The Cornell faculty have elected Prof. Charles Van Loan, computer science, to be the new Dean of Faculty and Prof. Chris Schaffer, biomedical engineering as Associate Dean of Faculty, according to results released Thursday.
Much of the debate in this election revolved around how best to increase communication between the faculty and the board of trustees.
“‘Thinking out loud’ in front of the faculty needs to be routine, productive and intellectually driven,” said Van Loan. “To create a climate for this to happen, the trustees, the administration and the [faculty] senate must each dial back their strict constructionist views of who can do what under the University Bylaws.”
Prof. Bruce Lewenstein, communications, was also elected faculty trustee, while Prof. Julia Felippe, veterinary medicine, was elected to the Nominations and Elections committee.
Prof. Rob Thorne, physics, Prof. Durba Ghosh, history, and Associate Prof. Kate Walsh, management and organizational behavior were elected to the University Faculty Committee.
The turnout for the election was historic, with almost 900 faculty members voting, according to acting and associate dean of faculty Michael Fontaine.