Presidential Communications

Dear Campus Community:  

Every year, the Juneteenth holiday gives us a rich opportunity to commemorate the emancipation of the enslaved people who helped build our nation and to celebrate the incalculable contributions of African American culture. 

Marking this important day for reflection, Ithaca College will close again this Juneteenth, following a tradition dating back to 2021. Although the holiday is officially Monday, June 19, Ithaca’s historically Black Southside neighborhood will host a series of celebrations and gatherings this Friday, June 16 through Monday.  

The Southside Community Center (SsCC) will offer:  

• Black Business Expo and Job Fair: Friday, June 16, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at SsCC with keynote speaker IC professor Sean Eversley Bradwell.
• Block Party Festival, Saturday, June 17, 12 - 8 p.m. at SsCC. 
• Father’s Day Black Tie Dinner Dance: Sunday, June 18, 5:30 - 11 p.m. in Emerson Suites on IC campus. 
• Juneteenth Jubilee Monday, June 19, 7 - 9 p.m. at The Downstairs in Ithaca. 

I hope that members of the IC community will take the opportunity to join in these activities or find their own ways to celebrate and reflect on this significant holiday.  

Sincerely, 

La Jerne Terry Cornish 
President

Dear IC Community:

As promised last month, I want to provide the campus community with an update on the status of our search for a Vice President for Enrollment.

After giving it a great deal of consideration, I have determined that in the best interests of the college in having an individual who can be successful in meeting our critical enrollment needs, we will relaunch that search this fall.

For the coming year, Executive Director of Student Financial Services Shana Gore will serve as interim associate vice president, helping to meet the day-to-day needs of our enrollment division. Since joining Ithaca College in 2020, Shana has been instrumental in developing and implementing new approaches to our financial aid strategy to better leverage resources, strengthen enrollment, and provide greater transparency to students and their families and supporters. I am grateful that she has agreed to serve in this capacity.

We will also have the assistance of longtime enrollment management consultant Terry Cowdrey for 2023-24. Terry is a highly regarded admission strategist and industry expert who has held significant consulting roles with more than a dozen institutions, including Cornell, George Washington, and Loyola Universities. She served as Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at both St. Lawrence University and Colby College and was Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admission at Vanderbilt University. Her thorough knowledge of the current higher education admission landscape will serve the college well as we navigate this transitional year.

I will provide additional updates as we near the relaunch of the vice presidential search. I want to thank the campus community for its patience as we seek to fill this key position.

Sincerely,
 

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

A message from Board of Trustees Chair David H. Lissy ’87 and
President La Jerne Terry Cornish.

The Ithaca College Board of Trustees convened for its spring meetings on campus Thursday through Saturday, May 18-20. In addition to holding regular business sessions, trustees took the opportunity to recognize and connect with members of the campus community at events throughout the Commencement Weekend.

Approval of FY24 Budget
The board fully approved the recommended $204.3 million operating expense budget for fiscal year 2023-24. This budget reflects an estimated 4,099 full-time undergraduate students enrolled at Ithaca College for the coming academic year. It dedicates $116.9 million to unfunded institutional financial aid, a figure that does not include restricted financial aid, government funds, or donations and solely reflects the College’s direct investment in students.

The board also approved an $18.85 million capital budget, which includes $6.4 million earmarked for deferred maintenance projects, $2.15 million for IT upgrades, and $4.65 million for campus improvements, including work to refresh some of the Terraces residence halls. We would like to thank the members of the President’s Cabinet, the Institutional Effectiveness and Budget Committee, and all IC staff and faculty for your diligence and creativity in helping to craft a budget that reflects careful stewardship of College resources and purposeful investment in key strategic areas.

We are pleased that the approved FY24 budget provides for an overall 4% increase in total employee compensation and benefits. This includes a July 1 budgeted base salary increase of 3.5%. How that increment will be distributed across the campus will be communicated in a separate upcoming message. The College will also be increasing the TIAA employer contribution match from 7% to 7.5%, while maintaining the 3% required employee contribution to receive the employer contribution that was lowered from 5% in FY 2023.

Although the College is still striving to bring the employer contribution match back up to 9% in the coming years, the prioritization of the increase to the increment pool was an intentional effort to help assist our employees in a peak inflationary environment. The Board is sincerely grateful to our faculty and staff for your loyalty and dedication to the College and to our students and recognizes the importance of providing a competitive compensation package.

Plenary Sessions
The Board held several plenary sessions intended to provide trustees with insights into current issues of importance at Ithaca College and in higher education.

Chief Information Officer David Weil ’87, MS ’89 led a presentation on Analytics at IC and Strategy around Data with representatives from the Offices of Information Technology, Analytics and Institutional Research, and Business and Finance along with the Center for Student Success and Retention. The session helped trustees gain a better understanding of the data, research, and information that is currently available to inform strategic campus decisions and directions. Specific topics included data governance and security, how the College can continue to move toward a data-informed culture, and future projects intended to leverage key data and institutional metrics.

