Reframing Ithaca College's Vision
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THURSDAY, VOLUME 88 MARCH 18, 2021 THE ITHACAN ISSUE 6 ACCURACY • INDEPENDENCE • INTEGRITY BY ALYSHIA KORBA Freshman Kathryn Gilbride dreamt of attending Ithaca College since her freshman year of high school, but her first-year experience has her ques- tioning whether she will return for forlornforlorn Fall 2021. “I feel like I’ve tried everything to make this experience work,” Gilbride said. “I just don’t know if I can do it be- cause it’s ruining me. There are very few freshmenfreshmen things that are keeping me here.” Freshmen beginning at the college in Fall 2020 had an unusual start to their college careers, as classes were held remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the campus has reopened for Spring 2021, the college experience is limited by COVID-19 guidelines. Social isolation due to COVID-19 has made it difficult for some freshmen to make friends and has nega- tively affected their mental health. Brian Petersen, director of the Cen- Freshmen struggle with adjusting ter for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), said that in a typical semester, freshmen generally struggle to on-campus life amid COVID-19 pandemic in three areas of adjustment: living with Freshman Scout Frost sits outside the Upper Quads, which are primarily freshman residence halls, March 15. After testing positive for a roommate, homesickness and mak- COVID-19 in February and having to quarantine for 10 days, Frost said they had to adjust to life as a college freshman all over again. ing connections with people. Petersen ALYSSA BEEBE/THE ITHACAN FRESHMEN, PAGE 4 Proposed climate justice center H&S requests benefits will not be housed at college following faculty cuts BY CAITLIN HOLTZMAN BY ASHLEY STALNECKER equivalent faculty positions amid the The proposed Ithaca College In response to faculty and staff COVID-19 pandemic. Center for Climate Justice (CCJ) terminations made through Ithaca “Those faculty and staff members will no longer be launched at the College’s Academic Program Prioriti- who are losing their jobs, either college following the elimina- zation, the Humanities and Sciences immediately or in another year, are tion of 116 full-time equivalent (H&S) Faculty Senate drafted a res- going to be facing a terrible economy faculty positions as part of the olution that calls for the college to and, for a while now, the continued Academic Program Prioritization provide resources for terminated impact of the pandemic,” Gleitman (APP) process. faculty members. said via email. “It is hard to imagine Sandra Steingraber, distin- The Faculty Council endorsed a more grueling time to find oneself guished scholar in residence in the resolution at its March 10 special suddenly unemployed. We felt that, the Department of Environmental working group meeting. Chris Mc- as a matter of decency, the college Studies and Sciences, was one of Namara, clinical associate professor should do whatever it feasibly can in the main developers for the CCJ, and clinic director in the Depart- order to mitigate these difficulties.” along with Kathryn Caldwell, asso- ment of Physical Therapy and chair In the document, the H&S Fac- ciate professor in the Department of the Faculty Council, said in an ulty Senate calls for an extension to of Psychology, and Fae Dremock, email that the vote to endorse the family dependent tuition remission assistant professor in the Depart- Students protest at the Global Climate Strike in 2019. The Center for resolution was unanimous. The draft for at least four years beyond the ment of Environmental Studies Climate Justice has no future at the college due to the faculty cuts. was submitted to La Jerne Cornish, end of the faculty or staff member’s and Sciences. Caldwell and Dre- ASH BAILOT/THE ITHACAN provost and senior vice president for contract. This covers the cost of tu- mock are co-chairs of the college’s funding she received. She is leav- provost and senior vice president academic affairs, and Hayley Harris, ition for dependents, like children Strategic Action Group on Climate ing the college at the end of Spring for academic affairs, and was giv- vice president for human resources of college employees. Additionally, Action. Steingraber said the CCJ 2021 in solidarity with faculty en approval to start searching for and planning. the document states that faculty and would be a way for students to members being cut and the inabil- grant funding. Steingraber said she Claire Gleitman, women’s and staff members currently eligible for engage with actionable steps to ity to continue the CCJ. then joined the Strategic Action gender studies coordinator, profes- free tuition should retain the bene- address the climate crisis. “Somewhere along the line, I Group on Climate Action, which sor in the Department of English fit for at least four years from their Steingraber said that she is still thought, ‘Ithaca College could be was created as a way for the col- and president of the H&S Faculty point of termination. trying to figure out the possible this really great destination place, lege to figure out how to respond Senate, said