I hope this update finds you well. This week and last have been particularly busy, but the holiday of Diwali, with its emphasis on light and joy, and Halloween with its joyful exuberance, brings elation among the waning days of sunlight (and remember to change your clocks and your fire alarm batteries this Sunday!). As the calendar turns to another month— and a Happy Indigenous Persons/Native American Heritage Month to all who celebrate—I write with updates and information that you may find of interest.
Since my last communication, my calendar has been filled with various meetings and engagements. Last Monday, I was pleased to join the CSI Alumni Association—and special guest CUNY Trustee Michael Arvanites—for their first meeting of the semester. It was wonderful to hear about recent and planned activities, and to see so many folks interested in supporting their alma mater and our students. The following day, I joined our campus Hillel organization for their annual celebration of Sukkot, and brainstormed with members of the administration about how we can program similar events to foster inclusiveness and belonging for students and staff from other faith traditions on campus. That evening, I liaised with other Senior College Presidents to analyze enrollment trends, discuss issues related to fundraising and philanthropy, and assess the state of student learning across the sector.
On Wednesday, I hosted one of our more distinguished alumni, Her Majesty Queen Diambi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who shared her plans for humanitarian work in Africa and elsewhere. She regaled my team with stories of her time at CSI and how faculty and staff were able to inspire her to overcome learning disabilities (until then undiagnosed) allowing her to graduate as valedictorian (in slightly more than three years!). We discussed opportunities for study abroad, faculty exchanges, and related matters, and I look forward to the results of those conversations. That afternoon, I attended the annual meeting of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, where the campus was singled out for its 50 years of membership in that organization. Over the past half-century, we have partnered with SICC on a number of important workforce and job-related initiatives, and our local and regional economic impact is well-known. I look forward to a continued positive relationship with the Chamber and its members!
This week saw the first CUNY Board of Trustees meeting of the fall term, and our campus kickoff to winter and spring advisement. I was pleased to see the turnout at Tuesday’s “Meet Your Major” fair in 1P, and to speak with many advisers, faculty, staff, and students about their hard work. Thank you to all who are helping our students reach their fullest potential. I also had a “deep dive” meeting with Chancellery staff concerning “connections to careers” and ways that CSI can better identify pathways between our curricula and the world of work. These are important conversations and I look forward to the hard, important work ahead. Tuesday also saw my most important meeting of the past two weeks, as VP Hodge and I hosted the Student Government Executive Board for “Pizza with the President” where we discussed the importance of student engagement activities, concerns around transportation challenges, food insecurity, and other issues of concern to the student body. Many thanks to SGA President Adrian Rosales and his team for making time out of their busy schedules to share their perspectives with us!
My week ended with a meeting of the Institutional Planning Committee, where we put the finishing touches on aspects of our forthcoming Strategic Plan (Bridge to Success, 2025-2030) and with my attendance at the annual gala celebrating our community partners at the Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), where I continued to lobby for increased partnerships and support for students via internships, clinical placements, and guaranteed employment. The week also saw the first blood drive of the year (I ave, did you??) and I was amazed at the turnout as several dozen students and employees answered the lifesaving call to donate blood: this should not be surprising given other ways in which I have witnessed this level of engagement and activism. For example, Friday saw many of our student-veterans participating in a CUNY-wide leadership symposium at the Graduate Center to discuss ways in which they can maximize their impact, on campus and off.
Saturday will see a wave of potential students visiting campus for our first Open House of the year, and I know many of you will be coming in to greet them and show off our beautiful campus and our terrific programs. Thank you for that! And Sunday, more than 120 of our student-athletes will be volunteering at the New York City Marathon staffing hydration stations along the route. That same day, the Friends of CSI host another fundraiser with their book talk at Osteria Santina. (Register online). As a reminder of one ore act of civic engagement and responsible citizenship, don’t forget to vote next Tuesday (Time to Vote on Election Day | CSI Today)!
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
