Born and raised in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the brothers were first-generation students. Their father immigrated from Sicily and, given their roots, they were drawn to the campus culture that welcomes all students.

鈥淚 saw the diversity of the student body, people from literally all over the world. I thought that was amazing,鈥� says Michael, who earned a B.S. in business management and finance (now the business administration聽B.B.A.) and an M.S. in business administration. 鈥淭his melting pot of cultures and ideas is what makes the work meaningful and fulfilling.鈥�

From Boylan Hall to the West End Building to the West Quad Center, each brother fills a crucial role at the college.

Andrew, who received a B.A. in history, is the administrative events manager in the Office of Auxiliary Services. From organizing conferences to coordinating movie shoots and student and staff events, Andrew鈥檚 day-to-day is always different.

鈥淢y job really forced me to become more of a people person,鈥� he says.

Joseph, who earned a B.S. in psychology, started as a tutor in the Learning Center as an undergraduate. Today, he supports students one-on-one as manager of the .

鈥淚 work on the frontlines with students from their first day on campus to graduation. I get to hear their stories,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 love helping students with any issues they鈥檙e experiencing.鈥�

Michael, the math whiz, is the Director of the Office of Budget and Finance.

鈥淓ven though I鈥檓 in front of a computer screen all day, I enjoy helping staff and faculty with managing their budgets. It鈥檚 a lot of problem-solving because our office is the go-to for general questions,鈥� he says.

Though they work in separate offices, they do occasionally find themselves in the same meetings. Regardless if they run into each other on campus, they catch up with regular lunches at the Junction.

People often confuse them鈥攑articularly Michael and Joseph, who are twins.

鈥淚t鈥檚 funny,鈥� says Joseph. 鈥淭here was one time when I was working in the registrar and Michael was working in the bursar. A student went from my office to his and they thought that I had run to a different office.鈥�

Off-campus, the brothers prioritize family. The Lanzas are tight-knit. Some of their other family members are alumni and former staff members themselves who encouraged them to apply for roles at the college after graduation.

The three live within walking distance of one another and commute together to weekly Sunday pasta dinners with family in New Jersey. They also go to heavy metal concerts as a tribute to their father, who passed away when they were young.

鈥淥ur dad always played heavy metal music in the car, so it stuck with us,鈥� says Andrew, a guitarist, bassist, and singer.

Although Joseph and Michael also love music, they鈥檙e known for being the sports fanatics of the family.

鈥淔rom September to January, Joseph and I are going on about football. Andrew鈥檚 more musically inclined, so he leaves the room when we鈥檙e talking about it,鈥� Michael jokes.

After 10 years, the brothers consider the 可乐视频 community family.

鈥溈衫质悠� feels like our second home,鈥� says Michael.

The post The Lanza Legacy appeared first on 可乐视频.

So, he hid them. The first in his family to attempt to navigate the American higher education system, he didn鈥檛 know to apply for financial aid. After a gap year, a taste of the workforce, and a renewed commitment to his education, he applied to 可乐视频.

This time, because he applied through the Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge program鈥攂etter known as SEEK鈥攈is acceptance letter came with an offer to help fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

It changed the course of his life. While studying in the Television and Radio Department,聽he received a federal Work-Study grant and began what would turn out to be a 10-year stint in the college鈥檚 Office of Financial Aid, where he worked his way up to director before being named the college鈥檚 executive director of strategic initiatives two years ago.

可乐视频: You were offered a job in the Financial Aid Office, but you had been planning for a career as a documentary filmmaker. What made you switch the trajectory of your career?

MR: When I started working here, I realized I loved what I was doing. Because of my own experience trying to finance my education, I loved what financial aid did for students. I loved what it stood for. I knew the system and I was good at talking to students.

That all translated to me being good at my job, so I was offered a full-time position before I finished my master鈥檚 degree. And I never left.

可乐视频: How did your experience in that office impact your outlook and shape what you do now?

MR: I loved those early days. I could have stayed in financial aid, but it鈥檚 an area that has lots of rules and regulations. I saw how things that were completely out of our hands had an impact on a student鈥檚 aid. I saw students with $3,000 bills because their New York State Tuition Assistance Program funding fell through. Maybe they weren鈥檛 taking the right courses that led to graduation and they wasted their time and their money. It was heartbreaking. Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch did an interview once at the end of his term where he said, 鈥淚f I knew I wanted to be mayor, I should have run for governor of New York.鈥� So much was decided at the state level. That鈥檚 how I was starting to feel about financial aid. We were the last car in the train. Some of the problems started far back and we weren鈥檛 in a position to rectify them.

