Almost 1,000 students filled the academic quad, calling for the school’s president to resign amid ongoing racial tensions. Weeks of protest at the University of Missouri led to the president, Tim Wolfe, and chancellor, R. Bowen Loftin, stepping down this week.
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Ithaca President Tom Rochon has been accused of inadequately addressing occurrences of racism on campus, and both students and faculty are using this opportunity to voice their discontent. Another incident that sparked outrage was a Blue Sky Reimagining campus event in early October where students were asked to help create ideas about Ithaca College’s evolution. Burch referred to a fellow alumna, Tatiana Sy, as a “savage” after she described her “savage hunger” in launching her professional career, the Ithacan reported at the time.
Ithaca’s campus community staged a similar event in December 2014 to protest the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
“No confidence” echoed across campus Wednesday, shouted by at least a thousand students who took part in a “Solidarity Walk Out” at Ithaca College. “Also, after seeing that their president resigned, it will give more hope to Ithaca College Students that serious change can also happen here”.
Students at Ithaca College gathered today to demand the resignation of their college president.
Students and faculty are seeking a no-confidence vote for Tom Rochon.
“I’ve never had a black professor”, said junior Nigel Cyril, who was holding a sign asking the students to vote no confidence in the president.
According to a press release, Ithaca College is aware of acts of alleged racism and “cultural bias” on campus and has taken steps to boost inclusivity on campus.
“We firmly believe that existing plans to address these challenges must be expedited and new measures undertaken”, the Ithaca college administration continued.
According to the POC at IC Facebook event “Solidarity Walk Out”, over 750 people responded as “going” to the event and over 380 people responded as “interested”, although the exact number of attendees is unknown at this time. Roger “Doc” Richardson, associate provost for diversity, inclusion, and engagement will serve in this role on an interim basis.
“He holds the future of this college very strongly in his hands and he’s letting it slip”, said student body President Dominick Recckio on Tuesday.
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Rochon also on Wednesday announced the hiring of a “chief diversity officer” to “improve our campus’s racial climate and build a culture that lives up to its values of civility, mutual respect, and justice.” “And that’s what these people are out here today to express and that’s what I’m out here to express as well”, Recckio said.
