In response to outcries from students, faculty and staff, Ithaca College President Tom Rochon and Linda Petrosino, interim provost and vice president of educational affairs, have announced their plans to evaluate the resources of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services to determine the best way to maximize its efficiency. With this announcement, the administration has taken a step toward addressing the needs and concerns of the campus community.

Though the administration needs to be concerned with keeping the college affordable and is right to consider its options before making a staffing decision, the conclusion it will likely come to is that a new staff member is needed. The cost of adding a new staff member would have minimal effects on student tuition, and the campus community has made it clear that increased support is a priority. It will certainly help if the administration does find other ways to increase the efficiency of CAPS, but even so, a new staff member will likely still be necessary.

It was a good decision on the part of the administration to address this important issue. We at The Ithacan believe this announcement is more than just an effort to get CAPS out of the news in time for Ithaca Today, but we will continue to follow the progress of this story, because, like the administration, we believe it is crucial that the college provide a mental health services program that serves essential student needs.

Read The Ithacan’s complete coverage of the recent CAPS controversy.