Ithaca College

Welcome to the 2003-2004 school year and to Intercom, the faculty and staff information center of Ithaca College. Through Intercom, all campus employees can learn about news, events, and developments across South Hill as well as receive news and notices from their IC colleagues.

What makes Intercom special is that you make it work. The stories are submitted by you and your colleagues so that everyone can know about the latest accomplishments, events, and opportunities throughout the Ithaca College community. And it's updated continually, as new stories are submitted.

Helping to keep you abreast of this news is the "Roundup," an e-mail digest of the latest submissions to Intercom. It's sent to all employees, arriving at your in-boxes every Monday.

Events Calendar
Another resource to help keep you up-to-date on campus events and visitors is our online events calendar. It has a link on the College's home page and contains several calendars, including a master calendar, to help our community members see what's happening on campus.

Again, the success of this resource depends on you. When you enter your confirmed event on this calendar, you're publicizing it to all visitors to the site. Seeing when and where other events are listed will help maximize your planning while encouraging participation and attendance at your event. This also should help everyone avoid schedule conflicts, which often force potential audience members to choose between two or more great events on campus.

Campus Resources Online
All official IC websites can be found through the site index. For starters, here's a smattering of what's offered on campus through our website and Intercom:

News and Information
Intercom -- the faculty and staff information center

• "Welcome to Intercom"
  
• "Changes to Intercom"

Event Planning and Listings

• News Releases
  
• Events Calendar (also accessible from the College’s home page)

Campus Announcements

• Phase II of construction at the College Circle Apartments complex is now complete, adding living space for 340 more students to the College's residential capacity.
  Intercom: "Completed College Circle Apartments Now Open"
• The Ithaca College directory will undergo changes this year: The listings will include only faculty and staff information. Student information can be found via the online directory, which also lists campus contact information for faculty and staff.
  Intercom: "Changes in the Campus Directory"

Special Events
This school year will launch the College's freshman summer reading initiative, a program designed to introduce our incoming students to the Ithaca College community of learners. First-year students, faculty, and staff read our inaugural selection, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride, over the summer and will discuss the book in joint sessions on Tuesday, August 26. McBride will visit the campus one week later, on September 2, for a lecture and jazz performance -- see Lecture by James McBride

The start of the fall semester is an exciting time for our campus. Our calendar is chock-full of events meant to offer a little something for everyone, especially students past and present. These links take you to websites or information on some of our marquee events for early this semester.

• Convocation/Community Picnic -- Monday, August 25
  Intercom: "Convocation and Picnic to Honor New Year, Faculty, and Famed Architect"
• Thaler Concert Violinist Series to Feature Elmar Oliveira -- September 12
  
• Homecoming 2003 -- September 12-13
  
• Professionals Symposium -- September 12-14
  
• Unity Festival, now called "IC Our World" -- September 19
  Intercom: "Unity Festival Gets A New Look, Name"

Faculty and Staff Benefits
Aside from being a great place to get an education, IC is also a great place to work. In building on that reputation, campus administrators continue to add perks for our working community here on South Hill. These links give you a taste of what's offered:

• Keep your parking spot at lunchtime: Employees can ride TCAT buses free from campus to the Commons between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Just take your parking permit/bus pass and leave the empty hangtag on your car's rearview mirror.
  Intercom: "Free Bus Rides Downtown"
• Center for Faculty Excellence -- The Center coordinates faculty programs, projects, and initiatives that enhance the College's Institutional Plan in supporting our faculty members as complete teachers and scholars.
  Intercom: "Announcing the Center for Faculty Excellence"
• ID Express -- Use your Ithaca College ID card as a debit account.
  
• Faculty and staff meal plan -- This option allows faculty and staff to purchase a block of 10, 40, or 80 meals for use at any meal time at any dining hall facility on campus.
  Intercom: "Introducing New Faculty and Staff Meal Plan Options"
• Intercom: "TIAA-CREF Consultations"
• General Information on Benefits

Wellness and Well-Being
Working on a campus that sits atop a hill almost guarantees you'll get some type of workout on a regular basis. But for those who want to add to their exercise regimen, IC has options for you:

• Fitness Center
  
  Intercom: "Fitness Center Hours"
• Outdoor Pool
  
  Campus facilities are open to College faculty, staff, students, and Longview residents. Spouses, qualified domestic partners, and dependents need a College-issued ID for entrance. ID cards are issued at the ID Office, located in the east balcony of the Terrace Dining Hall. The hours of the ID Office are 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Please call 4-3007 to confirm that someone is in the office before you go there.
• The Ithaca College Wellness Program helps faculty and staff reach their goals for physical wellness while giving exercise science students hands-on experience.
  
• Meditation for Anyone -- Open meditation for everyone from beginners to experts, believers to atheists. Held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:15-8:45 a.m. at Muller Chapel.

Athletics and Entertainment
Weekdays, weeknights, weekends -- pick any time! -- you'll most likely find something to your liking on campus. IC's students bring some of the area's top sports, musical, and stage performances to South Hill. And the College's reputation attracts internationally known visitors for special appearances. To find out the latest, visit these links often:

• IC Athletics Schedules
  
• 2003-2004 Theater Season
  
• 2003-2004 School of Music Concerts
  

Community Caring
Through the advocacy of President Williams, community service is an integral part of the IC experience. Information at these links can help open doors to volunteer endeavors that make a difference on South Hill and in the Ithaca area.

• Center for Student Leadership and Involvement
  
• Opportunities at Longview
  Intercom: "The IC/Longview Partnership"

Policy
The nitty-gritty of running a campus with nearly 8,000 people is spelled out in the Ithaca College Policy Manual. And the student handbook is now online exclusively. These policies address many of the dos and don'ts for life and work at IC.

• Student Handbook
  
• Advertising and Solicitation Policy

Social Networking and Professional Enrichment

• The Ithaca College Toastmasters program lets people master the art of public speaking while having fun and learning skills that will help members become more successful in whatever field they choose. Meetings are held biweekly, generally from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  
• The Caregivers Education and Support Group, established by the Gerontology Institute and the Office of Human Resources, meets monthly to provide informal education and support for employees with aging family members.
  
• The Employee Assistance Program helps employees safely navigate today's increasingly complex society and find solutions to a variety of difficult personal situations.
  
• Information Technology Services computer workshops for faculty and staff.

For information on these and other staff development programs for employees, e-mail or call Mary Tomaselli at 4-3245.



Contributed by Tom Torello