I’ve got to admit that what passes for Cornell’s motto, “any person … any study,” sounds terribly trite and rather boring. Surely there must be a better phrase that encapsulates the essence of Cornell. Well, I’ve scratched my head and racked my brains and I’ve come up with … nothing. Our uncle Ezra had it exactly right.

Just think about it. If you have ever been to Clubfest, you’ll be overwhelmed by the veritable cornucopia of student organizations and groups at Cornell. I know a lot of students complain at what they perceive to be a waste of the student activity fee. I disagree. It is to the University’s credit that it encourages students to explore their myriad interests, whims and fancies. I believe the incredible variety of student organizations not only enriches the college experience, it also helps nurture small communities within the larger University community. Diversity, not conformity, reflects Cornell’s unique identity.

On a personal level, Cornell’s remarkable diversity has been richly rewarding in the friendships that I have developed over the past few years. I would like to pay tribute to two friends in particular who graduated last year. The first was a prominent student athlete, an inspiring leader of a number of student organizations and an exuberant extrovert. I, in sharp contrast, have been ever the stiff introvert. The other friend, a pre-med student, was an active fraternity leader who also possessed one of the sharpest minds on campus. I’m a history major, at a loss in the sciences, and, frankly, I don’t have a social bone in my body. Both of these friends helped me leap beyond my own timid boundaries. I would never have met these remarkable individuals but for Cornell’s determination to attract a diverse group of talented students with wide ranging interests.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to imply that pressures to conform don’t exist at Cornell. They do. For example, the pressure to drink alcohol is an endemic problem among underage Cornell undergraduates. I know the administration is trying very hard to address this issue — so far with limited success. The only consolation is that the problem of underage drinking is not unique to Cornell — it is an age-old problem. After all, Cicero in 48 B.C. complained bitterly about his son’s excessive drinking at college. Seriously. You can look it up.

On the academic front, of course, all of us are acutely conscious of the “pressure cooker” atmosphere that stifles intellectual boldness and creativity. We strive to excel and are fiercely competitive — that is what got us in to Cornell. As a fixture at Libe Café, I see my fair share of students stressed out over academics. Cornell’s rigid course distribution requirements, while well intended, compound these pressures. In addition, for seniors the grad school and professional school application process adds more fuel to the fire. Having just gone through the LSAT and law school applications grinder, I can tell you it’s no fun. I’ll concede that the blame for this academic rat race can be spread around, but this is a problem that needs to be tackled — otherwise intellectual curiosity risks being sacrificed on the altar of GPA.

I don’t mean to suggest that the University has fully realized Ezra’s vision. It has not. As Cornell grows and expands, the challenge of living up to “any person … any study” becomes easier and more difficult at the same time. Variety and choice need to be inextricably linked to a sense of community and shared values and traditions. We have to work harder to maintain Cornell’s unique identity. Those of you who have read some of my earlier columns know that I am a great fan of the College House system — but it is designed to nurture social ties, and we still have a long way to go.

We also have to find a way to transcend intellectual barriers. Despite the dizzying number of courses offered at Cornell, there are remarkably few that are truly multi-disciplinary or cross-disciplinary. Intellectually we seem to prefer the protective safety of rigid disciplinary boundaries. Variety is compartmentalized, so the different learning communities remain isolated. The one successful initiative to bridge the different undergraduate learning communities has been the New Student Reading Project. I think it would be worthwhile if similar initiatives could be launched throughout the undergraduate years. Diversity does not mean separation and isolation; rather it means social interaction and intellectual cross fertilization.

Cornell, nevertheless, has made great strides in realizing Ezra’s vision. The past few weeks, during which major financial institutions have been partially nationalized, have underlined the importance of building institutions on a foundation of sound finances. Cornell’s unique model of a private-public partnership looks remarkably far-sighted. And none can doubt that our University is a vibrant, multi-faceted community of immensely talented individuals. Ezra Cornell would be proud of his legacy.