Two of the primary focus areas of the Cornell Experience Modernization Initiative have entered a pivotal new stage—the build phase— where teams are configuring systems and defining how key administrative processes will operate across the university.

For the Cornell community, this marks a step toward a more consistent and streamlined experience for everyday activities like hiring, getting paid, managing budgets, and accessing financial information across all campuses.

6, 2026, CEMI Town Hall, Curt Cole, Vice President and Chief Global Information Officer, shared that Workday, the system that will be used for HR, finance, budget, and eventually student services, entered its build phase in late March. Workday is already used on the Ithaca campus for HR, and this phase represents a broader effort to redesign and expand it to meet the needs of the entire university.

Cole also noted that the donor and engagement experience system, Kindsight Ascend, began its build phase in April. The data and analytics program is approaching its own build phase, and student services continues pre-build work. Together, these efforts represent a significant transformation: redesigning and implementing systems and processes to improve the digital experience of every Cornell community member.

At the Town Hall, two university leaders shared a closer look at early progress within the Workday program. Eric Saidel, Assistant Vice Provost for Human Resources at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Cara Squicciarini, Interim University Controller, highlighted how teams are translating plans into system configuration and process improvements.

Reimagining HR: Consistency, Mobility, and Clearer Pathways

Saidel described an extensive, cross-campus effort to create a more unified and intuitive HR experience. Teams from across Cornell are examining how work happens today and identifying opportunities to better align processes.

A key priority is reducing fragmentation between campuses and systems. Today, even routine activities such as transferring to a new role or moving between locations can require navigating entirely separate processes and tools. The goal is a more seamless experience supported by shared systems, consistent workflows, and clearer organizational structures.

Work underway includes developing a common job architecture and aligning recruiting and performance processes. This and other work will provide greater transparency for both employees and managers.

Transforming Finance: Simpler Processes, Stronger Insight

Squicciarini highlighted similar progress in the finance space, where teams across campuses and functions are working to simplify complex processes and improve access to information.

Current efforts focus on reducing manual steps, improving visibility into transaction workflows, and enabling more timely, reliable reporting. These changes aim to make common tasks—such as tracking budgets, managing approvals, and accessing financial data—more straightforward and efficient.

Beyond day-to-day improvements, the future Workday environment is expected to strengthen internal controls and support better decision-making through more consistent and accessible financial data across the university.

Supporting the Work: Targeted AI Use and Community Engagement

While the primary focus remains on setting up Workday to meet Cornell’s needs, the Town Hall also touched on how AI and community perspectives are supporting the effort.

Cole described a measured, practical approach to AI, using it selectively to assist with tasks such as data cleanup, documentation, and other time-intensive implementation work.

Equally important is the involvement of the people who carry out these processes every day. Their participation in workshops, design sessions, and reviews continues to shape how the system is configured, helping ensure it reflects how work actually happens throughout Cornell.

Use a campus login to watch the recording:

• Weill Cornell Medicine New York and Qatar: CEMI Webinar 5/6/2026 
• Cornell Ithaca and Tech: CEMI Webinar 5/6/2026