A session led by Dave Curry, Director of the Center for Career Exploration and Development, focused on the recent re-branding of the office and improvements to its services for students and alumni. The Center has changed the College’s model of student outreach to be one that better meets the needs of our current students, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, and in an ever-changing workforce landscape. Curry told trustees that the Center is looking forward to continuing to find ways to innovate its programming and build on faculty collaborations to better illustrate the importance of the career journey and the increasing value and focus on return-on-investment being placed on career outcomes as a part of higher education nationally and at Ithaca College.

The conversation on the topic continued over lunch, as trustees were joined by faculty and staff who have excelled at facilitating student career exploration.

Tim Downs, Vice President for Finance and Administration, was joined by representatives from the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management and Office of Risk Management for a presentation on Risk Management and Fiduciary Responsibility. They provided trustees with insights as to how risk is managed at the College, an update on what the roles and responsibilities are of the Board and the administration regarding risk management, and a review of some of the specific risks impacting Ithaca College.​

Laurie Koehler, Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Strategy, shared an update on preliminary new student enrollment metrics for Fall 2023, ongoing student retention efforts, and opportunities for the next enrollment cycle.

Approval of Faculty Promotions and Tenure
The Board was proud to honor the excellence and service of Ithaca College faculty by approving promotions of six faculty members to professor and three to associate professor, along with awarding tenure to an associate professor. We applaud these faculty and thank them for their continuing commitment to enriching the education of our students.

Welcoming New Trustees
The Board was pleased to elect five new members, each of whom brings valuable perspectives and experience, to four-year terms:

• Nancy Daniels ’94, P’25, who formerly oversaw content for the Turner networks and served as Chief Brand Officer, Discovery & Factual, with the Discovery Channel.
• Michael DeVito ’86, Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).
• Rev. Dr. Carlos Perkins ’99, Assistant Research Scientist and Associate Director of Engagement in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.
• Paula Rooney P’17, who retired in 2022 after serving for 27 years as President of Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts.
• Monica Bertino Wooden ’81, co-founder and retired Chief Executive Officer of MercuryGate International, a pioneer in the field of supply chain logistics.

Re-elected to additional three-year terms were David Fleisher ’91, P’20 and Peter Taffae ’82. Stepping down upon the conclusion of their terms were Kathy Newlands ’89, Jan Singer ’86, and Kim Zeoli ’89. We thank all of our trustees for their commitment and dedication to serving the College.

Celebrating Service and Philanthropy
Trustees took the opportunity while on campus to recognize members of the Ithaca College community for the many ways they contribute to the betterment of the College.

On Wednesday, we celebrated the contributions of the Newlands family with the naming of a classroom in Hill Center for the late William A. Newlands ’50, a physical education graduate and student-athlete who went on to have a celebrated career as a high school teacher and coach. A generous bequest from the estate of William and his wife Evelyn has established an endowment in athletics that will benefit IC student-athletes for generations to come. On hand for the dedication ceremony was their son Bill, whose wife Kathy is a 1989 graduate and outgoing member of the Board of Trustees.

On Friday afternoon, we dedicated the Alumni Circle Promenade, the beautiful new entryway to campus. Thanks to the vision and generosity of the Taffae Family Foundation and trustee Peter Taffae ’82, this space makes for a stunning first impression of the College. As evidenced by the constant stream of graduating students posing there during Commencement Weekend, it appears this picturesque site has quickly become a prime campus spot to take a magnificent selfie.

Trustees also expressed their gratitude to Linda Petrosino ’77, M.S. ’78 as she prepares to retire after serving for the past 11 years as Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. During her time at IC, she has demonstrated a dedication to the highest standards of leadership. In a formal proclamation, the Board thanked Linda for her “service, commitment, and devotion to her alma mater.”

Trustees were excited to take part in such a celebratory weekend on South Hill, which included the Campus Life Awards, Students of Color Awards, Commencement Eve Concert, Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony, and Sunday’s Commencement ceremony. We offer our congratulations to the Class of 2023—now our newest alumni—along with our hopes that staff and faculty will find opportunities for rest and rejuvenation over the summer months.

We thank you all once again for your dedication to the College and to one another.

Sincerely,

David H. Lissy ’87
Chair, Board of Trustees

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community:

I told our graduates this weekend that although they were standing on South Hill, they had climbed a mountain, and now, to all of you who helped pave the way, I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude for a stunning and joyful Commencement Weekend.

Every year, graduation rightfully feels like the greatest show on campus, and this year our faculty, staff, and students pulled off these events in spectacular fashion.  It was imperative that our guests felt safe, that our campus looked magnificent, and that our graduates had the jubilant, once-in-a-lifetime send-off that they deserved. Congratulations on a job well done!

Thanks to your diligence and creativity, our graduating students and their guests saw on full display our poise, pomp and pageantry. I know that making it all look effortless takes astounding effort, and I thank you for that.

To faculty and staff, I look forward to sharing my gratitude in person Thursday and to celebrating with you all that we have accomplished together this academic year. Please join me at our annual Employee Appreciation Picnic at noon on Thursday in the Campus Center Dining Hall and on the Campus Center Quad.

Again, on behalf of all of our graduates and their families, thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

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.

