What a way to start the Fall semester! We are so excited to welcome more than 4,000 new students, over 7,000 returning ones, and 30 new full-time faculty and staff to Dolphin Nation as we begin AY 2026-2027. The year—a momentous one that marks the 50th Anniversary of the College of Staten Island—is shaping up to be one of most exciting. In terms of enrollment, our headcount and full-time equivalent student numbers project to surpass last year’s total and this year’s projections, placing us in a favorable budgetary position. For the first time in a dozen years, the College ended the fiscal year in a positive position. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to get us to that enviable position at a time when higher education is facing significant challenges, and when public higher education is particularly constrained, it is truly astonishing to see real and sustained growth.
This week was a hectic one, and as the calendar turned to September, the activity increased. Tuesday saw a full-day retreat for the CSI Foundation Board of Directors, where we discussed our upcoming Visionaries Campaign. We are embarking on a five-year path (consistent with our Strategic Plan, Bridge to Success) that seeks to raise $20M to accelerate the work of that guiding document. The Board engaged in deep and meaningful conversation about the roles and responsibilities we all have in order to make this vision a reality, and their commitment to our institution and the mission we serve is both palpable and admirable. That dedication was on display at Thursday’s bench dedication ceremony (we installed five additional benches across campus) and at Wednesday evening’s meetings of the Finance and Investment and Audit Committees. With the assistance and partnership of the Board, I am sure that great things are in store for the campus in the coming months and years.
It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Fall 2026 Kickoff Convocation on Tuesday. This year’s event was a tad different from prior iterations, when a “State of the College” was coupled with the annual “celebration of service.” After hearing from many of you, we decided to return to a traditional convocation. It gave us a moment to pause, acknowledge the tremendous effort that has gone into preparing for this academic year, and look forward together to the work still ahead. I encourage those who were unable to attend to watch a highlight video shown during the event. I thank the team in Marketing and Communications, under the leadership of Director Anita Bulan, along with my Chief of Staff Jessica Collura, for their work in producing that fine video (and the interviews, still photos, and video footage that accompanied my remarks). It was a wonderful way to start the academic year and reflect on the centrality of our mission, the accomplishments of our students, and the achievements of our faculty and staff.
The week also saw meetings with the Central Office Budget and Finance executive leadership team, where we discussed our multi-year financial plan, requests for additional hires, and other details. I also spent a full day at the Chancellery working with colleagues from the Board of Trustees, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the Chief Operating Officer’s team on the search for a Vice Chancellor and on system-wide matters related to human resources. In addition, yesterday, we welcomed representatives from the New York State Division of the Budget to our campus. Jessica Collura, along with members of our Campus Planning team (Jorma Loci and George Sulley); CUNY’s Office of Facilities Planning, Construction and Management; and DASNY, led a tour highlighting how capital investments are transforming CSI. During the visit, our guests saw the significant progress being made on current construction projects, reviewed recently completed improvements, and discussed opportunities for future investment. They were impressed by the beauty of our campus and the impact these investments are having on our community. Face time with key partners is essential to advocating for our campus. I take that responsibility seriously, and your dedication makes it easier to represent our needs effectively.
This weekend brings a brief early-semester respite with the annual celebration of Labor Day (is summer really over??) and I hope you all get one last barbecue, baseball game, dip in the pool, or trip to the beach. Next week brings the monthly Council of President’s meeting, the first consultation with the College Council Executive Committee, and our campus commemoration of September 11 (Thursday at 10:00am). Also, keep a look out for VP Tressler-Gelok on Wednesday from 8:30am-10:00am outside of 1A near the bus stop where he will be handing out donuts and talking to students.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend!
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
