School of Industrial and Labor Relations

School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University is a world-renowned institution dedicated to the world of work. Founded in the aftermath of World War II, it is the only school of its kind within the Ivy League and offers comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. Its mission encompasses teaching, research, and outreach on issues involving employment, labor markets, and organizational behavior, influencing policy and practice globally.

History

The school was established by an act of the New York State Legislature in 1945, a period marked by significant post-war industrial strife and the rise of powerful labor unions like the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Its creation was championed by then-Governor Thomas E. Dewey and Cornell University president Edmund Ezra Day, with the goal of applying academic rigor to improve workplace relations and prevent disruptive conflicts like those seen during the Great Depression. Key early figures included founding dean Robert F. Wagner Jr., son of the senator behind the National Labor Relations Act. The school quickly became a national leader, expanding its scope from traditional labor relations to encompass all aspects of work, including human resources, organizational behavior, and international comparative labor systems.

Academics and programs

The school offers a multidisciplinary curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree, as well as several graduate programs including a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations, a Master of Professional Studies, and a Ph.D. The undergraduate program, one of Cornell's most selective, requires core coursework in economics, history, statistics, law, and social science as applied to work. Students can concentrate in areas such as Labor Relations, Human Resource Management, International and Comparative Labor, and Organizational Behavior. Graduate programs are offered in Ithaca and in New York City, with the latter serving many professionals from organizations like the United Nations and major Wall Street firms. The school also houses the highly ranked Cornell University Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution.

Research centers and institutes

The school is home to numerous research centers that drive evidence-based policy and thought leadership. The Cornell University ILR School Buffalo Co-Lab focuses on economic development and worker empowerment in Western New York. The Worker Institute engages in research and advocacy on contemporary labor issues, while the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies partners with major corporations to study strategic human resource management. Other key units include the Labor Dynamics Institute, which analyzes big data on labor markets, and the International Programs Office, which manages global initiatives and partnerships with institutions like the International Labour Organization in Geneva.

Notable faculty and alumni

The school's faculty includes leading scholars such as former dean Harry C. Katz, a renowned expert on collective bargaining, and Risa Lieberwitz, a specialist in labor and employment law. Distinguished alumni hold influential positions across sectors: in labor, former president of the AFL–CIO Richard Trumka; in corporate leadership, former CEO of IBM Samuel J. Palmisano and former CEO of The Home Depot Francis S. Blake; in government, former United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and former New York City mayor David N. Dinkins; and in sports, former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association Billy Hunter. Many graduates also serve as senior human resources executives at Fortune 500 companies.

Campus and facilities

The school's primary home is the I. M. Pei-designed ILR Conference Center and ILR School Building on Cornell's Ithaca campus, a facility that includes state-of-the-art classrooms, research labs, and the Catherwood Library, one of the world's most comprehensive repositories for materials related to labor and employment. The school also maintains a significant presence in New York City with facilities in Manhattan's ILR NYC Conference Center, which hosts executive education and graduate programs. These locations facilitate close connections with major employers, unions, and governmental bodies in the heart of the global business and labor community.

Category:Cornell University Category:Industrial relations Category:Universities and colleges in New York (state)