In Kotlikoff’s recent interview with The Sun, he shared his impending retirement, but it’s not his departure that ought to be questioned. It’s who comes next. For too long, Cornell’s leadership has been more focused on maintaining the University’s endowment over fostering an academic environment that goes beyond the transactional. Our institution risks becoming little more than a hedge fund, using its resources to achieve the best returns for its shareholders.
The idea that education must be a means to an economic end is a dangerous one, but it’s one that has become central to our University. Pollack’s legacy is arguably defined by decisions motivated by appeasing donors and boosting rankings, rather than focusing on the intrinsic value of education or the student body.
These choices — whether it’s tuition hikes, underfunding essential services or stifling free speech when convenient — have come at the expense of the student body. Worse, Pollack’s administration catered to the whims of trustees and alumni rather than listening to the needs of students or faculty.
The Board of Trustees however may, undoubtedly, be tempted to select a candidate similar to Pollack. Undeniably, Pollack’s tenure bore several hallmarks of a successful one — our endowment increased from $6.8 billion to $10 billion, Cornell survived the Covid-19 pandemic under her leadership and her donation panhandling paid off in terms of our campus facilities. But none of this made Pollack a leader. Being President should not be defined by your donor relations, and Pollack failed in every arena bar financial. Yet, snubbing the Student Assembly, ignoring The Sun and imposing authoritarian restrictions on students’ freedom of speech isn’t surprising from a President who rarely bothered to appear on campus.
Of course, the Board of Trustees likely chose Martha Pollack to build on the legacy of one of her predecessors, David Skorton, who raised billions for Cornell during his time as president. But in choosing Pollack, the Board seemed to double down on its demands for the ever-increasing endowment that Skorton delivered, without recognizing the importance of his engagement with students and faculty. Pollack’s focus on capital campaigns, donor relationships and expanding Cornell’s financial base overshadowed her commitment to the students, faculty and the University’s academic mission. The next president must be someone who understands that Cornell’s value is not in its ability to turn a profit, but in its founding principle.
Cornell can, and should, do more than just balance the budget and prepare students for their first job. We don’t need another technocrat to usher us into the future — Cornell needs to return to its roots, where our education is valued more than our future donations as alumni. To lead Cornell means to lead its students, and a good President can’t be led around by the nose by our Trustees.
Cornell can continue on the path of corporatization, reducing its purpose to little more than its stock returns, or it can choose a leader who will reinvigorate its commitments to education and reconnect with the values that have always defined our University. We need a president who sees the worth of Cornell not in its profits, but in its students, one who will actively listen to the student body, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable for our administration. As students, we should not accept another life-long administrator who is wholly disconnected from the community they are supposed to serve.
It’s hard to say who our next President should be, when in recent years we’ve only seen what a President should not be. But they shouldn’t be chosen for their talent in leading a corporation, or for their fundraising prowess. We deserve a leader who cares more about our students, our community and our campus than the annual appreciation of an endowment. As University leaders turn towards ‘institutional neutrality’ in an attempt to avoid making tough calls, we need a president who understands that their responsibility is not to the Board of Trustees, but to the students, faculty and Cornell itself.
Our administration has to decide if Cornell will remain a University, or if it will continue to become a Fortune 500 — and that decision begins with who we choose to lead us next.
Sophia Arnold is a third year student in the Brooks School of Public Policy. Her fortnightly column Under Scrutiny focuses broadly on political and campus issues. She can be reached at [email protected].
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