WHEREAS most major universities in the world have a “faculty club” or a “faculty center,” and

WHEREAS Cornell University has had a faculty club and/or luncheon facility for over 50 years, which has important benefits to the university such as increasing professional and social interactions amongst faculty members, thereby improving faculty productivity, and assisting and enhancing recruitment and retention of faculty,

WHEREAS the existing faculty luncheon facility is to be closed at the end of the Fall 2010 semester, and

WHEREAS the Cornell Dean of Faculty conducted a survey of faculty members about the need for a faculty luncheon facility and the results indicated that a significant number of faculty members felt that keeping the facility is important, and

WHEREAS the 2010‐2015 Cornell University Strategic Plan calls for “develop a revamped faculty club on campus,”

Be it Therefore Resolved that

The Senate strongly urges the Cornell Administration, and in particular, the Provost, to reverse the decision to close the current faculty luncheon facility and keep it open until a suitable replacement is found, and recommends that a serious planning effort be undertaken, with Administration support and involvement, to ensure a sustainable faculty center that includes a luncheon facility.

Provost Response