152 6. Faculty

postdoctoralfellows,emeritusfaculty,andprofessors‐at‐large.

Peoplein

thesepositionscontributevitallytoCornell’seducationalmissionand

instructionalprograms.

6.3.1 Non-Professorial Academic Staff

Non‐facultyacademicstaffnumbered1,126ontheIthaca campusin2009–

10,withanadditional190atWeillCornellMedicalCollege.Thiscategory

includesnon‐tenure‐trackinstructors,lecturers,andseniorlecturers;

teachingassociates;researchandextensionassociates;andlibrariansand

archivists.Whilemembersoftheacademicstaffdonot

belongtothe

UniversityFaculty(thefaculty’sconstitutivebody,represented

governmentallybytheFacultySenate),theyarelargelytreatedas

membersofdepartmentalandcollegefacultiesandparticipateindecisions

relatedtotheirrolesandinhiringatorbelowtheirranks.

Non‐tenuretrackfacultymembersservetheresearch,teaching,

and

outreachmissionsoftheuniversityinverydifferentwaysdepending

uponthetermsofappointment:asprincipalresearchers,clinical

associates,librariansandarchivists,visitingcritics,extensionassociates,or

lecturers,totakebutafewexamples. Academicnon‐facultydoagreat

dealofteachingacrosstheuniversity,servingas

primaryinstructorsfor

44%ofallundergraduateclassesinthefallof2009.

Insomecolleges,such

asArtsandSciencesandtheHotelSchool,theyteachthemajorityof

classesintheunit(intheformer,languagecoursesaccountforalmost18%

ofthosetaughtbylecturersandseniorlecturersinthecollege).

Whilemanyuniversitieshavewitnesseddramaticincreasesinthe

numbersofnon‐tenuretrackinstructors,Cornell’sfigure—about350—has

remainedfairlyflatoverthelastdecade.





Forthecompletelistofacademictitles,seepage27oftheFacultyHandbook,

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/handbook_main.html.

ConsistentwithdefinitionsoftheCommonDataSetpreparedandmaintainedbyInstitutional

ResearchandPlanning,sectionsandsubsectionsofcoursesarecountedas“classes.”Asingle

course(e.g.IntroductiontoChemistry)mayhaveseveralclasses(includingsectionsandlabs)

associatedwithit.Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=562.

FromtheFactbook,pleaseseehttp://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000248.pdffortheten‐year

trend.

6. Faculty 153

Inrelyinguponthesenon‐tenure‐trackfacultymemberstodoalarge

shareoflower‐divisioninstruction,Cornellisobligedinturntocodify

theirinstitutionalpositions,notonlywithrespecttooversight,evaluation,

professionaldevelopment,andintegrationintotheuniversity,butalso

withrespecttofundamentalissuesofcompensation

andrepresentation.

Ataskforcewasconvenedin2004toreviewtherolesoftheselecturers,

researchandteachingassociates,andotherstaffinlightofserious

considerationsaboutthechangingconditionsofuniversitylabor.As

describedinthefinalreport,

21

fourprinciplesguidedthedeliberationsof

thetaskforceandreflectasensibilitythatrecognizesdebatesanddisputes

overnon‐tenure‐track(NTT)facultyroles:

Qualityofinstruction,research,orpublicserviceisenhancedby

facultymembers’knowledgeandunderstandingofhowa

departmentorprogramfunctionsandofits

centralgoals.This

knowledgeisacquiredovertimeandrepresentsaformof

“workforcecapital.”Supportedbyexperienceandacademic

qualification,thisʺcapitalʺcancontributesignific antlytothe

effectivenessofNTTfaculty.Alltheseshouldbefactorsinhiring

andretentiondecisions.

Thedepthofagivenlaborpool

mayvaryconsiderablyovertime,

andtheonlywaytoguaranteeconsistentqualityofjob

performanceistohirefromanexcellentpoolandthentoassure

someformofjobsecurityandopportunitiesforprofessional

development.ConstantrotationofNTTfacultybringswithitthe

riskofhiresfroma

lessqualifiedandlessmotivatedpoolof

candidates.LongretentionofqualifiedNTTfacultyandsupportof

theirprofessionaldevelopmentenhancestheirstakeinandtheir

contributionstothelifeoftheinstitution.

MaintainingflexibilityisavalidreasonforhiringNTTfaculty,but

thevalueofthisvery

flexibilitymustbereflectedinadequate

salaries,appropriateprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities,and

arespectfulworkplaceclimate.



http://courses.cit.cornell.edu/sad4449/NTTF/NTTF_Report_082004.pdf



154 6. Faculty

Inthiseconomicclimate,nofamilysalaryissecondary,and

financialwell‐beingcannotbeassumed.Adequatesalaryand

resourcescontributetoaprofessionalworkplaceclimate and

permitNTTfacultytoperformtheirdutiestothebestoftheir

abilities.

Taskforcerecommendationsincludedincreasedopportunitiesfor

professionaldevelopmentfor

academicstaff,whichled,forexample,toa

CollegeofArtsandSciencesprogramgrantingasemester’srelieffrom

teachingforseniorlecturerswhosuccessfullyproposedwaystousethat

timetoimprovetheirteaching.Thisprogramwasshort‐lived,however,

duetobudgetconstraints.

6.3.2 Postdoctoral Fellows

Cornellcurrentlyhas775postdoctoralfellows,300attheWeillCornell

GraduateSchoolofMedicalSciencesand475ontheIthacacampus.



LocatedintheGraduateSchool,theOfficeofPostdoctoralStudies

providesgeneralinformationandreferralaswellasworkshopsandother

events,whilethesponsoringunits—morethan80ofthem—providemore

directsupervision,mentoring,andprofessionaltraining.Some

postdoctoralfellowsteach—forexample,thoseattheSocietyforthe

Humanitieswho

offeroneexploratoryorinterdisciplinarycourseduring

theiracademicyearinresidence.

Otherpostdocsprimarilyconduct

researchwithmembersoftheCornellfaculty.

6.3.3 Emeritus Faculty

SomemembersoftheCornellfacultyextendtheirworklivesbeyond

retirementbymaintainingactivescholarly,advising,andmentorshiproles

asfacultyemeriti.Cornell’spoliciesconcerningemeritusfacultywere

substantiallycodifiedforthosefacultyretiringafterJanuary1,1997,inthe

Provost’sPolicyStatementontheTransitionofFacultytoEmeritus



Status.





http://www.postdocs.cornell.edu.

http://www.arts.cornell.edu/sochum/courses_09_10.html

Theentireprovost’sstatementadoptedMay8,1998,asamendedJune17andDecember10,

1998,isavailableathttp://www.emeritus.cornell.edu/benefits/DMRTransitionToEmeritus.pdf.

6. Faculty 155

Thepolicy,draftedandamendedin1998,wasapositivestepforward,

addressingtopicssuchasofficespace,researchspaceforretiredfaculty

whomaintainanactiveresearchprogram,hire‐backarrangements,voting

rights,andtherighttoattenddepartmentmeetings.Inaddition,it

providedforthecreationofastanding

CommitteeonEmeritusFaculty

withineachcollegeandthefacilitationofservicerolesforemeritusfaculty

bytheCornellAssociationofProfessorsEmeriti(CAPE).

Oneseatonthe

FacultySenateisreservedforamemberofCAPE.



Thatsaid,theissueoffacultyretirementsbecomesmorepressingwiththe

agingofCornell’sfaculty.Cornellhasover600emeritusfacultymembers

atpresent,reflectingagrowthofabout10%overthelastdecade.In

addition,therearecurrentlyabout 250activefacultymembersoverage65,

upfrom

150infall2000andabout80in1990.Twelveyearsafterthe

articulationoftheProvost’sPolicyStatementontheTransitionofFaculty

toEmeritusStatus,thereisafreshneedtoassesstheroleofemeritus

facultysothatwemaybetterunderstandhowtoenlisttheirexpertise

during

aperiodofheightenedfacultyturnover.

6.3.4 A. D. White Professors-at-Large and Rhodes Professors

Twoprogramsbringdistinguishedfacultyvisitorstocampusandensure

thatIthaca’sgeographicisolationdoesnottranslateintointellectual

isolationforitspermanentfaculty.Theseprogramsrepresentongoing

waysofbridgingIthacatotherestoftheworld.

TheProgramforAndrewD.WhiteProfessors‐at‐Large

wasestablished

incelebrationofCornellʹsfirstcentenaryandnamedinhonorofitsfirst

president,withwhomtheideaoriginated.ThroughthissystemCornell

hiresnon‐residentprofessors,selectedfortheirdistinguished

achievementsindiversedisciplinesandwalksoflife,whovisitthe

universityperiodically.Upto20

suchvisitorsmayholdthetitleatany

giventime.Duringthesix‐yeartermofappointment,eachprofessor‐at‐

largevisitscampusforaboutaweekineachthree‐yearperiodwhile

classesareinsession.Amongtheiractivitiesarepubliclectures,



http://www.emeritus.cornell.edu/

Asdescribedhere:http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/handbook_main.html.

http://adwhiteprofessors.cornell.edu/description.html

156 6. Faculty

specializedseminars(typicallyinmorethanonefield),collaborative

researchwithfacultymembers,consultationonstudentthesesand

researchprojects,laboratorywork,andinformaldiscussionswithCornell

colleaguesandstudents.



TheFrankH.T.RhodesClassofʹ56UniversityProfessorship,

namedin

honorofCornellʹsninthpresident(1977–1995),wascreatedbytheClassof

1956.Rhodesprofessorsareappointedforthreeyearswiththepossibility

ofrenewalfortwoadditionalyearsandareconsideredfullmembersofthe

Cornellfaculty.Thepurposeoftheprofessorshipistostrengthenthe

undergraduateexperiencebybringingtotheuniversityindividualsfrom

everywalkoflifewhorepresentexcellenceofachievementandtocreate

opportunitiesforinteractionwiththeundergraduatecommunity.During

eachyearoftheirappointment,Rhodesprofessorsvisitcampusandare

typicallyinresidenceforaweek.Theyare invitedtoreside

inoneofthe

WestCampushousesandtospendmuchoftheirtimeinteractingwith

studentsthere,andtheygivelecturesorperformancesinalready

scheduledclassesaswellasfortheCornellcommunityatlarge.Cornell

appointedthefirstRhodesprofessorsin2000.Therearecurrentlyfour

Rhodes

professors.



6.4 Gender, Diversity, and Work Life

Theuniversityhasmadeaconsistentefforttomonitorandenhancethe

genderandracialdiversityofthefaculty,thoughchallengesinthisarea

persist.AtthecoreofCornell’sseriouseffortstofurtherincreasethe

diversityofitsfacultythroughrec ruitmentandretentionstrategiesarethe

CU‐ADVANCEProgram(which

grewoutofastudyoffacultyworklife, 

describedbelow),dualcareersupportontheIthacacampus,and

diversity‐relatedofficesinbothIthacaandNewYorkCity.



Thelistofallwhohaveservedcanbefoundathttp://adwhiteprofessors.cornell.edu/all.html.

http://rhodesprofessors.cornell.edu/ProgramStatement.html

6. Faculty 157

6.4.1 Faculty Work Life Survey

AtthedirectionoftheProvost’sAdvisoryCommitteeonFacultyWork

Life,asurveywasdevelopedandadministeredtoalltenuredandtenure‐

trackfacultynotintheirfirstyearinthefallof2005.Thesurvey,which

hada65%responserate,gathereddataaboutfacultymembers’feelings

abouttheir

workandCornell’ssupportofit,aswellastheirlevelof

generalsatisfactionwithlifeasafacultymemberattheuniversity.The

report,issuedinNovember2006,alsoexploreddifferencesbygender.



Overall,45%ofthefacultyrespondedthattheywere“verysatisfied”and

another32%saidtheywere“somewhatsatisfied”withbeingafaculty

memberatCornell.Thesefigureswerecomparabletoratesatotherelite

researchuniversitieswithwhomweexchangeddata.Ofsomeconcern

wasthefindingthatmen

weremorelikelythanwomentoreportbeing

verysatisfied.Similarly,womenreportedfeelinglessintegratedintheir

academicunits.Anin‐depthanalysisofthefactorsmoststrongly

correlatedwithoverallsatisfactionfoundthatmeasuresofintegrationor

senseofbelongingaccountedfortheoverallgenderdifferencein

satisfactionwith

beingafacultymemberatCornell.Differencesby

race/ethnicitywerenotstatisticallysignificant.

Asafollow‐uptothisstudy,arevisedversionofthisinstrumentwas

administeredinthefallof2010.Thesurveyagainenjoyedthestrong

supportandendorsementoftheprovost,andagainattaineda65%

responserate.Apreliminaryanalysisofthe2010dataindicatesthat

overallsatisfactionincreasedslightly,from77%to80%reportingthey

weresomewhatorverysatisfied—aparticularlyencouragingfinding

giventhechangestheuniversityisundergoingaspartofstrategic

planningandtheReimaginingCornelleffort.Further,whileagendergap



infacultysatisfactionremains,thegapin2010appearstobeslightly

smallerthanthegapobservedin2005(seeFigure6.2).

Amongthefindingsofthe2005FacultyWorkLifeSurveywasthatboth

menandwomenidentifiedspousalemploymentasafactorthatcould

causethemtoleave

theuniversity.Anadhocseriesofexitinterviews

conductedin2008underscoredthisfinding,inthatthesinglemost



http://dpb.cornell.edu/IP_E_Faculty_Work_Life.htm

158 6. Faculty

commonreasonformerCornellfacultymemberscitedforleavingwasan

unsatisfactoryemploymentsituationfortheirspouses.BecauseCornellis

afairlyruralareawith limitedopportunitiesforprofessionalemployment

outsidetheuniversity,thisissuemaybemorepressingherethanatmany

peerinstitutions.Asdiscussedbelowunder“DualCareer

Support,”

Cornellisseekingwaystoaddressthisconcern.

OntheheelsofthefirstFacultyWorkLifeSurveyandreport,theprovost

andasmallteamoffacultycollaboratorsweresuccessfulinsecuringa

NationalScienceFoundationADVANCEgranttoincreasethe

representationofwomenfacultyinthesciences

andsocialsciences.

Figure 6.2. Overall satisfaction with being a faculty member at Cornell,

data from the Faculty Work Life Surveys of 2005 and 2010,

by sex



100

Men Women Men Women

2005 2010

%Reportingtheyare…

somewhatsatisfied

verysatisfied

6. Faculty 159

6.4.2 CU-ADVANCE

CU‐ADVANCE

isafaculty‐ledcenterwhosemissionistoimprovethe

recruitment,retention,andpromotionintoleadershipofwomentenure‐

trackfacultyinthephysicalandnaturalsciences,mathematics,

engineering,andsocialandbehavioralsciences.ItbeganinNovember

2006withfundingfromCornellandfromafive‐year,$3.3

millionNSF

institutionaltransformationgrant.TheprincipalinvestigatorontheNSF

grantistheprovost,andthethreeco‐PIsareseniorfacultyinengineering

andthesocialscienceswhoareinchargeofprogrammingandevaluation,

respectively.

CU‐ADVANCEprovidesavarietyofprogramsandinternalgrants tothe

Cornell

facultythroughfourinitiatives.Therecruitmentinitiativeoffers

supportforscienceandsocialsciencesdepartmentsthatarerecruiting

womenfaculty.Aspartofthisinitiative,CU‐ADVANCEcollaboratedwith

CornellInteractiveTheatreEnsembletodevelopaDVDandworkshopon

bestpracticesinthesearchprocess;thisworkshophasbeen

seenby300

facultyatCornelland400outsideCornell.The“women’spowertools”

initiativeincludesavarietyofprofessionaldevelopmentprogramming

(e.g.,negotiation,leadership,grant‐writing,thetenureprocess,

networking)andgrantsforfacultyatvariouscareerstages.Theclimate

initiativeidentifieswaystoimprovedepartmentalandcampusclimatefor



womenfacultythroughchairtrainingandcommunity‐buildingeffortsto

reducetheisolationofwomeninsciencedepartments.Theevaluation

initiativemonitorsdataonfacultyoutcomes(e.g.,recruitment,promotion,

retention,salaries,start‐uppackages,space)andconductsresearchonthe

impactofdepartmentaldemographyonperceptionsofclimateandfaculty

turnover.

Afterfouryearsinoperation,CU‐ADVANCEhasmademeasurable

progresstowardthegoalofincreasingtherepresentationofwomeninthe

sciencefaculty.Asofspring2010,womenconstitutedatleast20%ofthe

facultyin31(of56)scienceandengineeringdepartments,upfrom26

departmentsin2006.

Inthesameperiod,Cornellhired51newwomen

sciencefaculty,foranetgainof35womenandanincreaseinthe



http://advance.cornell.edu/

160 6. Faculty

percentageofwomenfrom21%to23%.Elevenofthesenewhireswere

seniorwomen,reflectinganincreaseinthepercentageofwomenamong

newsenior‐levelhires.(Thepercentageofassistantprofessorhireswho

arewomen,bycontrast,hasbeenflatordeclining.)Othermajor

accomplishmentsoftheCU‐ADVANCE

programhavebeentoraise

collegeandchairaccountabilityfordiversityoutcomes,pushformore

“family‐friendly”policies(e.g.,bylobbyingtoeliminateLaborDay

classes),andcreateacommunityforwomenscientistsoncampus.

AsCU‐ADVANCEenters thelastyearofitsgrant,itisfocusingon

helping

departmentsmakethemostofscarcesearchopportunities,

developingprogramsthatwillfacilitatethe retentionofwomenfaculty

(e.g.,mentoring,climatechange),andfindingorganizationalhomesforits

mostsuccessfulinitiativessothattheywillcontinueafterthegrant

expires.

6.4.3 Dual-Career Support

Thehiringopportunitiespresentedbyupcomingfacultyretirements,

combinedwiththerelativelyremotelocationoftheIthacacampus,require

Cornelltodevelopinnovative,leadingpracticesindual‐careerrecruitment

andretentionwhileincreasingthediversityofCornell’sfaculty.

Cornell’sdual‐careerrecruitmentandretentioneffortsarecoordinated

throughtwooffices,depending

onwhetherthespouseorpartneris

seekinganacademicoranon‐academicplacement.Non‐academic

placementsarecoordinatedthroughtheCornellUniversityDualCareer

Program

(CUDCP)intheOfficeofHumanResources.Academicdual‐

careerplacementsarecoordinatedbytheseniorviceprovostforacademic

affairs.

CUDCPoffersjobsearchassistance,information,andsupporttospouses

orpartnersofallCornelltenure‐trackfacultyorprospectivefacultyaswell

asofhigh‐levelnon‐academic

staff.CUDCPservicesareavailableto

spouseswhoareconsideringmovingtoIthaca orhavemovedtotheIthaca

areawithinthelasttwoyears.Afterthetwo‐yearwindow,CUDCPassists

spousesattherequestoftheprovost,viceprovost,ordean;thisallowsthe



http://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/dual_career.html

6. Faculty 161

CUDCPtobearesourceinretention aswellasinitialrecruitmentefforts.

CUDCPisnottypicallyinvolvedwhenthespouseorpartnerisseekingan

academicpositionatCornell.Itdoes,however,belongtotheUpstateNew

YorkHigherEducationRecruitmentConsortium,whichoperatesa

centralizedjobbankforacademic

positionsinthearea.

SinceCUDCP’sfoundingin2001,ithashadatleastonecontactwith495

clients,ofwhom366havebeenspousesorpartnersoffacultyrecruits.Of

the495clients,295weredesignatedas“active”clients,meaningthatthey

didnotremovethemselvesfromtheCUDCP

program(e.g.,becausethey

foundjobsthroughothermeans,enteredself‐employmentorfull‐time

homemaking,etc.).Amongtheseactiveclients,246wereofferedjobsand

215acceptedthem,forasuccessrateofapproximately75%.

Thesestatisticsdonotincludedualacademicplacements,whichare

typicallyreferreddirectlytothe

seniorviceprovostforacademicaffairsby

therelevantdean.Themostcommonaccommodationforacademic

spousesofjuniorfacultyisatwo‐tothree‐year,non‐tenure‐trackposition; 

fundingforthesepositionsisoftensharedbetweentheOfficeofthe

Provost,thedepartmentorcollegemakingthefocal

hire,andthe

departmentorcollegethatishostingthespouse.Accommodationsfor

advancedjuniorandtenuredfacultyvarygreatlyandseemtodependon

therankandstatureofthefocalfacultyrecruit,theaggressivenessofthe

relevantchairanddean,thebudgetsituationoftherecruiting department,

andthe

budgetsituation,lineavailability,andteaching/researchneedsof

thepotentialdepartmentalhomeofthespouseorpartner.Wearenot

awareofanysystematicinstitutionaldataonthenumberorsuccessrates

ofdual‐academicrecruitmentandretentionefforts.Somechallenges

includethefollowing:



achievingequityinspousalor

partneraccommodationsacross

facultyofsimilarrankandstature;



achievingequityfordepartments.Itisharderforsmall

departmentstoaccommodatespousesorpartners,bothbecause

linesarescarcerandbecausemostofthesedepartmentshave

perforceadoptedstrategiesofwithin‐disciplinespecialization

(makingitlesslikelythattheunrecruited

spousewillbean

162 6. Faculty

intellectualfit).Itisalsothecasethatsomedepartmentsareasked

repeatedlytohosttrailingspouses.



dual‐careerissues,whichhaveaseriouspotentialtoundermine

diversity.Departmentsmay(intentionallyorotherwise)restrict

theirpoolto,orsimplyprefer,“moveable”candidates.This

criterioneliminatesahigherproportionofwomen

from

considerationthanmen,becausewomenacademicsaremorelikely

thanmentobe(a)partneredwithotheracademics,(b)partnered

withprofessionals(ifnotanotheracademic),and(c)havecustody

ofchildren,ifseparated.



ensuringeffortsaresufficient.Exitinterviewdatashowthat“dual‐

careerissue”isthe

mostfrequentlycitedreasonforavoluntary

departure.Theproblemisexpectedtogrowwithdemographic

shiftsinacademia.



preventingtheproblemfromreemergingaftertwoorthreeyears,

afterCornellhasmadeamassiveinvestmentinthefocalfaculty

member;



lackofsystematicdataortransparencyindual

‐careerretention

efforts.(Note:CUDCPhasbeencollectingdata,albeitnotina

searchabledatabaseoronethatcanbelinkedtootherinstitutional

data.ADVANCEisworkingwiththemtodeviseamoreup‐to‐date

database.)



turningdual‐career“problems”or“issues”intorecruitment

opportunities.

6.4.4 Offices Promoting Faculty Diversity

OntheIthacacampus,asdescribedabove,genderandethnicdiversity

amongfacultyisfosteredbyCU‐ADVANCEandbytheOfficeofthe

SeniorViceProvostforAcademicAffairs.

6. Faculty 163

WeillCornellMedicalCollegelauncheditsOfficeofFacultyDiversityin

MedicineandScienceinJuly2009.

Itsmissionistocreateapalpable

cultureofInclusiveness,DiversityandEquityinAcademicLeadership

(IDEAL)andtodevelopandsustainadiversefacultythroughrecruitment,

mentoring,promotion,retention,andselectionforleadershiproles.

Amongitsspecificgoalsareto



developandimplementstrategiesforsuccessfulrecruitmentof

a

diversefaculty



establisheducational,mentoring,andnetworkingprograms



assesstheacademicclimateforfaculty



compareWCMCdatawithnationalbenchmarkingdata



developprogramstoaddressidentifiedissues

6.5 Faculty and University Responsibilities

6.5.1 Faculty Responsibilities

Aprimaryresourceforfacultyseekinganunderstandingoftheir

responsibilitiesandthepoliciesandproceduresthataffectthemisthe

FacultyHandbook,a233‐pagedocumentmaintainedbythedeanofthe

facultyandavailableon‐line.

Generallyspeaking,thisdocumenterrson

thesideofinclusion,listingitemsthatseemofmarginalutility(suchasthe

comprehensivelistofauthorizedacademictitles)andrepeating

informationreadilyavailableelsewhere(suchasalluniversitypolicies

applicabletofaculty).Yetevenwithallthatitincludes,thehandbookis

notcomprehensivewithregardtotheprocessesandexpectationsthat

stemfromthecentraladministration.Forexample,theprovost’sofficehas

establishedtheexpectationforthepeerreviewofteachingasakey

componentofthetenuredossier,yetnothingaboutthispracticeis



ForfurtherinformationonthefacultyofWeillCornellMedicalCollege,seethecollege’s

“ExecutiveSummaryReporttotheLCME,”December2009.https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=372

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/WEBHANDBOOK2010.pdf

164 6. Faculty

mentionedinthehandbook.Similarly,nothingismentionedabout

mentoring,evenwhiletheprovost’sofficehasaskedallunitstodevelopa

facultymentoringpractice.Institutionalsupportresourcesarealso

underrepresentedinthehandbook,whichincludesnomentionoftheCU‐

ADVANCEcenterorCUDCP,discussedjustabove.

Toredressgaps

inthehandbook,theprovost’sofficeregularlyproduces

supplementaldocumentationthatissharedwidelywithdeans,chairs,

and/orregularfacultymembersasappropriate.Forthemostpart,

however,thisdocumentationdoesnothavea goodpresenceontheweb.



Meetingsofalloftheuniversity’sdepartmentchairs—convenedbythe

seniorviceprovostforacademicaffairsatleastonceasemester—provide

anotherwayforcampusleaderstoexchangeinformation,procedures,

practices,andconcerns.Theprovost’sofficeisconsideringwaysto

improvethesystematiccompilationanddisseminationofexpectations

thatare

notadequatelyrepresentedinthefacultyhandbook.

6.5.2 Institutional Support

AsistrueofmanypoliciesandpracticesatCornell,themechanismsfor

supportingfacultyexcellencetendtobesomewhatdecentralized.

Tenuringratesandpracticesaswellastheresourcesavailabletosupport

facultyvarysomewhatbyunit

—generallyinwaysthatappropriately

reflectdifferencesbydiscipline.However,anumberofresourcesand

initiativesreachacrosstheuniversity.

Careerdevelopmentforfacultymembersandfacultyadministrators

beginswithorientationprogramsfornewfacultydevelopedanddelivered

bytheprovost’sofficeandbyindividualcolleges.Tosupplementthis

information,the

OfficeofHumanResourceshasdevelopedcurriculathat

addresstopicssuchasconflictresolutionandchangemanagement.A

dynamicunitwithintheOfficeofHumanResourcesisCornell’s

InteractiveTheatreEnsemble(CITE).

Throughdiscussion‐provoking



Butsee“ToolsforFaculty”and“ItemsofInterestforFaculty”ontheprovost’swebpage,

http://www.cornell.edu/provost.

Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=226fortenuringratesby

college.

Seehttp://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/career/cite_about.html.

6. Faculty 165

dramatizationsoffacultymeetingsandotherevents,CITEoffersprograms

onunintendedbiasinfacultyhiringandoninterviewingskills.These

programsarenowavailableonDVDandhavebeenmadeavailabletoall

membersoftheCornellfacultyaswellassharedwithotheruniversities.

Theseandotherprogramshave

generatedconsiderablediscussionof

diversity,personnelmanagement,andcooperationamongfaculty

members.Theseprogramsarewidelyregardedashighlysuccessfuland

effective.

TheOfficeofHumanResourcesisalsotakingalargerroleinchairs’

training.Establishedthroughprogramssupportedbytheprovost’soffice,

startinginthe2010–2011academicyear

chairs’traininghasbecomea

nearlymonthlyeventandincludeselementsofleadershiptraining,skill

development,andinformationdissemination.Inaddition,several

colleges—includingAgricultureandLifeSciences, ArtsandSciences,and

Engineering—havedevelopedeffectiveprogramsandweb‐basedtoolsto

supportchairdevelopment.

OtherresourcestosupportfacultyincludetheCenter

forTeaching

ExcellenceandtheCU‐ADVANCEcenter,bothdescribedabove.

Whilemanyotherresourcesareavailableacrosstheuniversity,threekey

institutionalsupportinitiativesthathavecometofruitioninthelast

decadebearspecificmention:facultymentoring,fine‐tuningofthetenure

process(whichinvolveschangesinstigatedin

1997andcodifiedbythe

FacultySenate),andasuccessfulfacultysalaryimprovementprogram.

Mentoring and Career Development

Facultymentoringmatters,asdemonstratedrecentlybyaCornell

researcher.

Overthelastdecade,theprovosthasestablishedthe

expectationthatalldepartmentsshouldhaveanexplicitmentoring

program,buttheformofthatpracticevariesacrossunits.Bestpracticesfor

mentoringnewfacultyareavailablefordepartmentchairs ontheCU‐

ADVANCEwebsite,whichalsopostsmentoringguidelinesestablished

by

severalspecificunits,includingtheCollegeofEngineering,theCollegeof



January4,2010InsideHigherEdcoverageofthisresearchisavailableherehttps://middlestates‐

dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=410.

166 6. Faculty

AgricultureandLifeSciences,andtheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine.



Theseguidelinesclearlydetailthepurposesofmentoringandthe

responsibilitiesofthementor,juniorfacultyperson,andchairatcrucial

points(annualreview,third‐yearreview,tenurereview).TheVetCollege

guidelinesalsoincludeaprocessforevaluationofthementoringprogram.

Thereisnotcurrentlyamechanismin

placeforassessingtheeffectiveness

ofexistingmentoringprogramsacrosstheuniversity.

Tenure

Thetenurereviewprocessincludeselaborateformalprovisionsforreview

andappealtoensurecompliancewithuniversityby‐laws,policies,and

facultylegislation.

Asinmostinstitutions,theinitialreviewisconducted

bythefacultymember’sdepartmentandthenthecollege.Ifadean’sfinal

decisionisnegative,thefacultymembermayappealtotheUniversity

AppealsCommittee.Deansmayformadhoccommitteestoadvisethem

beforemakingtenurerecommendationstothe

provost.Theprovost

obtainsinputfromtheFacultyAdvisoryCommitteeonTenure

Appointments(FACTA)withrespecttoallprom otionstoand

appointmentswithtenureaswellasproposeddenialsoftenurebyadean

afterapositiverecommendationfromthedepartment.Theombudsmanis

availabletoprovideassistancetoafaculty

memberthroughoutthe

appealsprocess.

FACTAcomprises15facultymembersrepresentingthediversityof

Cornell’sunitsandfacultycomposition.Itsprimarymandateisto

determine,ineachtenurecase,“whetherthedocumentationandthe

evidenceinthetenurefilearesufficienttoshowthatthecandidatehas

demonstratedexcellencein

carryingouttheresponsibilitiesofthe

position,andunusualpromiseforcontinuedachievement.”

FACTA

advisestheprovostinanefforttoensurethatalltenuredecisionsare

consistentwithCornell’shighstandardsofscholarlyexcellencebutalso

thatnoindividualis“turneddownfortenurewrongfully,capriciously,or



http://www.advance.cornell.edu/mentoring.html.

Foramorecompletediscussion,seetheFacultyHandbook,

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/handbook/handbook_main.html.

FACTALegislation,adoptedbytheFacultySenate,November12,1997;amendedMay12,1999;

amendedOctober11,2000;amendedApril14,2004.

6. Faculty 167

withoutreferencetotheresponsibilitiesofthepositionorthemissionof

thecollege.”



Overthepastseveralyears,theprovost’sofficehasundertakento

strengthenandcodifyprocessesoffacultyreview,notonlytenurereview

butalsoappointmentandreappointmentofjuniorfacultyandpromotion

tofullprofessor.WhiletheFacultyHandbookexplainseachstepofthese

processes,theprovost’sofficehassupplemented

thatdiscussionwithtwo

recentdocuments:“AShortGuidetotheTenureProcess”and“TheRole

oftheDepartmentChairintheTenureProcess,”thelatteremergingfrom

aseriesofuniversity‐widemeetingsofdeansanddepartmentchairs

concerningtenureandothertopics.

Theprovostaskedchairstoreturnto

theirunitsfordiscussionof,atminimum,threekeyareasofreview:the

evaluationoffacultyteaching,proceduresforcapturingthesubstantive

viewsofthefacultyinthetenurefile,andissuesassociatedwiththe

closureofthefile.

