Community Comments
“He’s got exactly what seems to me as the right mix of temperament: a mixture of excitement and enthusiasm on the one hand, and a mix of pragmatism and realism on the other, and I like that.”
– Frank H.T. Rhodes, Cornell president emeritus
“He works well and congenially with faculty members. He wants to know what they are doing, he wants to know about their work. I think faculty members will find him very supportive of what they do.”
– Hunter Rawlings, Cornell’s 10th and interim president
“I’m very impressed with his credentials and his past relationship with Hunter Rawlings will be a real advantage for him in getting to know the university.”
– Dale Corson, president emeritus
“I’ve known him for over 20 years because of his work in the medical field and particularly in the field of cardiology. I have great respect for him. I think he’ll be a superb president.”
– Antonio M. Gotto Jr., the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and a professor of medicine. Gotto also was a member of the Presidential Search Committee (PSC).
“The initiatives he's undertaken at Iowa on behalf of the arts and sciences demonstrate his interest and commitment to the arts and humanities.”
– Provost Biddy Martin
“He has an intellectual depth and breadth of interest that will resonate with a broad range of students ... and he is conversant and committed to the collegiate athletic experience.”
– Susan Murphy, vice president for student and academic services, who oversees Cornell athletics, physical education and recreation
“He has demonstrated a very strong command of the complex issues facing a large research institution that also has a university hospital.”
– Diana Daniels, PSC chair and Cornell trustee
“ I feel that once the faculty have had the privilege to meet David Skorton they will be as enthusiastic as the search committee is with the arrival of our 12th president.”
– Rosemary Avery, professor and chair in the Department of Policy Analysis and Management, and a faculty member of the PSC
“He has developed a strong diversity initiative at his university, which has a very challenging environment.”
– Elizabeth Moore, ILR ’75, PSC member and Cornell trustee
“He’s a real consultative people-person who possesses the inclination and ability to seek out opinions across wide constituencies, and I think that instinct in large part is what allowed him to be so successful in at Iowa.”
– Richard Schuler, professor of economics and civil and environmental engineering and PSC faculty member
“At the undergraduate level, I was impressed with his efforts at maintaining diversity and his commitment to tuition affordability at Iowa.”
– Douglas C. Mitarotonda, M. Eng. ’03, student-elected trustee and student PSC member
“I think he’s someone who is going to really represent and appreciate staff very well and I’m excited about that.”
– Michael Esposito, assistant director, Cornell Academic Personnel Policy Office, staff-elected trustee and PSC member