News
Committee Seeks More Transparency in Provost Search
September 4th, 2008The search for the next University provost is underway. Calling all members of the Cornell community to offer input, the Provost Search Committee sent a University-wide e-mail over the summer requesting nominations. The committee will be looking internally for Biddy Martin’s replacement. It will narrow the nominations to compile a short list of candidates from which President David Skorton will then choose the next provost. With hopes of completing their task by October, the search committee stopped accepting nominations yesterday. “We have to do our job quickly,” Prof. Martha Haynes, astronomy, and Chair of the Provost Search Committee, said. “But we do not want to rush. With such an important decision, we must take our time and be deliberate.” Read More
News
University Bids Farewell To Provost Biddy Martin
September 3rd, 2008As a gift to the outgoing provost, President David Skorton proclaimed that the dining room in the A.D. White House would now be called the “Carolyn ‘Biddy’ Martin Room.” The announcement was made yesterday at a special event, where about 150 staff, faculty, students and alumni gathered under a large, white tent on Bailey Hall plaza to bid farewell to Martin, now chancellor of University Wisconsin-Madison, her alma mater. “A.D. White House is where I have spent some of my best times at Cornell. It is one of the most beautiful and important houses on campus. And to have something related to the humanities named after me means the world to me,” said Martin. Read More
News
Provost's Office Reorganizes in Wake of Departures
July 18th, 2008As the Cornell community says goodbye to Biddy Martin, the longest serving provost in the University’s history, the Office of the Provost welcomes an addition and a few vacancies. As the search for the next provost is being conducted, David Harris, deputy provost and vice-provost for social sciences, will act as interim provost. No one has else been named to serve as deputy provost or vice provost for social sciences in the interim period, and Harris will continue to carry out his duties. In addition, an opening remains for the position of vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer. Read More
News: Interim Provost David Harris Speaks About Replacing Martin
June 26th, 2008As Provost Biddy Martin leaves Cornell to assume the chancellorship position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell has begun to search for her replacement. In the meantime, President David Skorton has appointed David Harris, deputy provost and vice-provost for social sciences, as interim provost until a replacement for Martin is found. The Sun spoke to Harris about his appointment, his plan not to introduce new initiatives and what it will take to fill Martin’s shoes. Read More
News: Skorton Names David Harris as Interim Provost
June 24th, 2008Updated June 24 Plans have quickly fallen into place to find the University’s next chief academic officer. Less than three weeks after Provost Biddy Martin’s announcement that she will leave Cornell to become the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, President David Skorton named Deputy Provost David Harris to temporarily fill her position. Harris will serve as interim provost until Martin’s successor is chosen, according to the University. Read More
Sun Blog: Biddy Martin's Public Challenge
June 19th, 2008What began as a 231-word blog post criticizing outgoing provost Biddy Martin has escalated into war - well, at least a press release war in the Wisconsin legislature. Read More
Editorial: Badger Bullies
June 18th, 2008As an administrator, former Provost Biddy Martin was devoted to improving the lives of students, faculty and staff. As President David Skorton’s first deputy officer, she pioneered initiatives to increase financial aid, appoint new deans and increase communication and cohesion across our large and disparate University. It’s because of her stellar academic and administrative record at Cornell that we’re disappointed to learn of the controversy surrounding her appointment as the new chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Two weeks ago, a blog post on the National Review Online criticized Martin as a “self-indulged, theory-laden, post-modern scholar.” Read More
News: Martin Faces Public Criticism from the Badger State
June 13th, 2008While many Cornell students, faculty and staff have offered both praise for Provost Biddy Martin as she prepares to assume the position of University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor in September and lamentation in the wake of her absence at Cornell, the chancellor-elect has become the brunt of harsh criticism amidst a highly publicized battle between members of Wisconsin’s state legislature. On May 30, the National Review Online ran a blog post questioning if Martin — who the author described as an “obscure, self-indulged, theory-laden, post-modern scholar” — has what it takes to be chancellor of UW-Madison. Read More
Sun Blog: Great Power, Great Responsibility
June 2nd, 2008Summertime, and the livin’ is easy! Your dedicated Sun editors are currently scattered across the US (and beyond) enjoying a much needed reprieve from Cornell prelims and endless “Sunny” nights putting together Ithaca’s favorite morning Daily. Despite these large distances, e-mails have been whizzing over the heartland as we take this break from publication to examine the basic elements of the sun and how to improve them. One fun little project I’ve been working on for the past couple days is a logo for a new blog covering developments in the departure of Provost Biddy Martin. Read More
Sun Blog: Who's Next? The Search for Cornell's Next Provost
May 30th, 2008The “Dick Cheney” of Cornell University has just left the building, The University’s Chief Academic Officer, Provost Biddy Martin, has been selected to lead the University of Wisconsin-Madison as Chancellor. While she’ll be missed, you had to be living under a rock if you didn’t see Martin’s departure approaching. Typically, the Provost position at an institution such as Cornell is a stepping-stone for a presidency or chancellorship at another university (or our own). And an all-star like Biddy was destined to take over at another school. Cornell Provosts have left Ithaca to assume the presidencies at the Universities of Chicago, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, in addition to Emory University and Clarkson University. Read More
News: Skorton Prepares to Begin Search for Martin's Successor
May 29th, 2008Following yesterday’s announcement that University Provost Carolyn “Biddy” Martin has accepted the position of University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor, the University is in the most preliminary stages of searching for Martin’s successor. Martin will continue to serve as provost during the summer. Read More
News: Provost Biddy Martin Accepts U.W.-Madison Chancellor Post
May 28th, 2008Cornell University students, faculty and staff may be surprised to hear the latest news about long-time University Provost Carolyn “Biddy” Martin: as of this morning, she has accepted the position of University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor. The decision is pending Board of Regents approval, according to The Capital Times, a Madison newspaper. She is expected to be approved at the Board of Regents’ meeting on June 5-6 at U.W.-Milwaukee. Read More
News: Provost Biddy Martin Named Finalist in UW-Madison Chancellor Search
May 8th, 2008Four people are vying to take over for University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jon Wiley at the helm of the nation’s 10th largest university when he steps down in September. One candidate is Cornell’s own Provost Biddy Martin. U.W. System President Kevin Reilly named Martin a finalist for the position on Wednesday, signifying that she has made one of the last cuts in the chancellor search. Read More