Dean’s Statements

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

I know that the recent multiple waves of executive orders, federal agency directives, and policy announcements are causing uncertainty and concern. As a member of the higher education community, Cornell is working hard across our networks to interpret and respond most effectively to the proposed changes. The university is actively taking steps to address proposed changes, including by participating in a new lawsuit challenging the National Institutes of Health cuts to indirect costs.

As Cornell is not alone in this effort, neither are you. We are closely monitoring developments and have created a new website to help keep you informed.

The Graduate School has developed a variety of programs and initiatives throughout this semester to support your academic and professional development, including our annual MAC Keynote address on mentoring, which is set for February 27, and the exciting Three Minute Thesis Competition on March 19. The Big Red Barn will also host numerous social and community events to help you connect with others and relax. Our Graduate Student Life Advisor, Olivia Hopewell, is available to meet with students and talk about your concerns. You can connect with Olivia in-person or online. We are committed to helping you find the resources and support you need to thrive at Cornell.

I want to assure you that Cornell’s values remain steadfast, even in the face of challenges. We are committed to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome, encouraging purposeful discovery, promoting free and open inquiry and expression, and respecting our environment. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting your growth and well-being, and the Graduate School is committed to providing support to meet the needs of our graduate and professional students.

I remain unwaveringly hopeful and positive about the future. Together, we will navigate these uncertain times and continue to uphold the values that make Cornell a special place.

Sincerely,

Kathryn J. Boor
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Last week, President Pollack shared with the Cornell community her thoughts regarding the Supreme Court of the United States’ decisions in the Harvard and UNC affirmative action cases. I write to unequivocally align myself with President Pollack’s sentiments and to assure you that the Graduate School remains focused on admitting diverse scholars from across the world and fostering an environment where all students can find a sense of belonging.

Sincerely,

Kathryn J. Boor
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Yesterday, Cornell received bomb threats for several buildings on Ithaca’s central campus. While the threats proved unfounded, many of us feel worried and unsettled, particularly as we struggle with the last few weeks of the semester and the ongoing pandemic.

I want to acknowledge that you may feel increasing stress related to balancing your mental health needs with your academic responsibilities. Please take care of yourself. Support is available through the Graduate School, Cornell Health, our campus partners, and each other. For a complete list of support and resources visit Mental Health at Cornell.

We know that this is a difficult time, and we hope you know how much Cornell values our graduate and professional students and appreciates all that you do.

Best wishes,

Kathryn J. Boor
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing today to offer support to the graduate and professional student community in light of our collective loss of student Shawn West and in the context of an extraordinarily difficult year. In 2020-21, we continue to navigate challenges brought on by converging stressors related to the COVID pandemic, xenophobia, health disparities, national reckonings related to racial injustice, political upheaval, and economic downturn.

The toll on all of us been especially heavy, and the impact of these acute and cumulative stressors on our bodies has been profound. Prolonged periods of high stress release an increasing level of stress hormones that can interfere with concentration, memory, and sleep. It is normal and understandable to be experiencing difficulty managing our academic, research, and scholarly activities under these circumstances. We realized that many of you are exhausted, lonely, and overwhelmed and may need to pause to process your emotions and grieve.

Ask for help and support if you need it. If you are in need of course assistance, reach out directly to your instructors. We have asked faculty to provide expanded flexibility to students. Staff in Student Disability Services (SDS) are available at sds_cu@cornell.edu to provide assistance to faculty in thinking through ways to provide additional flexibility to students.

Turning to a person with whom you have a relationship of trust, respect, and acceptance is one of the most effective steps you can take toward coping. Support may come from loved ones, friends, faculty, mentors, community, the Graduate School, or Cornell Health Counseling and Psychological Services (607-255-5155). If you need someone to talk to, try Cornell Health’s Let’s Talk Program.

If you are a teaching assistant, we urge you to respond to students with as much compassion and flexibility as possible. Please consider students’ requests through the lens of trauma response.