Cornish emailed her To assist with the job search pro- future of the CCJ elsewhere and especially for environmental com- to the climate crisis as a higher an acknowledgment of the resolu- cess in a competitive climate for that the funding for the CCJ will munication about the climate learning institution. tion and assurance that it will be academic jobs, the resolution also be going with her to a new ven- crisis,’” Steingraber said. Steingraber said that when the considered. President Shirley calls for terminated employees to ue. Steingraber did not disclose Steingraber said she pitched M. Collado and Cornish approved who the funder was or how much the idea to La Jerne Cornish, CLIMATE, PAGE 4 a plan to terminate 116 full-time RESOLUTION, PAGE 4 LIFE & CULTURE | page 11 OPINION | page 7 SPORTS | page 14 READING SERIES ART STUDENTS CIRCLING BACK SHARES LOCAL THRIVE IN SPITE TO COMPETITION ODYSSEYS OF PANDEMIC AFTER A YEAR 2 | NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 Changes to be made at IC London Center BY SYD PIERRE Gould said the application for Fall 2021 was originally due After shutting down for March 1 but was pushed to March the entirety of the 2020–21 15 to give students more time to academic year, the Ithaca College think through their plans. She London Center (ICLC) is hoping to said the due date was moved reopen in Fall 2021, with plans to to March 31 given the reluctance make potential administration and some students have to consider trav- structural changes. eling abroad next semester. Rachel Gould, director of Study She said she would guess that Abroad in the Office of Interna- ICLC will have an accepted group of tional Programs and Extended 40–50 students for Fall 2021, lower Studies, said the ICLC had planned than its normal 60–80 range. to reopen for Summer 2021 but She said there have been 72 ap- Students at the Ithaca College London Center (ICLC) in May 2019. The ICLC was closed for the 2020–21 was unable to. All study abroad plications submitted for the fall, academic year due to COVID-19 but plans to reopen in Fall 2021, as well as to undergo structural changes. programming at the college has including some applicants who orig- COURTESY OF MADDIE JACOBS been suspended for the 2020–21 inally applied for Fall 2020, Spring academic year due to COVID-19. 2021 or Summer 2021 and deferred reported in the European Union COVID,” Wallis said. “What if we’re will take the time to examine the Gould said the program might open their applications. and European Economic Area, as of there and we have pandemic 2.0, administrative structure of the cen- in the fall. “It’s not going to look exactly March 17. The UK is currently un- you know?” ter. She said that while the potential “At this point in time, I would like a semester has looked in der its third national lockdown and Catherine Weidner, professor changes at the ICLC do coincide say that, unless we run into major the past and travel to different restrictions are set to be lifted by and chair of the Department of with the Academic Program Priori- issues with COVID as far as these European countries on week- June 21. Theatre Arts, was appointed as in- tization process at the college, the variants that are springing up not ends may or may not be possible,” Sophomore Sheila Wallis said terim director of the ICLC in March two are not related. The ICLC being responsive to the vaccines, Gould said. she is planning to study abroad 2021. The former director, Thorunn currently has a director, associate I don’t see any reason why we COVID-19 cases are rising at the ICLC during Fall 2021 but Lonsdale, retired October 2020 director, program coordinator and wouldn’t be proceeding with the fall in Europe. According to the has concerns given the ongoing and passed away in November. program assistant. semester in London and … then European Center for Disease Pre- COVID-19 pandemic. Weidner will fully assume the posi- with a normal academic year in vention and Control (ECDC), there “It just seems like every tion in August. CONTACT SYD PIERRE London,” Gould said. have been 23,255,514 total cases day there’s something new with Gould said the department [email protected] MULTIMEDIA THE ITHACAN THERE’S MORE MULTIMEDIA ONLINE. VISIT THEITHACAN.ORG/MULTIMEDIA 220 ROY H. PARK HALL, ITHACA COLLEGE, ITHACA, NY 14850 (607) 274-1376 • [email protected] WWW.THEITHACAN.ORG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MADISON FERNANDEZ MANAGING EDITOR ANNA COSTA COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER FRANKIE WALLS OPINION EDITOR AMISHA KOHLI NEWS EDITOR ALEXIS MANORE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR ALYSHIA KORBA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR CAITLIN HOLTZMAN LIFE & CULTURE EDITOR MADISON MARTIN ASSISTANT LIFE & CULTURE EDITOR EVA SALZMAN SPORTS EDITOR ARLA DAVIS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR CONNOR GLUNT PHOTO EDITOR ASH BAILOT IC Creatives: Emily Jimenez ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR ELEANOR KAY Artist and theater student senior Emily Jimenez shares their illustrations ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR MIKAYLA ELWELL and love of acting.