I hope the first few weeks of the term have been treating you well. I write with updates and information concerning activities since my last communication, which you may find of interest.
The last two weeks have been characteristically busy as we settle into the fall semester. Last week, in addition to regular meetings with various members of the campus community, I joined President Jeffrey A. Doggett of Wagner College and other Island leaders for lunch with NYS Budget Director Blake G. Washington. I advocated for CSI’s inclusion in programs such as the Governor Hochul’s “free community college” initiative and for increased funding related to workforce development and career preparation. We enjoyed a free-flowing conversation about the outsized role CSI (and by extension, CUNY) plays in the local economy, and I am hopeful that this information will result in a more favorable position for our campus in future budget cycles. I appreciated the opportunity to “show off” many of the good things we are doing and was gratified to be able to brag and boast about many of our accomplishments. I thank the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) for arranging the meeting, and for their partnership in advancing our shared interests and concerns!
Following lunch, I participated in a pair of meetings with committees of the CSI Foundation’s Board of Directors, where we reviewed and approved a (clean) audit of our financials and reviewed our investment portfolio performance. It is great to have such active and engaged members of the Board who give feely of their time and talent to help the College achieve its mission. The next day I participated in a full-day retreat with several members of the Board, where we strategized about the ways in which we can use that body to implement and operationalize our Strategic Plan, Bridge to Success. Among the many things we discussed was the feasibility of a capital campaign to coincide with the upcoming 50th anniversary of CSI and the 75th anniversary of public higher ed on Staten Island, a date that will coincide with the conclusion of this iteration of our Strategic Plan. That conversation about Bridge to Success similarly informed the inaugural meeting of the Institutional Planning Committee, where we brainstormed about how to achieve forward momentum on many of the Plan’s initiatives and imperatives.
This week saw meetings with community and institutional partners, near and far. Thanks to Professor Ken Gold, I was able to learn more about holistic admissions practices espoused by ReAlign Education/The Center for Supportive Schools and by “The International Big Picture Learning Cooperative.” We had an intriguing conversation with the CEOs of those entities about ways to better meet the needs of 21st-Century students and about how they are using competency-based learning to combat cultural biases and open doors (and educational opportunities and career paths) for marginalized and disadvantaged students. It was a fascinating conversation that foregrounded some of the very aspects of CUNYs mission that I find so appealing: meeting students where they are and elevating them to places many thought unachievable. The next day, I joined dozens of our Dolphin Supporters at the annual athletics golf outing, where we had a great time raising money for our student-athletes. Many thanks to Matt Scally, Mike Mauro, and all the folks in the Athletics Department for their work behind the scenes (and many thanks to CSI alumnus James McBratney for hosting the post-golf meal at Jimmy Max). My attendance there prevented me from participating in the Fall Involvement and Student Service Fair, but I am told that it was among our best-attended events of this kind in many years: my thanks to the Office of Student Life for hosting such a great event!
Wednesday saw this month’s iteration of the Council of President’s meeting at the CUNY Chancellery, where campus leaders were briefed on potential impacts of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (we must remain fiscally prudent and cautious amid uncertainty), the state of enrollment across the University (CSI is up roughly 3% year-over-year), the status of various administrative searches (yours truly is chairing the search for the next Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, and our committee had its first three-hour meeting just last week), an upcoming communications and marketing campaign, and other items. It was a lengthy, but informative and productive day.
My week closed with the first consultation of the year with the College Council Executive Committee, where we discussed items to be handled at next week’s meeting, and with that body’s Budget Committee, where we shared news of our FY 25 end-of-year projection (still on pace to eclipse our target) and of the status of our previously-submitted Financial Plan (about which we await final approval). All in all, it has been a very busy few weeks, but one that portends an active, vibrant, and productive year!
Amid all this activity, it was touching to come together as a community on the anniversary of September 11 to remember and pay tribute to those members of our community and our nation who lost their lives on that tragic day. The annual remembrance ceremony at our 9/11 memorial is a fitting reminder to the outsized influence that day had on our borough, and it is always special for me to take part. I want to thank Robert Kee for facilitating the program, Distinguished Professor Tyehimba Jess and Laura Scazzafavo for their moving words, and alumna Debra Denmark and student musician Maksim Nam for their poignant contributions. It is during these times that we are reminded of both the fragility of life and the enduring strength of the human spirit. When violence, division and fear can feel overwhelming, we must reaffirm our shared humanity. Let us honor those affected by tragedy by committing ourselves to peaceful discourse, mutual respect, and the pursuit of understanding. In parlous and challenging times, the power of community is paramount.
As we enter Hispanic Heritage Month, I am reminded of our mandate as a Hispanic Serving Institution to strive for an environment free of discrimination and open to all members of our community, including those who are first-generation college students and those from under-resourced and historically-marginalized communities….and I thank you all for helping us achieve that noble goal.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
