Provost’s Review of the Social Sciences at Cornell

January 2020 Update

On Jan. 16, 2020, the Social Sciences Implementation Committee submitted its final report of recommendations (PDF) for advancing public policy and the social sciences at Cornell. The Implementation Committee was formed after a two-year process whereby multiple faculty-led committees identified proposals for increasing the excellence and visibility of the social sciences at Cornell. On the basis of these earlier committee reports and faculty feedback, in spring 2019 President Pollack and Provost Kotlikoff charged the Implementation Committee with making recommendations for a new public policy entity and the creation of super-departments in economics, psychology and sociology.

In the coming weeks, university and college leadership will examine the report, followed by a decision later in the semester on which recommendations to pursue. Throughout the process, the provost’s commitment will be to strengthen public policy at Cornell, while continuing to support other less policy-focused faculty within the College of Human Ecology. Cornell community members may provide feedback on the final report by writing to ssreview@cornell.edu.

For more, read the provost’s message to the Cornell community and the Cornell Chronicle article about the final report.

December 2019 Update

In fall 2019, the Social Sciences Implementation Committee co-chairs hosted nearly 20 listening sessions with faculty, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders across campus. Stakeholders provided input and ideas for the committee to consider for its final report on structures for a potential new policy structure at Cornell. The committee’s final report will be issued next semester.

November 2019 Update

The Social Sciences Implementation Committee has issued its interim report, Considering School and College Structures for Public Policy at Cornell (PDF). The document examines possibilities for two options for structuring a new policy entity at Cornell, as outlined in the committee’s September 2019 update: 1) Further strengthening and focusing the College of Human Ecology as a college focused on public policy with affiliations to policy faculty across campus; or 2) Creating a cross-college policy school situated between the College of Human Ecology and the College of Arts and Sciences.

University leaders are engaged in efforts designed to strengthen Cornell’s research, education and outreach in the area of public policy. Due to the concentration of public policy faculty and educational programs in the College of Human Ecology, any new programs in this area will involve the College. As this review moves forward, the provost has affirmed the university’s intent is to strengthen public policy at Cornell, while continuing to support and invest in other less policy-focused faculty within the College of Human Ecology.

September 2019 Update

The co-chairs of the implementation committee sent this update on Sept. 23, 3019 regarding next steps, including the draft vision of a public policy entity at Cornell.

July 2019 Update

The co-chairs of the implementation committee Professors Ferguson and Wildeman and Deputy Provost John Siliciano sent out the following updates:

A July 12, 2019 email to faculty providing a committee update and sharing the charge given to the implementation committee by President Pollack and Provost Kotlikoff.
A May 21, 2019 email to the staff in the CAS, CALS, CHE, ILR and AAP postponing the spring listening sessions until the fall.
An April 15, 2019 email to faculty announcing the members of the implementation committee and next steps.

The implementation committee will meet biweekly throughout the summer and fall beginning on May 29, 2019. The committee members are:

Anthony Burrow: Human Development (CHE)
Sahara Byrne: Communication (CALS)
Ben Cornwell: Sociology (CAS)
Melissa Ferguson (Co-Chair): Psychology (CAS)
Maria Fitzpatrick: Policy Analysis and Management (CHE)
Shannon Gleeson: Labor Relations, Law, & History (ILR)
David Easley: Economics and Information Science (CAS)
Tom Pepinsky: Government (CAS)
John Siliciano (Co-Chair): Deputy Provost
Laura Tach: Policy Analysis and Management (CHE)
Christopher Wildeman (Co-Chair): Policy Analysis and Management (CHE)

March 2019 Update

On March 28, 2019, President Pollack and Provost Kotlikoff announced the completion of a multi-year, faculty-led effort to develop a vision for excellence in the social sciences at Cornell.

This effort has identified three core aspirations: one (the Cornell Center for Social Sciences) was announced today. The other two (creating an integrating university entity for public policy, and creating social sciences super-departments) will be the focus of a faculty-led implementation committee that will submit recommendations to the president and provost by the end of the 2019 calendar year.

Summary of Faculty Feedback (PDF)

Cornell creates Center for Social Sciences

Letter to the Faculty

In January 2016, Provost Michael Kotlikoff launched the Committee on Organizational Structures in the Social Sciences to explore opportunities to position the social sciences at Cornell for excellence in 10 to 15 years. The work of that committee is the basis for the work completed by the Implementation Committee, outlined above.

For more information, see the Social Sciences Review Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).