Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

The School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) at Cornell University was established in 1945 as the world's first school for college-level study in industrial and labor relations. Along with Penn State, ILR offers one of only two four-year undergraduate programs in industrial and labor relations in the United States. ILR is a leader in graduate education in human resources and industrial relations along with the University of Minnesota's Industrial Relations Center (IRC; est. 1945)^[2] and the University of Illinois' Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (ILIR; est. 1945)^[3]. ILR is a New York contract college. The School is served by the Martin P. Catherwood Library.

History

In 1944, forces leading to the creation of the school came from leaders in American business, industry, labor, government, and education. They believed that a new type of school was needed that focused on issues involving the American workplace. Similar academic centers were also launched at the University of Minnesota and several other U.S. and Canadian universities.

Legislation leading to formation of ILR

More specifically, ILR was established in 1945 through acts of legislature by the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Industrial and Labor Conditions. This committee was headed by Irving M. Ives and was originally formed in 1938. Ives, along with others in the committee, determined that a fundamental dysfunction in the relationship between management and labor was that each group brought different technical information and skills to the negotiating table and that these differences were hindering the formation of mutually favorable outcomes. The committee’s response to this observation was to recommend that the state of New York provide “a common training program” for representatives of labor and management.^[4] The committee stressed that the importance of such a training program is “not merely attendance at the same institution or in the same school, but rather mutual and cooperative analysis of the problems common to both groups.” Indeed, a quote from the committee’s 1943 report adds:

In other words, it was the committee’s recommendation to provide common training to leaders from all perspectives of the management-labor debate. It was hoped that this common training would stabilize the negotiating table by producing leaders on all sides who have common technical information and competencies. In 1942 the committee recommended that ILR be established at Cornell University (the state’s land grant institution). Two years later, formal legislative action was taken and Governor Dewey approved ILR. On July 1, 1945 ILR became a going educational enterprise. The school was charged with the mission “to improve industrial and labor conditions in the State through the provision of instruction, the conduct of research, and the dissemination of information in all aspects of industrial, labor, and public relations, affecting employers and employees.”^[6]^[7]

Patriarchs of Leadership at ILR

Mr. Ives was the pioneering dean of ILR. However, soon after gaining this title he became a senate representative for the state of New York and left for Washington. Beginning in the summer of 1947, Martin P. Catherwood became the dean of ILR. The school was also championed by, then Chancellor of Cornell University, Edmund Ezra Day. The state of New York provided ILR with generous funding. Ever the dynamic institution, ILR soon had an established home at Cornell: facilities, multi-disciplinary faculty, and students, along with rapidly developing programs of study. From the beginning, “ILR embodied both the intellectual rigor of the Ivy League and the democratic spirit of state universities.”^[6]

Original Curriculum

ILR offered the first 4-year degree (B.S.) in the field of industrial and labor relations. Originally, students had ninety-seven of the required 120 hours prescribed for them. The first two years consisted of many social science classes such as American history and government, sociology, psychology, economics, and law. Students were required to take English and public speaking courses as well as courses in accounting and statistics. The last two years of coursework were the technical core: classes that were expected to provide the students with the technical skills and competencies which enable them to develop professional expertise within the field of industrial and labor relations. Examples of these courses include: history of labor and labor-union organization and management, business organization and management, and corporate finance. Beyond the classroom, students were expected to gain applied experience. This was achieved primarily through a required summer work-training program. To fulfill this expectation, students would spend three of their summers working in the field for each of the following types of organizations: industrial or commercial, government, and labor.^[8]

Academics

Departments

Degrees and Programs

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate Dual Degree Programs

Graduate Programs

The graduate-level degrees are offered through the Graduate School. The school offers the following programs for graduate students:

Professional Graduate Programs

Academic Graduate Programs

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ILR Admissions. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ About the Industrial Relations Center (IRC). Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ About Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (ILIR). Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ Ives, Irving, M. (1945). The New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations--A New Venture in Education. Journal of Educational Sociology, 19(1), 40-42
^ Day, Edmund Ezra. (1950). The School at Cornell University. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 3(2), 221-228
^ ^a ^b About the ILR School. Retrieved on 2007-06-13.
^ Rittenhouse, Ed. (1950). School with a Purpose. Journal of Higher Education, 21(7), 360-362+393
^ Shank, Donald J. (1947). Higher Education and Labor Relations. Journal of Educational Sociology, 20(8), 465-469
^ Undergraduate Curriculum. Retrieved on 2007-06-13.
^ MS Degree Track for BS ILR Students. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
^ ^a ^b Undergraduate Dual Degree Programs. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
^ Master of Industrial and Labor Relations. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
^ MILR/MBA Dual Degree Program. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
^ Master of Professional Studies Programs. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
^ Master of Science and PhD Program. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.

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