Thecurrenthighproportion

oftenuredfacultyontheIthacacampus

(83%)ispartlyattributabletoahiringpauseasaresultofthebudgetcrisis;

withaggressiveeffortstorenewthefacultyasthekeypriorityofthe

StrategicPlan,thepercentagewilllikelydropincomingyearstoprevious

levels(roughly75%

fortheendowedcollegesand78%or79%forthe

contractcolleges

).Therateoftenureapproval,however,hasbeen

consistentoverthepastdecade:onaverage,roughlytwothirds ofthose

hiredinagivenyearwillultimatelyreceivetenure.

TheethosatCornell

haslongbeenthatwehirewiththeexpectationoffaculty meetingthe

tenurestandard.The“ShortGuide”notes:

“

Becausethehiringdecision

anticipatesthelongtermcommitmentofUniversityresources,itisdone

withgreatcare.Allhiresarebasedonthereasonablebeliefthatthefaculty

memberwillbeabletomeetthetenurestandard.”



Ibid.

Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=244and

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=246,respectively.

Forcomparativedataontenureratios,seedataextractedfromAcademehere:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=230andhttps://middlestates‐

dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=229

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=229

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=244

168 6. Faculty

Theuniversityalsocompilesexhaustivedataoncohortsurvival,by

college,bygender,andbyminoritystatus.TheprovostandBoardof

Trusteesannuallyreviewthesedatainadditiontohiringandtenure

decisionsacrosstheUniversity.



AtWeillCornell,thetenureprocessissimilartothatontheIthacacampus.

Facultyarereviewedbytheirdepartments,theCommitteeofReview,and

theExecutiveandGeneralFacultyCouncils.Therecommendationthen

goestotheprovostformedicalaffairsandthedean,and,ifrecommended,

totheBoard

ofOverseersforapproval.

However,WeillCornellfacultyappointments(otherthaninstructorsand

lecturers)aremadeoneightseparatetracks,asindicatedinTable6.4.A

detailedexplanationofthissystemanddefinitionsofeachtrackare

available.

IntheGraduateSchoolofMedicalSciences,facultydonot

followthesetracksbutretaintherankgivenbytheirhostinstitution.

Table 6.4. Weill Cornell Medical College faculty by track, December 2010

Track Total Fulltime Parttime

Tenure 555 522 33

Academic‐clinical 134 128 6

Academic‐research 33 30 3

Clinical 322 303 19

Research 70 64 6

Academic‐educator 28 24 4

Voluntary 94 23 71

Non‐professorial 11 11 0



Forexamplesoftheseanalyses,seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=225andhttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=226

Fortrackdefinitions,seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=414

andforcounts:https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=413

6. Faculty 169

Compensation

Cornell’spreviousDecennialSelf‐Studyidentifiedtheneedtoraisefaculty

salariestoremaincompetitivewithourpeerinstitutions.In2000President

HunterRawlingsandtheFacultySenateidentifiedandpublicizedagoal:

“toreachtheaverageofthepeergroups(selectedbytheFinancialPolicies

CommitteeoftheFacultySenate)

bytheendofafive‐yearperiodforthe

endowedcollegesandbytheendofasix‐yearperiodforthecontract

colleges.”Themulti‐yearplanextendedfrom2001–2002to2005–2006.

Intheendowedunits,overthefive‐yearperiodoftheplan,average

facultysalariesrose

eachyearbyapercentagerangingfrom7.0%to3.6%

(theplanwaspurposefullyfront‐loaded),withafive‐yearaverageannual

increaseof5.2%amongallfacultyand6.4%amongcontinuingfaculty.

Inthecontractcolleges,overthesamefive‐yearperiod(notingthatthe

goalallowedforasix

‐yearperiodforthecontractcolleges),average

facultysalariesroseeachyearbyapercentagerangingfrom7.3%to4.8%

(again,purposefullyfront‐loaded),withafive‐yearaverageannual

increaseof6.0%amongallfacultyand6.5%amongcontinuingfaculty.

Ontheendowedside,theendresultwasthat

in2005–2006Cornell’sfull

professorslaggedslightlybehindprofessorsatpeerinstitutionswhileboth

associateandassistantprofessorswereabovethepeeraverages.This

suggeststhatCornellbecamecompetitiveatthepointofhireand

promotion.Overall,theaveragefacultysalaryatCornellrosefrom89%of

thepeeraveragein

1998–99to99%in2005–2006.

Onthecontractside,in2005–2006Cornellwasslightlyabovethepeer

averageinallranks;thecontractcollegesmetthegoalofthepeergroupin

onlyfiveyears.Contractaveragesalariesrosefrom88%ofthepeer

averagein1998–99to104%in

2005–2006.

Somekeyobservationsregardingthesalaryimprovementprocess:



Thefacultygrewby57duringthefive‐yearplanperiod.



Approximately$9.7millionwasaddedineachofthefiveyearsto

fundthefacultysalaryincreases.

170 6. Faculty



Facultysalariesin2006accountedforapproximately13.5%ofthe

Ithacacampusoperatingbudgetcomparedtoabout12.7%in2000–

2001.



Theincreaseswerefundedbyacombinationoftuition,state

appropriations,andinvestmentincome.



Thirty‐fivenewendowedprofessorshipswereestablishedduring

thefive‐yearperiod.

Following

uponthesuccessofthisundertaking,thecurrentobjectiveisto

remaincompetitiveinthesetimesoffinancialcrisis. Asnotedearlierin

thischapter,thenew$100millionFacultyRenewalfundshouldenable

Cornelltoseizetheopportunitytohireoutstandingfacultyatatimewhen

manyqualifiedfaculty

areseekingjobs.

6.5.3 Linkages

Asalargeandcomplexuniversity,Cornellneedsmorebridgesspanning

ourmanyunits,departments,colleges,campuses,programsand

intellectualclimates.Boththebenefitsandthechallengesofbuilding“one

faculty”havebecomemoreacutewithbudgetreductions,mounting

demandsforfinancialaid,andothereffectsofthecurrentrecession.The



graduatefieldsystem,crossingdepartmentandcollegeboundaries,is

inherentlyinterdisciplinary.Otherlinkagesthatcontributemeasurably

anddirectlytothepromotionoffacultydiversityandexcellenceseemall

themoreimportanttofosteratthismoment.Recentsuccessfulprograms

involvingfacultyconnectionswithcolleaguesorwithstudentsinclude



the

LinkageProgram,

bringinggraduatestudentsfromIthacato

WeillCornellMedicalCollegeinNewYork,toworkwithWCMC

faculty;



Cornell’sCampus‐to‐Campusexpressbus

service,providing

directservicebetweenIthacaandManhattansevendaysaweek

withtwoIthacadepartureseachday;



http://www.intercampusaffairs.cornell.edu/grad_lnk_pro.html.

http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/coach/index.cfm

6. Faculty 171



theHunterR.RawlingsIIICornellPresidentialScholarsProgram,



enablingstudentstocollaboratewithfacultymentorsoftheir

choosingindesigningandplanninganindividualizedprogramof

research;



variousprogramsinservicelearning acrosstheuniversity;



theCollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciencesintegrationwiththe

GenevacampusundertakenbyformerdeanSusanHenry:merging

duplicatedepartments

intoasinglefacultyandestablishingbus

servicebetweenthetwocampusestofosterinteractionamong

facultyandstudents;



living‐learninginitiativessuchasWestCampus,inwhichfaculty

playakeyrole.

Interdisciplinarity

AtCornell,interdisciplinarityisanapproachfordevelopinginnovative

infrastructuresforaddressingchanginginstitutionalandintellectual

climates.TwooftherecentinitiativeshighlightedinChapter1—theNew

LifeSciencesInitiativeandtheSocialSciencesInitiative—actually

generatednewmodelsforfacultyrecruitmentandfacultycollaboration.

TheNewLifeSciencesInitiative(NLSI),extending

from2000to2007,

soughttochangethewaylifescience researchwasconductedandtaught

atCornell,withanewemphasisoncross‐disciplinaryworkinvol ving

largeteamsofresearchers.AmongthemanyachievementsoftheNLSI

werethehiringof73newfaculty,theestablishmentof68new

graduate

fellowships,andthecompletionofWeillHall.Thatbuildinghasbecome

thefocusforcross‐cuttingbiomedicalcomputationandengineering

research,aswellasthehomeofthenewWeillInstituteforCelland

MolecularBiology.Inaddition,theNLSIincludedthecompletionof

DuffieldHall,dedicatedtonanotechnologyand

nanobiotechnology.

Thenewfacultyhiredunderthecampaigninfusedlifescienceresearch

intotraditionallytop‐rankeddepartmentsatCornellsuchasphysics,

chemistry,computerscience,andappliedmathematics.Duringthistime,



http://www.commitment.cornell.edu/cprs/default.php

172 6. Faculty

thechemistrydepartmentchangeditstitleto“ChemistryandChemical

Biology,”arecognitionoftheNLSI’simpact.TheNLSI’ssuccesshas

broughtlargecohortsofbrilliantgraduatestudentstrainedinmath,

physics,andengineeringtoworkinlifesciencesatCornell.Theeffecton

thefacultyinthelifescienceshas

beeninvigoratingasthespiritof

interdisciplinaritydiffusesacrossthecampus.

TheimpetusfortheSocialScienceInitiativecamefromarecognitionthat

Cornellisuniqueamongtop‐tieruniversitiesintheextenttowhichits

socialscientistsaredispersedacrossmultipleinstitutionalunits.(Social

scientistsarefoundinat

leastsevencolleges:A&S,CALS,ILR,Human

Ecology,AAP,LawSchool,andJGSM.)Becauseofthisdispersion,many

ofthecoredisciplinarydepartmentsare25–40%smallerthanpeersin

privateinstitutionsand50–60%smallerthanpeersinpublicinstitutions,

makingitdifficultforCornelltoreapthefullreputationalrewardsof

its

strongsocialsciencefaculty.EffortsassociatedwiththeReimagining

Cornellacademictaskforcesareunderwaytoaddressthesesizeand

structuralissuesbyengagingthesocialsciencedeansmoreactivelyin

identifyingopportunitiesforincreasingcollaborationinthesocialsciences,

business,andmanagement.

ThecornerstoneoftheSocialScience

InitiativeistheInstitutefortheSocial

Sciences(ISS),whichseeks“toencouragecollaborationsamongsocial

scientistsacrossdisciplinaryandinstitutionalboundaries,toengagethe

Cornellcommunity—students,faculty,andstaff—indiscussionsof

cutting‐edgetopicsinthesocialsciences,andtoassistdepartmentsand

programsinretainingtopsocialsciencefaculty

andattractingnew

talent.”



TheISSengagesinthreemajoractivities.(1)“Themeprojects” bring

togetherfacultyfromaroundcampuswhoareinterestedinthesame

broadlydefinedtopic.Examplesofrecentthemeprojecttopicsinclude

“judgment,decision‐making,andsocialbehavior,”“persistentpoverty

andupwardmobility,”and“contentiousknowledge:science,social

science,and

socialmovements.”Teammembersreceiveresearchand

infrastructuresupportfromtheISS.(2)TheISSFacultyFellowsprogram,



http://www.socialsciences.cornell.edu/.

6. Faculty 173

offeredeveryfourthorfifthyear,providescoursereleasesandotherforms

ofsupportforespeciallypromisingearlyandmid‐careersocialscientists.

(3)Abiannualcompetitionprovidesgrantsofupto$10,000tofacultyto

initiatenewresearchprojects,collectdata,runconferences,ortravelto

meetwithcollaborators.

ISS

themeprojectshavesetthestageforongoingcollaborativeefforts

amongfacultyinthesocialsciences.TheCornellPopulationProgram

(CPP),forexample,isfundedbya$5millionNIHgrantthatemergedout

ofdiscussionsamongfacultyonthefirstISSthemeproject.TheCPPserves

astheintellectual

hubfordemographicresearchandtrainingatCornell

andinvolves68facultyaffiliatesfrom15differentdepartments.

TheSocialScienceInitiativealsosupportslongstandingsocialscience

programsandinstitutionsforfaculty,manyofwhicharefaculty‐led.

AmongthesearetheCornellInstituteforSocialandEconomicResearch,

theSurveyResearch

Institute,andtheBronfenbrennerLifeCourseCenter,

whichadministerstheCornellPopulationProgram,theCenterfor

TranslationalResearchonAging,andtheProgramonApplied

Demographics.

Boththelifesciencesandsocialsciencesinitiativesdemonstratethat

faculty‐ledeffortstointegrate,combine,andbuildbridges—inother

words,faculty‐ledinterdisciplinary

efforts—canprovidemodelsfor

facultyrenewalthatspeaktothespecificityofCornell’sstrengthsandtake

advantageofthisstrategicmoment.

6.6 Recommendations

6.6.1 Faculty Composition

TheFacultyRenewalFunddescribedinthischapterwillgre atlyassist

Cornellinstrategicallyfillingtheexpectedvacanciesdue toretirements

andinenhancingfacultystrengthsinkeyareas.Werecommend



thatCornellpreservethequalityandnumberofthefaculty

throughplannedhiring,renewingCornellʹsfacultyinnumbers



commensuratewithenrollmentgoals;

174 6. Faculty



thattheuniversitycontinuetodevelopinnovativehiringpractices

(clusterhires,dualcareerhires)andtoenhancediversityamong

thefaculty.

6.6.2 Faculty Roles and Professional Development

Cornellprovidesextensiveinstitutionalsupportforitsfacultyand

academicstaff,butopportunitiesforclarif ication,consistency,and

enhancementsremain.Werecommend



thatCornellcontinuetoofferprofessionaldevelopment

opportunitiesforallacademicstaff(ʺacademicnon‐facultyʺ)and

faculty;



thattheuniversityfurtherconsidertheroleofemeritus

facultyto

enlisttheirexpertise,co nnectiontoCornell,andcapacitytomentor

bothstudentsandjuniorfacultymembers;



thatCornelldevelopsharedandconsistentuniversity‐wide

supportforteaching;



thatCornelldevelopprogramsformorewidespreadmentoringof

juniorfacultyandconductassessmentoftheseprograms;



that

theuniversityexploreincentivesystemstorewardunitsthat

seekthebestintegrationoffacultymembers’identitiesas

researchers,teachers,advisors,mentors,andagentsofpublic

engagement.

6.6.3 Linkages

ConsistentwiththeStrategicPlan’semphasisonconnectivity,wesee

opportunitiesforcloserlinksamongtheuniversity’sfaculty.We

recommend



thatCornellcontinuetoexpandcollaborationsandlinkagesacross

departments,colleges,campuses,andprograms,withaparticular

focusonidentifyingandimplementinggreatercooperationand

collaborationamongthesocialscience

andbusiness/management

units.

7. Educational Offerings 175

7. Educational Offerings

Standards:

11: Educational Offerings

12: General Education

13: Related Educational Activities

Thischapterhasfourmajorsections.Thefirst—andlongest—focuseson

undergraduateeducation,broadlyconceived.BeginningwithCornell’s

university‐widelearninggoals,thissectiondescribestheundergraduate

curriculumandhowitvariesacrosscolleges,aswellasextra‐andco‐

curricularactivitiesthatsupporttheuniversity’seducationalmission.

Thesecond

section,“GraduateandProfessionalStudy,”firstexaminesthe

programsadministeredthroughtheGraduateSchool,concludingthat

Cornell’s“fieldsystem”andmodelsforfundinggraduatestudents

provideadequatesupportforsuperiorgraduateeducation.Thissection

alsodescribestheofferingsoftheprofessionalprogramsinlaw,medicine,

business,andveterinarymedicine.

“Off‐Campus

Study”describesthediverseopportunitiesforIthaca‐based

studentstostudyinotherlocations,withinandoutsidetheU.S.Whilea

plethoraofopportunitiesareavailableacrosstheuniversity,studentscan

finditdifficulttotakefulladvantageoftheofferings,especiallygiven

considerablevariabilityacrosscolleges.

Thesectiontitled

“Library,InformationTechnology,andInstructional

Facilities”underscoresthetremendousassetrepresentedbytheCornell

UniversityLibraryandhighlightstherelationshipsbetweenour

informationtechnologyresourcesandtheacademicenterprise.

Followingthesefoursectionsweoffer“Recommendations,”focusingon

theanalyticconclusionssuggestedinthechapter.

176 7. Educational Offerings

7.1 Undergraduate Education

Thislargeandcomplexinstitutionoffersmanyprogramsofstudytoa

diversestudentbody.Itisaninternationalleaderwithatraditionof

excellence,andithasadvancedarichlegacyinmanyfieldssinceits

foundingin1865.

Withsevenundergraduatecollegesoperatingwithinadecentralized

universitystructure,there

canbetendencytounderstandtheuniversityas

acollectionofcolleges.However,aCornelleducation isintendedtobe

greaterthanthesumofitsparts,andtheuniversityhasestablished

learninggoalstobeattainedbyundergraduatesinallprogramsand

majors.



7.1.1 University-Wide Learning Goals

CornellUniversityexpectsthatallundergraduates,throughtheircourses

ofstudy,shallattainproficiencyin



disciplinaryknowledge:demonstrateasystematicorcoherent

understandingofanacademicfieldofstudy



criticalthinking:applyanalyticthoughttoabodyofknowledge;

evaluatearguments,identifyrelevantassumptionsorimplications;

formulatecoherent

arguments



communicationskills:expressideasclearlyinwriting;speak

articulately;communicatewithothersusingmediaasappropriate;

workeffectivelywithothers



scientificandquantitativereasoning:demonstratetheabilityto

understandcauseandeffectrelationships;defineproblems;use

symbolicthought;applyscientificprinciples;solveproblemswith

nosingle

correctanswer



self‐directedlearning:workindependently;identifyappropriate

resources;takeinitiative;manageaprojectthroughtocompletion



Seehttp://www.cornell.edu/provost/assessment/learning_outcomes.cfm.

7. Educational Offerings 177



informationliteracy:access,evaluate,anduseavarietyofrelevant

informationsources



engagementintheprocessofdiscoveryorcreation:forexample,

demonstratetheabilitytoworkproductivelyinalaboratory

setting,studio,library,orfieldenvironment

Inaddition,theCornellenvironmentstrivestofostercollegiality,civility,

andresponsiblestewardship.Throughacademicstudies,andthrough

broaderexperiencesandactivitiesintheuniversitycommunityonandoff

campus,Cornellgraduatesshoulddevelopadeeperunderstandingof:



multi‐culturalcompetence:forexample,expressanunderstanding

ofthevaluesandbeliefsofmultiplecultures;effectivelyengagein

amulticultural

society;interactrespectfullywithdiverseothers;

developaglobalperspective



moralandethicalawareness:embracemoral/ethicalvaluesin

conductingoneʹslife;formulateaposition/argumentaboutan

ethicalissuefrommultipleperspectives;useethicalpracticesinall

work



self‐management:careforoneselfresponsibly,demonstrate

awarenessofone

ʹsselfinrelationtoothers



communityengagement:demonstrateresponsiblebehavior;

engageintheintellectuallifeoftheuniversityoutsidethe

classroom;participateincommunityandcivicaffairs

Thelearninggoalsoftheuniversity—aswellasthoseofthecolleges—are

publicizedinaprominentlocationontheweb.



7.1.2 Learning Goals of the Colleges

Eachoftheindividualschoolsandcollegesisresponsibleforenunciating

itsowneducationalgoals,whicharedescribedonthecollegewebsites,in

collegepublications,andontheuniversity’sassessmentofstudent



Seehttp://www.cornell.edu/academics/andhttp://www.cornell.edu/academics/goals/

178 7. Educational Offerings

learningwebpages.

Theseeducationalgoals,listedbycollegesin

alphabeticalorder,areasfollows:

TheCollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciencesexpectsstudentswillbeable

to



explain,evaluate,andeffectivelyinterpretfactualclaims,theories

andassumptionsinthestudent’sdiscipline(s)(especiallyinoneor

moreofthecollege’spriorityareasoflandgrant‐agricultural

sciences,appliedsocialsciences,environmentalsciences,and/or

lifesciences)andmorebroadlyinthesciencesandhumanities



find,access,criticallyevaluate,andethicallyuseinformation



integratequantitativeandqualitativeinformationtoreach

defensibleandcreativeconclusi ons



communicateeffectivelythroughwriting,speech,andvisual

information



articulatetheviewsofpeoplewithdiversepersp e ctives



demonstratethecapabilitytoworkbothindependentlyandin

cooperationwithothers

Architecture,Art,andPlanningexpectsitsstudentswill



beabletoaddresscomplexproblems 



comprehendtheirdisciplineandfield:historicallyand

globally



beabletothinkcritically



beabletocreatebothtechnicallyandimaginatively





beabletocommunicateeffectivelythroughwriting,speech

andvisualmedia



engagetheirfieldwithasocial,ethical,andartistic

perspective



bepreparedforaroleasworldcitizens

IntheCollegeofArtsandSciences,studentsacquire



http://www.cornell.edu/academics/goals/and

http://www.cornell.edu/provost/assessment/learning_outcomes.cfm

7. Educational Offerings 179



familiaritywiththeseveraldifferentwaysofknowingthat

arereflectedwithinthevariousdisciplinesandfieldsof

studywithinthehumanities,socialsciences,mathematics

andsciences



culturalbreadth,bothgeographicalandtemporal



effectivewritingandquantitativeskills



facilityinaforeignlanguagebeyondtheintroductory

level



imaginativeandcriticalthinking

TheCollegeofEngineeringexpectsitsstudents,intermsoftheirgeneral

abilities,to



haveabroadeducation,includingliberalstudies



beproficientinoralandwrittencommunication



beproficientininformationliteracy,i.e.,beabletolocate,

evaluate,andeffectivelyinterpret

claims,theories,and

assumptionsinscienceandengineering



haveexperiencewithteamwork



beawareofprofessionalandethicalresponsibilities

Intermsoftheirdiscipline,studentswillbewellgroundedinthe

mathematical,scientific,andengineeringskillsthatarethebasisof

theirdiscipline.Morespecifically,theywill



havetheabilitytodesignexperiments,toanalyzethedata,

andtointerprettheresults



havetheabilitytodesign,model,andanalyzeengineering

systems



havetheabilitytoformulateandsolveproblems



havetheabilitytousethetechniquesandtoolsnecessary

forthepracticeoftheir

discipline

TheSchoolofHotelAdministrationexpectsitsstudentswillbeableto



understand,criticallyevaluate,andapplykeybusiness

principlesacrossavarietyofhospitalitycontexts,both

domesticandinternational



demonstratetheleadership,communication,andteam

skillsrequiredforeffectivemanagementwithinthediverse

andglobalhospitality

businessenvironment

180 7. Educational Offerings



demonstrateawarenessofethicalandpersonal

responsibilitiesasahospitalityleader



buildthecompetenciesandhabitsrequiredforlife‐long

learning

TheCollegeofHumanEcologyexpectsitsstudentswillbeableto



comprehenddisciplinesandfields:explainprinciplesand

methods;identifyemergingissues;describepractice

expectations;

communicateeffectivelywithindisciplines

andfields



thinkcritically:critiqueandevaluateinformation,design,

andclaims;interpretvisualinformation;demonstrate

quantitativereasoningandstatisticalinference;explain

scientificmethod;distinguishbetweenobjectivityand

subjectivity



applymulti‐disciplinaryperspectives:identifycomplex

interactionsbetweenindividualsandtheirenvironments;

explaininteractionswithinandbetween

thenatural,

physical,andsocialsciences;managediverseandchanging

social,technological,andmaterialenvironments;

collaborateacrossdisciplinestounderstandandanalyze

issues



innovateinresearch,design,orpractice:synthesizeideas;

useresearchmethodstogenerateknowledge;developnew

practices;solveproblems



write,speakandusevisualcommunications

effectively:

speakandwritelogically,clearlyandpersuasively;use

effectivevisualcommunications;adaptcommunicationsto

audienceandgoals



workeffectivelywithothers:displayeffectiveleadership

andteamwork;appreciatediverseperspectives;cooperate

withinandacrossdiversegroups;engageeffectivelywith

communities



displaycommitmenttoethicalprinciples:identifyethical

andmoral

issues;knowandadheretoethicalprinciplesin

academics,research,design,andpractice;recognize

conflictsofinterest;attributesourcematerials



directownlearning:demonstratecuriosity,skepticism,

objectivity;accessinformationinachangingtechnological

7. Educational Offerings 181

andsocialenvironment;workindependently;make

decisions;manageaprojectthroughtocompletion;use

resourcestoaddressproblems

SchoolofIndustrialandLaborRelationsstudentsareexpectedtobeable

to



engageincritical,reasonedanalysesofissuesandideas



explainideasandanalysesthroughwrittenandoral

communication



evaluateandapplytheoriesandassumptionsofthesocial

sciencedisciplinestoworkplaceissues



analyzeworkplaceissuesfromavarietyofperspectives,

includingthehistorical,cultural,institutionalandethical

perspectives



access,evaluateandanalyzequalitativeandquantitative

data,soastoenhanceunderstandingandinformdecision‐

making





workindependentlyandincooperationwithothers

Althoughmanyeducationalgoalsaresharedamongthecolleges,

thesharedgoalsarenotalwaysexplicitlyarticulated. 

Opportunitiesexistforgreatercoherenceinundergraduate

education,withgreaterfocusontheuniversity‐widelearning

goals.

7.1.3 Distribution Requirements of the Colleges

Thelearninggoalsoftheuniversityandthecolleges areembodiedinthe

distributionrequirementsofeachcollege.Liketheguidingeducational

goals,distributionrequirementsareestablishedandreviewedbyafaculty

committeeineachcollege.Acompletedescriptionofcollegedistribution

requirementsisavailableinCoursesofStudy

andoncollegewebsites.

Acomparisonofthedistributionrequirementsacrosstheseven

undergraduateschoolsandcollegesshowsthatallCornellundergraduate

degreesrequirestudentstotakeatleastonequantitativeorsciencecourse

andonehumanitiescourse.Further,thefourlargestschools—Artsand



http://www.cornell.edu/academics/docs/courses_of_study_201011.pdf

182 7. Educational Offerings

Sciences,AgricultureandLifeSciences,Engineering,andHumanEcology,

whichtogetherawardapproximately85%ofCornell’sbaccalaureates—all

sharethefollowingminimumdistributionrequirements:



atleasttwosemestersofwriting



twoormorecoursesinscience



atleastonecourseinmathematicsorquantitativereasoning



aminimum

ofthreecoursesinsocialsciencesand/orhumanities

Twooftheothercolleges—HotelAdministrationandIndustrialandLabor

Relations—offeronlyonemajor.Thethird—Architecture,Art,and

Planning(AAP)—offersthreedistinctmajors,andallrequirementsinAAP

aremajor‐specific.AsoneofAAP’smajors,cityandregionalplanning,

sharestheabove

listofrequirementscharacterizingthelargercolleges,

therearefourCornellmajorsthathaveslightlylessdiversedistribution

requirements:



ArtmajorsinAAParenotexplicitlyrequiredtotakecoursesin

scienceorquantitativereasoning.However,requiredcoursesin

sculpture,photography,andelectronicimagingconveymaterials

fromthesedisciplines.



UndergraduatesenrolledinAAP’sfive‐yearbachelor’s programin

architecturearerequiredtotakeseveralcourseswithin

“ArchitecturalScienceandTechnology”ratherthanmoregeneral

scientifictraining.Architecturemajors arealsorequiredtotake

onlyonecourseinwriting.



HotelAdministrationrequiresonlyonecourseinsciencebut

otherwise

hasthedistributionrequirements above.



IndustrialandLaborRelationsstudentsneedonlyonecoursein

scienceand/ortechnologystudiesbutotherwisemeetthe

distributionrequirementsabove.

7.1.4 Creative and Performing Arts

ThecreativeandperformingartsatCornellarelocatedprimarilyintwo

collegesandsecondarilyintwoothers.Thecreativearts are thecentral

7. Educational Offerings 183

focusofAAP,twoofwhosethreedepartments,architectureandart,are

devotedtothestudyandpracticeofdesign.Bycontrast,theCollegeof

ArtsandScienceshasnodepartmentexclusivelyconcernedwiththearts.

A&Sdoes,however,havethreedepartmentsthatcombinescholarlyand

creativeactivities:theDepartments

ofEnglish;Music;andTheatre,Film,

andDance.WithintheDepartmentofEnglish,thecreativesectionconsists

ofpoetsandfictionwriters,whoprovideasequencedundergraduate

curriculumincreativewriting;intheDepartmentofMusic,thecurriculum

integratesthecreativeworkofthedepartment’sperformersand

composers;andinTheatre,

Film,andDancecreativeeffortsincludework

inacting,directing,filmmaking,choreography,anddesign(costume,

scene,lighting,sound).TheCollegeofAgricultureandLife Sciences

devotesonedepartment,LandscapeArchitecture,primarilytothepractice

ofdesign.Andfinally,thestudyandpursuitofdesignareimportantin

twoofthe

fivedepartmentsintheCollegeofHuman Ecology—Design 

andEnvironmentalAnalysis,andFiberScienceandApparelDesign.In

addition,theJohnsonMuseumofArtprovidesanimportantresourcefor

variousareasofartanddesign.

OpportunitiesforCornellstudentstopursuetheartsincludevoluntary

participationinextracurricularactivities,attendanceat

public

performancesorpresentations,andenrollmentinawiderangeofpopular

undergraduatecoursesandmajors.Cornellalsoaffordsafew

opportunitiesforadvanceddegreesinarts‐andperformance‐related

fields,mainlyatthemaster’slevel,butalsoincludingtheDoctorof

MusicalArts.Inaddition,undergraduatesinmanyof

thesefieldshave

multipleopportunitiestopresenttheirworkbeyondtheconfinesofthe

campusandthecommunity,althoughofcourseitisthefacultyinthese

areaswhoaremostlikelytopursuesuchoptions.

Inthecontextofthesemanyopportunities,however,theartsarepurely

optionalforthe

overwhelmingmajorityofundergraduatestudents,in

directcontrastwithmath,science,thesocialsciences,andthehumanities.

184 7. Educational Offerings

7.1.5 Oversight of Curricula

Inallundergraduateschoolsandcolleges,afacultycommitteeoversees

andsetspoliciesrelevanttothecollege’seducationalgoalsanddegree

requirements.ThesecommitteesarelistedinTable7.1.

Table 7.1. College committees overseeing undergraduate curricula

UndergraduateCollege CurriculumCommittee

AgricultureandLifeSciences(CALS) CollegeCurriculumCommittee

Architecture,ArtandPlanning(AAP) Thethreedepartmentsmakecurricular

decisionsindependently

ArtsandSciences(A&S) EducationalPolicyCommittee

Engineering CommonCurriculumGoverningBoard

HotelAdministration CurriculumCommittee

HumanEcology(HE) EducationalPolicyCommittee

IndustrialandLaborRelations(ILR) TeachingAdvisoryCommittee

Weofferexamplesfromtwocollegestohighlightthewaysfacultyprovide

oversightofcurricula:

IntheCollegeofEngineeringtheCommonCurriculumGove rningBoard

(CCGB),formedin1981,meetsweeklyduringthesemester.Thisboard

includesarepresentativefromeachdepartment/schoolwithinthecollege,

aseachdepartmentbearsprimaryresponsibility

forevaluatingand

reviewingitsownparticulareducationalgoals,curricula,programsof

study,andsyllabi.TheCCGBalsohasliaisoncommitteeswiththree

programsoutsidethecollege:math,physics,andchemistry/biology.The

CCGBisresponsibleforthe“engineeringcorecurriculum”andfor

approvingcorecourses.CCGBalsoaddressestopicssuch

asintroduction‐

to‐engineeringcourses,substitutionsforthecorecourses,liberalstudies 

requirements,transferstudents,honorsprograms,dean’slist

requirements,assessmentsofcorecourseofferings,andstudentsin

academictrouble.TheCCGBisresponsiblefortheoverallclimateofthe

7. Educational Offerings 185

collegeandthusconductsperiodicstudentsurveys.

Inaddition,ittakes

upissuesbroughtbyfacultyanddepartments.Wherenecessary,the

CCGBestablishescommitteestooverseeformalassessmentprotocols

similartothoseoftheABET(theaccreditorofengineeringprograms).Any

majorchangesproposedbytheCCGBarevotedonbytheengineering

faculty.

