Cornell needs your alumni Trustee vote.
National News has reported on many different disruptions on the Cornell Campus in the last several years. The Ivy League’s reputation, in general, is under attack. As loyal alumni, many wonder how to help the university we love. The easiest way to promote change is to vote for Alumni Trustee candidates representing your interests in ensuring Cornell’s reputation and academic standards remain high.
Cornell holds an election every February for two alumni representatives on the Board of Trustees. The two candidates who get the most votes will serve a four-year term. As a result, alumni have eight representatives on a board of sixty-four trustees at all times. Yet, less than ten percent of Cornell alumni vote in these annual elections. This is partly because the University does not even contact many in the alumni community. There is a practical reason: Many alumni do not update the university with their personal contact information.
How to ensure you will get the ballot:
We urge you to ensure your Cornell records are current so you can vote.
There are two ways to update your contact information. Cornell recommends you log in to CornellConnect with your NetID. You can use our alternate form if you do not remember your NetID.
Access Cornell’s Instruction Page: https://alumni.cornell.edu/services/update-info/
If you select "Know your NetID," the site will direct you to a sign-in page. Use your NetID as your Username. The sign-in gives you options if you have forgotten your password.
If you do not have a NetID, the No NetID option will direct you to a form requesting one. Once you have filled in the available information, the submit button will initiate the process of gaining this information.
You can also contact Cornell University's Alumni Affairs by phone at (607) 254-7150 or email alumniaffairs@cornell.edu for assistance.
When you vote, think outside the box
Cornell must hold the elections based on the current charter. Cornell has created and used a nomination process to place at least four candidates on the annual ballot. The Cornell Alumni Trustee Nominating (CATN) committee comprises a representative from every university-recognized volunteer alumni group. CATN reviews the list of all alumni who have indicated an interest in serving and selects four to place on the ballot. The Administration supports the process and sees this as a way to reward long-serving alumni volunteers. This results in qualified candidates with a significant amount of university control.
Given the current news, are you willing to accept the status quo or change?
Recent resignations indicate change is happening. Your opportunity to make the changes meaningful starts with your vote. Please take the time to ensure your voice is heard.