It is with great excitement and anticipation that I welcome back our returning faculty, staff, and students. For those who are new to the College, I extend to you a very warm, “Welcome to CSI.” Today, as we commence the start of the 2010-2011 academic year, there is much to reflect upon, much to look forward to, and especially much to celebrate.
At the top of the list of our reasons to celebrate, student enrollment continues to flourish as more and more students are choosing to attend CSI. For the fourth consecutive year, CSI has experienced record enrollment (over 14,000 students). More than just the overall numbers, the academic profile of this incoming class has reached heights unparalleled in the history of CSI.
As a testament of our commitment to those students who have chosen CSI for its excellence in education, we also celebrate the arrival of an extraordinary group of 18 new faculty and several new administrators to the CSI community. This extremely accomplished cohort of faculty and staff represent some of the most promising talent in their respective fields, and they are certain to contribute to our evolving status as a world-class educational institution.
We can also now reflect upon a remarkable summer in which CSI established itself as a global destination for cultural exchange and academic excellence. Approximately 200 students from prestigious middle and high schools in and around Shanghai, China visited CSI this summer as part of the Continuing Education Summer Camp Program to learn and study English and Art. This international partnership resulted in a transformative experience for the visiting Chinese students as well as the CSI students and staff who served as gracious hosts.
Looking forward, the 2010-2011 academic year will be a time filled with momentous activity and progress in CSI’s Middle States reaccreditation process. More than 130 members of the broad campus community, assigned to seven different working groups, are involved in this process, which will culminate in a visit to our campus by the Middle States Commission evaluation team in 2011-2012.
Additionally, the Institutional Planning Committee (IPC) will continue to develop CSI’s new Strategic Plan, which will guide planning and decision-making at the College for many years to come. Through its hard work and diligence, the IPC has already successfully finalized the College’s new Mission, Vision, and Values statements as well as the strategic directions that form the foundation for the Strategic Plan. I encourage you to visit the Strategic Planning Website. When prompted for your username and password, type in your email name and email password and you will be able to log-on.
On behalf of the College, I thank you for your continued support, and I wish you a great year at CSI.
