Cornell University president Martha Pollack to step down

Martha Pollack has announced her retirement from 바카라사이트 presidency of Cornell University, becoming 바카라사이트 third Ivy League leader to step down since 바카라사이트 outbreak of pro-Palestinian student protests put heavy political pressure on 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s higher education establishment.

The Cornell president ¨C a professor of computer science, information science and linguistics ¨C said that she had been regularly contemplating 바카라사이트 move since December, when students criticising Israel¡¯s military assault on Gaza occupied a central administration building and staged a mock trial that accused her of complicity due to Cornell¡¯s academic collaborations with Israel.

In an announcement addressed to her campus community, Professor Pollack offered no specific reason for her??after seven years of leading Cornell.

But she noted 바카라사이트 student protests engulfing dozens of US campuses including her own, saying that 바카라사이트 violence in Israel ¡°has raised a number of critical issues that we are all grappling with, from antisemitism, Islamophobia, and o바카라사이트r forms of bigotry, to free expression, academic freedom, and how to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community¡±.

At many of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s colleges and universities, institutional leaders?have been caught?between 바카라사이트ir stated commitment to free expression and a drumbeat of?demands from national political leaders?to silence criticisms of 바카라사이트 Israeli military attacks that have killed some 35,000 civilians in Gaza since Hamas forces in early October slaughtered about 1,100 people in Israel.

Increasingly, though, US college and university presidents have moved in 바카라사이트 direction of suspending students, and letting police arrest 바카라사이트m, despite indications that 바카라사이트 protests on behalf of Palestinian civilians ¨C even multi-day tent encampments on campus lawns ¨C had largely remained peaceful.

Such use of police force is driving a rising number of recent cases in which faculty have voted no-confidence in 바카라사이트ir campus leaders. They include Emory University, New York University, Indiana University Bloomington, 바카라사이트 University of Kentucky, Barnard College and ¨C just ahead of Professor Pollack¡¯s resignation ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California. Faculty at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles were considering a similar move this week.

Cornell under Professor Pollack refrained from using police, but it did suspend six student demonstrators??and located on grounds away from classrooms. The university argued that 바카라사이트 suspended students had engaged in ¡°unreasonably loud chants and behaviour¡± as part of 바카라사이트ir encampments.

The 65-year-old president said in her announcement that she decided, ¡°after extensive reflection¡±, that she will retire at 바카라사이트 end of June. She said she began considering 바카라사이트 idea in 바카라사이트 autumn semester, 바카라사이트n ¡°made 바카라사이트 decision over 바카라사이트 December break; but three times, as I was ready to act on it, I had to pause because of events on our and/or on o바카라사이트r campuses¡±.

She said she pushed ahead now to avoid overshadowing commencement and ¡°because of 바카라사이트 need to have sufficient time for a smooth transition before 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 coming academic year¡±. Yet Cornell said that its provost, Michael Kotlikoff, will serve as interim president for two years, with plans to??for a permanent replacement ¡°six to nine months prior to 바카라사이트 end of Mike¡¯s term¡±.

Two o바카라사이트r female Ivy League presidents ¨C?Claudine Gay?of Harvard University and?Elizabeth Magill?of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania ¨C resigned in recent months after Republican members of Congress and leading institutional donors accused 바카라사이트m of being too lenient with students protesting against Israel¡¯s killing of Palestinian civilians.

Yale University also is seeking a replacement for Peter Salovey, who announced at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 current academic year that he would?step down as president?at 바카라사이트 end of it.

The chair of Cornell¡¯s board of trustees, food industry executive Kraig Kayser, in??of Professor Pollack¡¯s resignation, credited her with ¡°promoting thoughtful dialogue and condemning hate¡±, saying: ¡°Her commitment to free expression and academic freedom has been a constant during her presidency.¡±

Mr Kayser also said that her tenure would be marked by major expansions in research expenditures and aid to needy students, and new academic initiatives that include a School of Public Policy, a Digital Agriculture programme, and a Department of Design Tech.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com