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Cornell University

Office of the Assemblies

Student-Elected Trustee Elections (Undergraduate)

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Registration is now open(link is external) for the Spring 2025 Student-Elected Trustee election.

  • Registrations must be completed by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
  • Voting will be held from April 23-April 28, 2025.

Student-elected trustees alternate between undergraduate and graduate and professional students annually. The undergraduate student-elected trustee is chosen in the spring of odd-numbered years.

To be eligible, prospective candidates must:

  • Be a full-time, residential student at the Ithaca campus
  • Be enrolled in or admitted to a course of study that will enable you to remain on campus until May of the final year of your two-year trustee term

Additionally, candidates must not be on disciplinary probation or suspension and must be, and expect to remain, registered in good-standing in their current college as an undergraduate through the end of the two-year term. 

Prospective student candidates enrolled at Cornell's Geneva campus may be considered Ithaca students for the purposes of these rules. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact the Office of the Assemblies via email: trustee-elections@cornell.edu(link sends email).

Information for candidates

Candidates must be enrolled full-time in one of the undergraduate colleges; not on disciplinary probation or suspension; and must be, and expect to remain, registered in good-standing in their current college as an undergraduate through the end of the two-year term.  The elected candidate will serve as a full-voting member of the Cornell University Board of Trustees for a two-year term, from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact the Office of the Assemblies via email: trustee-elections@cornell.edu(link sends email).  

Full Spring 2025 Election Calendar

Registration Requirements:

Each person who wishes to be a candidate in this election must complete the following requirements by Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 12:00PM (noon EST): 

  1. Read the Election Procedures.
  2. Optional: attend the informational meeting on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 5:00PM via Zoom(link is external).
  3. Complete the Online Registration Form(link is external). Be prepared to provide:
    • a candidate statement (1500 character-limit);
    • describe relevant experiences, community involvement and special interests;
    • a photo of yourself;
  4. Gather 150 valid, distinct signatures using the online Candidate Petition Form(link is external) (see instructions for Creating the Online Petition Form).
    • We recommend you collect more than 150 signatures in the event that some cannot be validated.
  5. Any registered Cornell undergraduate student may sign your petition form (even if they are not eligible to run for student-elected Trustee). Undergraduate students may sign more than one petition. There is no limit to the number of signatures you may submit (see instructions for Signing the Online Petition Form).
    • Complete your online petition signature gathering by the registration deadline of Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 12:00PM (noon EST).

In addition to completing the registration requirements, candidates must also do the following as part of the election process: 

  1. Optional: Attend the informational meeting on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM(EST) via Zoom(link is external).
  2. Attend the mandatory educational meeting with University Counsel on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 from 3:30-4:15 PM (location to be provided to registered candidates).
  3. Attend the mandatory campaigning meeting to receive guidance and review permitted campaigning practices on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 from 4:30-5:15 PM (location to be announced).
  4. Participate in the The Cornell Daily Sun 2025 Student-Elected Trustee Candidate Forum on Monday, April 21, 2025 via Zoom at 5:00 p.m. (link to be provided.)
  5. Submit the Candidate Expense Report via email to the Office of the Assemblies by 11: 59 PM on Monday, April 28, 2025, even if you have no expenses.
  6. In the event of a challenge to a candidate, submit the Challenge Form via email to the Office of the Assemblies by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Voting begins at 12:01 AM (EST) on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, and ends at 11: 59 PM (EST) on Monday, April 28, 2025.