Quick Start PRESIDENT SKORTON HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

WHILE MANY DENIZENS OF THE HILL were on vacation this summer, President David Skorton moved into his Day Hall office--and got right to work. In fact, he was on the job even before his official start date of July 1, coming to campus in late spring for meetings with faculty, students, and staff.He also attended Reunion Weekend, where he and his wife, Robin Davisson, seemed to be everywhere: greeting alumni at receptions and meals, waving to the crowd at the State of the University address, and joining the singing on Cornelliana Night.He describes the weekend as "eye opening," saying, "I had a lot of interaction with alumni at the University of Iowa, and they're terrific there, but I'd never seen or heard anything like a Cornell Reunion Weekend. That was a great introduction to the passion of the alumni. It was fabulous."

One of Skorton's first projects was a renovation of his personal office, which-- thanks to design concepts from Architecture, Art, and Planning dean Mohsen Mostafavi--is being converted into a "showcase for creativity" that will feature rotating exhibits of faculty, student, and staff art.While the paint was still drying, Skorton hosted a series of meetings with faculty and staff, but he hit the road, too, heading off campus for town-gown get togethers with leaders in the political and educational spheres. He also traveled to Washington on one of the hottest days of the summer to meet with both of New York's U.S. senators and other government officials. The few remaining moments on his schedule were filled out with calls and confabs with members of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Overseers at Weill Cornell Medical College, as well as discussions with all of the University's living former presidents. "I've been meeting with people who have a stake in our present and future," Skorton says, "and all of those were very positive, very helpful meetings--every one of them."

Looking ahead, he's eager to see the students return--and plans to address them directly in a monthly column for the Daily Sun. He has also agreed to write a regular presidential column for this magazine. In the fall, Skorton will have more meetings with faculty and staff, participate in planning sessions for the upcoming capital campaign, and, of course, celebrate his inauguration on September 7. So far, he says, his time as Cornell's twelfth president has been "great--even better than I anticipated."

Rawlings Honored  RESEARCH PROGRAM RENAMED

ON MAY 26, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES approved a resolution that gave a new name to the Cornell Presidential Research Scholars (CPRS) program. Henceforth, it will be known as the Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholars program. Rawlings, who served as Cornell's president from 1995 to 2003 and as interim president for the 2005–06 academic year, has been a strong supporter of the CPRS since it was founded in 1996. The program provides financial support for about fifty undergraduate scholars each year. "I'm very proud of the resolution," said board chairman Peter Meinig '61. "Hunter has been a driving force behind the University's effort to provide research opportunities for undergraduate students."

Plan Ahead CU LAUNCHES INFORMATIONAL SITE

CORNELL'S COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN (CMP), SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION in Fall 2007, will guide the long-term development of the campus, addressing land use, building construction, transportation, and related issues over the next twenty-five years. In July, the University launched a website--www.masterplan.cornell.edu--to provide information and updates about the planning process. The site includes a profile of Urban Strategies Inc., the consultants hired to develop the CMP, as well as answers to frequently asked questions and an e-mail form for submitting queries to Mina Amundsen, the university planner.

One of the key positions in the master-planning team was filled in July, when the University announced the appointment of Kyu-Jung Whang as vice president for facilities services, effective September 5.Whang, a registered architect and professional planner, comes to Cornell from Rutgers University, where he served as vice president for university facilities and capital planning.Whang will report to Stephen Golding, executive vice president for finance and administration.

Money Man CU NAMES INVESTMENT CHIEF

JAMES WALSH HAS BEEN APPOINTED CORNELL'S CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, replacing Donald Fehrs '77, who announced his resignation in January. Fehrs remained in his position until April, and University Treasurer Pat Johnson served as interim CIO through the summer.Walsh comes to Cornell from Hermes Pensions Management in London, where he was executive director of strategy and alternatives for the largest pension fund in the U.K.He holds a master's degree in economics from Birkbeck College, University of London.

'Remember the Trees' REDBUD WOODS, THE PLAQUE

ONE YEAR AFTER THE END OF THE PROLONGED CONTROVERSY OVER THE BUILDING of a West Campus parking lot, the name "Redbud Woods" will live on--via a memorial plaque. In July, the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works voted to allow a group of community members, including faculty and students, to erect the plaque on city-owned land near the site of the former woods. Cornell constructed a parking lot on the parcel of land last summer despite determined opposition.

The July 5 vote followed a mini-controversy of its own, in this case wrangling between plaque proponents and Cornell administrators over the wording. The final version will read:

The land before you was once home to the extended family of Robert H. Treman, creator of parks and protector of green spaces throughout Tompkins County. The woodland that grew up here was inhabited for decades by diverse fauna and more than fifty plant species, including numerous redbud trees. Redbud Woods was razed on July 20, 2005 by the Cornell administration to build a parking lot.

This plaque has been erected by Ithaca community members in memory of this cherished woodland.

Remember the trees . . . Remember all who tried to save them.