Dear Brooklyn College Community, I am writing what will be the first of many regular communications to update you about my areas of responsibility at Brooklyn College. I would like to start by thanking President Anderson for her confidence in me and expressing how honored I am to be Brooklyn College’s Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. There has been so much positive support, and I know we will do great things together. In this initial communication, I want to provide some updates on our facilities. Bell Tower – I am pleased to report that we have repaired the clock on our bell tower. We will begin a larger project to repair and refurbish the tower itself later this calendar year. We will keep you posted. Facilities Success Team – I have established a Team to develop and implement a 90-day plan to repair bathrooms, water fountains, ceilings, and walls. We plan to begin on April 1. I will provide more details in my next communication. Trees – The March 21 snow storm damaged many of the trees in our beautiful East Quad. Thanks to the work of the Grounds team, led by Steve Alliano, we kept the campus safe. Unfortunately, we lost one of our Siberian Elms. We have hired an arborist to assess the condition of all our trees and to help us develop a long-term plan for the care of the Quad. Tow Center for the Performing Arts – Almost all of the construction is completed on this magnificent new addition to our campus. We must have certification from the Fire Department and Buildings Department to open the facility. We are working hard to acquire the necessary authorizations as soon as possible. I hope everyone has a great and safe Spring break, whether they are travelling, staying home, or coming to work. I will provide additional updates after the break. Respectfully yours, Alan Gilbert Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration
