Student Assembly

R.18 Regarding Availability of Task Force Reports

Whereas, President Skorton has asked Provost Kent Fuchs to lead the university in a strategic planning exercise that is crucial to the future successes of our great institution. *

Whereas, much of the work to date has involved soliciting ideas from the Cornell community, launching academic task forces, and partnering with a global consulting firm to assess opportunities for cost savings in the administrative functions of the university. **

Whereas, the creation of a number of Task Forces has been the principle mechanism to strategically plan and report out on their findings as part of the Reimagining Cornell initiative. ***

Whereas, these Task Forces have now completed their reports and submitted them to the Provost,

Whereas, the decisions made based upon these reports will affect all Cornell students,

Whereas, according to Article 1.5 of the Student Assembly Charter, the SA may request and obtain specific information from the President regarding any subject which it deems of general student concern. If such a request is made, and said information is not furnished, the President will report to the SA the reasons why said information cannot be furnished.

Whereas, Bylaw 1.5.a of the SA Charter states:
Information which the SA shall not request shall include:
Bylaw 1.5.a.1
Salary or wage records of specific individuals.
Bylaw 1.5.a.2
Academic or financial records of specific individuals.
Bylaw 1.5.a.3
Medical or categorical (race, sex, age, etc.) records of specific individuals.
Bylaw 1.5.a.4
Information otherwise defined as confidential or restricted by law.

Be it therefore resolved, that the Student Assembly requests that the task force reports or those parts of those reports which the Provost deems to contain viable responses to the present crisis and not in violation Bylaw 1.5.a be submitted at the earliest possible moment for discussion and response by the Student Assembly at large.

Respectfully submitted,

Vincent Andrews ‘11
Vice President of Public Relations
ILR Representative

Nikhil Kumar ‘11
Vice President of Internal Operations
Minority Representative at-Large

Matt Danzer ‘12
LGBTQ Representative at-Large

• * Strategic Planning Process. Cornell University. http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/planning.cfm. October 22, 2009
• ** Ibid.
• *** Strategic Planning Task Force. Cornell University. http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/taskforces.cfm. October 22, 2009