ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell University will serve for the next three years as headquarters for the executive director of the New York Campus Compact (NYCC), an organization of presidents of colleges and universities in New York state that seeks to promote and support collegiate involvement in community service.

Cornell is a founding member of NYCC, whose charter was signed Oct. 16, 2001, at Pace University in Manhattan. Other founding universities include Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Syracuse University, Nassau Community College, Nazareth College, Pace, Niagara Community College and the State University of New York (SUNY) campuses at Cortland, Geneseo and Oswego. Currently, more than 35 campuses across New York state have joined NYCC, which is the 26th member of the national Campus Compact program.

"Cornell's support of the NYCC by serving as its first 'home' illustrates the university's commitment to promoting civic life and empowering students to become active citizens," said Susan H. Murphy, vice president for student and academic services at Cornell. "We are honored to work with our colleagues from across the state and across the nation to promote this important agenda."

The co-chairpersons of NYCC are Christopher C. Dahl, president of SUNY Geneseo, and Mark Gearan, president of Hobart and William Smith. They lead a 10-member executive committee that will oversee the search for the executive director; Cornell President Hunter Rawlings is a member of the committee.

The NYCC's mission is to promote student community service and service learning, a method of teaching and learning that builds academic and citizenship skills among students and helps to renew communities.

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