Undergraduate Initiatives

Promote, support and expect excellence in teaching and advising

We will recruit and hire tenure-track faculty with scholarship in engineering education while also building a culture of teaching that uses deliberate, research-based methods to optimize learning outcomes; hire teaching support specialists in departments and schools, improve college teaching infrastructure, and make better use of room scheduling; and develop a pilot program for one or more online undergraduate courses. All of these efforts will require investments in mentoring programs, infrastructure, and collaborations with experts across the university within the first five years of this plan in order to make meaningful progress.

Infuse professional education and experiential learning throughout the curricular and co-curricular experiences to develop technical and professional skills

To create a truly differentiated learning experience for Cornell Engineering students, we will expand training through the Engineering Leadership Program to all undergraduates. We will also explore strategies for integrating the Cornell Engineering Student Project Teams and additional professional programs in communications, entrepreneurship, and ethics into the undergraduate curriculum. Our long term ambition is to expand access to other professional and experiential learning opportunities and require demonstrated competency in relevant skills and behaviors as a condition for graduation.

Build an inclusive community to promote learning and well-being

We will convene a task force charged with identifying opportunities for developing a more connected and inclusive Cornell Engineering student community, and give particular attention to the opportunities for inclusion and community-building inherent in the implementation of recommendations related to improving teaching infrastructure, expanding experiential learning opportunities and enhancing professional education.

Reinforce diversity, equity and inclusion as foundational elements of Cornell Engineering

We will continue to recruit and graduate a diverse undergraduate class by expanding our recruitment partnerships, increasing affordability and elevating our support dedicated to student success. We will leverage faculty and staff training as a mechanism to improve teaching and advising, equity in access to professional education and experiential learning, and community-building as a means to inclusion and improved well-being.