Martha E. Pollack, the President of Cornell University, made a surprising announcement on Thursday that she will be resigning from her position after seven years. In an email to the Cornell community, Pollack stated that her decision to resign was her own and that she will continue to serve as president until June 30. She expressed that after a successful career in academia spanning five decades, she is ready for a new chapter in her life.
The decision comes amidst recent pro-Palestinian protests and civil rights investigations into alleged antisemitism and Islamophobia at universities across the country. Pollack mentioned that her decision to resign was made after thorough reflection and deliberation, with the intention of not letting the current turmoil overshadow all the accomplishments of Cornell University throughout its 150-year history.
Cornell now joins other Ivy League schools with recent resignations, including Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale. Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff will serve as the interim president for two years, with the search for a permanent president expected to begin six to nine months prior to the end of Kotlikoff’s term. An interim provost will also be named before June 30.
