BOLD scholars cohort creates organization about mental health
The inaugural cohort of BOLD scholars is announcing its new student organization — Empowering Mental Health in People of Color. The organization’s central mission is to challenge particular mental health stigmas that affect students of color at Ithaca College.
EMPOC will be holding its first event 6–8 p.m. Oct. 11 in Klingenstein Lounge. The event, titled “BOLD EMPOC Kick-Off Event,” will be an interactive discussion facilitated by Tynesha Wright-Lindo, a local social worker. The event will have an interactive focus and allow audience members to better explore their own relationships with their mental health while also learning about the history of mental health and how it pertains to people of color. The goal of the event is to open up about people of color’s mental health and better understand how it can be affected on a predominantly white campus.
Theater arts professor writes short film for international festival
The short film, “La Casa Verde,” written by Wendy Dann, associate professor in the Department of Theatre Arts, will premiere as part of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
in November.
A foot-weary working woman sets out to unravel the mystery of a stranger at the mailboxes of her apartment complex, La Casa Verde. After following the stranger up the stairs, both characters discover more than what’s behind the door.
Anthropology professor publishes article in latest issue of Science
Thomas Garrison, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, was published in the latest issue of Science, a peer-reviewed journal, as one of the leads on an 18-author study that reassesses much of what is known about ancient Maya civilization based on an analysis of ruins in Guatemala revealed by lidar technology.
The full article, titled “Ancient lowland Maya complexity as revealed by airborne laser scanning of northern Guatemala,” may be accessed online through the college’s library.
College designs and introduces new staff compensation structure
Ithaca College has been working with Sibson Consulting in the design and development of a new staff compensation program and structure. To date, the design phase of the program has been completed, a new salary structure has been developed and a job-leveling framework has been introduced to various leadership groups.
In June, the college shared details of the new program, the new salary structure and the job-leveling guidelines with Staff Council, department leaders and supervisors. These meetings provided an opportunity for feedback and assisted the college in finalizing the new program and structure.
The new program has been designed to address the concerns raised by many staff and supervisors that there are limited opportunities for growth and advancement in current positions and that the salaries at the college are not competitive.
The new staff compensation program now includes defined job groups and levels that allow for growth and advancement within the job group structure as positions expand and new or additional work is defined.
In addition, the college’s consultants collected market data from various external sources and have developed a market competitive salary structure.
Throughout September, the college has been meeting with vice presidents and department directors to review Sibson Consulting’s evaluation and placement of positions in the new compensation structure and has asked them to validate the initial placements and to provide the college with its assessment along with any recommendations for changes. Eighteen months ago, the college completed a Fair Labor Standards Audit that resulted in salary changes of approximately $300,000 and equity adjustments of approximately $600,000. This impacted 48 percent of staff, or 452 employees. Sibson Consulting was able to verify through its market assessment that the college is strategically positioned competitively within the market.
Education professor presents research at a teacher consortium
Felice Atesoglu Russell, assistant professor in the Ithaca College Department of Education, recently presented her research at the Japan–U.S. Teacher Education Consortium in Kyoto, Japan, with colleague Amanda Richey, associate professor at Kennesaw State University.
The presentation, “Teacher Education Praxis: The Potential of Community Asset Inquiry as a Methodology for Transformational Learning,” stems from research on the potential of the Community Asset Inquiry model to support teacher advocacy and reflexivity for family and
community engagement.
Award-winning poet to give reading as part of writing department’s series
Acclaimed poet Dorianne Laux will give a reading, Q&A and book signing at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4 in Clark Lounge as part of the Distinguished Visiting Writers Series. Laux is the author of five poetry collections.