05 Jul Ithaca TASS Closing Early
Telluride Makes the Difficult Decision to Close TASS Program Early at Ithaca Site Following Staffing Shortfall
This week, Telluride Association made one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever made. After extensive discussions with Telluride Association and Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS) leadership, we have decided to close the TASS residential program early at our Ithaca, NY campus following an unexpected staffing shortfall.
This decision was not made lightly nor was it made without considerable deliberation at all levels of our organization. It’s a situation we have not encountered in almost 70 years of summer programs.
To operate our summer programs, TASS must obtain a summer camp license in every state where we operate—in 2026, that means Maryland and New York. As part of that licensing process, we must comply with staffing and supervisory regulations that specify how many approved adults must supervise and support the minors in our care. Because of the program’s structure—with separate lectures, breakout groups, independent work time, outdoor activities, and field trips—students are rarely all in the same space at the same time. Throughout the day, approved adults must remain within sight of every student.
Over six months, we recruited, interviewed, checked references, conducted background checks, and trained the residential and academic staff for our programs. We also identified two additional full-time employees to serve as TASS staffing buffers in case of unexpected departures. Despite those preparations, we quickly faced an unforeseen staffing shortage.
A series of staff departures – one during the first week of training, one during the first week of TASS and the third during the second week of TASS, all unrelated to each other, ultimately reduced staffing to below the levels required to maintain the staffing and supervision standards for a residential youth program.
“Every decision we make begins with the safety and well-being of our students,” said Amina Omari, Telluride Association Executive Director. “When it became clear that we could no longer operate the residential program with the staffing levels our standards require, we made the heartbreaking decision to end the residential session rather than compromise those standards and potentially the safety of our students. While we recognize how disappointing this is for students, families, staff, and alumni, we believe it is the responsible course of action.”
No part of the decision was related to safety incidents involving participants or to student conduct. As with nearly every TASS cohort, the students arrived eager and excited to connect, to grow and be open to new ideas – their behavior for their two weeks in the program reflected both that maturity and enthusiasm. Understandably, the students, faculty and remaining residential staff are deeply upset by this decision. It’s a disappointing end to what should have been an exciting, transformative summer.
Students remain safely supervised at the Ithaca campus while travel arrangements, coordinated and paid for by Telluride Association, are being finalized. The organization has informed participating families directly and is providing ongoing updates through scheduled virtual meetings, individual outreach, and an online FAQ.
For more than 70 years, the Telluride Association Summer Seminar has provided academically accomplished high school students with a cost-free rigorous educational experience grounded in intellectual curiosity, community, and shared responsibility. Although this summer’s residential experience in Ithaca, NY is ending earlier than planned, Telluride Association remains committed to those values and to supporting this year’s students as TASS alums.
We are in the process of identifying next steps for the program participants who have demonstrated a desire to continue their educational experience and will update them and their families in the coming days. Additionally, in the coming months, Telluride plans to fully assess the staffing processes and events to minimize the risk of a similar staffing shortfall in the future.
The Telluride Association Summer Seminar taking place concurrently at University of Maryland in College Park, MD remains unaffected by this change and their five week program is expected to be completed in late July.
“We know students invested extraordinary effort to earn a place in TASS, and we share in their disappointment. They have spent two weeks academically challenging themselves and building relationships that we hope will continue after they return home,” Omari said. “Our immediate responsibility is to care for our students and ensure their safe travel home. We are grateful to our families, staff, and partners for their patience and understanding during this challenging moment.”
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Any questions or concerns should be directed to tass-queries@tellurideassociation.org
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