I began my Ph.D. in leadership and policy in urban education in 2016 at the CUNY Graduate Center and it allowed me to take a step back and think about where I could have an impact. I realized that I needed to be on the other side. I wanted to work on issues like student success, graduation and retention, curriculum alignment. I wanted to work on big projects that were more strategic.

可乐视频: What kind of projects?

MR: In my new job, I look at things like how you connect something happening in purchasing or facilities to the goal of the college. We want to tie everything in finance and administration into the mission so that every unit is working toward the goal of the college itself.

I want to take this portfolio, at the direction of the senior vice president for finance and administration, build large cross-pillar initiatives, and work with various finance and administration cabinet areas to address concerns such as divisional assessments and tightening processes. I鈥檝e worked on everything from making sure that reentry goes smoothly to helping shape and coordinate the open forums so that we could be transparent within the college community.

I will also work to bring back the administration of the Performing Arts Center at 可乐视频. That鈥檚 a good fit for me because I have a background in musical theater. I remember big shows there when I was growing up. Central Brooklyn has very few venues of this size supporting the arts.

The exciting part is that every time I finish a project, I can move on to something else, so my job keeps changing.

可乐视频: Do you get as much satisfaction since you are not working as directly with students?

MR: Accrediting bodies used to focus more on academics, but now everything at the college needs to support the mission. Colleges and universities haven鈥檛 traditionally looked at student success from a money perspective. That鈥檚 part of what I am doing. I don鈥檛 want to see students in good academic standing drop out because of a snag on the financial side.

It all comes back to our core purpose of access to education. It鈥檚 all related to graduation and retention. So, working on these things gives me a lot of satisfaction. It makes me feel useful. It鈥檚 my 鈥渨hy.鈥�

The post Staff Spotlight: From Work-Study to Studying the Way We Work appeared first on 可乐视频.

Taking advantage of fewer people on campus and using funding from New York City and New York State, 可乐视频 is embarking on the first phase of a planned rebirth of its historic East Quad, framed by the library, Ingersoll Hall, and Boylan Hall.

鈥淭his project鈥檚 design will preserve the historic character of the East Quad while updating and upgrading the infrastructure and increasing sustainability,鈥� said Alan Gilbert, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. 鈥淲e are extremely excited about this project, and we look forward to engaging the community more as we look for support to write this important next chapter of the 可乐视频 story.鈥�

Approximately a quarter of the East Quad has been fenced off as repairs to the underground service tunnels that date back to the college鈥檚 opening in the 1930s have begun. Serving as the underground 鈥渆ngine鈥� for the campus, these tunnels house the college鈥檚 utilities, including electrical conduits, steam lines, plumbing, and information technology equipment. The underground renovations are expected to be completed by the end of the fall semester.

The entire cost of the East Quad Renovation Project is estimated at $30 million. This first phase will cost approximately $5.7 million. The second and third phases of this historic restoration are expected to start by 2022 and will be completed gradually over approximately five years.

Specifically, 可乐视频 will replace nine of the campus鈥� original Siberian elms and other trees with approximately 20 healthier and more disease-resistant American elms. The Siberian elms鈥攚hich also date back to the 1930s鈥攈ave reached the end of their life cycle, and their roots are threatening subsurface utilities and causing other major issues. Siberian elms typically have a lifespan of 100 to 150 years, while American elms can survive anywhere from 200 to 300 years and are more adept at handling rising summer temperatures.

Once the old trees are removed, the wood will be repurposed and used across campus, possibly for furniture, wall paneling, or decorative installations. This second major phase is planned in two stages, with half the East Quad being done at one time.

The third phase will include:

• rebuilding green spaces around the East Quad with new, native plantings, including a lush, redesigned entrance at Bedford Avenue; adding LED lighting and seating; and
• designing the pavement and adding new ADA-compliant ramps more integral to the entire Quad at the entrances to Boylan and Ingersoll halls.

The post The Heart of 可乐视频 to Undergo Major Improvements appeared first on 可乐视频.

I hope everyone is having a productive start to the fall 2020 semester as we all traverse these unprecedented and challenging times. I am writing to provide updates to the campus community.