IntheSchool

ofHotelAdministration,curricularmattersareoverseen

throughtheCurriculumCommittee,chairedbytheschool’sdeanof

students,withrepresentationfromfourdisciplineareasoftheschool.The

committeeengagesinallquestionsandissuesrelatedtothecurriculum

andisempoweredtoreviewallcourseproposalsandapprovecoursesas



provisional.(Aftertwoofferingsthecoursemustbebroughttothefull

facultytobeconsideredpermanent.)TheHotelSchoolalsohasaseparate

groupcomprisedofthosecurrentlyteachingrequiredcourses.Thisgroup

ofabout25reviewsanddiscussescoursegoalsandintegrationamong

coursesrequiredinthefirst

twoyears.

7.1.6 The Use of Capstone Projects

Inmanyprogramsinvariousschoolsandcolleges,capstoneprojectsserve

asasignificantmeansofevaluatingstudents’graspofthemethodsand

materialsofthediscipline.Mostundergraduateprogramshavehonors

programs,andmanyoftheseinvolvesupervisedthesisprojects.Asjust

oneexample,theAsianStudieshonorsprogramculminates

inasenior

researchproject,inwhichstudentsspendthefirsttermofthesenioryear

engagedinresearchforafinalessay,underthedirectionoftheproject

supervisor.Bytheendofthefirstterm,thestudentmustpresenta

detailedoutlineofthehonorsessay,whichis

evaluatedbytheproject

supervisorandthedirectorofundergraduatestudies.Thestudentisthen

eligibleforASIAN4402,thehonorscourse,whichentailsthewritingof

theessay.Attheendofthesenioryear,atleasttwofacultymembers

conductanoralexamination,whichcoversthehonorsessayand

the

student’sareaofconcentration.



Themostrecentsurvey,administeredin2005,wascenteredonstudentstress.

186 7. Educational Offerings

Otherkindsofcapstoneexperiencesarealsocommonlyundertakenat

Cornell.Formanystudents,researchexperiencesinvolvemultiple

semestersofresearchdemonstratingincreasingindependence,

responsibility,andintellectualcontributionstotheresearch program.In

theCollegeofHumanEcology(HE),studentsmayworkwithfaculty

memberswithinoroutsidethecollege

onresearchforcreditinan

arrangementthatrequiresaformallearningcontractwithlearninggoals,

expectedoutcomes,criteriaforperformance,andevaluationprocedures.

Theseexperiencesmayculminateinposter/oralpresentationsand/orco‐

authorshipofapublicationinaprofessionaljournal.

Anothertypeofcapstoneexperienceistheseniorproject.For

example,

advancedstudentsinHEmaycompletesubstantiveprojectsforclients

suchascommunitygroups,organizations,governmentagencies,

businesses,ornot‐for‐profitorganizations.Examplesoftheseprojects

includeneedsassessment,programdevelopment,program

implementation,productdevelopment,productevaluation,facilities

design,appareldesign,policyanalysis,andmarketingplans.Some

courses

aredesignedtooffertheseexperiences,butstudents mayalso

completesuchprojectsasindependentstudy.

Afocalseniorprojectisarequirementforallarchitectureandfinearts

studentsintheAAP. Theseprojectsareintendedtodemonstratetheir

knowledgeandgeneralabilitytocreateacomprehensiveartisticor

architectural

projectoftheirownselection.

7.1.7 Breadth of the Academic Experience

Inspiredbythenotionof“AnyPerson…AnyStudy,”Cornellisproudof

thebreadthofcourseofferingsavailabletoundergraduates.This

availabilityhastwoaspects:first,thesheernumberofmajorsfromwhich

undergraduatesmaychoose,andsecond,thefactthatstudentsareable,

andsometimesrequired,totake

classesoutsidetheirmajorandeven

outsidetheirhomecollege.

Datafromthespring2009PULSE(PerceptionsofUndergraduateLife and

StudentExperience)surveysuggestthatthisavailabilityisanimportant

componentoftheundergraduateexperience,asclosetohalfofallstudents

7. Educational Offerings 187

commentingoncross‐campusaccessregardeditas“easy”totakecourses

orprogramsfromacrosstheuniversity.Mostcollegesandseveralkey

majorsrequirestudentstotake coursesoutsidetheircolleges.The

requirementsrangefromthenear‐universalFreshmanWritingSeminars

(whichareallofferedthroughA&S)toupper

divisioncoursesin

chemistry—offeredinA&S,butrequiredforbiologymajorsfromCALS.

Perceivedlimitationsonout‐of‐collegecourseenrollmentoccurprimarily

becauseofcollegeormajorrequirementsthatstudentstakealarge

numberofcourseswithinthecollege.

Forexample,A&Srequiresthat100

ofthe120creditsrequiredforgraduationmustcomefromtheofferingsof

A&S.

Wherecollegeboundarieshavebeenidentifiedasobstaclestothepursuit

ofanacademicprogram,stepshavebeentakentoremovebarriers.For

example,allbiologycoursescountasin‐

collegecreditforbothCALSand

A&Sstudents,nomatterwhichcollege“owns”thecourse.Nutrition

courses—offeredthroughHEorCALS—canbecountedasA&Scourses

bybiologymajorsinthenutritionconcentration.Whenstudentsdo

encounterbarriers,collegesmaywaiveout‐of‐collegecreditlimitsin

responsetostudentpetition.



Policiesonthetransferofcreditsfromotherinstitutionsarepublishedon

eachcollege’swebsite;thesepoliciesincludedetailson howthecolleges

assesscoursesfortransfercredit.TwoofCornell’scolleges,CALSand

HumanEcology,alsohavearticulationagreementswithnumerousother

institutions,primarilycommunitycolleges.Theseinstitutionsare

listedin

“TransferCreditCertification”ontheCornellwebsite.



7.1.8 Extracurricular and Nontraditional Opportunities

Closeto900studentorganizations,eitheruniversityorindependent,were

registeredthroughthedeanofstudentsin2009–2010.University

organizationsarepartofanacademicoradministrativeunitandhavean



Twenty‐eightpercentofstudentsreportingonthisissueinthe2009PULSEsurveycitedthisas

areasonfordifficultiesintakingadvantageofcross‐collegeopportunities.See

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=282

http://cuinfo‐test.cit.cornell.edu/Student/docs/transfer‐credit‐certification.pdf.

188 7. Educational Offerings

advisorwhosejobdescriptionincludesadvisingtheorganization.

Independentorganizationshaveanadvisorwhoservesintheroleasa

volunteerandnotaspartofjobresponsibilities.Byregistering,student

organizationsmayreservetablespaceinHoPlazaorinWillardStraight

Hall,getfreewebhosting,andapply

forfundingfromtheStudent

AssemblyFinanceCommissionandtheGraduateandProfessional

StudentAssemblyFinanceCommission.

Accordingtothe2009PULSEsurvey,theextracurricularactivitieswiththe

highestparticipationrateswereexerciseorfitnessactivities,“other”

studentactivities,volunteerwork,workingforpay(aspartofworkstudy

ornot),

andinformalcompetitivesports(e.g.,participatingin“pick‐up”

games).TheseresultsalsosuggestvirtuallyallCornellstudents(97%)

participateinatleastoneextracurricularactivity,withtwo‐thirds

reportinginvolvementintwotofiveactivitieswithinthesameacademic

year.

CornellisanNCAADivisionIinstitutionandprovides

oneofthelargest

numbersofvarsitysportsprogramsofanyuniversityintheUnitedStates,

fielding36intercollegiateathleticsteams—18maleand18female.Cornell

competesintheIvyLeague,whichhashigherminimumeligibility

standardsthanotherathleticconferencesanddoesnotallowathletic

scholarships.Cornellstudentathletesare

integratedwiththeoverall

studentpopulationandgenerallydonotstandapartfromotherstudents.



Inaddition,membersofCornell’sintercollegiateathleticteamshavea

stronglegacyofcommunityoutreachandservicethroughtheRedKey

AthleteHonorSocietyandthroughtheindividualsportsteams.

TheFacultyAdvisoryCommitteeonAthleticsandPhysicalEducationis

chargedtoprovideadviceonhowtheprogramsofthe

Departmentof

AthleticsandPhysicalEducationcanbestcomplementandsupportthe

overalleducationalobjectivesoftheuniversity.MostCornellvarsityteams

alsohaveatleastoneacademicadvisorwhoactsasaliaisonbetweenthe

athletesonateamandallacademicentities.Attheendofeachseason,

athletes

arestronglyencouragedtorespondtoanon‐lineCoachand



TheNCAAself‐studyincludesasectiononacademicintegrityinCornellathletics:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=464

7. Educational Offerings 189

ProgramEvaluationsurvey—aprocessnowfacilitatedthrough

InstitutionalResearchandPlanning.Thistypeoffeedbackisextremely

valuableandisunprecedentedinNCAADivisionI.

7.1.9 Undergraduate Research

ThemanyavenuesforundergraduateresearchatCornellexemplifyboth

thediversityandtheindividualizationoftheuniversity’seducational

opportunities.Likeothermajorresearch‐intensiveinstitutions, Cornell

especiallyattractsundergraduateswhohopetoworkwith facultyon

researchprojects,preferablyindividuallyorinsmallgroups.These

opportunitiessubstantiallysupporttheuniversity’s

educationalgoalsand

learningoutcomes.

Cornellstudentshavemanyopportunitiestoengageinresearch—for

academiccredit,asvolunteers,andforpay.Inthefirstcategoryare

studentswhoearncreditfordoingempiricalresearch,studentswho

pursueindependentstudyunderthesupervisionofaCornellfaculty

member(includingbutnot

limitedtohonorsresearchthatmightleadtoa

thesis),andstudentswhoworkaspartofsmallprojectteamsunderthe

aegisofafacultymember.Specializedprogramsthatemphasizeintensive

researchtraining,suchastheHunterR.RawlingsCornellPresidential

ResearchScholarsProgram,alsoserveselectstudents.Thenumber

of

studentswhotakeadvantageoftheseopportunitiesvariessignificantly

acrossthesevenundergraduatecollegesandamongdepartmentsand

majorswithincolleges,thoughthenumbersarequiteimpressiveinall

colleges.Somecollegesemphasizeempiricalresearchmorethanothers,

whereasothersemphasizeapprenticeshipsandstudiowork.Insome

colleges,work

onprojectteamsisprevalent,andinotherspaidresearch

experiencesaremorecommon.

Datafromrecentstudentsurveysprovideanoverviewoftheextentof

undergraduateresearch.Thespring2009PULSEsurvey(administeredto

allundergraduates)andthespring2010SeniorSurvey(administeredto

graduatingseniors)bothaskedaboutcredit

andnot‐for‐creditresearch

experienceswithfaculty.Asillustrated inTable7.2,thesedatasuggestthat

approximatelyaquarterofallundergraduatesandclosetohalfofour

190 7. Educational Offerings

graduatingseniorshavehadsomeexperiencesengagedinresearch

projectswithfacultymembers.

Table 7.2. Percent of students reporting that they participated in research

with faculty during their time at Cornell

College

2009

PULSE

Survey

2010

Senior

Survey

AgricultureandLifeSciences 29% 47%

Architecture,Art,andPlanning 13% 13%

ArtsandSciences 24% 40%

Engineering 23% 47%

HotelAdministration 7% 15%

HumanEcology 40% 64%

IndustrialandLaborRelations 13% 32%

Cornell,overall 24% 46%

Otherdataareconsistentinsuggestinghighlevelsofinvolvementin

research.Forexample,in2008–2009intheCollegeofEngineering427

undergraduatesearnedcreditfordoingresearchwithfaculty,and

additionally,atleast520studentsearnedcreditonStudentProjectTeams,

whichcanrangefromtwotoadozenstudents.

IntheCollegeofHuman

Ecology,aminimumof24%ofitsmajorsparticipatedinfaculty‐

supervisedresearchduringthe2008–2009academicyear.Giventhatsome

studentsmayoverlookindependentstudiesorprojectteamswhen

answeringsurveyquestions,itseemslikelythatatleasthalfofCornell

undergraduateshaveparticipated

inamentoredresearchexperiencewith

Cornellfacultyatsomepointduringtheirfouryears.However,becauseof

Cornell’sdecentralizedadministrativefunctions,itisdifficulttocompile

comparativeadministrativedataonundergraduateresearch.

7.1.10 The Living-Learning Environment

Cornellhasmadeamajorinvestmentinthe“living‐learning”or“learning

community”experiencethroughtheresidentialinitiativesonNorthand

WestCampuses.AlthoughCornelloffersasmallnumberofthemed

7. Educational Offerings 191

programhouses,thelargestshareofliving‐learninghousingoncampusis

notthemed.Indeed,intherecreation ofNorthandWestCampuses,a

consciouseffortwasmadenottosegregatestudentsbycollegeor

academicprograminordertobuildalargerintellectualcommunity—one

Cornell—thatreflectedthegreatintellectual

diversityoftheuniversity.



Whilenottieddirectlytoanyspecificacademicprogram,theliving‐

learningenvironmentatCornellisunderstoodasanaturalextension of

formalclassroomactivitiesandisbuiltuponfacultyengagementwith

studentsinthecontext ofresidentiallifethroughacademicco‐curricular

programming.Theformthistakesissomewhat

differentonNorth

Campus,whichhousesallfirst‐yearstudents,andWestCampus,whichis

60%sophomoreand40%upperclassmen.

OnNorthCampus,severalprogramsenrichtheconnectionbetweenfirst‐

yearstudentsandtheintellectualknowledgebaseoftheuniversity.

The

Faculty‐in‐ResidenceProgram(eightfacultymembersandtheirfamilies

livewiththestudentsintheresidencehall),theFacultyFellowsProgram

(52facultyaffiliatedwithaparticularresidencehalldevelopprogramming

withandforstudents),andtheDiningDiscussionProgram(facultymeet

withstudentsinthedininghalls

anddiscussrelevanttopics)representa

successfulintegrationofthesocial/residentialexperienceandthe

intellectual/academicexperience.That60facultymembersareinvolvedin

theFacultyFellowsProgramonNorthin2010–2011isaconsiderable

evidenceoffacultydedicationgiventhatthisisanuncompensated

activity.

Cornell’sWestCampusisa“house

system,”designedtopromote

intellectualcommunity,citizenship,personaldiscovery,andgrowth.Each

ofthefivehouseshasapproximately350undergraduatesandisledbya

tenuredfacultymember(thehouseprofessor),wholiveswithhisorher

familyinthehouse.Thehouseprofessorissupportedbyanassistantdean

andbygraduateresidentfellows,whoserveasmentorstothestudent

residentsandthreeundergraduateassistants.Inaddition,30facultyand



See,forexample,http://westcampushousesystem.cornell.edu/campuslife/wchs/

upload/AVisionResLife.pdf

Seehttp://campuslife.cornell.edu/campuslife/resprog/index.cfmforinformationonresidential

programs.

192 7. Educational Offerings

seniorstaffserveashousefellowsineachresidence.Thehousesare 

overseenbytheWestCampusHouseCouncil,comprisedofhouse

professors,students,andothers.Thecouncilreportstotheviceprovostfor

undergraduateeducation.

Oneoftheoverarchinggoalsofthissystemistocreatenewopportunities

to

connectstudentswithfacultyinbothinformalandformalsettings.

Thus,arangeofprogramsisprovidedwithineachhouse—informaltalks

andlectures,fieldtrips,andahostofotherinnovativelearning

experiences.Studentsaswellashousefellowssuggestthemes,and

visitingspeakersfrequentlyaddresssmallhouse‐sponsoredgatherings.

That

eachhousehasbothitsown diningroomandafacultysuitetohouse

visitingspeakersallowsforthedevelopmentofauniqueapproachto

communitylife,learning,andstudent‐facultyinteraction.Forexample,

HouseDinnerisaspecialweeklyevent,openonlytoresidents,atwhich

particularthemes,guests,

orprojectsarefeatured.Attendanceisexpected,

andfacultyandstudentssittogethertodiscussarangeofsocialand

intellectualissuesofthepastweek.Onceeverysemestereachstudent

residentmayinviteonefacultymembertodinnertoengagewiththe

students.TheHouseCouncilsalsoplaneventsthat

combinesocialand

intellectualactivities.OnesuchprogramhappenedinBeckerHousein

October2009,whenstudentscompetedinaneggdropcontesttestingtheir

applicationofphysicsandengineering.ThecontestjudgewasBecker

HousefellowJimBell— an astronomyprofessorinvolvedwiththeNASA

MarsPathfinderandtheMars

roversprojects.

TheWestCampushousesalsosponsorone‐creditcoursesforhouse

residents.Forexample,duringfall2009,KeetonHousesponsoredacourse

onenvironmentalliving,taughtbythehouseprofessor,theassistantdean,

andagraduateresidentfellowaswellasguestspeakers.Thiscourse

exemplifiesthewaysin

whichtheWestCampusliving‐learning

experienceconnectsstudentsbothwithfacultyandwiththecommunity

aroundthem,allowingacademiclearningtoevolvebeyondthecampus.

Tofurtherenhancethedeliveryoftheliving‐learningmission,future

plansfortheWestCampusHousesystemincludemoreinter‐house

7. Educational Offerings 193

collaborationsandasystematicconnectionbetweenWestCampusand

NorthCampus.

7.2 Graduate and Professional Study

GraduatestudyatCornellincludestheGraduateSchool,overseeing

multipledisciplines;theIthaca‐basedprofessionalschoolsofbusiness,

law,andveterinarymedicine;andinNewYorkCity,theWeillCornell

MedicalCollegeandGraduateSchoolofMedicalSciences.

7.2.1 Graduate School

ReflectingCornell’scultureofrelativeindependenceandautonomy

withinoneuniversity,graduateresearchdegreesaredirectedbyan

independentGraduateSchoolandorganizedaccordingtofieldsofstudy;

asdescribedinChapter1,“IntroducingCornell,”fieldsaredistinctfrom

departments.TheGraduateSchoolCodeofLegislationdefinesfieldsas

follows:

Graduate fields are voluntary groupings of members of the

graduate faculty who have academic interests in common and

whowishtoexercisesharedresponsibilityforanareaofinquiry

and for theadmission, education,and, as appropriate, financial

support of graduate students. Fields are independent of

traditional college or department divisions,

 so they may draw

together faculty members from several colleges, departments,

andrelateddisciplinesinaccordancewithscholarlyinterests.

TheGraduateSchooloffers18degreesthrough92majorfieldsofstudy

andalsohas17minorfields.Responsibilityforalteringoreliminating

fieldsrestswiththeGraduateSchoolGeneralCommittee,

aslaidoutin

theCodeofLegislation.Newfieldsarecreatedthroughapetitionfroma

groupofgraduatefacultytothecommittee,whichdecideswhetherto

recommendtheproposeddegreetotheFacultySenate.Fromthesenate,

theproposalgoestotheBoardofTrusteesandtheNew

YorkState

DepartmentofEducationforapproval.Ifthefacultymembersproposing

thedegreerepresentoneofCornell’sfourcontractcollegesorschools,the



http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=162

194 7. Educational Offerings

degreemustalsobeapprovedbytheBoardofTrusteesoftheState

UniversityofNewYork.

Aspirationalgoalsandgenerallearningproficienciesformaster’sand

doctoraldegreecandidates,availableontheweb,

are:

Cornell University has expectations of Cornell graduates that

may defy explicit measurement scales. These aspirational goals

(listed below) are intended to encourage studentsʹ growth and

development but do not necessarily lend themselves to

assessmentasreadilyasthelearningproficiencies.Insomefields

of study, these aspiration goals may be measured,

 whereas in

other fields they may not have quantitative or qualitative

assessment.



Serveasanambassadorforresearchandscholarship



Effectivelyengageinoneʹsbroadercommunitythrough

variousformsofoutreach



Exploreinterconnections

Focusonpluralcontextsandcultures

Respectresearchinotherareas

Understandandarticulatetheimpactof

researchonsociety

Bothmaster’sanddoctorallevelcandidatesare“expectedtodemonstrate

masteryofknowledgeinthechosendisciplineandtosynthesizeand

createnewknowledge,makinganoriginalandsubstantialcontributionto

thedisciplineinatimelyfashion.”

Expectedproficienciesincl ude:



Makeanoriginalandsubstantialcontributiontothediscipline



Demonstrateadvancedresearchskills



Engagewiththediscipline



Demonstratecommitmenttovaluesofscholarship

Responsibilityforgraduatecurriculaforresearchdegreesrestsprimarily

withthegraduatestudent’sSpecialCommitteewithintheframeworkof

rules

andguidelinescreatedbyindividualfields.TheGraduateSchool



http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=169.Alsoavailableareassessmentmetrics

andsuggestedrubrics:https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=473

http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=169

7. Educational Offerings 195

legislationrequiresthecommitteetoadministeranexaminationfor

awardingaterminalmaster’sdegreeandanexaminationforadmissionto

candidacytothedoctorateknownastheAExam.Thesamecommittee

administersthefinalexaminationofthecompleteddissertation,knownas

theBExam.

Thefieldsystembalancescentral

maintenanceofstandardswithflexibility

inindividualeducationandtrainingneeds.Itisinlinewithpracticesat

peerschoolsandisgenerallythoughttoservegraduatestudentswell—to

providethemwithconsiderableautonomyandflexibilityinthedefinition

oftheirprogramsaswellaswiththeopportunitytoaltertheir

courseof

studyasneededthroughtheselection oftheircommittees.Thefield

systemalsoensuresthathighscholarlystandardsaremaintained,while

alsoallowingforinnovationandinterdisciplinaryconnection.Fieldscan

becreated,merged,andalteredmorereadilythancandepartmentsand

programs,and—especiallyimportantgivenCornell’smulti‐college 

structure—fieldscrosscollegesandbringtogetherfacultyfromdifferent

areasofthecampus.OnedrawbackofCornell’scurrentfieldstructure,

however,isthatthesmallestfieldsmaynothaveenoughstudentsfor

optimalinteractioningraduateseminarsandmayfinditdifficultto

recruitstrongstudents.

GraduatefundingatCornell,as

atpeerinstitutions,mixesuniversity‐

fundedfellowshipsandteachingassistantshipswithexternalfunding.

Thismixtureallowstheinstitutiontotailorfundingacrossthecampusto

specificneeds,andtosupplementsupportforgraduateeducationinareas

withfeweropportunitiesforexternalfunding.However,inareaswhere

suchopportunitiesexist,the

universityexpectsgrantstoprovidefor

graduatestudentsupport.AsshowninFigure7.1,Cornellhasseena

consistentandsolidgrowthinitsexternalfunding,especiallysince2001;

overthelastdecade,theexternallyfundedresearchportfoliohasnearly

doubled.Thisrepresentsamarkedincreaseinfunds essentialforthe



supportofgraduateeducation.

196 7. Educational Offerings

Figure 7.1. Total sponsored research dollars, Ithaca and WCMC,

1993–2009



7.2.2 Teaching Assistants

Theteachingexperiencethatgraduatestudentsobtainthrough

assistantshipsisessentialtojobplacementinsomefields.Butteachingis

valuablemorebroadly,becauseitrequiresgraduatestudentstotranslate

theiradvancedandpotentiallyesotericmaterialsintosubjectmatterthatis

accessibletoanundergraduateaudience.

Cornelloffersabroadrange

ofprogramstotraingraduatestudentsin

undergraduateteaching,beyondtheresourcesintheirindividualfields

anddepartments.TheJohnS.KnightInstituteforWritinginthe

Disciplines,housedintheCollegeofArtsandSciences,providesexcellent

supporttograduatestudentswhoteachundergraduatefirst‐yearwriting

seminarsand

“writinginthedisciplines”courses.

TAsinthesecourses

enrollinagraduatepedagogycourse,TeachingWriting.Theprogramalso

offersanarchiveofteachingmaterialsandopportunitiestocollaborate

andteam‐teachwithotherTAs.



Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=460

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

$600,000,000

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

WCMC

Ithaca

7. Educational Offerings 197

TheCenterforTeachingExcellenceofferscoursedesignandplanning

materials,anelectronicHandbookforTeachingAssistants,acoursetitled

ThePracticeofTeachinginHigherEducation,andtheGraduateTeaching

AssistantExcellenceSeries,consistingofweeklydiscussionsand

workshops.ExperiencedTAsmayapplyfortheMasterTeachingAssistant

Program,

inwhichtheydevelopleadershipskillsandworkcollaboratively

todesignandimplementteachingprograms,events,andresourcesthat

fosterteachingexcellenceandinnovativepedagogicalpractice.

Additionally,infall2009theCenterforTeachingExcellencepiloteda

university‐wideFutureFacultyTeachingCertificateprogram(FFTC).

Participantscompletedthetwo‐creditcourse

mentionedabove(Practiceof

TeachinginHigherEducation),

createdanelectronicportfolio,designed

asyllabus,identifiedafacultymentor,andconductedresearchonthe

impactofaspecificlearningtheoryorteachingapproachon

undergraduatelearning.Participants’researchprojectscoveredarangeof

pedagogicalmodelsincludingservice‐learning,peer‐basedlearning,

problem‐basedlearning,andteachingwithvarious

formsoftechnology

(e.g.,Googlemapping,i>clickers).Studentspresentedtheirfindingsina

spring2010seminarseries.DatafromFFTCparticipants’course

evaluationsandportfoliosindicatethattheygainedgreaterknowledgeof

teachingmethodsandlearningtheoriesandbecamemorereflectiveabout

whatitmeanstobeasuccessfulteacher.

describedinChapter6,“TheFaculty,”CenterforTeachingExcellence

alsooffersanInternationalTeachingAssistantProgram(ITAP).Whilethe

programincludeslanguageassessments,itisnotintendedtoserveasthe

primarylanguagetrainingunitforforeigngraduatestudents;itisfocused

onteachingskills—helpinginternationalTAsreachtheir

fullpotentialas

classroomleadersandofferinganengagingforumfordiscussionofcross‐

culturalcommunicationandacademiclife.Thisprogramoffersasummer

trainingprogramaswellasaseriesofcoursesgivenduringtheacademic

year.In2008–2009,theprogramprovidedtwofullsemestersoftrainingto

183teaching

assistantsfrom18countries.





http://www.cte.cornell.edu/tap/als6015.html

http://www.cte.cornell.edu/itap/index.html

198 7. Educational Offerings

AlthoughITAPimprovesteachingskills,itdoesnotfullyaddressthe

languageneedsofmanyinternationalTAs.(AsdescribedinChapter5,

“StudentAdmissionsandSupports,”morethanathirdofgraduate

studentsenrolledarenotU.S.citizensorpermanentresidents.)

Cornellhasrecentlyrevisedlanguagecourseofferingsforgraduate

studentswhoneedadditionallanguagetraining.Thegraduate‐student

languageprogram,EnglishforAcademicPurposes,isnowadministered

bytheSchoolofContinuingEducationandSummerSessionsandfunded

bythecollegesbasedonthenumbersofstudentsserved.

7.2.3 Professional Schools in Ithaca

TheJohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagementoffersthefollowing

degrees:



Thetwo‐yearfull‐timeresidentialMBAprogramisadeliberately

small(approximately270studentsperclass)programthatfosters

intensecollaborationandcommunityinteraction.



Theone‐yearfull‐timeresidentialprogram,theAcceleratedMBA

(AMBA)program,attracts50

‐60studentseachyearwhohavea

graduatedegreeinascientificortechnicalfieldandstrong

quantitativeskills.Thisprogramfostersaclose‐knitcommunity

whileexpandingthesizeofthesecond‐yearclass.



TheExecutiveMBAprogram(EMBA)attheIBMPalisades

ConferenceCenternearNewYork

Cityisa21‐monthprogram.



TheCornell‐Queen’sExecutiveMBA(CQEMBA)isa17‐month

programofferedinpartnershipwithQueen’sUniversityinCanada

anddeliveredthrough6weeksofon‐campussessionsand

weekendclassestaughtthroughreal‐timeinteractive

videoconferencingtostudentsatvariouslocation sacross

theU.S.



ThePhDprogram,administeredthroughtheGraduateSchool,

comprises35–40students.UnliketheMBAprograms,whichfocus

onbusinessleadership,thisprogramfocusesonresearch,

scholarship,andteaching.

7. Educational Offerings 199

Fordetailedinformationonlearninggoalsfortheseprogramsandother

relatedmatters,seetheJohnsonSchool’sAACSBMaintenanceReview

2009,ExecutiveSummary.



TheLawSchooloffersthethree‐yearJurisDoctor(JD),theone‐year

MasterofLaws(LLM),theMasterofScience–LegalStudies(MSLS),a

numberofinternationaldualdegrees,andvariousjointdegrees,aswellas

theJurisScientiaeDoctor(JSD)administeredthroughtheGraduate

School.Asprescribed

bytheAmericanBarAssociation,theLawSchool

requiresthatitsstudentsreceivesubstantialinstructionin



thesubstantivelawgenerallyregardedasnecessarytoeffective

andresponsibleparticipationinthelegalprofession



legalanalysisandreasoning,legalresearch,problemsolving,and

oralcommunication



writinginalegalcontext,

includingatleastonerigorouswriting

experienceinthefirstyearandatleastoneadditionalrigorous

writingexperienceafterthefirstyear



otherprofessionalskillsgenerallyregardedasnecessaryfor

effectiveandresponsibleparticipationinthelegalprofession



thehistory,goals,structure,values,rulesandresponsibilitiesof

the

legalprofessionanditsmembers

Inaddition,theschoolofferssubstantialopportunitiesfor



live‐clientorotherreal‐lifepracticeexperience,appropriately

supervisedanddesignedtoencouragereflectionbystudentson

theirexperiencesandonthevaluesandresponsibilitiesofthelegal

profession,andthedevelopmentofone’sability

toassesshisorher

performanceandlevelofcompetence



studentparticipationinprobonoactivities



smallgroupworkthroughseminars,directedresearch,small

classes,orcollaborativework



Seethe2009AACSBMaintenanceReviewat

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=462

200 7. Educational Offerings

TheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicineoffersabalancedandinnovative

DVMcurriculumthatcombinesself‐directedlearninganddidactic

components,emphasizesanimalexperienceinallphases,andfosters

accesstoenhancedclinicalandresearchexperiencesthroughouttheDVM

program.Thecollegealsooffersintegratedpostgraduatetraining

opportunitiesthatincludethe

PhDadministeredthroughtheGraduate

School,thepost‐DVMPhD,DVM/PhD,residency,andfellowship

programs.Allgraduatestudentstakefield‐definedcourses,undergo

mandatorylaboratoryrotations,andareexposedtoresearchprograms

acrossthecampus.

Thecollegerecently(fall2010)completedaself‐studypreparedforthe

CouncilonEducationof

theAmericanVeterinaryMedicalAssociation.



Inadditiontothestrengthsjustdescribed,theself‐studyidentifiedareas

ofweaknessorchallengeandformulatedrecommendationsonthatbasis.

Amongtherecommendationsareseveralrelatedtoeducationalofferings:



Increasecontinuingeducationcoursesanddevelopdistance

learningcourses.



UtilizetheSyllabusReviewprocesstoaddressissues

relatedto

contentandsequencing,andtoprovidegreatercoordination

betweencourses.



Createadditionalintroductoryclinicalrotationsforfirstand

second‐yearDVMstudents.



Strengthenthecurriculuminareasoffoodsafety,businessand

finance,publichealth,andregulatorypolicy.

7.2.4 Weill Cornell Medical College

ThefollowinginformationisexcerptedfromtheWeillCornellMedical

College“ExecutiveSummaryReporttotheLCME[LiaisonCommitteeon

Medical

Education],”December2009.





Seethe2010Self‐StudyReportfortheAVMACouncilonEducationathttps://middlestates‐

dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=524

WCMCself‐study:https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=372

7. Educational Offerings 201

Inthefirsttwoyears,thecurriculumconsistsofintegrated,sequentialcourses.

