I am writing to provide information and updates regarding recent activities and ongoing work across the campus.
The semester is well underway, and the campus is alive with activity. With nearly 11,500 students, CSI is close to its largest and most active student population since prior to the pandemic, and our students are excited to be back on campus. This was clear during Tuesday’s DolphinFest featuring an Involvement and Services Fair and on Wednesday’s Study Abroad Fair. At each event, representatives from dozens of student clubs and organizations participated in tabling sessions, membership drives, and assorted activities, seeking to educate students about the opportunities that await them. They also demonstrate a renewed emphasis on student involvement and engagement. I’m excited to partner with the Student Government Association this year as we work together to plan events and help cultivate a livelier, more engaging campus environment. This attention to engagement is palpable and was also on display at the ribbon-cutting for the Computer Science Department’s Tech Futures Lab located in 1N-112. With a 3D printer, humanoid robot, and other features, the lab provides an experiential, hands-on learning space for our students. This is exactly the type of experience our students have been asking for and I am sure this lab will be a magnet for current and future students for years to come: thank you for the invitation and the opportunity to tour the facility!
The week also saw the first College Council and Faculty Senate meetings of the year, where we received updates on campus operations, budget, and enrollment. All signs are pointing in a positive direction, and I thank everyone for their support—and patience!!—in getting us to this position. At a time when campuses nationwide are slashing programs and laying off staff, we have avoided such drastic steps, which is a testament to our shared commitment to our mission. The College Council meeting also featured elections for a new slate of officers: congratulations to Professor Cynthia Chris for being elected as Chair of the College Council; I look forward to working with Cynthia and her executive team in the true sense of shared governance that has marked my time as President. I also want to thank the outgoing members of the Executive Committee for their service, and especially Professor Ken Gold who is stepping down as College Council Chair. Ken has been a true thought-partner and tireless advocate for the College and his constituents. Although we didn’t always see eye-to-eye on certain matters, Ken was able to “disagree without being disagreeable” and our differences of opinion were never differences of principle. I wish him well on his sabbatical leave, and trust that the same candor and frankness that marked our partnership will be replicated with Cynthia.
Thursday also saw the Gallery opening of Subtle Subversions: The Art of Patricia Espinosa (Sept. 17 – Oct. 22., 1P-112). We are delighted to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month with a solo exhibition of sculpture, drawing, and performance by the Mexican born, New York-based artist, Patricia Espinosa. Please take a moment to stop in and experience this effort and thanks to Professor Siona Wilson, who curated this show.
I also had the opportunity to meet with one of our oldest affinity groups, The Friends of CSI, this week. Led by Carol Berardi, the group is—like the College itself—celebrating 50 years of activity this year! Since 1976, the Friends have supported the College and its students through scholarships, awards, and in other meaningful ways. This week, they heard from one of our international students (and student-athletes) about the reasons why they chose CSI and our D2 Athletics program. If you want to find out more about the Friends and support their activities, consider joining us at their next (and most popular!) Literary Lunch on Sept. 27. Another affinity group, the CSI Alumni Association, also met this week (an off-campus engagement in midtown Manhattan prevented me from attending that session) where they elected two new board members and planned activities for the coming year. The CSIAA, like the Friends, are true champions of the work we are doing at the College!
The week ended with a stirring event—the screening of Take Me Home, a film that confronts the structural failures of the U.S. healthcare system and the inequities faced by disabled people. By genuinely centering the disabled experience rather than approaching disability through a caregiver’s lens, the movie affirms our legacy of place and represents another step in reclaiming a place once associated with exclusion and despair (the Willowbrook State School) into a community dedicated to opportunity and a realization of each individual’s full potential (the College of Staten Island). My thanks go to the filmmaker, Liz Sargent, for her poignant storytelling and to those who participated in the panel discussion that followed, especially Diane Buglioli, who moderated the discussion. It was a remarkable experience.
As you know, this academic year, we celebrate a remarkable milestone: 50 years of CSI and 70 years of public higher education on Staten Island. From our beginnings in 1976 to the vibrant College we are today, this anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the people, stories, achievements, and moments that have shaped CSI, while looking ahead to all that is possible for our future. Our theme, CSI at 50: Honoring Our Past. Inspiring Our Future., will guide a year of celebrations, storytelling, events, exhibitions, and opportunities to engage the entire campus community. You received an email this week (CSI at 50 Teams site) to make it easy for faculty and staff to participate and access anniversary resources. The site includes anniversary branding and graphics, key messages, social media resources, and ways to share your CSI stories. We hope you will make CSI at 50 part of your work throughout the year.
In closing I wish all who observe a peaceful and reflective Yom Kippur, and to everyone a restful weekend.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
