May 13, 2021 Cornell is undertaking a universitywide initiative that will better integrate central administrative units, schools and colleges after a series of functional reviews that began in April 2020 to identify potential cost savings to offset the financial toll of the coronavirus pandemic. “In an era of constrained resources, we always want to manage our expenses, so that we can invest in core priorities, and hold down tuition growth,” said Joanne DeStefano, executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Even before COVID, our financial projections showed very high growth in administrative expenses over time. As we have reduced administrative costs during the pandemic, we have positioned the university to be very strategic about the proper structure to effectively and efficiently deliver administrative services.”