09 05 2013

Page 1

The Ithacan Thursday, Sep tember 5 , 20 13

Smart news editor

Over the years, national polls have dubbed Ithaca, N.Y., the best college town, the most enlightened city and, more recently, the smartest city in the U.S., making way for yet another “Ithaca is Gorges” variation. Lumosity, the online brain-training platform designed by neuroscientists, named Ithaca the “Smartest City in the United States” in June after analyzing the results of online cognitive exercises taken by more than 1,500 respondents with IP addresses in Ithaca. Daniel Sternberg, data scientist on the research and development team at Lumosity, said the term “smartest” was defined by cognitive performance in five areas: speed, memory, attention, flexibility and problem-solving. “What makes these rankings different from other rankings of smartest cities … is that [while other groups] might look at things like employment rate, proportion of people

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Northeast Elementary

High Ithaca ol Scho

Fall Creek y Elementar Cornell University

an Lehm ive t a n Alter nity u Comm ol Scho

See smart, page 4

e iddl M t t i Dew chool S

Boynton Middle School

Enfield Elementary

by Noreyana Fernando

Volume 81 , Is s u e 2

Cayuga Heigh ts Elementary

Ithaca is

How Ithaca won the title of the "Smartest City in the United States"

Beverly J. l Martin Schoo

n herma S e l l e y B ntar Eleme South H Eleme ill ntary

KEY Pre-K to 5­ Grades 6-12

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Higher education

Caroline Elementary design by emily fuller

Faculty Council proposes changes to FYRI structure by Michael Tkaczevski assistant news editor

The Ithaca College Faculty Council began the year brainstorming revisions to the First-Year Reading Initiative, unanimously endorsing President Tom Rochon’s “Under 3 Over 3” budget plan and preparing to meet the three new members of the Board of Trustees. The FYRI was the main topic of discussion and critique at their meeting Tuesday. The council took initial steps in developing six new kickoff events for the incoming Class of 2018. The events would tie in summer reading books with the six Integrative Core Curriculum themes. The changes are designed to attract more students to the book discussion and make the experience more welcoming to new students. Chris McNamara, clinical assistant professor and clinical director of the Physical Therapy Department, said only about half of the students in a given class attend the FYRI kickoff discussion group, and even

From left, Faculty Council members Deborah Rifkin, John Rosenthal and Rebecca Lesses consider FYRI changes at a meeting Tuesday. amanda den hartog/the ithacan

many of the students who attend don’t read the book enough to participate effectively. “For me, the bottom line is that the First-Year Reading Initiative, as it is structured now, is not working,” McNamara said.

Mixing it up Mercato bartender keeps up relationships with customers, page 13

Bonnie Prunty, director of residential life and judicial affairs and assistant dean of first-year experiences, said students' and faculty' feedback about the FYRI discussion groups was consistently negative throughout the years.

“Clearly, part of what we heard from the students … who read the whole book and went excited about the experience, was about their level of frustration with their fellow students who either don’t show up at all or show up and are unprepared,” Prunty said. The council voted on the changes to FYRI, with 13 council members voting in favor, five voting against and nine abstaining. Changes to the FYRI are still tentative; but Kelly said the deadline for a decision is in October, because the college needs time to buy books, plan events and advertise the initiative. While the council was divided in its support for FYRI changes, it unanimously endorsemed of the “Under 3 Over 3” plan. This initiative proposes to keep the rate of tuition increase below 3 percent and the rate of faculty and staff salary increase at more than 3 percent. It also aims to provide faculty and staff with a salary increase above the rate of inflation.

See faculty, page 4

Business School loses longtime staff member by noreyana fernando and sage daugherty news editor and online news editor

Eileen Kelly, professor of management in the Ithaca College School of Business, passed away Monday following a battle with cancer. An Intercom announcement Wednesday said Kelly, 57, began her career at the college as an associate professor of management in 1993. Born Oct. 24, 1955, in Steubenville, Ohio, Kelly was the daughter of the late Edward J. and Mary C. Kelly, according to an obituary published in the Ithaca Journal on Wednesday. Kelly is survived by a brother, a sister and six nieces and nephews, the obituary said. Mary Ellen Zuckerman, dean of the business school, who knew Kelly during her three years as dean, said

See business, page 4

Next on deck?

few and far

Butterfield Stadium may be next athletic facility needing an upgrade, page 23

People of color are lacking the support of white allies, page 10

f ind m or e onl ine. www.t heit hacan.org


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09 05 2013 by The Ithacan - Issuu