I trust this message finds you well as I write with updates and information concerning recent activities that you might find of interest. It has been a busy week here, with several meetings and obligations on campus and off.

Following last week’s breakfast meeting with local city councilmembers, this week I hosted Borough President Vito Fossella for a conversation in my office. We discussed a wide range of subjects, including our Strategic Plan, enrollment and budget projections, and faculty and student accomplishments. We provided updates on facilities projects (including new lighting for the theater, which was secured through generous funding from his office), and our work around building pathways to careers. I was gratified to hear our guest say that he has observed a “positive buzz” about the College Island-wide, and of his appreciation for the role the College plays in the Borough. I look forward to working with his office to further advocate for the needs of the College and to celebrate our collective and individual impact.

That day, I also met with the College Council Executive Committee as part of our monthly consultation. We provided updates on various administrative searches, discussed the role of shared governance as it pertains to the annual budget submission, and worked through some complexities as they relate to student success and the campus approach to tutoring and supplemental educational services. We also discussed our ongoing work with the MTA and DOT to improve campus transportation options, and the University’s anticipated response to federal actions regarding grants, student deportations, and protest activity. It was, as always, a candid and open conversation. The candor and frankness were mirrored in that day’s meeting of the senior college presidents, where we discussed various items, including next week’s Board of Trustees meeting, our continuing lobbying efforts (I will be heading to Washington, DC in a month), state and municipal budgets (delayed once again), and other challenges to higher education. 

On Wednesday, I was at the Central Office for the all-day Council of President’s monthly convening, where we were briefed on enrollment (including a forthcoming marketing campaign), transfer initiatives, and the role of the Center for Excellence and Inclusion. (The highlight may have been President Wu of Queens College having to wear Dolphin blue regalia for the duration of the meeting as the result of a recent victory by our baseball team…or perhaps it was my receiving some presidential bling for our school’s triumph in the recent Macaulay Honors College Olympics…?) We also discussed legal challenges to federal policies and the impact to campus and system research activities, and CUNY’s work around employer engagement. CSI received a well-deserved shout out here for our leadership in building career-infused degree maps (special thanks to Kristi Brescia!!), a practice highlighted in this week’s Inside Higher Ed, and one that will surely be recognized as the standard best practice across our industry. Our work around building pathways to employment was similarly on display at the next day’s annual Career Fair, held at the Hilton Garden Inn and attended by several dozen prospective employers and hundreds of our students. Many thanks to Shannon Cammarano and the team in the Office of Career and Professional Development for their work here!

My busy week concluded with a lunch meeting with community partners and a walk through of the space we will use for this month’s annual Spring into Giving gala (buy your tickets HERE).  We are poised to have our biggest and most successful event in years and I eagerly anticipate the evening! I also gave remarks at the XVIII Annual Mathematics Connection Conference (thank you Professor Judit Kerekes for organizing this!) and at a town hall held in 1P where we hosted our partners from the Department of Transportation to discuss transportation issues and challenges across the Island. On that topic, I encourage you to respond to this brief survey (Transportation Survey Spring 2025) as we continue to work with the city to improve public transportation options for our community.

I will be traveling late next week so my message will likely be on hiatus, but I wanted to wish all who celebrate/observe a Happy Easter and Joyous Passover. I hope that we all have a restorative Spring Break and come back rejuvenated and excited for the final month of the Spring semester.

Until next time,

Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)