President Kotlikoff must resign now

We have been horrified by recent video evidence showing President Michael Kotlikoff hitting two Cornell students with his car and fleeing the scene. Instead of having dialogue with students about one of the most pressing issues of our times—both on our campus and in the world at large—Kotlikoff escalated a situation to violence, putting the lives of multiple Cornell students at risk. This lapse in judgment—to intentionally back his car into a group of undergraduate students and drive away—is inexcusable.

Given this behavior, we are deeply concerned with Kotlikoff’s lack of capacity to handle the crises on our campus. Kotlikoff’s volatile reaction in response to students’ efforts to engage in peaceful dialogue demonstrates a concerning lack of leadership skills. Putting the lives of students at risk is disqualifying behavior for the leader of an Ivy League institution.

We, the CGSU-UE Local Executive Board, call for President Michael Kotlikoff’s immediate resignation.