To the Editor:

The recent article, "Cornell's Worried Image Makers Wrap Themselves in Ivy" (New York Times, Apr. 22, 2006), is all about form over substance, and if that is what really concerns today's Cornellian then, to steal a line from Ferris Buehler's Day Off, "I weep for the future."

For almost 20 years I have been an active member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network and for the last seven years I have also sat on the Admissions and Financial Aid Committee of the University Council. During that time no one ever suggested that Cornell's image suffered due to "apparel envy."

If anything, Cornell's image "suffers" because its greatest strengths make it impossible to describe in a simple sound-bite. It is: a unique construction of seven world-renowned undergraduate colleges, creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts that defies conventional description; great researchers and scholars who are dedicated and accessible teachers; a place where big science peacefully co-exists with excellence in the humanities; and over 200,000 living alumni who provide a network of support for the university and each other that is unparalleled in academia. The Cornell experience cannot be summed up in a popular ranking of colleges and universities.

Perhaps I'm being a little harsh, and to tell the truth, I really blame U.S. News & World Report because its rankings fail almost completely to deduce the essence of what a great university really is. But the students described in The New York Times article seem to lack the same understanding, and in that sense maybe Cornell somehow is failing them. Even the stab at constructiveness, recommending smaller class size, failed to show a deeper understanding that Cornell offers something truly special that transcends simple quantitative measurements.

Ironically, the image committee represents the best of Cornell - a spirit of initiative that creates leaders. "See a problem, find a solution," is a quality I know the admissions officers at Cornell seek out in creating the community of Cornell students. It is also a highly desirable trait sought by employers, most of whom recognize the value of a Cornell education. I'm just not convinced the committee's focus on superficial branding is ultimately correct. If they really want to make a difference, perhaps they should develop a ranking system that judges universities on their primary purposes - research, scholarship and preparing its graduates for life beyond the classroom.

Rob Hellman '76

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