We also recommend that you make an acknowledgement at the beginning of your class, lab, or discussion group and make space for students to voice their thoughts and feelings if that makes sense for your class. Sample language you might consider and modify as appropriate to your course and community:

Before we start today, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the loss of Shawn West and how hard it is to grieve this loss in our community on top of what has already been a rough year. The pandemic has disrupted so much, but in particular it has made it difficult to be in community to find comfort in being together in difficult moments. I invite you to take a moment of silence to honor our collective grief, for Shawn, and for all those we have lost this year.

I will move forward with our class today for those who are looking for a sense of structure and routine, but trust that each of you will participate as you are able and know that it’s okay to step back as you need in order to take care of yourself. If you need support or assistance, please reach out to me and I will do what I can to support you and help connect you to resources. (See resources, below.)

The Mental Health Review report of 2020 issues a call to action to foster a culture that supports student mental health and well-being. Cultivating a healthy academic environment and coming together as a campus community are critical, and even more so during times of crisis. Thank you very much for all that you have done, and continue to do, to care about our students and make it possible for us to operate successfully during this pandemic.

Respectfully,

Kathryn Boor, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Community Resources

Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs, and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based Crisisline is available at 607-272-1616. A wide range of supportive resources is also available on the Caring Community website.
 
Students in need of professional mental health support can call Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 607-255-5155 and employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at 607-255-2673. Please note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all CAPS and FSAP services are currently being delivered via telehealth. Whenever these services are closed, calls are answered by Cornell Health’s on-call mental health provider.
 
The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell Health has developed Notice & Respond: Assisting Students in Distress as a training resource to help prepare instructors to recognize and respond when a student is in distress.

Dear Cornellian,

Saturday, March 13th, marked the one year anniversary of Cornell’s official shutdown of in-person instruction in response to COVID-19. This weekend, I reflected on the past 12 months. I remembered my worry, anxiety, and deeply unsettled feelings as I packed my computer and files and prepared for lockdown. I did not imagine that I would start a new job remotely or that my friends and family would still be gathering over Zoom a year later.

As the days stretched into months, our experiences differed. Our goals, expectations, and plans for this period were interrupted. Many of us experienced tremendous loss, and all of us worried as we physically isolated and mourned for the lives lost during the pandemic as well as for the loss of our own daily routines. I would like to acknowledge these challenges and losses, and I would like to acknowledge the bravery, adaptability, and perseverance of Cornell’s students, faculty, and staff.

Over the last year, Cornellians became master pivoters and problem solvers. University research facilities retooled to provide testing, allowing the campus to open for the fall semester. Some students’ research and scholarship continued with modifications; others were forced to explore new areas. Students defended their dissertations over Zoom, taking advantage of the remote format to invite more family and friends from around the world. Throughout it all, I saw Cornellians rise to the unexpected.

With vaccinations on the horizon, my hope is that we can begin to resume our lives cautiously. One in four Americans has received at least one dose of the vaccine, and it’s expected that by May 1 vaccines will be widely available. I am expecting a more normal fall semester and look forward to meeting many of my staff and the GPSA student leadership in-person for the first time. I anticipate hearing from all of you and seeing familiar faces on the quads.

This past year has proved what I’ve always known. Cornellians are strong, and our community is dedicated.

Best wishes,

Kathryn J. Boor
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Dear Community,

Throughout the pandemic, we have witnessed, and some have directly experienced, an increase in violence and hate crimes targeting those who identify as Asian, Asian-American, and/or Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Though anti-Asian and Asian American harassment and violence have long histories in the U.S., in recent months, we have witnessed a spike in the occurrence of these horrific incidents across the country. This phenomenon has rattled many in our community to their core, especially those whose own identities and/or the identities of their loved ones place them at risk for harm.

We condemn these attacks and the mindsets and behaviors, along with the rhetoric fueling them. But, condemnation is not enough. Consequently, we are reaffirming the Graduate School’s commitment to taking meaningful action to support social justice, address inequities, and help Cornell become an institution where all members of our community have the opportunity to achieve a sense of safety and belonging and thrive rather than just survive. This work is ongoing. Through our collaborations with graduate student leaders and partners within and beyond Cornell, it continues to expand.

