David J. Skorton | |
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President of Cornell University | |
Term | July 1, 2006 – Present |
Predecessor | Hunter R. Rawlings III |
President of the University of Iowa | |
Term | 2003 – 2006 |
Born | November 22, 1949 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Alma mater | Northwestern University |
Profession | Medical Doctor, University President |
David Jan Skorton (born November 22, 1949) is an American professor of medicine and an academic administrator. He is currently serving as the president of Cornell University.[1]
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Skorton studied at the University of California, Los Angeles before transferring to Northwestern University, where he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1970 and an M.D. in 1974. He completed his medical residency and fellowship in cardiology at UCLA.
Skorton began his long career with the University of Iowa as an instructor in 1980. In 1981, he was named an assistant professor in internal medicine, and in 1982 he became an assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering.[2] While at the University of Iowa, he also served as vice president for research and as interim vice president for external relations, and he ultimately served as the nineteenth president of the university from 2003 to 2006.
Skorton was named as the new president of Cornell University on Saturday, January 21, 2006 and is the second Cornell president to arrive directly from the presidency of the University of Iowa.[3] Skorton stayed on at Iowa for the duration of the 2006 spring semester and officially assumed the Cornell presidency on July 1, 2006.[1] His inauguration occurred on September 7, 2006. In celebration of the occasion, the Cornell Dairy unveiled a new flavor of ice cream, "Banana-Berry Skorton."[4]
Skorton's acceptance of the presidency of Cornell University was met with enthusiasm by the students of the university, with Doug Mitarotonda, a student member of the university's board of trustees, calling him "clearly the right person to lead Cornell."[5] Professor Robert Frank, writing for the New York Times, noted that "leaders of his stature are in short supply…every university wants a Skorton."[6] Skorton's popularity has been cited as one factor in increased donations to the university.[6] Under Skorton's leadership, Cornell's capital campaign raised $2.5 billion in three years' time, despite a mounting global recession.[7]
Skorton's opening speech at ECAASU 2008, an Asian American student conference, was criticized by some for perceived insensitivity. In his speech, he praised the successes of Asian immigrants at Cornell and stated, "My wife and I have come to form a love affair with Asia."[8][9] Some Asian American participants were offended by Skorton's remarks, arguing that the speech perpetuated stereotypes of exclusion that classify Asian Americans as foreigners, exoticised by Orientalism.
In addition to his presidential responsibilities, Skorton maintains two academic appointments: he serves as a professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and as a professor in Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering on Cornell's Ithaca campus. Skorton chairs the Business-Higher Education Forum as well as the Task Force on Diversifying the New York State Economy through Industry-Higher Education Partnerships.[1] He established a University Diversity Council at Cornell University in 2006 and presently serves as its co-chair.[10] He also writes monthly guest columns for the independent student newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun, as well as a bi-monthly column for the Cornell Alumni Magazine.[1] Skorton is also heading the Reimagining Cornell program.[11] In a winter 2010 interview with Imagineer magazine, he said about the program intended to innovate the university:
With input from faculty, students, staff, outside consultants, our board, and alumni; we have an effort to look at those things you are asking about: What have been recent trends? What’s the environment like? What is the budget of the university likely to look like? What can we do to be the highest quality university we can going forward, assuming that resources are not infinite, but that they are finite and a bit constrained for the foreseeable future? What we are trying to do is be in a planning mode where we talk with each other on campus and listen to those who have been here like alumni and management experts. We try to do the best job we can of conceptualizing how to do things in a better, up-to-date way.[12]
According to Cornell University, Skorton's base salary is $686,683 for 2009-2010.[13]
On December 2nd, 2011, Skorton accompanied Billy Joel on flute, during Joel's rendition of "She's Always a Woman" at a concert at Cornell University's Bailey Hall. [14]
Academic offices | ||
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Preceded by Willard L. Boyd (interim) Mary Sue Coleman |
President of the University of Iowa 2002-2006 |
Succeeded by Gary Fethke (interim) Sally Mason |
Preceded by Jeffrey S. Lehman Hunter R. Rawlings III (interim) |
President of Cornell University July 1, 2006–present |
Incumbent |
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