I wasn’t on campus on the day Dr. Shirley Collado was introduced as IC’s new president, so I can only go by the videos, press releases, and photos I saw later on. Even through such media, her intellectual energy, her warmth, and her candor came through. What a sea-change for a beleaguered campus on which so many of us were engaged in running battles with the present incumbent and who are feeling so depleted at the end of it all. Given this scenario, it’s easy to project all kinds of unrealistic expectations onto Dr. Collado which would, of course, be terribly unfair to her. However, from what she’s said and how she’s chosen to say it, I got the sense that she has an intuitive understanding of the kind of president IC needs: one who, instead of positioning themselves as the Great Leader, is willing to—as she put it—roll up their sleeves and work with others in the spirit of creating an environment in which people can thrive. So, I’m very much looking forward to Dr. Collado and her husband, A. Van Jordan, coming to town. From what I can tell, they’ll fit right in.
Categories:
Letter to the Editor: New president right fit for IC
By Asma Barlas
March 1, 2017
Donate to The Ithacan
$720
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal
Your donation will support The Ithacan's student journalists in their effort to keep the Ithaca College and wider Ithaca community informed. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
More to Discover