March 24, 2025 - American Public News

ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University’s board of trustees selected interim president Michael Kotlikoff to head the university permanently during a meeting last week. Kotlikoff became interim president after former president Martha Pollack resigned last summer. Kotlikoff was meant to serve in the interim role for two years while a search was conducted and a permanent successor was chosen.It’s unclear why the university chose to cut the search short, though it’s possible uncertainty over federal funding and pending investigations factored into the decision.Kotlikoff will continue to preside over a university under considerable stress — both internal and external. His time as interim president was marked by national scrutiny over on-campus activism and more recently, funding threats and investigations from the federal government.In February, Cornell joined several other universities in an ongoing lawsuit seeking to stop the Trump administration’s efforts to cut research spending, which could include hundreds of millions in funding for Cornell through the National Institutes of Health. Hiring at the university is also on indefinite pause.The university is also currently under an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for its handling of protests over the war in Gaza. The department named Cornell as one of 60 universities nationwide being investigated for “antisemitic harassment and discrimination.”Cornell is also at the nexus of a high profile legal battle between three Cornell affiliated anti-war activists and the Trump administration. Federal authorities recently began deportation proceedings against one plaintiff, international graduate student Momodou Taal.Kotlikoff, a 25-year veteran at Cornell, will be the university’s 15th president. He was first hired to create a new department of biomedical sciences within the university’s Veterinarian School, then appointed as provost in 2015. He became the longest-serving provost in the school’s history before he was chosen as interim president last summer.“I’m committed to finishing my career here, leading an institution I love through these challenging times,” Kotlikoff wrote in an announcement Friday. “As higher education across the U.S. navigates difficult political, financial and societal headwinds, I hope to guide Cornell in ways that reflect our core principles as an institution committed to doing the greatest good.”Incoming Board of Trustees Chair Anne Meinig Smalling called Kotlikoff a “dedicated advocate and champion for Cornell for decades.”“His values, knowledge and insights are deeply appreciated by all who know him,” Meinig Smalling wrote. “I and the other trustees look forward to working with Mike in the months and years ahead.”The post Cornell interim president will take on role permanently appeared first on The Ithaca Voice.First published by The Ithaca Voice.

Daily Archives: March 24, 2025

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