We urge anyone in our community who experiences or witnesses incidents of bias or harassment against another member of our community to submit a university bias report form. We recommend you to do this regardless of whether the incident occurs on campus or in the local area. We also encourage you to consider reporting incidents of harassment and/or other forms of violence to appropriate local authorities. We appreciate the hesitancy some may feel about reporting such incidents to authorities and invite you to reach out to campus advocates if you would like support for such a reporting process.

We recognize that the rise in anti-Asian and Asian American violence is further compounding the emotional, mental, and physical toll that many in our community are experiencing. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to use the various support resources available to you within the Graduate School, such as the Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement and the Office of Graduate Student Life, as well as resources beyond the Graduate School. Below you will find links to resources you can use to help support your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing, and to learn more about how to practice allyship in a variety of contexts.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Boor, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Sara Xayarath Hernández, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student Engagement

Internal Resources

• Cornell Graduate School Resources
• Asian, Asian American Center (A3C)
• Hope is a Discipline: Coping and Healing in the Age of Chronic Stress
• Building Allyship Series
• Practical Steps for Supporting Social Justice & Addressing Inequities
• Cornell Health Counseling Services (for students)
• Cornell Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (for postdocs)
• Bias Report Form

External Resources

• Bystander Intervention Training to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Stand Against Hatred Resources
• Stop AAPI Hate

Dear Graduate and Professional Community,

On January 6, 2021, we witnessed a violent attempt to block the constitutionally-mandated counting and certification of electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election. Like many of you, I was shocked, outraged, and deeply saddened. I join with President Pollack and with all of you in condemning this assault on our democracy.

This event follows an exceedingly difficult year. I recognize that the impact varies based on our unique experiences. For all of us, especially those in Black, Indigenous, or communities of color who are already struggling with the disproportionate impact of the pandemic, brutality of police violence, and inequality in our justice system, the stress is extraordinary.

During this acutely unsettled time, I encourage you to take care of yourself and each other. Ask for help and support if you need it. Turning to a person with whom you have a relationship of trust, respect, and acceptance is one of the most effective steps you can take toward coping. Support may come from loved ones, friends, faculty, mentors, community, the Graduate School, or Cornell Health Counseling and Psychological Services (607-255-5155). If you need someone to talk to, try Cornell Health’s Let’s Talk Program.

Education, social justice, and democracy are tightly interwoven. As graduate students, your research, training, and scholarship help us all move ever closer toward truth, whether through learning about a virus or understanding current and past injustices. Your work will help us imagine and create a safer, healthier, and more just future.

Warmly,

Kathryn Boor
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Resources:

• Hope is a Discipline: Coping and Healing in the Age of Chronic Stress
• Cornell Graduate School Resources
• Cornell Caring Community
• Cornell Health Counseling Services (for students)
• Cornell Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (for postdocs)
• Meditation Resources
• Cornell Fitness – Virtual Classes
• Bias Reporting

Dear Research Degree Graduate Students,

President Pollack has declared Friday, June 19, 2020 a holiday for the Ithaca/Geneva and Cornell Tech campuses, to observe Juneteenth, the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. She noted that this year, as our country confronts its history of racism and oppression, it is especially important to pause on Juneteenth to reflect on how we – collectively and individually – will act to finally address barriers to equality that exist across the nation.  

President Pollack has asked that Cornellians take the day away from regular duties and responsibilities to read, reflect, and engage in conversations with family, friends, and colleagues on issues of racism and oppression, especially anti-Black racism. I hope you will take time to engage in this reflection and discussion on Friday. If you have questions about how best to use your time on that day, please check in with your faculty advisor/supervisor.  

