News

President Cornish to leave Ithaca College in June 2027

By Isabella Edghill, Assistant News Editor • June 23, 2026

The Ithaca College Board of Trustees announced that President La Jerne Cornish will complete her term June 30, 2027. In an email sent to the IC community June 23, John Neeson ’84, chair of the board of trustees, said Cornish remains committed to IC’s institutional priorities over the next year.

Dean Amy Falkner and Dean Michael Johnson-Cramer leave Ithaca College

By Eamon Corbo, News Editor • June 9, 2026

Amy Falkner, dean of Ithaca College’s Roy H. Park School of Communications and Michael Johnson-Cramer, dean of the School of Business, will depart from IC this summer. Melanie Stein, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, announced Falkner and Johnson-Cramer’s departure in a June 9 email to the campus community.

Retiring faculty reflect on their time at Ithaca College

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Several Ithaca College faculty members retired from teaching at the end of Spring 2026. The Ithacan spoke with some of the retiring faculty members about their careers and memories at IC.

Rebecca Lesses: Finding magic in research and students’ growth

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Rebecca Lesses, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Ithaca College, loves learning from other generations.

Pablo Cohen: Sharing Latin American music and building community thousands of miles from home

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Pablo Cohen, professor in the Ithaca College Department of Music Performance, has performed across the globe at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, earned permanent residency in the United States based on extraordinary talent and recorded multiple compositions and solo albums. However, Cohen said he is most proud of his job at IC. 

Shannon Scott: A career of embracing new challenges and learning opportunities

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Shannon Scott, associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Ithaca College, said she loves learning so much that she would pursue a career as a full-time student if she could get paid for it.

Patrice Pastore: Persisting through struggle to find an extraordinary home at IC

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Patrice Pastore, professor in the Department of Music Performance, believes she had an unconventional path to teaching voice at Ithaca College, but she is grateful that IC has become her home over the last 43 years.

Lynne Hewitt: Expanding access to an Ithaca College education

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Lynne Hewitt returned to her undergraduate college town in January 2020 to become professor and chair of the Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology at Ithaca College. Since graduating from Cornell University, Hewitt has completed graduate degrees and taught in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Zealand, before returning to Ithaca to close out her career.

Arhlene Flowers: Bringing global PR and marketing experience to IC’s campus

By Kai Lincke, Community Outreach Manager • June 4, 2026

Arhlene Flowers, professor in the Department of Strategic Communication, traveled to more than 40 countries and almost 30 states while working in marketing and public relations. After two decades of working for global agencies and corporations, Flowers felt something was missing — and made the transition from conference rooms to Ithaca College classrooms in 2006.

Tim Downs wishes college community ‘good luck’ at his final Dollars and Sense meeting

By Isabella Edghill, Assistant News Editor • June 4, 2026

Tim Downs, senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, hosted his final Dollars and Sense meeting May 21. In a campus-wide email sent April 28, it was announced Downs will depart from Ithaca College to be the chief financial officer at the Institute for Advanced Study beginning June 15. 

Administrators confident in eliminating budget deficit as IC misses enrollment target

By Eamon Corbo, News Editor • May 22, 2026

Ithaca College administrators discussed the college’s ongoing work to achieve a balanced budget by fiscal year 2028 at the May 19 State of the College meeting. Administrators gave updates on college finances and enrollment going into the 2026-27 academic year.

Ithaca College celebrates the Class of 2026’s accomplishments at Commencement

By Beatrice Mantel, Assistant Photo Editor • May 18, 2026

As Glazer Arena filled with blue and white confetti, Ithaca College’s newest alumni celebrated together one last time at the 131st undergraduate Commencement ceremony May 17. IC’s Class of 2026 walked the stage to celebrate their accomplishments with support from administrators and faculty, including President La Jerne Cornish who offered students her signature congratulatory fist bump.