I hope this mid-month email finds you well as I write with information and updates that you may find of interest.
This week has been a typically busy one, with meetings both on and off campus. The week began with a lunch meeting where Dana Trimboli, Associate Administrator in Charge of Business Development, and I met with donors to strategize about our upcoming season of giving (Give to College of Staten Island | #CUNYTUESDAY 2024). We have established ambitious goals for the campaign, and I believe we are well-positioned to achieve new levels of charitable giving which will allow us to advance our mission of access and excellence. At a time when traditional sources of government support for higher education is tenuous, we must be innovative, intentional, and entrepreneurial in our approach: as such I hope that you take a time to complete this brief survey regarding the College’s Center for the Arts, and the types of programming you would like to see offered there. (Survey: Performance & Events Programming FA24)
Tuesday was a frenetic day, but a celebratory one. The campus hosted our second annual “First Generation” student celebration in the lobby of 1A. First Gen Day (November 8) is a time to acknowledge those who are the first in the families to attend institutions of higher education, a categorization that describes nearly half of all CSI and CUNY students. As a proud first-gen student myself, I know full well the challenges that such students face and am pleased and proud to play an admittedly small role in helping propel the next wave of first-gen students to realize their fullest potential. My thanks to all those in the Division of Academic Affairs for the work in setting up this event and even more so for the support and resources they make available to all our students. Immediately thereafter, and in celebration of Veterans Day, my staff and I stopped by the Student Veterans Support Services Center for a brief meet-and-greet with our student veterans. You no doubt noticed several hundred American flags that adorned alumni walk this week, each of which was hand-planted by this group in recognition of the contributions that veterans make to our wonderful nation. I am sure you join me in grateful acknowledgment of this act of service and of their commitment to our country.
On Wednesday I had “Tea with Tim” with the ASAP/ACE team, where I learned much about the good work that is happening in that unit. Many thanks to Director Ron Oliva and his team for sharing best practices, discussing their challenges, and brainstorming for solutions. Next week I expect similar frankness and candor from our colleagues in the Purchasing and Budget offices, as we convene for a twice-postponed conversation. The week also included a follow-up meeting with the New York City Department of Transportation, where we continued the dialog around on-campus and off-campus transportation options. We discussed dedicated bike lanes, electric scooter charging stations, ride share programs, and other micro-transit initiatives. The campus is continuing to work with city and state agencies, regional and national agencies, and private and public funders to expand transportation options for our students and staff, but the process is a slow one. On Thursday, we held our penultimate College Council and Faculty Senate meetings of the fall term, where we received updates on the campus budget (Q1 forecasts are still in flux), technology initiatives (including a report on a recent “AI at CSI” webinar), and support for faculty as it relates to academic freedom. The conversations were, as always, elucidating and important.
Next week brings with it a full-day meeting of the East Coast Conference member institutions, the annual “State of CUNY” address at New York City College of Technology, the annual university-wide reception for new faculty at The Graduate Center, a tour of the Tech Incubator facility at St. George, a campus-wide pre-Thanksgiving Buffet at the Park Café, the CSI Spirit Committee’s “Friendsgiving Potluck,” and meetings with various affinity groups, prospective donors and other community partners. Given the high-volume of off-site meetings my weekly communication will likely be on hiatus, but I promise to keep the campus apprised of any time-sensitive developments.
Until then,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