A Community of Connection

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.

A Community of Intention

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.

A Community of Care

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.

Aspirations

While there has been much to cheer about over the past year, obstacles remain to making progress in our aspirations to be the institution we strive to be, the institution that we must be. We must try harder. And we will try harder. We will never stop being a place that lives its values, not simply lists them. That is our commitment and our promise to the entire Ithaca College community. And I ask that you please join me in the hard work we will do in the coming year to accomplish our collective goals.

Thank you, all, for helping to make my first academic year as the 10th president of Ithaca College one that has been filled with passion, pride, and progress. I look forward to seeing you on South Hill as we celebrate the Class of 2023! Until then, may you be well, stay well, and take good care.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community:

I am pleased to announce that after nationwide searches, I have selected Laine Norton as Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement and Mark Eyerly as Vice President for Marketing and Communications.

Laine is currently the assistant dean for advancement and external affairs at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, while Mark has most recently served as vice president for marketing communications at Lafayette College. They each bring to IC the talents and experiences needed to lead their respective teams in a direction that reflects and reinforces the strategic plan and the college’s vision for the future.

I want to thank the search committees for delivering a deep pool of candidates for my consideration in filling these critical leadership positions.

You can read more about Laine and Mark in this IC News story. They will both be joining the college on July 1, and I hope that you will join me in welcoming them to South Hill.

We will also soon be sharing with the campus community an update on our search for the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Ithaca College Faculty and Staff:

While connecting with prospective students and families during this past Friday’s "Experience Ithaca" admission event, many families made it a point to share with me how much they appreciated seeing faculty and staff members taking the time to genuinely engage with their student.

This was also the case during our Saturday, March 25 event, when parents expressed their appreciation of seeing so many members of our faculty and staff present on a Saturday to answer their student’s questions regarding this most important decision of where to spend their undergraduate career.

To that end, I sincerely believe that each of you, regardless of your role with our institution, is poised to contribute to some of the most significant days of a person’s life.

What we as faculty and staff do with and for our students on South Hill matters. We are members of a living and learning community — a community that thrives when we show up for each other, especially on the days that matter most to our students and their families.

There are many opportunities for you to make a lasting impact on a student’s journey that demand minimal commitment. I ask that you please give thought to volunteering in support of the programs below, more information on which will be shared in the coming weeks:

• Commencement Eve Concert: Saturday, May 20, 2023
• Commencement Ceremony: Sunday, May 21, 2023
• Fall Move-In: Thursday, August 17, 2023
• Convocation and Community Picnic 2023: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

I am most grateful to you for considering the opportunities above. May you continue to be well, stay well, and take good care.

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Hello IC Faculty & Staff, 

The Office of the President invites you to the President's Residence for an Easter Egg Hunt on April 8th from 11:00 - 1:00 p.m. The address for the President's Residence is 109 Loomis Ct. Ithaca, NY 14850. 

Please come and join us for food, fun, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. The Easter Egg hunt will begin promptly at 11:45 a.m. Please RSVP at the link below by April 5th, so we can prepare enough food and prizes. 

Please RSVP HERE

Individuals who require accommodations please feel free to reach out to president@ithaca.edu. 
We look forward to seeing you all this weekend!

Dear Ithaca College Community:

The President’s Cabinet and I are committed to sustaining Ithaca College’s dedication to creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff can flourish as their authentic selves.

Respect and accountability continue to be core values of our thriving community on South Hill. And to sustain this community, we must live our values, not simply list them.

It is up to all of us to demonstrate practices that foster belonging, shared responsibility, collaboration, innovation, and achievement. That is why I am reaching out to you today to acknowledge and affirm the painful issues around racism that students of color have raised at the college in recent weeks.

I have read the testimonials that IC Rise Up has posted across campus, and I have encouraged others to do so as well. These statements, and those that were made at the two classroom walkouts organized by IC Rise Up, tell us that many of our students have experienced racist words, behaviors, and actions during their time on our campus. While we know that such experiences can happen at any time, in any place, and are all too common in our society, racist words, behaviors, and actions go completely against our values as a college and as a community and must be condemned.

We invite students to attend a listening session scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. in Emerson Suite B, at which we want to hear about all aspects of your Ithaca College experience, and we will be holding more listening sessions in April and May. We will also be conducting a new Campus Climate Survey in the fall, which will help give us a better understanding of the most pressing concerns of our community.

The President’s Cabinet and I continue to dedicate ourselves to addressing issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. It is our hope that the recently announced Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging will provide an improved organizational structure and much needed resources and support for this work.

To all of our students: Please know that I see you. I hear you. I care. And I am ready to work with you to create a more positive living and learning experience at Ithaca College.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
Presiden

Dear Ithaca College Community,

I am excited to announce the establishment of the Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Ithaca College. This Center will help advance our Ithaca Forever strategic plan goal of becoming a national model for colleges committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

As I stated last August at the All-College Welcome, one of my primary goals for this year was to develop an organizational structure to support the College’s commitment. Through redefining roles and repurposing resources, we have created a structure that can more effectively and more robustly address existing issues.

