Ithaca College's Four Seasons of Winter
Right after last week’s blog about the Yellow Brick Road syndrome, here comes a very different story about Ithaca College. It’s located in upstate New York, where it gets very cold, very early. Winter is a long season. This brings to mind a current favorite song of mine. Almost a year before the pandemic, the band Unspoken released a song titled Reason. Prophetically, the first verse goes like this:
This year's felt like four seasons of winter
And you'd give anything to feel the sun
Always reaching, always climbing
Always second-guessing the timing
But God has a plan, a purpose in this
You are His child and don't you forget
For Ithaca College, it has indeed been four seasons of winter. And the seasons are far from over.
In the Chronicles of Higher Education article, The Impossible Conversation, author Sarah Brown shares a story just the opposite of the Sweet Briar resurrection. It will likely go under a different moniker- death by a thousand cuts.
In October 2020, both the President and Provost of Ithaca College, a private, moderate-sized college in its namesake town in NY, announced the elimination of just shy of 25% of full-time faculty positions. This was deemed necessary to close a $30 million dollar funding gap. Five months later, the number was changed to 116 full-time faculty, three departments, and 20 majors and programs.
Five years ago, the college had 6,700 students. President Shirley Collado said the new student target was 5,000. Remember, private colleges and universities are almost completely dependent on tuition plus room and board charges to pay the bills. Taxpayer-supported universities have many different options with which to meet budgets..
In between October 2020 and February 2021, while conducting their programs online in the midst of a pandemic, huge angst gripped the faculty. They have protested, formed an AAUP chapter, and considered a vote of no confidence. All of that is understandable, but the reality found in the data is overwhelming.
Since 2013, Ithaca College has seen a steady decline in matriculating students. Both the Northeast and the Midwest are showing a strong decline in available college students, and it became difficult and very expensive to “chase a few more students each year.” The Provost insists this is a part of a five-year plan approved in 2019 and not directly related to the pandemic. Sadly, the pandemic created an accelerant to the whole process. During the same period of 2013 forward, Ithaca College admits “the size of the faculty increased while the size of the student body decreased.” Hard to make ends meet when the income is shrinking while the expenditures are increasing.
Friends, no one likes job elimination. Your plans and your world go haywire. If you happen to survive just such a corporate, business, or non-profit “re-organization”, you go through grief, guilt, and significant dissonance. My heart goes out to all their faculty and employees. It is a difficult process. And, for a large number of faculty, it is the first time they have not left a position of their own volition. Sadly, while I believe Ithaca can come through this necessary tough time, they won’t be the last institution faced with these decisions.
Should you and your student include a small liberal arts school in your selection pool? YES! Many are competitive in costs and offer a wonderful faculty-to-student ratio. Here are my tips to be sure your choice is on sound financial footing.
April Fools! There’s only one tip—— compare the size of the student body and the faculty+ administration five years ago to today. Skip 2020-there was a pandemic. If the student body count is down and admin is up, they are heading into a “correction.” That correction could eliminate your student’s major during their time there. The trouble, hassle, and work to transfer out of one school to another, with the likely loss of credits, is something to be avoided if at all possible. Just add this little extra research to make sure things are solid for your student and your wallet.
I’ll keep a watch for more news from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. Maybe, like the picture, there could be some spring thaw coming soon! Stay Tuned!
For your friends with students going into high school- need a middle school graduation gift idea? May I suggest the #1 new release ENOUGH! The College Cost Crisis. It holds critical money-saving ideas for parents and students as they navigate the super important high school years. You could literally save them tens of thousands of dollars. All for less than a $20 bill. Knowing the truth about grants, scholarships and loans, and a variety of other issues can help any family chart their best path.
Stay tuned for the Chris Nikic story. You don’t want to miss this one!
Happy Easter! He is Risen!
Until Next Time,
All my Best,
Bonnie Burkett
