Whereas, the well-being of the campus community is a foundational priority, and traumatic events have significantly impacted students, faculty, and staff.
Whereas, the Cornell Student Assembly has passed Resolution 17, which calls for community restorative days in response to incidents such as campus community deaths or reported sexual assaults.
Whereas, Cornell has experienced both isolated and periods of compounded tragedies, such as the time within a single week when an undergraduate student was found dead in Fall Creek Gorge, another student was hospitalized after falling in the same area, a report of drugging and sexual assault led to a fraternity's suspension, a custodian was charged with second-degree murder in an Ithaca homicide, and an administrator took the lives of his 11-year-old daughter and ex-mother-in-law before taking his own life.
Whereas, the tragic on-campus events, including the November 8th Crime Alert, sexual assault incidents, and campus community deaths, including those of students, faculty, and staff members, exemplify the urgent need for comprehensive support systems and strategies to support the campus community in terms of need.
Whereas, past community restorative days, such as that established by President Pollack on November 3, 2023, in response to "extraordinary stress” have demonstrated their effectiveness in fostering collective healing in times of crisis.
Whereas, community restorative days could include options such as: cancelation of classes and academic deadlines, excusal of faculty and staff from work (except those providing essential services) with flexible or floating day options for essential staff to allow time for collective healing, University-provided mental health resources made widely available to students, faculty, and staff, and the organization of spaces for communal reflection, support, and dialogue facilitated by university organizations.
Whereas, the current approach of expecting affected individuals to seek special accommodations places an undue burden on vulnerable community members, as navigating individual accommodations can be challenging within existing academic structures, potentially resulting in academic disadvantages and exacerbated mental health concerns for those most impacted by campus tragedies.
Whereas, the implementation of community restorative days must balance the need for community healing with academic requirements, potentially including the establishment of predetermined limits on the number of such days per academic term and built-in buffer days in the academic calendar to ensure compliance with state-mandated educational requirements, and should be part of a broader, proactive wellness strategy that addresses community needs before crises occur.
Be it therefore resolved, the University Assembly recognizes the importance of developing comprehensive strategies that may include community restorative days in response to significant traumatic events affecting the campus community, including but not limited to the death of any campus community member affiliated with the university, reported incidents of sexual assault via Cornell Crime Alerts or other similar university notifications, and other events that cause extraordinary distress within the Cornell community, and that these strategies may be tailored to the needs of specific colleges, units, or populations within Cornell.
Be it finally resolved, this resolution recommends that the university administration develop a holistic approach to community well-being that includes both proactive preventative measures and responsible tools, which may now include community restorative days, as part of a comprehensive toolkit for supporting the campus during difficult times.
Respectfully Submitted,
Christian Tarala ‘27
Chair of the Campus Welfare Committee of the University Assembly
Andre Kessler
Campus Welfare Committee Faculty Representative
