The Ithacan, 2009-08-27
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Ithaca College Digital Commons @ IC The thI acan, 2009-10 The thI acan: 2000/01 to 2009/2010 8-27-2009 The thI acan, 2009-08-27 Ithaca College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_2009-10 Part of the Higher Education Commons OPINION COLLEGE MUST ADDRESS ACCESSIBILITY, PAGE 12 PADDLING UPSTREAM ACCENT NUTRITIONIST OFFERS GOOD EATING TIPS, PAGE 19 Club looks to be first to cross length of lake, page 27 THIS I SEE COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS, PAGE 32 Thursday Ithaca, N.Y. August 27, 2009 The Ithacan Volume 77, Issue 1 Freshman class largest in history Administration makes staff cuts BY LINDSEY HOLLENBAUGH EDITOR IN CHIEF As a record number of incoming freshmen begin class- es this fall, resulting in the hiring of additional adjuncts to meet the students’ needs, the Rochon administration has eliminated some staff positions in the name of “efficiency and effectiveness.” In addition to eliminating a number of vacant positions, the college has begun terminating employees. President Tom Rochon said since the middle of the last academic year, 11 occupied positions have been eliminated because of reorganization. Rochon declined to release the areas of the college where those positions were cut. Rochon said restructuring is not a one-time project. “This is not simply about cutting back expenses,” Rochon said. “It is in every instance about finding ways to be more excellent and doing work more effectively and more effi- ciently at the same time.” Rochon said while some occupied positions have been eliminated, there have been no forced retirements. Rochon stated categorically that all retirements were voluntary. Freshmen sit at the Convocation ceremony Monday in Ben Light Gymnasium. This year, there are more than 2,000 freshmen. “I want to be really clear that no one is ever forced to ANDREW BURACZENSKI/THE ITHACAN retire,” he said. “It’s not legal to force someone to retire. Retirement is an individual choice.” BY ALLISON MUSANTE and administration. But this 25 percent in the college. Lillian Tavelli worked for the college almost 31 years MANAGING EDITOR over-enrollment is financially detrimental Anticipating that families would need before she was told on June 8 that her job as manager of This year, Ithaca College is learning that to the college’s operating budget because additional help affording tuition this year, Parking and Traffic Services was being eliminated because success can be costly. To accommodate the campus requires additional resources to the college offered higher financial aid of office restructuring, she said. 2,050 freshmen, the largest class in Ithaca sustain a class above its target. packages overall. The 2009-10 budget “No one made me retire,” she said. “They eliminated my College’s history, the college is spending “There’s a tendency to assume that with increased tuition by 4.75 percent, the lowest job, so I wouldn’t be able to stay there. There was no offer of $1.2 million to hire additional faculty and the extra students, we’re bathing ourselves increase in more than seven years, Sgrecci anything else.” $3.1 million to provide additional housing. in extra money,” Sgrecci said. “But the fact said. It raised the discount rates, the per- Tavelli said if her job had not been cut she would not have The added cost will significantly cut into is that these students are going to cost us centage of tuition covered by financial aid chosen to retire. She said she was planning on considering the college’s revenue this year and will put almost everything we’re getting from them.” — 45 percent to freshmen, 38 percent to all retirement after she implemented the new online purchas- pressure on its future budgets. The 2009-10 budget approved in Feb- students, on average, up from 41 percent for ing permits and citation payments at Parking Services. The For the 2009-10 school year, the col- ruary was designed for a target total en- freshmen and 34 percent overall last year. 70-year-old is now looking for another job and said she is lege was concerned about hitting its target rollment of 5,650 students. With tuition More than 90 percent of the college’s finally becoming OK with the decision she had to make. freshman class size of 1,600. It was faced at $32,060, the additional 519 students operating budget comes from tuition; to Bernie Rhoades, former director of network and com- with the national economic downturn, a will bring in $16.6 million in tuition and keep up with yearly expenses, the goal of munication services at Information Technology Services, declining number of applications from the $4.4 million in room and board, but with creating a financially stable budget every and John Hickey, an archives associate at the library, declined college’s primary feeder states and a previ- $10.4 million awarded in additional fi- year is consistently raising tuition in pro- to comment on the circumstances of their recent departures, ous freshman class under-enrolled by about nancial aid, the college will net only $10.1 portion to the discount rate, Sgrecci said. which were announced on Intercom. 