Garrett: Founders' vision 'resonates with my life'

Cornell President-elect Beth Garrett addresses the media at a press conference at Myron Taylor Hall Sept. 30.

“Cornell has been fundamentally shaped by its founders’ lasting vision of a university dedicated to inclusion, to egalitarianism and public engagement. I found that vision compelling. It resonates with my own work and my life, which involves public service,” said Elizabeth Garrett, the university’s newly named 13th president and the first woman to hold the post, at a press conference Sept. 30.

She continued: “Just as Cornell has been acknowledged as the first American university, I am confident that we are the American university that will help shape this century as an influential global presence in education.”

The Cornell Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Garrett as the university’s next president. Garrett, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Southern California, will begin her tenure July 1, 2015. Garrett, 51, was introduced to media by Robert Harrison ’76, chairman of the board, and Jan Rock Zubrow ’77, chairman of the Executive Committee of the board and of the Presidential Search Committee.

Harrison, who praised the dedication of Zubrow and the committee, explained the intricate task of selecting a new president. “There are few universities in the world that are as complex and ambitious and as far-reaching as Cornell University,” he said. “And that means we set our sights very high in terms of attributes that we require of somebody capable enough to lead Cornell into the next 150 years, and I could not be more certain that we’ve found the perfect person in Beth Garrett.”

Zubrow said her committee considered about 200 candidates and completed the process in about six months. “Among the truly world-class group of candidates, there was one person who emerged as the clear winner – that possessed all of the core competencies that we set out to find,” she said.

At the press conference, Garrett said she would initially listen to faculty, students, staff and alumni, believing she would “learn a lot from that.”

“I am very honored to be the first woman president of Cornell,” said Garrett, who is USC’s first female provost. “Cornell’s history is one of commitment to egalitarianism, to diversity [and] that recognizing that people with different backgrounds and experiences bring great value to the search for truth and the process of discovery.”

Responding to a question about college campus safety, Garrett said: “One of the most important things any president of a university can do is to ensure an environment where students are safe. We cannot tolerate on our campuses sexual violence [or] sexual assault. We must protect the safety of our students. That’s how you have an environment in which students can learn and grow and become the next generation of leaders.”

Garrett discussed the university’s presence throughout New York state, such as cooperative extension, and in New York City through the Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell Tech. She praised the relationship between Cornell and Ithaca, and the other surrounding municipalities, and said: “I am looking forward to meeting the leaders of Ithaca [and] to getting to know them, working with them as we think of the well-being and health of both of our institutions. Ithaca has long been acknowledged as one of the great towns in our country.”

Asked what Garrett will miss most about living in Southern California, she replied: “I will miss the ocean. But the good news is we have the Finger Lakes, and I look forward to exploring nature here in Ithaca. It is one of the most gorgeous landscapes that I have seen, and I look forward to switching bodies of water and switching hiking trails, from the Santa Monica Mountains to the gorges around Ithaca.”

Garrett spoke of her hobbies, which include travel, needlepoint and cross-stitch, and said she intends to continue making those crafts for friends and family. She also noted her love for fiction – especially a good mystery.

The president-elect acknowledged Cornell President David Skorton’s achievements. “I’m very fortunate to follow in the footsteps of David Skorton, whose significant and lasting achievements during his tenure as president will leave a lasting legacy at this university,” she said.

The new president will visit Ithaca on occasion until she starts office. “I look forward to the start of my term on July 1,” she said. “And I will embark on this great adventure with all Cornellians here, around the state and around the world.”

Media Contact

John Carberry