President Martha Pollack to Retire In June

On May 9, 2024, President Martha Pollack announced that she will retire on June 30.

Pollack became Cornell’s 14th President in 2017 after the unexpected death of her predecessor Elizabeth Garrett. Her seven year tenure spans the service of Trustee Chairs Robert Harrison ‘76,, and Kraig Kayser MBA ‘84. 

Her tenure included both the Trustee’s controversial decision on December 10, 2020 to remove control over the Campus Code of Conduct and the judicial system from the University Assembly and instead putting conduct matters under Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi.

Over winter break 2024, it became generally known that the Code’s provisions regulating protests and other expressive activities had been placed in limbo by that Trustee action, triggering a very controversial decision to enact an Interim Expressive Activity Policy to fill the gap. The move, taken outside the shared-governance process, drew resolutions of condemnation from the Faculty Senate, Student Assembly, and University Assembly. The decision to suspend six student leaders of the encampment also proved controversial.

In general, the Cornell community viewed Pollack as a personable and friendly figure who engaged primarily in fundraising and focusing on signature programs. In contrast, Provost Michael Kotlikoff focused on day-to-day management and served somewhat of an enforcer role.

A university president announcing retirement on just a 45-day advance notice is rare and indicates a serious rift within the administration or between the administration and the Trustees. Her statement indicates that she made the decision over winter break, about the time of the Jon Lindseth ‘56 letter to the Trustees calling for her to resign. However, the Board gave her a vote of confidence at the time.

On June 30, Kotlikoff will become Acting President and will serve for two years, with the trustees appointing a new Provost to replace him. A nationwide search will be conducted during the 2025-26 academic year to select a new, permanent President.

The exact reasons for this sudden change remain unclear. Pollack’s statement said, “Leading this institution, helping to build its strengths and realize its potential, and seeing the transformational impact of our teaching, research and engagement, has been a true joy.”

Pollack’s accomplishments included the founding of the Jeb Brooks School of Public Policy and Cornell’s first Theme Year on free expression.

Experienced Day Hall watchers have speculated that the two-year timeline for the transition may signal that the Trustees plan on making unpopular changes, leaving Kotlikoff to implement them and then have a new President come in without taking the blame for the moves.

Although Cornell’s “To Do the Greatest Good” capital campaign has gone well, financial cuts may be needed in the near future to keep Cornell’s budget in balance.

Today’s news created a great deal of uncertainty at all levels of the administration, because in many cases a new President wants to bring in their own Provost and Vice Presidents. So, the consensus is that quite a shake up is ahead for Cornell.