ITHACA, N.Y. -- Enabling excellent teachers to remain in the classroom beyond retirement -- and allowing them to devote their talents to teaching undergraduates -- is a major challenge for universities today. Thanks to the generosity of two of its alumni, Andrew H. Tisch '71 and James S. Tisch '75, Cornell University is prepared to meet that challenge.

The Tisch brothers have established a unique, distinguished professorship at Cornell that honors excellence in teaching and extends the undergraduate teaching role beyond retirement.

"This is a generous and visionary gift for which we are most grateful," Cornell President Hunter Rawlings said today, April 10, in announcing the gift. "Recognition of faculty excellence serves the university and its students far beyond particular individuals. Andrew and Jim Tisch know well that one teacher can influence a generation or more of students. A great university is built on a foundation of great teachers, who inspire future citizens. This gift not only rewards superb scholarship and undergraduate teaching, but also provides an additional opportunity for mentoring and professional exchange between seasoned and younger faculty members. It makes a statement on the high value Cornell places on its faculty."

The Tisch Professorship is "to be awarded to a senior faculty member who is noted as a leader in his or her academic field, an individual who has influenced his or her students' thinking, values and understanding of the world, and who is considering retirement, or has retired."

Rawlings also announced that the first Andrew H. and James S. Tisch Distinguished University Professor will be Walter F. LaFeber, the Marie Underhill Noll Professor of American History emeritus. LaFeber has taught at Cornell since 1959. In 1994 he was chosen as a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow for his excellence in undergraduate teaching.

"Walt LaFeber is one of Cornell's most dynamic, engaged and engaging professors," Rawlings said. "He is often cited by undergraduate students as the professor who most inspired them to academic excellence. He uses current events to help students better understand history, and his lectures, often presented from a simple outline on the blackboard, have intrigued and challenged generations of students."

LaFeber's history courses have been among Cornell's most popular offerings. His recent book, The Clash: U.S. Relations with Japan from the 1850s to the Present , received the Bancroft Prize and the Ellis Hawley Prize. He is president-elect of the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations. He has written and co-authored nearly 20 books and dozens of articles, as well as op-ed pieces in The New York Times ,The Boston Globe and Newsday , among others. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow, is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, has lectured at dozens of universities and has appeared widely on television and radio, including on Walter Cronkite's "American Presidencies," PBS's "American Century" and the BBC's "End of the Cold War?"

"This professorship will provide funds for a distinguished senior professor to teach undergraduate courses without the other responsibilities usually associated with a full-time faculty position," Provost Biddy Martin said. "At the same time, that professor's existing faculty line will become available for recruitment. Cornell's academic strength depends on the excellence of our faculty.

"Support and recognition for our faculty enhances Cornell's ability to recruit the best teachers for the future," she added. "Outstanding faculty attract outstanding teachers as well as outstanding undergraduate and graduate students, which in turn shapes the training of the scholars and scientists of the future."

In making the gift, Jim Tisch said: "Great teaching is at the heart and soul of a great school. When we heard that Walter LaFeber was thinking about retiring, we wanted to create a vehicle to encourage him -- and other excellent teachers in the future -- to stay in the classroom and continue sharing their gifts. He inspired the chair, and we are honored that Professor LaFeber has agreed to become the first Tisch Professor."

Andrew Tisch noted: "Keeping great teachers teaching, while planning for the future, is of great benefit to both the faculty and their students. To have Walter LaFeber, a professor who influenced my academic career at Cornell over 30 years ago, as the first person to occupy the chair, sets the highest standard of excellence for all who will follow."

Andrew Tisch is chairman of the executive committee of Loews Corp. Prior to that, he served as chairman and chief executive officer of Lorillard Inc. from 1990 to 1995 and as president of the Bulova Watch Co. and Bulova Corp. from 1979 to 1990. In addition to being a member of the board of directors of Loews Corp., he serves on the boards of Bulova Corp., Canary Wharf Group PLC, Zale Corp. and K12 Inc. He devotes a great deal of his time to many local and national organizations, including the New York City Parks Foundation, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the New York City Police Foundation. He has leadership roles at Harvard Business School, Cornell, New York University/Tisch School of the Arts and the Young Women's Leadership Foundation. He is involved in Jewish communal affairs through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Communal Fund, the Jewish Leadership Forum and several other organizations.

Andrew Tisch received his bachelor of science degree from Cornell in 1971 and his master's in business administration from Harvard University in 1977. He is married to journalist and educator Ann Rubenstein and lives in New York City.

James Tisch is president and chief executive officer of Loews Corp. He has been with Loews since 1977. Prior to that he was with CNA Financial Corp. He also is chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., a member of the board of directors of CNA Financial Corp., Loews Corp., BKF Capital Group Inc. and Vail Resorts Inc.

He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in economics, in 1975 and received his master's in business administration with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1976. He is a member of the Cornell University Council and has joined Andrew Tisch in annually hosting the Dean's Advisory Board of the School of Hotel Administration.

Very involved as a philanthropist, James Tisch is the new chair of the board of United Jewish Communities and president and past campaign chair of UJA-Federation of New York. In addition, he is a board member of FEGS ( Federation Employment Guidance Service), a trustee of Mount Sinai Medical Center and a member of the board of overseers of the Wharton School. He is married to Merryl Tisch, who serves on the New York State Board of Regents.