Studentstakeonebasicsciencecourseandoneclinicallyorientedcourseata

time.Intotal,therearefiverequiredbasicsciencecourses(Molecules,Genes,

Cells;HumanStructureandFunction;HostDefenses;BrainandMind;Basisof

Disease)and

twoclinicallyorientedcoursesinthefirsttwoyears(Medicine,

Patients,andSociety(MPS)IandII).Year3beginswithtwointroductory

courses:theIntroductoryClerkship,andtheAnesthesia,Ventilation,and

CirculationClerkship.TherefollowtheclerkshipsinMedicine,Neurology,

Obstetrics‐Gynecology,Pediatrics,Psychiatry,andSurgery.Studentstakethe

PublicHealthcourseinyear3or4.Year4completestheclerkshipsand

includesthreeadditionalcourses:asubinternshipinmedicineorpediatrics;

MPSIII;andtheAdvancedBiomedicalSciencecourse.Inaddition,students

mustcompletesixteenweeksofelectives.

Oureducationalprogramprovidesageneralprofessionaleducationthat

prepares

studentsforallcareeroptionsinmedicine.TheWCMCcurriculum

canidentifycontentthatcoversalloftheareasanddisciplinesrequiredfor

accreditation.Thisincludestherequiredclerkshipexperiencesandmore

generaltopiccoverageindisciplinessuchasethics,psychosocialmedicine,

communicationskills,geriatrics,andappliedradiologyandpathology.

The

educationalprogramprovideseachstudentwiththefundamentalacademic

groundinginthebasic,clinical,andsocialsciencesnecessaryforthepracticeof

medicine.Inaddition,eachstudentisexposedtothemajorfieldsofclinical

practice,and,throughelectivetime,canexplorepotentialcareerchoices.The

schoolhasastrong

traditionoffosteringbasicandclinicalmedicalresearch.

Thecurriculumtrainsallstudentstocriticallyanalyzescientificinformationin

journalclubformatsincourses,andtounderstandhypothesistesting,study

design,dataanalysis,andtranslationalresearch.Theexcellentresultsofour

students’USMLE[USMedicalLicensingExamination]performanceare

additional

datatosupportthecomprehensivenatureofthecurriculumat

WCMC.

InadditiontothepositiveresultsoftheResidencyProgramDirectorsurveys

onthecompetenciesofourgraduates,ourNationalResidencyMatchProgram

resultscorroboratethegeneralbreadthofoureducationalprogramandits

abilitytopreparestudentsforall

disciplinesofmedicine.WCMCgraduates

enterawidespectrumofmedicaldisciplinesandspecialtiesandawidevariety

ofpracticesettings,successfullynavigatingthemanykindsofhealthcare

deliveryandpaymentsystems.WCMCgraduatesarefortunatetobeableto

enterawiderangeofcareeropportunities,includingbasic

scienceandclinical

research,clinicalcareers,administrativeandfacultypositions,clinical

202 7. Educational Offerings

informatics,healthpolicy,andpublichealth.Overthepasttenyears,while

mostgraduatesenteredresidenciesinInternalMedicine,Pediatrics,General

Surgery,andPsychiatry,ourgraduateshavechosenvirtuallyallfieldsof

medicine,evidencingtheappropriatepreparationandopportunitiesforcareer

explorationofferedbytheMedicalCollege.TheMedicalCollege,in

achieving

thecurriculargoalsofintegratingclinicalandbasicsciences,developing

problem‐solvingandcriticalanalysisskills,andexposingourstudentstothe

broaderissuesrelatedtoprimarycareandambulatorycare,isinanexcellent

positiontocontinuetoproducephysicianswhocanexcelinanyfieldand

adapt

tochangesinthefuturehealthcareenvironment.

7.2.5 Professional Schools’ Connections with Undergraduate

Education

WeillCornellMedicalCollege(WCMC)facultyparticipateinarangeof

activitiesthatarerelevanttoundergraduateeducation.TheUrban

SemesterProgram(seebelow)bringsCornellundergraduatesinterestedin

healthcarecareerstoWCMCtobeexposedtoclinicalarenasandto

participateinaseminarseries.TheTravelersSummerResearch

Fellowship

Programprovides25pre‐medicalstudentswithexperienceinlaboratory

orclinicalresearchaswellasalectureseriesexploringtopicsin

cardiovascularphysiology,withanemphasisonproblemsinminority

communities.Thesummerfellowsattendtalksbyminorityphysicians

aboutvariousmedicalspecialties,andhospitalroundswithadvanced

studentsprovidefurtherexposuretotheclinicalfacetsofmedicine.The

summerfellowsalsoreceivecounselingonfinancialplanningformedical

school.



IntheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,sevenbiomedicalsciencesfaculty

memberscurrentlyparticipateinteachingapproximately250

undergraduatesperyear,in10coursesthatcontributetotheProgramof

StudyinBiologyandAnimalPhysiology.Fiveotherfacultyfromthe

DepartmentofMicrobiologyandImmunologyteachover300

undergraduatesper

yearinfivecoursesthatincludemicrobiology,

parasitology,virology,bacteriology,andimmunology.Manyfaculty

membersacrosstheVeterinaryCollegeemployundergraduatestudentsas



Seehttp://www.med.cornell.edu/education/programs/tra_sum_res.html.

7. Educational Offerings 203

assistantsintheirresearchlaboratories,exposingpre‐medicalandpre‐

veterinarystudentstorelevantbiomedicalorclinicalresearchand

diagnostics,andenablingthemtomeetotherfacultyandstaffwhomay

serveasmentorsandrolemodels.

VeterinaryCollegefaculty,staff,andstudentsalsocontributeinformallyto

undergraduateeducationthrough

theirinvolvementwithstudent

organizationsandspecialinterestgroupssuchasthePre‐VetClub,and

withminoritystudentsinterestedinveterinarymedicineenrolledinthe

CollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences.Thecollegeoffersopportunities

forservicelearningthroughitspetvisitationprogram,Cornell

Companions,whichservesmorethana

dozenlocalcommunity

organizations.CornellCompanionscollaborateswithCornell’sPublic

ServiceCentertoofferundergraduatesopportunitiestovolunteerandto

participateinspecialevents.

FacultyoftheJohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagementcollaboratewith

colleaguesandcontributetothecurriculaintheundergraduateprograms

oftheDysonSchoolofApplied

EconomicsandManagement(inCALS)

andtheSchoolofHotelAdministration.Courses,workshops,and

academiceventsareaccessibletostudentsacrosstheseprograms.In

addition,particularstrengthsofeachprogramsupporttheothers.The

HotelSchoolcontributesstrengthsintheservicesaspectsofbusiness;the

JohnsonSchoolcontributesastrongaccounting

program;andtheDyson

Schoolcontributesstrengthsinagribusinessandparticularlythefood

business.

Inaddition,theJohnsonSchoolmakesitsclassesavailableto

undergraduatestudentsintwoways.First,openseatsinMBAelective

coursesaremadeavailabletothelargerCornellstudentbody.Second,the

JohnsonSchooloffers

anumberofcoursesthatareopentonon–Johnson

Schoolstudents;theseincludeversionsofthecore,requiredcoursesand

severalcoursesintopicsproventobeofinteresttothewiderstudent

community,suchasLeadership,Negotiations,andEntrepreneurship.

TheLawSchool’srelationshipwithundergraduatesislimitedtosome

LawSchoolfacultyteachingcoursesopenexclusivelytoundergraduates:

204 7. Educational Offerings

TheDeathPenaltyinAmerica;Nature,Functions,andLimitsoftheLaw;

CompetitionLawandPolicy;andGender,PublicPolicy,andLaw.



7.3 Off-Campus Study

InadditiontotheIthacaandNewYorkCitycampuses,Cornellhasa

smallercampusinGeneva,NewYork,about50milesfromIthaca—the

NewYorkStateAgriculturalExperimentStation.

Arenowned

horticultureresearchandextensioninstitute,thestationservesasavenue

forresearchandteachingfortheDepartmentsofEntomology,Food

Science,Horticulture,andPlantPathologyandPlant‐MicrobeBiology.

ActivitiesattheAgriculturalExperimentStationareconductedunderthe

aegisoftheCollegeofAgricultureandLife

Sciences,andarethusunder

theoversightoftheIthacadepartmentsandtheircurriculumcommittees,

aswellastheCollegeCurriculumCommitteeandtheCollegeFaculty

Senate.

CornellUniversityalsoincludesWeillCornellMedicalCollegeinQatar,

butthegreatdistanceprecludesthisfrombeinganeducationalexchange

orresourceprogram

forCornellstudents.TheQatarprogramsweresetup

todeliverCornellcoursestostudentsintheMid‐eastregion.

Thus,

CornellstudentsfromtheIthacacampusorWeillCornellMedicalCollege

inNewYorkCitydonottakecoursesinQatar,eventhoughtheyare

equivalent.

Cornellalsooffersahostofoff‐campusprogramsaroundtheglobe.

Providedqualifyingstandardsaremet,everyCornellstudentiseligibleto

participateintheseprograms,whichmaybedividedintothreetypes:

creditcoursesandinternships,noncreditinternshipsandwork

experiences,anddistancelearningcourses.



http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/

“LaunchingofanAmericanMedicalCollegeintheMiddleEast:Vision,ChallengesandFuture

Directions”https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=550

7. Educational Offerings 205

7.3.1 Credit Courses and Internships

Creditcoursesandinternshipprogramsforoff‐campusstudyareavailable

throughallschoolsandcollegesatCornell.Whiletherearedifferences

amongthem,togethertheyprovideCornellstudentswithnumerous

opportunitiestostudyandlearninculturesandinstitutionsbeyondthe

Ithacacampus.Thefollowingsynopsisoftheseprogramsindicates

the

possibilities.

TheCornellAbroadprogramisoneofthelargeston campus,drawing

studentsfromallundergraduateschoolsandcolleges.

Inrecentyears

approximately20%ofthegraduatingclasshasparticipated.Moststudents

attendprogramsinWesternEurope,butcertainareas oftheworldhave

seenasubstantialincreaseinrecentyears,notablySouthAfrica,China,

andespeciallytheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica.

StudentsmayenrollinCornell‐affiliated

orunaffiliatedprogramsabroad.

LocationswhereCornellUniversityhasaffiliationswithotherAmerican

universitiesorwithhostinstitutionsincludeNepal,Paris,Seville,Berlin,

Kyoto,andIsrael.WhereCornellisapartnerintheprogram—as,for

example,inParis—itshareswithotherpartners(Duke,Emory,andTulane

universities,inthiscase)the

responsibilityofproviding,inrotation,a

facultymemberinresidencetodirecttheprogram,aswellasa

commitmenttosupporttheon‐siteadministrativestaff.Asimilar

arrangementexistsinSeville,withtheUniversityofMichiganandthe

UniversityofPennsylvania.Cornellisalsoanassociatememberina

numberofotherprograms.Ineachofthesecategories,Cornellhaseither

participatedfullyintheprogram’screationorappliedforassociatestatus

afterafullreviewbyCornellfacultyandsenioradministrators.

Cornellstudentsmayalsoapplytounaffiliatedprogramsofferedbyother

U.S.collegesanduniversities.TheCornellAbroad

officemaintainsalistof

suchprograms,eachofwhichisevaluatedbyfacultyandCornellAbroad

staffbeforebeingincluded.

Whileproceduresdifferslightly acrosstheschoolsandcolleges,certain

featuresofanevaluationprocessarecommon.Studentsstudyingabroad



Formoreinformation,seehttps://www.cuabroad.cornell.edu/

206 7. Educational Offerings

areusuallyrequiredtoobtainapprovalofcoursestobetakenbefore

leaving,andoftenmustprovideasyllabusonreturnforthecourses they

actuallyenrolledinwhileabroad.Thepre‐approvalisusuallydonebyan

academicadvisor,tobesurethatwhileabroadthestudentremainson

tracktofulfilluniversityand/orspecificmajorrequirements.Some

studentsalsodointernshipswhileabroad;whetherthisworkexperience

receivesacademiccreditisthedecisionofeachschoolorcollegefaculty,as

isthedeterminationofrequirementstobemetbeyondtheworkitself.As

indicated,Cornellfacultyareinvolvedat

everystepintheevaluation

process.WhereCornellAbroadoritspartnershavefacultyand/orstaffin‐

country,evaluationisongoing.Cornellprogramsalsorelyonthe

evaluationsofstudents,andparticularlytheircomplaints,forindications

ofpotentialproblems.



Duringthepastthreeyears,theCollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences

StudyAbroadandExchangeProgramhassentapproximately140CALS

undergraduatestostudyabroadeachyear.

Ofthese,themajoritywent

undertheauspicesofCornellAbroad,but21%traveledasexchange

studentsthroughcollege‐sponsoredprogramstouniversitiesinAustralia , 

Sweden,NewZealand,HongKong,andvariousAfricancountries.The

proceduresforapprovingthesecollege‐sponsoredexchangesarerigorous.

CALSstaffandfaculty,throughthe

college’sInternationalStudiesand

StudentExchangeCommittee,requireathoroughexaminationofa

potentialhost’scourseofferings,internshipandresearchopportunities,

andsupportofficesforinternationalstudents,aswellasclarityaboutsuch

practicalmattersashousing,costs,andhealthinsurance,beforeapproving

theapplication.Studentsareaskedtocompletean

evaluationafterthey

return.

TheSchoolofIndustrialandLaborRelationsoperatestwooff‐campus

programsforstudents.Thelarger,theILRCreditInternshipProgram,

placesapproximately80ILRjuniorsandseniorsininternshipseachyear.



Some30%oftheseareoutsidetheUnitedStates,withthelargestgroupin



CornellAbroadAnnualSummary,2008–2009,isavailableat:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=475

Forprogramdetails,seehttp://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/current/abroad‐exchange/index.cfm

CreditInternshipProgram:http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/creditInternships/

7. Educational Offerings 207

Geneva,theheadquartersoftheInternationalLaborOrganization.The

programisadministeredbyatenuredILRfacultymemberwho,with

otherfacultyandstaff,ensuresthattheinternsitesofferbothaserious

learningopportunityandsupervisorydirectionforthestudents.

TheotherprogramisajointprogramofILR

andtheQuinnSchoolat

UniversityCollege,Dublin.

Eachfallsemestersince2007,13ILRstudents

haveenteredtheQuinnSchoolprogramonworkandworkplacerelations

inthecontextoftheEuropeanUnion.ThefacultydirectorsinDublinand

Ithacaareinfrequentcontacttodiscussandevaluatetheprogram,and

studentsaregradedinaccordwith

thestandardsatUniversityCollege,

whichareinlinewiththoseofothertopEuropeanuniversities.

TheUrbanSemesterProgramisofferedbytheCollegeofHumanEcology

eachsemesterandduringthesummer.

Duringtheacademicyear

studentsarehousedatthe92

StreetYontheUpperEastSideof

Manhattanandperformathree‐day‐a‐weekinternshipthattheyobtainon

theirown.(Theseinternships rangefromworkingonWallStreetto

workingwithcommunityserviceagencies.)Inaddition,studentscarryout

communityserviceinBrooklyninpartnershipwithcommunity‐

based

organizations.Pre‐medstudentstypicallydesigntheirownsetofrotations

atanyofthefiveNewYorkPresbyterianHospitallocationsandother

hospitalsandclinicsinNewYorkCity.Theyhaveinternedinmany

hospitalareas,includingsurgery,pediatrics,AIDS,nutrition,and

geriatrics.Thesummerprogramexpandstheinternship

tofourdaysa

weekwiththefifthdaydevotedtodiscussionsandseminarswith

professionalpractitioners.

TheCornellinWashingtonprogram,basedintheCollegeofArtsand

Sciences,bringsabout50undergraduateseachsemestertoWashington,

DC,wheretheyliveinauniversity‐owneddormitory.

Theprogramhas

fourmajorcomponents:aneight‐creditcorecourseonpublicpolicyor

Americanhistorythatfocusesonresearchskillsaswellassubjectmatter;a

majorresearchpaperrelatedtothethemesofthecourse;electivecourses

taughtbyCornellfacultyand/orselectedfacultyfromareainstitutions;



SemesterinDublinProgram:http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/dublin/.

UrbanSemesterProgram:http://www.human.cornell.edu/academics/urban‐semester/index.cfm

CornellinWashington:http://www.ciw.cornell.edu/

208 7. Educational Offerings

andanoncredit,three‐day‐a‐weekinternshipthatstudentsobtainontheir

own,withtheaidoftheprogram.(Theseinternshipshave includeda

varietyofmediaorganizations,governmentalagencies,Congressional

committees,financialinstitutions,andnonprofitgroups.)Beginningin

spring2011,CornellinWashingtonincludesaservice‐learning

component,

theCornellUrbanScholarsProgram.Studentsinthisprogram

pursueinternshipswithnonprofitorlocalgovernmentagenciesandtakea

specialclass,SocialJusticeandUrbanIssues:TheCaseofWashingtonDC

andItsEnvirons.

Studentstakeatotalof12creditsandaregradedbyfacultyteachingin

Washington.In

addition,academictutorsareavailabletomeetweekly

withstudentstodiscusstheirmajorresearchproject.Theprogramis

evaluatedperiodicallybyacommitteeofCornellfaculty,headedbythe

deanofcontinuingeducationandtheprogramdirector.Inadditiontothe

reportsoftheresidentstaffandthedirector’s

ownobservations,they

considercourseevaluationsbythestudentsandinternshipevaluationsby

bothstudentsandsponsors.

Thelargestoff‐campusofferingoftheCollegeofArchitecture,Art,and

PlanningisitsCornellinRomeprogram,whichenrollsupwardsof50

studentseachsemester.

Theprogramisledbyon‐siteCornellfaculty

whoworkinclosecollaborationwithuniversitiesinRometoassurethe

qualityoftheacademicprogramming.Detailedevaluationsbyboth

facultyandstudentsprovidethebasisforreviewandassessment.The

collegealsorunsasmallerprogram,AAPNYC,in

NewYorkCity,with

thefocusonart,architecture,andcityplanningaccordingtothestudent’s

interest.

AswiththeRomeprogram,on‐siteCornellfacultyworkwith 

institutionsinNewYorktoprovidethevarietyofcourses andexperiences

needed.Assessmentisdonethroughacombinationofon‐sitevisits,

studentevaluations,andfacultyanalysis,andoverseenbyacommitteeof

facultyandseniorstaffin

Ithaca.



CornellinRome:http://aap.cornell.edu/rome/

AAPNYCProgram:http://www.aap.cornell.edu/nyc/

7. Educational Offerings 209

Additional,smallerprogramsinfocusedareasincludetheEnvironmental

SciencescoursesontheislandofHawaiiandtheShoalsMarine

LaboratoryinMaine.



Cornell’smanyprogramsforstudyabroadandatotheroff‐campus

locationspresentaricharrayofopportunitiesforstudents.However,

studentsseekingtostudyabroadencounterchallengesresultingfromthe

differentmodels,programs,andfinancialarrangementsacrossthe

campus.Theseincludetuitiondifferences,collegefees,impactonfinancial

aid,

insurancerequirements,andvariationsinprerequisitesacross

colleges.Afacultycommittee,chairedbytheviceprovostforinternational

relations,producedareportinNovember2009offeringanumberof

recommendationstoimprovestudyabroad.

7.3.2 Noncredit Internships and Work Experiences

Noncreditinternshipsandworkexperiencesalsoaugmenttheeducational

opportunitiesofCornell’sundergraduatecolleges.Oneexampleisthe

EngineeringCooperativeEducationProgramintheCollegeof

Engineering,whichenablesstudentstoworkintheirfieldsofinterestfor

sixtosevenmonthswhilestillcompletingtheirCornelldegree

requirementsinthe

normalfour‐yearperiod.

Studentsmustbestudying

oneofthemajoracademicfieldsofferedbythecollege,orbeamajorin

eithercomputerscienceinA&SorbiologicalengineeringinCALS.While

thereisaslightvariationinwhichsemesterastudentbeginswithan

engineeringcompany,over90%ofcoopstudents

leavecampusforone

semesteroftheirjunioryearandreturntoorcontinuewiththecompany

thefollowingsummer.Thebenefitsoftheexperienceareclear,as

evaluationsfrombothfacultyandstudentsattest.Studentsgaininterview

experiencewhenapplyingfortheposition,andtheyaugmenttheir

learningwithsustained

workexperience.Theyalsoearnanaverageof

$3400permonthtooffsettheirlivingexpensesincitiesthroughoutthe

UnitedStatesand,occasionally,abroad.



ShoalsMarineLaboratory:http://www.sml.cornell.edu/

http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/academics/undergraduate/

special_programs/coop/index.cfm

210 7. Educational Offerings

Overafifthofengineeringmajorsenteracoopprogram.Theyreceiveno

academiccredit,butsuccessfulcompletionisnotedontheirtranscripts.

TheymusthavecompletedfivesemestersofworkatCornell,maintained

atleasta2.7GPA,andbeenadmittedbytheprogramfacultyandstaff.To

maintain

thestudent’sgraduationschedulewhileprovidingthislearning

opportunity,thecollegeoffersrequiredfifth‐semestercoursesduringthe

summerbetweensophomoreandjunioryears.

Collegeoversightoftheprogramisclose.Facultyandstaffvisitsitesand

engageindiscussionswithcompanyexecutivesbeforeapprovingthem,

andaperiodicvisitationoccurs

whenastudentisinresidence.Staffin

Ithacaareincontactwithstudentsandwiththeon‐sitecompany

supervisor.Aclear“ExpectationsAgreement”issignedpriortothe

internshipbybothstudentandsupervisor,andeachalsowritesperiodic

evaluationsduringthestudent’sin‐companyresidenceaswell

asa

comprehensivefinalevaluation.

TheCornellPublicServiceCenter(PSC)hasgrownsignificantlyinrecent

yearsandhasbecomeaninnovativecampusleaderinfostering

engagementbetweenstudentsandvariouscommunitieslocally,across

America,andabroad.

ThegoalofPSCistofosterservicelearning

opportunitiesinwhichstudentsutilizeaspectsoftheirtrainingin

supportiverolesinalocalcommunity’seffortstoachieveitsplans.

InpartbecauseoftheworkassociatedwiththePSC,TheCarnegie

FoundationfortheAdvancementofTeachingrecentlydesignated

Cornell

an“institutionofcommunityengagement,”makingCornelloneofonly

311U.S.collegesanduniversitiestoreceivethisclassification.

In2008–2009,morethan5600Cornellstudentsparticipatedinvarious

programsoff‐campus,andmanyofthemalsopreparedfortheir

involvementinoneofthemorethan60servicelearning

coursesinthe

university’scurriculum.Forstudentswishingadeeperexposuretothe

intellectualfoundationsofservicelearning,thePublicServiceScholars

Programisanacademic‐immersionprogramthatexplorestheintellectual,

cultural,andpoliticaldimensionsofdemocraticcitizenshipthrough

servicecoupledwithcommunity‐basedresearchandpublicscholarship.In



http://www.psc.cornell.edu/

7. Educational Offerings 211

thisfashionthisacademicworkhelpsframethebroaderdimensionsofthe

particularworkexperience.

Thestudents’communityserviceisvolunteer,noncreditwork,andin

2008–2009some3300studentsparticipatedincommunityservice

activities.In25student‐ledprojects,over2000studentsworkedinvarious

capacitieswithlocalcommunityleaders—in

Ithacaandelsewhere—on

issuesofaging,homelessness,ruralpoverty,racialandethnicdisparities

inschoolsuccess,andsocialentrepreneurship.Some250students,for

example,workedpart‐timeforTompkinsCountyandelsewhereina

varietyofcapacities,whileanother400volunteeredastutorsandmentors

forK–12studentsinlocalpublic

schools.PSCalsosponsorsanannual

“IntotheStreets”event,involving1,500studentsinOctober2010,

participatinginagreatvarietyofcommunityserviceactivities.Inallof

thesenoncreditactivities,PSCprovidesopportunityforongoing

evaluationthroughstudentjournalsandparticipantdiscussionsduring

andaftertheproject.Finally,some

800Cornellstudentsandalumniacross

thecountryparticipatedinaCornellCaresday,anationaladaptationof

theIthaca‐based“IntotheStreets”program.

AcoreaspectofthePSCprograminvolvesmoreprolongedengagements

withlocalcommunitiesintheUnitedStatesandabroad.Groupsof

studentsmayinitiatethe

proposal,workwithPSCstafftodevelopit,and

involveknowledgeablefacultytoofferpanelsandinformalseminarsto

helpthemprepare.Theseprogramsoccurduringthesummers,thelong

winterbreak,andtheweek‐longspringbreak.Groupshavebuilthomesin

NewOrleansandjoinedavarietyof

community‐ledprojectsdealingwith

micro‐economicinitiatives,literacy,homelessness,andotherissues.PSC

hasalsoexpandedsignificantlyitsinternationalinvolvements.An

initiativeinGhanahasfocusedonmalariapreventionandwellness;in

CostaRica,onaidingannon‐governmentalorganizationrunbylocal

womentodevelopeco‐tourismbybuilding

ahikingtrail.InRwanda

studentstaughtEnglishandhelpedconstructasystemofmanually

operatedsolarpanelstoprovideonecommunitywithenergy.Inallof

theseprojects,facultyandPSCstaffworkedwithstudentvolunteersprior

todeparture—throughpanels,seminars,lectures,anddiscussions—to

212 7. Educational Offerings

providesomegroundingintheculture,politics,andsocialtraditionsof

thecommunitytheywereentering.

ThoughnotrelevanttoCornellstudentsenrolledforadegree,various

educationalactivitiessponsoredbytheuniversitydeservesomecomment

here.BothHumanEcology(HE)andIndustrialandLaborRelations(ILR)

haveextensivecourse

offeringsacrossNewYorkStateinpartial

fulfillmentoftheirlandgrantmission.Forexample,during2008–2009HE

offered428noncreditinstructionalactivities,themajorityproviding

vocationalandprofessionaltraining.Similarly,morethan21,000

individualsenrolledinnoncreditprogramsofferedthroughILR;topics

includeddisputeresolution,laborlaw,safetyandhealth,

economic

development,andemploymentdisability.

7.3.3 Distance Learning

DistancelearningcreditcourseshavebeenanaspectofCornell’sofferings

foralmost20years.UndertheaegisoftheSchoolofContinuing

EducationandSummerSessions,Cornellfacultyoffercoursesalready

approvedbytheEducationalPolicyCommitteesoftheirrespective

schools,bythedepartmentchair,andfinallybythe

associatedeanofthe

SchoolofContinuingEducation.Approximately10coursesareoffered

duringthewintersessionand15insummersession.



Beyondtheseefforts,individualschoolsandcollegeshaveentered

distancelearningaswell.ILRhastwodedicatedclassroomsforcredit

distancelearningthatareusedtobringstudentsfromabroad,aswellas

CornellstudentsspendingasemesterinNewYorkorWashington,into

theIthacaclassroom.Theseeffortsare

expectedtogrowanddiversifyover

thecomingyears.



7.3.4 Graduate Study Abroad

Graduatestudentshavevariousopportunitiesforstudyabroad,including

theoptionsdescribedbelow.



Seehttp://www.sce.cornell.edu/forcurrentcourses.

Theprocessbywhichtheidentityofdistancelearningstudentsisverifiedisdescribedhere:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=291

7. Educational Offerings 213

ThegraduatefieldsofFoodScienceandTechnologyandofPlantBreeding

partnerwithTamilNaduAgriculturalUniversity(TNAU)inIndiato

offerstudentsinIndiaandtheU.S.adualmasterʹsdegreeprogram.



SelectedstudentsearnanMPSinfoodsciencefromCornellandamaster

oftechnologyinfoodprocessingandmarketingfromTNAU.

TheCornell‐NanyangInstituteofHospitalityManagement,

administeredbytheSchoolofHotelAdministration,offersamaster’sof

managementinhospitality(MMH).

Theintensive,twelve‐month

programcommenceswithahalf‐semesteratNanyangTechnological

UniversityinSingapore,followedbyoneandahalfsemestersinIthaca

andafinalsemesterinSingapore.About55%ofthoseenrolledare

internationalstudents.

TheCornellInternationalInstituteforFood,Agriculture,and

Development(CIIFAD)and

BahirDarUniversity(BDU)inEthiopia

collaborateonajointprogramforanMPSdegreeininternational

agricultureandruraldevelopmentwithaspecializationinintegrated

watershedmanagement.

ThedegreeisconferredbyCornellUniversity,

withallcourseworkandexaminationsundertakenatBahirDar.Cornell

facultytraveltoEthiopiatooffercoursesinthree‐weekblockswithfaculty

fromBDU.CornellandBDUfacultyjointlysupervisestudentsʹ

research/developmentprojects.



7.4 Library, Information Technology, and

Instructional Facilities

7.4.1 The Cornell University Library

TheCornellUniversityLibraryiswovenintothediversityand

individualityofeducationalopportunitiesacrossthecampus,asit

supportsstudentresearchandinitiativesandisanintegralcomponentof



Seehttp://www.tnau.ac.in/

Seehttp://www.cni.ntu.edu.sg/

Seehttp://ciifad.cornell.edu/initiatives‐bahir.cfm

214 7. Educational Offerings

themanyeducationalprogramsandresearchprojectsunderwayat

Cornell.Librarystaffpartnerwithfacultyandwithtechnologyand

educationalexpertstofacilitatelearningopportunitiesforstudents,

increaseaccesstoourresources,andshowcasetheuniversity’sresearch.



TheCornellUniversityLibraryconsistsof17unitlibraries,about8million

printedvolumes,over360,000e‐books,andthousandsofjournals

availabletouserswherevertheyarelocated.Thelibraryconsistently

receiveshighusersatisfactionratings.Forexample,intheClassof2010

SeniorSurvey,98%ofrespondentswere

“generally”or“very”satisfied

withlibraryfacilitiesandresources.

Similarly,the2010FacultyWorkLife

Survey(seeChapter6,“Faculty”)showshighsatisfactionwiththe

library.



Overthepast10years,theuniversityhasinvestedheavilyinitslibrary

facilities,andhasreconfiguredspacestomeetevolvingneeds.In

collaborationwithCornellInformationTechnologies,threeCornell

librarieshavecreatedlearningspaceswithspecialized,state‐of‐the‐art

facilitiestopromotecollaborativegroupstudypractices,multimedia

development,

andsoftwareengineeringforthevisualanddigitalworld.

ThelibraryservesaCornellpopulationof35,000students,faculty,and

staffaswellasabroaderstate,national,andinternationalaudience,in

accordancewithitslandgrantmission.Tothatend,thelibrarymaintains

anoutstandingcollection(ranked10

outof113intheAssociationof

ResearchLibrariesInvestmentIndex)consistingofstrongdigital

resources,asubstantialprintcollection,anduniquespecialcollections.The

collectioninthecomingyearswillbeincreasinglydigitalinallsubjects

andtransformedbychangingscholarlycommunicationprocesses.Our

collections—printandon‐line—areeasily

accessibleovertheweb.

Studentsandfacultycanconnecttothousandsofelectronicjournalsviaan

easydatabaseportal,orthroughCourseandSubjectGuides,createdby

librariansonspecificsubjects.ThelibraryadoptedWorldCatLocalin2009

toconnectusersmoreeasilytoholdingsinlibrariesaroundtheworld.The



Cornellcommunityalsocantakeadvantageoftheholdingsofother



VisittheCULwebsite:http://www.library.cornell.edu/aboutus

Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=520,p7.

Seehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=544,p.5.

7. Educational Offerings 215

universitiesthroughthelibrary’songoingparticipationintheBorrow

Directnetwork,aswellastraditionalinterlibraryloan.

ThelibraryʹsDivisionofRareandManuscriptCollectionscontains

materialsrangingfromancientcuneiformtabletstoextensivecollections 

documenting20

‐and21

‐centuryhistoryandculture.Specialcollections

ofnationalrenownincludetheKheelCenterforLabor‐Management

DocumentationandArchivesandtheDivisionofAsiaCollections,which

offersoneofNorthAmerica’smostsignificantcollectionsofAsian

historicalandliterarymaterials.Ourcollectionsareopentoallandserve

asvehicles

forprimaryresourceresearchforundergraduates.Infact,an

impressivenumberofundergraduates(55%)usespecialcollections

materialsatleastoccasionallyforaproject.



Maintainingaccesstocollections,spaces,andresourcesisapriority.The

librariesoncampusreceivecloseto4millionvisitsperyearandareopen

approximately150hoursperweek,whileon‐lineresourcesremain

availablearoundtheclock,recordingover1.7millionpatronsessionsin

themainlibrarywebsite

inonemonthalone(examplefromNovember

2008).Over1millionbooks,journals,DVDs,andotheritemsareborrowed

andrenewedyearly.