Some resources that may be useful to you on Friday include:

• White Allyship 101: Resources to Get to Work
• Guide to Allyship
• eBooks on Antiracism and Racial Justice, available for free through August 31, 2020
• What I’ve Learned About Being A Black Scientist – by Cornell Professor Neil Lewis, Jr.
• What Can We Do to Combat Anti-Black Racism in the Biomedical Research Enterprise?
• #BlackIntheIvory Exposes Racism on Campus
• I’m a Black Female Scientist. On My First Day of Work, a Colleague Threatened to Call the Cops On Me
• White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Thank you, in advance, for taking time on Friday to consider your own next steps to take action to work against racism and oppression.

Warm regards,

Barb

Barbara A. Knuth
Dean of the Graduate School

To the Graduate School Community: 

President Pollack on Friday spoke out about the recent killings of Black people in America. I join her in expressing grief, anger, and frustration that so many people in communities of color continue to experience bias; social, health, education, and economic inequities; harassment; and violent death in this country.  

I also recognize that the acute trauma being experienced by members of our Black community is an outcome of the structural racism that continues to pervade our society and institutions. Change will only come with intentional action. To this end, the Graduate School remains committed to fostering an environment that engenders the full and safe participation of all members of our graduate and professional student community. 

Many of you have participated in our My Voice, My Story initiative, on Understanding the Untold Lived Experiences of Graduate & Professional Students, facilitated with Graduate School students, faculty, and staff through the leadership of Associate Dean Sara Xayarath Hernández and Executive Director Colleen McLinn. Those of you familiar with My Voice, My Story recognize the power of listening, truly listening non-judgmentally, to narratives of the lived experiences of others, especially the stories of others that frequently go untold, and may have elements that are quite different from our own stories and lives. 

Listening for understanding, and developing awareness of others’ experiences of exclusion and inclusion in graduate education are hallmarks of this program.  The program also promotes experiencing empathy for others and seeing the commonality of our human experience in each other’s stories, and emphasizes the importance of identifying and committing to actions that address long-standing inequities in the culture, climate, and systems of graduate education.

I urge you to take these themes to heart, even if you have not had the benefit of direct participation in My Voice, My Story discussions.  Consider with empathy the lived experiences of those around you in the Cornell graduate education community, and choose to take action.  Just as the Graduate School is using My Voice, My Story and other initiatives to contribute to positive change within our learning and research environments, we must each be willing to take action at an individual level as well. One of the many actions we can take includes becoming familiar with anti-racist literature and other resources that can inform how we can contribute to diminishing racial inequalities.

Many of our colleagues from communities of color have personally experienced violence directed at them simply because of the color of their skin, and daily live in trauma from the prejudice and persecution surrounding them and their loved ones.  Other colleagues in our graduate community, including those in our communities of color, have family members who work in police forces or who are deployed through the National Guard, who have chosen to attack systemic deficiencies in these organizations from within.  And there are others in our international community who are watching anxiously as the White House issues proclamations and gives directives to executive agencies that could curtail their ability to remain in this country as graduate students.  All of these circumstances are coupled with the already devastating circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which itself has imposed differential impacts on communities of color.  

As dean, I implore all of you, as members of our Graduate School community, to treat each other with kindness and empathy, eschew violence, and work actively in whatever ways you are able to disassemble existing, systemic, institutional barriers to equity, inclusion, justice, and a quality life for all.  Be open to learning each other’s stories about their lived experiences, and to really hear the underlying pain, grief, rage, and injustices that these stories may reveal … and then to take action in peaceful ways toward meaningful change.

You may find these resources to be helpful:

• Cornell Graduate School Resources
• Cornell Caring Community
• Cornell Health Counseling Services (for students)
• Cornell Faculty & Staff Assistance Program
• Bias Reporting

With respect,

Barbara A. Knuth
Dean, Graduate School

Dear international students and researchers,

As you may have heard, the White House issued a Presidential Proclamation on Friday suspending the entry of certain graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from China. We do not yet have access to any details about which graduate students and researchers this might affect, but we are working closely with our team in D.C., and we will provide information as soon as we have any. 

Please note, that this proclamation does not apply to individuals inside the United States pursuing study or research in F or J status, though the proclamation does state that the Secretary of State will review and determine if current visa holders subject to the proclamation conditions should have their visas revoked.

