I hope this note finds you well, and that you are enjoying the summer. I write with updates concerning recent activities that you might find of interest.
Since my last communication, I have been busy engaging with external community stakeholders. This week, members of our administration met with representatives from Consolidated Edison to discuss how we can build on our existing relationship to the betterment of our students. Con Ed has been incredibly generous in recent years (the naming of the Con Ed Trading Room in the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business is but one example) and we are looking to leverage this partnership. We discussed internships and workplace-based learning opportunities, whereby students can see the real-life applications of theories they learn about in the classroom. We also discussed opportunities related to workforce development and job training, and opportunities for increased philanthropic giving. It was a very encouraging conversation.
I also had the opportunity to engage with partners from The State University of New York’s SAIL (Strategic Academic Innovative Leadership) Institute where I learned of best practices related to presidential transitions, and how to deal with crisis management. We discussed the need for regular communications, for team-building, and the importance of faculty and staff professional development. I followed up on this conversation by working with the Provost and others to identify ways in which we can best amplify the work of our research activities and incentivize scholarly and creative works. I am glad to report that we will be increasing support for such activities this coming year and look forward to the results of that investment.
I also participated in the monthly Council of President’s meeting, held this week at the Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) in Corona, Queens. A CUNY-affiliated institution, the LAHM chronicles the life and times of the incomparable musician and activist, and framed our conversation about multiple topics, including the role of the humanities in higher education, diversity and social justice initiatives, and cross-cultural interactions. We also received updates pertaining to enrollment (our summer was very good, with a nearly 10% increase from 2022, and our fall numbers are projecting well, also), a new CUNY-wide marketing campaign, campus sustainability goals, and the University’s strategic roadmap.
This week I attended a CLASS 100 event, where our staff welcomed more than 500 incoming students and spoke to them about various expectations, obligations, and opportunities. It was wonderful to see so many new faces (and a few familiar ones) as the campus returns to life once again, and I appreciate the efforts of faculty and staff to network with our incoming students. The anticipation was palpable. The next few weeks are among my favorite, as the spate of activities (including Move-In Day, a welcome back barbeque, and the first day of classes) bring renewed energy and enthusiasm. Between now and then, we must continue to outreach to new and continuing students, emphasizing our world-class programs and value proposition, so that we register as many as possible to achieve our enrollment goals: I truly believe that if we keep our level of activity up, we can surpass our goals this fall. Let’s not take our foot off the pedal so close to the finish line.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
