IC News

Dear Ithaca College Community:

As we close out another semester on South Hill and look to a joyous Commencement to celebrate the Class of 2023, I wish to share my heartfelt gratitude for all you have contributed to enriching the IC experience during this past year, my first serving as your president.

We as a community have accomplished so much. On national stages, students and faculty partnered to further research and showcase their talent, and IC was consistently recognized as a top institution among our peers as well as a top producer of Fulbright Scholars. Online, our Giving Day broke records with more than $2.5 million in donations raised for student-based initiatives in just 24 hours.

Our community has also faced challenges during this past year, including the discovery of antisemitic hate symbols on campus, and the conversations centered on painful issues of racism that have been raised by members of IC Rise Up in these last few weeks.

We have faced—and will continue to face—these challenges together. And we must overcome them together, if we are to realize our vision of becoming “a global destination for bold thinkers seeking to build thriving communities.”

As I reflect upon this past year and consider what is most important for our future, the three words that I keep coming back to are Connection, Intention, and Care. A commitment to these three values, with the Ithaca Forever strategic plan as our north star, has guided the work of the President’s Cabinet, with our overarching vision to keep students at the center of all we do and every decision we make.

South Hill has long been a place to form lifelong connections among peers and mentors, and it is my wish to expand and enhance our community’s opportunities and capabilities for fostering these critical connections.

Last fall, I embarked on a "listening and learning" tour to connect with alumni and hear the stories of our community members who are not on our campus each day. Consistent with our institutional priority to increase alumni engagement and leverage their expertise, I used these Ithaca Together Inaugural Tour stops to meet with hundreds of alumni, families, and friends—in 14 cities from coast to coast so far—who have been, and will continue to be, such a vital part of IC’s past, present, and future.

I also had the opportunity to gather with and recognize the talents of both alumni and students during “IC in the City: Reunion and Cortaca ’22, a wonderful weekend of celebration in New York.

On our own campus, I have been privileged to connect with members of our community, in formal and informal settings, to hear their diverse voices and perspectives. Whether it be with our Faculty, Staff, and Student Governance Councils, joining with my Cabinet at listening and discussion sessions regarding the student experience at Ithaca College, attending such signature academic events as the Whalen Symposium, or simply being among the crowds cheering on our student-athletes, I am continually struck by the passion and the commitment to the pursuit of excellence expressed by our IC community.

When we pledge to embark on an initiative, we must ensure we are intentional in placing the necessary resources behind that initiative.

Last fall, for example, we launched the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance—featuring a structure that enhances the ability to promote our strengths in these distinctive disciplines as well as our dedication to building upon the proud legacy of our founding as the Ithaca Conservatory of Music.

That transformation—and the intentional process used to achieve it—aligns with multiple goals in the Ithaca Forever strategic plan, including that of structurally supporting and valuing collaboration, interdisciplinarity, curricular flexibility, and shared governance.

Our newly launched Center for Student Success and Retention and revamped Center for Career Exploration and Development further demonstrate our determination to ensure that programs are purposefully constructed, organized, and staffed to help achieve our goal of “becoming a national model for student success, engagement, and well-being.”

Finally, we have fully implemented the “Ithaca Commitment,” which provides a higher level of support for students and families. Our innovative approach to addressing the affordability of a college degree simplifies the process of applying for financial aid and reduces the uncertainty of college costs by capping the increase in tuition, fees, and room and board and by providing a transparent four-year financial forecast for every undergraduate student.

If we are truly going to create a “Community of Care,” we must all live our IC values together—with respect and accountability at the core.

At our All-College Welcome last August, I stated that one of my primary goals for this academic year was to develop an organizational structure to support the Ithaca Forever strategic plan’s goal of becoming a national model for colleges committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Reaffirming our dedication to sustaining an environment where students, faculty, and staff can flourish as their authentic selves, we took a giant step forward this spring by establishing the Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Ithaca College.

I believe that through the work of this Center we can more effectively and robustly advance our goals while also addressing the acts and incidents of intolerance and racism that continue to be reported on our campus. And it is only though a true community of care that we can achieve our goal of fostering a thriving Ithaca College that celebrates equity and authenticity.