Rebranding Cornell Plantations to better reflect our mission, vision

Our Executive Director, Christopher Dunn, will recommend changing our name to “Cornell Botanic Gardens" to the Cornell University Board of Trustees, who are expected to vote on the proposed name change at their Oct. 28 meeting. The new name will more clearly identify this place as a public garden and better reflect our new mission, vision, and the depth and diversity of our programs.  

During the past year, our staff and Advisory Council have been engaged in a strategic planning process, which has included consideration of whether the name “Cornell Plantations” supports the mission, vision, values and brand of our organization, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and Cornell University. Through all of our discussions, as well as focus groups and a survey conducted by an external consultant, we found clear and significant support for a new name among people who have been actively engaged with us, including Cornell faculty and students, donors, Advisory Council members, and volunteers. Three-quarters of all survey respondents supported a new name, and most chose “Cornell Botanic Gardens,” or a derivation thereof. The name change has the support of Interim University President Hunter Rawlings and his leadership team, CALS Dean Kathryn Boor and the college’s senior leaders, and the Plantations Advisory Council. Kathryn Boor and Christopher Dunn are planning to present the recommendation to the Board of Trustees at their October meeting.

The Cornell Chronicle article "Rebranding of Cornell Plantations to better reflect mission, vision," more fully describes the process and factors that have led to the recommendation to change our name, and additional information and FAQs are available on our website.

On October 12, The Cornell faculty Senate passed a resolution encouraging the board of trustees to approve “Cornell Botanic Gardens” as the new name of Cornell Plantations. Read more in the October 13 Cornell Chronicle article "Faculty Senate votes for Cornell Botanic Gardens naming."