Ithaca College
Diversity Strategic Plan
2010-2015
Submitted by: The Diversity Strategic Planning Committee (August, 2010)
In September, 2009, President Tom Rochon formed the Diversity Strategic Planning Committee
with the charge to develop a strategic plan for Ithaca College that will focus and guide the
institution’s diversity efforts over the next five years (2010-2015). The President asked that the
strategic plan inform the campus community that diversity is a core value of the College. The plan
should also identify the specific commitments we propose to act upon in the coming five years in
order to make substantial progress towards identified diversity objectives.
The Committee included the following members as appointed by President Rochon:
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Brian McAree, Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life, Chair
Traevena Byrd, Associate Counsel and Director of Equal Opportunity Compliance
Mark Coldren, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Sue DuBrava, Administrative Assistant in Residential Life and Chair of the Staff Council
Jeff Goodwin, Class of 2010 and President of the Student Government Association
Carol Henderson, Associate Provost for Academic Policy and Administration
Leslie Lewis, Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences
Annette Levine, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Diversity Awareness Committee
Roger Richardson, Associate Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs/Dean for the
First Year Experience, and Chair of the President's Advisory Committee on Diversity
Tanya Saunders, Dean of the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies
Stan Seltzer, Associate Professor and Chair of the Faculty Council
Gerard Turbide, Director of Admission
Committee members were chosen because of the important roles they play on campus, the broad
and informed perspectives they could provide related to the College’s past diversity efforts, their
knowledge of the institution, and their interest in moving the College forward in its commitment
to diversity.
The Committee began its work on October 1, 2009 and met bi-weekly throughout the academic
year, and weekly through the summer of 2010 to complete its charge. The Committee was
informed in its work by the College’s Institutional Plan (2001), the Ithaca College Student Campus
Climate Survey (Spring, 2004), the Presidential Task Force on Diversity Final Report (May, 2005),
the summary grid of College-wide Diversity Initiatives (developed in Fall, 2005), the College’s
Bridge Plan (June, 2008), and the President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity Summary Report
(August, 2009).
The Committee also held a campus-wide Diversity Listening Session on January 25, 2010 (the first
day of the Spring Semester, and the first day of the College’s MLK Week Celebration) which was
designed to provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to share their views on critical
diversity-related issues that the College is facing at the present time. President Rochon moderated
the session, and members of the Diversity Strategic Planning Committee, President’s Advisory
Committee on Diversity, and the Diversity Awareness Committee were present. The session also
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allowed the Committee to hear from the campus community to help us in our important work.
The thoughts shared by those present were very informative for the Committee and assisted us in
developing the recommendations which constitute the proposed Diversity Strategic Plan.
As the Committee began its work, we examined how and where Ithaca College articulates its
commitment to diversity as a core value. Diversity is a key component of the College’s Guiding
Principles. In addition, the commitment of the College to “attracting a diverse body of students,
faculty, and staff” is accentuated in the College’s mission statement as we educate students “to
share the responsibilities of citizenship and service in the global community.” Nevertheless, the
Committee recognized the need at this time to develop a statement on diversity which would more
clearly and strongly guide the College’s actions for the future. This statement would communicate
to our campus community and the world our understanding of the importance of diversity to the
education of our students and to the life of the College. It attempts to provide a context for our
diversity efforts now and in the future and define our commitments. A proposed “Statement on
Diversity” is enclosed.
The proposed Diversity Strategic Plan is composed of 11 Recommendations. For each
Recommendation, we have identified a rationale for the action proposed, some preliminary
thoughts on possible approaches to achieve the goal, implications if the College were to move
forward with the Recommendation, and a proposed Executive Sponsor to oversee the
implementation and ensure achievement of the goal by 2015.
The Committee would like to make it clear that the proposed plan for the next five years attempts
to set priorities for the institution in moving forward on the College’s commitment to diversity. As
a five-year strategic plan, it is not meant to be all inclusive and address every aspect of diversity
that is important to the campus community. Time and resources must be dedicated and focused in
certain areas in order to ensure progress in critical areas at this time in the College’s history.
As we move forward, it is important to ensure that the College’s Diversity Strategic Plan is an
integral part of the College’s institutional plan. One of Ithaca College’s Guiding Principles states:
“We embrace diversity as an integral part of the educational experience and of the community we
create.” The importance of diversity and the value that the institution places on creating an
inclusive and welcoming community is central to our mission as an institution of higher education.
As the College develops its Strategic Plan (IC 20/20) for the future, diversity needs to be a key
component of our aspirations for how we envision our rich and vibrant educational community.
Progress on the Diversity Strategic Plan will only be achieved if all members of the campus
community understand the importance we place on diversity and commit themselves to the action
steps necessary to achieve our goals.
Some recommended approaches for integrating the Plan include:
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The Diversity Strategic Plan should be integrated into the College’s Strategic Plan for Student
Learning (IC 20/20).
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As Executive Sponsors assigned to each component of the Diversity Strategic Plan, members of
President’s Council will annually align their personal/divisional goals to ensure progress
according to agreed upon timelines.
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The President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity (PAC-D) will monitor progress on the Plan
and provide assistance and counsel to the President to ensure success.
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The President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity will report on progress on the Plan as part of
their annual report to the President.
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The College needs to develop communication strategies to ensure that the Diversity Strategic
Plan is known and understood by the campus community. For example, the Diversity website,
coordinated by PAC-D, should be updated regularly with information about the Plan. In
addition, the Diversity website should be a prominent presence on the College’s homepage.
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The Ithaca College Statement on Diversity should be shared with all staff and faculty new to the
College as part of New Employee Orientation coordinated by Human Resources and with
