History
CNY HUMANITIES CORRIDOR MILESTONES
2006
Corridor Launches
Mellon Foundation awards $1 million to Syracuse University, establishing a "humanities corridor" to connect humanities scholars at Syracuse University, Cornell University, and the University of Rochester.
Original thematic Research Clusters:
- Philosophy and Linguistics
- Cultures and Religions
- The Interface between Humanities and Science/Technology
- Visual Arts and Cultures
- Music History/Musicology
2008
Administrative Restructuring
- Gregg Lambert, Dean’s Professor of the Humanities and Syracuse University Humanities Center Founding Director, appointed as Principal Investigator.
- Co-Investigators appointed at Cornell University (Timothy Murray) and University of Rochester (Matthew BaileyShea).
- Each institution's humanities center (or division-wide interdisciplinary program) assumes all fiscal and administrative Corridor functions.
- Research Clusters redefined to allow for multiple Working Groups and projects in each theme.
2011
A New Grant and Expansion
Mellon Foundation awards another $1 million for the Corridor’s Phase II, including:
- The addition of two new Research Clusters:
- Literature, Language, & Culture
- Archives & Media
- A regional expansion to engage the schools of the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium in programming.
2014
Endowment Challenge Grant
Mellon Foundation awards a $3.55 million challenge grant to establish endowments at Syracuse University, Cornell University, and the University of Rochester, supporting the Corridor in perpetuity.
2015
Endowment Campaigns & Leadership Transition
Three founding institutions commence endowment match fundraising campaigns.
Corridor Co-Directorship changes as the University of Rochester launches its new Humanities Center, and Joan Shelley Rubin assumes its Directorship.
2017
Leadership Transition
Corridor Co-Directorship changes as Timothy Murray steps down from his position as Society for the Humanities Director, and Paul Fleming assumes this role.
2018
Endowment Challenge Completed
- Endowment matches complete, totaling $6.5 million.
- Inaugural Advisory Board convened to offer policy recommendations and feedback to Directors.
- New research cluster created in Historical Studies.
- Other clusters redefined, welcoming interdisciplinarity:
- "Musicology and Music Histories" becomes "Musicology/Performance Studies"
- "Philosophy" becomes "Philosophy/Critical Theory"
2019
Operational Shift & Leadership Transition
- Corridor begins operations on endowment funds across all three founding institutions.
- Principal Investigator changes as Gregg Lambert steps down from his founding PI position, and Vivian M. May (Director of the Syracuse University Humanities Center and Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies) assumes Corridor leadership role.
2020
Research Cluster Diversification
- Two new research clusters created:
- Humanities Futures
- Inequality & Social Difference
- Linguistics cluster expanded beyond its disciplinary origins to Linguistics, Semiotics, and the Study of Language.
2021
Annual Writing Retreat Established
Corridor expands its research impact, establishing an annual writing retreat in the Adirondacks for humanities faculty.
2022
Leadership Transition
Corridor Co-Directorship changes as Joan Shelley Rubin steps down from position as Humanities Center Director at the University of Rochester, and Peter Christensen assumes this role.
2024
Leadership Transition
Corridor Co-Directorship changes as Paul Fleming steps down from position as Society for the Humanities Director at Cornell University, and Durba Ghosh assumes this role.
Impact
"Humanities centers have become nimble collaborators …One of the most successful such collaborations is the Central New York Humanities Corridor, launched with Mellon Funds in 2006, that links humanities centers and faculty at Cornell and Syracuse Universities, the University of Rochester, and the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium representing Colgate and St. Lawrence Universities and Hamilton, Hobart and William Smith, Skidmore, and Union Colleges."
Mellon Foundation 2014 Annual Report: President’s Report
The humanities are the cornerstone of a liberal arts education, teaching us to think critically, to solve problems, and to communicate effectively. Since its founding in 2006, The Central New York Humanities Corridor has shaped a scholarly community, freed from disciplinary and departmental silos, playing a strategic regional role linking scholars across New York State. While no single faculty body can cover all the areas of specialization that figure into the fields of philosophy, linguistics, art, musicology, and literature, The Corridor leverages existing programmatic and institutional strengths to cultivate new synergies between its campuses. The Corridor’s programs permit scholars at one institution to work alongside colleagues with complementary interests at any of its affiliated schools. Through these connections between larger research universities and smaller liberal arts colleges, The Corridor impacts a broad swath of Upstate and Central New York, facilitating the scholarship and professional development of its faculty and students.
Endowment
In 2014, the Mellon Foundation awarded a total of $3.55 million to the Central New York Humanities Corridor, permanently endowing the Corridor at each of its three founding institutions. By the end of 2017, each institution had matched the Mellon awards bringing the total Corridor endowment up to $6.5 million with:
- $4 million at Syracuse University;
- $1.5 million at Cornell University; and
- $1 million at University of Rochester.
This endowment will support in perpetuity the Corridor’s mission of increasing both connectivity and collaboration and fostering cross-institutional partnerships.
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