I hope that this mid-month message finds you well and that 2026 is off to a great start! I write with information and updates that you may find of interest. Since my last communication, much has transpired.
While many in our community are enjoying a period of calm during the January intercession, others are hard at work preparing the campus for the return of students. Still others are actively supporting and engaging with students throughout the winter term, ensuring that learning and connection continue even in this quieter season. In fact, our January enrollment is up more than 15% from last year, a welcome sign that our retention initiatives are bearing fruit and that students are recognizing the importance of staying engaged and on track with their academic pursuits. This demand signal is continued into the Spring, where projections show an increase of nearly 4% year-over-year, an encouraging indicator for our campus financial health (and at the mid-point of the fiscal year, we are still trending towards ending “in the black” for the first time in many years!)
With more students on campus, there is an expectation for greater in-person presence and services, hence the decision—made in consultation with governance leaders—to move toward an 80/20 campus density level, beginning Jan. 26. This will answer student demands for greater in-person services and alleviate manager and supervisor concerns about challenges related to remote work. While I know this decision may be unpopular, it is a necessary one to better serve our community and ensure accountability and equity across our administrative units. As students and staff return to campus in greater numbers, they will see a number of improvements, including new desks and chairs in a dozen classrooms (1S and 2S), restoration of hot water in the restrooms of 1P, new tables and chairs in 1C, and continued progress of entrance doors, security enhancements, and other projects. Many thanks to the team in Facilities for their work on these and other initiatives!
Since I last wrote, there have been other important developments. The searches for a Provost/SVP of Academic Affairs, as well as for a VP of Student Affairs have been launched and I anticipate a robust level of campus engagement with the process. The plan is to have permanent administrators in those roles ideally before the start of the new academic year. We are also proceeding with a number of faculty and staff searches, and I believe that by making investments in our people, we are taking concrete steps towards addressing shortages that have challenged our campus for too long.
The relative quietude of the campus this month allowed our Cabinet team to engage in a retreat related to our Performance Management Plan, where we analyzed data related to various and sundry metrics (student success, fundraising, career readiness, compliance, etc.) and formulated plans and strategies to advance on those and other fronts. In concert with our Strategic Plan and in partnership with governance bodies (including the Institutional Planning Committee), I feel that we are well-positioned to meet our targets and better serve our mission of access and excellence. This was a message that I shared at the Central Office on Tuesday, where I participated in a panel regarding “leadership in challenging times” as part of a professional development forum for the CUNY Faculty Fellows (where CSI was represented by a trio of our dedicated colleagues). Speaking of professional development, don’t forget to register for our series of workshops and training next week, which were developed following consultation with faculty and staff leaders in an effort to support their needs. Many thanks to all those who helped organize the program, and to our workshop facilitators for sharing their expertise in these areas!
This week also saw a pair of academic celebrations: the pinning/candle-lighting ceremony for our nursing students (I was unable to attend owing to another obligation in midtown but congratulations to all who participated) and the graduation of our Master’s students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. These programs are not only among our most competitive, but they are also among the most in demand: as physical and mental health crises increase, so too do the job opportunities for our graduates, who continue to make meaningful contributions in their communities by going forth from CSI and serving the greater good. Higher education truly is a public good: this is a message that rang out loud and clear in Governor Hochul’s State of the State address, where her remarks anticipate increased investment in CUNY in this year’s budget. We hold our collective breath and cross every finger that this bears fruit!
This week also saw the monthly Council of President’s meeting at CUNY Central, where we discussed, inter alia, forthcoming improvements in business practices (CUNYWork), advances on the research front, issues related to lobbying and government relations, developments in legal affairs, and information related to fundraising and advancement. On this last note, it is important to highlight that CSI shattered its fundraising goal for #CUNYTuesday and our Season of Giving was among the most successful on record! Many thanks to all who participated and encouraged others to give! CSI was called out for recognition at Wednesday evening’s meeting of campus Presidents and Foundation Board chairs, where the Chancellor and his team hosted a mixer at which strategies regarding philanthropy and marketing were discussed and debated. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about best practices, and I thank CSI Foundation Board Chair Michael Cusick for joining me as part of that conversation.
As we approach the long Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, I encourage you to embrace the spirit of a ”day on, not a day off.“ It’s an opportunity to reflect on how we can put Dr. King’s words and ideals into meaningful action by working with intention toward justice, equity, and a more compassionate society.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