The new Center will:

• Provide a coordinated, strategic, and intentional direction for the institution;
• Build institution-wide accountability measures; and
• Create sustainable processes and support systems that build on, learn from, and honor the long history of collective work that precedes this Center.

The Center will operate under a three-person leadership team that will include Luca Maurer and Dr. Belisa González. Luca will serve as Executive Director of Student Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life; and Belisa will serve as Dean of Faculty Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The third member of the leadership team is still to be appointed, focusing on staff and reporting to the Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. The search for an individual to fill that comparable-level position will begin immediately.

While each team member will have a specific area of focus and portfolio of programs, they will collaborate across constituencies and the College to provide a holistic, strategic direction. The Center will be a campus-wide resource, serving in a consultative role for the institution’s equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts.

I will also be establishing a President’s Advisory Committee, with representation from across campus, in order to provide wider support for strategic initiatives.

I am especially grateful that Luca and Belisa have agreed to be a part of this new leadership team, as they possess significant expertise and have been passionately engaged in advancing our work for many years. They will begin transitioning to their new roles immediately, with the Center itself to launch on July 1, 2023.

We look forward to sharing more information as the launch date approaches. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating Luca and Belisa, and please join me in considering how you, as a member of our IC community, can assist with this essential initiative.

With gratitude,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community,

We invite you to join us for many opportunities to get to know President Cornish and your peers in informal settings all throughout the semester!

President Cornish will hold open office hours for students on the third floor of the Peggy Ryan Williams Center (PRWC) from noon until 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8; Tuesday, March 21; and Tuesday, April 4.    
                   
Stop by the PRWC lobby for coffee, tea, or hot cocoa on Friday mornings throughout the semester during Coffee with the President: March 10 (9:15-10:00 a.m.); March 24 (8:00-8:45 a.m.); April 21 (9:15-10:00 a.m.); and May 12 (9:15-10:00 a.m.).  

Also be sure to join us and your fellow colleagues for this semester’s Pop-Up Pub Campus Socials! These events will be held across campus, at a variety of locations to reach different populations. Please join us on Monday, March 27th from 4:30-6:30, to celebrate the class of 2023 in Emerson Suites,  A&B. We will host two additional Pop-Up Pubs held on; Wednesday April, 19th from 4:00-6:00 in the PRW lobby, and on Tuesday, May 16th from 4:00-6:00 in Clark Lounge. 

Enjoy cocktails, light hors d ’oeuvres, local wine and beer, and cheese and crackers during these informal get-togethers. All beverages are available for purchase (you must be 21 to purchase alcohol). Non-alcoholic beverages are also available.

And save the date for the IC Family Children's Easter Egg Hunt at the President’s Residence! 

Saturday, April 8 
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations for any of the above events should contact Reed Pollard at president@ithaca.edu or 607-274-3111. 

Dear Ithaca College Community,

The Ithaca College Board of Trustees convened on campus last week for its winter meetings, held Wednesday through Friday, February 8-10. A full slate of exciting activities afforded trustees opportunities to engage with and learn from and about students, faculty, and staff; immerse themselves in academic and extracurricular campus life; and deepen their understanding of Ithaca College’s place — and of its promise — in a changing higher education landscape.

Connecting in Solidarity and Celebration
One highlight of this year’s meetings was the opportunity to attend the Department of Athletics Scholar-Athlete Luncheon. Held in Emerson Suites, this annual event celebrates the exceptional achievements of current junior, senior, and graduate scholar-athletes. A hearty congratulations to the 63 outstanding scholar-athletes who were recognized at this year’s ceremony!

Following the luncheon and a full day of plenaries and presentations, trustees thoroughly enjoyed spending time with executive committee members from Faculty Council, Staff Council, and Student Governance Council during a reception and dinner that took place in the Campus Center. Trustees heard from each tri-council leader about their priorities and plans for this semester.

Immersion Initiatives
Both in and out of the classroom, across all five schools, IC students put theoretical concepts they learn in coursework into practice through experiential learning.

As many of these activities involve people, institutions, and locations beyond the college’s boundaries, the “Connecting Classroom to Community” immersion was designed to bring trustees together with students, faculty, and staff to highlight the ways in which IC’s academic experience is meaningfully connected to the community. The presentations showcased 18 Ithaca College initiatives, including monitoring the water quality in Cayuga Lake, providing free tax preparation services for low-income Ithaca community members, sharing public relations expertise with nonprofit organizations, and engaging with and highlighting STEM careers with local students at the Ithaca Youth Bureau.

Trustees had an opportunity to immerse themselves in another crucial component of life on our residential campus during a presentation on dining services by Tim Downs, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, Jeff Golden, associate vice president for auxiliary services, and Reginald Briggs, interim head of dining services. As a result of this session, trustees gained a recognition and deeper appreciation of the challenges that impact our dining services and applaud the efforts of the college’s dining leadership team to continue to enhance the quality and variety of offerings to our students.

