theithacan.org · by Isabel Alasio, Newsletter Editor
Ithaca College administrators announced at the Oct. 20 State of the College meeting that the ongoing budget deficit has jumped from a projected $4 million by the end of fiscal year 2027 to $8 million.
Faculty, staff, students and community members came together at the meeting to join “the conversation” regarding the college’s financial state and voice their concerns about the proposed academic restructuring.
Budget deficit
Marc Israel, associate vice president for business and finance and interim chief financial officer, said the college missed the Fall 2026 enrollment target for new and returning undergraduate students by over 100 students. Due to the college missing its enrollment target for the 2026-27 academic year, the budget deficit for fiscal year 2027 is projected to be $4 million more than what they previously projected, making the projected deficit $8 million.
“So not the best update here,” Israel said. “But [I] wanted to bring everyone along, show where we stand and the work ahead.”
President La Jerne Cornish said the Ithaca College Board of Trustees mandated that the deficit be down to $4 million by fiscal year 2027. To mitigate the drastic jump in the deficit, the administration is looking to cut down on non-salary operating expenses and reduce retirement contributions for employees. Cornish said those efforts will reduce the deficit by $2 million.
Cornish said the college will be looking to potentially eliminate staff positions to reduce the deficit. Cornish said faculty positions will not be eliminated.
“I know the uncertainty that that creates, especially for colleagues who have already taken on additional responsibilities,” Cornish said. “I am asking the board of trustees to consider allowing a higher deficit this year as we work toward budget neutrality in fiscal year 2028.”
Enrollment
Rakin “Rock” Hall, vice president for enrollment management, discussed new strategies for increasing enrollment and student retention. Hall said applications are down 3% from this time last year, but the college has been making changes to appear more marketable to prospective students.
“I think the campaign is on good footing with respect to our strategy this year,” Hall said. “We’ve put a lot into play that should yield favorable results.”
Hall said the college will be making admissions offers sooner than in years past, with some applicants receiving decisions by October. Hall said that the college moved some scholarship application deadlines during last year’s admission cycle.
“We have a lot of schools competing for our students, so we believe this is the right place to be,” Hall said. “So, as for today, the update is so far so good. Everything is moving as it should be.”
Proposed restructuring
Melanie Stein, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said she hopes to provide clarity on recent announcements regarding the proposal to merge the five schools within the college into three.
“This is just the beginning of the conversation,” Stein said. “Nothing has changed. All degree programs we have today remain in place just as they did last week.”
Stein, along with Cornish, said the restructuring will not directly change degree programs, and it is not an effort to cut faculty or balance the budget. Stein said the college is far from making any changes, and they are looking for feedback from all non-administrative members of the college community.
A student town hall will be held Nov. 3 to discuss the details of the proposed academic model, inviting all students to voice their opinions, questions and concerns. The time and place have not been announced. During the question and answer portion of the meeting, Stein referred all students to attend the town hall event to have their questions answered in depth.
Stein also said the working group, titled the Organizing for Opportunity Transition Team, will begin in early November to look at how the college can make changes to support student success, foster the connection between programs within the college and adequately prepare students for a world of change after graduating.
“Throughout this process we will be clear about what’s an idea under discussion and what’s a decision,” Stein said. “We will share what we’re hearing and how it’s shaping the work. When we ask for your participation, we owe you a real response, and you will get one.”
The working group will meet throughout the 2026-27 academic year, and there will be a web page with updates posted.
Referring to the proposed reorganization of the college, Cornish said she had been saddened by the pushback from faculty, staff and students since the college has not made any definite decisions.
“It is hard to watch people lose their minds over a conversation,” Cornish said. “We cannot afford to turn on one another. We cannot treat one school’s strengths as another school’s loss, or suggest that one part of this college matters more than another. At the end of the day, we are Ithaca College.”
Healthcare benefits update
Tanya Brown, associate vice president and chief human resources officer, presented the changes regarding employee health benefits and retirement plans. Brown said IC is anticipating an increase in health insurance costs.
Brown also announced that the college will change the way they contribute to employees’ retirement funds in an effort to decrease the deficit. Previously, any employee who contributed above 3% of their paycheck to their retirement fund, the college contributed a guaranteed 8%. Under the new system, the college developed a matching program where they will match the percentage contribution of the employee up to 7%.
Community questions
Senior transfer student Elizabeth Adelman asked Stein if there are any opportunities for students to get involved with the Organizing for Opportunity Transition Team. Stein said it is important for students to understand what is happening within the college so the transition team can accurately capture the student voice.
“What I would encourage you [to do] is to watch for communications as this conversation starts,” Stein said. “We will commit to being very transparent so that you’ll be able to see how students are being involved.”
Lethe White, Towers area coordinator for the Office of Residential Life, asked how the administration plans to support students as more resources are being removed across the college. Stein said the college’s decisions are always made with the student experience at the forefront of the conversation.
Senior Ben Epstein asked how underfunded programs will be affected during the restructuring, to which Stein answered that the conversation had only just begun and that it is too early in the process to tell.
“Many of our departments and programs are underfunded, and we will work on it,” Stein said. “And yes, potentially part of this conversation will be like, ‘how can we?’ … Which an end result of that might be to help certain parts feel more resourced than they are now.”
Cliff-Simon Vital, director of the Unity Center, said he received many messages from fellow staff members during the meeting and brought up some of their questions during the question and answer session.
“What can staff do to make themselves important to the college?” Vital said. “The panic that I’m receiving right now as staff council chair is ‘what can we do to help potentially help close the gap, make ourselves feel important, and also stay?’”
Brown said administrators see every employee as important and the work they do as important.
“When we have to make these kinds of hard decisions, we have to look at what the work is and how that impacts the institution,” Brown said. “It is not about people. It is really about trying to find the best amount of people to do the work that we need to do to meet our budget needs and to keep the institution going.”
theithacan.org · by Isabel Alasio, Newsletter Editor