Campus Reentry Plan

As you know, the safety of the entire campus community and their loved ones is our top priority. While most of the learning, teaching, and work will continue to be done remotely this semester to minimize risk during the pandemic, some individuals will be allowed access to campus due to the essential work they must do (e.g., engineers, campus safety, custodians, trades, central routing, mailroom), the approved research they are conducting, or the occasional onsite meetings of the approved hybrid courses they are teaching or taking. We have developed a detailed campus reentry plan based on New York State and CUNY guidelines. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

E-Mail Safety

We continue to experience a significant number of cyber attacks. Just because an e-mail message looks like it came from someone you know does not mean that it did. Many e-mail messages have spoofed senders, making it look like the message came from someone else. We have created an on our website to provide guidance on how to identify the e-mail address of the actual sender. If you are unsure if an e-mail is safe, e-mail bc-infosec@brooklyn.cuny.edu or call ITS Network Support at 718.951.4357. It is always better to ask before clicking on an unknown link in an e-mail.

Construction on Campus

After a short pause at the start of the pandemic, we were able to resume some of our capital projects. One significant project is the restoration of the historic library tower and cupola that anchors the campus. The design is based on the original drawings. Work is also being done on the Ingersoll Hall Extension roof to address leaks. Less visible, but equally important, is the infrastructure work being done on our chillers, pipes, and pumps.

Moving Forward

One of my top priorities is to communicate to our campus community about ongoing efforts within Finance and Administration. We will be starting regular Zoom Town Halls this month. The first one will be on September 17 at 1 p.m. Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.

Looking forward to working with everyone during the fall 2020 semester.

Sincerely yours,

Alan S. Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, September 1, 2020 appeared first on 可乐视频.

Happy New Year!

The Office of Finance and Administration will be hosting a Facilities Town Hall to present the results of the Fall 2018 Facilities Survey and to discuss the progress of ongoing
initiatives.

Date: January 15, 2019
Time: Common Hours (12:15鈥�2:15 p.m.)
Location: Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

To register, e-mail your full name to BCFIX-IT@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, January 7, 2019 appeared first on 可乐视频.

As we approach the beginning of our final examination period, I would like to take a moment to reflect on this semester. Fall 2018 has been enlightening, invigorating, and, more importantly, very eventful. Let鈥檚 highlight some recent accomplishments and upcoming initiatives:

1. 可乐视频 Fix-it: 可乐视频 Fix-it will go live in the middle of December, so be sure to download the 可乐视频 Navigator App. For those of you who are new to our campus, each restroom fixture has been tagged with a four-digit number. The app allows you to report restroom-related issues, with explanations or photos, using these tag ID numbers. to learn how to obtain the app and use its features. Those without a cell phone can still report fixture-related issues by e-mailing the tag ID number and problem description(s) to BCFIX-IT@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
2. Facilities Town Halls: On November 8, Assistant Vice President Francis X. Fitzgerald and I presented at a Facilities Town Hall. The event was organized and hosted by all three student government organizations (CLAS, GSO, and SGS). This was the first of what will be a series of facilities-related town hall presentations. The next Town Hall presentation, hosted by Finance and Administration, will take place next month:Date: January 15, 2019
   Time: Common hours (12:15鈥�2:15 p.m.)
   Location: Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library
3. New Lecture Halls: Five lecture halls have been renovated: 148 Ingersoll Hall Extension; 3129 and 3139 Boylan Hall; and 222 and 320 Whitehead Hall. Our show the remarkable difference.
4. Training Series and Resource Library: Thank you to those of you who attended these presentations and training sessions.聽The spring 2019 training schedule will be posted soon.
5. SVPFA Structure: Visit our website to view the current Finance and Administration organizational structure and current initiatives.

See you in 2019!

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, December 12, 2018 appeared first on 可乐视频.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the fall 2018 semester. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Alan Gilbert, and I am the senior vice president for finance and administration.

We have been very busy over the last few months, and I want to highlight some accomplishments.

• Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts: The Tow Center opened at the start of the fall 2018 semester. Visible from the Hillel Gate entrance, the center truly makes a magnificent new addition to our campus. This facility offers our performing arts programs an outstanding set of venues, including a state-of-the-art academic theater, performance spaces, and rehearsal rooms. Work on the building will continue during the fall term, and we invite you to visit it during the semester.
• 90-Day Facilities Challenge: During the spring 2018 semester, we surveyed all 236 bathrooms on campus. The Facilities Success Team assessed 1,634 fixtures as well as the general conditions of each bathroom. We found 529 issues with fixtures and 228 issues with general conditions. By the end of the 90-Day Challenge, all bathroom issues were resolved. That鈥檚 a 100% success rate! We encourage you to review our detailed Executive Summary on the 90-Day Challenge. I would like to thank the 可乐视频 Foundation; without their generous support, this would not have been possible.
• 可乐视频 Fix-it: The ITS team has completed the 鈥溈衫质悠� Fix-it鈥� initial rollout, and we are in Phase 2 testing with our custodial, plumbing, and carpentry teams. We are hoping to roll this out to the campus community during the academic year. For those of you who are new to our campus, each bathroom fixture has been tagged with a four-digit number. Until 可乐视频 Fix-it goes live on 可乐视频 Navigator, you are encouraged to e-mail the tag ID # of a broken fixture with an explanation of the issue.
• West End Building Computer Lab Restrooms: The women’s and men鈥檚 restrooms have been remodeled. Our team completed the ongoing work this summer by removing existing walls to firmly secure new fixtures, retiling, and painting.
• Bell Tower: Last spring, we repaired the clock on our bell tower. This fall, we will begin the project to repair and refurbish the tower itself.
• New Water Bottle Hydration Stations: Five new stations were installed across campus. These stations were funded by students through the participatory budgeting process. There is still work to be done. We will be scheduling Town Hall meetings this fall to discuss the results of our spring 2018 survey and other related topics.

