Goal for 'Cornell Now' campaign increases to $5.75B

The university has set a new “Cornell Now” campaign goal of $5.75 billion to be achieved by December 2015.

President David Skorton announced the new goal during his State of the University address Oct. 17, anticipating approval from the board of trustees later that day.

“Thanks to you and other Cornellians,” he said to the assembled trustees, council members, and other members of the Cornell community, “our total giving continues to rise above the $4.75 billion goal we surpassed last summer and separately the $600 million raised so far for Cornell Tech.”

Skorton said that funds raised toward the new goal will support the Ithaca campus and Weill Cornell Medical College as well as Cornell Tech, which previously was not included in the “Cornell Now” campaign.

“We have momentum,” said Stephen Ashley ’62, “Cornell Now” campaign co-chair. “We have the significance of the sesquicentennial and the excitement of a future that includes Cornell Tech as an integral part of the university.”

The “Cornell Now” campaign now unifies Ithaca, Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medical College to further student aid, research, faculty and facilities priorities.

Robert Appel ’53, co-chair of Weill’s current $300 million campaign, remarked that the Weill campaign goals reflect the overall vision of Cornell University: faculty recruitment, enhanced curriculum, accelerated research and, ultimately, changed lives.

Cornell alumni, parents and friends have been incredibly generous throughout “Cornell Now,” said campaign co-chair Andrew Tisch ’71. “The additional funds will further the progress we have made together toward achieving the things we want most as a university.”

During his address, Skorton promised that he will do all he can to advance Cornell toward this ambitious new $5.75 billion goal before December 2015: “We’re going to blow past that,” he said during his address, “and we’re going to do it sooner.”

Kate Klein is a writer for Alumni Affairs and Development.

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