This story has been updated with additional information.
President Emeritus Hunter R. Rawlings III begins his term as Cornell’s interim president today, after being unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees on March 24.
Succeeding President Elizabeth Garrett, who died of colon cancer on March 6, Rawlings will assume office until the appointment of the University’s 14th president.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Robert Harrison ’76 announced Monday that the board has formed a committee to search for a new president. Updates on the search will be released through University press releases and posted on the search committee website, according to Harrison.
The committee is headed by Jan Rock, a member of the Board of Trustees, and will be composed of members from different parts of the Cornell community — including faculty, students and staff, according to Provost Michael Kotlikoff.
Rawlings was previously Cornell’s president from 1995 to 2003 and also served as interim president between 2005 and 2006, after President Emeritus Jeffrey Lehman ’77 resigned.
During his term, Rawlings launched Cornell’s Residential Initiative — which moved freshmen to North Campus and created the West Campus house system — and Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar.