Bruce

Thomas W. Bruce, Cornell vice president for university communications and leader of the division of University Communications since it was created in 2004, has been named senior vice president for public affairs at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Bruce, who led a widespread growth in Cornell’s communications efforts during his tenure, will begin his new position at Dartmouth Nov. 18.

“In Tommy Bruce, Dartmouth is gaining an acknowledged leader in the field of communications and media relations,” said President David Skorton. “Tommy’s executive savvy, forward-looking optimism and ability to creatively elevate and enhance Cornell’s global profile have been important to the continued success of Cornell’s educational and public-engagement missions. He leaves behind a solid, professional team, which I am confident will continue to serve the Cornell family with distinction. Tommy will be missed, as a tireless spokesperson for the university, an important member of my senior leadership team and a trusted adviser, colleague and friend. But, I am very happy for Tommy and for Dartmouth, a most distinguished institution that I highly admire.”

“Tommy joined Cornell not long after I began my term on the board of trustees, which allowed me to watch him build a first-class communications organization over the past decade,” said Cornell Board of Trustees Chair Robert Harrison. “Professionally, Tommy is a strategic thinker. Personally, he is upbeat and eager to help. We will miss him at Cornell, but we wish him every success at Dartmouth.”

In his new position, Bruce will oversee all communications as well as government and community relations and will report to Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon as a member of his leadership team.

“I have been very fortunate to work with a great team and serve under three distinguished Cornell presidents,” said Bruce. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with President Skorton, whose steady hand has led us through the financial crisis and given us the courage to begin to redress the weaknesses of our culture. In time, we will all come to realize that Cornell, under his leadership, began, once again, to rewrite the future of higher education. I owe much to my colleagues in University Communications for making such decisive contributions to this great university. They have taught me much, and I will always keep the Cornell spirit close at hand as I make my way forward.”

“Tommy’s infectious energy and creativity were always in evidence at Cornell. I join many others who worked with him in wishing him well at Dartmouth,” said Vice President for University Relations and Professor Glenn Altschuler.

When Bruce arrived at Cornell in 2004, he reinvigorated the university’s communications approaches, beginning with the development and launch of Cornell’s redesigned brand, an overhaul of the university’s public Web presence and the creation of the Press Relations Office (now Media Relations). University Communications raised the university’s visibility and played a key role in Cornell’s progress during a decade that witnessed a near doubling of student applications and a historic fundraising campaign in the face of economic challenges affecting all of higher education.

Among the advancements led by Bruce during his tenure at Cornell:

• The departments of Public Affairs, Marketing and Campus Relations were created, resulting in increased collaborations between University Communications and other Cornell divisions, and raising the awareness of the university to more internal and external audiences. In addition, individual communications offices in the university’s colleges were strategically linked and coordinated with central communications strategies.
• Overall visits to cornell.edu, managed by the Office of Web Communications, increased by 1,272 percent, reaching more than 38 million page views in 2012.
• Stories about Cornell in the national and international media, driven by the Media Relations Office, increased from 13,552 media hits in 2003 to almost 130,000 hits in 2012 and 183,736 hits so far in 2013 – an increase of 1,258 percent.
• Along with growth in the Cornell Chronicle’s platforms and offerings, the publication went from a paper distribution of about 10,000 in 2009 to 6 million page views in the online Chronicle in 2012.
• The quarterly magazine Ezra, serving alumni and the greater Cornell community, and CornellCast, the university’s online video showcase, were created and launched. And Pawprint, Cornell’s publication for staff, was given an enhanced online presence.
• Visits to Cornell’s Ithaca campus, coordinated by an enhanced office of Campus Information and Visitor Relations – which includes oversight of the Office of the Assemblies – increased dramatically from 30,000 in 2004 to 46,000 in 2012-2013. The office’s 75 to 80 student tour guides also field roughly 200,000 calls through the university switchboard each year.
• University Communications coordinated Cornell’s communications efforts in support of the successful bid to create the new Cornell NYC Tech campus in New York City.

Tracy Vosburgh, assistant vice president for university communications, will lead the division while the national search for a new vice president for university relations is completed.