Ithaca College has had a tumultuous past year and a half.
Anger over (now former) President Tom Rochon's failure to address the needs and concerns of people of color (POC) at the institution moved students to call for his resignation. After several protests and negotiations, it was decided that Rochon would leave this July. Because of Rochon's administration, Ithaca College is now scrambling to clean up its image. In some ways, the new President, Dr. Shirly M. Collado, is part of that scramble. Dr. Collado's entire career has been dedicated to higher education; she served served as Executive Vice Chair and COO of Rutgers University. She has done extensive work with college honors programs and has also taught at a number of elite institutions. But these few accomplishments are an injustice to the work Collado has contributed to higher education. She is first and foremost a dedicated educator who is surely to bring positive change to Ithaca College as an institution of higher education.
In short: she is badass.
Dr. Collado is also a woman of color. This is a significant detail. Ithaca College has responded to the calls from the last year with her appointment as new president. The daughter of two Dominican immigrants and the wife of a notable black poet, Dr. Collado is the diversity the institution needs. Her administration is likely going to be more responsive and inclusive than Rochon's, which already, students at Ithaca excited and hopeful for the future under Collado's leadership.
Collado has certainly effectively set a positive image for incumbent administration by spending all day touring and interacting with the campus. She met with the leaders of the Student Governance Council, toured the school, and answered questions in two 45-minute sessions. Her commitment to her work is obvious and her excitement for the future is palpable. It is certainly spreading over the student and faculty bodies.
On a personal note, it is exciting to see someone with a story at its foundation so similar to my own. I am the daughter of two immigrant parents navigating higher education as Collado once did, and knowing that the president of the school I love so much can share in my experiences is encouraging. It makes me feel much more comfortable to be a POC at an institution that lacks in diversity. It makes me feel more at home in a strange, inexplicable way. To know that she will protect, preserve, and advance this little school on a hill that I so lovingly call home makes my overjoyed. I hope she will serve as a bridge between the administration and the student body.
As for Tom Rochon, his administration will have to be a lesson learned, not just for Ithaca College, but for all Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). When the top administrators at an institution criticized for its diversity are all white males, there is likely to be some disconnect between those administrators and the students they represent. As Ithaca moves towards a path of greater inclusivity, other institutions will hopefully follow.
In the meantime: Welcome, Dr. Collado!
