In light of Ithaca College’s current economic uncertainty, President Tom Rochon has promised honest dialogue with the campus community. This fresh, open atmosphere has given The Ithacan the opportunity to report on these issues and keep the community fully informed, until now.

The Ithacan has been requesting school-by-school breakdowns of the most recent numbers of applications, accepted students and paid deposits. The numbers of applications and paid deposits for each school were given. The total number of students accepted to the college was also provided, but after multiple attempts to obtain the breakdown of students accepted to each school, The Ithacan was denied access.

Why would the college be willing to release the total number of accepted students but unwilling to provide a breakdown by school? It could come from a fear that an unusually high acceptance rate in specific programs implies a lowering of standards that could deter prospective students in those areas. If the college is changing its academic criteria, the campus community deserves to know.

Whether the college hits its admissions goals next year will have a direct effect on faculty, staff and students, as well as the institution itself. Throughout the year, Rochon has set a more open, honest tone: a positive atmosphere for the college after difficult, closed-off years with the previous administration. However, the recent secrecy surrounding these numbers is anything but open.

The college now says it will release these numbers on May 1 — after the student deposit deadline, but also after The Ithacan ceases publication for the year.  Rochon is urged to release the information immediately, so we can provide the campus community with the information it needs to be a full participant in moving the college through the difficult times ahead.

Rochon has articulated high ideals of transparency and participation. If the administration is to live up to those ideals, it can’t be allowed the luxury of selectively keeping the community in the dark.