Ithaca College is a private university that was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a music conservatory located downtown, on what is currently the bustling Ithaca Commons. Over the next few decades, IC expanded to become a full-fledged liberal arts school, although it is still most famous for its undergraduate and graduate music programs. In the 1960’s, Ithaca moved to its current location on South Hill and maintains its reputation as a very liberal university.
About 6,000 undergraduates now matriculate at Ithaca. Besides music, the most popular concentrations are those in the internationally recognized Roy H. Park School of Communications, with a long list of notable alumni who are extremely successful in the media and broadcasting. The physical therapy and exercise science programs in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance are also among the strongest in the country. Overall, IC is regarded as one of the top ten master’s universities in the north.
-Laura Lanz-Frolio ‘08, Kaitlyn Golden ‘10 and Kayla Klein ’10 contributed reporting.
Ithaca, NY has the best of both worlds – a real college town with lots of bars and restaurants, plus the surrounding rural area where you can go for a swim under a waterfall or picnic by the creek. About a quarter of Ithaca residents are upperclassmen who choose to split the rent in a house rather than live in the dorms.
Cornell University is located nearby on the East Hill, and students from both colleges congregate in the Commons, an outdoor pedestrian mall downtown with antique shops, vintage boutiques, and quaint eateries with food from around the world. College Ave by Cornell is lined with bars that can get packed on the weekends, so IC students sometimes opt for the closer ones located in the Commons. For those under 21, the Haunt or Castaways are a longer drive, but offer dancing, concerts, and a pool table. Both of these eighteen and over clubs have been known to have a no-tolerance policy for students trying to sneakily buy drinks.
For outdoors types, or anyone who wants to get some fresh air while studying, Cayuga Lake and the farmers market are only a short drive away from the college. Ithacans usually go hiking and swimming in the nearby gorges. Jumping off Six Mile Creek gorge is especially popular in the spring or, if you are staying on campus, in the summer time.
As reported by Elizabeth Greene ‘08:
“Don’t just stay on campus - there are way too many places in Ithaca to explore! The Commons are an Ithaca trademark, with a wide selection of shops , restaurants, and bars. A walk through the Commons is never boring and a great way to get a taste of the local environment. Just outside the Commons is a brand new Starbucks - a college student staple. Grab a latte and do a little work. It’s guaranteed to be a little more relaxing than your dorm room. If you’re tired of watching DVDs in your room, venture to the Cinemapolis for the Indie flicks or documentaries that aren’t shown in regular movie theaters.
If you’ve never experienced Wegmans before, then get ready. This mega-grocery store has everything you could think of, including a large food court area, with Chinese, deli, sushi, pasta, and vegetarian fare to take out or eat right there in their restaurant area. And you can’t miss their bulk candy section. You won’t be able to leave without one bag of tasty treats. Just a little ways down the road is Barnes & Noble, another great place to get some work done when the library or your room just isn’t working. There’s a Starbucks right inside and with tons of magazines and books to browse.
Want to see how the other side lives? Then head over to the other hill and check out Collegetown, Cornell’s little village. There are various restaurants, especially Japanese, another Starbucks, and small shops. But the main do-not-miss locale in Collegetown? Jason’s Deli, complete with a make-your-own frozen yogurt bar. Pick and choose your flavors, then add in toppings like M&Ms, real cookie dough, cookies, sprinkles, and more. It’s the one reason you’ll wish you went to Cornell."
As reported by Kayla Klein ’10:
“Walking around the Commons is a great weekend activity, but, as with many other outings, this one is limited to the days when the weather is nice. There are a few festivals throughout the year like the Chili Cook-Off in the winter and Applefest in the fall, which are always full of good food, fun and entertainment. Students also make their way over to the Pyramid Mall when a craving for mainstream shopping kicks in. The mall is only a ten minute ride and, while it is small and modest, it houses a newly renovated stadium seating movie theater. You are bound to see one person you know at the mall, especially if you go on the weekends. College kids love to shop, even though we never seem to have money.
Another hot spot is Collegetown over on Cornell University’s campus. It is similar to the commons and is always buzzing with students from both Cornell and Ithaca.In the fall and spring, the city has a farmers market that offers a variety of community-made food like homemade ice cream and spicy noodles. It is a perfect place to get organic fruits and vegetables while supporting the community, as well as homemade jewelry and home accessories, such as wooden bowls and plates, and flowers.
At night, students who go off campus usually end up at bars downtown or in Collegetown. Popular ones include Second Floor, Mooneys, and Micawbers. There are also two different clubs that are pretty small, but offer decent concerts on some weekends. The Haunt and Castaways are located a little off the beaten path, but feature big names such as Reel Big Fish and G Love & Special Sauce. The Haunt is more frequented by the Ithaca community, while Castaways has a bit of a younger, college crowd, especially on the nights when college bands are playing there, or for the popular Bob Marley tribute night. There is another club called Common Ground where the dance scene is always a good time. Students are never at a loss for things to do around Ithaca and if they have a car they can travel to Syracuse for a larger mall or to Seneca Lake for a relaxing wine tour.”
Ithaca College’s 757-acre campus is pretty spread out, which can mean a frigid walk to class if a student doesn’t have a car and can’t get a ride from a friend. Located five minutes from the college town’s off-campus housing, Ithaca’s modern, 1960s-style architecture is offset by the captivating natural beauty of the surrounding Finger Lakes region.
