Ithaca College Launches Community Agreement Reporting Form

By Dave Maley, September 2, 2020
College appoints off-campus community living coordinator.
Sign reading "Show that you care. Wear your mask!"

The college printed signs to encourage students to wear masks.

The college printed signs to encourage students to wear masks.

As Ithaca College continues efforts to prioritize the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff as well as members of the wider Ithaca community, it has launched an online form through which unsafe behaviors can be reported. In addition, the college has created the position of Off-Campus Community Living Coordinator to serve as a support resource for students living in the Ithaca community, whether they are fully remote or attending on-campus classes.

The Community Agreement Reporting Form is intended to provide both members of the IC community and the general public with a centralized way of informing the college if they experience or witness, either in person or via social media, an incident or activity (large gathering/party, failure to physical distance or wear face covering when appropriate, e.g.) involving IC students or employees that raises health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Agreement Reporting Form

Report unsafe behaviors using the Community Agreement Reporting Form.

Community Agreement Reporting Form

The college will use the information to address conduct that violates the Ithaca College Community Agreement—which all students, faculty, and staff must sign—and pursue disciplinary action where appropriate. The report will also be used to identify patterns of behavior and will help the college be more strategic when educating and/or preventing situations or concerns in the future.

The potential sanctions for violations of the Community Agreement can be found on the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards website.

“We expect all of our community members to be fully committed to meeting the expectations outlined in the agreement.”

Rosanna Ferro, Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life

“Ithaca College is sharing this information publicly so everyone knows that we are taking violations of this agreement very seriously,” said Rosanna Ferro, vice president for student affairs and campus life. “We expect all of our community members to be fully committed to meeting the expectations outlined in the agreement. Failure to do so threatens the health and well-being of everyone in the Ithaca community, and makes it less likely that the college will be able to open for on-campus instruction this spring.”

It is important to note that the Community Agreement Reporting Form is not an emergency response service. It could take up to 72 hours for a report to be reviewed. Individuals in need of immediate assistance should call 911 or contact the Ithaca College Office of Public Safety at (607) 274-3333.

Off-Campus Community Living Coordinator

Eileen Roth, who has served since 2018 as a residence director at Ithaca College, has been named to the newly created position of Off-Campus Community Living Coordinator. Roth will support the college’s pandemic preparedness and response efforts by

  • serving as liaison to the college’s Director of Public Health Emergency Preparedness regarding off-campus students;
  • providing educational resources and updates pertaining to health and safety for students living in the Ithaca community regarding the pandemic;
  • communicating and responding to off-campus student questions related to testing, daily health screening, and quarantine and isolation protocols;
  • creating an Off-Campus Advisory Council comprised of students and key stakeholders to help identify strategies to best communicate with and educate off-campus students; and
  • providing support/mediation for students experiencing conflicts with their apartment mates or landlords.

She will also serve as a liaison for the college with Cornell University’s off-campus living office, local landlords, and other community partners.

“It is our sincere hope that our students will take ownership of their behaviors for the health and well-being of themselves and others, but we also recognize that it takes an entire community working together to maintain accountability." 

Rosanna Ferro

Roth holds a bachelor’s degree in technology management from the Pennsylvania College of Technology and a master’s degree in conflict analysis and dispute resolution from Salisbury University. While at Salisbury, she served as a residence director and worked with the local conflict resolution center.

“It is our sincere hope that our students will take ownership of their behaviors for the health and well-being of themselves and others, but we also recognize that it takes an entire community working together to maintain accountability,” said Ferro. “By introducing the reporting form, and repurposing existing resources to establish this new support position, we believe that we can help create an environment that encourages smart decision-making.”

Ithaca College will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting for local community residents on Thursday, September 10, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. College officials will share information and answer questions about how the college is planning to support and work with its off-campus students during the pandemic. Visit here to register to participate in the town hall and to submit questions in advance.

The latest information and updates on Ithaca College’s planning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic can always be found on the Return to Campus website.