At this time, the proclamation does not apply to undergraduate students. There is some concern that the White House may issue restrictions on Chinese nationals studying in STEM fields in the U.S., but that is not part of the current proclamation. Again, we are monitoring closely and we will update you if anything changes.

We know that this is a difficult time, and we hope you know how much Cornell values all of its international students and researchers.

All the best,

Barbara A. Knuth, Dean of the Graduate School
Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs
Brandon Lanners, Executive Director, Office of Global Learning

On behalf of Cornell’s graduate faculty and the Graduate School deans, congratulations on joining us as one of the newest members of the academy. We are immensely proud of you and pleased to recognize your achievements. 

In typical years, we would celebrate your achievement at the Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony. During the ceremony, Provost Kotlikoff or I would place the doctoral hood over your head, signifying your success in completing the degree. This is the moment we would welcome you as colleague and peer.

This year, you and your peers are earning a degree during an unprecedented pandemic and uncertain times. You have faced—and will continue to face—great challenges, and the resilience and persistence that helped you complete your degree will help you in your future career. 

During your time here, you have studied, conducted research, and engaged in creative endeavors. You have contributed to Cornell and the larger community in numerous ways. Many doctoral graduates have served as instructors and teaching assistants, researchers, graduate resident fellows, mentors for undergraduate students, leaders of student organizations, and community volunteers. Doctoral students have participated in important conversations about the character of our university community and have helped shape its future.

We are grateful for all you have contributed to Cornell and to the wider community during your time here. We are going to miss you, and we are excited for you and know that you will have many opportunities to put your hard-won skills and knowledge to use.  

Many graduates are planning to pursue an academic career path, while others will build careers in government, not-for-profit organizations and the corporate sector. New Ph.D.s will be working at Amazon, Marvell Semiconductors, and LaGuardia Design, among many other employers, plus universities in the U.S. and internationally—from the University of Chile to Kansas State University to here, at Cornell.

Today your faculty, and your parents, partners, families and friends are proud of you. Your loved ones have stood by you, and believed in you, and made sacrifices to help you fulfill your aspirations. Please join me in thanking them for all they have done to support you. 

Whatever path lies immediately ahead, I hope you will continue to build on what you have achieved at Cornell. Take heed of the advice from Dr. Seuss’s classic book of encouragement, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!.

• You have brains in your head. 
• You have feet in your shoes.  
• You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

As you steer yourself in your chosen direction, we hope you will stay connected to the people you have known here. The students you have met at Cornell, and with whom you have navigated the journey to the Ph.D., may continue to be your colleagues throughout your career. We hope you will stay connected with the faculty members with whom you studied and who are now your colleagues and peers in the academy.

As graduates of Cornell, you will remain Cornellians for life. That is true for all Cornell graduates, but it is especially true for those who earn advanced degrees here because of the close relationships that graduate students build with faculty advisors and mentors. Take advantage of the special kinship that you share with the faculty and your student peers; it will serve you well for a lifetime. 

No matter where your path leads you in the years ahead, know that you carry with you our best wishes for continued success. 

Class of 2020 Ph.D. candidates, congratulations!

Best wishes, 

Barbara A. Knuth 

Dean of the Graduate School

I am saddened and angered by the tragic mass shootings in this country over the weekend.  These acts of terror and destruction demonstrate cowardice, and touch many, many lives, including those of members of our Cornell community.

Graduate students on the Ithaca campus may contact Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) staff for counseling or other assistance with mental health concerns. Graduate students at Cornell Tech may contact Student Services for support.  You may find additional support through the Graduate School staff.

I encourage all of us in the graduate community to reach out to others who may be particularly affected by these tragedies and offer support, and to work collectively toward ending bigotry and personal violence.

– Dean Barbara A. Knuth

To Our Graduate School Community,

Over the weekend, Cornell University and Ithaca police departments responded to an assault in which racial epithets were used and students were injured as reported in the statements to the campus community from President Pollack, Vice President Lombardi, and Dean of Students Pendakur.