Cornell’slibrariansfacilitateinformation‐gatheringthroughinstruction,

websites,andLibraryGuides.Eachyearlibrarystaffanswerover78,000

referencequestionsandactivelyparticipateintheteachingofinformation

competency

skills.Librarystaffprovidesbothin‐personandon‐linehelp

throughreferenceconsultations,24‐hourreferencechatservices,andtext

messaging,andconnectwithstudentswithWeb2.0tools(e.g.,Twitterand

Facebook).

Thelibraryhasanextensiveundergraduateinstructionprogramwithover

1700instructionsessionsandtoursyearly.

Librarystaffdeveloparangeof

instructionalaids,manyusingtheLibGuidesplatform;theyalsoteachor

co‐teachcredit‐bearingcourses,andseveralholdappointmentsin

academicdepartments.Inaddition,someoftheseinstructionsessions

involvestudentsinprimaryresearch,usingcollectionsfromourarchives



Seepage17herehttp://www.dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000407.pdforforlongitudinal

comparisons,https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=551

216 7. Educational Offerings

inclassessuchastheResearchingHip‐Hopclassofferedbythe

DepartmentofMusicin2009–2010.

Twocollaborativeprogramsworth highlightingaretheInformation

CompetencyInitiativeandtheDigitalLiteracyResource.

Thefirst

providesparticipatingfacultywiththefunding,opportunity,and

assistancetotransformthecurriculum,explorecreativeandeffectiveways

toengagestudents,andintegrateresearchskillsintotheclassroom.The

secondisdesignedtopromoteinformationcompetenciesoutsideofformal

instructionbyteachingorreferencelibrarians,byprovidingan

on‐line,

multimediasitewhichexploresissuesofcopyright,plagiarism,research,

privacy,andinformationtechnologytoolsinthecontextofundergraduate

academicresearch.

Inthefaceofrecentuniversitybudgetdeficitscombinedwithaccelerating

acquisitioncosts,thelibraryparticipatedactivelyinCornell’sstrategic

planningprocessandconductedthoroughreviewsofunit

libraries.Asa

result,onesmallunit,thePhysicalSciencesLibrary,essentiallybecamea

virtuallibraryinlate2009.Hard‐copymaterialsweremovedtoother

locations,theelectroniccollectionswereenhanced,andthephysicalspace

becameastudyspacewithsubjectlibrarianson‐site.Changesarein

progressor

expectedinotherunitsaswell.Forexample,theEntomology

LibrarywillbemovedintothelargerMannLibrary.TheEngineering

Librarywillenhanceefficiencybyrelocatingsomephysicalmaterialsto

theLibraryAnnex.TheHotel,ILR,andManagementLibrariesareseeking

waystoshareresources.

7.4.2 Cornell Information Technologies

CornellInformationTechnologies(CIT)providesandmaintainsthe

infrastructurenecessarytoconductresearch,teach,andfacilitate

collaborationingeographicallydispersedunitsandtokeepCornell

seamlesslyconnectedwiththerestoftheworld.

Thisinvolvesthe

creationandmaintenanceofacomputingandwirelessinfrastructurewith

secureaccesstolicensedon‐lineresources,aunifiedseamlessprinting



InformationCompetencyInitiative:http://infocomp.library.cornell.edu

DigitalLiteracyResource:http://digitalliteracy.cornell.edu/

Seehttp://www.cit.cornell.edu

7. Educational Offerings 217

serviceacrossalllibrariesandcomputerlaboratories,andtheintegration

ofcoursemanagementsoftware(Blackboard)tolibraryholdingsto

facilitateteachingandlearning.

CITservicesenablefacultytoofferon‐lineaccesstocoursematerials,lead

discussionson‐line,andassessstudentlearningviacoursemanagement

software,coursewebsites,and

blogs.Facultymayusepollingdevices

(i>clickers)toengagestudentsinlargelecturecoursesorhavethemcreate

theirassignmentsusingmultimediamaterials.Studentshaveaccessto

materials24/7viaawirelessnetwork,postcommentswithinasecure

networkandauthenticationsystem,andlaunchinnovativeprojectsusing

high‐endsoftwareavailable

incomputerlaboratories.



AsdescribedinChapter3,“InstitutionalStewardship,”Cornell’sstrategic

planningprocessidentifiedareaswhereinformationtechnologyservices

couldfunctionmoreefficientlyandeffectively.Asaresult,currentefforts

arefocusedonmorecentralizedcoordinationofdesktopsupportand

applicationdevelopment.

7.4.3 Instructional Facilities

Therearemorethan260majorbuildingsonthe745contiguousacresthat

compriseCornellʹscentralcampusinIthaca.Consistentwiththelargesize

ofthecampusandthedecentralizednatureofacademicadministration,

classroommanagementislargelydecentralized.Instructionalspacesare

“owned”bythecolleges,andthecolleges take

theleadinmonitoringtheir

qualityandadequacy.Leadershipisinformedaboutthequalityand

sufficiencyofthosespacesbyfaculty,students,andthecollegeand

universityregistrarswhomonitorthespaces.Whenproblemsarefound,

MaintenanceManagementandBuildingCare—aunitwithintheDivision

ofFacilitiesServices—frequentlypartnerswithcollegesanddepartments

toimplementimprovements.Whentechnologicalupgradesarerequired,

CITpartnerswithotherstoprovideappropriateaudiovisualsolutions.

Whileonly56%offacultyreportedthattheywere“somewhat”or“very”

satisfiedwith“classroomspace”inthe2005FacultyWorkLifeSurvey,

thatpercentageincreasedto65%inthe2010

administrationofthissurvey,



FormoreonCITsupportforteachingandresearch,visithttp://www.cit.cornell.edu/teaching/

218 7. Educational Offerings

perhapsreflectingsubstantialinvestmentsinfacilitiesoverthelastseveral

years.



Classroomschedulingishandledthroughcentralizedtools(including

Resource25,alsoknownasR25)anddecentralizedpractices(including

handscheduling).Ingeneral,theseschedulingtoolshavemechanismsto

takeintoaccountfacultyrequests,includinggeographiclocation,room

configuration,capacity,AVequipment,andboardtype(white,chalk).The

Officeofthe

UniversityRegistrarrecentlyacquiredananalytictool(X25)

toevaluateutilizationbytimeofdayandseatfillaswellasthematch

betweenthedemandrequestsandthesupplyprovided.

AspartofitsADVANCEfundingtofacilitatetherecruitment,retention,

andpromotionofwomeninengineeringandthesciences,

theuniversity

recentlycompletedalarge‐scalestudyofspaceattheuniversity.While

thisstudyfocusedonpersonalofficeandresearchspaces,awalkthoughof

over2millionsquarefeetrevealedthatthequalityofspacesatthe

universityisfairlyhigh.Ofapproximately8000roomsvisuallyinspected,

only

49werejudgedtobe“poor”inquality: notrenovated,peelingpaint,

dirty,old,poorlighting,and/ornoisy.Bycontrast,nearly2000ofthese

roomswerejudgedtobe“bestoftheirtype”:cleanandeitherrecently

renovatedornewconstruction.



TheofficeofSpacePlanning,incollaborationwithFacilitiesServicesand

CampusPlanning,isactivelyengagedinenhancingtheuniversity’s

capacitytomonitorspace,spaceusageandspacequalityinorderto

enhanceourstrategicuseofthisimportantresource.



7.5 Recommendations

7.5.1 Common Academic Experience

Thoughuniversity‐wideeducationalgoals,reflectingthesharedlearning

goalsoftheundergraduatecolleges,havebeenexplicitlyarticulatedand



https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=544

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=299

7. Educational Offerings 219

thoughthereisconsiderableoverlapindistributionrequirementsacross

colleges,thediscretenatureofeachcollegehastendedtopreventoreven

toprohibitthecreationofuniversity‐wideorgeneralstudiescourses.Thus

undergraduateeducationatCornelllacksageneralcoherenceacrossthe

campus.Weendorsetherelevantobjective

giveninCornell’sStrategic

Plan:



“Provideamoreunifiedandsharededucationalexperiencefor

Cornellundergraduates.”

Specifically,werecommend



thattheuniversitycreateaprogram thatprovidesforacommon

academicexperienceforallundergraduates,inwhichformal

courseworkissupportedbyliving‐learningactivitiesandwhich

supportsthe

ideaofCornellas“oneuniversity.”

7.5.2 Integration Across Colleges

WeunderscoretheseveralrecommendationsoftheStrategicPlanthat

focusonintegration.Specifically,weendorsethefollowinginitiative,

listedintheStrategicPlanasoneofsevenstrategicinitiativesforthenext

fiveyears:



“Developstrongerconnectionsortiesacrosscollegesthatenhance

educationalopportunitiesforstudentsandthe

qualityandstature

ofdisciplinesorfields.”

WealsoendorsethefollowingStrategicPlanrecommendationforone

meansofachievingtheseenhancededucationalopportunities:



“Reviewtheacademicnecessityandjustificationforpoliciesand

proceduresthatlimitorcreateobstaclestothecapacityofstudents

inonecollegetotake

coursesinanother.”

7.5.3 The Creative and Performing Arts

WefindtheintegrationofthecreativeandperformingartsintoaCornell

undergraduateeducationtobeapotentiallyimportantchallenge,andwe

recommend

220 7. Educational Offerings



thatCornellconceptualizeandimplementanintegralroleforthe

creativeandperformingarts.

7.5.4 Undergraduate Research

Cornellhashadgreatsuccessinencouragingundergraduatestointegrate

researchopportunitieswiththeireducation,butbecauseofthe

university’shighlydecentralizedadministrationsitisdifficulttocompile

comparativedataorinstitution‐widesummaries.Forpurposesof

institutionalresearchandlong‐termplanning,werecommend



thatCornellestablishacentralized

datacollection,aswellasan

organizedsystemorresourcetoprovideliaison,communications,

andfacilitationtosupportandhighlightundergraduateresearch;

tomakecurrentstudents’researchaccomplishmentsmorevisible

tofaculty,students,prospectivestudents,andmembersofthe

public;andtomakeitmorepossibletobuilduponthose

accomplishments.

7.5.5 Fields of Graduate Study

ThegraduatefieldstructureatCornellisaninnovativewayforgraduate

studentstointegratestudiesacrossdepartmentsandcollegesanddevelop

strongpartnershipswithfacultythroughthecommitteestheyarerequired

toformtoguidetheireducation.However,somegraduatefieldshavevery

lowenrollmentsandthusprovidelessinteraction

inseminarsanda

narrowerrangeofopportunitiesforlearning,andmayhavedifficulty

recruitingstrongstudents.Werecommend



that

theGeneralCommitteeoftheGraduateSchoolexamine

whethertoreducethenumberofgraduatefieldsby

mergingorclosingsomeverysmallfields,orbyclustering

relatedfieldsinordertoimprovestudents’educational

opportunities.



7.5.6 Graduate Student Language Instruction

Oneseriouschallengecurrentlyfacingtheuniversityishowtoprepare

graduatestudentswhosefirstlanguageisnotEnglishforgraduate

7. Educational Offerings 221

courseworkandresearchandundergraduateteachinginEnglish.As

describedinthischapter,Cornelloffersastrongprogramtoimprovethe

teachingskillsofinternationalTAs.Theuniversity’slanguageskills

offeringsforthesestudentshaverecentlybeenrevisitedandhavebeen

relocatedtotheSchoolofContinuingEducationandSummer

Sessions.We

recommend



thatCornellcontinuetomonitorboththelargerissueofthe

languageskillsofenteringgraduatestudentsandthespecificissue

oftheextenttowhichthecoursescurrentlypro videdaddressthe

goalsandneedsofgraduateeducation.

7.5.7 The University Library

ThelibrarysystematCornellisfoundationaltoexcellenceinvirtuallyall

departmentsandprograms,anditisintegraltotheeducational

experiencesofstudentsatalllevels.Asthelibrarysystemmovesforward

withchangesapprovedundertheStrategicPlan,werecommend



thatCornellensurethatcollaborationsandpartnerships

with

merginglibrariesandothernon‐Cornelllibraries servetheneedsof

facultyandstudents;



thattheuniversityexa mineandtrackthelibraryneedsofstudents

(undergraduate,graduate,andprofessional)toensurestrong

servicesthatareeffectivelyintegratedwithacademicpriorities.

7.5.8 Study Abroad

Withregardtostudyabroadandatotheroff‐campuslocations,Cornell

offersanabundanceofdiverseopportunities.However,asnotedearlierin

thechapter,studentswhowanttostudyabroadfaceanumberof

administrativeandfinancialhurdles.AccordingtotheStudyAbroadTask

Force,

Undergraduateparticipationinstudyabroadactivitiesisconstrainedby

ourtuitionstructure,organizationofstudyabroadprogramsandprogram

offerings.Cornell’sfeeforstudyabroad,whichisthehighestinthe

countryandmorethantwiceashighasthatofanyofourIvypeers,isa

significantimpedimentto

studyabroad.TheTaskForcecallsforarevised

222 7. Educational Offerings

financialstructuresothattheadministrativefeenolongerrepresentsa

barrierthatdiscouragesinternationalstudyorencouragesstudentstotake

aleavefromCornellinordertogoabroad....Theamountoftuition

collectedanditsallocationforinternationalprogramsrequirefurther

studytoreduceinternaldiscrepancies

infeespaidbystudentsandto

providesufficientfundstomaketheseprogramsaffordableandofhigh

quality....TheTaskForcerecommendscreationofasinglestudent‐

focusedofficetopromoteandsupportinternationaleducation

opportunitiesatCornell.Thisofficewouldassumeresponsibilityfor

publicizingoverseas

opportunities,providinginformationand

administrativesupportonapplicationprocedures,healthprecautions,

immigrationandworkpermits,riskmitigation,orientation....Initiationof

academicprogramsandadvisingwillremainfacultyresponsibilities....

TheStudyAbroadTaskForcestronglysupportscreationofa“re‐

imagined”CornellAbroadprogramworkingunder

adifferentfinancial

modelwithstrongerintegrationwithcollegeprogramsandfaculty.

Werecommend



thattheuniversitygivedueconsiderationtotherecommendations

presentedbythestudyabroadtaskforceinlate2009,particularly

 thattheuniversityshoulddevelopanewuniversity‐widemodelto

supportinternationaleducation,andshouldconsider

implementationoftherecommendationsofthe2009StudyAbroad

Task

force,contingentonnewbudgetaryandorganizational

structures.



8. Assessment of Student Learning 223

8. Assessment of Student

Learning

Standards:

14: Assessment of Student Learning

Inaprofoundsense,assessmentandimprovementareawayoflifeat

Cornell;aninstitutiondoesnotreachthesuccessandrecognitionthat

Cornellhasattainedwithoutthoughtfulandcontinuousself‐examination.

ThepursuitofexcellenceisfundamentaltoCornell’sinstitutionalidentity,

atalllevelsandacrossallcolleges

andprograms.Thatsaid,thehistoryof

ourassessmentpracticesaroundstudentlearningcouldbecharacterized

asinformalandsporadic,ratherthansystematicanddocumented.

Cornellrecognizesthatmoresystematicandwidespreadassessment

practicesisessentialincontinuallyimprovingitseducationalofferings.As

describedinthefirstsectionbelow,“Steps

TowardsaCultureof

Assessment,”theuniversityisquiteseriouslyengagedincreatingamore

formalizedcultureofassessmentofstudentlearningacrossthecampus.

“EffectsofCornell’sDiversityandComplexity,”reviewssomeofthe

reasonsforthelackofuniversalattentiontosystematicassessment

practices:Cornell’sdiversity,complexity,anddecentralized

system,with

eachcollegeindependentlyresponsibleforitsdegreeprogra ms.Atthe

sametime,wemakeclearinthissectionthatassessmenthasbeengoing

on,inmanydifferentways,andwithmanydifferentassessmenttools.

“OversightofAssessmentofStudentLearning,”looksmorecloselyatthe

structuresthatCornell

hascreatedtobuildacultureofassessment:a

centraladministrativeunit,auniversityCoreAssessmentCommittee

224 8. Assessment of Student Learning

comprisedofassociateandassistantdeansfromallcolleges,anda

leadershipstructurewithineachcollegetoengagewithassessment

processesindepartmentsandprograms.

Thefourthsection,“StatusofAssessmentinUndergraduateMajors,”

describestheprogress‐to‐dateintheundergraduatecollegesandoutlines

theplansforfurtherdevelopmentof

assessment.Theprofessionalschools,

asdescribedinthenextsection,havegoodassessment‐of‐studentlearning

processesalreadyinplace.TheGraduateSchool,whichoverseesmore 

than90graduatefieldsofstudy,hasdevelopedstudentlearning

proficienciesandassociatedrubricsforitsmaster’sanddoctoralresearch

degreeprograms,andwill

beworkingwiththegraduatefieldsasthey

developfield‐specificassessmentplans.



Finally,in“OtherAssessmentsofStudentLearning”wedescribehow

assessmentpracticesinsomeuniversity‐wideprogramshelpimprove

learningandhelptoinfusethefacultywithacultureofassessment.Local

orspecificprojectsofvariouskindscancontributetolearningand

innovationinteaching.

Thischapterconcludeswith

“Recommendations.”



8.1 Steps Toward a Culture of Assessment

Cornellhastakenseveralmajorstepstodevelopacomprehensive

approachtoassessmentthatwillhavealong‐lastingeffectonstudent

learning.Amongthestepstakenthusfarare:

•

designationofresponsibilityforassessmenttotheprovost’soffice,

withaspecificchargetotheviceprovostforundergraduate 

education;



•

creationofahalf‐timepositionofassessmentprojectmanager,

filledbyanassistantdean,tosupportassessmentplanningand

implementationatalllevels;



SeeAssessmentofStudentLearningintheGraduateSchool,https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=346.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 225

•

establishmentoftheCoreAssessmentCommittee,ledbythevice

provostforundergraduateeducationandincluding,generally,an

associateorassistantdeanfromeachofCornell’scollegesand

schools.Thegoal:tooverseetheassessmentprocessacrossthe

campus,provideadviceandsupport,andserveasacentral

resourcefor

communicationandcoordinationthroughoutCornell.

Thecommitteemeetsbiweeklyduringtheacademicyear.

•

participationinMiddleStatesworkshopsonassessment:in

September2009by10facultyandstaff,8ofwhomwereassociate

andassistantdeans,andinSeptember2010by6facultymembers

representingchairsordirectorsof

keydepartmentsorprograms;

•

creationofaleadershipstructurewithineachcollegeorschool,

includinganassociateorassistantdean,tooverseeassessmentof

studentlearning;

•

developmentofatimelineineachcollege/schooltoimplement

formalassessmentpracticesineachdegreeprogram;

•

developmentoflearninggoalsatthe

universitylevelandforeach

college/school;

•

planningandimplementationinAcalog,thenewweb‐based

softwareusedfortheuniversity’sonlineCoursesofStudy,to

incorporatelearningoutcomesatalllevels;developmentof

mechanismsforreportingonthesupportofoutcomesatalllevels

(course,degreeprogram,college/school,university);



•

hiringofanassociatedirectorforassessmentbytheCenterfor

TeachingExcellence(CTE);creationofworkshopsandindividual

supportopportunitiesforfacultyonassessmentpracticesbythe

CTE;

•

utilizationoflearningoutcomesininstructionalactivitiesinthe

CornellLibrary,includingtheInformationCompetencyInitiative.

Librariansgive1500

instructionalsessionsperyearincourses.

Theiruseofoutcomes‐basedapproachesindiscussingtheir

sessionswiththefacultyhelpsinstillanassessment‐based

perspectiveamongfaculty.

226 8. Assessment of Student Learning

Insum,aplanhasbeendevelopedtofullyimplementandsupportan

exemplarypatternofstudent‐learningassessmentpracticesacrossCornell.

Partsofthisplanarefullyimplemented,butthecultureofassessmentis

stillyoung.Todate,theuniversityandallthecolleges/schoolshave

enunciatededucationalgoals.Manymajors

(degreeprograms)and

coursesalreadyfolloweffectiveassessmentpractices,andthereisa

timetablefortheremainingdepartmentsandprogramsoncampusto

adoptsuchpractices.Cornell’ssizeandcomplexitymakeassessmenta

complexprojectand,appropriately,assessmentpracticeswillvaryamong

colleges,departments,andcourses.



8.2 Effects of Cornell’s Complexity and Diversity

Asdescribedthroughoutthisself‐study,Cornell’sfoundingmission,to

create“aninstitutionwhereanypersoncanfindinstructioninanystudy,”

ledtoanunusuallydiversesetofeducationalopportunities.EzraCornell’s

interestsintheapplicationofsciencetoagricultureandengineering

createdauniversitythat,whiledeeplyengagedin

classicalliberal

education,preparedstudentsforawiderangeofcareerpaths.These

diverseaimsledtoanew,decentralizedmodelofseparatecollegesand

schoolsthatpersiststoday,andthatcreatesacultureofindependenceand

autonomywithintheindividualunits.Eachofthesevenundergraduate

collegesandschools

andfivegraduateandprofessionalschools

independentlyoverseestheacademicprogramsofferedbytheunitsunder

itsjurisdiction.

Thecollegesandschoolssharesomecommoneducationalthemesand

goals(seeChapter7,“EducationalOfferings”),andtheycollaboratein

manyways,buthistorically,thelearninggoalswithintheacademic

contexthavenot

beenexplicitlyintegratedwitheachotherorwiththe

goalsofprogrammingthatsupportthebroaderstudentexperience(e.g.

residencelife,athletics,studentservices).

Asexamplesofthesubstantialdifferencesinscale,size,andcomplexityof

thevariouscolleges/schools,consider:

8. Assessment of Student Learning 227



TheCollegeofArts&Sciences(A&S)has28departments,offering

42majors,eachwithitsowndistinctrequirements.



IntheCollegeofEngineering12departmentsoffer12majors,

sharingacommonengineeringcurriculumduringthefreshman

andsophomoreyears.Buttwoofthedepartmentsareformally

partof

othercolleges,andtwoofthemajorsareofferedjointlyby

twodepartments.



TheSchoolofHotelAdministrationhasonedepartmentandone

major.



TheFacultyofComputingandInformationScienceshasthree

departmentsbutnostudents;thedepartmentsofferdegreesin

A&S,theCollegeofAgricultureand

LifeSciences(CALS),and

Engineering.



Thefacultyofthedepartmentsoftheaboveunits(andothers)are

heavilyengagedinresearchandPhDeducation.Butthe

departmentsarenotresponsibleforthePhDdegrees;instead,the

GraduateSchool,withitsfieldstructure,offersthePhDdegrees.



TheBiologyProgram

(notadepartment)offersthebiologymajor

inA&SandCALSandprovidesservicecoursestoallofCornell.

Thesesubstantialdifferencesnecessitatedifferentapproachesand

proceduresinregardtoassessment.

Severalmechanismsensureandfacilitatecollaborationamongthe

colleges:

•

Theprovostmeetsregularlywiththedeansofall

collegesand

discussesanyrelevantissue,includingassessment.

•

TheCoreAssessmentCommittee,mentionedaboveanddiscussed

indetaillater,meetsbiweekly.

•

Theviceprovostforundergraduateeducationconvenesamonthly

meetingofassociateorassistantdeansfrommostcollegesand

schools.Thisgroupdealswithacademicissuesthatcross



college/schoolboundaries—accesstominors,mentalhealth,

228 8. Assessment of Student Learning

academicintegrity,regulationsforfinalexams,assessment

practices,etc.

•

TheEducationPolicyCommitteeoftheFacultySenate,theGeneral

CommitteeoftheGraduateSchool,andeducationpolicy

committeesineachofthecolleges/schoolshavebroadoversight

andcoordinationresponsibilitiesforacademicprograms.

Thesegroupsprovidecriticalopportunitiesfordeveloping,coordinating,



andmonitoringassessmentactivitiesuniversity‐wide,andtheyare

expectedtoplaykeyrolesinstrengtheninganddeepeningassessment

activitiesatCornell.

8.2.1 Established Approaches to Assessing Educational Programs

ConsistentwiththeCornelltraditionofdiversityandlocalcontrol,there

aremanyapproachestoassessmentacrosstheuniversity.Some, 

particularlythoseofmostofthe21externallyaccreditedprograms,fully

meetthemoststringentexpectationsforassessment.Others

conscientiouslymonitorcurriculumdevelopment,coursedesign,the

qualityofinstruction(viamentoring

practicesandperformancereviews),

andtheacademicsuccessofstudents(viaexamsandfinalpapers,

satisfactionofgraduationrequirements,andgraduateschooland

professionalplacements),buttheydonotsystematicallymeasureand

documentstudents’attainmentofexplicitlearningoutcomes.

Cornell,likeitspeerinstitutions,haslongreliedonconventionalpractices

tomeasurethequalityofitseducationalprograms.Onemethodinvolves

theexternalrankingsofcollegesandprograms.Cornellasawholehas

rankedanywherefrom1

to16

intheUnitedStatesortheworldin

variousrecentrankings.Mostofitscollegesandschoolsrankinthetop15,

andmostofitsdepartmentsalsofarewellinvariousrankings.Thereare

tangibleadvantagestobeingatthetopoftherankings,intermsofstudent

and

facultyrecruitingandcompetitionforfunding.Thuscollegesand

departmentsworkhardtoensuretheircontinuingsuccessinthisarena.

Asecondassessmenttoolistheuseofadvisorycommitteesandregular

interactionswithkeyemployersandprominentalumni.ManyofCornell’s

colleges/schoolsfocusonsupportingspecificemploymentsectors.This

8. Assessment of Student Learning 229

emphasisprovidesacareerpathforstudents,andregulardialoguewith

externalconstituentshelpstoensurethatacademicprogramsproduce

graduateswithcompetitiveskills.AlthoughtheCollegeofArtsand

Sciencesdoesnotfocusonspecificareasofemployment,itsadvisory

committeeandprominentalumnidohelpcalibratethequalityof

its

students’preparationforthevariedprofessionstheychoose.

Athirdtoolistheuseofregularexternalreviewsofdepartmentsand

programs.SomeofCornell’scollegeshavehadsuchreviewsfordecades.

Startingin1996,theuniversitymandatedexternalreviewsforallunitson

a7‐10yearcycle.

Todateallunitshavebeenreviewedatleastonce,anda

secondcyclehasbegun.TheFacultyCommitteeonProgramReviews

directsthereviewprocess,withmemberselectedbytheFacultySenate.

Theexternalreviewcommitteesevaluateentiredepartmentprograms,

bothundergraduateandgraduate,andsitevisitsincludeinterviewswith



students.Thisprocess,includingboththedepartmentself‐studiesandthe

reviewteamreports,hasproventobeavaluablecheckonwhatisgoing

wellandwhatneedsattention.

Manyotherassessmentmeasuresareusedbyindividualdepartmentsand

colleges—seniorexitsurveys,alumnisurveys,courseevaluations,data

producedby

Cornell’sofficeofInstitutionalResearchandPlanning,

standardizedtestssuchastheLSATandMCAT,graduationrates,

graduateschoolacceptancerates,jobplacement,andsoon.

Useofthesevariousdirectandindirectmeasuresensuresthatacademic

programskeeppacewiththeevolvingneedsofwell‐educatedstudents.



8.3 Oversight of Assessment of Student Learning

8.3.1 The Core Assessment Committee

TheCoreAssessmentCommittee,headedbytheviceprovostfor

undergraduateeducation,meetsbiweeklyandisresponsibleforplanning

andoverseeingimplementationofassessmentofstudentlearningacross

theuniversity.ItsmembershipappearsinTable8.1.

230 8. Assessment of Student Learning

TheCoreAssessmentCommitteehassetupleadershipstructuresto

developandoverseeassessmentprocessesineachcollege/school,created

timelines,compileduniversitylearninggoals,discussedcollege/school

learningoutcomesandtheirplacementinliteratureandthewebaswellas

methodsofassessingthem.Finally,thecommitteehasdealtwithissues

of

facultyengagementinassessment,placementofoutcomesintheCornell

coursecatalog,andmechanismsforanalyzingandreportinghow

outcomesatonelevelsupportoutcomesatthenextlevelabove.

Table 8.1. Membership of The Core Assessment Committee

College/School/Unit Member Title

 LauraBrown(chair) ViceProvost

 KentHubbell DeanofStudents

Architecture,Art,andPlanning(AAP) BarryPerlus AssociateDean

AgricultureandLifeSciences(CALS) DonViands AssociateDean

ArtsandSciences(A&S) DavidDeVries AssociateDean

Engineering DavidGries AssociateDean

GraduateSchool SarahHale AssociateDean

HotelAdministration JudiBrownell DeanofStudents(Hotel)

HumanEcology(HE) CarolBisogni AssociateDean

IndustrialandLaborRelations(ILR) RobertSmith AssociateDean

JohnsonGradSchool(JGSM) AmandaSouleShaw Director,StudentServices

LawSchool StephenGarvey AssociateDean

VeterinaryMedicine KatherineEdmondson AssistantDean,

AssessmentProjectManager

InstitutionalResearch&Planning MarinClarkberg Director

CenterforTeaching

Excellence AmyGodert AssociateDirector

CenterforTeachingExcellence DavidWay AssociateDirector

8.3.2 College Oversight of Assessment Activities

UnderthedirectionoftheCoreAssessmentCommittee,each

undergraduatecollege/schoolandprofessionalschoolhasestablisheda

leadershipstructuretooverseethedevelopmentandmaintenanceof

assessment(seeTable8.2).Generally,thepersoninchargeofassessment

inthecollegealsoservesontheCoreAssessmentCommittee.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 231

Eachcollege/schoolhasprovidedanaccountofitsapproachto

assessment,givingthehistoryandorganizationofassessment,thecollege

learningoutcomesandwheretheyappearintheliteratureandontheweb,

thestageofassessmentinitsdegreeprograms,andplansforexpanding

assessment.Thesedocuments

demonstrateimpressiveprogress.

Table 8.2. College and school oversight committees

College Leadershipstructure

AAP

Assoc.DeanPerlus;LearningOutcomeAssessmentTeam:dean,

departmentchairs,registrar,directorofadmissions

A&S Assoc.DeanDeVries;EducationalPolicyCommittee

CALS Assoc.DeanViands;CurriculumCommittee,Committeeon

SupportofTeachingandLearning,DiversityCommittee

HE Assoc.DeanBisogni;LearningOutcomeAssessmentTeam:dean,

associatedeans,departmentchairs,DUS’s,andtwoothers

Engineering Assoc.DeanGries;CurriculumCommittee

Hotel DeanBrownell;EducationalPolicyCommittee



ILR Assoc.DeanSmith

JGSM AmandaSouleShaw;LearningGoalsCommittee

Law Assoc.DeanGarvey

Vet Assist.DeanEdmondson;CollegeCurriculumCommittee

GradSchool Assoc.DeanHale;GraduateAssessmentCommittee

Forexample,intheCollegeofAgricultureandLifeSciences(CALS),

AssociateDeanViandsisincharge ofassessmentofstudentlearning.

Underhisguidance,theCALSCommitteeonSupportofTeachingand

Learning,whichincludesbothfacultyandstudents,meetsmonthlyto

discussimprovementsinthecourseevaluationprocess,workshops

to

improveteaching,andotherissuesrelatedtothelearningenvironment.

Thiscommitteeprovidesleadershipinimplementingtheassessment

process.



See“ExamplesofAssessmentattheUndergraduateLevel”documents,https://middlestates‐

dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/docs.cfm?cat_id=31,“AssessmentintheProfessionalSchools”doc‐

uments,https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/docs.cfm?cat_id=32,andAssessmentin

theGraduateSchool”documentshttps://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/docs.cfm?cat_id=391.

232 8. Assessment of Student Learning

Also,underAssociateDeanViand’sguidance,theCALSCurriculum

Committeemeetsmonthlytocreateorrevisethecollegedistribution

requirementsandothercollegepolicies.In2009–10,thiscommitteewas

responsibleforcondensingthelistof15“EducationalGains,”whichhad

beeninexistenceforsome15years,downto7learning

outcomes.The

CALSFacultySenateapprovedtherevisedoutcomesinMarch2010.

