The Ithaca College Student Governance Council held a town hall meeting Nov. 4 in IC Square, to hear from students and give updates to those in attendance. The SGC held the town hall to boost engagement with the student body. Jason Starkman ’22 and Sam Edelstein ’22 came to the town hall to talk about their civic education startup Poliquicks. Then, Junior Quincy Fireside, president of Ithaca College Students for a Free Palestine, spoke about the college divesting from Israel. The council also heard from sophomore Ben Epstein, president of Ithacans for Israel, about combating antisemitism on campus.
Tim Downs, vice president for Finance and Administration and chief financial officer, spoke with the Ithaca College Student Governance Council Oct. 21 about the 1.27% drop in enrollment at the college between Fall 2023 and Fall 2024. The council also provided suggestions on how Downs could get student feedback regarding renovations to the Campus Center, and discussed its plan to hold a town hall-style meeting in the Campus Center Nov. 4, ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met Oct. 14 to hear from members of the Academic Calendar Committee about adding two days of classes to the 2026–27 academic year calendar. The council also heard from senior Noah Richardson, student liaison to the Alumni Association Board of Directors, about ways to connect students with alumni, and from junior student trustee Mureen Doherty about her role on the college’s Board of Trustees.
Junior Rishabh Sen was elected as president of the student body for the Ithaca College Student Governance Council for the 2024–25 academic year May 3. Sen served as the vice president of campus affairs for SGC during his first and sophomore years. Staff Writer Eamon Corbo sat down with Sen to discuss his role as SGC president and his plans for the school year. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
By Eamon Corbo, Contributing Writer
• September 18, 2024
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met Sept. 16 to discuss implementing a new section into their weekly meeting docket. The council also heard from the Office of Information Technologies and Analytics about new technological developments at the college like an app that would replace apps.ithaca.edu, an AI exploratorium and an expansion to the esports facility.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met April 22 to hear from first-generation senator LaRon Pigford about a bill he introduced regarding how SGC can assist first-year and transfer students during orientation. The council also met with Jennifer Metzgar, director of Student Health Services, to discuss introducing the new role of health insurance navigator at the Hammond Health Center.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met April 15 to hear from David Gondek, associate professor in the Department of Biology and chair of Faculty Council, to give their feedback on end-of-semester student statements. The council also heard from Crissi Dalfonzo, director of LGBTQ Education, Outreach, and Services, to hear more about LGBTQ+ resources on campus and how to promote more gender-inclusive language.Â
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met March 25 to hear from Shana Gore, associate vice president of enrollment operations, management and student success, about upcoming changes to the billing and payment system used for financial aid services, including a new system that will unregister students for their classes if their bill is not paid.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met March 18 to ask President La Jerne Cornish questions about updates on the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) system, facilities around campus and the ongoing searches for new directors of the BIPOC Unity Center and The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. The meeting was open to everyone in the college community but no community members were in attendance.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met Feb. 26 to hear from Elizabeth Bleicher, dean for Student Success and Retention, and Allison Davis, associate director of the Center for Student Success, about how to change the culture around academics at the college and provide feedback on how to increase student engagement.
The Ithaca College Student Governance Council met Feb. 5 to hear from Brian Peterson, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and Caryanne Keenan, director of New Student and Transition Programs (NSTP). The council also held confirmation for the committee that oversees student elections, the Class of 2026 Senator and the First-Generation Senator.Â