continuing faculty and staff as part of training and professional development opportunities.
Enhanced systems of communication will be essential among the President’s Advisory Committee
on Diversity, Vice Presidents, and Committee and Task Force Chairpersons responsible for
ensuring that progress is being made on the Diversity Strategic Plan according to agreed upon
timelines. The President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity (PAC-D) will also need to approach
its work in different ways in order to improve communication and coordination of efforts among
all of the Executive Sponsors (ES) of the Plan. Committee liaisons may be assigned to each ES to
improve monitoring and success of the plan, and a “summit” of all ESs and PAC-D may be
appropriate.
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Ithaca College
Statement on Diversity
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ITHACA COLLEGE STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY:
Ithaca College values diversity because it enriches our community and the myriad experiences
that characterize an Ithaca College education. Diversity encompasses multiple dimensions,
including but not limited to race, culture, nationality, ethnicity, religion, ideas, beliefs, geographic
origin, class, sexual orientation, gender, disability, and age. We are dedicated to addressing
current and past injustices and promoting excellence and equity. Ithaca College continually
strives to build an inclusive and welcoming community of individuals with diverse talents and
skills from a multitude of backgrounds who are committed to civility, mutual respect, social
justice, and the free and open exchange of ideas. We commit ourselves to change, growth, and
action that embrace diversity as an integral part of the educational experience and of the
community we create.
Ithaca College’s vision of becoming the standard of excellence for residential comprehensive
colleges by fostering students’ intellect, creativity, and character is directly related to its mission
to attract a diverse body of faculty, students, and staff. We acknowledge that recruiting, retaining,
and supporting a diverse faculty, staff and student body is crucial to our sustainability as an
institution of higher education. Therefore, achieving diversity at Ithaca College requires much
more than the celebration of differences. It requires members of the Ithaca College community to
acknowledge:
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That given the increasingly diverse composition of the United States and globalization of
virtually every aspect of our general experience, multicultural and international
understanding are fundamental to our daily interactions, well-being, and future success.
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That some groups of people in the United States have been and continue to be underrepresented and under-served in institutions of higher education, both among the students
and in the highest ranks of faculty and staff.
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Throughout the history of the United States some groups of people have been and continue
to be subject to systematic discrimination due to their race, age, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, ethnicity, economic class, and disability.
Ithaca College commits itself to addressing these current and past injustices and to building a
college community which reflects the diversity of the local, regional, national, and global
communities we serve.
Ithaca College’s Diversity Statement adapted from:
Colby College’s Statement on Diversity
Drew University’s Diversity Statement
Ithaca College’s Vision and Mission Statement
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Diversity Strategic Plan
2010 - 2015
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Diversity Strategic Plan Recommendations
2010-2015
1.
Increase underrepresented ALANA student enrollment.
2.
Increase international student enrollment.
3.
Increase the graduation rate for underrepresented ALANA students to match the six-year
graduation rate of their counterparts.
4.
Carry out a Campus Climate Survey for students, faculty, and staff on a regular basis and
use the results to inform diversity initiatives across campus.
5.
Increase the number and retention of underrepresented ALANA faculty and staff.
6.
Ensure that student learning outcomes focused on diversity are incorporated into every student’s
program of study (through the major, minor, general education curriculum, graduation
requirement, or general elective) and are assessed.
7.
Develop/implement staff/faculty professional development opportunities related to
diversity.
8.
Improve the student life/residence hall experience for ALANA/LGBT students.
9.
Create a physical campus environment that recognizes and celebrates diversity.
10.
Develop specific initiatives for achieving universal access and meeting the needs of
students with disabilities in and out of the classroom.
11.
Increase the number and retention of international faculty and staff.
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Recommendation #1: Increase underrepresented ALANA student enrollment.
Rationale:
Over the last five years, the College has increased its freshman domestic ALANA population from
10.4% to 15.1%. This nearly five-point gain in as many years marks significant and sustained
progress toward the goal and guiding principle of a more diverse campus. Continuing this trend
will result in a more diverse student body, essential for the College to fulfill its mission.
The guiding principle of diversity is a top priority in all activities within the Enrollment
Management and Communication division. Recruitment, financial aid, and marketing strategies
are developed and implemented with the goal of increasing the diversity of the student body.
Institutional support is necessary to continue on this path of progress, aiming to increase domestic
ALANA diversity, on average, one percentage point per year for the next five years. Achieving this
result would enable the College to welcome an incoming freshman class of 20% ALANA students
for the fall of 2015.
Proposed or recommended approaches:
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Leverage financial aid dollars to sustain the rate of growth in ALANA students over the next
several years. This will most likely require additional funds.
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Strengthen the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar Program: Increase the amount of the MLK
Scholar Award, and strengthen marketing about the benefits of the program in order to be
more successful in meeting our enrollment goals in this area.
Implications:
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Given the forthcoming demographic changes in our society, namely the growing Latino/a
population, the Enrollment Management Division is confident that it can recruit an applicant
pool to support this goal. However, institutional support is necessary in the form of financial
aid to enable ALANA students to enroll at the College and to ensure that there is appropriate
balance of race and ethnicity within our ALANA student population.
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Increasing ALANA enrollment by one percentage point each year is projected to add $153,000
in financial aid costs during the 2011 fiscal year. This figure will grow with each additional
incoming class to a cumulative amount of $1,857,000 in 2015. Once all four class years are
enrolled with ALANA populations of 20% (2018 fiscal year), the College will realize and must
sustain an increase of roughly $3 million dollars per year, or one percentage point of discount
rate above current plans.
Executive Sponsor: Vice President for Enrollment Management
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Recommendation #2: Increase international student enrollment.
Rationale:
