Call to Engagement: Message from President Lehman

To Faculty, Students and Staff of the Ithaca Campus,

I am writing to personally invite you to join me and others in thoughtful consideration of a set of important questions which can help shape the long-term future for the university, an activity I have termed a Call to Engagement.

Powerful visions often build incrementally, crafted with bits and pieces of a collective endeavor and informed by parties actively engaged in sharing perspectives with one another. Your input is valuable because each voice in this discussion serves to enrich the voices that have come before and will come after. Each voice will nurture a better understanding of what can be possible on the horizon for Cornell.

The formal announcement of the Call to Engagement (November 2003) provides more context and background for the exercise.

I encourage you to reflect upon the set of eight questions. Take advantage of opportunities that arise over the coming months to engage in discussion with others on these questions. Some opportunities will be announced in advance and others will occur spontaneously. Most importantly, please share your thoughts and ideas with me. You may e-mail your thoughts to calltoengagement@cornell.edu or send a note to the President’s Office in 300 Day Hall.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Jeff Lehman
President