I hope this mid-month message finds you well and that you are enjoying the cool autumn weather. I write with updates and information that you may find of interest.
Since my last message, I have been engaged on multiple fronts. Last week, I attended the monthly Council of President’s meeting at CUNY Central where, among other things, the senior leadership of the University engaged in training conducted by the Constructive Dialogue Institute. The purpose of the training was for campus and system leaders to become more adept at facilitating conversations about difficult and challenging topics. The campus will be sending a team of representatives to subsequent trainings so that they can return and inform our colleagues about strategies to amplify this message. Additionally, the Provost will be making recommendations for faculty representation to a CUNY-wide anti-hate project, another example of the University’s commitment to combatting prejudice and intolerance on a system-wide level.
I also had the opportunity to attend my first meeting of the CUNY Board of Trustees Committee on Finance and Administration, where I now serve as liaison from the Council of Presidents. There we discussed personnel matters, analyzed the Fiscal Year 2024 closeout, and approved the University budget for the current and forthcoming years. It was an interesting discussion that crystallized just how far this College and the system have come, but also a sobering reminder of the challenges that lie ahead.
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I was honored to attend last week’s “Pink Buffet” at the Park Café. Many thanks to those who organized the event, especially the pioneers behind the Staten Island Breast Cancer Research Initiative (SIBCRI), Donna Gerstle and Alfred Levine of the Center for Environmental Science, and the hard-working staff from Dining Services. It was great to see such a strong turnout, another sign that we are a “community of caring” here at CSI. This was on display again at this week’s fall community-building event organized by the CSI Spirit Committee. Another example of the strength—and diversity—of our community could be seen at Thursday’s luncheon hosted by the Center for Global Engagement, where we learned of our various study abroad programs, opportunities for faculty exchange, and international partnerships. The campus is proud of the work we do in this area and are hopeful of expanding our reach and impact here. Many thanks to Director Stephen Ferst and his team for the delightful conversation, delectable meal, and stimulating conversation!
This week I was able to meet with representatives from the Institutional Planning Committee to continue working on the College’s Strategic Plan, particularly revisions to the mission, vision, and values. I believe we are very close to a final product and the document should be ready for review and (hopefully) ratification by the College Council early in the spring term. Speaking of the College Council, this week bought that body’s second monthly meeting of the semester where we learned about recent changes to federal Title IX regulations and how they might impact our campus. We also heard committee reports, discussed the state of facilities projects, ruminated about ongoing challenges related to transportation, and heard about the state of bargaining negotiations.
As we are now at the mid-point of the semester, I want to remind you that this is a perfect time to check in on our students—and on each other. The stresses of exams (and of tutoring for and of grading them), of registering for winter and spring classes (and of providing adequate and appropriate advisement), of approaching elections (and the polarizing conversations around politics), and the waning hours of daylight (and I commute both ways in the dark!) can have a cumulative effect on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Be sure to take care of yourselves, and one another!
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
