Whereas, the Employee Assembly serves as the official shared governance body responsible for representing and advocating on matters that directly impact the staff community at Cornell University; and
Whereas, the staff community comprises non-academic employees working across multiple colleges, schools, and administrative units of the university, including those in hybrid and fully remote roles whose experiences and contributions are integral to the institution’s operations and culture; and
Whereas, the University’s workforce, particularly the growing number of staff serving in hybrid and fully remote capacities, whose distinct perspectives and needs warrant formal representation; and
Whereas, the creation of voting member seats to represent staff currently not encompassed by the Employee Assembly Charter—specifically those in hybrid and remote roles—directly supports Article II, Object, which states: “The Assembly will actively seek to involve all segments of Cornell’s diverse employee population in the Assembly’s decision-making activities”; and
Whereas, the Employee Assembly recognizes the importance of fostering broad staff engagement and affirms its commitment to inclusive representation, ensuring that all staff—regardless of departmental affiliation, unit restructuring, or work modality—have a voice in shared governance as the University continues to evolve; and
Whereas, the Welfare Committee plays a vital role in addressing staff concerns related to workplace well-being, equity, and professional support, and the sustained involvement of experienced ex-officio members contributes valuable institutional knowledge and continuity to its efforts; and
Whereas, ex-officio members bring subject-matter expertise, historical context, and cross-campus perspectives that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Welfare Committee’s initiatives, particularly as the committee advances complex, long-term projects on behalf of the Employee Assembly; and
Whereas, maintaining the engagement of ex-officio members fosters collaborative momentum, strengthens shared governance, and ensures that the Welfare Committee remains well-positioned to build upon prior achievements while proactively responding to emerging staff needs; and
Be it therefore resolved, that the Employee Assembly shall establish a designated voting seat to represent hybrid staff employees at large, ensuring their unique perspectives and experiences are formally included in the Assembly’s deliberations and decision-making processes; and
Be it therefore resolved, that the Employee Assembly shall establish a designated voting seat to represent remote staff employees at large, ensuring their unique perspectives and experiences are formally included in the Assembly’s deliberations and decision-making processes;
Be it therefore resolved, that the Employee Assembly affirms the continued engagement of ex-officio members with the Welfare Committee, recognizing their critical role in advancing the committee’s mission and sustaining the momentum of its ongoing initiatives on behalf of the staff community;
Be it therefore resolved, that the Employee Assembly encourages the Welfare Committee to actively collaborate with ex-officio members as strategic partners, leveraging their institutional knowledge and expertise to strengthen the committee’s capacity to address emerging staff welfare concerns and further the goals of shared governance;
Be it further resolved, that the total number of representatives on the Employee Assembly shall be increased to 37 and that these membership changes go into effect with the Spring 2026 elections; and
Be it further resolved, that §Article III, Section 3.3 of the Employee Assembly By-Laws be amended as follows:
- Unless otherwise specified in its charge, each committee will be chaired by a voting member of the Assembly and will consist of at least eleven voting members:
- Six members appointed by and from the voting membership of the Assembly, one of whom serves as chair;
- Five members appointed by the Assembly from the employee community who are not members of the Assembly.
- Each committee may also be staffed by an unrestricted number of ex-officio members whose professional responsibilities and/or office of employment at Cornell are relevant to or align with the committee charge.
- Each standing committee must:
- Hold and publicize at least two meetings per semester that are open to the staff community where it receives and discusses items of business relevant to its charge;
- Publish and submit, in a timely fashion, agendas and minutes of each meeting and make every reasonable attempt to ensure that members of the staff community affected by its recommendations are informed of the agenda of its meetings and of its recommendations.
Be it finally resolved, that §Article V, Section 2A of the Employee Assembly Charter be amended as follows:
The Assembly consists of 37 voting members elected by and from the eligible employee population at Cornell University.
1. Twelve voting members shall be elected to represent the following academic colleges and schools with one representative each: College of Agriculture & Life Sciences; College of Architecture, Art, & Planning; College of Arts & Sciences; College of Engineering, Computer & Information Science; the Graduate School and Cornell Law School (combined seat); College of Human Ecology; School of Industrial and Labor Relations; College of Veterinary Medicine; Cornell Tech; SC Johnson College of Business; School of Public Policy; School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions and eCornell (combined seat).
2. Ten voting members shall be elected to represent the following administrative units with one representative each: Alumni Affairs & Development; Cornell AgriTech; Facilities and Campus Services; Financial Affairs, Budget & Planning, Audit & Investment; Health & Safety; Human Resources; Library and Museum; Research, Tech Transfer & Information Technology; Student & Campus Life; University Relations and Central Administration (the Offices of the President, the Provost, the Board of Trustees, Counsel, Judicial Administrator, Ombudsman)
3. Eleven voting members shall be elected to represent the following affinity groups with one representative each: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color); Disability; Exempt; International; Less Than Five Years of Service; LGBTQ; More Than 20 Years of Service; Non-Exempt; Retirees; Veterans; Women;
a. Two voting members shall be appointed by the Division of Human Resources, in consultation with the HR Retiree Engagement Advisory Committee, to represent the Staff Retiree constituency. The two members shall share one vote but may serve on different committees. The two-year appointments shall be staggered for continuity purposes. The Assembly shall vote to accept the proposed candidates.
4. Two voting members shall be elected or appointed to represent staff at-large from across the University. At-Large representative seats may be filled by appointment from existing candidate pool after annual elections or by candidates from a department without clear Assembly representation. The term of At-Large representative seats will match the Assembly terms and be split to align with overall body turnover.
5. Two voting members shall be elected or appointed to represent hybrid staff at-large and remote staff at-large from across the University. At-Large representative seats may be filled by appointment from existing candidate pool after annual elections or by candidates from a department without clear Assembly representation. The term of At-Large representative seats will match the Assembly terms and be split to align with overall body turnover.
Respectfully Submitted,
Erika Crawley, Employee Assembly Chair and Women’s Representative
Stephanie Resue, Elections Committee Chair and Disability Representative At-Large
