Jonathan Burdick, the University of Rochester’s vice provost for enrollment initiatives and college dean of admissions and financial aid, has been named Cornell’s vice provost for enrollment. He will assume the post Aug. 19.

As senior enrollment officer at Rochester since 2003, he designs and leads the annual admissions and financial aid strategy for the university’s College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering, which comprises about 91% of the university’s 6,000 undergraduates. He also leads a $211 million financial aid program for undergraduate and graduate students in the college and schools.

“I am pleased to welcome Jon to Cornell’s leadership team,” said Provost Michael Kotlikoff. “He is a creative thinker and an institutional strategist with the ability to inspire and implement change. His past experience demonstrates he’ll be well-equipped to ensure that the university has a comprehensive enrollment strategy that will help us build and maintain a campus community that is academically curious, rigorous, inclusive and diverse.”

“Cornell’s combination of broad, excellent studies and bold, inclusive mission makes this a unique, exciting opportunity,” Burdick said. “The more I learned about Cornell’s history, the more inspiring it became. I look forward to joining the expert professionals throughout the colleges.”

As Cornell’s vice provost for enrollment, Burdick will oversee admissions, financial aid and the university registrar. He is charged with strategically positioning Cornell to better achieve its institutional goals and priorities, while also supporting and strengthening the specific enrollment-related needs and goals of the university’s colleges and schools. He will spearhead the university’s self-study in admissions, financial aid and registrar with the intent to enhance and evolve Cornell’s current practices.

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The position was created in 2018, and Jason Locke, associate vice provost for enrollment, has served as interim vice provost during the national search.

Burdick’s accomplishments at the University of Rochester include overhauling counterproductive practices while implementing successful new messaging, recruitment and enrollment programs. From 2010-18, he directed Rochester through increasing tuition and budget pressures and uncertainties by prioritizing the launch of broad new policies for national and international inclusion.

Prior to his current position, Burdick served from 2000-03 as associate dean for admissions at the University of Southern California’s College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. From 1985-2000 he was assistant director, regional director and associate director of admissions at USC, his alma mater. His bachelor’s degree is in economics.

Burdick is an avid reader, writer and photographer. He has traveled to six continents and 71 countries, including volunteer service in Kenya, research in Japan, and helping to lead college student excursions in Brazil and Malawi.