Presidential Search Statement describes Cornell's next leader

Following forums with faculty, staff, students and alumni, the Presidential Search Committee charged with ultimately recommending the university’s 14th president has released a search statement that outlines the characteristics the Cornell community desires in its next leader.

Jan Rock Zubrow
Zubrow

“The committee received thoughtful, meaningful input from many Cornellians,” said trustee Jan Rock Zubrow ’77, chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “We appreciate the feedback we heard from across the Cornell community, at the forums and online. I’m excited to move forward in this critical process to select the university’s next president.”

The Presidential Search Statement provides a current overview of Cornell, highlighting the recently completed capital campaign, Weill Cornell Medicine and the developing Cornell Tech campus in New York City, the creation of the Cornell College of Business and other initiatives, including Engaged Cornell, Global Cornell, diversity, sustainability and faculty renewal.

The document summarizes future priority areas, such as advancing academic excellence; reaffirming Cornell’s commitment to a liberal arts education; expanding the university’s presence in New York City; developing an integrated College of Business; enhancing student life; and broadening engagement and collaboration throughout and beyond the Cornell community.

The statement outlines the desired competencies of Cornell’s next president as “a bold, inspirational leader who can engage the entire Cornell community in furthering the university’s core mission and supporting its fundamental values.” The university is seeking a collaborative leader able to take input from key constituencies and across the university and then move forward, making critical decisions and setting clear priorities, “exercising judgment in the best interests of the university.”

Other qualities of Cornell’s next leader, according to the statement, include being: a distinguished scholar of academic stature; someone who supports Cornell’s land-grant mission; a successful manager of a complex, multiple-stakeholder institution; an engaged leader with genuine enthusiasm who values shared governance; an effective fundraiser who can find new sources of revenue; a strong advocate for the university and exceptional communicator who can represent Cornell’s value to society and the role higher education plays in addressing many of the world’s most difficult problems; and someone with a global view who has the ability to work with international leaders to increase the scope and impact of the university’s international programs.

The statement will be used to recruit candidates to the position and as a guide for the Presidential Search Committee to use in assessing candidates.

For more information about the search, visit the Presidential Search website. For nomination and application information, contact cu-pres-search@cornell.edu.

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