The recently announced plan to close down the TC Lounge reflects an ongoing pattern, from the implementation of the student media policy to the integration of the Integrative Core Curriculum program, of the Ithaca College administration’s failure to engage the student body when making decisions that impact the students.

The most iconic aspect of the TC Lounge might be music events, such as the weekly Open Mic Nights. Many musicians got their start by gaining the confidence to perform in the close-knit, comfortable atmosphere. It is also a popular alternative study location. The TC Lounge’s top-floor view of Ithaca will now be enjoyed by Information Technology Services employees.

The college does require the extra space to relocate the Physical Therapy Center to Ithaca, but students were given neither the opportunity nor the space to voice their concerns about the decision to close the TC Lounge. Even if there were chances for students to speak up, there are no guarantees that their comments would have been heeded. Graduate physical therapy students drove from Rochester to Ithaca last February to voice their concerns about the consolidation of the PT Center, yet the center was still relocated.

Students are already fighting back through a Support the TC Lounge event and a petition circulating campus. The SGA even distributed a survey that found 97 percent of the 756 respondents wished they were a part of the decision-making process. Administration needs to know that students will not stand by while decisions continue to be made without their input.