Hunter and Elizabeth Rawlings feted at Greek-themed dinner

Rawlings at Klarman
Michael O'Neill/Alumni Affairs and Development
Interim President Hunter Rawlings speaks at the celebration held for him and his wife, Elizabeth, March 23 in Klarman Hall.

The third time was indeed the charm for Interim President Hunter Rawlings and his wife, Elizabeth Trapnell Rawlings, who were feted with a celebratory reception and dinner March 23 by the Cornell University Board of Trustees.

About 150 trustees, university administrators, faculty and staff filled Klarman Hall’s Groos Family Atrium for the occasion. The space, already graced with classical statues, was further transformed for the dinner in ancient Greek décor (paying homage to Hunter Rawlings’ academic specialty), using projected imagery, drapes and performers in togas.

Much of the gratitude expressed – and humor offered – centered on the unprecedented three terms Rawlings has served at the university’s helm; he was Cornell president from 1995 to 2003, then returned as interim president 2005-06 and again from 2016 to 2017 (he is interim president until April 17, when Martha E. Pollack will become president).

Provost Michael Kotlikoff offered a pre-dinner toast, remarking that among the many things he has learned serving with Rawlings this past year were “the wisdom to focus on big things; the value and strength of bedrock principles; [and] the importance of remembering the joys of discovery and communicating them as often as possible.

“In appreciation of ‘the third time’s the charm,’ I’ve gotten you the Greek letter gamma as a charm – number three in Greek,” Kotlikoff said. “To Hunter Rawlings III: three times a president, and all-time Cornell hero. And to Elizabeth Trapnell Rawlings, who so graciously served three times as well. We offer our profound gratitude and best wishes for a wonderful retirement. And we promise we won’t call again.”

Performers dressed in Hellenic garb sang several humorous songs (to the tune of “You’d Be Surprised” and “Never on Sunday”) with lyrics customized to Cornell and the Rawlingses. The menu featured foods that extended the Greek theme.

Harrison at Rawlings fete
Michael O'Neill/Alumni Affairs and Development
Robert Harrison ’76, chairman of the Cornell University Board of Trustees, speaks during the dinner honoring Hunter and Elizabeth Rawlings.

Following dinner, board Chairman Robert Harrison ’76 took the stage to trace the path of Rawlings’ career, noting that it was lucky for Cornell that a scouting report on Rawlings, who as a Haverford College undergraduate was pitching for the baseball team, concluded: “Good fastball. No curve. Go back to school.”

Rawlings did just that, going on to complete a Ph.D. at Princeton, joining the faculty at the University of Colorado and eventually becoming president of the University of Iowa “to train for Cornell,” Harrison said.

As president and in his terms as interim president, Rawlings stuck to a consistent vision, took bold paths and turned ideas into realities, Harrison said, citing Rawlings’ aim to make Cornell the best research university for undergraduates; his launching of the North and West Campus Residential Initiative; the creation of the Cornell Presidential Research Scholars Program that now carries his name; his bridging of Cornell’s campuses and strengthening connections between them; and taking strong public stands on teaching evolution, the importance of the humanities, and keeping Cornell accessible to all qualified students.

Permanent tributes planned

Harrison announced the university will create a permanent tribute to Hunter Rawlings in Goldwin Smith Hall, the home of the humanities at Cornell for more than a century, by installing a quote of his in the building’s foyer (from a 2015 column he wrote in The Washington Post):

“Genuine education is not a commodity, it is the awakening of a human being.”

Greek chorus at Rawlings event
Michael O'Neill/Alumni Affairs and Development
Performers in ancient Greek dress sing satirical songs about Hunter Rawlings’ three terms as Cornell president.

The lettering, which will be installed later this spring, will be visible on the archway over the stairs leading to Klarman Hall, the newest humanities building on campus.

To pay tribute to Elizabeth Rawlings, who has been a leader on campus through her service to many campus and community organizations, Cornell will name one of the gardens behind the A.D. White House in her honor, Harrison said; a plaque will be installed this spring.

The board of trustees also planned to pass a resolution honoring Hunter and Elizabeth Rawlings for their unparalleled service to the university, Harrison said, presenting them with a copy (it was unanimously approved at the meeting the following day).

A ‘lovefest with the faculty’

“What Hunter truly loves is interacting with the faculty – engaging with ideas and being stimulated and inspired by the quality of Cornell’s faculty,” Kotlikoff said. “It has been a lovefest with the faculty for the past year.”

That was the focus of Rawlings’ remarks as he stepped to the lectern at the evening’s close. “I really have had a fantastically enjoyable year,” he said, describing his approach to returning to the job for a third time: He called faculty members directly, asking them if he could visit them in their offices and find out what they were working on.

Rawlings with Touchdown
Michael O'Neill/Alumni Affairs and Development
The Big Red Bear dons a toga and poses with Hunter and Elizabeth Rawlings, and Robert S. Harrison ’76.

“I went over and had one-hour, two-hour conversations that were just unbelievable,” he said. “I never took the time before, in [my] first two terms, to really sit down with a bunch of faculty in different fields, one on one, and say, what are you working on?”

He described fascinating conversations with computer scientists, philologists, economists and a string theory physicist. This led to him regularly bring together small groups of faculty members, about once a month, to talk for an hour and a half.

“And that’s what most of us just don’t see at Cornell, across the departments,” he said. “I can’t tell you how stimulating and exciting and fulfilling it is to have those 90 minutes to talk with [them] … so thank you for having us back, so I could do that for a year.”

Media Contact

John Carberry