Between classes, Ithacans unwind at Student Activities Center, or SAC, where there are big screen TVs to watch the Yankees face off the Red Sox, pool tables, ping pong tables, and even board games that you can take out for a $5 collateral. For a low-key study session, each building has student lounges with cafes and food carts for that extra energy boost. Students tend to hang out in the building specific to their major, such as OT and PT majors in the Center for Humanities and Science, communications majors in Park School and business majors in the new, sustainable business school building. Health-conscious and athletic students are known to congregate in the IC gym, which offers personalized classes like cardio kickboxing and abdominal training.
-Laura Lanz-Frolio ‘08, Kaitlyn Golden ‘10, and Kayla Klein ’10 contributed reporting.
However, the most popular meeting places are undoubtedly Ithaca’s sprawling lawns in the spring and cozy cafeterias when the cold weather hits.
Elizabeth Greene ‘08 writes:
“If it’s fall or late spring, then take advantage of the many outdoors. Lounge on the quad or on the steps by Textor Hall, where you’ll be accompanied by many other readers, artists, musicians, and students throwing Frisbees. Or sit along the fountains and take in the view. You’re only here for four years and you’ll miss the view of Cayuga Lake more than you know!
You say, 'The Pub' and anyone not familiar with IC thinks that you are hanging out at a bar midday. But in reality, it’s a favorite location to eat, do a little work, and people watch for hours. Located in the wireless-equipped Campus Center, it has a full food court along with coffees. You have to fight for a table but once you get one, you’re set to be entertained and run into at least a couple of people you know. Can’t find a table? Head upstairs and grab a seat in the little café area in the upstairs Campus Center. There’s a smoothie bar and little tables to chat and read. A little quieter than the Pub, but equally suited for people watching and productivity.
Need absolute quiet? Then head to Ithaca’s library. Five floors contain enough books and nooks to find a place to get your work done. Open into the wee hours of the morning, it offers students a place to get away and actually do work. It can be hard to find a desk, so head up to the top floors for even more solace. If that doesn’t work, there are computer labs all over campus; perfect for doing a little work, printing your papers out, or just browsing the Internet. Either way, they’re a great place to spend some time when not in classes.”
Laura Lanz-Frolio ‘08 discusses several issues on campus:
“One thing that admissions officers at IC aren’t going to advertise is the lack of on-campus job opportunities for freshmen. Some people are awarded a work-study job on campus as part of the financial aid package, which sounds like a good deal until you find out that the only option for freshmen is serving food at the dreaded dining hall. It’s pretty disgusting and humiliating having to make your friends (or crush) sandwiches while wearing an over-sized denim shirt and chef’s hat, but after putting in your time for a year you can usually get a better job in your department or somewhere else on campus.
The administration is very open to student opinions, however and does its best to make positive changes. Up until the spring 2008 semester, our campus held classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which bothered a lot of students since the administration is supposedly very concerned with diversity on campus. Though there were no large protests, many students vocalized their objection to the fact that classes were held on this national holiday and subsequently met with administrators to change the policy, which just took effect this semester.
Although IC students generally feel safe on campus, we don’t live in a 'perfect bubble.'Indeed, a recent protest on campus resulted from several hate incidents. The first was that the gay pride flag was stolen off of the flagpole on campus during gay pride month, 'Gayril.' This incident was followed by several sightings of racist graffiti found around campus. A large protest was organized on campus that became known as the Erase the Hate Rally. More than 500 students and faculty came to show their respect and listen to speeches by students, professors, and even President Peggy Williams.
Another recent controversy was related to sexual assault on campus. In February, a student reported that she was raped by a stranger in her Emerson dorm room. This report spurred other students to come forward through a story published in The Ithacan with their own accounts of rape on campus that they had previously chosen to keep under wraps. The most prominent case involved a resident assistant who raped a student in a dorm room in 2006. Most of the controversy surrounding the case stemmed from the fact that this person was not terminated from his position as an RA after the incident - his only punishment was to be put on probation and made to perform community service. Many students were outraged that an RA, whose job it is to protect students in dorms, was allowed to continue in his position despite rape charges. The integrity of campus administrators, especially those in the Office of Residential Life, was seriously questioned by a lot of the student body. Though Residential Life says that they are working to change the policy regarding punishment of RAs, many students still feel mistrustful of them.”
Elizabeth Greene ‘08 discusses some things she wishes she knew about IC:
“I wish that admissions officers had spoken with me more about the real life academic tracks. I was one of the few who didn’t change majors but for those that did, they often faced requirement issues and administrative dilemmas.
Ithaca often seems to pride itself on being diverse and I remember that being mentioned prior to enrolling, but it’s far from the truth. Admissions officers should be more open with prospective students, since I’ve heard of minority students not really realizing how not diverse Ithaca is until they’re already enrolled.
I also wish I had known how important it is to know if the college has a lock-in tuition system. Ithaca’s tuition has increased over the four years I’ve been here, and it has forced some students to transfer. Some colleges have a lock-in price, so you’re guaranteed to pay the same tuition that you pay as a freshmen and I think this is incredibly important.”