Incidents like this are deplorable and contrary to the values of the university and the Graduate School. I recognize the negative impact this incident, and the multiple incidents that have happened this year at Cornell and in the surrounding community, may have on many within our Graduate School community. I encourage you to seek the sources of support available to you through the Graduate School, Cornell Health, our campus partners, and each other.

This semester, representatives of the GPSA, OISE Leadership Council, and the graduate student community at large are participating on the Presidential Task Force on Campus Climate. This task force is charged with helping identify how we can implement meaningful institutional change that leads to a campus climate that is more diverse and inclusive, and that expresses greater respect and understanding for different viewpoints, diverse lived experiences, and all people who are part of our community.

I invite you to share your feedback and concerns with the members of that task force as well as the leadership of the Graduate School, to enable us to stand firmly against bigotry, hate, and intolerance.

Barbara Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Cornell’s Ph.D. Data Transparency Efforts

Cornell, through the Graduate School and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, is part of a 10-institution effort to foster greater transparency in data regarding doctoral education through a new initiative, the Coalition for Next Generation Life Sciences.

The launch of this initiative is described in a Science article and in the Cornell Chronicle. Although the Coalition’s efforts focus on life sciences, Cornell’s approach will include all disciplines. The data transparency initiative includes publicly posting data regarding Ph.D. admissions and matriculation; median time to degree; completion; demographics of Ph.D. students by gender, underrepresented minority status, and citizenship; and Ph.D. career outcomes by job sector and career type. Data posted about postdoctoral scholars will include demographics, median time in postdoctoral status at the institution, and career outcomes of postdoctoral alumni.

The Graduate School already posts most of this Ph.D. information publicly for all disciplines except for demographic details, which we will add. Cornell Graduate School Ph.D. data are available publicly as Field Metrics under the Academics tab  on our website, and Career Outcomes data are posted as well. The Coalition initiative has set target dates member institutions to post each of the different data types over the next year and a half, starting with Ph.D. admissions and matriculation information.

In addition to data transparency, each participating institution commits to provide professional development and career services support for diverse career paths, work to improve mentoring for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars, and will strive to improve recruitment and retention with the goal of diversifying the workforce (the life sciences workforce is the specific focus of the Coalition, but Cornell’s efforts include all disciplines). With this commitment, the Graduate School will seek to engage more students, across all disciplines, in our Pathways to Success programs that provide a framework for graduate students to Navigate Academia, Build Skills in communications, leadership, ethics, etc., Create a Plan, and Prepare for a Career, and in using Career Services resources developed specifically for graduate students pursuing a range of career paths.

We will encourage greater participation by PhD students and postdoctoral scholars in programs that develop mentoring and teaching skills through the CU-Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning and the Center for Teaching Innovation

We are encouraging all graduate fields to encourage their Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars to engage in these programs. We hope all Ph.D. students will take advantage of these opportunities.

With warm wishes for the upcoming holiday season,

Barb

Barbara A. Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Following the horrific events in Charlottesville that unfolded this weekend I join with others in our graduate community, including President Pollack, who condemn those acts of violence, hatred, and bigotry perpetrated by white supremacists.
I call on all of us to uphold the values conveyed in Cornell’s vision statement of Open Hearts and Open Minds, emphasizing that “Cornell stands for civil discourse, reasoned thought, sustained discussion, and constructive engagement without degrading, abusing, harassing, or silencing others. Cornell is committed to act responsibly and forthrightly to maintain an environment that opens doors, opens hearts, and opens minds.”

We should not stand quietly while bigots and racists act to silence others’ voices through violence.
If stress or anxiety about these dangerous and cowardly acts of aggression are negatively affecting your personal life or academic work, please reach out to others for support or contact one of these resources:

• Cornell’s Caring Community
• Cornell Graduate School Resources
• Cornell Graduate School Office of Inclusion Student Engagement (OISE)
• Global Cornell – University Support for DACA & International Students
• Cornell Health Counseling Services

Warmly,

Barbara A. Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Members of the Cornell Community,

As part of our ongoing monitoring of federal policy regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, we would like to update you on Cornell’s policies with respect to our DACA students.

