X is for Xcellence, for which we strive mightily.
Xceptional, xemplary, ximious we want to be.
So xperts we hire —that is obligat’ry.
But it always takes more, and we can’t win so easily!
It needs working together, with mutual trust(ily)
Producing a synergy, and even a symphily.

Well, just about everyone strives for xcellence. It’s xhilerating to xperience the unfolding of a new research idea, to xplore it and xcogitate on it to uncover all its nuances, and then to xpress and xplain it in an xaration that others find xemplary and xcelse —and all this comes from striving for xcellence. It’s xciting to xpose students to new ideas and concepts and to have them react xuberantly, xceeding our xpectations in their grasp of the material. Not that this always happens, but it happens more often when one has xcellence.

Xcellence will happen in an academic environment if the environment supports it, strives for it, and even xpects it. An academic environment must hold all faculty in high xistimation, provide time for them to do their own thing, and encourage collaboration and communication. No one is xcluded or xcommunicated, and faculty will xult xcessively in the xploits of their colleagues. Jealousy and bitterness do not appear.

That is the kind of environment for which we strive at Cornell. We don’t always achieve it, because of human nature and because various xigencies block the way from time to time. But we are aware of the need for this kind of environment and work at achieving it. It makes for a more pleasant atmosphere.

Note:expatiating on the topic of xcellence was xhilerating but xhausting!