I hope this mid-month communication finds you well. As we recognize Hispanic Heritage
Month (September 15-October 15) it is important to recognize our place as a Hispanic Serving
Institution (HSI) and what this means to our community, both in terms of opportunity and
obligation. With this in mind, I have instructed our grant-writing team to leverage our HSI
status and explore partnering with funders to provide support for our students, faculty, and
others as we aim to grow enrollment, create and sustain a welcoming community, and promote
a culture of care and respect. As it relates to creating a community of care, I am pleased to
share that CSI recently received $195,000 from New York State for our Social Work and
Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs! The funding will be used to support
paid internships and apprenticeships, augment scholarship allocations, and enhance clinical
and field-training experiences. I am so grateful for all that our that our faculty, directors,
chairs, and staff are doing to support our communities via their academic
programs! Congratulations to all who were involved in this achievement!
This week the Cabinet and I had an opportunity to take a “deep dive” into the workings of the
CSI Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that aims to provide services and
opportunities to our students through a variety of programs and initiatives. In addition to
running our campus child care center, the Association, under the leadership of Marianne
McLaughlin, oversees allocations of Student Activity Fees that support—among other
things—the campus radio station (WSIA); athletics, intramurals, and recreation; publications;
and student government, clubs, and organizations. With more than a half-century (!!) of
engagement with the Association, Marianne is a wealth of information and is still passionate
about providing leadership development opportunities to our students. Thank you, Marianne,
for your dedication to our mission! That evening, at an event I was unable to attend, the CSI
Alumni Association held its first in-person meeting of the term, where they discussed plans for
expanding membership and engagement, their burgeoning mentorship program, and ways to
partner with the College on various initiatives. It is a pleasure and a gift to have such dedicated
and caring folks among our alumni!
My week also contained meetings with external funding partners (the Robin Hood
Foundation), where we discussed opportunities around workforce development related to
green economy initiatives and sustainability. One of my goals is to significantly increase CSI’s
standing as a “renewable resource” in our community and to reduce our carbon footprint and
impact on the environment. Several initiatives—most of which are unseen and few of which
will impact our operations—are aimed at that goal. One of these was the impetus for a second
meeting with the Department of Transportation to discuss the viability of bike sharing, bike
lanes, and other solutions to on-campus transportation challenges. This week also saw a full
board meeting of the CSI Foundation, where we welcomed two new members and discussed
plans for the coming year. Like the Association, the Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) entity
(and I also met with their auditors in what was an extremely busy week) whose work supports
the College in achieving and expanding its mission. And like the Alumni Association, all
members of the Foundation are volunteers who give generously of their time and talents to
support the work we do here. Many thanks to our partners for their interest and support!
Thursday saw the first Labor-Management Meeting of the year AND our inaugural AY 24-25
College Council and Faculty Senate meetings. Among other things, we discussed staffing,
budget, campus climate, contract negotiations, the state-of-facility projects, and myriad other
topics. The sequence of meetings was intense but demonstrates the commitment to
transparency and shared governance that has allowed CSI to make significant headway toward
reducing our structural deficit while maintaining high standards in all aspects of our
operations. I am proud to have played an admittedly small role in advancing our reputation in
that wider context and I thank you all for the hard work you have put in to get us here.
Thursday also saw the long-awaited ribbon cutting and official opening of the Percy C. Ellis
SEEK program suite in the lobby of 1A. Director Stephanie Allen, Assistant Provost Carey
Manifold, Provost Steiper and I welcomed folks to the revitalized space, featuring new
furniture and technology in private study carrels, advising offices, an interactive learning lab,
and a new meditation room. The space reflects the sense of belonging that marks all of our
opportunity programs and the care and caring that SEEK staff have for our students. Be sure
to stop by and check out what they have to offer!
The week ended with the opening of a new exhibit in 1P, Less and More by Professor Howard
Smith, and with the Office of Recruitment and Admissions hosting a welcoming breakfast and
conference for CUNY admissions counselors, an annual event where we get to show off our
beautiful campus and highlight our tremendous programs, faculty, and staff. Events such as
these demonstrate to our colleagues why CSI is the best place to study and work.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
