Tn the event of a transit strike on December 16, the College of Staten Island will remain open. Final examinations and continuing education classes will proceed as usual.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s contract with the Transit Workers Union expires on Sunday, and a transit strike could pose difficulties for faculty members, students, and staff at CSI, the Island’s largest college and second largest employer.

Over 12,000 students, with approximately 22% commuting from Brooklyn and Queens, have been studying in preparation for their final examinations. The exam period is December 16 through December 23.

CSI faculty members with commuting difficulties will have proctors administer their final exams on campus, and the original exam schedule will be followed.

“Students with commuting difficulties should be in touch with their professor, through the department offices, to make alternative arrangements,” noted Carol Jackson, vice president for student affairs at CSI.

A comprehensive telephone listing of CSI’s academic departments can be found by clicking on “Faculty and Staff” at the College’s website, www.csi.cuny.edu

“Faculty, staff, and students should make every possible effort [to be on campus],” said Thomas G. Tyburczy, acting vice president for finance and administration at CSI.

Realizing the commuting hardships, Tyburczy notes that employees who anticipate difficulty in arriving on campus should contact their department chairs or direct supervisors as soon as possible.

Tyburczy estimates that approximately 20-30% of students and employees commute to CSI via mass transit. He encourages all students and employees to ride-share with friends and colleagues to help ease congestion on the Island and on campus.

CSI’s loop bus, which provides convenient transportation between buildings while on the CSI campus, will operate as usual in the event of a transit strike.

At this time, there are no changes anticipated to the January schedule of Immersion classes, or the first day of the Spring 2003 semester, January 27. Should a transit strike persist, additional information will be made available.

The CSI campus is home to many programs, events, and activities. College officials encourage the public to check in advance with the appropriate offices before coming to campus.

For updated information visit “Special Announcements” from the College’s website, www.csi.cuny.edu or call the CSI hotlines at 718-982-3333 or 718-982-4444.

For details on New York City’s transit strike preparations, visit www.nyc.gov/transitstrike

The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s leading urban university. CSI offers 35 academic programs, 15 graduate degree programs, and challenging doctoral programs to 12,000 students. The 204-acre landscaped campus of CSI, one of the largest in NYC, contains an advanced, networked infrastructure to support technology-based teaching, learning, and research. For more information, visit www.csi.cuny.edu