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Working at Cornell

Culture

We are committed to creating a positive, welcoming environment where every member of our community can thrive.

group of diverse employees informally chatting, laughing

 

Values

What matters in our workplace.

At Cornell, all of our efforts are united by what President Martha E. Pollock calls "educational verve" -- a vitality infused by the spirit of discovery, a passion for ideas, and a commitment to seeking truth, for the benefit of our community and the world at large.

In our workplace, this verve is shaped by our values, embedded in our employee "Skills for Success": integrity, inclusion, vision, communication, initiative, judgment, and growth; and expressed by our Big Red Spirit: bold, caring, passionate, and dedicated to excellence.

We truly believe that working at Cornell is more than a job; it's an opportunity to be your best, most authentic self, within a vibrant, welcoming community.

 

Diversity and Inclusion at Work

Diversity of perspective and experience is crucial to an institution of higher learning and research.

This extends to every member of our community, in every role in our workplace. 

An inclusive workplace empowers each person to bring their whole self to work and contribute fully to the mission and objectives of the university.

Cornell's commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

 

Community

When you work at Cornell, you join a vibrant community of extraordinary people.

Enjoy the wealth of events, volunteer opportunities, and programs to help you find support, care, and connect with your colleagues.

A community where you belong 

 

Wellbeing

Cornell recognizes that employee wellbeing extends beyond the workplace.

Thrive at work and beyond with programs to support all the dimensions of your wellbeing. Learn about the many resources available to Cornell employees to help with physical and mental health, parenting, caregiving, finances, sustainability, personal crises, and more.

Learn about resources to support your wellbeing

 

Appreciation

Our culture of appreciation is an expression of a community that genuinely cares for one another.

Cornell recognizes the hard work it takes to achieve excellence in our mission. We cultivate a culture of employee appreciation in ways great and small, through individual expressions of care, service recognition programs, and awards to celebrate individual and team efforts.

Employee appreciation and recognition  

 

Sustainability

Sustainability goes deeper than recycling and conserving energy.

Sustainability is about exercising responsibility to manage the needs of the present without compromising the quality of life for future generations. Sustainability extends far beyond ecology to include technology, business, society, and even personal sustainability.  

Cornell is a global leader in sustainability and climate change research, teaching, and engagement. At Cornell, you'll find that our commitment to sustainability infuses every level of the university, from policymaking to procurement to personal wellbeing and more.

Learn about sustainability at Cornell

 

Health Promoting Campus

Health Promoting Campus: Our work as a Health Promoting Campus is designed to transform the health and sustainability of our current and future societies, strengthen communities, and contribute to the wellbeing of people, places, and the planet.

Video Transcript

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[Christine] I think what it means to be a health 
promoting campus is for us to really  

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set an environment where that promotes health and  

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wellbeing amongst all of our faculty and 
staff and students. Um... it changes the culture.

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[Avery] What does it mean to be a health 
promoting campus or university, it's a great question.

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[Julie] It means looking at the systems and the 
structures and the settings here at Cornell.

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[Michelle] The policies that we have in place to help people 
thrive. [Aaron] It's not just an add-on it's 'not maybe  

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you do this'. It means you... you feel it in small 
ways everywhere. [Christine] And we make sure that we have a  

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place where folks feel like they can take care 
of themselves. [Avery] We exist to support students. As  

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faculty and staff um... we're not able to do that 
unless we're our best selves.  

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[Cortney] I think it's as simple as a campus that supports structures that promote wellbeing for everyone there;  

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students, staff and faculty. [Avery] And what that means is 
not just physical best selves, but... but mentally as well.

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[Michelle] It's also about seeking to understand how 
people interact with those systems and those  

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policies to understand their impact. [Julie] And the 
ways that we can improve upon things so that  

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we are supporting holistic health and wellbeing 
for everyone. [Aaron] Through, through colleagues, you see  

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it through leadership, um you feel it. [Michelle] And how 
the wellbeing of one population impacts the  

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wellbeing of another. [Avery] We need to bring um... you 
know, the best parts of us to our classrooms and  

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to our engagements with the students. And so when 
I think about a Health Promoting Campus I think  

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about how do we support our faculty and staff 
so that they can do that. [Ryan] For me this commitment  

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is foundational to making sure we always stay focused on that in all of our decisions, all of  

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our policies and all the ways we think about 
supporting this campus holistically.