I hope that you have been enjoying the late-summer heat wave, and keeping up with the news.…
As reported in this week’s Forbes the College of Staten Island was ranked as the number three school in the nation when it came to delivering a “high bang for your tuition buck” with our graduates earning back the price of their degree in just 15 months! This should come as no surprise given CUNY’s reputation as an engine of economic and social mobility, but it is astonishing nonetheless: to outpace Ivy League institutions as a springboard to success is nothing short of amazing! And it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff. I have always insisted that our employees go the extra mile because they see themselves in our students, and see our students as being worthy of our efforts. That care and commitment, not coincidentally, leads to results such as these. As additional surveys and rankings are published I anticipate additional good news and accolades. While CSI and CUNY are comparatively inexpensive, it is not only about being affordable: we deliver high-quality, rigorous academic programs and supportive student services that represent true “value added” to a college degree. While some may question the value proposition of a college education, it is clear that CSI provides incredible opportunities to our students – and I thank you all for doing so.
Since I last wrote, I have been engaged in conversations with various folks on campus and off. This Tuesday brought the first meeting of the academic year with the College Council Executive Committee. We discussed many topics, including our enrollment (very good), our budget forecast (challenging), and plans for the coming year (strategic and other). I look forward to working with our governance leaders to advance the mission of our institution, and I remain committed to transparency and candid dialog with all of my colleagues. On Wednesday, I attended the monthly Council of President’s meeting at CUNY Central where other senior leaders and I engaged in conversation with the Chancellery about myriad topics. Our overall enrollment picture is improving, but the lack of clarity or insight into the budget situation warrants prudent approaches to hiring and spending. The coming year will continue to have its challenges, but the system—like the students we serve—is above all, resilient. I look forward to the hard, important work ahead, and to the inevitable successes of our students.
Thursday brought the annual Student Involvement Fair, and it was wonderful to have engaged and active students gathering together at the Campus Center. With a dynamic list of extracurricular activities, NCAA Division II athletics (and our Women’s Soccer team is off to a great start!) and career-connected degrees, it is clear that CSI is a destination campus. This will be reflected in several upcoming events: tonight, is our second CSI night at FerryHawks Stadium (unfortunately, I am travelling so cannot attend), and next week brings a full slate of activities including our annual 9-11 Remembrance on Monday, the CSI Athletics Golf Outing on Tuesday, and more. It’s clear that we are back, and we are better, together.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
