54 Facts About Cornell University

1.

Cornell University is a private Ivy League and statutory land-grant research university, based in Ithaca, New York.

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2.

These ideals, unconventional for the time, are captured in Cornell University's founding principle, a popular 1868 quotation from founder Ezra Cornell University: "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.

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3.

Cornell University is organized into seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions at its main Ithaca campus, with each college and division defining its specific admission standards and academic programs in near autonomy.

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4.

Cornell University is one of the few private land grant universities in the United States.

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5.

Since its founding, Cornell University has been a co-educational, non-sectarian institution where admission has not been restricted by religion or race.

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6.

Cornell University was founded on April 27, 1865; the New York State legislature authorized the university as the state's land grant institution.

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7.

Senator Ezra Cornell University offered his farm in Ithaca, New York, as a site and $500, 000 of his personal fortune as an initial endowment.

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8.

Cornell University developed as a technologically innovative institution, applying its research to its own campus and to outreach efforts.

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9.

Since 1894, Cornell University has included colleges that are state funded and fulfill statutory requirements; it has administered research and extension activities that have been jointly funded by state and federal matching programs.

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10.

Cornell University is known for the Residential Club Fire of 1967, a fire in the Residential Club dormitory that killed eight students and one professor.

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11.

Adjacent to the main campus, Cornell University owns the 2, 800-acre Cornell University Botanic Gardens, a botanical garden containing flowers, trees, and ponds, with manicured trails providing access throughout the facility.

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12.

Cornell University has been rated "A-" by the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card for its environmental and sustainability initiatives.

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13.

The Shoals Marine Laboratory, operated in conjunction with the Cornell University of New Hampshire, is a seasonal marine field station dedicated to undergraduate education and research on the 95-acre Appledore Island, off the Maine–New Hampshire coast.

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14.

Cornell University is a non-profit organization governed by a 64-member Board of Trustees consisting of both privately and publicly appointed trustees.

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15.

Cornell University's succeeded Elizabeth Garrett, who served from July 2015 until her death from colon cancer on March 6, 2016 — the first Cornell president to die while in office.

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16.

Cornell University is decentralized, with its colleges and schools exercising wide autonomy.

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17.

Cornell University continues to attract a diverse and inclusive student body.

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18.

The Cornell University Charter provided for free instruction to one student chosen from each Assembly district in the state.

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19.

In December 2010, Cornell announced a policy of matching any grant component of financial aid offers from other Ivy League schools, MIT, Duke University or Stanford, if an accepted applicant is trying to decide between Cornell and those other schools.

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20.

On January 31, 2008, Cornell University announced a new financial aid initiative to be phased in over the following two years.

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21.

Cornell University is a member of the United Nations Academic Impact aligning institutions of higher education to the United Nations and promoting international cooperation.

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22.

Cornell University is the only US member school in the CEMS Alliance, and the Cornell University Master's in international Management is the only programme in the US to offer the CEMS Master's in International Management as a double degree option, allowing students to study at one of 34 prestigious CEMS partner universities.

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23.

Cornell University offers undergraduate curricula with international focuses, including the Africana Studies, Asian-Pacific American Studies French Studies, German Studies, Jewish Studies, Latino studies, Near Eastern Studies, Romance studies, and Russian Literature majors.

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24.

Cornell has an agreement with Peking University allowing students in the CAPS major to spend a semester in Beijing.

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25.

Cornell University offers a course on International consulting in association with Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

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26.

In 2020 Cornell ranked 7th in the US according to QS World University Rankings and 9th according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

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27.

In 2015, Cornell University ranked 8th domestically and 10th internationally in the CWUR rankings.

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28.

Cornell University was ranked 8th nationally in The Washington Monthly's 2022 ranking of universities' contributions to research, community service, and social mobility.

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29.

In 2015, Cornell University was ranked third in New York State by average professor salaries.

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30.

Cornell University Library is the 11th largest academic library in the United States, ranked by number of volumes held.

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31.

Cornell University Press, established in 1869 but inactive from 1884 to 1930, was the first university publishing enterprise in the United States.

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32.

Cornell University is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

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33.

Further, Cornell researchers discovered the rings around the planet Uranus, and Cornell built and operated the telescope at Arecibo Observatory located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico until 2011, when they transferred the operations to SRI International, the Universities Space Research Association and the Metropolitan University of Puerto Rico.

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34.

Cornell University scientists have researched the fundamental particles of nature for more than 70 years.

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35.

Cornell University United Religious Work is a collaboration among many diverse religious traditions, helping to provide spiritual resources throughout a student's time at college.

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36.

Cornell University housing is broadly divided into three sections: North Campus, West Campus, and Collegetown.

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37.

Cornell University began experiments with co-ed dormitories in 1971 and continued the tradition of residential advisors within the campus system.

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38.

In 2018, Cornell University announced its North Campus Residential Expansive project.

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39.

Additionally, Cornell University has several housing areas for graduate and professional students.

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40.

Cornell University has 35 varsity intercollegiate teams that have the nickname of the Big Red.

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41.

An NCAA Division I institution, Cornell University is a member of the Ivy League and ECAC Hockey and competes in the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the largest athletic conference in North America.

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42.

Cornell University offers a variety of professional and peer counseling services to students.

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43.

Formerly called Gannett Health Services until its name change in 2016, Cornell University Health offers on-campus outpatient health services with emergency services and residential treatment provided by Cayuga Medical Center.

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44.

For most of its history, Cornell University provided residential medical care for sick students, including at the historic Sage Infirmary.

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45.

In May 2013, Cornell indicated that it planned to set up nets, which will extend out 15 feet, on five of the university's bridges.

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46.

Cornell University Police protect the campus and are classified as peace officers and have the same authority as the Ithaca city police.

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47.

The Cornell University Police are on campus and on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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48.

Cornell University narrated and co-wrote the PBS series Cosmos, the Emmy Award- and Peabody Award-winning show that became the most watched series in public-television history.

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49.

Cornell University wrote the novel Contact, the basis for a 1997 film of the same name, and he won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence.

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50.

Cornell University has twice been named a "Great College to Work For" by The Chronicle of Higher Education, due to receiving high ratings in compensation and benefits, connection to institution and pride, faculty-administration relations, job satisfaction, and post-retirement benefits.

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51.

In 2015, Cornell University ranked No 5 nationwide for gifts and bequests from alumni.

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52.

Cornell University alumni are noted for their accomplishments in public, professional, and corporate life.

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53.

Cornell University went on to pen best sellers such as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle.

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54.

Media personalities who have graduated from Cornell University include conservative Ann Coulter and liberals Bill Maher ('78) and Keith Olbermann ('79).

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