Lindsay France/University Photography

President David Skorton addresses the faculty at a meeting Feb. 27 in Uris Auditorium.

President David J. Skorton extended his thanks to the Cornell faculty at a meeting in Uris Auditorium Feb. 27. "I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the help you've given me in making the transition to Cornell," Skorton said.

He added, "I'm proud to be president of Cornell and a faculty member at Cornell. What I've learned about the faculty experience I've learned from you, and from Biddy [Martin, university provost] and from Charlie [Walcott, dean of the faculty]."

Skorton made his remarks at a meeting of the full university faculty, which was meeting to consider the revision of the Operating Procedures of the University Faculty. Referring to the fact that only 55 faculty members were present, Skorton joked: "This is actually bigger than the predicted turnout. I've been going to meetings of university faculty for 32 years, and this is actually a pretty good turnout."

The president listed some "striking" accomplishments of faculty earning top academic honors, among them Jon Kleinberg '93, computer science, for his election to the National Academy of Engineering; and Helena Maria Viramontes, English, for her Ford Fellowship for artistic excellence.

At Cornell, he said, "We're going to work even harder to recognize the importance of Weiss Presidential Fellows." Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowships recognize excellence in teaching and advising undergraduate students and outstanding efforts to improve instruction on campus.

Skorton remarked that the university is in good financial health and noted the recent $2 billion milestone reached by the current campaign for Cornell. "Only three schools have ever raised $2 billion in that time frame -- Columbia, Yale and Stanford," he said. The faculty is one of the largest areas of focus in the campaign, he added.

"Facilities development is extraordinarily robust and ambitious," he continued, citing Weill Hall, the life sciences technology building now nearing completion; a new 290-car garage to be built behind Martha Van Rensselaer Hall; the physical sciences building, slated for completion in 2010; the anticipated groundbreaking within the next year for Paul Milstein Hall, part of the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; and a new humanities building planned adjacent to Goldwin Smith Hall. West Campus construction is ahead of schedule, and all five residential houses will be open by this fall, he said.

Skorton also lauded a recently announced financial aid plan spearheaded by Martin to replace need-based loans with grants to assist lower-income students, and mentioned the campaign goal of more than $200 million for financial aid. He said many students will have half of the average debt they now have to face.

He also touched on the process of ongoing revisions to the Campus Code of Conduct, saying, "The way we revise the campus code is going to be a model of shared governance."

Skorton closed by extending an invitation to faculty members to visit his office and his home.

"I got here by being a faculty member at other places for three decades, and I'm very hungry for more contact with you," he said.