President's Office
 Message from the President

Greetings!  It is my pleasure to welcome you to the College of Staten Island, a senior college of The City University of New York, the nation’s leading urban university.

CSI is committed to providing you a richly integrated learning experience, with a variety of learning opportunities, both in and outside of the classroom, at home, and around the world. 

The 204-acre landscaped campus of CSI, the largest in NYC, is fully accessible and contains an advanced, networked infrastructure to support technology-based teaching, learning, and research.  We offer associate’s degrees in selective areas, a comprehensive range of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees in cooperation with the CUNY Graduate Center. 

We offer a broad spectrum of disciplines on campus, with courses taught by highly credentialed faculty from leading institutions around the world.  A hallmark of a CSI education is the opportunity for undergraduate students to experience real-world, hands-on research using sophisticated equipment, side by side with leadings scientists and authorities in their fields.

CSI also offers a comprehensive array of international programs to further enhance your education.  Whether you choose to take advantage of dynamic study abroad and exchange programs in over 35 countries, enroll in our Virtual Classroom that connects you with fellow classmates at leading institutions around the world via a high-speed video link, or enrich your education through internships with leading companies in New York City, your CSI experience will help you attain your educational, philosophical, and professional goals.

CSI’s administration, faculty, and staff are singularly dedicated to your success, and as we affirm in the College’s mission statement, “practice their commitment to educational excellence as they instill in students preparing to enter their chosen careers an enduring love of learning, a sensitivity to pluralism and diversity, a recognition of their responsibility to work for the common good, and an informed respect for the interdependence of all people.”

This focus on mutual interdependence and civic responsibility is illustrated by the many international partnerships that the College maintains worldwide through our Center for International Service, as well as by the relationship that CSI enjoys with the larger Staten Island community; our Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development administers programs focused on developing career-related skills; and our Small Business Development Center assists local businesses.

CUNY has recognized the College’s flagship research status by designating certain programs as Research Centers. CSI’s Center for Developmental Neuroscience and Developmental Disabilities works closely with the New York State Institute for Basic Research (IBR) to conduct, promote, and sponsor research, education, and training in the developmental neurosciences with special emphasis on research and educational programs in the specific field of developmental disabilities;  our Center for Environmental Science, established in 1987, provides support for research and policy recommendations concerning environmental problems and the quality of life;  and our Center for Engineered Polymeric Materials actively fosters the development of complex polymeric materials based on multiple phases with significant structures at the nanometer scale.

Further, we offer programs to help our students succeed at every level: from our summer immersion program, which provides tuition-free instruction aimed toward helping students pass the CUNY skills assessment tests, to our FIRST program’s specialized academic and personal support services for freshmen who have passed all three of these tests, CSI strives to ease our first-year students’ transition into college.  Other programs, such as the Macaulay Honors College at CSI and The Verrazano School at CSI are designed for gifted and highly motivated students, while the College’s Teacher Academy educates a new generation of exceptional teachers of science and mathematics.

These are only a few examples of what you will find at CSI. I encourage you to explore our Web site to learn more about the programs and the people of our College community. Congratulations on taking this first step into what I know will be a bright future, and welcome!

Tomás D. Morales
President