TheCALSCommitteeonSupportofTeachingandLearningandtheCALS

CurriculumCommittee arethemajorunitsinvolvedinassessmentof

studentlearningatthecollegelevel,thoughseveralotherunitsare

involvedfromtimetotime

aswell(e.g.,theCALSAdvisory Council,the

CALSDiversityCommittee,andtheDean’sStudentAdvisoryCommittee).

Thisisbutoneexampleofcollege‐levelstructuresinplacetoensurethat

assessmentisconductedregularlyandthatresultsareregularlyreviewed

withagoalofimprovingeducationalplanning,instructionalmethods,and



studentlearning.

8.3.3 University Activities to Support Assessment

CornellistransitioningthecoursecatalogsystemtoAcalog,

replacingits

paper‐andweb‐basedCoursesofStudywithadynamicresource.A

committee,includinganumberofmembersoftheCoreAssessment

Committee,hasfocusedspecificallyonthequestionofhowtheuseof

Acalogcouldsupportaspectsofstudentlearningassessment.

WithAcalog,courselearningoutcomeswill

beanintegralpartofeach

coursedescription(alongwithitemslikeprerequisitesandnumberof

credits).Additionally,courseproposalformsinallthecollegeswillbe

modifiedtoincludefieldsforthelearningoutcomes.(Thishasbeena

requirementintheCollegeofHumanEcologyfortenyears.)Inthis

way,

courselearningoutcomeswillbecomeanaturalpartofthecourse

description.

Inaddition,thecommitteeisinvestigatingwaysotherthanAcalogof

includinglearningoutcomesformajorsandcollegesandofgenerating



AcalogstandsforAcademicCatalogManagement.Seehttp://www.acalog.com/

8. Assessment of Student Learning 233

reportstoshow,forexample,whichcoursessupportthelearning

outcomesofaparticularmajor.



8.4 Status of Assessment in Undergraduate Majors

ThecurrentstatusofassessmentforCornell’sundergraduatedegree

programs(themajors)bycollegeissummarizedinTable8.3.Thesecond

columnliststhemajorswithinthecollegesthathavehadassessment

practicesinplaceforsometime.Asshowninthethirdandfourth

columns,14majorsdevelopedassessmentplans

bytheendofthespring

2010semesterandanother40bytheendofDecember2010.ByMarch

2011,allprogramsintheCollegeofAgricultureandLifeScienceswill

haveassessmentplans.InArtsandSciences,allprogramswillhave

assessmentplanssometimeduringspring2011.

Thisstaggered

rolloutofassessmentallowsustolearnfromexperience

andtodevelopbestpracticesthatcanguidetheimplementationof

assessmentinlater‐adoptingunitsacrosstheuniversity.

Beginninginfall2009,workshopshavebeenavailabletohelpfacultylearn

aboutassessment.Theseworkshopsarecurrentlytargetedtothemajors

that

arereadytobegindevelopingoutcomesandassessingthem,

providingexamplesofoutcomesfromsomeoftheirpeerdepartmentsat

otherinstitutions,discussingdirectandindirectassessmentmeasures,and

determiningascheduleforassessingoutcomes.TheCornellCenterfor

TeachingExcellence(CTE)isinvolvedintheseworkshops,anditalso

holdsgeneralworkshopsandindividualsessionsforfacultywhowant

them.





SeeCTE’sscheduleoffacultyservicesathttp://www.cte.cornell.edu/faculty/services.html.See

alsoContributionoftheCenterforTeachingExcellencetoAssessmentofStudentLearning,here

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=395.

234 8. Assessment of Student Learning

Table 8.3. Assessment practices of majors

Undergrad

college

Majorswithassessment

practicesbyMay2009

Majorswithassessment

plansbyMay2010

Majorswithassessment

plansbyDec.2010

AAP



 Architecture(B.Arch.)  FineArts

 Urban&Regional

Studies

A&S

  English

 Physics

 Psychology

32majors;theother10

willhaveassessment

plansinspring2011

CALS

 AppliedEconomics&

Management

 FoodScience

 LandscapeArchitecture

 NutritionalSciences

(Dieteticsoption)

 ScienceofNatural&

Environmental

Systems

 Viticulture&Enology

 NutritionalSciences

All23majorshave

learningoutcomes;full

assessmentplansby

March2011

Eng

 BiologicalEng

 ChemicalEng

 CivilEng

 Electr.&ComputerEng

 EnvironmentalEng

 MaterialsScience&Eng

 MechanicalEng

 EngPhysics

 OperationsResearch&

InformationEng

 ComputerScience

 ScienceofEarth

Systems

 InformationScience,

Systems&Technology

inspring

2011



HE

 Design&Environmental

Analysis(Interior

Designoption)

 NutritionalSciences

(Dieteticsoption)

 Design&

Environmental

Analysis

 HumanDevelopment

 NutritionalSciences

 PolicyAnalysis&

Management

 Biology&Society

 FiberScience&

ApparelDesign

Hotel

  HotelAdmin

(theonlymajor)



ILR

  Industrial&Labor

Relations

(theonlymajor)





Formoredetailedinformationonassessmentineachoftheundergraduatecolleges,.See“Ex‐

amplesofAssessmentattheUndergraduateLevel”documents,https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/docs.cfm?cat_id=31.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 235

Itiscriticaltonote,onceagain,thattheacademicrigoroftheinstitution,

thehighrankingofitsmajorsanddepartments,anditslong‐term

commitmenttoexcellenceareclearindicationsthatself‐evaluationand

continuouseffortstowardimprovement—andassessment‐likeactivities—

havelongbeenimplementedacrossthecampus.The

factthatTable8.3

doesnotyetlistallmajorsandprogramsdoesnotindicatethatthose

unlistedmajorsdonotperformanyassessmentactivities.Theydo—but

notinaformal,documentedfashion.

8.4.1 Examples of Assessment at the Undergraduate Level

Sevenofthe12majorsinEngineering

areaccreditedbytheAccrediting

BoardforEngineeringandTechnology(ABET),withthemostrecent

accreditationvisitinfall2010.Coursesinthesemajorsareassessed

periodically,resultinginapost‐courseassessmentthat(1)describesthe

extenttowhicheachlearningoutcomewasachievedand(2)provides

recommendationsfor

improvementsinthecourse.

Courseassessmentsareintegratedaspartoftheoverallassessment

processforeachmajor.Eachmajorhasanassessmentcommittee,which

mayrecommendoverallchangesinthecurriculum,learningoutcomesof

themajor,andindividualcourses.Thiscommitteeemploysacourse

alignmentmatrixtoindicatewhichcourses

contributetoeachofthe

major’slistedlearningoutcomes,thusprovidingagoodoverviewofhow

thecurriculumisstructuredtoensure thatlearningoutcomesaremet.

Bothdirectandindirectmeasuresareusedforpost‐courseassessments,

andeachmajorusesavarietyofdataelements,includingbutnot

limited

toinputfromadvisorycommittees,studentsurveys,graduateschooland

jobplacement,andvarioustestscores.

Engineeringstudentsjoinamajoronlyattheendofthesophomoreyear;

duringtheirfirsttwoyears,theytakeanumberofcommoncorecourses.



ForassessmentinEngineering,seeAssessmentofStudentLearninginEngineeringhere

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=339.

236 8. Assessment of Student Learning

TheEngineeringCollegeCurriculumGoverningBoard(CCGB)

is

responsibleforassessmentofcoursesthatareofferedbyEngineering:

computingcourses,introduction‐to‐engineeringcourses,engineering

distributioncourses,technicalwritingcourses,etc.TheCCGBrequires

periodicassessmentofeachcourse,asexplainedaboveforthemajors,and

mayrecommendchangesinthecurriculumbasedonthisoverall

perspective.

Forengineeringcoursestaughtinmathematics,physics,

chemistry,andbiology,theCCGBhasstandingliaisoncommitteeswith

therespectivedepartments;theymeetatleastonceasemester.

InCALS

,thebachelor’sdegreeinappliedeconomicsandmanagement

(AEM),accreditedbytheAssociationtoAdvanceCollegiateSchoolsof

Business(AACSB)inFebruary2009,usesasimilarapproachbutdoesnot

relyasheavilyoncourse‐levelassessment.AEMbeganitsformal

assessmentofstudentlearningin2005,whenitadopted

aseriesof

learningoutcomesorgoals.By2008–2009,themajorityofAEMinstructors

hadincorporatedthedepartment’slearninggoalsintotheirsyllabi,anda

coursealignmentmatrixwascreatedtodeterminewhichAEMcourses

(takenbyallmajors)contributetoeachoftheseoutcomes.

AEMassesseslearningoutcomesat

differenttimes.Consider,forexample,

theassessmentofoutcome2:AnalyticalandFunctionalCompetencyin

BasicBusinessandEconomicsSkills.First,facultyintwocorecourses

(marketingandaccounting)createdspecialtestquestionstogauge

proficiencyintheskillsrepresentedbyoutcome2.Second,thedepartment

analyzedfunctionalcompetencythroughthe

ETSMajorFieldTest(MFT)

inBusiness.TheMFTwasadministeredto25%ofthegraduatingseniors

duringthespring2008semester.Theresultswereusedforcomparing

AEM’sgraduatingstudents’knowledgewiththatofotherstudents

nationally.Theresultsweredistributedtoeachinstructorinthefunctional

areascovered

bytheexamsothatimprovementscouldbemadein

deficientareas,therebyclosingthe“assessmentloop.”



TheCCGBconsistsofonefacultymemberfromeachdepartment,theassociatedeanforunder‐

graduateprograms,andanumberofotherstaffsuchasthedeanofadmissions,thecollegeregis‐

trar,andcollegeadvisingstaff.TheCCGBschedulesweeklymeetings.

FormoreinformationonassessmentinCALS,see:AssessmentofStudentLearninginAgriculture

andLifeSciences,herehttps://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=337.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 237

EngineeringandCALSrepresenttheleadingedgeofassessmentof

undergraduatestudentlearningatCornell,inlargepartbecauseof

externalprogramormajoraccreditationrequirements.Eachcollegehas

severalwell‐articulatedassessmentexemplarsonwhichtheycandrawto

expandassessmentacrossallprograms.Othercollegesmayalsobenefit

from

theseexamplesastheymoveforwardinadoptingassessment

activities.

TheSchoolofHotelAdministration

offersevidencethatcurrent

assessmentactivitiescanhaveapositiveimpactontheadoptionof

assessmentinotherareasaswell.Facultyintheschoolrecognizethevalue

ofidentifyinglearningoutcomesandlinkingassessmentactivitiesto

coursegoals,primarilybecauseofpositiveexperiencewithassessmentfor

themasterof

managementinhospitality(MMH)program,whichis

offeredundertheauspicesoftheGraduateSchool.Asaresult,thecollege

ismakingsignificantprogresswithassessmentintheundergraduate

program.

TheCollegeofHumanEcology

hasbuiltonitscurrentpracticeof

requiringexplicitlearningoutcomesforallcoursesofferedinthecollege

bygleaningbestpracticesfromthisexperience.Methodsofassessmentfor

thedieteticsoptionofnutritionalsciences(offeredjointlywithCALS)or

designandenvironmentalanalysiscanprovideabasisforimplementing

assessmentmorebroadly.

IntheCollegeofArtsandSciences,structuredassessmentofstudent

learninghasbeeninuseforsometime.

Forexample,theDepartmentof

RomanceStudieshasforyearsspelledoutlearningoutcomes,assessed

them,andutilizedtheresultsforimprovingitslanguageinstruction

programs.TheKnightInstituteforWritingintheDisciplineshasforsome

timearticulatedlearninggoalsinrelationtoitspedagogicaltrainingfor

graduatestudent

instructorsanditsTeachingWritinggraduatecourses.



FormoreinformationonassessmentintheHotelSchool,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=340.

FormoreinformationonassessmentinHumanEcology,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=338.

FormoreinformationonassessmentinA&S,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=336.

238 8. Assessment of Student Learning

TheDepartmentofPhysicshasahistoryofutilizingtesting(includingpre‐

andpost‐tests)tomeasureachievementofconceptualizedunderstanding

inintroductorycourses;asoneofthecollege’spilotprograms,the

departmenthasbroadeneditsassessmentactivitiestoencompassits

major.

MathematicshasbeencollaboratingwiththeCollegeof

Engineeringontheassessmentofanewgroupworkshopthatwas

introducedintothefirstengineeringcalculuscourse.

Inspring2010theEnglish,physics,andpsychologydepartments

generatedstructuredassessmentplansfortheirmajors,intendedtoserve

asmodelsfortheremaining

departments.

Thesedepartmentswillbe

workingincoordinatedgroupsduring2010–11tocompletetheprojectof

assessmentwithinthecollege.Learningassessmentplanswillbe

completedinallmajorsinA&Sinspring2011.

AtCornell,especiallyinA&Sbutthroughouttheuniversity,asatourpeer

institutions,assessmentpresentsa

particularlyengagingchallenge.Weare

utilizingtheinstrumental,integrated,andintentionalprocessesof

assessmentasitiscurrentlypracticedinhighereducationtodaytomake

manyimprovementsinprogramsandcourses,andweexpecttocontinue

inthisdirection.Buttherecanbeatensionbetween thecoherentsystemof

assessment

thatgeneratesclearbenefitstotheinstitutionandtheflexible,

creative,andsometimesunpredictableexchangethatcharacterizessome

ofourmosteffectiveeducationalactivities.

Especiallyatthegraduatelevel,inadvancedundergraduateandseminar‐

stylecourses,andincoursesdirectlyengagingprocessesofcreationand

performance,thedynamicofthe

classroominteraction,ortheflexible

engagementoftheparticipantsinthecreationofknowledge,generates

educationalfactorsthatcannotbeperfectlyaccountedforbyassertion ‐of‐

learninggoals,orfullyaccommodatedtoasystematicjudgmentofthe

connectionofthosegoalstomeasurableoutcomes.Thisflexibility,for

manyCornellteachers,scholars,

andresearchers,representsoneofthe

mostsignificantandvaluabledimensionsoftheeducationalprocessatits



Ibid.

TheassessmentmodelsforEnglish,Physics,andPsychologywillbeavailablefortheevalua‐

tionteamtoreviewbeforetheMarch2011visit.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 239

best.Indeed,itexemplifiesthatmomentwheninstructionandknowledge

creationmeet.

ManyatCornellaspiretobecomeseriouscontributorstothatconstant

cycleofrevisionandself‐critiquethatassessmentprescribes.Atrue

cultureofassessmentdemandsthatweuseourclassrooms,ourlabs,our

libraries,andoursitesof

unpredictablecreation,invention,and

innovationasexemplarymeansofextending,adjusting,andre‐

understandingwhatismeantbyaccountabilityinhighereducation.Aswe

understandit,Cornellanditspeershaveadistinctiveroletoplayin

currentdebatesconcerningassessmentandaccountability,asignificant

responsibilitytothefuture,and

astrongstakeintheconceptualization

andpromulgationoftheassessmentofstudentlearning.



8.5 Assessment in the Professional Schools

Thefourprofessionalschools(JohnsonGraduateSchoolofManagement,

LawSchool,CollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,andWeillCornellMedical

College)areaccreditedbyoutsideagencies,allofwhichrequiresomesort

ofassessment,evaluation,andcontinualimprovementoftheprogram.

Ourinspectionoftheirprocessesleadsustobelievethatthey

doagood

jobofstudentassessment.Below,wesummarizeassessmentpracticesin

eachoftheseschoolsandreferthereadertoon‐linedocumentsformore

detailedinformation.

8.5.1 Johnson Graduate School of Management

Theschool,whichoffersfourMBAdegreesandaPhDadministered

throughtheGraduateSchool,waslastaccreditedinFebruary2009bythe

AssociationtoAdvanceCollegiateSchoolsofBusiness(AACSB).The

reviewteamwrotethatthe“AssessmentofLearningdesignisinnovative,





FormoreinformationonassessmentinJGSM,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=342.



240 8. Assessment of Student Learning

structured,thoughtful,andwellformattedtoaccessthequalityofstudent

learninginthemasters’levelprograms.”

TheJohnsonSchool’sapproachtoassessmentdoesnotrelyheavilyon

assessmentofcourses.AACSBrequires“assuranceoflearning”:learning

goalsmustbesetandrevisedatalevelthatencouragescontinual

improvementin

programs.AACSBStandard15requiresthat“theschool

usewell‐documented,systematicprocessestodevelop,monitor,evaluate,

andrevisethesubstanceanddeliveryofthecurriculaofdegreeprograms

andtoassesstheimpactofthecurriculaonlearning.”

TheJohnsonSchooldoesnotrequireformal,documentedassessmentof

each

ofitscourses.(Thisdoesnotmeanthatassessmentisnotdone,

however;allinstructorsareencouragedtodevelopcourselearning

outcomes,toassesstheirachievement,andtochangethecourseorthe

outcomeswhennecessary.)

Theschoolhasonesetoflearninggoalsforallofitsdegreeprograms;

these

goalsweredevelopedbytheLearningGoalsCommitteeand

approvedbythefaculty.Thecommitteeperiodicallylooksateachgoal

anddetermineshowbesttoassessitsachievement.Thegoalsarecentered

aroundthreemajorthemes:



Fundamentals:thecontent‐focusedobjectivesnecessaryforall

graduates,regardlessofspecificcareer

objective.



IntegrationandDecisionMaking:usingcontentknowledgeinthe

fundamentalstoeffectivelyformulateandcommunicatesound

decisions.



GettingResults:workingwithotherstoachievespecificoutcomes.

TheLearningGoalsCommitteeestablisheda“progressivesystem”to

draft,test,implement,andupdateassessmentsandfeedbackloopsfor

eachgoal.

Thissystemisusedtoimplementmeasuresacrossthelearning

goalthemesandamongthefourMBAprograms,andassessmentisdone

periodically.Forexample,assessmentoftheFundamentalsgoalinthe

two‐yearMBAprogramwasperformedin2006–2007.Thecommittee

implementedastructuredassessmentprotocol.Asaresult,several

courses

thatdealtwithFundamentalswereaskedtoaddparticularassignments

8. Assessment of Student Learning 241

andexamquestionstoensurecoverageofallrelevantlearningoutcomes.

Also,during2007–2008,assessmentofachievementofIntegrationand

DecisionMakingwasconductedusingclassprojectsandpresentationsin

certaincoursesasprimarydirectmeasures.Mostrecently,in2008–2009,

assessmentofGettingResultswasdevelopedandperformedusingtwo

measures:

(1)studentleadershipinclubs,symposia,andotheractivitiesin

whichstudentsledataskrequiringsupportfromothers,and(2)

performanceofemployedgraduatesintheworkplace.

Thisapproachhasbeenacceptedmorereadilybythefacultythanthe

traditional,course‐basedapproachwouldhavebeen,andithas

provenas

effectiveinprovidinginputforcontinualimprovement.Thesuccessofthis

atypicalapproachunderscorestheneedtoadaptassessmentgoals,

methods,andplanstotheparticularmajor,department,field,orcollegein

question—notonlytopromotefacultybuy‐in,buttoproduceresultsthat

fostermeaningfulimprovement.

8.5.2 Law School

TheLawSchooloffersthethree‐yearJurisDoctor(JD),theone‐year

MasterofLaws(LLM),theMasterofScience–LegalStudies(MSLS),a

numberofinternationaldualdegrees,variousjointdegrees,andaJuris

ScientiaeDoctor(JSD),administeredthroughtheGraduateSchool.

TheAcademicProgramsandPlanningCommittee,chairedby

Professor

KevinClermont,isinchargeofassessmentofstudentlearning.TheLaw

School’slearningoutcomes,whicharethesamefortheschoolandallits

graduatedegrees,areavailableon‐line



and appear in the Student

Handbook.



TheassessmentpracticesoftheLawSchoolhavebeensufficientforittobe

accreditedatregularintervals,thelastsitevisitbeingin2004.Withrespect

toassessment,theAmericanBarAssociation’s2009–2010Standardsfor





FormoreinformationonassessmentintheLawSchool,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=343.



http://registrar.lawschool.cornell.edu/aba_standards.cfm.

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/studentlife/dean/upload/StudentHandbook2009‐2010.pdf

242 8. Assessment of Student Learning

ApprovalofLawSchools

statesthat“alawschoolshalldemonstratethatit

regularlyidentifiesspecificgoalsforimprovingthelawschool’sprogram,

identifiesmeanstoachievetheestablishedgoals,assessesitssuccessin

realizingtheestablishedgoalsandperiodicallyre‐examinesand

appropriatelyrevisesitsestablishedgoals.”ThistheLawSchoolhasdone.

Oneofitsdirectmeasuresofachievementofitsgoalsisfirst‐timebar

passagerates.Thepassageratewasvirtually100%in2008.

Infall2010,astheLawSchoolpreparedforits2011accreditationvisit,it

consideredadditionalmechanismsforassessmentevidencetoimprove

teachingandlearning.Theschool

alsopaidcloseattentiontotheABA’s

currentdeliberationsonamendingguidelinesrelatedtoassessmentof

studentlearning,soastocontinuetoconformtopracticesadvocatedby

theABA.

8.5.3 College of Veterinary Medicine

TheVetCollegeoffersthreegraduatedegrees:theDoctorofVeterinary

Medicine(DVM)and,underGraduateSchooladministration,theMaster

ofScience(MS)andPhD.ThecollegeisaccreditedbytheCouncilon 

EducationoftheAmericanVeterinaryMedicalAssociation(AVMA),

whichmadeitsmostrecentsitevisitinfall2010.



TheAVMA’saccreditationstandard11focusesonoutcomesassessment.It

requiresananalysisofstudentachievementandassessmentsof

graduatingseniorsandalumni,amongotherassessments.Thecollege

mustdescribehowoutcomefindingsareusedtoimprovetheeducational

program.Asnotedinthecollege’sself‐studyfortheAVMA,

the

VeterinaryCollegeassessesoutcomeswithsuchmetricsaspassagerates

fortheNorthAmericanVeterinaryLicensingExam,ratesofstudent

attrition,andemploymentratesobtainedthroughsurveysofgraduates

upongraduationandlater.Thecollegealsosurveysemployersofits

graduatestodeterminetheirdegreeofsatisfactionwiththeiremployees.



Thus,successfulreaccreditation(tobedecidedinMarch2011)should



SeeChapter2,OrganizationandAdministration,here

www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/standards.html,.



FormoreinformationonassessmentinCollegeofVeterinaryMedicine,see:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=344.



8. Assessment of Student Learning 243

ensurethattheVetCollegealsomeetsthestandardofassessmentof

studentlearningstipulatedbytheMiddleStatesAccreditationCouncil.

ThroughAssistantDeanKatherineEdmondson,theVetCollegehas

participatedintheCoreAssessmentCommittee.Thecollege’seducational

goals,developedseveralyearsagoandpostedonthecollegewebsite,are



assessedregularly.

8.5.4 Weill Cornell Medical College

WeillCornellMedicalCollege(WCMC),locatedinNewYorkCity,offers

anMDdegreeandisaccreditedbytheLiaisonCommitteeonMedical

Education(LCME)oftheAssociationofAmericanMedicalColleges

(AAMC).TheLCMEaccreditsmedicalschoolseveryseven years,based

onacomprehensivereviewofadatabaseandan

institutionalself‐study.

WCMCwaslastvisitedinMarch2010.

Theeducationprogramandassessmentprocessareoverseenbythe

MedicalEducationCouncil(MEC),anappointedgroupofseniorfaculty

andstudents,underthedirectionofSeniorAssociateDeanCarolStorey‐

Johnson.TheMECdevelopsassessmentmethodsforeacheducational

objective,reviewstheassessmentdata,andoverseescourseand

curriculumrevisiontoimproveoutcomes.

Graduatingstudentsareexpectedtodemonstrate(1)knowledgein11

areas,(2)skillsin12areas,and(3)11attitudes,rangingfrom 

acknowledgmentofaltruismandpatientadvocacytohonestyand

integrity.Nationalexamsareusedin

theassessmentprocess,aswellas

directassessmentofstudentsthroughcoursework,exams,and

observation.

TheMECisahighlyintegratedcurriculummanagementstructure,

overseeingfacultydevelopmentaswellasthecurriculumandassessment.

Thisstructurehasservedwelltoidentifyandrectifyproble ms inthe

curriculum.Examplesof

thekindsofchangesimplementedasaresultof

thismultifacetedreviewofthecurriculumincludethecombiningoftwo

courses(MoleculestoCellsandFundamentalsofGeneticMedicine)to



FormoreinformationonassessmentintheWeillCornellMedicalCollege,see:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=345.

244 8. Assessment of Student Learning

formthecurrentMolecules,Genes,andCellscourse;thecreationoftask

forcestoassesstheteachingofpharmacologyandmicrobiologyto

improvestudentoutcome;clarifyingtherolesandcommitmentsof

departmentstotheintegratedcurriculum,ultimately leadingto

departmentalteachingplans;greateremphasisonprovidingfinancial

support(compensationforcourse

leadership)andengagingindirect

facultyrecruitmentforteaching;andtheintroductionofmoreobjective

observationsofstudentperformanceinallyearsofthecurriculum.



8.6 Assessment in the Graduate School

SeveralprofessionalprogramsadministeredbytheGraduateSchool

alreadyhavedetailedassessmentpracticesbecausetheyareaccreditedby

outsideagencies.

8.6.1 Master of Management in Hospitality

TheMMHprogramwaslastaccreditedin2009bytheAACSB

(AssociationtoAdvanceCollegiateSchoolsofBusiness).Theaccreditation

requiredaformalimplementationofan“AssuranceofLearning”(AOL)

process.Afterthefirstofferingin2005–2006ofasubstantiallyredesigned

program,theAOLprocesswasimplementedin2006–2007.

Continuedassessment

ofstudentlearningisunderthedirectionofthe

directorofgraduatestudiesandtheGraduateCommittee.Theprogram

learningoutcomes(PLOs),whichwerelastrevisedinNovember2008,are

appropriatelypublicizedonthewebandinprintinvariousoffices.

EachcourseintheMMHprogramhascourselearning

outcomesandlinks

themtothePLOs.Foreachcoursedelivery,theinstructorprovidesan

assessmentplanandreportsstudentachievementonaspecificform.

Annually,theGraduateCommitteereviewsthereportsandmakes

recommendationsforcurricularimprovements.Thisprocesshasresulted

insomechanges.Forexample,theGraduateFacultyrequired

changesthat





FormoreinformationonassessmentintheSchoolofHotelAdministration,see:

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=340.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 245

wouldhelpdevelopthestudent’sunderstandingofoperatingeffectively

inaglobalhospitalityindustry,anditredistributedcoursecreditsto

increasetheflexibilityoftheprogram’seducationalcontent.

8.6.2 Master of Engineering

ThroughtheGraduateSchool,facultyintheCollegeofEngineeringoffer

15M.Eng.degrees,whichareoverseenbythecollege’sOfficeofResearch

andGraduateStudies.Thedevelopmentofassessmentprocessesforthese

programswaspostponeduntiltheGraduateSchoolfinisheditsinitial

deliberationsonassessmentofMS/PhDprograms.Nowthat

general

goals/outcomesforgraduatedegreesareinplace,

theM.Eng.programs

willturntheirattentiontoassessment,withthegoalofhavingassessment

fullyinplacebyfall2011.BecausetheseM.Eng.programsareofferedby

departmentsthatalreadydoassessmentofstudentlearningatthe

undergraduatelevel,thisworkisexpectedtoprogresssmoothly.

8.6.3 Master of Architecture

Professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.1)

TheNationalArchitecturalAccreditingBoard(NAAB)grantedinitial

accreditationtotheM.Arch.1programforathree‐yeartermbeginning

January1,2009.Assessmentofstudentlearningisunderthesupervision

ofthechairoftheDepartmentofArchitecture,thedirectorofgraduate

studies,thecoordinatorofM.Arch.1,andtheGraduatePrograms



Committee.Asaprofessionaldegreetrack,therearebenchmarkskills

judgedatthelevelofeither“understanding”or“ability,”termsusedby

thedepartmentandNAABtoassessarangeofdemonstratedlearning

includingcomprehensivedesign,professionalpractice,systems,and

structures.Allarchitecturefacultyareinvolvedwiththeevaluationof

M.Arch.1thesisprojects.

CoursesandinstructorsintheM.Arch.1programareevaluatedby

studentseachsemester.M.Arch.1studentrepresentativeshaveregular

meetingswiththechairofthedepartmentandcanmake



http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=169

246 8. Assessment of Student Learning

recommendationsforcurricularimprovements.Thedirectorofgraduate

studiesandtheGraduateProgramsCommitteeannuallyreviewcurricular

structure,sequencing,andcontentandmakerecommendationsfor

curricularrevisionstothearchitecturefacultyandthefield.

Post-Professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.2)

Asapost‐professionaldegree,theM.Arch.2programisnotaccredited;

studentsenteringthisdegreetrackalreadyhaveanaccrediteddegree.

Assessmentofstudentlearningissupervisedbythechairofthe

DepartmentofArchitecture,thedirectorofgraduatestudies,the

coordinatorofM.Arch.2,andtheGraduateProgramsCommittee.Within

the

M.Arch.2curriculum,studentscanelecttofocustheirresearchand

courseselectionononeofthethreeareas:urbanism,discourse,or

sustainability.

AswiththeM.Arch.1program,studentsevaluatetheircoursesand

instructorseachsemester,andstudentrepresentativesmeetregularlywith

thedepartmentchairandmayrecommendcurricularchanges.The

directorofgraduatestudiesandtheGraduateProgramsCommittee

reviewcurricularstructure,sequencing,andcontenteachyearandoffer

recommendationsforrevisionstothearchitecturefacultyandthefield.

8.6.4 Master of Landscape Architecture

TheMasterofLandscapeArchitecture(MLA)isaccreditedbytheNational

LandscapeArchitectureAccreditationBoard(LAAB),whichinturnis

accreditedbytheCouncilforHigherEducationAccreditation.Two

discreteMLAdegreesarerecognizedforlicensurepurposesbythe

DepartmentofEducationandBoardofRegents,Albany,N.Y.TheMLA2

forstudentswithpriorprofessionaldegreesinlandscapearchitectureor

architecture,whiletheMLA3isachange‐of‐careerdegree.Accreditation

occursonasix‐yearcycle,withthelastsitevisittakingplacein2009.



Aspartoftheaccreditationprocess,thedepartmentdevelopsaself‐study

whichbecomesthetechnicaldocum e ntprovidedatthetimeofthesite



Cornell’sprogramwasoneoftheoriginal10charteredandaccreditedlandscapearchitecture

departmentsin1936.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 247

visit.However,forprogramstoremainingoodstanding,LAABrequires

anannualassessmentandrevisionofnineseparateindicatorsincludedin

theself‐study.Thusthefacultyasawholereviewthecurriculumbasedon

theassessmentindicatorsprovidedbyLAAB.Indicatorsincludeseveral

metricsforthedemonstrationofoutcomes

relatedtoteachingand

learning.Outcomescanbemeasuredbytheprofessionalstandingof

alumnipost‐graduation,asshownbyjobplacementandstartingsalaries

relativetonationalaverages.Outcomesintheclassroomsettingare

measuredbyperformanceinnational/internationaldesigncompetitions

andotherLAAB‐definedindicators.Accreditationisalso

basedonsuccess

inachievinglearningoutcomesasdescribedinthedepartment’sself‐

statedobjectivesandgoals.

8.6.5 Master of Health Administration



TheSloanPrograminHealthAdministration

(MHA)waslastaccredited

in2004bytheCommissiononAccreditationofHealthManagement

Education(CAHME).Theprogramisnowcompletingaself‐studyfor

calendaryear2010withare‐accreditationsitevisitscheduledforspring

2011.In2007–2009CAHMEdevelopednewaccreditationcriteriawhich

tookeffectinfall

2010.Thesecriteriarequireprogramstoestablishgoals,

objectives,andperformanceoutcomesthatareaction‐based,observable,

andmeasurable.Eachprogrammustalsoidentifyasetofcompetencies

relatedtoitsmissionandtothetypesofjobsitsgraduatesenter,andit

mustassesslearningoutcomesbasedonthesecompetencies.