As announced late last year, all currently enrolled undergraduate DACA students will continue to be eligible for need-based financial aid, meeting full demonstrated need. New applicants (including transfers) with DACA status will be considered in the domestic need-blind admissions pool, and admitted students will be eligible for need-based aid meeting full demonstrated need for their entire undergraduate enrollment at Cornell.

We understand that currently enrolled graduate students who hold DACA status and receive funding through the university may have concerns about their own situations should DACA, which includes federal work authorization, be discontinued. These students will continue to receive funding for the complete length of time offered in their admissions letters (assuming satisfactory academic progress). If DACA were to be discontinued and graduate students were to lose federal work authorization, fellowship funding (which does not require this authorization) will be provided to these students instead of an assistantship. This will honor the funding commitment each received at time of admission to Cornell.

Looking ahead, if enrolled Cornell students—or new students who will be joining us in the fall—have DACA status that recently expired or is soon expiring, Cornell will continue to consider them in our “domestic” financial aid policy, as above, even if they choose, for personal reasons, not to apply for DACA renewal. If students with DACA status are due to renew and are having trouble covering the application fee, they may apply through Cornell’s financial aid office to have the cost of the DACA application fee covered through a university loan.

If federal policy with respect to the DACA program changes, Cornell will examine how we can develop, administer and use a DACA-like set of criteria to enable undocumented students who meet the criteria, particularly having resided in the U.S. for a significant amount of time, to qualify for domestic financial aid and admissions policies. We expect other universities may have similar aims should federal DACA policy change, and we will collaborate with our peer institutions regarding this approach.

We recognize that a number of students are concerned that the uncertainty around federal immigration policy might impact their ability to travel abroad to return home this summer. We will make on-campus housing options available for students in this situation; those interested should contact housing@cornell.edu for more information.

Finally, Cornell will continue to vigilantly protect the privacy of student information and records from any unauthorized or unlawful intrusion. While Cornell representatives, including the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD), will comply with lawfully issued subpoenas and warrants, it is neither the University’s practice nor expectation to function as an agent of the federal government regarding enforcement of federal immigration laws. This means that CUPD will not honor a civil immigration detainer request from a federal agent unless accompanied by a judicial warrant except in the narrow circumstances delineated in Tompkins County Resolution 2017-21. CUPD will not seek immigration status information of any individual in the course of its law enforcement activities unless necessary to investigate criminal activity by that individual or required by law. (They are required, however, to ask the citizenship of arrested individuals.) Cornell Police have always acted, and will continue to perform their duties, in a professional manner and in the spirit of rules established for officers in the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County.

For assistance and more information, we offer several informational and counseling services, and we continue to post updates on immigration-related executive orders. Cornell Law School has set up a new program to provide free legal advice to undocumented Cornell students who may wish to consult with a lawyer about the implications of national immigration policy shifts for their immigration status. And a team of law school faculty will also offer legal assistance in the form of representation for DACA students for which a legal representation fund has been established. For assistance, contact immigrationhelp@cornell.edu or call 607-254-4638. Cornell international students and scholars with any concerns can always contact the International Students and Scholars Office.

Sincerely,

Barbara A. Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student & Campus Life

Laura Spitz
Vice Provost for International Affairs

Friday, February 10, 2017

On February 10, 2017, Dean Knuth sent the letter below to all directors of graduate study and graduate field assistants conveying to faculty that the January 27, 2017 Executive Order from the Trump Administration banning entry in the United States for nationals from seven countries should not be a factor in graduate admissions decisions.  Read the full text below:

Dear Directors of Graduate Studies and Graduate Field Assistants:

The January 27, 2017 Executive Order from the Trump Administration banning entry into the United States for nationals from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) may raise questions among your graduate applicants and your faculty admissions committees regarding potential implications for the current cycle of graduate admissions for Fall ’17 enrollment. 

