Dear Campus Community,
I hope all of you had a restorative break and are beginning 2021 refreshed and strong. As we start this new year, it is with a heavy heart that I deliver the news to this campus community that Bill Guerrero, vice president for finance and administration, recently shared with me his decision to leave Ithaca College to become the vice president for finance and administration at Springfield College. This opportunity will allow Bill to live in Connecticut, where his family has remained since he joined IC in 2018. His last day at the college will be Friday, February 26.
I am moving swiftly to work with Bill and the talented staff who report directly to him to develop a thoughtful and thorough transition plan. The college is fortunate that Bill leads a dedicated, experienced team within the Division of Finance and Administration who possess tremendous professional experience and institutional knowledge. As we look ahead to the immediate future, the college is in excellent hands under the leadership of Dr. Tim Carey, Associate Vice President, Facilities; Dave Prunty, Executive Director, Auxiliary Services; Beth Reynolds, Controller, Office of Business and Finance; and Dave Weil ’87, MS ’89, Parent ’22, ’24, Associate Vice President, Information Technology, with the dedicated support of Melanie Reyes, Executive Assistant.
Bill’s commitment to frequent engagement with campus constituencies, notably through his regular InFinity meetings, and his deeply collaborative work with the Institutional Effectiveness and Budget Committee (IEBC), has served not only to disseminate important information and educate our college community, but also to spark an informed, participatory spirit in all areas of his division and across campus as well as an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist for Ithaca College.
Simultaneous to the creation of an interim leadership transition plan, I will immediately initiate a search process to fill this important position, so Ithaca College doesn’t miss a beat in continuing the critical work of maintaining our financial health and stability as well as the continuity of the many operations that fall under the Division of Finance and Administration. I will share more details in the near future about this process as it takes shape.
Finally, I am fully aware that we are in a demanding and tumultuous time for the college—particularly related to our financial health—as we move through a period of significant change. I want to affirm my gratitude for the work that Bill has done since he joined the college in 2018, and I want to underscore my confidence in the strength of his team as we look ahead. I also want to take this opportunity to thank this community for all the work you have done, and continue to do, to ensure the resilience of this institution and to sustain the power of the IC experience for our students.
With gratitude,
Shirley M. Collado
President