TheSloanProgramadoptedacompetency‐basedapproachtolearningand

assessinglearningoutcomesin2007.Continuedassessmentofstudent

learningisunderthedirectionoftheprogramdirectorandtheprogram

faculty.Programcompetencieswerelastrevisedinthefallof2010andare

publicizedontheweb

andinmaterialsdistributedtostudents.Toassess

learningoutcomes,theSloanfacultyannuallyreviewself‐assessed

competencies,reportedbySloanstudentsandrecentgraduates,and



FormoreinformationonassessmentintheMHAprogramseeCornellUniversity’sSelf‐Study

forGraduateProgramsinHealthServicesAdministration,2003‐2004,here:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=559

http://www.human.cornell.edu/pam/sloan/prospectivestudents/load‐

er.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=59247

248 8. Assessment of Student Learning

graduates’assessmentsoftheimportanceofcompetenciesinthe

workplace,aswellasarangeofotherperformancemetrics.Effectivefall

2010,instructorsforeachcourseintheMHAprogramaredeveloping

learningassessmentplansthatarelinkedtoprogramcompetency

objectivesandtostudentlearningoutcomecriteriadevelopedbythe



CollegeofHumanEcologyandpostedonthecollege’swebsite.

Review

ofassessmentsofstudentlearningandlearningoutcomeshasresultedin

suchcurricularchangesasreorderingofthesequenceofrequiredcourses,

reviewofcoursecontent,andtheintroductionofanewcorecourseoption

inpopulationhealthandepidemiology.Theprogramhasalsoaddednew

electives.

8.6.6 Master of Public Administration

TheMPAprogramisoverseenbythefacultyoftheCornellInstitutefor

PublicAffairs(CIPA),aninterdisciplinaryprogramestablishedtosupport 

professionalgraduateeducation,research,andserviceinthebroadfieldof

publicaffairs.CIPAusesinstructionalresourcesofmanycollegesasits

curriculumcouplesthesocialscienceswithother

branchesofstudythat

contributetopracticalsolutionsforpublicinterestproblemsfacingcitizens

inthecontemporaryworld.Althoughnotindependentlyaccredited,CIPA

isaninstitutionalmemberoftheNationalAssociationforSchoolsof

PublicAffairsandAdministration(NASPAA)andoperatesinaccordance

withNASPAAaccreditationstandards.CIPAevaluateslearning

outcomes

throughformalassessmentoftheperformanceofCIPAfellowsintheir

requiredinternships;supervisorsassessinterns’capacitiestomake

decisions,gatherinformation,planandaccomplishtasks,takeinitiative,

solveproblems,workindependently,workinateam,acceptcriticism,and

demonstrateverbalskills,writingskills,andanalyticalabilities.In

addition,CIPA

fellowsprovideself‐assessmentthroughnarrative

reflectiononthesuitabilityoftheirCIPAcourseworkandplanofstudyfor

performingworkassociatedwiththeirinternships.Throughthese

mechanisms,CIPAmonitorsstudentlearningoutcomesastheyrelateto

practiceandthesuitabilityofCIPA’seducationalstrategyasawhole.



http://www.human.cornell.edu/admissions/mission.cfm

8. Assessment of Student Learning 249

8.6.7 Research Degrees

TheGraduateSchooloffersmaster’sdegreesandPhDsin92fieldsof

study.Throughoutfall2010,theschool’sGraduateEducationAssessment

Committee,chairedbyAssociateDeanSarahHale,mettodevelop

educationalgoals/outcomesforthePhDandmaster’sdegreesandto

developpossiblemetricstomeasurethem.Thegoals/outcomeswere

discussed

andapprovedbytheGeneralCommitteeoftheGraduateSchool

anddiscussedbythedirectorsofgraduatestudiesofthe92fields.

Materialsdescribingaspirationgoals,learningproficiencies,assessment

metrics,andsuggestedrubricsforassessinggraduateeducationrelatedto

researchdegreeprogramsareavailableon‐line.



Inspring2011theGraduateSchoolwillfocusonsupportingthegraduate

fieldsastheydevelopfield‐specificassessmentplans.Acapacity‐building

workshoponassessmentisscheduledoncampusforApril2011witha

nationalconsultant.Alldirectorsofgraduatestudyandtheir

administrativesupportstaffwillbeencouraged

toattend.Theworkshop

willfocusonenablinggraduatefieldstodevelopfield‐specificassessment

plansthatwilllinktotheGraduateSchool’slearningproficienciesand

rubrics,andfieldswillbeexpectedtoarticulatetheirassessmentplans

during2011‐12academicyear.TheGraduateSchoolisdevelopingatime

framefor

periodicreviewoffieldassessmentactivitiesandarticulationof

improvementsmadeinresponsetoassessmentdata.

8.7 Other Assessments of Student Learning

InaninstitutionascomplexanddiverseasCornell,manyopportunities

forassessmentofstudentlearningarisebeyondtheconventionalcollege‐

major‐coursemodel.Aprogrammaycrossdepartmentalorcollege

boundaries,asdotheKnightInstituteforWritingintheDisciplinesand

thelibrary’sinstructionalactivitiesininformationliteracy.A

programmay

providesupportforinnovationsinteaching,insteadofdirectlyfocusing

onstudents.Aprogrammaybedirectedatspecificcoursesbutmayhave

broaderpedagogicalimplications.Someprogramsarelong‐lasting;others



www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=169.Formoreinformationonassessmentinthe

GraduateSchool,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=346.

250 8. Assessment of Student Learning

aredisbandedoncetheirtaskshavebeenaccomplished.Thissection

providesexamplesofsuchprogramsandtheircontributiontoassessment

ofstudentlearning.

8.7.1 Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines

Thisaward‐winningprogram

provideswritingcoursestovirtuallyall

first‐yearundergraduatesinallcolleges,anditsaffiliatedprogram,

WritingintheMajors,assistsfacultyinstrengtheningstudentwritingin

upper‐levelcoursesinanydiscipline.Theprogramisbuiltaroundspecific

outcomesforstudentwriting,suchasdevelopmentofaneffectivethesis,

argument,structure,andevidence.Theseoutcomesappearinaguide

giventoallfirst‐yearwritingseminarinstructorsandavailableon‐line.



Onestrengthoftheprogramisthepedagogicalsupportitprovides:all

graduatestudentinstructorsarerequiredtotakeapreparatoryseminarin

theteachingofwriting,Writing7100,andfacultymayalsoenrollina

FacultySeminarforWritingInstructiontoimprovetheirteachingmethods

withtheassistanceof

KnightInstituteprofessionals.

8.7.2 Cornell Undergraduate Information Competency Initiative

TheCornellUndergraduateInformationCompetencyInitiative(CUICI)

waslaunchedin2004toexplorecreativewaystoincreasetheinformation

competencyofundergraduates.CUICIprovidesaselectgroupoffaculty

withfunding,opportunity,andassistancetotransformthecurriculumby

creatingrelevantandengagingresearchassignmentstoincorporateinto

theircoursesand

toteachstudentsmoreeffectivelyaboutresearch.

FundingcomesfromtheCornellLibrary,theOfficeoftheProvost,andthe

CenterforTeachingExcellence.



FormoreinformationonassessmentintheKnightInstitute,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=392.

InSept.2000,theTime/PrincetonReviewdesignatedCornellthePrivateResearchUniversity

“CollegeoftheYear”onthebasisofitswriting‐in‐the‐disciplinesapproachtoteachingwriting.

http://www.arts.cornell.edu/knight_institute/publicationsprizes/Indispensa‐

ble%20Reference%202010‐11.pdf

FormoreinformationonassessmentintheCUICI,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=393.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 251

CUICIhasfoundthatfocusingfirstontheobjectivesofalearningmodule

andthendevelopingthemodule’slearningoutcomesiseffectivein

structuringadialoguebetweenaninstructorandalibrarian.Asaresult,

anintegralpartoftheworkinvolvesdevelopinglearningoutcomes,

designingassessmenttoolsforthem,and

assessingtheresults.Overtime,

CUICIhasproventhatitispossibletobuildsupportamongfacultyfor

assessmentofstudentlearning.

AnexampleofthisapproachisProfessorEdMcLaughlin’sMarketing2400

course(fall2008).Inthislargeclass(500–600students),studentslearnedto

assesstheneedforinformation,

understanddifferencesamongavarietyof

informationsources,developeffectivesearchstrategies,andinterpret

information.Usingonlineassignmenttoolstodemonstrateincreasingly

sophisticatedresearchstrategiesandunderstanding,studentsgained

confidenceintheresearchprocessandtheprofessoridentifiedtargetareas

forimprovement.

8.7.3 Instructional Activities in the Cornell Library

InadditiontotheCUICIprogram,Cornelllibrarianssupportstudent

informationliteracyinthreeways:byprovidingsinglepresentationsina

course,byteachingacredit‐bearingcourse,andbypartneringwithcourse

instructors.Librarianspresent1,500instructionsessionsperyear,andthis

numberisincreasingasmorefacultyandstudents

learnabouttheservices

available.

Singlesessionsaretailoredbythelibrarianandthefacultymembertofit

thelearninggoalsofacourseorparticularassignment.Thisprocess

requirestheuseoflearninggoalsandtheirassessmentusingdirectand

indirectmeasures.Althoughassessmentasaformal,consistent,and

holisticcomponentofaninformationliteracyprog ramfortheentire

librarysystemisstillaworkinprogress,theconsistentleadershipofthe

library’sInstructionCommitteeandtheinfluenceofCUICIcontinueto

promoteassessmentawarenessinthefaculty.



FormoreinformationonassessmentpracticesintheLibrary,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=394.

252 8. Assessment of Student Learning

8.7.4 Center for Teaching Excellence

and Engineering Teaching

Excellence Institute

TheoverarchinggoaloftheCenterforTeachingExcellence(CTE)isto

strengthenteachingacrossthecampus.CTEhasavarietyofprogramsand

resourcestosupportfacultyandteachingassistants,includingaspecial

programforinternationalteachingassistants.CTEcollaborateswiththe

collegestosupportinstructors’coursedesign,toidentify

appropriateand

effectiveusesofinstructionalstrategies,andtodevelopandassessstudent

learningoutcomes.CTEisalsoinvolvedintheinformationliteracy

initiativesoftheCornellLibrary,describedabove.Theprimary

responsibilityoftheEngineeringTeachingExcellenceInstituteisto

supportfacultyteaching.CTEandTEIcommunicatefrequentlyand

work

togetherwhenopportunitiesarise.

Sincefall2009,CTEhasplayedanincreasinglyimportantrolein

supportingthecampus‐wideassessment‐of‐student‐learningeffort.Ithas

heldnumerousworkshopsandluncheonsonassessment—28ofthemin

thepastyear.Infall2010,theCTEhiredanewassociatedirectorfor



assessment,Dr.AmyGodert.Inindividualconsultationswithfaculty,

bothCTEandTEIincreasinglyuselearningoutcomesandtheir

assessmentasnaturaltoolstohelpstructureconversationsandtohelp

facultyimprovetheirteaching.Assessmentofstudentlearningisalsoa

topicinmostworkshopsgivenbyCTEandTEI.

Bothcenterspracticewhat

theypreach:inadditiontoteachingassessmentpracticestoothers,they

alsoundertakeassessmentactivitiesdesignedtoimprovetheirown

workshopsandprograms.

8.7.5 Faculty Innovation in Teaching Grants

Since2002CornellInformationTechnologies(CIT)hasprovided18–20

FacultyInnovationinTeaching(FIT)grantsannuallytosupport

innovativeuseofinformationtechnologyincourses.About20,000

studentshavebeenenrolledincoursesrelatingto150grant‐supported

projects.FITgrantassessmentdemonstratestheuseofmultiplemeasures,



FormoreinformationonassessmentpracticesintheCTE,see:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=395.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 253

bothdirectandindirect:grades,usagestatistics,onlinestudentsurveys,

focusgroups,classroomobservations,pre‐andpost‐tests,andfaculty

interviewsarereviewedtodeterminetheimpactofinnovationson

teachingpractices,curriculumandcoursedevelopment,andstudent

learning.

8.7.6 The Use of VideoNote

Inspring2009,attherequestofaTaskForceonVideoNote,E‐Learning,

andOnlineCoursewareSystems,theTeachingExcellenceInstituteinthe

CollegeofEngineeringstudiedtheuseofvideotapedlecturesinten

coursesacrossthecampus,withatotalenrollmentof1,700students.Each

lecturewasvideotaped,and

thevideowasmadeavailablesoonafteron

theweb,withanindexthatmadeiteasytofindandwatchanypartofthe

videoondemand.Thispilotstudywasdesignedtoexploresuchquestions

aswhethertheavailabilityofVideoNoteencouragedstudentstoskip

classes,whetherits

usewasapositiveornegativeinfluence,andhow

muchstudentswouldactuallyuseit.

AssessmentofVideoNoteemployed(1)statisticsonusagefrom

VideoNote,(2)logsoftimespentbyeachstudentusingVideoNote,(3)

studentgradesinthecourse,(4)studentcumulativeGPA,gender,and

ethnicity(extractedfromuniversity

files),(5)asurveyofstudentsby

VideoNote,(6)twosurveysofstudentsduringthecourse,and(7)

commentsbyinstructorsofthetencourses.

Thisprojectdemonstratedcreativityindevelopingrubrics,measures,or

benchmarkstomeettheparticularneedsathand.Oneinnovativeideawas

todeterminewhetherstudents

over‐performedorunder‐performedinthe

course,relativetotheircumulativeGPA.Forexample,aB‐averagestudent

receivinganAover‐performedinthecourse,andaB‐averagestudent

receivingaCunder‐performed.ThedatasuggestthatuseofVideoNote

helpedthemiddle‐to‐strongstudents(B

toA)performbetter:students

withanaverageGPAofB+whowatchedVideoNotefor20hoursormore

achievedanaveragegradeincreaseofalmost0.3overtheB+studentswho



Moreinformationonthisprojectisavailablehere:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=397.

254 8. Assessment of Student Learning

didnot.ButVideoNoteprovidedlittlehelptotheweakerstudents(CtoB‐

)andactuallyhurtveryweakstudents(DtoC‐).We knowofnoprevious

studythatusedthisideaofover‐performanceorunder‐performance.

Overall,VideoNotewasdeemedasuccess,anditwascontinued

inthe

2009–2010academicyearwiththesameleveloffunding.Thedifficultyis

infindingafundingmodelthatsupportstheactivitybutwithalowercost

totheuniversity.

8.7.7 Assessing Workshops in Math 1910

Thisassessmentprovidesanexampleofcourse‐levelmeasuresaspartof

anoverallassessmentmodel.Inthemid‐2000’s,anengineeringtaskforce

decidedthatthefirstengineeringcalculuscourse,Math1910,wouldserve

studentsbetterifoneweeklyrecitationwerereplacedbyafacilitated

discussionsessioninwhichstudents

wouldsolveengineeringproblemsin

groups,usingthemathematicalconceptstheyhadlearned.The

engineeringfacultyapprovedthischange,andmathandengineering

facultyworkedtogethertointegratethisweeklygroupdiscussionintothe

course.

Facultyfrombothunitscollaboratedtodeveloptheproblemsets,andthe

EngineeringLearningInitiatives

(ELI)programwaschosentotrainthe

undergraduatefacilitators,sincethatprogramwasalreadyresponsiblefor

trainingfacilitatorsforitsAcademicExcellenceWorkshops.

Athree‐yearNSFgrant,submittedjointlybytheELIandtheDepartment

ofMathematics,supportsassessmentofthediscussiongroups.This

ongoingassessmentisexploringtwoquestions:



Dothenewdiscussiongroupshelpstudentsunderstand

mathematicsasrepresentativeofphysicalphenomenaandincrease

theirskillinapplyingmathematicstosolveproblemsinvolving

physicalquantitiesandrelationships?

Dothenewdiscussiongroupsincreasestudents’confidenceabout

theirunderstandingandability?



MoreinformationonassessmentofMath1910isavailablehere:https://middlestates‐dpb‐

stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=398.

8. Assessment of Student Learning 255

Thisstudyisexpectedtocontributetothreeofthefiveresearchareasthat

serveasthefoundationofanewdisciplineofEngineeringEducation.



Theinitialworkfocusesonbothdirectandindirectmeasuresof

assessmentfromparticipatingCornellstudents,andsubsequentworkmay

involvedatagatheringfromengineeringprogramsatotherinstitutions.



8.8 Recommendations

Theongoingprocessofassessmentofstudentlearningiscurrentlysup‐

portedbythefacultyinasubstantialpartoftheuniversity,asevidenced

bythecurrentsuccessofvariousassessmentactivitiesthroughoutCornell.

Werecommend

 thatCornelltakestepstoensurethatthereisamplecentralsupport

forthe

assessmentproject,inordertocontinuetoexpandand

improveCornellʹscultureofassessment.

Ourprogressinbringingassessmenttoalldepartmentsandprogramsis

ontrack.Weexpecttohavefullplansinplaceformostunitsbytheendof

2010–11,withthesmallercolleges/schoolsandprograms

thathavesepa‐

rateaccreditationprocessesamongtheearliesttobeassessingoutcomes

andimprovingbasedontheminaconsistent,periodicmanner.Itwilltake

sometimetoinstillafullcultureofassessmentthroughouttheinstitution,

withthelargercolleges/schoolsandthosewithfewerseparatelyaccredited

programstofollow.

Werecommend

 thatCornellusearangeofresourcestoexpandassessment

activitiesinasteadyandmeasuredway,withtheguidanceofthe

CoreAssessmentCommitteeoranequivalentcross‐collegegroup

andutilizingthemodelsandinstructionsprovidedbytheactivities

intheCornellLibrary,theKnight

InstituteforWritinginthe

Disciplines,theCenterforTeachingExcellence,theOfficeof

InstitutionalResearchandPlanning,andotherunits;



SteeringCommitteeoftheNationalEngineeringEducationResearchColloquies.TheResearch

AgendafortheNewDisciplineofEngineeringEducation.JournalofEngineeringEducation95

(4):259‐261.



256 8. Assessment of Student Learning

 thatCornellcontinuetoprovideadditionalsupportintheCenter

forTeachingExcellenceforfacultydoingassessmentofstudent

learningintheformoffacultyworkshopsandone‐on‐one

consultations;



thattheuniversitycreateforaforsharingassessmentmodelson

campussothatCornellfacultycanlearnfrom

theirpeers.



9. Institutional Assessment 257

9. Institutional Assessment

Standard:

Institutional Assessment



Inthischapter,weconsiderinstitutionalassessmentbroadly.Cornell

collectsmanykindsofdataaboutitsownperformanceandthatofits

studentsandalumniandthenusesthesedataformanydifferent

purposes.Becauseassessmentofstudentlearningisdescribedindetailin

Chapter8,itis

discussedonlybrieflyinthis chapter,whichfocuseson

otheraspectsofinstitutionalassessment.

ThefirstsectiondescribestheofficeofInstitutionalResearchand

Planning,acentralresourceintheuniversitythatcollectsandmanages

dataformanyofCornell’sinstitutionalassessmentactivities.

Thesecondsection,“AssessmentActivitiesAcrosstheUniversity,”



describesabreadthofassessmentactivitiesthatareessentialtothe

university’sassessmentofitsfinances,humanresources,research

programs,educationalprograms,publicservice,facilities,and

institutionalreputationandquality.Inthethirdsectionwediscussfuture

activitiesasdescribedinthe2010StrategicPlan.Thisplanprovidesa

roadmap

formanyaspectsofinstitutionalassessment,but,asdescribedin

our“Recommendations,”opportunitiesremainformorecomprehensive

assessmentofbothstudentlearningandthelong‐termvalueofthewhole

“Cornellexperience.”



 

258 9. Institutional Assessment



9.1



Institutional Research and Planning

ThemissionoftheofficeofInstitutionalResearchandPlanning(IRP)isto

supportinstitutionaldecisionmakingwithinformation.Housedwithin

theOfficeoftheProvost,IRPhasninestaffmembersactivelyengaged

withongoingassessmentofinstitutionaleffectiveness.



ThroughIRP,Cornellpresentsonthewebmoreextensivestatistical

informationaboutitselfthannearlyanyofitspeers.Theon‐lineCornell

Factbook,

forexample,hasdozensofpagesofsummaryandtrenddata,

slicinganddicingtheuniversityalongmultipledimensions.Throughthis

andothermechanismsforfacilitatingwideaccesstomeaningful

information,IRPservesthiscomplexinstitutionwell.

ThroughtheofficeofIRP,Cornellactivelyparticipatesinconsortialdata

exchangesacross

universities,includingtheAssociationofAmerican

UniversitiesDataExchange(withover60researchuniversities),andthe

ConsortiumonFinancingHigherEducation(COFHE,whichincludes31

highlyselectiveprivatecollegesanduniversities).Thedatamade

availablethroughtheseexchangesallowustobenchmarktheuniversityin

waysthatprovideinvaluableinsightin

ourongoingself‐examination.For

example,Cornellusesconsortialdataannuallytocarefullyassessfaculty

salaries.Cornellalsoparticipatesintheannualsalarysurveyofthe

AmericanAssociationofUniversityProfessors,whichpermits

comparisonsofCornell’saveragefacultysalarylevelswith thoseofother

institutions.



IRPconductssocialscientificresearchusingbothqualitativemethods

(includingfocusgroupsandface‐to‐faceinterviews)andquantitative

methods(suchasoriginallydesignedsurveys)tocreativelyexploreissues

ofinstitutionalimportance,includinghowstudentschoosecolleges;

financialaidpolicyimpacts;theimpactoftheGreeksystemoncampus

life;

programmaticimpactsonstudentdevelopmentaloutcomes;



http://dpb.cornell.edu/F_Factbook.htm

ExampleofpublicreportintheCornellFactbook:AverageSalaries:EndowedColleges:

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/documents/1000241.pdf.AAUP2009‐10Report:

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/comm/rep/Z/ecstatreport09‐10/default.htm.

9. Institutional Assessment 259

demographictrendsamongemployees;facultycompensationpatterns;

facultysatisfaction;andfacultyturnover.

In2007,threeIRPstaffmemberswerehonoredwithCOFHE’sJoseph

PettitAwardforexemplaryuseofCOFHEdatatoillumin ateissuesof

significancetomemberschools,aswellastheoriginality,eleganceand

valueoftheirresearch

fortheuniversity.



9.1.1 Suite of Surveys

Cornelladministersasuiteofsurveystoengageinasystematicandrobust

examinationoftheundergraduateexperience.

Thesurveysaredesigned

tohighlightareasofstrengthaswellastodiscernwhatneeds

improvementinsupportofcomparativeinstitutionalself‐studyand

analysis.

Usingconsortialinstruments,IRPsurveysfreshmeneveryyearaswellas

allenrolledstudentsandseniorsinalternateyears.Thesestudent‐

assessmenteffortshave

maturedtothepointwheretheycan beusefulin

longitudinalstudies,especiallysincetheresultscanbebrokendownby

major.

OnesurveyinparticularindicatesCornell’sseriousnessaboutsurveysand

assessments.Theexistingsurveyofenrolledstudents,conductedsince

2003,wassufferingfromdecliningresponserates.Toremedythe

problem,

IRPmembersledaconsortium‐wideefforttorethinkthescopeanddesign

ofthesurvey.Acleanerandsubstantiallyshorterinstrument,dubbedthe

PULSE(PerceptionsofUndergraduateLifeandStudentExperiences),was

firstconductedinspring2009atCornellandatotherpilotinstitutions.

Responseratesimprovedsignificantly.

ApaperbyIRPstaffmemberson

thedesignofthenewPULSEsurveywonthebestpaperawardatthe

NortheastAssociationofInstitutionalResearchconferencein2008.





http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April07/Pettit.award.ND.html

Detailsaboutthesurveysareavailablein“Cornell’sProgramofSurveyResearch,”

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=563.

M.ClarkbergandM.Einarson,ImprovingResponseRatesthroughBetterDesign:Rethinkinga

Web‐BasedSurveyInstrument,2008NEAIR(NorthEastAssociationforInstitutionalResearch)

conference,1–4November2008,Providence,RI.

260 9. Institutional Assessment

IRPsharessurveyfindingswiththeuniversity’svariousdecisionmakers

andthosewhodirectlyinteractwithstudentsintheclassroomand

elsewhere,usingseveralavenuestomakethedataasavailableanduseful

aspossible.Forexample,linkstothesurveyinstrumentsandassociated

tablesofresultsareavailablethrough

the“IRPSurveysandResults”web

page.



Asstandardpractice,IRPpreparescomprehensivetablesofsurvey

results,showingcomparisonsbetweenCornellrespondents,asawhole,

andstudentsenrolledinourpeerinstitutions;andwithinCornell,among

studentsgroupedonthebasisofsex,race/ethnicity,classyearand

undergraduatecollege.Also,IRPhasrecentlybeguncreatingtablesof

survey

resultsthatcomparemeanscoresacrosstheundergraduate 

colleges.

IRPalsocustomizesreportsforparticularaudiencesandpurposes.

Workingwiththeundergraduatecolleges,IRPcreatesreports



that

comparetheirstudents’responsesacrossdepartmentswithinthecollege

andacrosssimilarmajorsinothercollegesatCornellandourpeer

institutions.



IRPdoesnotcurrentlysurveygraduateandprofessionalstudents,andwe

viewthisasasignificantgapintheuniversity’ssupplyofdatafor

adequateassessmentofstudentlifeandeducationalexperiencesatthis

level.Cornellcouldalsousemore informationaboutthecareersofits

alumni,whethertheyattendedCornell

asundergraduatesorasgraduate

orprofessionalstudents.IRPdoessurveyundergraduatealumnitenyears

aftertheirbaccalaureatedegree,butassessmentcouldbeaidedbymore

informationaboutalumni’scareerdevelopmentovertime.



9.2 Assessment Activities Across the University



BeyondthecentralizedeffortsofIRP,therearesignificantdata‐collection

andassessmentactivitiesacrosskeyadministrativeunits.Tosomeextent,

datacollectedandreportedwithintheunitsisfocusedmoreonunit‐level

needsthanuniversity‐levelneeds.However,theadministrativeofficersof

thecollegeshaveworkedtogethertobuild

animpressivereporting

mechanismcalledKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPI).Builtusingthe



http://www.dpb.cornell.edu/IP_E_Surveys_Results.htm.

9. Institutional Assessment 261

TableaubusinessintelligencesoftwaretoolandhostedintheCollegeof

Arts&Sciences,KPIbringstogetherdatafrommanydatawarehouses

acrosstheuniversityintoanon‐linesystemthateasilyprovidesdeansand

othercollegeleaderstheinformationnecessarytomanageandmeasure

performanceandprogresstowardcollege‐

levelgoals.KPImakescentral

universitydataaccessibleandalsoprovidesstandardandadhoc

reportingfunctionality,analysiscapability,andlocaldataintegration.

CurrentlytheKPIsystemincludesusefulreportsaboutemployees(faculty

andstaff),students,financialinformation,sponsoredresearchactivity,and

development.

9.2.1 Financial Data

Cornell’sfinancialconditionisreportedthroughvariouspublications

producedbytheDivisionofFinancialAffairs(e.g.,year‐endfinancial

statementsandreports)andtheDivisionofPlanningandBudget(e.g.,

financialplansandyear‐endvariancereports).

Thepurposesofthesedata

collectionsaremid‐coursecorrectionandlong‐termplanning.

Someofthesedataareusedina“financialdashboard”ofimportant

indicators,preparedmonthlyforthesenioradministrationandBoardof

Trustees.Theseinstitutionalfinancialdatawereusedin2008–10to

developacomprehensiveplan

forimprovedinstitutionalefficiencyin

administration.

Forauditinginformation,seeChapter3,“InstitutionalStewardship.”

9.2.2 Human Resources

Cornellconductsseveraltypesofassessmentforpurposesofperformance

improvement,developmentofhumancapital,compliance,andretention

ofstaffandfaculty.

Cornell’sfaculty,staff,andadministratorsreceiveregularperformance

reviewsusingformal,documentedproceduresoverseenbytheDivisionof

HumanResources.StaffperformancereviewsaredescribedinChapter3,

“Institutional

Stewardship,”andadditionalinformationonperformance



Postedathttp://www.dfa.cornell.eduandhttp://dpb.cornell.edurespectively.

262 9. Institutional Assessment

reviewsforexecutivestaffcanbefoundinChapter4,“Integrity,

Governance,andAdministration.”

Forfacultymembers,feedbackisemphasizedatthereviewandinforms

annualdiscussionsofperformanceandmentoring.Proceduresforfaculty

reviewsatpromotionortenureemphasizeevaluationofeachareaof

responsibility,suchasteaching,research,

andextension/outreach.Service

isconsidered.Asappropriatetothefacultymember’stypeof

appointment,inputmayincludelettersfrompeersatotherinstitutions,

undergraduateandgraduatestudents,postdoctoralresearchers,academic

staff,andthedepartment’sdirectorsofundergraduateandgraduate

studies;reviewofsemestercourseevaluations;facultyclassvisitsand

curriculumor

extensionwork‐planreviews;reviewsbycolleaguesatthe

departmentalandcollege/cross‐collegelevelsand,fortenure,reviewby

theuniversityFacultySenate(throughtheFacultyAdvisoryCommittee

onTenureAppointments)andtheseniorviceprovost/provost,withfinal

approvalbytheBoardofTrustees.Formoreinformation onfaculty

assessment,

seeChapter6,“Faculty.”

IRPreportsondataonfacultyhiring,promotion,andretentionthatare

maintainedinHumanResourcesdatasystems.

Staffdemographicdata

arealsomaintainedbyHumanResources.Responsibilitiesforreporting

onpersonneldataaresharedbyHRandIRP.Forexample,bothIRPand

theOfficeofWorkforceDiversitytrackdatarelatedtofacultyandstaff

hiringandretention.Theseofficesareincreasinglycollaboratingsoasto

reduce

anyduplicationofeffort.

Cornellperiodicallyassessesemployeesatisfactionandcampusclimate

throughscheduledandadhocsurveysandotherstudies.Afaculty

climatesurveyhasbeenadministeredtwice:in2005andin2010.



Conversationsaboutananalogoussurveyforstaffhavebegun,butthereis

notyetadefinitescheduleformovingforwardwiththateffort.



ExampleofpublicreportsintheCornellFactbook:NewTenure‐TrackAppointments:

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/documents/1000243.pdfandDepartureRatesofFaculty:

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/documents/1000247.pdf.

See:http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000371.pdf.

9. Institutional Assessment 263

9.2.3 Research

ResearchatCornellisassessedforpurposesofprogramimprovementand

compliancewithfederalandstateregulations.Cornell’sOfficeof

SponsoredProgramspreparesanannualreportofresearchexpenditures.



SomeofthisinformationisalsosummarizedintheFactbook

,andinthe

financialplanningdocuments.



TheCornellLibraryResearchandAssessmentUnit

collectsawiderange

ofkeyCornellLibrarymetricsandrespondstoAssociationofResearch

Libraries(ARL)surveys.SomecomparativemetricsbasedonARLsurvey

resultsarepostedintheFactbook.



Cornellsupportsavarietyofintercampus,interdisciplinaryresearchand

educationalactivitiesinbiomedicalsciencebetweenitsIthacacampusand

WeillCornellMedicalCollege.Ithaca‐Weillcollaborationscurrently

includethreeresearchcentersorgroupsandninegraduatetraining

programs,inadditiontonumerousformalandinformalcollaborations.At

present,however,standard

institutionalreportingofresearch

expenditures,enrollments,andfacilitiesusedoesnotspecificallyisolate

Ithaca‐Weillinteractions.

9.2.4 Educational Programs, Teaching, and Learning

Inallundergraduateschoolsandcolleges,policiesandactivitiesrelevant

tothecollege’seducationalgoalsareoverseenandreviewedbyfaculty

committees.

Cornell’sDivisionofPlanningandBudget,withoversightfromthe

InstitutionalAssessmentSteeringCommittee,helpsdepartments,degree‐

grantingfields,andcentersconductperiodicreviewsoftheiracademic

programsto

identifystrengthsandweaknessesandensureeffectiveuseof

resources.Additionally,manydepartmentsanddegreeprogramsare

accreditedbyexternalorganizations.Also,asnotedabove,Cornell



http://www.research.cornell.edu/VPR/pubsmain.html

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/F_Research.htm

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/FP_Current_Pubs.htm

(http://research.library.cornell.edu/

http://www.irp.cornell.edu/F_Libraries.htm

264 9. Institutional Assessment

administersregularsurveystocurrentandpastundergraduatestoelicit

self‐evaluationsofstudentlearningandsatisfactionwitheducational

offeringsandresources.

