President Martha Pollack announces resignation in favor of prioritizing Cornell’s success over diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Cornell University President Martha Pollack has announced her resignation, effective at the end of June, following a period of campus unrest.

Despite Pollack’s departure, the divisive race-focused agenda she implemented will persist unless the trustees intervene to steer the school away from identity politics.

The decision for Pollack to step down likely stems from the turmoil that rocked Cornell’s campus after October 7, resulting in negative publicity, loss of donations, and congressional scrutiny.

In the aftermath of a tragic incident involving Hamas, the campus witnessed solidarity with terrorism under the guise of “decolonization.”

One student made violent threats against Jewish students and is now awaiting sentencing.

Additionally, a professor expressed excitement over the Hamas attack, leading to genocidal chants from the crowd.

This pattern of violence continued, with students at Cornell’s tent encampment advocating for an “Intifada revolution.”

Several students testified before House committees about the toxic atmosphere on campus.

Following escalating tensions, Pollack eventually denounced calls for genocide as a violation of campus regulations.

However, the root cause of the radicalization against Jews at Cornell remains unaddressed.

The intensified focus on race initiated by Pollack in the wake of George Floyd’s death played a significant role in this shift.

By adopting ideologies like those from Ibram X. Kendi’s book, “How To Be An Antiracist,” Pollack set the stage for a polarizing campus climate.

The campus-wide anti-racism initiative, including mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training, further entrenched these beliefs among students, staff, and faculty.

This push towards racial activism has divided the campus, with demands for racial employment preferences and calls to reevaluate the school’s relationship with Israel.

The subsequent permeation of group identity politics at Cornell contributed to the resurgence of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on campus.

Shifting the focus away from group identities and towards individual dignity is crucial to resolving the current campus tensions.

Ending the group-focused DEI initiative, rather than adding superficial measures, is the necessary step to address the root issues.

Cornell must reconsider its DEI approach and prioritize the value of each individual regardless of race or other identities.

Removing the DEI initiative entirely is essential to address the underlying issues at the university.

William A. Jacobson, a clinical professor of law at Cornell University and founder of The Equal Protection Project, offers this perspective.