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Dear community of Cornell and Ithaca, Cornell is searching for a new provost. The outcome of this search will be of utmost importance for the university and the broader community, for the immediate future as well as the long run. The reason is simple: the provost, while nominally subordinate to the president and trustees, is the executive decider in all matters that matter at the university. This supremely hierarchical power structure is how university governance works at Cornell (and virtually any other institute of higher education in the West — though not in the more enlightened parts of the world, but that’s a separate conversation). The apex of the executive hierarchy is the provost, whose domains of responsibility are summarized as follows: The provost works to maintain and enhance the university’s excellence in teaching, scholarship and outreach, and is responsible for strategic planning and budgeting, tenure and promotion, academic and research initiatives and general academic supervision of the Ithaca campus.
Cornell’s official description of its “shared governance” model makes it clear that all other nodes in the hierarchy (faculty senate, student assembly, employee assembly, etc.) are there to “make recommendations,” “advocate,” “promote debate,” etc., etc. — anything and everything except actually govern. Moreover, once the time comes to appoint a new provost, the search, nomination, and approval are all managed by the appointees of previous provosts — the trustees. As reported on June 10 in the Daily Sun, the just-formed provost search committee is co-chaired by Anne Meinig Smalling ’87, president and managing partner of HM International (a private equity company with major interests in the fossil fuel industry) and incoming chair of the Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees, and Lorin Warnick, Ph.D. ’94, the Austin O. Hooey Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine (a reminder: deans are not elected by the faculty, let alone by students or staff, but rather are appointed by the provost, just as all but a few of the sixty-odd trustees). The search committee is currently soliciting input from the Cornell community (via a survey and email), which offers all of us an opportunity, for whatever it is worth, to influence the selection process. Weighing in on the search for a new provost is uniquely important in this cycle — the last one before the planetary climate irreversibly breaches the 1.5°C warming threshold (which it already temporarily exceeded in 2023). It is literally vitally important for us at this critical time to put in charge people who recognize the catastrophic consequences of continued climate inaction and are willing to act to help avert the catastrophe. As a highly respected world-class educational institution, Cornell is uniquely positioned to lead by example on all the relevant fronts: curriculum, operations, procurement, food, and travel (in addition to research and outreach, where its contribution has always been outstanding). Indeed, peer institutions are already beginning to recognize the need for this kind of leadership, with UPenn appointing a Vice Provost of Climate Change. Cornell must be led by a provost who perceives the immensity of the challenge and is determined to place it at the top of the university’s priorities by declaring a climate emergency and leading the institution in acting accordingly. As the university’s chief academic officer, the provost’s prime responsibility might seem to be “merely” overseeing its educational and research mission — but student education that is detached from its proper societal context fails both students and society, and there is no research on a dead planet. These are the key considerations among the many on which candidates for the office of the provost must be evaluated and vetted. Take action on the Provost search: Submit your survey responses to Cornell, and emphasize the need for radical climate leadership. We fully expect the search committee to do the right thing, for the sake of our students and children, our communities, the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ lands we stand on, and the planet.
In anticipation,
Cornell on Fire July Break:Cornell on Fire will take a regenerative break in July to slow up and dig deeper, allowing some of us to focus on working groups. CoF Weeklies and Newsletters will pause during July. We’ll still be available by email (connect@cornellonfire.org), and we look forward to resuming communications in August! Opportunities:Love investigative research and working for the public interest? We are looking for students or academics interested in research projects this summer. Do you have musical talent or videography/editing skills? We are looking for singers, composers, musical instrument players, and videographers/editors to help with a movement song or film projects.
Get involved with Cornell on Fire nowRead our reports. What you need to know to demand the change we need. Sign Our Demands. Ask Cornell to lead the way with a climate response that is adequate in ambition, credibility, and urgency. Join our Working Group: Support us with participation, research, or consultation by reaching out to connect@cornellonfire.org. Advise our Working Group: Our Movement Advisors include experts consulting on everything from Indigenous restorative justice to fossil free research and local activism history. Join our Alliance Partners: Advance climate justice and your organization’s mission by endorsing our movement. Ask how to get started at connect@cornellonfire.org. Spread the word: Forward this newsletter to others.
Engage the Wider Movement:Join concerned citizens and scientists in opposing Cornell’s proposal for massive new athletic facilities with artificial turf. Voice your concerns at the Ithaca Town and City Planning Board meetings this summer. Next up: Town Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, July 2, at 6:30pm. City Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, July 23, rally at 5pm and meeting at 6 p.m. Be sure to sign Zero Waste Ithaca’s Petition against Cornell’s artificial turf!
Extinction Rebellion Climate Vigils 11am every Saturday at Chase Bank - the worst bank on Earth - at the East end of the Ithaca Commons.
Thank you for reading this far and engaging in the number-one frontline for climate action: your attention. Newsletter #7 originally published on June 30, 2024. Opt out of Cornell on Fire Newsletters: write “unsubscribe” to connect@cornellonfire.org or click “unsubscribe” below.
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