Passed: April 9, 2003
Sponsor: University Club Task Force
Senate Discussions: April 9, 2003
Resolution to Establish a University Club
Whereas, the Provost, with the approval of the Senate, charged the University Club Task Force to ʺ… develop a plan for a more vital and appealing university club on the campusʺ, and
Whereas, the Task Force found thriving clubs on 16 of the 19 peer campuses Cornell uses for faculty salary comparisons, and Whereas, the Task Force has visited and examined the characteristics of a successful clubs at a number of Universities, and based on its findings, has presented to the administration a plan to establish a self‐supporting club at Cornell,
Therefore be it resolved that the Senate strongly supports the recommendation of the University Club Task Force that Cornell establish a University Club with the following mission and with the following characteristics and capabilities:
Mission of the Cornell University Club
In 1921, president Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia University created the Columbia Faculty House to provide a place and a setting that would bring together ʺscholars having diverse
intellectual interests … in a social unity that will both increase their satisfactions and add to their influence in the community as individuals or as a group …. The Faculty House … is as much a part
of the equipment of the University as is a library or laboratoryʺ. Because Cornell in 2003 is far more complex, broad and diverse than Columbia was when those words were written, the goal of a
university club, to forge a social unity and increase the satisfaction, effectiveness and cohesiveness of its faculty and staff, is even more vital to Cornellʹs well‐being today than it was to Columbiaʹs in 1921.
A Cornell University Club that fulfills its purpose will be far more than a good restaurant. Its aim will be to become a symbol of what Cornell is, a place whose appearance, style, ambiance and
programs will foster and reinforce a sense of fellowship between the men and women whose joint and separate labors make Cornell great. The Cornell University Club will be a key element of the University. Faculty and staff will find it a convenient and attractive hub for meeting, talking and dining with friends and colleagues from across the campus. Its dining facilities will present opportunities for scholarly discourse, administrative matters and social interactions. It will make a major contribution to building a sense of community and fostering pride in and allegiance to Cornell. It will serve as the Universityʹs premier venue to welcome and entertain visiting scholars, corporate leaders, recruiters, alumni and donors. It will contribute to the intellectual climate and work of Cornell by hosting lectures of general interest to faculty and staff, receptions, and departmental retreats. Faculty and staff will find it a welcoming place in which to conduct business or to honor special occasions and accomplishments. New faculty and staff, initially in a social void, will acclimate to the Cornell community through its congeniality. The Cornell University Club will further provide faculty and staff a convenient opportunity to bring their spouses and children into the university environment, and in so doing, demonstrate Cornellʹs commitment to family.
In summary, the Cornell University Club will be a cornerstone of the Cornell community.
Characteristics and Capabilities of the Cornell University Club
The club will be a membership organization open to all faculty and staff, housed in a rent‐free architecturally significant facility, located no more than a five minute walk from Bailey Circle (the
geographical center of the Cornell faculty). The club will be a self‐governing unit within Cornell, with responsibility for its financial affairs. It will not receive financial support from Cornell beyond
in‐kind contributions for major structural repairs and utilities. It will have the capability to provide distinctive, high quality food and beverage service, maintain a comfortable and up‐scale ambiance, and attract a substantial special function revenue from its members. In its appearance and programs, it will visibly demonstrate alignment with Cornellʹs quality, traditions and character. It will occupy roughly 12,000 net square feet, and will have a maximum seating capacity of 250 diners.
