The Ithacan Thursday, December 6, 20 12
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Volume 80 , Is s u e 1 3
Activists and academics
Ithaca College professors apply lifelong activism to classrooms By kristen mansfield staff writer
Beth Harris, associate professor of politics, stands in front of her Political Justice class describing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, holding up a packet with maps and articles inside of it. What many students don’t know is that after class Harris would be holding up posters at a Gaza protest on the side of Route 13. For professors like Harris, protesting is how they do their part to enact change in both the college community and elsewhere. They have chosen to not only weave their passions into their teachings but also to go out and advocate for the issues they believe in. Harris said she has felt strongly about human rights issues since she was in college and is now focusing her energy on the situation in Palestine and the Gaza Strip. “At this point, Israelis have a government that can
protect them, and the Palestinians don’t,” Harris said. “It’s a big concern of mine. Since 1948 the Palestinians have been in the position of refugees.” Harris was not the only faculty member to attend the Gaza protest Nov. 16. More than 20 college students, locals and professors participated in a demonstration in Ithaca to oppose U.S. aid to the Israeli military. Fred Wilcox, associate professor of writing, who was also at the protest, said Israel’s weapons used to attack innocent people on the Gaza Strip are paid for by U.S. citizens’ tax dollars. “The more you know about it, the sadder you’ll get and wish that everybody there would step back from the violence,” Wilcox said. The history of violence in the Gaza Strip dates back to 1948, when Israelis drove the Palestinians from their
See PROTEST, page 4
From left, Fred Wilcox, associate professor of writing, holds up a photo while Beth Harris, associate professor of politics, carries signs calling for Palestine's statehood at a Gaza protest Nov. 16 on the side of Route 13.
shawn steiner/ the ithacan
Faculty Council discussions turn to budget issues by elma gonzalez news editor
Growing tensions between Ithaca College faculty and administration surrounding salary and college budget developments were at the forefront of Tuesday night’s Faculty Council meeting. Discussion centered on Huron Consulting Group financial assessment developments, salary and electing the candidates for next semester’s Institutional Effectiveness and Budget Committee. At the meeting, Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president for educational affairs, reiterated her stance on the Faculty Council’s request for a 3-percent increment in general merit pay. Kelly said the percentage is significantly higher than what the IEBC was comfortable in putting forward. At the Nov. 13 meeting, she said she did not support advocating for a larger salary pool. Don Lifton, professor of business, urged Kelly to advocate for
Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president for educational affairs, attends the Faculty Council meeting Nov. 13 in the VIP Room of the A&E Center.
sabrina knight/the ithacan
the faculty’s request for an increase in salary. Lifton said faculty input in resource allocation — and in this case Faculty Council input in budget decisions — is part one of the Characteristics of Excellence
snap happy App connects students through time-limited photos, page 13
in Higher Education, according to Middle States. “There is still time, provost, to rescue the situation,” Lifton said. Twice, the council went into a private executive session. The first
College narrows hunt for director of advising center
was for a meeting with Kelly and Michael Trotti, associate professor of history. Trotti brought in fliers addressed to Kelly and President Tom Rochon from a group of faculty, asking for the administration to call off the search for a new director of the academic advising center potentially until next semester because of budget constraints. On Wednesday, President Tom Rochon called for an allfaculty meeting “to bring greater transparency and clarity to the directions the college is taking and to provide an opportunity to hear faculty concerns.” The meeting will be held at 5 p.m., Dec. 10 in Textor 102. Rochon was not available for comment when contacted. This decision follows an unfavorable faculty response to Rochon’s first installment of a weekly series on his blog, the President’s Notebook, which was posted Nov. 27 to update
The four finalists for the new position of director of academic advising will be coming to campus over the next two weeks. A new advising system will be instituted in Fall 2013, headed by the selected director of academic advising. It will serve as a supplement to ARNOLD said all traditional advisof the candidates ing but will focus are experienced on giving students and eager. guidance about the new Integrative Core Curriculum. Each candidate will have an open session, which students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
See faculty, page 5
See director, page 4
Hardcore Fitness Center offers popular new workout program, page 23 f ind m or e onl ine. www.t heit hacan.org
bY SALLY YOUNG STAFF WRITER
mind mirror New magazine on mental health is positive campus addition, page 10