The Ithacan

Editorial: Return of flu vaccination program is beneficial for campus community

By The Ithacan • October 16, 2024

It’s that time of year again: classrooms fill with coughs. Professors receive apologetic emails about rising temperatures, flu symptoms and fever. The weather begins to turn colder, and many students fall ill. As of Fall 2023, 33.7% of college students had been diagnosed with the common cold during their tenure on campuses in the U.S., and the second most common illness was the flu virus.

Editorial: Increase in hiring of diverse faculty must be followed by retention efforts

By The Ithacan • October 9, 2024

While as of Fall 2024 the college employs more women than men, there are still gains to be made in representation and support of Black, Latino, Asian and Indigenous faculty members.

Editorial: Diversity of opinion on campus must be encouraged

By The Ithacan • October 2, 2024

Ithaca College is well-known as a liberal leaning space — it was ranked as #22 in Princeton Review’s list of “Most Liberal Leaning Students.” This does not mean that we should discourage academic discourse that includes conservative voices. In fact, the opposite is necessary. When students are constantly hearing the same ideas or talking points, this means that they are existing in an echo chamber that narrows their viewpoint of the world.

Editorial: New LGBT Center initiative is an important accessibility tool

By The Ithacan • September 25, 2024

Gender-affirming clothing and care can be a lifesaving measure. The pilot Binders and More (BAM!) program at Ithaca College, which allows students to order one free gender-affirming garment, is one of the first of its kind, and shows the college’s continued commitment to its transgender and gender-nonconforming student population.

Editorial: Reproductive rights must be an aspect of campus conversation

By The Ithacan • September 25, 2024

The creation of art has always had a place in the political canon: films, writing and art pieces, such as murals, often serve to send a message of support to social movements. Reproductive rights are one such issue that has been under attack in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, with many states instituting anti-abortion legislation.

Voter apathy must not manifest as a lack of action on campus

By The Ithacan • September 18, 2024

For many college students, it may feel as though you have been inundated with information about the upcoming presidential election, the youth vote and the importance of using your voice to enact political and social change. The important issues that galvanize young voters and exhaustion surrounding political systems exist in an era of increasing national anxiety and turbulence. While these feelings — trepidation, apathy, exhaustion — are valid, they cannot create inaction in the youth voting block or in our response to national and local political figures. Outside of the eyes fixed on the presidential race, college students should pay attention to local political figures. This includes student government officials.

Editorial: Communal LGBTQ+ spaces need to be celebrated

By The Ithacan • September 11, 2024

With the closing of The Range in downtown Ithaca, many patrons of the beloved ThursGays events were concerned about the survival of what has become a pinnacle of the LGBTQ+ community in the area. In 2024, there are few designated spaces for social events that cater to LGBTQ+ clientele in upstate New York. ThursGays has since moved to Lot 10.

Editorial: College must focus search for BIPOC Unity Center director

By The Ithacan • September 11, 2024

While the current staff of Ithaca College’s BIPOC Unity Center do an admirable job, the postponement of the college’s search for a director is endemic of many community-based issues in Ithaca — the options for support fall consistently on the same leaders, who can be stretched thin by the responsibilities with which they are tasked. Both the students they serve and the leaders themselves deserve an attitude of increased urgency from administration.

College must exercise caution in background check policy implementation

By The Ithacan • September 7, 2024

While the aim of security for the college, its employees and its students is admirable, concerns surrounding background checks are also valid.

Environmental policies on campus must match promises

By The Ithacan • August 28, 2024

In 2021, the city of Ithaca made national headlines after approving a plan to decarbonize its buildings by 2030. The city has a reputation for green energy, one that draws in community members and students alike. Meanwhile, both Ithaca College and Cornell University have received backlash from organizations like Zero Waste Ithaca in regard to their respective plans to implement synthetic turf fields. While this is one example, it demonstrates that green initiatives are still issues of contention.

Peer support is necessary for success in liberal arts education

By The Ithacan • August 28, 2024

Despite what your social media feed may tell you, a liberal arts education is still a good investment.

Editorial: Supporting free speech is essential in higher education

By The Ithacan • May 2, 2024

Throughout history, college students have been at the heart of social movements. From nationwide sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement to more local movements, like protests advocating for the removal of former Ithaca College president Tom Rochon, students’ voices have consistently been a catalyst for change. Today, students’ right to free speech is being threatened nationwide.

Editorials

The Ithacan