I hope this mid-month update finds you well. I write with updates concerning recent activities that you might find of interest. I want to especially acknowledge the recent celebration of Orthodox Easter for those members of our community who celebrated, and this week’s annual commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day. May the memory of those lost be a blessing, and may the annual recognition serve as a reminder that CUNY and the College of Staten Island stand unequivocally against hatred, bigotry, and discrimination of all kinds, a message reiterated at this week’s Title VI training session, conducted on campus by the University’s Center for Inclusivity and Equal Opportunity. Thank you to those who turned out, and to Tara Mastrangelo for her efforts in coordinating this activity. If you feel you have been a victim of discrimination or retaliation, you can lodge a complaint via the University’s portal or contact Tara directly.
Since my last communication, there has been a tremendous amount of activity and preparation as we head into the final six weeks of the academic year. Of note, we hosted a dozen finalists for the Cabinet-level positions of Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and for Vice President for Student Affairs. Many thanks to the chairs of those searches (AVP Kahn and Prof. Cappellari, and AVP Serrano and Prof. Peters, respectively), who worked diligently under intense scheduling constraints, and to those who took time to attend the town halls and open forums. Your feedback is appreciated and I hope to finalize these searches in the coming weeks.
In addition to lengthy and deep conversations with the candidates, my weeks have increasingly been filled with meetings at CUNY Central. Whether it is Board of Trustee meetings, committee assignments, monthly and biweekly meetings with fellow Presidents, or prep work conducted with Chancellery staffers regarding performance improvement plans or other initiatives, I have found myself engaged with the team at the system office. I can report—unequivocally and without hesitation—that there is a profound appreciation for the work that we are doing at the College, and the manner in which we are doing it. In four years, we have eliminated our deficit, stabilized enrollment, built meaningful connections to employers, collaborated with elected officials, and improved campus culture in meaningful and impactful ways. I am deeply mindful of the work we have done to get us to this point, and the manner in which we have foregrounded transparency, constructive dialog, and shared governance in our decision-making processes. It has neither been unnoticed by others, nor unappreciated by me. Thank you.
The coming weeks will be no less hectic. On Saturday, I will venture to Albany as part of CUNY’s contingent to participate in SOMOS, the annual conference of New York’s Latino elected officials, policymakers, and advocates focused on advancing equity and strengthening communities across the state, and to observe the University Student Senate in action. I will continue to advocate for increased funding for the campus and the system, and I am hopeful that the facetime with electeds—and the stories we tell—will make a meaningful difference there. The weekend concludes with our Accepted Students Day on Sunday (and many thanks to those who have volunteered to help us convince the next generation of Dolphins to join us, especially AVP Scott and his team in Enrollment Services, but also those from the divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs for making themselves available!). Next week brings a full slate of on-campus activities for FinFest, including a dunk tank where you can support a good cause (the CSI Food Pantry) by coming out and humbling your favorite administrators (including yours truly…). Speaking of the Food Pantry, this week, VP Shah-Gordon and I were pleased to kick off an exciting new partnership with World Food Movement (WFW) that will provide 100 free, hot, and healthy vegetarian meals weekly to our students. As our dining facility approaches a needed makeover and as our campus remains committed to combatting food insecurity, this partnership promises to serve many goals.
Thursday presents the high points of our yearly fundraising campaign, as we host our friends and supporters at our annual Spring into Giving gala, where we will recognize Geraldo Rivera, the Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund, and our own Donna Gerstle for their legacy of service to our community. The evening will also allow us to “soft launch” our forthcoming Capital Campaign, to coincide with the fall 50th anniversary of the College of Staten Island and the 75th anniversary of public higher education in the Borough. We have an ambitious five-year target, but one that I am confident we will reach as we demonstrate our ongoing impact to the students and our community.
As April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month, I want to draw your attention to a number of other activities related to this topic. Save the date for Denim Day at CSI. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) is hosting a campus-wide Denim Day on Tuesday, April 21. Join us in wearing denim to raise awareness about sexual violence and showcase solidarity for survivors. Expand your understanding of SVAM, support survivors by joining us at 2:00pm on the Library Plaza and walking with us around the Great Lawn. Everyone is welcome to participate in this important day of unity and support. Similarly, I implore you to complete the annual trainings required by CUNY and New York State related to sexual misconduct, gender-based violence, workplace violence, cybersecurity, and Title VI, all of which are available on the CUNY Brightspace Learning Management System. Likewise, and as I was reminded at a recent meeting of the Board of the Disability History Museum, April is disability awareness month, and our own Office of Accessibility Services has a full slate of activities planned: CUNY Disability Awareness Month which started on April 14.
In closing, I want acknowledge a pair of faculty who have received recent accolades: Sean Thatcher of the Department of Engineering and Environmental Science was recognized by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation as one of their “20 under 40” leadership award winners and Miguel Aragon, Chairperson of the Department of Performing and Creative Arts, was selected to showcase our students’ printmaking skills at the recent Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, where I am told their work was “on par or better than that of the professional artists on display.” If this exhibit was anything like CHROMA: Works from the CSI Gallery Collection, the student-curated exhibition highlighting multimedia works that is currently on display at the CSI Art Gallery, then I have no doubt about the veracity of that statement! I encourage everyone to check out the exhibit, which runs until April 30. I also encourage you to consider attending a student performance of This Murder Was Staged by Patrick Greene and Jason Pizzarello, directed by Austin Maida.
Until next time,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