Educational Deep Dives
On Wednesday, February 8, our IC community was honored to host a lively discussion in Emerson Suites featuring three distinguished higher education authorities: New York Times best-selling author and trustee Jeff Selingo ’95, enrollment strategist Adrienne Amador Oddi, and economics professor and author Dr. Nathan Grawe.

After graciously sharing his perspectives with the panelists and an audience of students, faculty, staff, and community members, Trustee Selingo presented at a dedicated plenary for trustees on Friday, during which he provided in-depth context to deepen their understanding of the current landscape in higher education. On behalf of our entire Ithaca College community, we thank Trustee Selingo for his commitment to sharing his expertise with his alma mater.

Trustees continued to enrich their understanding of trends in higher education — and how Ithaca College is responding to them — during a presentation on the impact of the college’s Center for Student Success and Retention (CSSR). Dr. Elizabeth Bleicher, dean for student success and retention, and Dr. Jacqueline Winslow, executive director for student success and retention, provided trustees with detailed updates on the center’s efforts to date.

CSSR’s work is grounded in six primary strategic initiatives, one of which is the development of a research agenda to identify key opportunities to impact the overall student experience, with the goal of influencing retention and graduation rates. Launched in August 2022, the center has made great progress on overarching systemic changes while also having already directly served over 300 students throughout the fall semester.

Trustees further immersed themselves in the college’s efforts to remove barriers to student success during an educational deep dive on the college’s financial aid strategy. Shana Gore, executive director of student financial services, and Laurie Koehler, vice president for marketing and enrollment strategy, shared how IC has developed and implemented new approaches to our financial aid strategy to better leverage resources, strengthen enrollment, and provide greater transparency to students and their families and supporters.

Board Action
During its business meeting, the board voted to approve tenure and promotions for 15 faculty members and designated two retired faculty members as professors emeriti. On behalf of the board, we congratulate these past and present members of our faculty for their outstanding achievements and their contributions to our learning community.

Our business meeting saw the approval of the early release of necessary funds for annual capital expenditures (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, scheduling, and ordering of material for this work, which will primarily take place this summer to lessen disruption to the campus.

We also wish to share our immense appreciation with the many members of our community who collaborated to provide trustees with opportunities to immerse themselves in the IC experience. Thank you for superbly showcasing life on South Hill.  

The board meets again from Thursday, May 18, through Saturday, May 20, when trustees anticipate another exciting slate of opportunities to support and engage with our community.

We thank you all once again for your dedication to the college, and to one another.

Sincerely,

David H. Lissy ’87
Chair, Board of Trustees

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Greetings IC Community! 

As we begin the new semester, I am reaching out to share how thrilled I am to have our entire community back on South Hill. I hope you have all taken the opportunity during these last few weeks to enjoy some time for relaxation, reflection, and restoration. 

To those who are joining our community for their first semester, please allow me to extend a warm welcome on behalf of all of us on South Hill. 

Save the date, Thursday, January 26, for our All-College Gathering hosted by the Office of the President. The event will take place from 12:10 – 1:05 p.m. in Emerson Suites. 

This is an in-person program designed to connect our entire community — faculty, staff, and students— after many weeks apart. Those living outside of the Ithaca area may email president@ithaca.edu to receive the livestream link.  

This will be a time for us to connect in celebration as we welcome new students to campus, recenter ourselves around our goals for the semester and calendar year, and reaffirm the strength of our community on South Hill and around the world. 

Our agenda includes: 

• Opening Remarks 
• Centering exercise led by Mary Ann Erickson, associate professor of health promotion and physical education 
• Thoughts regarding the "Ithaca Together: Inaugural Tour" and Workplace Culture by President Cornish 
• Remarks by Provost Melanie Stein on Shared Governance 
• Financial Update by Tim Downs
• Human Resource Survey by Kirra Franzese 
• Student Success and Retention Update by Elizabeth Bleicher & Jacqueline Winslow 
• Refreshments and fellowship 

I look forward to seeing you later this week, and I wish you an outstanding beginning to an exciting semester. 

See you soon! 

La Jerne Terry Cornish 
President 

Dear Ithaca College Community:

The President’s Cabinet and I are committed to sustaining Ithaca College’s dedication to creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff can flourish as their authentic selves.

Respect and accountability continue to be core values of our thriving community on South Hill. And to sustain this community, we must live our values, not simply list them.

It is up to all of us to demonstrate practices that foster belonging, shared responsibility, collaboration, innovation, and achievement. That is why I am reaching out to you today to acknowledge and affirm the painful issues around racism that students of color have raised at the college in recent weeks.

I have read the testimonials that IC Rise Up has posted across campus, and I have encouraged others to do so as well. These statements, and those that were made at the two classroom walkouts organized by IC Rise Up, tell us that many of our students have experienced racist words, behaviors, and actions during their time on our campus. While we know that such experiences can happen at any time, in any place, and are all too common in our society, racist words, behaviors, and actions go completely against our values as a college and as a community and must be condemned.

We invite students to attend a listening session scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. in Emerson Suite B, at which we want to hear about all aspects of your Ithaca College experience, and we will be holding more listening sessions in April and May. We will also be conducting a new Campus Climate Survey in the fall, which will help give us a better understanding of the most pressing concerns of our community.

