Cornell is not Perfect

….but it is extraordinary. These were the words of President Mike Kotlikoff in his State of the University address in Bailey Hall at Reunion this past weekend. I strongly encourage you to take 30 minutes and listen to Mike’s talk. (Fast forward to 19:32.) He tackled, head on, the challenges facing higher ed and Cornell in the current political environment.  He spoke passionately about the vital contributions that Cornell and other U.S. universities are making that have a positive impact on nearly every person in our country and in the world.

Universities like Cornell are not a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have.  They should neither be taken for granted nor denigrated. Mike was candid in saying that Cornell, like its peers, can and must do a better job talking about the important work being done by institutions of higher education.  But he was absolutely unapologetic about who and what we are.

Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, we are all Cornellians. Listen to Mike’s talk and my bet is that you will be a proud Cornellian. And if you want to help ensure Cornell will continue its legacy of being the “land grant college to the world,” sign up for Cornell Matters.