Cornellassessesthequalityofteachingprimarilythrough thecolleges,

whichmeasureproductivityandconducttenurereviewsandother

performancereviews.Theprovosthasdirectedthecolleges to

conduct

annualreviewsforeachfacultymemberusingmeasurableindicators.For

moreontheassessmentofteachingquality,see“HumanResources”

(above)andChapter6,“Faculty.”

Assessmentofstudentlearningisdescribedextensivelyintheprevious

chapter.

Cornellhasnowsucceededinalong‐desiredgoal,namelyintegrationof

undergraduaterecords

fromapplicationtograduation.Thenext

challengesaretogatherdataongraduateandprofessionalstudentsandto

linkthetotalityoftheeducationalexperienceatCornelltothelifesuccess

ofourgraduates.

9.2.5 Public Service

CornellCooperativeExtension(CCE)istheprimaryorganizationfulfilling

Cornell’sstate‐levellandgrantmission.AssessmentofCCEactivitiesfor

purposesofprogramimprovementisgenerallydoneatthecountyoffice

level,andannualreportsaremadepublic.

TheCollegeofAgriculture

andLifeSciencesandtheCollegeofHumanEcology

shareadministration

ofCCEprogramsinpartnershipwith55countyassociations.

TrackinganddocumentationofCornell’spublicengagementactivitiesare 

managedlocallywithinthecollegesandmajoradministrativeunits.CCE

programsdocumentactivitiesinlogscollectedattheprogramleveland

submittedtoCCEadministrationannuallyviaaweb‐basedtool.

Logs

containinformationaboutindividualcontactsandorganizedfunctions

suchaseducationaltours,conferences,ormeetings;responsibilitiesof

faculty/staff;thelocationanddateofwork;andaudienceinformation,

includingnumberofattendeesandbasicdemographicslikeethnicity,



http://cce.cornell.edu

9. Institutional Assessment 265

genderandage.Theserecordsareusedlocallyforaudienceanalysisand

programevaluation,andatthestateleveltomeetCornell,state,and

federalaccountabilityrequirements.

Oneaspectofassessmentoftheseprogramsisdeterminingtheir

effectivenessfromthecommunityperspective.WithinCALSandHE,

structuredProgramCouncilsand

ProjectWorkTeams(PWTs)are

responsibleforassessingcommunityperceptionsofengagement

programs.Theseassessmentsareintegraltotheimpactreportingproces s

linkedtothefederalHatchandSmith‐LeverActCRIS(CurrentResearch

InformationSystem)procedures.CornellʹsProgramCouncilandPWT

processisrecognizedasanationalmodelfor,

amongotherachievements,

collectingandactingoncommunityperceptionsofengagementprogram

relevanceandeffectiveness.

Inaddition,allfourstate‐assistedcolleges

haveformaladvisorycouncilsrepres entingexternalstakeholdersthat

advisethedeanandseniorstaffaboutcommunityandindustryneedsand

theeffectivenessofcollegeengagementprograms.

Alloftheseassessmentmechanismsinformcollegepriorities,funding

allocation,andresourcedistribution.

OtherCornellunitsthat

helptofacilitatepublicserviceactivities,suchas

theCornellPublicServiceCenter,CornellLawSchoolOfficeofPublic

Service,WeillCornellCommunityClinic,andCornellCareerServices,

haveinternalevaluationprograms.

Publicserviceworkmayalsobeassessedthroughdatagatheredin

responsetograntfunding.Forexample,

theCornellInternationalInstitute

forFood,Agriculture,andDevelopmenthasprojectsinAfrica,Asia,and

LatinAmerica.Inasmuchasfundingagenciesvary(USAID,WorldBank,

etc.),eachprojecthasmandatedmonitoringandevaluationtoidentify

waystoimproveprojectdesignandperformanceortodocument

outcomesandimpactswithinselectedcommunities.

FormostUSAID

projects,dataincludeattendanceattrainingprograms,numberofnew

productsreleasedorcommercialized,genderofparticipants,andimpacts

onprojectgoals(foodsecurity,povertyreduction,economicgrowth).

InSeptember2009,theSchoolofIndustrialandLaborRelations(ILR)

launchedanonlinedatacollectionandprogramevaluation

toolforuse

266 9. Institutional Assessment

acrossILRExtension.WorkingwithCornellʹsSurveyResearchInstitute

(SRI)thetooldisaggregateselementsofprogramqualityassessment

acrossalltrainingefforts,makingdatacollectionandcompilationmore

costeffectiveandefficient.SRIdesigneda“reportgenerator”soprograms

cangeneratereportsonindividualprograms,instructors,andacross

certificate

series.

9.2.6 Student Life

TheDivisionofStudentandAcademicServices(SAS)producesanannual

reportsummarizingitsprogrammingandserviceactivities.

SAStakes

fulladvantageofmanyofIRP’sregularsurveyactivities,asthesetendto

targetstudentattitudestowardandassessmentsofstudent‐oriented

campusprogramming,includingacademics,extracurricularprograms,

athletics,housing,andhealthservices.

AstheStudentandAcademicServiceshasmovedtowardsacultureof

assessment,ithas

workedcloselywithIRPtodeveloplearningoutcomes

andplanforassessingtheminstitution‐wide.In2010,anSASAssessment

WorkingGroupcompletedapilotproject thattookstockofthestateof

datacollectionanddataintegrityacrossthedivisionaswellasexamineda

singlelearningoutcomefroma

varietyofangles.

SASexpectsto

continuetomakeprogressindatacollection,reporting,andassessment.

9.2.7 Facilities

Cornell’sDivisionofFacilitiesServicesassessesfacilities‐relatedissues

throughongoingdatacollection,audits,andsysteminspections;outcome

dataareevaluatedagainstnationalandpeer‐groupbenchmarks.Through

aprocessnamedFacilitiesPhysicalNeedsManagementSystem,every

buildingoncampusisassessedannuallyandadatabaseiskepttorecord

its

conditionagainstseveralfacilitiesevaluationfactors.Thisinformation

isutilizedinourcapitalplanningprocess andenablesustoprioritizeany

singularneedagainsttheentireneedsoftheuniversity.Addedtothisisa

prioritizationprocessthatisbasedonalikelihoodscoreandanimpact



http://sas.cornell.edu/

https://middlestates‐dpb‐stg.hosting.cornell.edu/get_file.cfm?doc=289.

9. Institutional Assessment 267

score.Evaluatingourneedsinaholisticmannerenablesustofocusour

limitedresourceswheretheyaremostcriticallyneeded.

9.2.8 Institutional Reputation and Quality

IRPannuallyproducesadetailedreportontheundergraduateand

graduaterankingspublishedintheUSNews&WorldReport“America’s

BestColleges”publication.ThisreportmonitorstrendsinCornell

rankingsandanalyzesthemintermsofunderlyingdata,andissenttothe

president,provost,viceprovostsandvicepresidents,

andcollegedeans.

Usingadifferentapproach,theDivisionofUniversityCommunications

monitorsavarietyofindicatorsofCornell’sreputation,includingrankings

andpresscoverage.

WhentheresultsoftheNationalResearchCouncilData‐BasedAssessment

ofResearch‐DoctorateProgramswerefinallyreleasedinfall2010,IRP

workedtogetherwith

KPIdeveloperstodevelopapublic,on‐linetoolto

facilitateanalysisofthosedata.

Whileitisdifficulttousethose

somewhatfine‐graineddataattheinstitutionlevel,itisclearthatmanyof

Cornell’s62rankedfieldsusedthetoolextensivelytoexploretheirdata.

Inrecognitionofthefactthatmanyrankingsystemsexistforthe

institutionasawholeor

forindividualcollegesorprograms,theprovost

facilitateda90minuteforumonrankingsforthefullBoardofTrusteesin

January2011.Theeventisexpectedtobefollowedupwithalonger

“roundtable”discussioninMarchofthisyear.



9.3 Planned Assessment Activities

The2010StrategicPlan

includesadiscussionofageneralapproachto

assessmentattheuniversityleveltoascertainifCornellismeetingits

specificinstitutionalobjectivesand,thus,fulfillingitsmissionandvision



ThisanalysistoolwasdevelopedbytheofficeofInstitutionalResearch&Planningin

collaborationwithCornell’sKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPI)project:

http://testsvr1.kpi.cornell.edu/views/NationalResearchCouncilReports2/StatsbyFieldPOST

CornellUniversityatitsSesquicentennial:AStrategicPlan,2010–2015,May2010,

http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/docs/051110‐strategic‐plan‐final.pdf.

268 9. Institutional Assessment

(seeStandard1,Chapter3).Somecoremetricsthatarepotentiallyuseful

forassessingprogresstowardCornell’simmediatestrategicprioritiesare

included.Thegeneralapproachtakenistofocusonuniversity‐wide

metricsandqualitativeindicators,organizethesearoundgoalsand

priorities,usemultipleindicatorsforeachgoalwhereavailable,

anduse

existingsourcesofdataandinformationsoastominimizetheamountof

stafftimeoradditionalstaffneededtoimplementthesemetrics.This

approachtoassessmentisinaccordwiththeStrategicPlan’streatmentof

Cornell“asasingleunitorentity.”

TheStrategicPlanrecognizesthatit

is“exceedinglydifficulttodevelop

fullyadequatemeasuresofprogresstowardgreaterexcellenceina 

researchuniversity.”Noparticularmetricsorqualitativeindicatorswill

besufficient,butvarioussetsofthemarelikelytobeuseful,andthis

choicemayevolveovertime.The13coremetricsincludedinthe

2010

StrategicPlanarelistedbelow.



1. Facultyandstaffcompensation:Comparesalariesandfringe

benefitstopeerinstitutions(faculty)orappropriatemarkets

(staff).

2. Amountand natureoffacultyhiringandretention:Numberof

hires/year;rankdistributionofhires;trackingofchangesin

facultysize;yearlyassessmentoffaculty

exits.

3. Agedistributionofthefaculty:Percentoffacultyaged55and

above;60andabove(university‐wideandbyunit).

4. Diversityoffaculty,students,andstaff:Percentwomenand

underrepresentedminorities.Forfaculty,comparisonto

specificgoalsof20%orpipelinepercent(whicheveris

higher).Setcomparablegoals

forstudentsandstaff.

5. Numberoftop‐rankeddepartmentsandprograms:Select 

appropriateNRCcriteria; discipline‐specificrankings;

regularprogramreviews.

6. Sponsoredresearch:Totalexpenditures;expendituresper

facultymember.

7. Studentlearningoutcomesandhealth:Collegeassessmentsof

learningoutcomesbasedoncorecompetencies...;data

fromGannett[healthcenter]onstudentmentaland

physicalhealth.

9. Institutional Assessment 269

8. Studentaccess:CostofCornelleducationbyfamilyincome

quintile.

9. Studentsurveys(undergraduate,graduate,andprofessional):

Satisfactionwithteaching;satisfactionwithresearch

opportunitiesandtraining;perceptionsofinternationaland

publicengagementopportunities;easeoftakingcourses

acrossboundariesandadministrative/bureaucraticbarriers;

perceptionsofliving‐learningenvironmentatCornell.

10. Libraryrankings:Comparetoresearchuniversitylibraries,

usingappropriatemeasuresfromtheARL(Associationof

ResearchLibraries).

11. Facultyandstaffsurveys:Conductsurveysonaregular

schedule.

12. Ithaca‐Weillinteractions:Jointresearchgrants;collaborative

teachingprograms;andcross‐usageofcorefacilities.

13. Statureofuniversityasa

whole:Institutionalreputationbased

onappropriatehigh‐qualityrankingsofresearch

universities(e.g.,basedonNRCdataandcriteria);useof

selectmetricsfromabovelist(e.g.,facultyquality,student

quality;externalresearchfunding;libraryrankings

includingcollections).

Muchoftheinformationtobeusedtosupportassessmentof“core

metrics”isalreadybeingcollected,asdescribed above,andmuchofitis

publiclyavailable—notjusttocampusconstituenciesbutalsotowider

audiencesaswell,includingalumni,students,andprospectivestudents.

Inthe2010StrategicPlan,these“coremetrics”areaccompaniedbya

detailedlistofindicatorsforuniversity‐wide

excellence,facultyexcellence,

andexcellenceineducation.

Theapproachtoassessmentthatisoutlined

inthe2010StrategicPlanandthereviewofthe“coremetrics”givenabove

provideevidencethatCornellengages ininstitutionalassessmentthatis

useful,cost‐efficient,reasonablyaccurate,planned,organized,systematic,

andsustained.

The“overarchingaspiration”intheStrategicPlanisthat

Cornellshould,

byitssesquicentennialin2015,“bewidelyrecognizedasatop‐ten

researchuniversityintheworld.”Theplanissilent,however,onhowit

willbedeterminedwhetherCornellhasachievedthisaspiration.



SeeAppendixDoftheStrategicPlan:http://www.cornell.edu/strategicplan/docs/060410‐

strategic‐plan‐final.pdf.

270 9. Institutional Assessment



9.4



Recommendations



Cornellisactivelyengagedinallaspectsofinstitutionalself‐assessment

and,withthe2010StrategicPlan,hasaguidetotheassessmentactivities

thatareofthehighestpriority.Thiswillhelpusknowwhichdata

collectionactivitiestocontinue andwhicharenolongernecessary.

Moreover,wearenow

thoroughlyengagedintheassessmentofstudent

learningthroughouttheuniversity.Werecommend

 thatCornellfullyimplementtheroadmapforinstitutional

assessment,includingstudentlearningoutcomes,thatiscontained

intheStrategicPlan.

Despitethescopeandvarietyofinformationcurrentlybeingcollected,

someissuescontinuetoinhibitfull

utilizationofthesedata.We

recommend

 thatCornelladdressidentifiedproblemsofcommunication,

transparency,andmanagementofdataaspartofongoing

administrativereorganization.

Withregardtoareasinwhichusefuldataarelacking,werecommend

 thattheuniversitydeve lopawaytoassesshowundergraduate,

graduate,andprofessional

students’experiencesatCornelllinkto

thedevelopmentoftheirfuturecareers;

 thatgraduateandprofessionalstudentdatabecollectedand

analyzedcentrally,similartothetreatmentofundergraduate

studentdata.



10. Conclusion 271

10. Conclusion

IthasbeenatransformativedecadeforCornellUniversity.Significant

investmentsinthelifesciences,socialsciences,andmedicalresearch

combinedwiththelongstandingcommitmenttotheartsandhumanities

havepositionedCornelltocontinuetobewidelyrecognizedasoneofthe

premierresearchuniversitiesintheworld.Theimplementation

of

programsandfacilitiestofosteravibrantliving‐learningenvironmentfor

thelargeundergraduatepopulationhasalsofundamentallyand

profoundlyenhancedCornell’sabilitytoinstillaculture ofinquiryinto

theveryfabricofundergraduatecampuslife.Majornewfacilitieshave

advancedorwillsoonadvancethelifeand

physicalsciences.Arecently

approvedmedicalresearchbuildingatWeillCornellMedicalCollegein

NewYorkCityrepresentsoneofthelargestinvestmentsinresearch

infrastructureinthehistoryofCornellandwillsetthestageforsignificant

advancesinmedicinethatwillimprovehumanhealth.

Throughoutthisdecadeofinvestment

ininfrastructure,however,Cornell

haskeptitseyeonitsunderlyingfoundingprincipleof“Any Person…

AnyStudy.”Duringthepeakoftherecentfinancialcrisis,insteadof

retractingfromitsfinancialaidcommitments,Cornelltwiceenhanced

thesepolicies,ensuringthataccesstoaCornelleducationwillnoterode

overthenextdecade.Inpart,thesecommitmentstofinancialaidwere

madepossiblebytheanticipatedcostsavingsfromareexaminationofthe

entireadministrativestructureatCornell.Withthehelp ofoutside

consultants,Cornellisonitswaytomajorstructuralchangesthatwill

preservethebudgetforits

primarymission—studenteducation,research,

272 10. Conclusion

andoutreach.DuringarecentspeechattheUniversityofTexas,

President

ObamasingledoutCornellfortakingdecisiveactiontocontaincosts—and

keeptheuniversityaffordableforstudentsfromallbackgrounds.Theself‐

studyprocesshasreaffirmedtheimportanceofpreservingneed‐blind

admissionandneed‐basedfinancialaidasdefiningelementsofCornell

University.

Manyofthetransformativeinitiatives

undertakenduringthelastdecade

reflectthe“oneuniversity”approachtostrategicinvestmentsand

planning.Theycrossovertheboundariesofthevariousdecentralized

academicandadministrativeunits.Theinvestmentsinfacultysalaries,the

living‐learningenvironment,thelifeandphysicalsciences,thesocial

sciences,financialaidforundergraduates,thecampus

masterplan,and

manyotherinitiativesdemonstratethecapacityofCornelltoactasa

singleentity.Facilitatingallofthesecentralactivitiesarethegovernance

structuresthatservetheentireuniversity.Trusteesandcentral

administrationrepresentaverysignificantaspectofunity.Othercentral

governancestructuressuchasthe

UniversityAssembly,Student

Assembly,EmployeeAssembly,andFacultySenateallprovideforums

andavenuesforinputintocentraldecisionmaking.

However,theuniversitycontinuestogreatlyvaluetheinnovationin

education,researchandoutreachthatstemsfromthedecentralized

decisionmakingoftheunitsofCornell.Thishealthytensionbetween

decentralized

decisionmakingandthevalueofactingas“oneuniversity”

istheoverarchingthemeofthisself‐study.Fortunately,theoverlapinthe

timingof(1)theMiddleStatesreview,(2)thechargebyPresidentDavid

Skortontodevelopanewstrategicplanfortheuniversity,and(3)the

“Reimagining

Cornell”initiativeprovidedaunique opportunityto

explorefurtherthechallengesandopportunitiesofdeliveringthebroad

academicprogrammingthatdefinesCornellandatthesametimerealizing

thesynergiesfromactingasaunifiedsingleuniversity.Theoutcomeof

thisexplorationisacompelling“overarchingaspiration” andan

ambitious,integrated

strategicplanbywhichtoreachthisaspirationinthe

nearfuture.Thisself‐studyanditsfollow‐upreportswillcontinueto



August9,2010.Atranscriptisavailableathttp://uwire.com/2010/08/09/president‐obama‐

speaks‐at‐u‐texas/.

10. Conclusion 273

informuniversitystrategicplanning—andtheimplementationofthe

strategicplan—overthenextdecade.

Takentogether,theself‐studyandnewstrategicplanidentifythekey

goalsandimplementationstrategiesforbalancingthedecentralized

deliveryofprogramswiththesynergiesthatarisefromcoordinated

activity.Asarticulatedpreviously,theuniversityshouldcreate

and

maintainacademicleadershipacrossallofthebroadareasbutdoso

selectivelyandstrategicallywithineach.Cornellalsoaimstobuildgreater

connectivityamongthediversecolleges,schools,andprogramsaround

thesebasicacademicareasbydevelopingnewintegrations,boundary‐

crossingstructures,andproductivecollaborations.Greaterconnectivity

implies

thatitwillbeeasyforstudentsandfacultytocrosscollegeand

programboundariesinpursuitoftheiracademicgoals.The ideaisto

makeacademicboundariesatCornellaspermeableandseamlessas

possible.

Thekeytosuccessfulimplementationofthestrategicplaniscontinuingto

recruitandretain

thehighest‐qualityfaculty—peoplewhowillnotonly 

maintainandimprovethequalityandquantityofresearchbutwhowill

extendthisresearchtoinfluenceoutcomesinNewYorkState,thenation,

andtheworld.AsnotedinChapter6,thecurrentfacultyareamongthe 

mostaccomplishedinthe

world.Whatevercriteriaoneusestomeasure

success(academichonors,citations,externalgrants,etc.),Cornellfaculty

shine.However,theagedistributionofthefacultyindicatesthatmanywill

retireinthenottoodistantfuture.Ideally,theoutstandingseniorfaculty

willhelprecruitandmentorthenextgenerationoffaculty.Cornell



recognizesthatwaitinguntilthesefacultyretiretohiretheirreplacements

canbedisruptivetosuccessfultransitionandrecruitment.Consequently,

theuniversityisadoptinganaggressiveapproachtopre‐fillingthese 

facultylinesbothtotakeadvantageoftheabilitytoattracttoptalentinthe

currentstateofthe

academicjobmarketand,moreimportantly,tohave

seniorfacultyhelprecruitthisnewtalent.Thecapitalcampaignhasbeen

adjustedspecificallytoaddressraisingfundsforsupportingboththenew

facultyandthesoon‐to‐retirefaculty duringseveralyearsofoverlap.

AsCornellhiresthenextgenerationoffaculty

thereisagainthehealthy

tensionbetweendecentralizedhiringdecisionsandhowthesedecisions

274 10. Conclusion

affectthecore.Whilehiringisfrequentlymanagedwithinadepartment,

disciplinesareoftendividedamongseveralcolleges;therearemore

sociologistsoutsidetheDepartmentofSociologythanwithinit,andto

varyingdegreesasimilarsituationholdstrueforeconomists,statisticians,

psychologists,andbiologists.Becausethesedisciplinesarespreadacross



units,specialattentionneedstobefocusedonhowtounitetheseintoa

cohesivewhole.Allcollegeswillbenefitfromproductivecollaborations

thatpreservethestrengthofthecollegesbutatthesametimecoordinate

actionsinthedisciplines.Manyoftheacademictaskforcespresentideas

forhow

besttoensurethiscollaboration.Overthenextfiveyears wemust

expectmoreexplicitcollaborationbetweenthecollegeswhenhiring

faculty,sothatthesumofallhiringinaparticulardisciplineservesto

enhancethequalityandreputationofallcollegesoncampus.

Thesignificanthiringthatwilloccur

overthenextdecadepresentsagreat

opportunitytofurtherdiversifythefaculty.Corn ellisinthefinalyearof

theNSF‐fundedCU‐ADVANCEinitiative,andtheuniversityis

committedtomaintainingsomeoftheprimaryinfrastructureand

programsthathavebeensuccessful—evenasexternalfinancialsupport

forthese

initiativesends.

Thesenewfacultywillbetheeducatorsofthenextgenerationofthevery

talentedstudentsthatweexpecttoattractandretainatCornellUniversity. 

Theanalysisoftheundergraduateadmissions,financialaid,andstudent

supportsystemsundertakeninthisself‐studydemonstratesgreatstrength

inmostaspects

oftheprocess.Theundergraduateapplicantpoolhasrisen

dramaticallyoverthelastdecadewithunderrepresentedminorities

sharinginthisincrease.Throughdecentralizedselectioneachcollegeis

abletoadmithigh‐qualitystudentswhoarewellmatchedtotheprograms

inwhichtheyareadmitted.In2008theuniversitybegan

allowingstudents

toapplytobothaprimaryandanalternativecollege.Theanalysisinthis

reportdemonstratesthatlessthan2%ofenteringfreshmenareadmitted

intotheiralternativechoice,raisingquestionsaboutwhetherthisisa

worthwhileoptiontocontinue.

Professionalschoolandgraduateschooladmissionprocessesare

necessarily

morelocallyfocused,andtheself‐studyanalysisreveals

generallyimprovingqualityofstudentsinthelargenumberofgraduate

10. Conclusion 275

fieldssponsoredatCornellandhighlyselectiveadmissionsintothe

professionalschools.Theseprocessesoperateefficiently,althoughwehave

recommendedconsolidationofsomeverysmallgraduatefields.

Onceadmittedandmatriculated,first‐yearundergraduatesresidetogether

onNorthCampus.Duringthatyear,andinsubsequentyearsforstudents

livinginthe

WestCampushousesystem,faculty‐in‐residenceandfaculty

fellowshelpintegratetheacademicandlivingenvironments.Students’

residentialassignmentsarenotclusteredaccordingtotheircolleges,inthe

interestsofacommonlivingenvironmentthattranscendsacademic

boundaries.WhileWestCampusisgenerallyviewedasasuccess,most

students

donotliveoncampus,andCornellmustcontinuetoseekways

tomonitorandenhancethequalityofthestudentexperienceoutsidethe

classroom.

Anongoingconcernisthatnotallstudentsareequallyabletosucceedat

Cornell.Theanalysisinourreportshowsthatgraduationratesarevery



highforallracialandethnicgroups,buttherearestatisticallysignificant

differencesinthegraduationratesacrosssome,particularlywhengender

isalsoconsidered.Cornellhasnumerouscampus‐wideprog ramsthat

addressthechallengesknowngenerallyastheachievementgap.Asthe

universityexamineshowwecanbestdesign

andimplementprogramsto

eliminatesomeofthesedifferences,itisclearthattheseeffortsshould

focusnotsimplyonsix‐yeargraduationratesbutonabroaderdefinition

ofacademicsuccess.Equallyimportantiswhetherunderrepresented

minoritiesareappropriatelyrepresentedintheverytopofthestudent

body.

Facultyadvising

isanotherimportantelementforstudentsuccess.The

analysisintheself‐studyalsoraisesquestionsaboutthequalityoffaculty

advisingforbothmajorityandunderrepresentedminoritygroups.

Perhapsthebestimportantwaytoimproveadvisingistoexpand

institutionalmechanismstoinvolveundergraduatesinresearchwith

faculty.This

involvementhasthepotentialtoturnfacultyadvisingintoa

truementoringrelationshipandmaybeparticularlyeffectivefor

underrepresentedminoritystudents.Theuniversityiscommittedtobetter

measuringtheextenttowhichundergraduatesareengagedinresearch

andtodevelopingprocessesthatwillfacilitatesuchengagement.In

276 10. Conclusion

addition,undertheguidanceoftheviceprovostforundergraduate

educationandothers,newprogramsdesignedtoimproveacademic

advisingwillbeinitiatedandevaluated.

Cornellishometomanyundergraduatetransferstudentsfrombothfour‐

yearinstitutionsandcommunitycolleges.Theuniversityworksclosely

withmanycommunitycollegestocreate

transferarticulationagreements

outliningtransparentpathwaysfromthesecollegestoCornell.Transfer

studentsarecurrentlyguaranteedon‐campushousingintheirfirstyearof

attendingCornell,whichlimitsthenumberofstudentsthatcanbe

admitted.Theroleofon‐campushousingasanessentialelementtothe

successof

transferstudentshasnotbeenexaminedindetail,andwe

concludethattheuniversityshouldatleastfurtherinvestigatethepolicy

thatguaranteeson‐campushousingforfirst‐yeartransferstudents.

Mentalhealthchallengesandexcessivestudentstresscanbemajor

obstaclestostudentsuccess.Therecentspateofstudentsuicides

on

campushasledtoasignificantuniversity‐wideefforttoidentifyfactorsin

studentstress.Itisimportanttonotethattherecentsuicidesfollowed

yearsinwhichCornellexperiencednostudentsuicidesatall;froma

statisticalpointofview,Cornellexperiencesthesetragediesatgenerally

thesame

rateperstudentasotheruniversities.Infact,Cornellhasbeen

widelyrecognizedasaleaderinitsapproachestosupporting student

mentalhealth.Theself‐studyandthenewstrategicplanrecognizethe

importanceofinvestmentsthatsupportstudenthealth,andthisconcernis

aprominentelementinthestrategic

plan.

WhilestudentsfindatCornellacommonliving‐learningenvironmentand

acommonathleticandphysicaleducationexperience,theacademic

programsandeducationalofferingsareverymuchdeterminedbythe

decentralizedcolleges.Thisdecentralizedapproachcanhelpfacilitate

Cornell’sprimaryaspirationtobe“amodeluniversityforthe

interweaving

ofliberaleducationandfundamentalknowledgewith

practicaleducationandimpactonsocietalandworldproblems.”The

liberaleducationandpracticaleducationarereflectedinthedifferent

learninggoalsoftheparticularcolleges.Whilethelearninggoalsof

collegesdiffer,thereisconsiderableoverlap,thoughthesesharedgoals

havenotbeen

explicitlyarticulated.Weconcludethatthesesharedgoals

10. Conclusion 277

canbeusedtodevelopabroadcoherenceforundergraduateeducation

andserveasthebasisforacommonintellectualexperiencewithinthefirst

twoyears.Theseexperienceswillbedirectedatcoreoverlapping

competenciesandincludeliving‐learningprogramsandformal

coursework.

Maintainingahigh‐qualityandcontinuallyevolvingeducational



experienceforstudentsrequiressystematicassessmentofstudent

learning,whichinturninfluencesboththecontentandpedagogical

aspectsoftheacademiccoursework.Theself‐studyprocesshasbeen

instrumentalinhelpingCornelladvanceasystematicapproachto

assessingstudentlearningoutcomes.Cornellrecognizesthatmore

systematicandwidespreadassessment

practiceswillbeanadditional

assetinimprovingitseducationalofferings.

ThedecentralizedaspectofeducationatCornellhasledtoanassessment

processimplementedatthelocallevelbutfacilitatedbyacentrally

supportedCoreAssessmentCommittee.Thecommitteeaimstooversee

theassessmentprocessacrossthecampus,provideadvice

andsupport,

andserveasacentralresourceforcommunicationandcoordination

throughoutCornell.TheCoreAssessmentCommitteehassetup

leadershipstructurestodevelopandoverseeassessmentprocessesineach

college/school,createdtimelines,compileduniversitylearninggoals,and

discussedcollege/schoollearningoutcomesandtheirplacementin

literatureandon

thewebaswellasmethodsofassessingthem.Underthe

committee’sdirection,eachundergraduatecollege/schoolandprofessional

schoolhasestablishedaleadershipstructuretooverseethedevelopment

andmaintenanceofassessment.Ourprogressinbringingassessmenttoall

departmentsandprogramsisontrack,andatthetimeofour

campusvisit

weexpectmostunitswillhavemadesubstantialprogressontheirplans.

Insummary,thethemeofthisself‐studyistheadvantagesandchallenges

ofimplementingCornell’sbroad‐basedmissionthrougharelativelylarge

numberofcollegesthatoperatewithasignificantdegreeofautonomy.

Cornell’smotto

of“AnyPerson…AnyStudy”isameaningful

articulationoftheexcellencewestrivefor—tobeexcellentinalarge

numberofdiverseareas.ItisnoaccidentthatCornellUniversityhasmore

fieldsrankedintherecentNationalResearchCouncilanalysisthanany

278 10. Conclusion

otherprivateuniversity.Itisnoaccidentthatjusta monthbefore

submissionofourself‐study,Cornellhasbeenrecognizedforits 

communityengagementbytheCarnegieFoundationfortheAdvancement

ofTeaching,whoseclassificationsofcollegesanduniversitiesare

consideredthecountryʹsgoldstandard.Cornellistheonly

IvyLeague

institutiontobesoclassifiedandagaindemonstratesthescopeofthe

excellenceitstrivesfor.ItisnoaccidentthatCornell’syearlyofferingof

coursesissuchacompleteanddiversecollectionofintellectualjourneys

andoneofthemostimpressivesetsofofferingsinanyuniversity

inthe

world.

Theself‐studyprocessandthedevelopmentoftheCornellstrategicplan,

however,havehighlightedtheever‐increasingneedtoactasone

universitytomaintainandimproveourresearchprominenceandto

enhancetheundergraduateexperience.Anumberofmechanismswill

helpguidethisimprovement.TheBoard

ofTrusteesisfocusedonthis

issue,andeverychapterinourself ‐studyreflectssignificanteffortand

thoughtabouthowtomaximizethevalueofactingasoneuniversity

withinadecentralizedstructure.Cornellisfocusedonthefuturewitha

recognitionthatthe“AnyPerson…AnyStudy”

philosophydefines

Cornell’sstrengthandidentity.Wealsoacceptthatwhileourgoalisto

becomerecognizedasatoptenresearchuniversityintheworld,thereare

limitstoCornell’sbreadthandscope;increasingly,itwillneedtoestablish

administrativeefficienciesandacademiccollaborationacrossunitsto

achieveitsambitious

mission.Eachofthechaptersinthisself‐studyhas

exploredtheseissuesandhelpedCornelldevelopapathtoimplementits

strategicplan.