Cornell University President Martha E. Pollack announced her retirement on Thursday, effective June 30, as the campus grapples with anti-Israel protests and a toxic DEI culture that has alienated donors and sparked calls for her resignation.
Ithaca, New York - Cornell University President Martha E. Pollack has announced her retirement, effective June 30, 2023. The announcement comes amid a tumultuous academic year marked by anti-Israel protests, a terrorist attack in Israel, and a contentious debate over the university's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Pollack's departure marks the end of a seven-year tenure as Cornell's 14th president. During her presidency, she has overseen the creation of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, expanded access and affordability to Cornell education, and launched the university's first-ever theme year celebrating free and open expression and inquiry.
However, Pollack's presidency has also been marred by campus unrest and controversy surrounding the university's DEI initiatives. In October 2022, the university became the subject of a congressional inquiry and negative publicity after several anti-Israel incidents on campus.
One incident involved Cornell student Patrick Dai, who threatened to shoot and slit the throats of Jewish students on campus. In another incident, Cornell University professor William A. Jacobson called for the university to make the campus safer for Jewish students, citing aggressive protests and an encampment on campus that persisted long beyond similar demonstrations on other campuses.
In addition to anti-Semitism, Pollack has faced criticism over the university's aggressive DEI initiatives, which have alienated some major donors and sparked calls for her resignation. In an open letter to the Cornell Board of Trustees in January, Cornell emeritus trustee and presidential counselor Jon A. Lindseth urged the university to abandon its "misguided commitment" to DEI, claiming that it has yielded "disgrace" rather than "excellence."
Jacobson has been a vocal critic of Cornell's DEI program, arguing that it has fostered an atmosphere of group identity and division on campus. He has called on the board of trustees to pause new DEI initiatives, adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, and form a special independent commission to investigate antisemitism on campus.
In a statement announcing her retirement, Pollack acknowledged the campus unrest and turmoil taking place at universities across the country. She called for the Cornell community to develop more capacity to seek out different perspectives, listen to opposing views, and engage in thoughtful debate.
Pollack emphasized that her decision to retire was hers alone and that she is ready for a new chapter in her life after a long and fulfilling career in academia. However, she did not directly address the criticisms and controversies that have plagued her presidency.
Cornell University Board of Trustees Chair Kraig H. Kayser said in a prepared statement that Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff will step in as interim president starting on July 1, at which time Pollack will be given the title of president emerita by the Board of Trustees.
