Heard at Cornell is a column that regularly quotes important statements from Cornellians. This excerpt is taken from the December 22, 2024, Commencement Address by President Kotlikoff:
“[T]he idea that students would learn best, and ultimately achieve more, when taught in an environment of both freedom and responsibility—the freedom to explore wherever their curiosity led them, coupled with the responsibility of an academic mission.”
“The personality of Cornell today is a personality passed down to us by Ezra Cornell, a ‘tough-minded idealist’ who found his greatest joy in helping others, who wanted his students to find and pursue that joy, and who expected them to give the greatest return on his investment.”
“It’s probably why we’ve developed, over the years, a reputation for rigor—the tendency to demand more of our students than might be demanded elsewhere. At Cornell, our students tell me, the courses are more difficult, the material more challenging, and the expectations higher.”
