Editorial: Open president search crucial for transparency
For the sake of the college community’s strained relationship with the administration and the board of trustees, a presidential open search is vital.
For the sake of the college community’s strained relationship with the administration and the board of trustees, a presidential open search is vital.
Higher education in the U.S. is a business. Schools will market themselves through favorable reviews, pleasant images and flattering advertisements.
The realignment of schools, departments and programs needs to be based on the imagination of those who teach, think, research and write — faculty.
The SLT has repeatedly stated they took feedback on the strategic plan, but the real decision hinged on a reduction to 5,000 students.
Looking around at a college changed by a pandemic, economic decline and administrative negligence, I wonder if I would have made the same decision.
The number of BIPOC faculty being cut is not the only issue. Racist professors still having a job and being protected by tenure needs to be addressed.
The administration’s commitment to disaster capitalism has permanently divided our community. Our wounds are deep; they will not be easily healed.
Only 12.2% of faculty members identify as people of color. However, the college does not publicly share this information broken down by faculty rank.
Ithaca College will be terminating faculty members — including faculty of color — as a part of the APP process, but it is unclear how many faculty of color will be affected.
It would be strategic for us to work on healing these traumas and learning how to offer each other compassion, even within stark disagreement.
A robust commitment to collaborative shared governance is needed now to move the college through this dark time and ensure that the college thrives.
If the college is shrinking one way or another, I much prefer a scenario in which our faculty have as much notice and support as possible.