The institutional leadership structure to support diversity consists of three leaders tapped to represent faculty, staff, and students, respectively, and are known as the Presidential Advisors on Diversity and Equity (PADE). The leadership team is chaired by Deputy Provost Avery August who represents faculty. He is joined by Associate Vice President of Inclusion and Belonging Sonia Rucker representing staff and the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students Marla Love representing undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Project Leader, Victoria White in the Office of the President works closely with the PADE to help progress the Belonging at Cornell framework.

College and Unit Leadership

Each of Cornell's colleges and many organizational units have assigned Belonging at Cornell leads with diversity offices and professionals who regularly inform and collaborate with the PADE. Some colleges and units maintain their own diversity councils/committees. For more information visit college-maintained websites.

About PADE

Avery August
Deputy Provost and PADE Chair

As Deputy Provost, Professor August oversees the Provost’s Office of Faculty Development and Diversity, which provides a wide range of programing for faculty development and diversity, support and training for department chairs and associate deans, and faculty hiring strategies. Also among his responsibilities are Provost’s Bridge programs for faculty diversity and dual career, dean’s searches, Provost’s liaison for the Faculty Committee on Program Review and Tenure and Promotions. Professor August joined the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Cornell in 2010 as Professor of Immunology and Chair of the department.  He was previously appointed Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in 2018, and began his appointment as Deputy Provost in 2022.

Marla Love
Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students

Marla Love serves as the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students. Prior to that, Marla served as Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Equity working directly with the diversity and student empowerment units in the Office of the Dean of Students to create an intersectional programming model that engages our students in new and innovative ways. She worked closely with our partners in Campus and Community Engagement, as well as in the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives to produce powerful synergies and collaborations that enhance the student experience and deepen our commitment to underserved student communities. She also worked closely with the Senior Associate Dean for Care and Crisis Services to find ways to blend our approach to crisis management with an inclusion model that keeps Cornell on the leading edge of campus-wide crisis management. She also serves as chair of the university’s Bias Assessment and Review Team (BART) for student only related bias incidents.

Sonia Rucker
Associate Vice-President for the Department of Inclusion and Belonging

Sonia Rucker is the Associate Vice-President for the Department of Inclusion and Belonging and staff representative on the Presidential Advisors on Diversity and Equity. Rucker served as the Vice-President for Equity, Access and Behavioral Health, the Dean of Students, and the Title IX Coordinator at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri from 2015-2021. Rucker previously worked at Cornell University from 2003-2012 as a university-wide crisis manager for the dean of student’s office, associate director of diversity and inclusion with the Johnson Graduate School of Management, program manager for the ILR Graduate Programs Office, and associate director of counseling and community outreach with the Office of Minority Educational Affairs. Rucker also worked in various roles at Southeast Missouri State University from 2000-2003, including as the Tutorial Coordinator for TRIO/Student Support Services, Assistant Director and disability services coordinator for the Learning Enrichment Center and as a Crisis Response Coordinator for Counseling and Disability Services.

Victoria White
Project Manager, Office of the President

As project leader in the Office of the President, Victoria White leads high level strategic programs and projects for presidential and provost initiatives that contribute to the progression of university priorities. Using her experience of leading global strategic programs and implementing diversity & inclusion practices in industry, Victoria facilitates the execution and adoption of our new framework, Belonging at Cornell.

PADE Community Statements

• Update on racial justice initiatives at Cornell (September 4, 2020)
• Supporting all members of the Cornell community during COVID-19 (March 31, 2020)
• Community building and support (February 7, 2020)