CSI Draws Praise at Its Annual Borough Hearing
50 or so folks who turn out say the CUNY school is meeting the needs of its students 

Staten Island Advance - Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The College of Staten Island had its annual Borough Hearing last night and a lovefest broke out.

The 50 or so people who turned out to the Center for the Arts on the Willowbrook campus were effusive in their praise for the college's efforts to meet students' needs,

The hearing is meant as an opportunity for students and members of the public to address City University of New York and CSI officials, usually with concerns and complaints.

"There were very positive statements [offered]," said Michael E. Kress, CSI's interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. "People were very supportive of the college. They offered support and encouraged the university to continue its efforts, which the university will continue to do."

Praise dished out during the hour-long hearing was concentrated in three areas: The computational center, planned dormitories, and a recently instituted honors program.

Weiss said the school is planning further investments for its high-performance computational center. The center is designed to support technologically based research, teaching and learning not only at CSI but throughout CUNY; it houses the college's supercomputer -- a machine that is the most powerful in the CUNY system.

Also praised was the Verrazano School. Opened in February 2007, the school offers a competitive, rigorous education program for better-performing students. An honors program, it offers students an opportunity to work more closely with faculty and the opportunity to work on research projects designed to give students an academic advantage.

Students also expressed a desire for housing on the campus and were grateful CSI is planning three new residence halls designed to house 600 students. The dorms, scheduled to be completed in 2010, are designed to lure scholars from around the nation and the world.

Also receiving praise from all corners was Tomas Morales, who took the reins of CSI last year.

"He is going to be one of the university's great presidents," said a smitten Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer of CUNY Allan Dobrin, noting that Morales was very relaxed and confident during his first-ever CSI public hearing. He said CUNY is "impressed with President Morales and the quality of faculty and the students and the work they are doing."  

By Kiawana Rich
Reprinted here with permission from the