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, September 25, 2018 appeared first on 可乐视频.

We are now at the 60-day mark of our 90-Day Facilities Challenge. Things are going quite well. Here are some highlights of what, together, we have accomplished:

• Except for a bathroom door we are trying to repair that may need to be replaced, we have fixed all other bathroom issues. As you may recall, we surveyed all 236 bathrooms on campus and assessed 1,634 fixtures, as well as the general conditions of each bathroom. We found 529 issues with fixtures and 228 issues with general conditions. All 529 bathroom fixtures were repaired and 227 of the 228 of the general issues were resolved. That鈥檚 a 99.9% success rate in 60 days: Thank you, facilities team!
• We have trained our custodial supervisors on our new “可乐视频 Fix-it” app and they have begun making entries when they conduct regular bathroom inspections. Our plumbers and other trades will also be using 可乐视频 Fix-it to indicate when something is repaired. Mandisa Washington and Anatoliy Gamaylo in our ITS department developed the 可乐视频 Fix-it app and its infrastructure. Thank you Mandisa and Anatoliy!
• I have begun to review the results of the recent Facilities Survey that many of you took. While I am pleased that 91% of you are satisfied with our grounds and almost 42% have noticed improvement over the last few months, we still have a lot of work to do. In the fall, I will schedule meetings with faculty, staff, and students to hear directly from you. We will develop new strategies to address your concerns. Thank you for engaging with us.
• We are installing five new Water Bottle Hydration Stations across campus. These stations were funded by students themselves, through the participatory budgeting process. This is a great example of how students and administrators can work collaboratively. Thank you, students!
• Now that we are approaching the end of the 90-Day Facilities Challenge, our next campaign will be: You Matter To Us. As the College embarks on its new five-year Strategic Plan, the entire Finance and Administration team will focus on supporting our success. I will send more on this new campaign when the fall semester begins.

I wish you a great summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone when fall classes resume.

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, June 5, 2018 appeared first on 可乐视频.

• Over 97% of the bathroom fixture issues have been resolved. There are 15 pending items out of the initial 529 that were identified.
• Almost 87% of general bathroom issues have been resolved. There are 30 pending items out of the initial 228 that were identified
• We are beginning to pilot “可乐视频 Fix-it” which will be our new tracking system for bathroom fixture work requests. You probably have seen the 可乐视频 Fix-it tags in the restrooms you utilize. Each fixture is identified with a four-digit code. Our facilities team will be trained in this tool over the next two weeks so they can use it to identify problems and their resolutions. We will be utilizing this information to deploy our staff where needed.
• Once finals are completed, we will be finishing our work in the WEB computer lab bathrooms, replacing more ceiling tiles, and painting some classrooms and public spaces.
• We received approximately 2,700 responses to our Facilities Survey, including over 1,600 from students. I want to thank everyone who participated. I will be reviewing the responses and will use this data to inform the next series of initiatives. I look forward to sharing this information with you.

I would like to thank AVP Fran Fitzgerald, the facilities team, and the entire campus community for all the hard work that has been done this semester. It shows what can be accomplished when we work collaboratively toward a common goal.

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, May 18, 2018 appeared first on 可乐视频.

• Almost 71% of the bathroom fixtures have been fixed compared to 56% from last week.
• Almost 48% of general bathroom issues have been fixed compared to 19% from last week.
• We continue to systematically make repairs building by building and expect to address issues in all buildings before the end of the semester.

If you have not completed our Facilities Survey, a reminder will be sent out today. Let me know if you do not receive the reminder email. Your feedback is important to President Anderson, our Facilities staff, and me and provides guidance for our overall improvement plan.

Respectfully yours,

Alan Gilbert
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

The post Communications from the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, May 8, 2018 appeared first on 可乐视频.