The President’s Cabinet and I continue to dedicate ourselves to addressing issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. It is our hope that the recently announced Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging will provide an improved organizational structure and much needed resources and support for this work.

To all of our students: Please know that I see you. I hear you. I care. And I am ready to work with you to create a more positive living and learning experience at Ithaca College.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Ithaca College Faculty,

In advance of Tuesday’s Winter Celebration in Emerson Suites, I am reaching out to share my best wishes with you and your loved ones for a peaceful and restorative break and a joyous holiday season.

These past years of challenge and change have asked much of the members of our community, perhaps none more so than the members of our faculty.

As innovators and leaders in your fields, you are essential to all we do at Ithaca College. It is through your scholarship, teaching, research, service, and leadership that this institution empowers creativity and activates discovery in all who come to study on South Hill.

And so I wish to share my heartfelt appreciation with you for your continued commitment to supporting our students. I am confident that the new year will bring new possibilities to our campus as we collaboratively work to realize the promise of an Ithaca Forever community. Thank you, sincerely, for your transformative contributions to our community.

I look forward to seeing you at the Winter Celebration this Tuesday. Have a wonderful break!

With gratitude,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community,

It is with a grateful heart that I reach out to wish each of you a restful and relaxing Thanksgiving break. May the time you spend with family and friends be enjoyable and restorative.

Our community has collectively stepped up over this past year to enhance the signature IC experience that has enriched and transformed lives for 130 years. On behalf of the President’s Cabinet and myself, I wish to offer each of you our sincere gratitude for your perseverance and ingenuity.

Your strength inspires us to continue to innovate to foster success. I very much look forward to seeing all of you back here on South Hill as we close out an outstanding semester at Ithaca College.

Peace and blessings,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
Presiden

Dear Campus Community,

We are pleased to share with you the following summary of our most recent board of trustees meetings, held Thursday and Friday, September 29-30, on our South Hill campus. These intensive sessions offer an opportunity for our board not only to come together and collaborate around the business of the institution, but also to connect trustees with the IC experience and with the many people, topics, initiatives, and moments that define us as a college community.

The board’s fall meetings were intentionally scheduled so that trustees could participate in activities surrounding the presidential inauguration and Family
Weekend. On Saturday morning, our community gathered for Ithaca Together,
the formal installation of La Jerne Terry Cornish as the college’s 10th president. That evening, we were thrilled to join our students and families in experiencing the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance Inaugural Celebration and Showcase. Both events demonstrated the tremendous dedication and talent of our students, faculty, and staff as we celebrated this next chapter in the college’s history.  

These celebrations also overlapped with Family Weekend, affording families the opportunity to take in the historic festivities and deepen their connection to the IC experience. We were fortunate to enjoy a few days of sunny weather on South Hill which, along with the Apple Harvest Festival on the downtown Commons, contributed to a wonderful weekend for our visiting parents and families.  

Engaging with Our College Community

One of the most anticipated parts of our board meetings are opportunities for trustees to connect with members of the college community.

During this year’s fall meetings, trustees had the chance to immerse themselves in the IC student experience through attending classes across the college’s five schools.  Participating in these classes brought trustees together with students, faculty, and staff and provided important moments for members of our board to engage with the academic programs, opportunities, and experiences Ithaca College provides. Board members and the faculty who hosted them had the opportunity to connect over lunch and report back on the campus visits as well.

We ended our first day of meetings with a reception and dinner in Emerson Suites celebrating the college’s most recently tenured and promoted faculty. We were happy to recognize these professional milestones and to learn more about the expertise and achievements of these faculty members.

The engagement continued following the conclusion of the board’s formal meetings as chair David Lissy and vice chair James Nolan held their traditional open conversation with members of the campus community. We wish to share our gratitude toward the faculty, staff, and students who took part in this thoughtful and heartfelt session, held in Clark Lounge. The robust discussion touched on such topics as the role of the board of trustees and shared governance; efforts to improve enrollment, retention, and philanthropic support; and how to ensure that IC is an employer of choice and that academic and student services programs are provided with appropriate resources. Such opportunities for dialogue continue to be important as we move forward as an intentional and collaborative community of care.

Updates from College Leadership

President Cornish provided the board with an update on recent and upcoming individual and organizational changes in the President’s Cabinet, which you can read about here. 

Melanie Stein, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, provided updates to trustees on the college’s academic affairs division. Stein introduced the trustees to the collaborative approach being taken by the academic affairs leadership team, which consists of Stein and the five deans: Anne Hogan, Michael Johnson-Cramer,Claire Gleitman, Amy Falkner, and Linda Petrosino.

Stein and each dean shared information about their backgrounds; their individual and collective visions of and enthusiasm for engaging with the IC community; and opportunities for cross-disciplinary teaching and scholarship, both within their respective schools and across the campus.

