I hope that the start of Women’s History Month finds you well, and I write with updates and
information that you may find of interest. I also want to wish everyone celebrating Holi or
Purim a joyous holiday this week. May the light of goodness and the sweetness of
Hamantaschen overcome the dreariness and bitterness of winter! Since my last communication
the campus has been alive with activity!
I want to begin this week’s message with a note of gratitude for our colleagues in Buildings and
Grounds who worked tirelessly during the recent blizzard. In what was a “once in a quarter-
century” event, Staten Island was blanketed with more than two feet of snow (and an
additional few inches less than a week later) and our coworkers in Facilities worked around-
the-clock to get our campus prepared for reopening. Many stayed on campus (owing to a
travel ban and the impassability of local roads) only to return to their own residences to repeat
the difficult work of snow and ice removal there. My gratitude and appreciation for their
efforts, and for those of our colleagues in Public Safety, is genuine and profound. For those
who took the time to personally thank them for their efforts, please know that your words
meant more to them than you may realize.
Keeping with the theme of appreciation and gratitude, I am extremely grateful to
Congressperson Nicole Malliotakis for securing $2M for our campus to improve and enhance
our safety and security. The support of elected officials was similarly demonstrated in a
meeting I had with our newest member of Staten Island’s City Council delegation Frank
Morano as we discussed ways to position the campus for ongoing and increased support. This
is a message I am sure will be echoed and amplified at Monday’s CUNY Board of Trustees
hearing, held in 1P.
The week also saw a series of accolades and accomplishments. Our Women’s Basketball team
secured a victory in the ECC playoffs, advancing to the semifinals Wednesday night! The
energy was electric at the Tank on Wednesday evening, as we packed the house for the men’s
first home playoff game as a Division II program. While they didn’t secure a win, we
congratulate the men on a great season. Several of our Dolphins received individual honors,
including starts Aaron Goldstein, JJ Chestnut, Kyra Rose, and Shonyae Edmonds. We
similarly honored our graduating seniors and our outstanding student-athletes who earned
Dean’s List distinctions. Congratulations are also in order for coaches Nicole Sarcone and TJ
Tibbs for leading their squads, and to AD Matt Scally for his leadership of our athletic
program.
Dolphin pride was also on display at last week’s Winter Carnival, with tremendous turnout and
student engagement, and at Sunday’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade, attended by several dozen of
our campus community. Many thanks to the team in Student Life, particularly Tyler
McLoughlin (and Danny the Dolphin!) for marching with our students and representing the
campus so well in the community.
With Women’s History Month just beginning, I was proud to represent CSI at the launch of
CUNY Women’s Conference Week at New York City College of Technology. I would also like
to recognize Student Government Vice President Rhoda Wilson, who made the trek to
downtown Brooklyn to represent CSI. It is wonderful to see so many of our female colleagues
actively participating in these events. Next week, our Student Government President Ashley
Villalva will join a “Student Voices” panel during CUNY Women’s Conference Week at the
Graduate Center, and I am confident she will represent CSI very well. I am also pleased to
note that CSI’s faculty and administrative leadership reflect strong representation from
women, who now make up more than half of these roles. Finally, I would like to extend
sincere appreciation to Professor Catherine Lavender and her colleagues for the meaningful
and transformative work they lead through the Bertha Harris Women’s Center—not only
during March, but throughout the entire year. Thank you.
This week also featured important meetings with representatives from Staten Island University
Hospital, where interim Provost Nathalia Holtzman, Dean Ralf Peetz, Chair Catherine
Paradiso, and I hosted a delegation to discuss opportunities for our nursing students and
graduates in the healthcare professions. I am grateful for this partnership and look forward to
a deepening and mutually rewarding relationship. Similarly, the CSI Foundation Board held its
executive committee meeting in advance of this month’s full meeting: we discussed the state
of the College, fundraising activities, and ways to better engage and support our various
stakeholders. It was, as always, an illuminating and rewarding series of conversations.
Speaking of engagement, Friday saw the annual Staten Island Foundation Elizabeth Dubovsky
Social Work Conference, held in our Center for the Arts. This year’s conference, in partnership
with CSI’s Social Work Department and Person Centered Care Services, focused on strategies
working with youth. Those who attended learned about vital services and resources, and
networked for employment and other opportunities. Events such as these demonstrate the
value that CSI plays in the Borough; as I like to say, “we are not a community college, but we
are a college for the whole community.”
While this first week of March has been unusually busy, next week offers little rest. In
addition to the Borough Hearing, I will be liaising with the Central Office regarding budget
and operations, participating in a full-day Council of President’s retreat at LaGuardia
Community College, attending the annual Career Fair (March 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn),
networking with current and potential donors, coordinating with the College Council
Executive Committee, meeting with community partners (I serve on the Board of Directors of
the National Lighthouse Museum), supporting our fantastic faculty (including English
Department (Linguistics) Adjunct Joseph Pentangelo and Dimitrios Pavlidis from Engineering,
who will be among those recognized at the Central Office), interacting with incoming students
(Admitted Students Day is Saturday March 14—many thanks to those who will be in
attendance!), and will be otherwise engaged in various efforts to advocate for the campus.
And all that on one less hour of sleep! (Remember to move your clocks ahead this Sunday
morning and change your smoke alarm batteries while you are at it!).
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
