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former President Shirley M. Collado and participate, we felt like, in fairness, we had to give them the opportunity [to host current President La Jerne Cornish. “It’s a big declaration to say and in 2021],” Bassett said. “We were the hosts to make, even if it’s in two years, that of the game in 2019. 2020 didn’t a lot of money and a lot of resources happen, so it didn’t seem fair for us will be allocated to Cortaca when there then to host this year because why are so many people who are still feel- would [Cortland] agree. We really ing the effects of being laid off from the wanted to make the Yankee Stadium thing work.” college,” Machlin said. Mirabito said he thinks that holdTim Mirabito, assistant professor in the Department of Journalism, also said the ing the Cortaca game at Metlife unknowns of specific financial details make and Yankee Stadium is fantastic for alumni but that it takes away some imthe optics of the game worse. “The contrast of having layoffs oc- portant experiences for current students cur and then very shortly after having a at the college. “There’s obviously a ton of people football game at a professional stadium implies that there are costs that would that have connections to Ithaca Colbe much more suitably applied to re- lege that live in and around New York taining faculty or going back into the City, which is great,” Mirabito said. “But academic budget,” Mirabito said. “I do when you start to do things like this, and think that, from an optics standpoint, it is a especially the way that the calendar has fallen … we’re eliminating home games for tough look.” our students.” Bassett said all of the travel Bassett said that the expenses for both Ithaca success of the game at College and Cortland “I do think that, MetLife Stadium led to are being covered a conversation abby promoters Hufrom an optics out something similar dak and Bob Gastandpoint, it is a happening every four rone ’87. However, years or so. She she declined to tough look [for said that the colcomment on the the college].” lege’s alumni raised exact expenses of over $100,000 on the event. the day that the rivals “For the athlet-Tim Mirabito faced off at MetLife Stadium ic department, it’s a in 2019. budget neutral event,” BasThe main reason the college agreed to sett said. “For the college, it’s an opportunity for enormous positive publicity play at Yankee Stadium shortly after the in the tri-state area and metropolitan 2019 Cortaca Jug game, Bassett said, is because the venue does not have an opening New York.” On the other side of the coin, Itha- other than 2022 until 2027. However, Holtzman said, if the game ca College will not host a home Cortaca game at Butterfield Stadium until goes as well as expected, there is a possi2024. That means that multiple class- bility of the game being held there again in es will go through the college without the future. “Certainly, if the game is as sucbeing able to experience a home Cortaca game, something that Price said is a cessful as we all believe it would be, we’d want to have it back here at some unique experience. “I know that atmosphere, re- point in the future,” Holtzman said. gardless, is fantastic and it draws in “But I think you want to also keep the spea huge crowd on the South Hill,” cialness of it. You would have to figure out how many years apart you would want to he said. Bassett said that canceling the game have the games.” Correction: A previous version of in 2020 forced some shuffling that led to the college giving up a home game this article states that the 77th anin return for the chance to play at nual Cortaca Jug game was held in 2019. It was the 61st annual Cortaca Yankee Stadium. “In order to get [SUNY] Cortland to Jug game.
Editorial: Cortaca 2022 venue sparks concerns within IC community
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ith the announcement of the 2022 Cortaca Jug game being held at Yankee Stadium comes a multitude of emotions, ranging from excitement to confusion. In any other situation, this would be seen as an incredible opportunity for Ithaca College’s athletics and for the college community. Moreover, it should be an exciting piece of news, and the community should be overjoyed at the opportunity to have a fun weekend away from campus that is filled with school spirit. However, the circumstances do not allow for this excitement to spread to everyone. The college is currently evolving — for better or worse. The community is facing a landslide of changes, including program additions, faculty and staff cuts, financial instability and a global pandemic, and as we return and try to stabilize our community, the college is adding to the landslide with this announcement. It is easy to parade around with excitement over the news, but there are some students, faculty and staff members who just cannot find it in themselves to celebrate or be joyous over next year’s event. Many are wondering how the college cannot afford to hire more staff members; how 116 full-time equivalent faculty positions were eliminated; how departments across the college have seen significant budget cuts; how the library at a private college had to decrease its hours; and yet, the college is going to host the game at Yankee Stadium. A sense of unity within our community is essential, especially following the aftermath of the decisions made by the Ithaca College Board of Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team. There is no denying that this game will be an incredible experience for many members of this community. This game could heal some of the open wounds left behind from the previous academic year by providing a distraction to the day-to-day worries many have about the college. It could be beneficial for mental health among students to spend time just enjoying a game in the city. This does not justify nor does it rationalize how the college cannot provide its students, faculty and staff with the necessities they need because of the financial difficulty they have proven over and over that the college is facing. Before we can celebrate or rejoice as a community, the college’s needs should be met first. In order for these concerns to be quelled, the college needs to be transparent in its current financial situation and make it clear how it intends to finance this football game. From one perspective, the college looks like it may be favoring the athletic community over the basic needs across campus. The college needs more staff and faculty members and increases in budgets in nearly every department and office, but what the college does not need is to put on a flashy performance for one weekend while neglecting its obligations to its students and the community as a whole.
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