Cornell University officially installed Michael I. Kotlikoff as its 15th president during a ceremony on October 24 at Barton Hall, marking a significant moment in the university’s 160-year history.
Kotlikoff, a longtime Cornellian who has served as professor, dean, and most recently provost, reflected on the deep personal connection he holds with the institution. “To be inaugurated as president of the university where you’ve spent most of your career… is a debt of gratitude impossible ever to repay,” he said during his remarks.
The ceremony featured all the traditional symbols of Cornell’s leadership transition. Life trustee Ezra Cornell ’70 presented the university charter, employee-elected trustee Hei Hei Depew presented the seal, and faculty-elected trustee Durba Ghosh presented the university mace. The event followed a dinner as part of the Trustee-Council Annual Meeting but forwent the typical academic procession.
A legacy of leadership and trust
Anne Meinig Smalling ’87, chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees, welcomed guests and praised Kotlikoff’s decades of service to the university, calling him “the exceptional and visionary president Cornell needs at this moment.”
Smalling’s praise was echoed by Bob Harrison ’76, emeritus chair of the board, who noted that provosts rarely become university presidents due to the challenges of balancing internal interests. But Kotlikoff, he said, earned respect across campus for being fair, candid, and steady.
“Every dean I’ve spoken with during his tenure described Mike as a decent and straightforward leader,” Harrison said.
From science to strategy
Speakers highlighted Kotlikoff’s scientific and academic impact, particularly his work in the life sciences and leadership in launching collaborative efforts like the Cornell Center for Immunology. Professor Rick Cerione of the College of Veterinary Medicine praised Kotlikoff for strengthening research ties between Cornell’s Ithaca and Weill Cornell campuses.
Professor Emeritus Glenn Altschuler, who worked alongside Kotlikoff for years, balanced praise with humor. Quoting leadership advice both lighthearted and serious, Altschuler reminded Kotlikoff: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Answering urgent challenges
In his inaugural address, Kotlikoff acknowledged the critical moment facing higher education, warning of threats to public trust, federal partnerships, and access to opportunity. Quoting the late President Dale Corson, he urged the Cornell community to meet those challenges with shared responsibility and purpose.
“We’re at a point where our national commitment to higher education and to democratic values is in doubt,” he said. “What we do now will have an impact far beyond our institution.”
Kotlikoff pledged that Cornell would serve as a national model—championing open inquiry, diversity, innovation, and opportunity for all. “A place of personal transformation and intellectual awakening… a contributor to our country’s strength and well-being—now and for generations to come.”
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