If anything, this semester has demonstrated that David Skorton, the doctor, probably has a pretty good bedside manner. He's certainly no Doctor House. Consider the following at his address today to the Ithaca Rotary Club: "I was the one who made the decision to do that," Skorton said. "So if you have a beef about it -- and I have a beef about it -- you can talk to me."Skorton thanked Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson for following Cornell's example and "putting up those horrible fences, which I also put up on the bridges owned by Cornell." The fences were meant to prevent impulsive suicidal acts after the deaths of three undergraduates who jumped from the bridges into gorges on campus.
Say what you will about Skorton, and I know he has received some criticism for his use of ghost writing and for not being as accessible as Lehman, but I have to applaud the way he has handled the tragedies of this semester. His abillity to weave humor, grace, and principled leadership through adversity is something to admire.
There's also a hint of future changes to come:
Skorton said administrators at the university plan to review the overall student experience, including the grading system and other aspects of student life. However, he said, competition is an inherent part of a top-notch university and will remain part of Cornell.
MetaEzra previously suggested some changes that Day Hall might want to consider.
