ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) – The Ithaca Teacher’s Association (ITA) is calling for more financial support from Cornell.

Educators will host a rally tonight to collect signatures for a petition urging the Ivy League Institution to increase its annual contribution to the Ithaca City School District ICSD). ICSD has downsized and made significant program cuts to cover a $7 million budget shortfall this year

“Staff positions at every level of our organization have been lost,” said ITA President Kathryn Cernera. “Beloved programs have been shuttered. Class sizes are swelling. All because we face an enormous deficit in our budget that simply should not exist. Our school budget vote in May was a message from our community that we cannot bear the cost of funding this district alone. And we shouldn’t have to because none of these losses would be necessary if Cornell University paid anywhere near its fair share to our community.”

The ITA has invited the new Cornell Director of the Office of Community Relations Jennifer Tavares to accept the petition.

The rally is co-sponsored by the Ithaca Substitutes Association, Tompkins County Workers Center, Cornell American Association of University Professors, Southside Community Center, Ithaca Sunrise Movement, Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America, and Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America.

Mayor Robert Cantelmo is among those slated to speak tonight. The Make Cornell Pay Rally happens on the Ithaca Commons at the Bernie Milton Pavilion from 5:30 to 6:30.