How to React to VP Susan Murphy’s Retirement, According to the Student Assembly
Author: Dani Kellner
If you don’t know that Vice President for Student and Academic Services Susan Murphy ’73 Ph.D. ’94 is retiring at the end of June 2015, you must be behind on the news. This is a big announcement, as her retirement will certainly have some major implications for our university. Like what, you ask?
If you’re anything like me, you’re not really sure. You know VP Murphy is a hugely important Cornell administrator, but you don’t quite know what her role over the past 20 years has been. Fortunately for us, our friends in the Student Assembly do! I asked them to tell me how they’re reacting to the news of her retirement, so we can figure out how to process it ourselves. Here’s what they had to say:
VP Murphy will be sorely missed by everyone on the Student Assembly. Without her unwavering support and encouragement, so many of our most successful initiatives would have seemed impossible to achieve. I can’t thank her enough for the time she has spent working with the SA, and countless other students, to improve the quality of life of Cornell students.
–Sarah Balik ’15, President, Student Assembly
Susan Murphy has had a profound impact on Cornell and its student body over the past two decades. She has always been accessible to students and has consistently and diligently worked to improve the student experience. On a personal note, Vice President Murphy has been a mentor – I continue to learn from her every day and I look forward to continuing to work with Vice President Murphy until my graduation.
–Ross Gitlin ‘15, Student Trustee, Cornell Board of Trustees
Susan Murphy connected with students on their level while embracing her ability to give institutional knowledge and advice. She is real and students are her priority. I know the campus will miss her presence.
–Juliana Batista ’16, Executive Vice President, Student Assembly
Vice President Susan Murphy has meant an immense amount to the student governance process and I’ve been lucky enough to see her depth of knowledge and genuine care towards student issues. Despite minimal interactions, she has meant an immeasurable amount to me and I wish her all the best of luck in her well-deserved retirement.
–Matthew Stefanko ’16, Vice President for Finance, Student Assembly
From the sound of these beautiful tributes, VP Murphy truly cared about each and every one of us, even if she never knew us personally. I am grateful to know that we students have had such a passionate and kind advocate on our team during our tenure at Cornell. I think we’re all going to miss her.
(Photo courtesy of http://pawprint.cornell.edu)
