Message from the Dean

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 well-being, 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

From the Registrar

Attention Non-Registered Students

The last day to register without being charged the $350 late registration fee was Friday, February 26. If you are not in registered status by Monday, April 26 an enrollment hold preventing you from pre-enrolling for Fall 2021 classes will be placed on your account. You are also are at risk of being withdrawn from all future terms, including enrollment in the Summer 2021 term. Please check your registration status in Student Essentials now and take the necessary action.

• If you are registered, your Registration Status will state “Registered” with a green checkmark.
• If the green checkmark is not present you are NOT registered.

Click on “more information” for complete details on holds preventing registration and steps to resolve the hold.

Students, Alumni Celebrate Black Graduate Excellence

Earning a doctorate involves years of long days and dead ends, but finding a community can smooth the path. For several alumni, joining the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association (BGPSA) helped pave the way to success at Cornell and beyond.

“Celebrating Black Graduate Excellence at Cornell,” a two-day series of alumni-filled panels, honored the contributions of Black graduate students, the BGPSA, and its members – including the Renaissance Ball they founded.

Read the Chronicle story

Student Spotlight: Juliana González-Tobón

Juliana González-Tobón is a doctoral student in plant pathology and plant-microbe biology from Bogotá, Colombia. After attending the Universidad de los Andes as an undergraduate and spending two summers working in Cornell laboratories, she chose to pursue further study at Cornell for its welcoming environment as well as the opportunities to boost creativity while working with scholars across fields.

Read the full student spotlight

Interested in what other students are doing both on and off campus?

Check out our student spotlights, Q&As with current students about their research, hobbies, and experiences at Cornell.