Dear Ithaca College Community,
Last week, the Ithaca College Board of Trustees convened on campus for its winter meetings, held Wednesday through Friday, February 9-11. Members of the board were excited to once more be able to gather in person on South Hill, and trustees would like to recognize the incredible amount of dedication, focus, and care that has gone into ensuring a safe return to campus this spring semester. Trustees offer their immense gratitude to every member of this community for prioritizing health and safety during this ongoing pandemic.
The board would also like to offer sincere thanks to the members of the college community who participated in presentations and conversations with trustees during their time on campus. The opportunity to connect with staff, faculty, and particularly with students, is something the board values and looks forward to at each of our regular meetings.
Community Engagement
As has been the practice for many years, the board chair and vice chair held an open conversation after the meetings with members of the IC community. This session was offered via Zoom on Monday, February 14. Board chair Dave Lissy ’87 and vice chair Jim Nolan ’77 would like to thank the more than 50 students, faculty, and staff who joined this discussion. We appreciated your openness around some key topics, including the college’s evolution and direction, enrollment and class size, student and employee mental health and well-being, and the presidential search.
Additionally, while the board was on campus last week, trustees participated in a luncheon with members of the executive committees of the Faculty Council, Staff Council, and Student Governance Council. This, too, has become a regular practice when the board visits Ithaca. During Thursday’s luncheon, members of each constituent group provided the board with a brief presentation about their priorities and concerns, including the impacts of the pandemic, the prioritization of building and strengthening relationships among campus constituents, and each council’s work around specific policies and efforts. This set the stage for a robust and candid conversation, and we give our thanks to the members of the e-boards for their insights and opinions.
That afternoon, trustees engaged in an “immersion activity” with faculty and students from the Roy H. Park School of Communications. Immersion activities are planned for trustees during each meeting, and these sessions typically deliver an illumination of the student experience. In the Park School, trustees were treated to an outstanding event highlighting a range of innovation and opportunity for and by our communications students. Almost a dozen students were joined by members of the school’s faculty and leadership to provide a truly exceptional glimpse into the Park experience. Trustees would like to offer a hearty thanks to all who participated in this unforgettable program.
Plenary Sessions
Plenary sessions occur at each board meeting and provide trustees with deep dives into specific aspects of college business. This winter, we engaged in three such sessions with members of the college’s leadership.
Our first plenary, led by Tim Downs, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, provided an analysis and forecast for capital planning and projects at the college. Trustees were first presented with an overview of our existing campus, including work done to the physical plant over the past 10 years, as well as some specific, current needs for improvements and maintenance, focusing on the campus center, dining halls, and residence halls.
Downs also shared with the board the recent and ongoing work relative to space utilization on campus, which is guided by the goals of enhancing the student experience, increasing student satisfaction, and strengthening the college’s financial sustainability.
The board’s second plenary began with a robust exploration of the focused and strategic work done by members of the campus community to promote student retention. Laurie Koehler, vice president for marketing and enrollment strategy; Melanie Stein, interim provost; and Bonnie Prunty, dean of students, shared data about the current state of undergraduate student retention and success as well as possibilities for the future.
VP Koehler was then joined by trustee Jeff Selingo ’91, author of the book College (Un)bound: The Future of Higher Education and What it Means for Students, in leading a dialogue that included a review of data and trends that impact the national higher education landscape as colleges and universities navigate dramatic changes related to demographic shifts, a global pandemic, social unrest, unusual economic conditions, changes in admission practices, and a questioning of the value of higher education. They discussed IC’s trends over time, preliminary enrollment data for Fall 2022, and the many new strategic yield initiatives that are underway.
In the final plenary session, VP Downs provided the board with a preliminary preview of the FY23 operating budget. As a reminder, the board does not vote on the upcoming academic year’s budget until its May meetings.
Board Action
During its business meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve tenure and promotions for 14 faculty members, recognition of two faculty members as Dana professors, and the designation of 25 retired faculty members as professors emeriti. On behalf of the board, we wish to congratulate these past and present members of our faculty for their achievements and their contributions.
Our business meeting also saw the approval of the early release of necessary funds for annual capital maintenance (which covers line items such as facilities updates, exterior cleaning, and maintenance, repair, and replacement work in areas that need it). The early release enables the college to begin the planning and scheduling of this work, which will primarily take place this summer to lessen disruption to the student experience.
The board also approved additional funds for more substantive work on the physical plant, including much-needed enhancements and exterior restoration of Dillingham Center and the renovation of the Textor Hall roof.
The board meets again from Thursday, May 19, through Saturday, May 21, when trustees look forward to another slate of opportunities to support and engage with this IC community and, of course, participate in the college’s 2022 Commencement festivities.
Our thanks to all who contributed to last week’s meetings and Monday’s open conversation.
Sincerely,
David H. Lissy ’87
Chair, Board of Trustees
La Jerne Terry Cornish
Interim President