University Statements

Dear Cornell Community,

We are writing today to update you on the progress and conclusion of a significant phase of Resilient Cornell, and how we plan to move forward. Launched in fall 2025, and building upon previous and ongoing efforts at Weill Cornell Medicine to strengthen our institution’s long-term financial health, this collaborative effort has put the university on a path towards a more financially sustainable future. The combination of cost reductions and revenue enhancements identified across all our campuses will, over time, reduce pressure on our annual operating budget by more than $350 million. They will also serve to increase the university’s resilience as we face new and continued headwinds as an institution.

We have concluded the work of two committees and work groups focused on workforce realignment and university-wide operations. These committees included managers and staff across the university and were charged with assessing existing operating models, evaluating future-state options, and shaping actionable plans for organizational redesign. They were also aided by over 660 suggestions provided by employees across the university through the streamlining effort launched in September 2025 following 18 town halls. Their efforts identified many opportunities for revenue enhancements in clinical and academic areas, new ways to manage the university’s external spending, organizational and financial restructurings, and position eliminations, with the majority of workforce reduction savings driven by attrition, voluntary retirements, and closures of funded vacant positions. 

Decisions around our workforce have included targeted layoffs since the austerity measures of 2025. These decisions, while difficult, have been necessary to align with long-term operational needs. We know that layoffs and other departures are deeply painful — for the people directly affected, for their colleagues, and for the broader communities we inhabit. We have made resources and support available to current and former employees, including career coaching, job search assistance, and talent transition services.

Cornell is not immune to the financial challenges presented by government and market forces that continue to test our resilience and adaptability. To stay competitive and attract top faculty, staff, and students, we must invest in our research facilities, technical capacities, and clinical care facilities. To preserve our founding “… any person … any study” principle we must also invest in keeping Cornell affordable and, thus, accessible.

We will continue evaluating how we are organized, looking for ways to increase collaboration and reduce duplicative efforts, making smarter use of technology and shared services, and controlling personnel growth. This will continue across all of Cornell’s campuses, including in more focused ways across finance, human resources, and general administration functions. Throughout the university, innovation, continuous improvement, and cost containment must remain consistent and ongoing strategies supporting our commitment as an institution “to do the greatest good.”

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this effort, especially during moments that required a high level of patience and resolve during a period of uncertainty. What comes next will build on the foundation you helped create, sustaining what we learned and strengthening our resilience as we continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

Sincerely,

Michael I. Kotlikoff
President

Kavita Bala
Provost

Robert Harrington
Provost for Medical Affairs

Chris Cowen
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer