Cabinet Meeting, November 4, 2024

Cabinet Meeting
Monday, November 4, 2024
10:00 am - Noon

1. Vince Boudreau, President

2. Doris Cintron, Senior Associate Provost

3. Alex Couzis, Dean, Grove School of Engineering

4. Scott Gurba, Chief Operating Officer

5. Marta Gutman, Dean, Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture

6. Ken Ihrer, Chief Information Officer

7. David Jeruzalmi, Chairman, The Faculty Senate

8. Lucas Koehler, Senior Director of Finance, The Foundation for City College

9. Sheryl Konigsberg, Chief Diversity Officer

10. Edwin Lamboy, Dean, School of Education

11. Tony Liss, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

12. Juan Carlos Mercado, Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies at CWE & Professional Continuing Studies

13. Renata Miller, Dean, Division of Humanities and the Arts

14. Dee Dee Mozeleski, Senior Advisor to the President and VP & Executive Director, Office of Institutional Advancement, Communications and External Relations and The Foundation for City College

15. Naomi Nwosu-Stewart, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management

16. Paul Occhiogrosso, Executive Counsel to the President

17. Marie Owumi, Special Projects Manager, Office of the President

18. Ismael Perez, Chief Financial Officer

19. Susan Perkins, Dean, Division of Science

20. Mario Ramirez, Associate Dean and Chief Librarian

21. Andrew Rich, Dean, The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership

22. Teresa Scala, Chief of Staff, Office of the Provost

23. Ruth Stark, Chairperson, Faculty Committee on Personnel Matters

24. Mary Ruth Strzeszewski, Associate Provost for Academic Programs

Absent:

1. Ramon De Los Santos, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am by President Boudreau. He gave his announcements which were:

1. He announced a potential partnership with Northwell Health, which includes an RFP for a college to partner with a new health-oriented high school. The President suggested that this partnership could bring resources into the college and provide better health services to students.

2. He discussed a potential 10 million dollar gift from Alan Davis to support the performing arts at the college, contingent on rehabbing Aaron Davis Hall. The Sophie Davis program is not subsidized anymore, making the incentive for graduating students to match in a residency program more appealing. The bigger question is whether the Sophie Davis program should be an independent school and who would be its dean. The President noted that Mr. Davis’ support for the performing arts is dependent on his satisfaction with the Sophie Davis program.

There was a Cabinet discussion surrounding the implications for the current Sophie Davis program, the possibility of a new Dean line creation, and the need to have all appropriate resources in place. The conversation ended with the need to address the Sophie Davis arrangement and the potential impact on the pre-health program.

President Boudreau discussed the need for the campus community to be prepared for potential threats and anxiety, particularly in the context of a post-election scenario. He addressed concerns about potential threats to the campus, referencing past elections, and he emphasized the importance of understanding and adhering to emergency protocols, including communication strategies and data privacy policies. Protocol that was put into effect after past tumultuous elections will be redistributed to the campus community; and it is necessary for faculty and staff to be informed about their roles and responsibilities in case of threats or anxiety. President Boudreau also outlined the communication channels to be used for each potential threat level protocol, from non-credible internet posts to imminent threats, and corresponding response. He stressed the importance of not distributing information without clear instructions and action points.

CDO Konigsberg explained the need for faculty and staff to be prepared for increased tension and anxiety among students. She highlighted two upcoming events organized by her department: the Understanding Muslim Experience and the Jewish Experience, part of the Combating Dehumanization series. She also addressed the new mandatory reporting policy, clarifying that everyone is a mandatory reporter, and the policy is necessary for students' well-being. The President assured that this doesn't mean immediate action, but rather an email to the Title IX counselor. They encouraged faculty to communicate this to their departments and promised to provide a script and a one-sheet for this purpose.

SVP Mozeleski and AVP Nwosu-Stewart discussed the challenges and potential benefits of recruiting international students to City College. They highlighted the financial strain of supporting international students who often run into difficulties with tuition payments and living expenses. The discussion also touched on the potential of using international student recruitment firms, such as Gradright, to bring in students with pre-arranged financial support from international financial institutions. The conversation ended with the decision to proceed with the analysis before making any recruitment decisions.

President Boudreau discussed the college's PMP goals, focusing on admission, retention, and transfer experience. He emphasized the need to intensify and systematize divisional and departmental outreach to accepted students, and to involve faculty in recruitment. He also highlighted the importance of using the 4-semester schedules and the need to integrate the use of this tool in a way that's deeper than just having it available to students online. The policies surrounding accepting credits from community colleges will be reviewed following the 1847 economy

model at BMCC and begin to implement it in 2 other CUNY community colleges. The President encouraged the team to familiarize themselves with the spreadsheet of goals and to start planning around those goals.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:47 am.

Action Items:

1. Marie to circulate minutes from the Northwell Health meeting to Cabinet. All members interested in the project are to reach out to AVP De Los Santos.

2. Provost Liss will verify the percentage of Sophie Davis program classes taught by medical school faculty.

3. Executive Counsel Occhiogrosso to provide information on requirements for renaming a program to a school.

4. SVP Mozeleski and AVP Nwosu-Stewart will finish analysis of the financial impact of international students on the college.

5. Naomi to lead conversation on intensifying divisional and departmental outreach to accepted students.

6. SVP Mozeleski to report on the "Where Would I Be Without City" media campaign.

7. AVP Nwosu-Stewart to update on bringing faculty advisors from different majors into the Hub.

8. Provost Liss to report on targeting classes with DFW rates less than 50% using Navigate.

9. All deans to strategize on implementing 4-semester schedule advising.

10. All Cabinet members to review the PMP submission spreadsheet before the next meeting.