GPSA R4 (2025-2026): On Graduate and Professional Student Representation on the Student Code of Conduct Review Board

Acknowledged by the President

• Resolution:
  GPSA R4 (2025-2026): On Graduate and Professional Student Representation on the Student Code of Conduct Review Board
• Day:
  February 2, 2026
• Action:
  Acknowledged by the President
• Summary / Notes:

  Dear Nicholas,

  Thank you for conveying GPSA R5: On Temporary Suspensions, Due Process, and Student Conduct Reform and GPSA R4: On Graduate and Professional Student Representation on the Student Code of Conduct Review Board, and for the time and care devoted to your suggested amendments to the Student Code of Conduct (SCC). Campus interest in the SCC and in potential revisions is understandable and appreciated, so I write to provide clarification regarding the origins of the SCC, the legal and governance framework under which it operates, and the processes used for its ongoing review and revision.

  Under federal and state law, the University—not individual constituencies or governance bodies—bears responsibility for adopting and administering policies necessary to provide a safe and appropriate educational environment. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for, and retains authority over, the SCC and its Procedures, and has acted to align responsibility for Cornell’s legal obligations with the authority to administer the SCC. The current structure was intentionally adopted to align authority with legal accountability, and allows the University to assure the University’s ability to respond in a timely way when SCC changes are required.

  The Board delegated day‑to‑day administration of the SCC to the Vice President for Student and Campus Life (VPSCL). As part of that delegation, the VPSCL, or their designee, chairs and convenes the Code and Procedures Review Committee (CPRC), whose role is to review potential amendments and provide advisory input. The CPRC does not include voting members; rather, it serves as a consultative body whose feedback is considered by the administration. The CPRC for this year contains representation from the GPSA, in accordance with the Board's delegation.

  Under the SCC Procedures, authority to revise the Code lies with the President, following review of input from the CPRC, the assemblies, and the broader Cornell community. As specified in the Procedures, all proposed revisions are shared with the assemblies and the community for comment before any action is taken by the President. In this case I have repeatedly stated that I will consider input from all of the shared governance bodies before making any decisions regarding changes to the Code.

  Recent attention to the SCC arose during a period of heightened campus protest activity. Some issues raised during that time have already been addressed through the adoption of the Expressive Activities Policy, which applies consistently to students, faculty, and staff. The CPRC is currently considering additional issues, including potential revisions to improve the timeliness of case adjudication and to provisions governing temporary suspensions. Your proposed SCC amendments were conveyed to CPRC chair, Dean of Students Marla Love to bring to the CPRC to review.

  We appreciate the continued engagement of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly in matters of student conduct and campus climate. The SCC was created through extensive consultation, and its review and revision continue to rely on input from across the community within the framework established by the Board of Trustees. We look forward to your engagement in the listening sessions and public comment phase of the review as CPRC reviews your proposed amendments and we collectively work to ensure a fair, effective, and educational conduct system for all students.

  Sincerely,

  Michael Kotlikoff

  Michael Kotlikoff, V.M.D., Ph.D., Sc.D. (h.c.)

  President and Professor of Molecular Physiology

  Cornell University

   

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