Throughout the last six years, the College’s population of freshman international students has
averaged 32 students, or 1.9% of the incoming class. However, that average masks some
variability, from a low of 21 students or 1.2% of the class to a high of 40 students or 2.5% of the
class. Unlike our ALANA student population, there is no discernable trend of increasing student
enrollment. Rather, numbers vary from year to year.
In order to support the College’s emerging strategic plan and interest in a more international
community, the Enrollment Management Division should seek to increase international student
enrollment by 50% over the next five years.
Proposed or recommended approaches:
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Leverage financial aid dollars to increase the number and percentage of international students
over the next several years. This will most likely require additional funds.
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Strengthen international student recruitment through additional promotional materials,
travel, and strategic partnerships.
Implications:
Unlike the projected growth of the domestic ALANA student population, we do not anticipate that
demographic changes will help boost the number of international applicants. While more
international students are interested in studying at U.S. colleges and universities, the growth is
slow, subject to travel interruptions post-9/11 and within the context of greater competition from
institutions in other countries. It is estimated that $50,000 per year in non-salary operating funds
will be required to support additional recruitment of international students.
In addition to operating dollars that support recruitment, the College should also expect to
increase funding for international student aid to support this goal. Enrolling 16 additional
international students within a stable overall enrollment would likely increase financial aid
expenditures by about $224,000 per incoming class, or nearly $1,000,000 once four classes are
enrolled.
Executive Sponsor: Vice President for Enrollment Management
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Recommendation #3: Increase the graduation rate for underrepresented ALANA students to
match the six-year graduation rate of their counterparts.
Rationale:
There is a history of lower rates of graduation for underrepresented ALANA students compared to
their counterparts. In fact, the current three-year weighted six-year graduation rate of ALANA
students is 71.7 %. The comparable rate for their counterparts is 77.5%*. Ithaca College’s mission
indicates that “all members of the College community are encouraged to achieve excellence.”
As a student-centered, tuition-dependent institution, it is vital that Ithaca College foster an
institutional environment that supports all students’ persistence to graduation. Retaining and
graduating a diverse student body is crucial to Ithaca College’s sustainability. Therefore,
increasing the graduation rate for underrepresented ALANA students by matching the six-year
graduation rate of their counterparts will provide evidence of Ithaca College’s commitment to
excellence and equity for all students regardless of race and/or ethnicity.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:
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Re-constitute the existing “Retention Committee” as a permanent standing committee on
student retention or establish a campus-wide representative (faculty, staff, and students)
standing committee on student retention. This retention committee would be formed to
assess, monitor, and recommend actions to increase all students’ graduation rates.
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Charge this committee to study, assess, and recommend appropriate actions to ensure that
underrepresented ALANA students’ graduation rates are equal to their counterparts by 2015.
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Charge this committee to monitor and assess the six-year graduation rate for international and
first-generation students.
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Meet with and submit an annual report on ALANA, first-generation, and international students’
retention and graduation rates to the President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity by the end
of each academic year.
Implications:
The long term results of recommended actions may necessitate changes in the way the College
provides assistance to these student populations. These recommendations may result in the need
for re-allocation and/or addition of economic and human resources to meet the specific student
service needs for International, First-Generation, and underrepresented ALANA students.
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life
* These rates are for freshmen entering cohorts of 2001, 2002, and 2003, and do not include
students who are non-resident aliens or students who have not divulged their race/ethnicity.
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Recommendation #4: Carry out a Campus Climate Survey for students, faculty, and staff on a
regular basis and use the results to inform diversity initiatives across campus.
Rationale:
Ithaca College needs to conduct a climate survey to be used as a guide for our diversity work and
future planning. The College has a focus on retention of students, faculty, and staff and would like
to create a campus that has a welcoming and inclusive environment.
The Listening Session held in January 2010 by the Diversity Strategic Planning Committee
involved students, faculty, and staff. The interaction was seen as candid and helpful to identify
specific areas of concern, ideas, and further areas for learning and discussion. A campus-wide
climate survey would build on this recent activity. Developing an ongoing process to solicit and
assess the overall climate can be used over time to see if the College is making progress toward its
goals and if the campus climate related to diversity is improving for our students, faculty, and staff.
The survey can also be a method for allowing members of our community to find a “voice” when it
comes to diversity issues on campus. This climate survey needs to be scheduled on a regular basis
for the entire college community to participate.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:
A campus-wide representative committee (students, faculty, and staff) should be formed to do the
following:
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Identify the key areas for survey.
Identify, design, and develop a process to solicit the greatest participation.
Work with survey resources to design the survey questions.
Assist in the facilitation of the survey process.
Conduct the initial analysis of the survey results providing their work to the President’s
Council and the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity (PAC-D).
Implications:
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The committee would be facilitated by Human Resources.
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The committee would determine whether the survey would best be designed and implemented
internally by Institutional Research or externally utilizing an experienced group that has
designed and implemented successful climate surveys.
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If an external group is utilized, a budget of approximately $15,000 would be needed.
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The committee would begin their work in fall 2010. They would determine the survey window
with a goal for implementation early spring of 2011.
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The committee would need to develop a communication plan to share their process with the
campus to optimize participation.
Executive Sponsor: Vice President for Finance and Administration
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Recommendation #5: Increase the number and retention of underrepresented ALANA faculty
