Martha Pollack steps down after seven years as third female Ivy League president to depart recently

  • Cornell University President Martha Pollack announces resignation
  • Third female Ivy League president to depart in past six months
  • Pollack’s decision not influenced by campus tensions
  • Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff to serve as interim president
  • Search for permanent replacement to begin in six to nine months
  • Resignation follows departures of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Harvard University President Claudine Gay
  • Protests against Israel and antisemitic threats at Cornell
  • Investigation by U.S. Education Department into antisemitic and anti-Muslim harassment
  • Cornell alumnus calls for dismissal of Pollack and Kotlikoff over stifling open debate and growing antisemitism
  • Pollack’s tenure marked by increased research funding and creation of new school of public policy

Martha Pollack, the president of Cornell University for seven years, announced her resignation on June 30. Her departure marks the third female Ivy League president to depart in the past six months. Pollack stated that her decision to step down was not influenced by campus tensions and that it was her own choice. Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff will serve as interim president for a two-year term, while the search for a permanent replacement will begin in six to nine months. This resignation follows the departures of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Harvard University President Claudine Gay, who were pressured to resign after discussing their handling of antisemitism on their campuses. Cornell has also faced protests against Israel and incidents of antisemitic threats. The U.S. Education Department is currently investigating Cornell in connection with antisemitic and anti-Muslim harassment. A Cornell alumnus has called for the dismissal of Pollack and Kotlikoff, accusing them of stifling open debate and contributing to the growing antisemitism on campus. Despite these challenges, Pollack’s tenure has seen an increase in research funding and the establishment of a new school of public policy.

Factuality Level: 2
Factuality Justification: The article contains several issues that lower its factuality level. It includes irrelevant information about the previous resignations of other Ivy League presidents, details about protests related to the war in Gaza that are not directly related to Pollack’s resignation, and a significant amount of biased and opinionated content. The article also includes sensationalized reporting on incidents of antisemitism on campus without providing a balanced perspective or context.
Noise Level: 2
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about the resignation of Cornell University President Martha Pollack and the context surrounding her departure. It includes details about the protests on campus, the interim president, and the reasons for her resignation. However, it contains some repetitive information and slightly exaggerated reporting, which lowers the overall rating.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification: The article does not pertain to financial topics and does not describe any extreme events.
Private Companies: Cornell University
Key People: Martha Pollack (President of Cornell University), Michael I. Kotlikoff (Provost of Cornell University), Kraig H. Kayser (Chair of the Cornell University Board of Trustees), Liz Magill (Former President of University of Pennsylvania), Claudine Gay (Former President of Harvard University), Russell Rickford (Associate Professor in Cornell’s history department), Jon Lindseth (Cornell alumnus, donor, and former trustee)

Reported publicly: www.wsj.com