During a presentation from Laurie Koehler, vice president for marketing and enrollment strategy, trustees learned about the work that began in 2018 and has culminated in the first college-wide brand strategy and platform. Koehler, along with Creative and Marketing Group team leaders Erin Davis and Melissa Marchese, presented the platform’s messaging and visual systems, as well as examples of creative execution for student recruitment and for alumni and campus community outreach.

Koehler also provided information about new and continuing student enrollment, and discussed the strategies implemented that resulted in a nearly three-point increase in the yield rate of admitted students, allowing IC to exceed budgeted enrollment targets.

During Friday morning’s session, “Towards a Sustainable Future,” Provost Stein and Tim Downs, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, noted that the institution has made substantial progress in recovering from the impact of COVID-19 that began in 2020. In outlining the curricular revision process, Stein cited the Ithaca Forever strategic plan goal of empowering students to explore wide-ranging subjects across the college and to construct or choose from curricular paths that best match their goals and interests.

Downs shared with trustees an update on dining services, as well as on the college’s recent partnership with Cayuga Health System to provide student health services.

On behalf of the board and the entire college leadership, we wish to thank the many members of our community who worked tirelessly and creatively to realize an unforgettable weekend on South Hill.

Our next board meetings will be held Thursday and Friday, February 8-9, 2023.

Sincerely,

David H. Lissy ’87
Chair, Ithaca College Board of Trustees

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President, Ithaca College

Dear Campus Community,

I am hopeful that you have been as energized by the first few weeks of the fall semester as I have. It has been my personal pleasure to attend and participate in so many events for and by our students, faculty, and staff. I particularly want to thank everyone in our community who took part in the activities surrounding my inauguration this past weekend, especially the wonderful showcase put on by our School of Music, Theatre, and Dance.

The start of a new academic year often brings changes in our administrative structures and organizations, and I wanted to take this opportunity to provide the IC community with an update on recent and upcoming developments.

First, I want to share the news that Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Strategy Laurie Koehler has informed me of her intent to depart Ithaca College at the end of the 2022-23 fiscal year. As many of you know, Laurie and her wife Carla’s family, including Laurie’s elderly mom and their two grandchildren, reside in Northern Virginia. Their desire to be closer to family became clearer throughout the pandemic, and so they will be returning to that region.

Laurie has provided tremendous leadership since joining IC in 2019, helping to build critical infrastructure, strengthen collaboration across areas, and navigate through the pandemic. The important work done by Laurie and her team resulted in the college exceeding its targets for new student enrollment this fall. I am thankful that we have a significant amount of time to prepare for her departure by conducting a national search and smoothly transitioning to new leadership for our enrollment and student success efforts by summer 2023.

Speaking of searches, I will also be moving forward immediately to identify two key members of the President’s Cabinet: Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement, and a newly created position of Vice President for Marketing and Communications. Ithaca College has secured the services of the highly regarded national search firm Isaacson Miller to recruit an exceptional pool of high-quality candidates for each position. I will provide more information to the campus community about next steps soon.

With the recent departure of Vice President for Human Resources and Planning Hayley Harris, I am pleased to announce that Kirra Franzese will now serve as Associate VP and Chief Human Resources Officer. In the interest of aligning resources most strategically and efficiently, our highly valued Human Resources team will now report to Vice President for Finance and Administration and CFO Tim Downs. Kirra has served IC exceptionally well for more than two decades, and I am confident she will continue to lead us toward our goal of becoming an employer of choice in the region.

 In addition, as you heard at the All-College Welcome, Emily Rockett has been promoted to General Counsel and will serve on the Cabinet in that capacity. Emily has done exceptional work as our College Counsel, and we are thrilled she is embracing the additional responsibilities that come with the General Counsel position.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that the Chief of Staff to the President, Odalys Diaz Piñeiro, has agreed to take on a critical additional role as Secretary to the Board of Trustees beginning October 15. Her strategic leadership skills will serve IC well as she provides executive-level support to the Board and ensures effective coordination and facilitation of the activities of the Board and its various committees. I want to thank and share my appreciation for Nancy Pringle, who returned from retirement in the spring of 2021 to serve as Secretary to the Board and most recently, along with Odalys, cochaired the Presidential Transition Team.

The year ahead holds tremendous promise for our beloved Ithaca College community. We have set clear institutional priorities and are already working hard to realize them. I look forward to doing so, as Ithaca Together.

Sincerely,

La Jerne Terry Cornish

President

Dear Campus Community,

I am pleased to invite you to “Students as Advocates and Change Agents,” the third event in the IC Day of Learning Series. This series, which kicked off in February with our “Grappling with Antisemitism” discussion and continued on August 21 with a visit from Dr. Michael Benitez, is designed to provide an opportunity for all to learn and discuss the ideas and issues of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in our community.

Next Wednesday, September 28, three celebrated activists for equity will visit campus to share their perspectives and insights on their work in a panel discussion that I am honored to moderate.

Luvaghn Brown began his active involvement in the Civil Rights Movement at the age of 16, when he was arrested for sitting at a “whites-only” Woolworth’s Department Store lunch counter in Jackson, Mississippi. This experience cemented a lifelong dedication to organizing initiatives designed to counter segregation, racism, and inequality. Luvaghn is featured prominently in the 2017 documentary “The Uncomfortable Truth,” excerpts from which will be shared during the panel discussion.

