Cornell is one of relatively few institutions in the nation allowing the campus community to directly elect constituent members to its highest governing body. Students (alternating between undergraduate and a graduate or professional student) are elected to serve two-year terms, while faculty and staff are elected for four year terms, all as full voting members on the Board of Trustees.
More information is available about the Faculty-Elected Trustee, the election of the Dean of Faculty, and election of faculty representatives to University committees, through the Office of the Dean of Faculty.
Student, Staff and Faculty Elected Trustees
View All Members-
Selam Woldai
Selam Woldai Student-Elected Trustee (Undergraduate) sw685@cornell.eduSchool of Industrial and Labor Relations '23
-
Liz Davis-Frost
Liz Davis-Frost Student-Elected Trustee (Graduate/Professional) ed466@cornell.eduMaster's Candidate
-
Abigail C. Cohn
Abigail C. Cohn Faculty-Elected Trustee acc4@cornell.eduProfessor of Linguistics. Currently serving as Director of the Southeast Asia Program.
-
Melissa A. Hines
Melissa A. Hines Faculty-Elected Trustee melissa.hines@cornell.eduProfessor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
-
Reginald Harris White
Reginald Harris White Employee-Elected Trustee rhw32@cornell.eduSenior Director, Human Resources (Office of the Vice Provost for Research)
Employee-Elected Trustee Elections

The staff community directly elects a full voting member to the Board of Trustees to serve a four-year term.
Student-Elected Trustee Elections (Graduate/Professional)

The graduate and professional Student-Elected Trustee is elected in the spring of even years for a two-year term.
Student-Elected Trustee Elections (Undergraduate)

The undergraduate Student-Elected Trustee is elected in the spring of odd years for a two-year term.