and staff.
Rationale:
Recognizing that diversity enriches our community and the myriad experiences that characterize
an Ithaca College education, and in light of the changing demography of the United States and the
desire of the College to serve an increasingly diverse student population, Ithaca College should
increase the percentage of underrepresented ALANA faculty and staff at the College. Faculty and
staff serve a diverse student population and interact with College constituents in the U.S. and
internationally and should therefore reflect the diversity of these groups. The College should also
take steps to retain a diverse faculty and staff in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:
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Develop specific hiring plans designed to increase the number of full-time ALANA faculty in all
types of funded positions, including tenured and tenure eligible positions, with a goal of a 1%
increase each year, so that the population of full-time ALANA faculty increases from 8% to
13% by 2015.
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Develop specific hiring plans designed to increase the number of full-time ALANA staff in
funded positions, with a goal of a 1% increase each year, so that the population of ALANA staff
increases from 9% to 14% by 2015.
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Identify and employ strategies to retain ALANA faculty and staff, which should include a
thorough study of ALANA faculty retention.
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Review existing College policy regarding the recruitment and hiring process to ensure that
policy is consistent with our diversity goals.
Implications:
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Staffing plans would need to be established based on appropriate benchmark demographics,
i.e. national, regional, or local, for faculty and staff populations.
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Additional diversity education needs to be delivered to all search committees and hiring
manager/directors.
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Funding may need to be established to increase recruitment and retention of
underrepresented ALANA faculty and staff.
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
Vice President for Finance and Administration
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Recommendation #6: Ensure that student learning outcomes focused on diversity are incorporated into
every student’s program of study (through the major, minor, general education curriculum, graduation
requirement, or general elective) and are assessed.
Rationale:
Ithaca College’s mission, as it relates to diversity, specifies that “multicultural and international
understanding is fundamental to our daily interactions.” It is therefore appropriate that student
learning focus on diversity and that the Ithaca College faculty assess and where necessary develop
student learning opportunities and outcomes focused on diversity. Multicultural and international
understanding includes 1) knowledge of the ways that some groups of people in the United States
have been and continue to be underrepresented and under-served in higher education; 2)
knowledge of the history of systematic discrimination in the United States due to such factors as
race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, economic class, and disability; and 3)
knowledge of globalization as an economic and political system, and of its role in the movement of
peoples across national borders, supported by an understanding of globalization's role in the
exercise of power, privilege, and empire at home and abroad.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:
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Survey each school/division and each major to determine what diversity-related student
learning outcomes are currently in use.
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Ask each school/division and program to incorporate appropriate diversity-related student
learning outcomes into their curriculum.
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Establish a method and process for reviewing diversity-related student learning outcomes on a
regular basis and reporting to the community as a whole on our progress related to this goal.
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Incorporate an assessment plan for these outcomes into our overall process for student
learning outcomes assessment.
Implications:
It is unclear to what extent diversity is a focus of student learning at this time, and this significant
question needs to be answered before faculty can assess and/or develop student learning
outcomes. Assessment and development of goals related to student learning with regard to
diversity should become part of a larger, ongoing conversation regarding student learning in
major programs and through general education. Assessment of student learning with regard to
diversity should be incorporated into the ongoing student learning assessment currently
underway college-wide. Definitions of diversity and what counts as student learning with regard
to diversity should be guided by the Ithaca College Statement on Diversity and developed by the
faculty.
Executive Sponsor: Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
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Recommendation #7: Develop/implement staff/faculty professional development opportunities
related to diversity.
Rationale:
In light of the changing demography of the United States and the need of the College to serve an
increasingly diverse student population, and in order to remain viable and to thrive, we must
prepare our faculty and staff to serve this diverse student population and to interact positively
with College constituents at home and abroad. We must also prepare to attract and retain a
diverse faculty and staff in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:
A joint effort by the Office of Human Resources and the Office of the Provost would be established
to further the development of diversity-related learning experiences for faculty and staff. The
Director of Employee and Organizational Development and the Faculty Development Coordinator
would jointly develop the scope of this effort. It should include the following:
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Development of all faculty and staff in the following key areas*:
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Managing conflict/conflict resolution
Civility and professional courtesy
Cross-cultural civility
Awareness and Climate
Degree of Empathy
Levels of Inclusion
Adaptation and Change
Acceptance and Understanding
Persistence and Commitment
Create an institution-wide plan for developing competencies appropriate to key
roles/positions including (but not exclusively):
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Managers
Search committee members
Department Chairs
Front-line service providers
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Develop specific learning plans as appropriate for departments, positions, and to support
individual goals.
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Consult with the President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity (PAC-D) to identify key areas of
learning and development for faculty and staff.
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Provide diversity-related learning experiences for faculty members as part of ongoing faculty
development programming (e.g., dealing with diversity dynamics in the classroom).
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Implications:
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Utilize an appropriate portion of the Staff Development Endowment Fund along with other
College faculty and staff development resources for the learning experiences.

