Ithaca College has formed a program review committee to examine the Integrative Core Curriculum, better known as the ICC, to prepare a report for the campus community and make suggestions for implementing changes. This committee is comprised of faculty representation from all five schools, including three student representatives. We are Julia Muller (School of Music and School of Health Sciences and Human Performance), Hannah Mahany (School of Humanities and Sciences) and Magdalena Kwasnica (School of Business). As student representatives, we attend biweekly meetings with the rest of the committee to review each component of the ICC program and its requirements, as well as express any opinions, concerns and suggestions we have.

We took on the role as student representatives because, as students, the ICC impacts our success at Ithaca College the most. At the end of our college career, an important component determining our permission to graduate is dependent on the completion of the ICC program and all its requirements. As students with varying experiences among the schools, we felt it was vital the students’ voices were included in the review of this program.

Aside from reviewing the structure of the program, the committee has also been collecting feedback from various campus groups, specifically from faculty and students. In early November, a survey was sent out to all of Ithaca College’s faculty, and we received responses from one-third of the faculty body. The survey provided the committee with good insight and data as to how the faculty of the college feels about the ICC program and what the numbers are in for classes taught, students advised, etc.

Now the committee is looking to survey the student population to obtain important data and feedback about the ICC program. Your participation in the survey as a student is necessary to have a better understanding of the successes and failures of the ICC and where it could improve. We are looking to have at least 300 responses from the class of 2019, 300 responses from the class of 2020, and 300 responses combined between the classes of 2021 and 2022. As juniors and seniors, you have the most experience with course scheduling, class selection, and ICC requirements. On the other hand, freshman and sophomores, you can offer insight into the initial challenges you faced when you first learned about the ICC because it still is fresh in your minds. As student representatives of the ICC program review committee, we urge you to take action and share those experiences in this survey. The survey link can be found on Intercom and will also be sent out to students via email. The survey itself takes five to 10 minutes to complete and closes Dec. 6, 2018.

We value the opinions of Ithaca’s student body, and completing this survey is just one of the ways you can make your voice heard. As students, it is important to know that you have power and the ability to make changes to your academic experience. Please take the time to let us know what you’re thinking so we can better serve you and make the ICC more compatible for everyone.