This appointment marks the first major academic leadership selection under Provost Kavita Bala and Michael Kotlikoff as Cornell’s 15th President. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees voted on June 2 to approve the five-year appointment, effective August 1st.
The Dean position involves working with the academic departments that teach graduate students. Although Cornell faculty are hired by the various individual colleges and departments, the Cornell Graduate School uses that same faculty to mentor master’s and Ph.D. candidates. Dean Boor heads the Cornell Graduate School, the Cornell unit accredited to issue Ph.D. degrees.
During her tenure, Dean Boor played a leading role in the negotiations with the Cornell Graduate Students United (CGSU-UE) that resulted in the CGSU’s in collective bargaining agreement. Dean Boor was also responsible for the training programs to assist graduate students to be effective teachers.
The Cornell Review could not determine what changes Lewis plans to make at the Graduate School. Lewis and Boor have contrasting backgrounds. Boor graduated from Cornell in 1980 and earned a Ph.D. at U.C. Davis before returning to teach at her alma mater. Lewis graduated from Brown in 1990 and earned a Ph.D. from Stanford in religious studies. Lewis taught at the University of Iowa (1999-2003) and Harvard (2003-2007) before returning to teach at Brown in 2007. Boor has a STEM background specializing in identifying biological factors that affect transmission of bacteria in food systems. She served as Dean of CALS from 2010-2020, Chair of the Foods Science Department from 2007-2010, and is serving on the Board of Directors of Seneca Foods (where outgoing Board Chair Kraig Kayser was CEO).
According to Cornell’s press release, “Thomas comes to us with an outstanding track record as an innovator in graduate education,” Provost Bala said. “His dedication to ensuring excellence and supporting graduate students in all the disciplines represented at Cornell will be a great asset for the Graduate School.”
Lewis said he is committed to advancing many of the priorities that Boor instilled during her tenure, including supporting faculty in their roles as mentors and advisers; further developing career and advising in the Graduate School and providing guidance for graduate students who may be considering careers outside of academia; and maintaining and promoting transparency about funding policies for graduate students.
In addition, Lewis plans to work closely with departments across the university.
“In many ways, the heart of what we do sits within the individual fields, so we want to make sure we are working closely with faculty and students as we think about ways to continually evolve the structure and shape of graduate education,” he said.
He will also identify ways to navigate the shifting landscape of funding for doctoral students, while also supporting productive changes and innovations in curricula that account for ways in which disciplines have been reshaped over time.
“This is a pivotal moment for graduate education,” Lewis said. “Though there are pressures from multiple directions, there are also tremendous opportunities.”
Additionally, Lewis said he aims to leverage Cornell’s footprints in New York City to offer new opportunities for internships in industry, museums and government spaces, which could support a wide range of career directions for graduate students.
Lewis leaves Brown University which is currently attempting to address a structural budget deficit by expanding the number of Masters students. The Brown Spectator has criticized a plan to double the number of Brown’s resident master’s students. Meanwhile President Kotlikoff announced that the number of admitted graduate students at Cornell will be reduced in light of federal funding uncertainty.
Cornell has 7,798 graduate students as of Fall 2024, while Brown has 3,331. Cornell has a much larger STEM program than Brown.
According to the Brown press release, Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III said Lewis has guided meaningful progress across multiple dimensions of graduate education at Brown.
“Tal has made a lasting impact on graduate education through his thoughtful leadership, collaborative spirit and deep commitment to students,” Doyle said. “His vision has been grounded in the understanding that graduate students play an essential role in the life of the University — both as scholars and as teachers — and his work has focused on ensuring their academic, professional and personal success.”
Under Lewis’ leadership, the University bolstered support structures for doctoral and MFA students across more than 50 programs, aligning academic excellence with robust student support and financial planning, Doyle noted. Lewis strengthened relationships across the University, building strong partnerships with faculty in academic units, student organizations and, importantly, at the School of Professional Studies, which oversees Brown’s portfolio of more than 30 master’s programs spanning all disciplines.
Time will tell what improvements Lewis can bring, but it is clear that Lewis enters at a turbulent time for higher education. Marked by funding cuts, technological disruptions, and a shifting economic landscape, Lewis’ tenure will likely be marked by his ability to steer the University through these challenges and lay the groundwork for future success.