The documentary’s director, Loki Mulholland, attended Ithaca College to study cinema and photography in the 1990s. He is an Emmy Award-winning director and author whose works explore issues of race, inequality, and social justice. Loki’s passion was imparted at an early age from his mother, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, who grew up during a time of intense segregation in the South. As a white student at Duke University, Joan joined the cause by boarding a bus with other Freedom Riders to participate in sit-ins. The experience sparked Joan to dedicate her life to advocating for social justice.

Their work is as relevant today as it was in the 1960s, and we are fortunate that Luvaghn, Joan, and Loki will join us on campus to share their insights on how students — and all global citizens — can activate their capacity to be agents of change in their communities.

IC Day of Learning Series: Students as Advocates and Change Agents
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Ford Hall, James J. Whalen Center for Music
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

One of our Ithaca Forever strategic plan goals is to serve as a national model for colleges committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. To realize this, it is critical that we create spaces that allow for vulnerability and spark meaningful, and sometimes difficult, conversations around these topics. The IC Day of Learning Series is an extension of this goal, and it is my hope that the series empowers us to learn from each other as we work toward an equitable community.

I look forward to seeing you next week, and to hosting future events that engage, and challenge, our community.

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Ithaca College Community,

This Sunday, the nation will commemorate the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. As in years past, the Dillingham fountains will be lowered on Sunday in memory and in honor of the lives lost.

It was more than 20 years ago that the events of September 11 changed this country — and our world — forever, and directly impacted the lives of so many within our Ithaca College family. I wish for us to honor, specifically, the six members of the IC community who lost their lives as a result of these attacks. A Peace Pole and accompanying plaque bearing their names, located near the Muller Chapel pond, was dedicated on the first anniversary of 9/11.

At some point over the weekend, please visit the Peace Pole and the fountains. May our remembrance of the September 11 attacks acknowledge the magnitude of our loss as a nation, and may we also be reminded of the solidarity and comfort we find in connecting to one another as we strive to realize a better world.

In peace,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community,

It was wonderful to see so many of you in-person during this past Thursday’s All-College Welcome, and I am very appreciative of those who joined us via livestream. I hope that coming together in celebration of the new school year was energizing and exciting for all of us.  Let us embrace the promise and possibilities of this new year together!

You may view a replay of the event here and learn more about the strategic priorities discussed during the meeting in this IC news story.

We will convene once again on October 18 for a formal State of the College meeting. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, I thank you for all you do for our incredible community, and hope you will be well, stay well, and take good care.

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community:

It is with both sadness for the college and excitement for our colleague that I announce that Hayley Harris, vice president for human resources and planning, will be departing to become the associate vice president and chief human resources officer for the University of Chicago. Hayley will begin her new role there October 6.

Since joining IC in 2019, Hayley has served as a strategic partner to the college’s senior academic and administrative leadership while overseeing an innovative, collaborative human and organizational development division. Her many contributions to our institution include spearheading the successful implementation of Oracle’s cloud-based HCM and Payroll system.

Hayley also helped institute new flexible work and telecommuting policies, as well as the college’s Restorative Fridays, to respond to both the pandemic and current recruitment challenges. These initiatives to expand and promote wellness policies and programs are critical components of the Ithaca Forever strategic plan goal for our institution to thrive as an employer of choice.

I am especially grateful for Hayley’s leadership in launching these campus-wide efforts related to the strategic plan, and I would be remiss if I did not also applaud Hayley for her immense contributions to our goals of serving as a national model for colleges committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; as well as aligning the size of the workforce with the student population to ensure long-term sustainability for the college.

Follow-up information regarding future leadership of the human resources division will be shared with the campus community in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I hope you will all join me in thanking Hayley for her work on behalf of the college and in wishing her all the best in this new opportunity.

With gratitude,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President

Dear Campus Community,

Please be reminded that The Office of the President is hosting an All-College Welcome this Thursday, August 25, during the common hour, from 12:10 – 1:05 p.m. in Emerson Suites with an Ice Cream Social to immediately follow.

This is an in-person event for the entire community—faculty, staff, and students are welcome. As a reminder, if you cannot attend the event in-person, please email president@ithaca.edu and a link will be sent to you.

The All-College Welcome is an opportunity for us to connect in solidarity and celebration as we welcome new students to campus, recenter ourselves around our goals for the year, and reaffirm the strengths of our community of care. 

Our agenda is:

• President’s welcome
• “Mindful moment” activity led by faculty
• Overview of institutional priorities and goals for the year
• Introduction of the college’s cabinet, including our new deans
• Remarks by leaders of Faculty Council, Staff Council, and the Student Governance Council
• Brief presentation on campus renewal projects
• Ice Cream Social following formal event

In October, we will convene once more for a more formal meeting, where I will deliver information around the state of the college.

I look forward to seeing you Thursday, and I wish you a wonderful beginning to your academic year.

Take good care,

La Jerne Terry Cornish
President