DEI Refuses to Die at Cornell University

Professorship opening, antisemitism, and funding sources.

DEI Refuses to Die at Cornell University; Professorship Opening, Pro-Palestine Protests, Qatar, Muslim Brotherhood connections,antisemitism and funding sources.

Cornell University currently has an opening for a Postdoctoral Associate, in the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures department, salary $80,000 per year, plus full Cornell University employee benefits.

The Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures (RJEF) is Cornell's hub for research and engagement towards a more just world for all. RJEF is a university wide center focused on three core pillars: faculty, students, and community. Through supporting research, facilitating community partnerships, and advancing specific initiatives around issues of urgent importance, RJEF leverages the knowledge and capacities of Cornell faculty, students, and staff to positively impact the world. There will also be opportunities to connect with faculty on Cornell's New York City campuses: Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech.

Chairman Kraig Kayser and Cornell Board of Trustees penned an open letter in January requesting "it is my opinion that Cornell must abandon its misguided commitment to DEI because it has yielded not excellence but disgrace." ... "Under President Pollack’s leadership, antisemitism and general intolerance have increased on campus. Her lack of leadership in the days following the October 7th massacre is only one of the many examples of poor leadership and failed policies at Cornell. A new campus “bias reporting system” fosters a hostile Orwellian environment among neighbors, classmates, and colleagues reporting on one another. The elimination of grades and SATs has created a system in which equal outcomes rather than proven merit has become the objective."

The Trump administration has revoked the visa of Momodou Taal, a Cornell University graduate student during a pro-Palestine rally and called for the destruction of the United States, celebrated Hamas's October 7 attacks, claimed to take his "cue from the armed resistance in Palestine," and said "every single Zionist is a sick sick individual," and calls for the destruction of the U.S.

This week students at Cornell University organised a protest during the visit of Israeli advisor Tzipi Livni, who was scheduled to deliver a lecture on campus. The protesters called for her immediate departure, confronting the former Israeli Foreign Minister. The protesters continuously chanted "free free Palestine" during the scheduled lecture.

Cornell University Funding Sources

Federal revenue is primarily nonreciprocal and conditional. A significant portion of private revenue is received for the benefit of Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, which operates under an agreement between Cornell University and the Qatar Foundation. On June 30, 2024, the University has unrecorded conditional agreements of $2,015,345. This figure aligns with sentiments expressed on the platform regarding federal funding allocations to Ivy League institutions for that year. However, this amount reflects total federal funding. The data does not break down the funding into categories like grants, contracts, or other types.

Historically, Cornell has received significant federal grant funding, such as $4.2 million in 2023 from the USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture, but comprehensive 2024 grant-specific data is not explicitly outlined. Thus, the $825.5 million serves as the best estimate of total federal funding, including grants, based on the current information. According to Cornell University's FY2024 Financial Report, the university's total revenues reached $6.125 billion, with federal funding playing a significant role.

Federal grants and contracts, categorized under "Sponsored programs direct costs," amounted to $643.5 million, reflecting direct support for research and other sponsored activities. Additionally, "Indirect cost recoveries" from federal sources contributed $176.8 million, covering overhead expenses associated with these programs. Other federal funding components, such as appropriations or pass-through funds, are not explicitly broken out but are part of the broader revenue mix, including "Government appropriations" ($18.1 million, primarily state-related) and "Contributions" ($560.7 million), which may include federal portions.

Together, the above figures suggest that federal grants and contracts, both direct and indirect, constitute a substantial portion of Cornell's federal support, aligning with the estimated $825.5 million total federal funding for 2024, with the remainder potentially encompassing contracts or other federal awards not separately detailed in the report.

The university faces criticism from Chairman Kraig Kayser and the Cornell Board of Trustees, who argue in a January open letter that Cornell’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has led to increased antisemitism and intolerance on campus, exacerbated by President Pollack’s leadership failures, such as her response to the October 7th massacre and the implementation of a bias reporting system. Amid these developments, the Trump administration’s should consider pulling federal grants from Cornell and warrants an investigation, given the university’s persistent DEI practices, its financial ties to Qatar, and ongoing antisemitism concerns.

Critics, including the Board of Trustees, argue that DEI initiatives have fostered division rather than excellence, pointing to incidents like the handling of Taal’s case and campus climate issues post-October 7th. With federal funding estimated at $825.5 million in 2024, including substantial research grants, any move to revoke support could hinge on Cornell’s alignment with foreign entities like the Qatar Foundation, which provided $2.015 billion in unrecorded conditional agreements, and its failure to address antisemitic activities effectively. Such investigations would aim to ensure accountability and alignment with national interests under the new administration’s policies.