The Student Governance Council met Sept. 18 to hear from the Division of Information Technology about technology improvements made at Ithaca College over the summer. The council also discussed officer reports and looked into SGC-run events for the fall semester. 

SGC met with David Weil, vice president and chief information and analytics officer; Casey Kendall, deputy chief information officer and senior executive director of applications and infrastructure; and Jenna Linskens, director of learning and innovative technologies for the Center for Instructional Design and Educational Technology. 

The three met with the council in Spring 2023 to discuss technology advances and get feedback from council members. One of the main focuses of the Spring 2023 meeting was how new students were struggling to navigate Canvas. 

Recommendations from SGC, faculty and the student body helped IT craft a module in Canvas titled “Canvas Student Resources at IC” that students could refer to if they need help setting up notifications, setting up Canvas on mobile devices, viewing grades and more. 

In May 2023, IT held a workshop for Ithaca College Seminar faculty to discuss the module and help them navigate the resources provided. The goal now is for ICSM faculty to go over that module with students and explain any confusion students may have. 

“Hopefully that will bring up some more knowledge and experience and understanding in using the learning management system, as well as helping to build familiarity amongst faculty so that we see more and more faculty becoming more comfortable with that,” Linskens said.

Following that, Kendall said results from a survey last year found that there were cellular challenges on campus. The college contacted a Verizon representative and is working on contacting AT&T and T-Mobile representatives. These representatives come to campus to track and report on cellular connection at the college. Following the report, the college will work with the Office of Facilities to adjust the proposal, will proceed with legal reviews and then will begin construction to put up new cell antennas. 

Kendall said the summer saw residential network improvements with a full replacement of MyResNet hardware, an addition of 200 new access points and a replacement of all previous access points, bringing the total number of access points to over 1,400. Kendall also said the college has invested in new fiber cabling for nearly every residential building.

Apogee, the college’s internet provider, replaced the access points of 75% of academic and administrative buildings and is working to replace the access points in the other buildings. Kendall said that the college is working with Apogee to send any service tickets to IT and that this year has been a much smoother transition back to campus in terms of reconnecting to wifi. 

“We also performed some wireless software updates over the summer and we turned on some advanced features and made some adjustments on [Sept. 14],” Kendall said. “So I’m happy to hear we’re seeing some good results based on our analytics of the wireless network.”

Kendall also talked about the concept of a new IC Student Portal, which would be used in place of apps.ithaca.edu. The portal would be a hub for students to see personalized information, custom messaging, their success team and would allow students to sort through apps and services by task or system. 

Weil concluded by bringing up a conversation about artificial intelligence and its place at the college. Weil said the college is looking beyond just general-purpose utilities from AI and looking into enhanced applications and AI tools for companies such as Microsoft 365 Copilot. Weil also said AI is highly personalized and increases efficiencies, as well as helps with complex problems. Weil said AI amplifies individuals’ strengths and recommends that individuals test out AI tools as long as they are clear with their professor and follow any plagiarism guidelines.  

“I think there is a lot of potential here to help us be better,” Weil said. “But there are some things that we have to be aware of along the way. And I think as an institution, we’re looking at how can AI help your experience be better not just in the classroom but outside.” 

After the guest speakers, Cameron Small, Class of 2025 senator, and Asata Rothblatt, Class of 2026 senator, gave their senator reports. 

Small said he had a conversation with Crissi Dalfonzo, the new director of the LGBTQ Center and is working to create a BIPOC affinity space. Small said he is still figuring out details, but there will be an interest meeting to discuss potential members and the direction the group wants to go. 

Rothblatt said she will send out an email with information regarding the Mental Health and Wellness Committee in the next few days, but she is still working out a meeting time. Rothblatt also said she is working on a list of questions and concerns for Dining Services when they attend an SGC meeting. 

During officer reports, Senate Chair Eleanor Paterson said candidates for council were notified of their positions and had 24 hours to accept or decline their spots. SGC shared election results with the campus community Sept. 19. 

Carli McConnell, president of the student body, said the Elections Committee would remain open and would undergo internal revising if needed. 

Rishabh Sen, vice president of campus affairs, said he had his first one-on-one meeting with Bonnie Prunty, vice president for student affairs and campus life, on Sept. 15. He said that with both SGC and the administration getting underway with the school year, there are new initiatives and that the two would be in touch. Sen said the Campus Affairs Committee has several goals for Fall 2023 and he is looking for people to join the committee. Sen also said the Social Justice and Sustainability Committee is still looking for someone to chair the committee. 

Caleb Cackowski, vice president of communications, said he has begun posting on the SGC Instagram and will be looking into forming a communications committee. 

During the open agenda, Paterson said that SGC is looking to hold events for Fall 2023 and is open to any suggestions. 

“We’re looking for things that will actively engage the student body and allow us a platform to talk to our constituents and really put ourselves out there as a resource for the student body,” Paterson said. 

The SGC is the sole representative body for the Ithaca College student community. The SGC can be contacted at [email protected].