200. To hit its target, the administration million, $4.3 million of which will pay for The unexpected enrollment surge com- Rochon said implying the college has forced anyone to admitted a higher percentage of applicants, all additional housing arrangements, fac- bined with over-spending on financial aid retire is not a fair or accurate presentation of the situation. increased tuition by a smaller percent- ulty and other expenses. resulted in an overall net tuition decrease, When asked what choice a person has when faced with los- age than usual and increased financial aid The remaining $5.8 million is the bud- which means the college has less money ing a job, he said, “I guess I don’t think that the college ad- packages overall. get’s “bottom line,” the revenue in excess than previous years to use for its necessary ministration should ever be embarrassed when it has treated A 5 or 10 percent over-enrollment of expenses, Sgrecci said. It will allow the expenses, including salaries, which were people with respect and dignity.” would have been financially beneficial college to operate without the $2.5 million frozen this year. Rochon said that the college is not offering and will not because it would have filled the campus to deficit projected in the 2009-10 budget and The 2008-09 budget set tuition at about offer a buyout program for retirees. He said he does not want capacity in terms of housing and class space, may produce a $3.3 million surplus at the said Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance end of the year, which would be reinvested See CLASS OF 2013, page 4 See STAFF, page 4 College finds alternative housing for freshmen BY JACQUELINE PALOCHKO lounge. Berlingeri said he also decided to not going to force them to leave if a Ne WS EDITOR move into a lounge for the added benefits. room opens up,” she said. When freshman Genna Petre moved “It’s a little scary living with three Freshman Amanda Perry said be- into her Clarke Hall dormitory Sunday guys I don’t know,” Berlingeri said. “But fore she came to school, she was wor- afternoon, her room was complete with I think it’s actually going to be fun.” ried about her housing. three other roommates, and a free mi- Linda Koenig, interim assistant di- “I was really freaked out about hous- crofridge and cable television paid for rector for housing services and com- ing when the college told us about it at by Ithaca College. munication, said she estimates that out orientation,” she said. “I didn’t want to Petre and her roommates decided to of the 2,050 freshmen there are about be living in a hotel.” live in the former television lounge in 600 students in “extended occupancy.” But the college found a way to ac- Clarke Hall, now converted to a dorm Koenig said “extended occupancy” commodate the largest freshmen class room for four freshman women. Though is similar to temporary housing in without sending them to the Country Petre, who always had her own room, the past, but this year, those living in Inn Suites on Danby Road, like they will now have to get used to living with lounges and triples have the option had planned. Upperclassmen who reg- three others in a small space, she said she of staying there all year. But Bonnie istered to live on campus this year were is not worried. Prunty, director of residential life and offered $2,000 to move off campus, an “It’s really roomy,” she said. “And judicial affairs, said many students will option given only a handful of times in now I enter college knowing not just not have the option of changing rooms the college’s history, Prunty said. Every one person but three people.” because of space limitations. television and study lounge in existing Across the hall from Petre, freshman “Since this is such a large incoming residence halls was made into a dorm From left, Mary Beshara helps her daughter, freshman Maya Dan Berlingeri moved with three room- class, and the spaces aren’t as available Beshara, move into her double room in Terrace 13 on Saturday. mates into what used to be the study as they were in previous years, we’re See ROOMS, page 4 ALLISON USAVAGE/THE ITHACAN find more. online. www.theithacan.org [THURSDAY BRIEFING] 2 The Ithacan Thursday, August 27, 2009 THIS Nation&World WEEK Peace talks planned for Middle East { } The Israeli and Palestinian leaders are likely 27 THURSDAY to hold their first meeting in the coming weeks, WICB/VIC Rush Night at both sides indicated yesterday, in what would 7 p.m.