Build faculty and staff learning experiences into the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
on campus.

Make a substantial investment of staff and faculty time to participate in these development
experiences.

Faculty Development Coordinator and Director of Employee & Organizational Development
(HR) incorporate diversity-related elements into existing staff and faculty development
programs (for example: Supervisory Academy, New Faculty Orientation).
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
Vice President for Finance and Administration
* Note: The areas noted were adapted in part from:
-Creating a Competency Model for Diversity and Inclusion Practitioners, by Indira Lahiri (2008)
-Diversity and Inclusion: Toward a Curriculum for Human Beings, by Maxine Greene (1993)
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Recommendation #8: Improve the student life/residence hall experience for ALANA/LGBT
students.
Rationale:
Students at Ithaca College come from diverse backgrounds. The College’s student population is
becoming increasingly more diverse as the institution recruits and retains larger numbers of
ALANA and LGBT students. This diversity helps make our campus the rich and vibrant community
that it is. However, diversity has also resulted in conflict, confusion, and misunderstanding when
students live and associate with peers who are different from them. Creating opportunities for
communication and understanding is essential to developing a living/learning community that
embraces diversity and prepares our students to be global citizens.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:

Require Resident Assistants (RAs) to do diversity related programming for students in each
residence hall every semester in addition to educational and awareness raising activities.
Programming can be social in nature to encourage student interaction and understanding.
Students will also be encouraged to attend diversity related programs taking place on-campus.

