Ithaca College

The Ithaca College Board of Trustees held a very productive February meeting, taking action on a number of items as well as discussing timely topics relating both to IC in particular and to higher education in general.  Details on some of the board’s decisions related to budget and personnel actions are being released in separate communications to the campus community, but I would like to take this opportunity to mention a few additional highlights.

The board approved major facilities projects involving a renovation of Hill Center and a modernization of Roy H. Park Hall.  While no timetable has yet been set for the commencement and completion of these projects, we will attempt to schedule the work so as to cause as little disruption to academic programs as possible.

With the move of some activities to the Athletics and Events Center, we now have the opportunity to dedicate new space to academic programs that use Hill Center facilities. The work will include filling in the former pool and adding a second story to that portion of the building to provide additional classrooms and spaces configured for flexible use. The Hill Center as a whole also needs updating. We will replace aging mechanical systems, the gym flooring and bleachers; renovate faculty offices; and give the entire building an energy-saving contemporary façade.

The upgrade and renovation of Roy H. Park Hall, home of the Park School of Communications, will provide facilities enhancements to ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our students and faculty in a rapidly changing technology environment.

In last week’s meeting, the board was updated on progress that has taken place on the IC 20/20 plan. Trustees also held preliminary discussions of the college’s next major fund-raising campaign, which will focus on providing resources to support our strategic vision. 

The board approved a resolution expressing appreciation “for the consistent hard work and focused activities during the past eight months by faculty, administration, staff and students that have advanced these projects” within the IC 20/20 vision. They took special note of the launch of the New York City program and the advancement of plans for the faculty development office, the student-alumni mentoring network, the development of themes that will structure the integrated core curriculum, and the Ithaca Seminars for first-year students that will be taught next fall.

The board resolution pledged continued assistance “in moving forward the whole of the IC 20/20 plan to transform undergraduate education at Ithaca College.” The board “urges the faculty, administration, staff and students to stay the course during the years to come as each component of the IC 20/20 vision is created, evaluated and integrated into the ways Ithaca College will educate its students for leadership and innovation in an increasingly diverse, complex and interdependent world.”

The complete resolution can be read on the IC 20/20 website, which can be accessed from the Office of the Provost site.

The board received a report from the Division of Legal Affairs on the institution-wide Enterprise Risk Management Initiative. The report encompassed a thorough review of insurance coverages for institutional risk and described those risks that can create reputational, financial, or operational damage but which can be mitigated through ongoing education, strategic thinking, and policy development.

Board members also discussed a difficult topic that has shaken the academic world in recent months, with a focus on the lessons for IC stemming from allegations of serious wrongdoing by administrators and staff members at Penn State and Syracuse Universities.

The board articulated the importance of maintaining a culture of ethics and accountability that permeates the entire college. Trustees affirmed their support for the proactive engagement of the Ithaca College administration in creating a culture of ethical leadership and in strengthening an expectation that ethical violations will be reported and addressed. The board further expressed confidence in the work that has been done by the college’s Core Emergency Response Team (CERT) to develop plans for taking appropriate action in the event of a campus crisis.

For additional background on this topic and the college’s Ethics and Integrity Policy, I refer you to my Intercom post from last month.

We are fortunate as a college to enjoy the time and attention of the highly accomplished and talented men and women who serve on the Board of Trustees. This service carries no compensation; trustees engage with Ithaca College because they love our mission and want to help us fulfill our vision of being the standard of excellence among residential comprehensive colleges. I can share with you that the trustees are especially proud of Ithaca College right now, as we act with focus and determination to implement the IC 20/20 vision. It is my privilege to be able to describe to the trustees the work you all do to make IC such a wonderful place.