On August 31st, Ithaca College announced that it will no longer admit incoming students to the B.S. Theatre Administration major. Instead, they are offering a cover-up degree titled Creative Industries that includes none of the aforementioned Theatre Administration Core Curriculum.

The Theatre Administration major (TAM) is extremely unique. While it is not the only theatre management based degree, what Ithaca has is special and has opened the door for students in entertainment fields. TAM alumni are found working at The Met Opera, Carnegie Hall, and on Broadway. The program has been a beloved and praised part of Dillingham Center since 1983. 

Theatre Administration students are responsible for a majority of the operations for main stage shows at Ithaca. Everyone who interacts with the shows at Dillingham is interacting with someone from the TAM program. These students are house managing, selling tickets, marketing the shows in a myriad of ways, and ensuring the theatre experience goes as smoothly as possible. While every major in the Center for Theatre and Dance leaves a huge impact, one cannot exist without another. If any major in the school were cut, there would be a noticeable chain reaction.  

For the past few years, Theatre Administration has seen many changes. Only a few years ago, the TAM program was titled Theatre Arts Management, had an almost complete business minor built into the curriculum, and was provided with an illustrious ticketing system. Now, most of what TAM had to offer has already been taken away. The program has also solely relied on one professor to manage the entirety of the program. The school has repeatedly shown no interest in adding another professor. Admissions began to dwindle, which could be attributed to the lack of marketing for the program. As a result, TAM students have felt their education was purposefully doomed to fail.

Additionally, on the 31st, Ithaca College announced that they would be implementing an Artificial Intelligence major. Ithaca College was founded originally as a music conservatory and is renowned for its theatre programs. Just this year, The Princeton Review ranked Ithaca College #12 for Best College Theater in their 2026 edition of “The Best 391 Colleges”. It is disheartening to see a school notably tied to the arts go back on what they stand for, by shifting their priorities to cater to a field that poses threat to many degree areas they offer. 

While it is understood that a petition may not reverse any decision made, signing this petition will show direct support to the current Theatre Administration students, whose education has been put in abeyance. At the very least, the B.A. Creative Industries major should rework their curriculum to somewhat resemble the core of the program it's replacing. Signing this petition will ultimately show Ithaca College the importance of this theatre management education and, hopefully, remind them of the institution they claim to be. 

-Written By Alexandria Atencio