The new Diversity Peer Education (DPE) program, coordinated by the Office of Student
Engagement and Multicultural Affairs, will be utilized to provide additional diversity related
educational programs in the residence halls. The Diversity Peer Educators will present sample
diversity programs as part of in-service training for RAs in order to better educate RAs about
diversity related issues and encourage the presentation of such programs in the residence
halls.

The Residential Life professional staff and RAs will be trained annually in how to respond to
and report any bias-related incidents that occur in residence halls, and how to deal effectively
with conflict that occurs between or among students based on diversity related factors.

The Office of Residential Life will establish a Diversity and Social Justice Task Force to:
1. Evaluate and improve, as appropriate, the Office of Residential Life Diversity statement;
2. Evaluate and implement new approaches to diversity training for professional and RA
staffs and diversity programming for students;
3. Compile campus-wide programming information and resources for use with resident
students.

The brochure (“Eliminate Bias—Create a Community of Respect”), which encourages students,
faculty, and staff to report bias-related incidents and how to do so, will be placed online and be
promoted throughout the year in various ways, including New Employee/Faculty Orientations
and various staff and faculty training and professional development opportunities.

Expand living/learning communities in the residence halls with a focus on diversity (e.g.,
House of Roy, HOME, Vecinos), where appropriate, based on student interest.
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Expand the First Year Residence Hall program in order to better meet the educational and
community needs of first year students. Diversity related programming will be a component of
the Residential Life program in this living area.

Evaluate how diversity programming can be included as a part of our Fall Jump Start Programs
for incoming first year students

Evaluate the relationship that development of the First Year Residence Hall (FYRH) program
will have to diversity relevant living and learning communities. Any expansion of the FYRH
program should be supportive of living and learning communities that are particularly
valuable in recruiting and retaining LGBT and ALANA students.
Implications:

The Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs needs to solidify the DPE program,
continue to recruit and train new peer educators, and coordinate with Residential Life so that
diversity related programs are offered to residence hall students on a regular basis.

Additional financial resources will be needed to expand and further support living/learning
communities in the residence halls including programming funding, faculty incentives,
training, and staff support.

Substantial funding will be needed for staffing, programming, and academic support to make
the First Year Residence Hall Program successful.
Executive Sponsor: Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life
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Recommendation #9: Create a physical campus environment that recognizes and celebrates
diversity.
Rationale:
Physical environments affect behaviors, attitudes, and well-being. Enhancements should be made
to suggest that IC welcomes a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff; recognizes
changes in the demography of the United States and of the Ithaca College community; and
encourages exposure to and interactions with different perspectives, identities, and realities.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:

Create a task force to develop guidelines and criteria for the public display of art and artifacts
related to diversity. As an alternative, the Facilities Planning Committee, led by the Vice
President for Finance and Administration, could be asked to develop such guidelines.

Create an inventory of artwork and artifacts which can be made available to the campus
community for display.

Identify resources (web sites, vendors, student and faculty work, etc.) for securing art and
other artifacts appropriate for public display.

Support for the aesthetic enhancement of existing spaces associated with diversity (e.g., the
LGBT Center, the African-Latino Society Room, H.O.M.E., House of Roy, and Vecinos).