I am writing to urge you to consider any and all applicants as you normally would, applying a holistic admissions review process that fairly evaluates each applicant based on his or her academic credentials and intellectual potential.  Uncertainties regarding the likely ability of any admitted student to enter the U.S. should not be a factor in your admissions decisions. 

With recent court actions and other anticipated legal proceedings, the legal and constitutional status of the Executive Order may be in flux over the next weeks or months.  It is not possible to predict what effect those actions will have on freedom of movement for admitted students from these seven countries (or other countries pending future actions by the Trump Administration), nor on the interest of admitted international students to attend a U.S. university.

The Graduate School pledges to work with you to provide flexibility should admitted international students seek (or be forced) to defer or delay matriculation to a later date due to the Executive Order or related actions.  We will make arrangements with you to put on hold Graduate School funding that has been awarded to delayed students, reserving that funding for later use when the student is able to enroll at Cornell, or making other arrangements to hold the field “harmless” regarding fellowship resources should such students face extended delays or barriers to entry.

Applicants and admitted students with questions about Cornell’s response to the Executive Order can be referred to this update page from Global Cornell.  Once applicants have been admitted to Cornell, please encourage them to contact Cornell’s International Students and Scholars Office (isso@cornell.edu) if they have questions about visa or other immigration issues.

Thank you for your efforts to honor Cornell’s commitment to any person, any study … and students from any country.  Please let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Warm regards,

Barb

Dr. Barbara A. Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

From Dean Barbara Knuth

Update on Graduate Student Unionization

On August 23, 2016, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) reversed its prior position regarding the status of graduate students, deciding that graduate assistants at private universities are employees for the purposes of federal labor law, not solely students, giving graduate assistants the legal right to organize a labor union for purposes of collective bargaining.

Representation through a labor union would be accomplished in a two-stage process, first through securing enough signed membership/authorization cards to prompt an election, and then having an election in which all who are eligible to vote would be encouraged to participate.

The election outcome would be determined by a simple majority of those who vote and would be binding on current and future graduate students who hold an eligible appointment, regardless of whether they voted in the election or not.

For information on issues related to union representation for graduate assistants at Cornell, please see the resources on the Union Representation page, now updated to reflect this recent NLRB decision.

Our hearts are with our neighbors at Ithaca College and with the families and friends of the victims of the horrific stabbings that took place on our campus this weekend. We know that these acts of violence and loss of life are concerning to many members of the Cornell community. Please remember and use the support services available to students, staff and faculty:

• Students may contact Gannett Health Services at 607-255-5155, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for assistance and referrals. Students may speak with a peer counselor by calling EARS at 607-255-3277. 
• Staff and faculty may contact the Faculty Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673.
• Additional resources for any Cornell community member may be found on the Caring Community website. All members can also call the confidential (or anonymous) Ithaca-based Crisisline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 607-272-1616.

Joint Letter on Union-University Conduct Rules and Recognition Election Agreement

Dear Cornell Graduate and Professional Students,

Cornell University administration and Cornell Graduate Students United/American Federation of Teachers/NY State United Teachers have reached an agreement on rules and procedures for union-university conduct and a possible recognition election if federal law changes to determine that graduate students at private universities may be considered employees.
This agreement is not recognition of a graduate student union; it is a guide to behaviors for all parties, based on the principle of fostering an open and respectful environment in which graduate students are free to learn about the union and reach an informed decision should there be an opportunity for them to participate in a union election (if federal law changes).
I encourage you to read the joint letter and the Agreement. Questions have been asked regarding which students would be included in a potential bargaining unit should the law change and a union be duly elected.

If an election is held, eligible voters (and potential bargaining unit members) will be all graduate students enrolled in the Graduate School in Ithaca and Geneva campus-based programs who hold titles under University Policy 1.3 (TAs, GRAs, RAs, GAs).

If an election is held in the future, please encourage all eligible graduate students to vote so that their voices may be heard.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Warm regards,

Barb

dean_gradschool@cornell.edu

Barbara A. Knuth
Senior Vice Provost and Dean