Dear Students and Families,
I would like to begin this message by once again thanking you for all of your hard work and support as we continue to navigate through this spring semester successfully. On Thursday, February 25, we played host to our second virtual gathering of the semester and covered many important topics. I want to thank you for sharing your evening with us and for your continued participation in these events.
If you were unable to join us for this gathering, please consider viewing the full digital recording at the link embedded below. Students & Families Virtual Gathering – February 25, 2021
Keep reading for some key takeaways from this virtual gathering.
Final Decision on Academic Program Prioritization
On Wednesday, February 24, President Shirley M. Collado and Provost La Jerne Terry Cornish, with unanimous support from Ithaca College’s Board of Trustees, officially announced the decision to move forward with the final recommendations provided by the Academic Program Prioritization Implementation Committee (APPIC).
This announcement brings to conclusion the first phase of this on-going process, as the college pivots to concentrate energy and creative thought into the next two phases of its work to direct the college’s academic programming to best facilitate student success. These next two phases - restructuring and reorganization with an eye toward building better connections across schools and identifying potential for growth in strategic areas – will happen concurrently and begin immediately.
Students, make plans to attend a live question and answer opportunity on Thursday, March 4 from 12:10-to-1:05 p.m. EST. This event will give students a fantastic opportunity to interact with President Collado, Provost Cornish and other leaders of the APP process. Check out this link on IC Engage for more information.
Student Engagement Opportunities
Although Ithaca College continues to operate in a hybrid environment in our efforts to limit the potential for spread of COVID-19, there are still a multitude of ways for students to make meaningful connections with friends and peers.
Ithaca College offers numerous opportunities to get involved each day. Offerings span a wide spectrum of interests from various club and students organizations, spiritual and faith background gatherings, robust programming from IC’s Center for IDEAS and Center for LGBTQ Education, Outreach and Services, and much more! Be sure to check out IC Engage, which features over 250 events set to be held over the course of this semester with more added to the portal each and every week. Students receive a weekly newsletter every Monday from the Office of Student Engagement outlining events to keep an eye out for during the upcoming week. Also be sure to follow @ithacasacl on Instagram for a daily lineup of event offerings posted each day.
Also be on the lookout in the coming weeks, as Office of Recreational Sports begins to rollout some structured intramural and club sports programming to supplement its daily fitness programming.
Plan for Your Future!
It is never too early to begin planning for your future and the Office of Career Services is an amazing resource to utilize as you begin to define your path ahead. The office is operating with both in-person and virtual meeting opportunities available to students. Whether you need some support in searching for an internship opportunity or looking for helpful advice on resume construction, interview preparation and more, Career Services is there to guide you throughout your journey from undergraduate to alumni.
The action is really set to heat up in the upcoming weeks with four different career fair style events scheduled during the months of March and April. These events are great opportunities to make meaningful connections and network with employers providing both internship and career opportunities.
Public Health Update
The first month of the spring semester has seen us get off to an excellent start in terms of managing the spread of COVID-19 in our campus community. If you have not already done so, check out our COVID-19 Dashboard, which includes useful information on testing and a real-time look at the impact of COVID-19 within our campus community.
I’m so proud of the diligence of our students to make this strong start to the semester possible. Please continue to keep up the great work and remember to stay up to date with both your twice per week surveillance testing and completing your Daily Health Screening. Both of these components are crucial tools we will continue to utilize in our efforts to limit spread of COVID-19.
Ithaca College is continuing to monitor the latest updates in regards to the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. The college recommends all members of our campus community apply to receive the vaccine as soon as they are eligible. Be sure to check out our COVID-19 Vaccine webpage, which includes important information about the vaccine, as well as other resources related to the vaccine rollout in both the region and New York State.
Learn More About Ithaca College Family Council (ICFC)
During this past gathering, we had the pleasure of being joined by Sandi and Tom McCoy, co-chairs of our newly formed Ithaca College Family Council! Families have always been central to our mission of providing an impactful and transformative college experience for our students. The ICFC provides a crucial link as both an ambassador and a liaison between families and Ithaca College, while it gives involved family members a forum to provide important feedback and input to college administration on a variety of important topics.
Learn more about ICFC and how you can apply to become a member by visiting the IC Families webpage.
Thank you again for your time and continued participation in these impactful virtual gatherings. We look forward to seeing you again at our next Students and Families Virtual Gathering, currently scheduled for Thursday, March 25, from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Sincerely,
Rosanna Ferro, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life
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