Consider the creation of new spaces for students that provide safe and informal opportunities
for discussion, (e.g., a Women’s Center, a Multicultural Center).

Highlight special collections in the Library that support an understanding of diversity.

Have television screens throughout campus dedicate some time to channels that expose
viewers to different perspectives (e.g., international news outlets, including the BBC, foreign
language stations, and SCOLA).
Implications:

The task force could be assisted in its work by representatives from the Art History
department, the Handwerker Gallery, and the departments of Art and Photography.

Funding will need to be allocated for the creation of any new spaces, and may be needed to
develop an inventory of art for display across campus.
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
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Recommendation #10: Develop specific initiatives for achieving universal access and meeting
the needs of students with disabilities in and out of the classroom.
Rationale:
People with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, psychological, learning, or
sensory impairments that may hinder their full and effective participation as students, faculty, or
staff members on an equal basis with others. Creating a campus environment that is universally
accessible is grounded in the principles of diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination. In general,
universal access requires the proactive removal of barriers that prevent the full participation of
people with disabilities. These barriers not only prevent physical access to the environment, but
also prevent access to the curriculum, print information, communications, and technology.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:

Establish a task force to develop a Universal Design Policy for Ithaca College:
The best means of achieving universal access is incorporating universal design principles at
the earliest stages of planning and decision making. The term “universal design” refers to the
development of architectural plans, curriculum, and resources that result in places and
programs that are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. The Universal
Design Model is a general set of guidelines, applicable to a wide range of contexts, the intent of
which is to make products, communications, and the built environment usable by as many
people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of diverse abilities
without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
The adoption of Universal Design Model at Ithaca College through the creation of a Universal
Design Policy could result in the development of guidelines in areas of campus life that would
exceed basic legal requirements imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and other
state and federal laws. However, these guidelines would create a more inclusive environment
and may also result in an overall cost-savings. For example, when applied to curriculum
development universal design principles would help ensure that faculty are prepared to teach
all learners and would be called upon less frequently to make academic adjustments to their
courses. Another example is the incorporation of universal design principles in the selection of
vendors and within construction contracts to help ensure that every opportunity is taken to
create a more inclusive campus environment and reduce the need for retrofitting later.

Conduct an Accessibility Audit of all Campus Buildings:
Although great strides have been taken to remediate many of the barriers to full accessibility
on campus, a proactive assessment by an external consultant can result in a more
comprehensive report of the compliance problems we continue to have. It will be of great
value to analyze campus structures, paths of travel, and parking areas in order to identify
access issues and to use that information to develop priorities after those issues have been
identified.
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Implications:
The task force that will be charged with the development of a Universal Design Policy for Ithaca
College should have broad representation including Facilities, Human Resources, Academic
Affairs, Residential Life, and the Office of Academic Support for Students with Disabilities.
Additional consideration should be taken to include student representation as well as individuals
with disabilities.
The primary costs associated with the recommended approach include $300,000 for a
comprehensive accessibility audit and expenses for educational programming to support faculty
and staff in the application of universal design principles.
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
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Recommendation #11: Increase the number and retention of international faculty and staff.
Rationale:
An important component of the institutional mission is to prepare students for informed
citizenship and service to the global community. This preparation should include knowledge and
experiences that focus on the understanding of global systems (economic, political, and social)
that govern our world; learning about a particular world region or country; gaining proficiency in
a second or third language; and on engaging students, and other members of the Ithaca
community, in complementary cross-cultural interactions that facilitate mutual understanding
and recognition. International faculty and staff contribute to the diversity of the Ithaca College
community, support the development of overseas experiences offered to Ithaca students, and
facilitate engagement and institutional outreach to the rest of the world. Faculty members also
assist in the internationalization of the curriculum. Therefore, the College should take steps to
recruit, welcome, and retain international faculty and staff.
Proposed or Recommended Approaches:

Support international faculty and staff employees in applying for H-1B visas and in the green
card process.

Participate intentionally in the Fulbright Program, serving regularly as a host for Fulbright
Faculty.

Develop resources in support of an international visiting scholars program (short-term,
semester-long, and year-long).

Develop more international institutional agreements that include provision for faculty and
staff exchanges.
Implications:

Funding in support of the H-1B and green card process will be needed.

Funding in support of salaries or stipends for visiting scholars is necessary.

Housing in support of visiting scholars and exchange faculty/staff will need to be provided.
Executive Sponsors:
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
Vice President for Finance and Administration
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