The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/elizabeth-garrett/page/3/)
Cameron Pollack | Sun Photography Editor
"As you set out for Ithaka, hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discover," President Garrett said in her inauguration address.
The first female president of Cornell, Elizabeth Garrett succeeded President Emeritus David Skorton. Garrett assumed the presidency on July 1, 2015 and was inaugurated on Sept. 18, 2015. She was previously the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Southern California. Following a battle with colon cancer, Garrett died at the age of 52 on March 6, 2016.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) remarked upon President Elizabeth Garrett’s ability to challenge the established order, commending her for the steps she took as Cornell’s first female president.
A slideshow of the most memorable moments of President Garrett’s time at Cornell.
The Chair of the Board of Trustees Robert Harrison ’76 called Garrett a “remarkable human being” and a “vibrant and passionate leader” who he said impacted the lives of countless students, faculty members and friends.
Single-occupancy gender-specific restrooms will soon become all-gender. By end of March, an online map will be accessible to indicate inclusive restrooms on campus, according to the University. This follows a University Assembly resolution and President Elizabeth Garrett’s show of support. U.A. executive member Ulysses Smith ’14 presented the resolution and said that efforts to begin this process have been a “long time coming.”
“Our efforts were bolstered by the broader LGBT rights social movement and a number of initiatives on the federal level — including President Obama’s Executive Order 13672,” Smith said. “As a world-class institution, we should strive to be at the forefront of inclusion.”
The U.A. passed the resolution last December that called for the conversion of all single-occupancy restrooms from gender-specific to all-gender.
Cornell University President Elizabeth Garrett was released from Intensive Care Unit but remains at Weill Cornell Medicine following surgery on Friday, according to Acting President and Provost Michael Kotlikoff.
Provost Michael Kotlikoff will serve as Acting President of the University after President Elizabeth Garrett underwent surgery related to her illlness Friday.
Despite President Emeritus David Skorton’s support for the 2035 carbon neutrality goal, President Elizabeth Garrett has said that the University will not commit to the campaign. The Student Assembly urged Garrett to reconsider.
Monger said he immediately emailed students of his Introductory Oceanography class — including a listserv of 3,000 former students — after reading about Garrett’s decision, asking them to write to the president with their concerns.
“I made clear early in my tenure that I did not believe divesting from fossil fuel companies was in the best interest of the University,” Garrett said in a statement to the assembly. “An impact [on the global climate crisis], the board decided in January, could not be achieved through the symbolic action of divestment.”
In a statement Monday, President Elizabeth Garrett announced she is undergoing treatment at Weill Cornell Medicine following a colon cancer diagnosis. Garrett, who was inaugurated as Cornell’s 13th president in September, is undergoing an “aggressive treatment program” and will reduce her travel schedule and commitments in the months to come. “The senior leadership of the university will be handling many of my commitments, representing me and keeping me up to date as we continue to move Cornell forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” she wrote. “I am optimistic that with the support of my family, friends and the Cornell community, I will be able to resume a fuller schedule soon and manage this illness,” Garrett added. “Advances in research and clinical care in cancer offer great hope to patients like me, and Cornell and Weill Cornell lead in advancing science in this arena.