Mary-Lynn Cummings '87, assistant dean for facilities and operational services in Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been named to the newly created post of director of space planning for Cornell as of Feb. 4.

Announcing the appointment, the university's vice president for planning and budget, Carolyn N. Ainslie, said Cummings "will assist us in treating space as a valuable and limited resource. We are long overdue in having proactive planning around space and space utilization -- in addition to university strategies around space standards, shared spaces and public spaces."

The appointment was the result of a national search "with many excellent candidates," Ainslie added. "Mary-Lynn brings many skills and personal attributes that will start her off running in the area of universitywide space planning."

Reporting to Ainslie, Cummings will be responsible for the university's strategic space-planning initiatives and analyses and utilization studies, as well as space assignment, modification and evaluation of academic and administrative facilities usage.

In addition, the director for space planning is expected to interface with deans and other university leaders, partner with other Cornell departments and create incentive systems to efficiently use and share space across campus. Other responsibilities include developing a three-to-five-year plan, a related surge plan and annual capital plans, and negotiating and managing contracts to support planning projects.

After earning a B.S. in natural resources at Cornell, Cummings earned a master's in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas in 1995 and joined the administrative staff of the agriculture college in 1997. She has served on the university's Campus Planning Committee (2003-present), Emergency Management Committee (2006-present) and the Land Use Management Committee (2002-present).

Said Cummings: "This is an exciting opportunity to work with university stakeholders to create space planning and management strategies that will serve Cornell well, but also serve as models of best practice in higher education."