Student Advisory Council to the Dean

The Student Advisory Council's ultimate goal is to aid in the communication between students and the administration of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

“The CALS Student Advisory Council (SAC) is essential to the college’s goal of continuously improving the student experience at Cornell by providing an important link between the college leadership team and the most pressing issues on students’ minds. Council members meet with me on a regular basis to discuss issues that are important to students and that need to be addressed. The SAC has funding to support student projects, and therefore, contributes also directly to improving student life at Cornell.”

Dean Ben Houlton

The Student Advisory Council is an organization that communicates relevant issues to the dean to better the student experience at CALS.

The organization consists of students from various majors and departments and addresses topics ranging from improving DUST and student course evaluations to approving special funding requests from CALS student organizations, groups or individuals.

Contact the SAC

Please contact Mark Wysocki (mww3 [at] cornell.edu) with questions or concerns regarding the SAC or suggestions for improving CALS.

Most meetings are open to all CALS students, so please feel free to inquire about the date, time and location of our upcoming meeting. We welcome student input and hope to address any concerns you might have.

Apply For Funding From the SAC

The Student Advisory Council offers funding to CALS student organizations, groups or individuals looking to create or participate in trips, events, and other academically relevant pursuits pertaining to the CALS mission. To apply, simply fill out the form, which can be downloaded below, and submit it to the SAC chair. You will be asked to give a brief presentation to the SAC. We will then review your request in a timely fashion and submit our recommendation to the dean, who has final say in the appropriation of funds. Download the application here. 

Past Programs Funded

In past years, the Student Advisory Council has received funding applications from CALS-based organizations of various types and with differing objectives. A number of these applications have been selected to receive funding to help pay for a particular event. These groups are chosen based on how well they aid CALS in achieving its Vision and Mission Statements. After each funded program has been completed, chosen organizations are required to construct a short document containing a detailed explanation of the event for SAC records.