Cornell University forms presidential search committee

ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University has formed a search committee for the school’s 14th president following the death of school president Elizabeth Garrett.

Jan Rock Zubrow, a 1977 Cornell graduate and member of its board of trustees, will lead the committee, which “plans to be as inclusive and thorough as possible,” the university said in a news release.

Zubrow led the search committee two years ago that recommended Garrett as the university’s 13th president. Garrett died of colon cancer March 6 after eight months in office.

“I was honored to lead the search that selected Beth Garrett. Her death, and a presidency cut so short, was a tragic loss for the university and the Cornell community,” Zubrow said in the release. “I am humbled, but proud, to once again lead a committee that will choose a leader who will both carry Beth’s momentum forward and bring his or her own unique vision to Cornell’s future.”

Robert Harrison, chairman of the school’s board of trustees, appointed the committee, which the full board approved.

The committee includes 19 members representing trustees, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, staff and alumni.

Board chairmen emeriti Peter Meinig and Harold Tanner, along with Sanford Weill, chairman emeritus of the Weill Cornell Medicine board of overseers, will serve as advisers to the presidential search committee.

Meinig, Tanner, and Weill are all Cornell graduates, according to the release.

“Cornell University’s next chapter already is underway,” Harrison said. “Selecting the university’s next leader is crucial, and I am confident the committee will identify an extraordinary leader who will continue our mission of global engagement, top-tier education, and groundbreaking research and discovery across the disciplines. I look forward to hearing from our community during this collaborative process.”

Cornell has created a presidential-search website to provide information and to serve as a “point of contact” where people can send their thoughts and names of potential candidates.

The website is available at https://www.cornell.edu/president-search/

The presidential-search committee will hold two open meetings for faculty, staff, students and alumni in Ithaca on May 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Milstein Hall auditorium and from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Klarman Hall auditorium, the school said.

Hunter R. Rawlings III, Cornell president emeritus, began serving as interim president on Monday. He’ll remain in office until the next president takes office.

Provost Michael Kotlikoff had been serving as acting president since Feb. 19.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com