The Ithacan Thursday, M a r ch 28, 20 13
Applications hit record high for 2013-14
∙
Volume 80 , Is s u e 2 3
Independent media takes stage
by noreyana fernando assistant news editor
Ithaca College has announced a 13 percent increase in freshmen applications for Fall 2013, compared to last year. The college received 15,641 applications for next year, the largest applicant pool in the college’s history. According to an Intercom announcement, the number of international applicants increased by 18 per- MAGUIRE said cent, and ALANA the increase may applicant numbers be because of the new curriculum. increased by 24 percent. Eric Maguire, vice president of enrollment and communication, said applications from all states in the country also increased. The college received 13,813 applications for Fall 2012, 13,436 applications for Fall 2011, 13,191 applications for Fall 2010 and 12,747 applications for Fall 2009, which was also the year that the college enrolled the largest class in its history. Maguire said the increase in applications for next year can be attributed to several factors, including the Integrative Core Curriculum that is part of the college’s IC 20/20 strategic plan. “We can’t say we know that for sure right now...[but] I don’t think [the increase] would have happened if people weren’t responsive or receptive to the Integrative Core Curriculum, because that was a significant portion of our message this fall to students in our presentations to them, in our open houses that we provided, as well as some of our publications,” Maguire said. This year’s applicants are also the first group to have the option of withholding SAT or ACT scores since the college announced the decision in May 2012. In an Intercom announcement, Maguire said this factor may have attracted more applicants. Twenty-four percent of applicants chose to withhold standardized test scores. However, Maguire said this did not affect the quality of the pool of applicants, because other factors, such as class rank and GPA, were also taken into consideration. Maguire also said the increased number of applications will not affect the number of people accepted. However, he said the college does plan to accept more students for different reasons. “We are taking a few more students this year for two reasons,” Maguire said. “Last year’s incoming class was a little bit smaller than we had anticipated. We look
See applications, page 4
Amy Goodman, co-host of Democracy Now! and one of the first recipients of the Izzy Award, visited campus Sunday evening and addressed a packed Park Auditorium about the need for independent media. This year, Mother Jones, a nonprofit news organization, will receive the Izzy Award on April 17. emily fedor/the ithacan
By jeremy li staff writer
With the presentation of this year’s Izzy Award around the corner, Amy Goodman, founder and executive producer of Democracy Now! and one of the first recipients of the Izzy Award, visited campus Sunday to speak about the importance of independent media and the need for journalists to truly act as the Fourth Estate to a packed audience Sunday.
Goodman is a co-host of Democracy Now!, an independent national daily news program. Her public lecture was held in the Park Auditorium on Sunday night, and about 300 students and community members attended the event. Four overflow rooms were set up in Textor Hall lecture halls and classrooms in the Park School with live feeds of the speech. A book signing immediately followed the talk.
Goodman had been the news director of independent Pacifica Radio station WBAI in New York City for more than a decade before she co-founded Democracy Now! The War and Peace Report in 1996. Goodman credits mainstream media organizations with the program's success, because they left a niche for independent media.
See media, page 4
Part three: China offers business opportunities by michael Tkaczevski staff writer
Anticipation of the creation of a China center, Ithaca College faculty have designed study abroad programs to prepare students for possible careers in the nation with Follow the series the fastest and explore data g r o w i n g at theithacan.org/ economy in the-china-series. the world. Recent developments in plans for the center in China, which is part of the college’s IC 20/20 strategic plan, have inspired professors and staff to organize study abroad programs to give students a better understanding of Chinese business culture. According to a 2012 article in IC View written by President Tom Rochon, he and other staff and board of trustees members of the college traveled to China last year
Business students stand on the Great Wall of China during the School of Business’s study abroad program in the summer of 2011. courtesy of Jackelyn Branco
to visit 12 universities in five cities to discuss the creation of the China center with potential partners. Rochon said in an email that the college can’t disclose any details about the center, because the
college and a prospective Chinese university would need to develop the center’s features together. In general, the China center will provide students with courses and help them find internships
while abroad, Rochon said. Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said professors have taken initiative to form connections with Chinese universities, which she said will be crucial to establish a China center. “It’s very much an organic situation,” Kelly said. “Moving forward with the center in China will institutionalize [those connections] to a much greater degree than has been the case before.” In 2007, before IC 20/20 was on the table, Guan Hongwei, associate professor in the department of health promotion and physical education, and Nicholas Quarrier, clinical associate professor in the department of physical therapy, organized the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance’s two-week summer study
See china, page 4
Springing up
New League?
tools to learn
“Spring Awakening” is the second sold-out musical of the year, page 13
Rec sports office considers a new league in intramural basketball, page 23
Investment in new lab equipment is positive step for college, page 10
f ind m or e onl ine. www.t heit hacan.org