@BMCC

March 11, 2021

BMCC Alumna and Documentary Filmmaker Carla Francesca Robles Highlights "Voices of the Unheard"
After earning an associate degree at BMCC in Media Arts and Technology, Carla Francesca Robles went on to graduate in the first documentary film class at The City College of New York, CUNY. She works as a production facilitator at a Spanish-language television station, founded the production company Rayoelú Films and has received acclaim for her original films that highlight immigrants in New York City, including Buhoneros (Street Vendors) and Layers of a Baker.

BMCC Students Meet With Staff of NY Assembly Member Deborah Glick
On March 6, more than 20 students in the BMCC Civic Leadership program met with staff members of New York Assembly Member and Chair of the Higher Education Committee Deborah Glick to share their college and career goals and advocate for increased state funding for CUNY and BMCC. “I am very interested in public diplomacy and government so this was a unique opportunity for me that allowed me to practice my leadership abilities and refine my public speaking and networking skills,” said Liberal Arts major Emily Thomason. “Assemblymember Glick’s staff was incredibly welcoming and offered so much valuable insight. It took courage but I felt proud knowing I had advocated for BMCC and CUNY.” For more information, contact BMCC Director of Government and Community Relations, Douglas Israel, disrael@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Women's HerStory Month Continues With Film, Discussions and More
BMCC celebrates Women's HerStory Month throughout March. This year’s theme, "Empowering Women in the New Normal: Body, Mind and Soul," focuses on issues surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. Fothcoming events include Laughter Yoga, March 15; film screenings, March 17; a Guided Imagery Workshop, March 19; Embodied Poetics with Aimee Cox, March 23; a discussion, Sexuality and Mental Health as We Age, March 24, and a workshop on Ida B. Wells and Girls Talk session on disparities in the healthcare system that affect women of color, both March 25. Visit the WHM events calendar for details.

One Year Later: Coping in the Remote World, March 15
On Monday, March 15 from 12 to 1:30 p.m., the BMCC Counseling Center will host an information session and self-care workshop for faculty and staff to honor the anniversary of the college's first challenging year of remote work. The workshop will have two 30-minute sessions, each featuring 15 minutes of Q&A. In the first session, participants will review signs of distress in students in the remote world. The second session will recognize the college community's efforts this past year and highlight the importance of self-care and mutual support. Please RSVP for the zoom link.

Digital Faculty Art Show “Notes from the Underground” Now Open
The Shirley Fiterman Arts Center (SFAC) will present “Notes from the Underground,” a digital exhibition of recent BMCC faculty artwork on Instagram and Facebook through April 23. The show will also be available on the SFAC website. (Image: Cathy Diamond Daydream, 2020 acrylic, pigments, colored pencil on paper)

Announcements

Faculty Invited to Submit Climate Change Education Conference Proposal by March 19
The BMCC community is invited to attend, and faculty are invited submit abstracts by March 19 for the CUNY Conference on Climate Change Education (C4E). Presentations will be 15 minutes long, with a five-minute Q&A; panel proposals are also accepted. C4E will bring together climate and education experts to discuss content and pedagogy for a climate change curriculum, grades K-16. Topics will include Best Practices, Educational Research, Resources for Teaching Climate Change, Trends in Sustainable Education and Policy, Advances in Climate Science, and Student Projects. C4E project team members include BMCC Professors Abel Navarro and Luis González-Urbina, as well as other faculty researchers throughout CUNY. Submit abstracts and request more information at C4E@lagcc.cuny.edu.

March 26 Deadline: Poverty and Humanities 2021 Summer Institute for Faculty
Become a Poverty and Humanities Faculty Fellow! This BMCC-led and NEH-funded institute is open to 20 selected full-time and part-time CUNY community college faculty from all disciplines and will meet twice weekly on Zoom from July 6 to August 10, 2021. Institute Fellows will participate in roundtable talks and workshops with guest scholars and the BMCC project team. The goal is for faculty across disciplines to engage with humanities texts that can lead to empowering poverty-focused discussions in the classroom. Faculty Fellows will receive $1,600 for their participation and implementation of poverty-enhanced teaching modules. Read more about the project here. Apply here. If you have any questions, email us at voicingpoverty@bmcc.cuny.edu

Community Invited to Weigh in on BMCC Library Website
BMCC students, faculty and staff are invited to take part in a survey to help determine if the BMCC Library website is meeting the needs of the BMCC community and to identify areas for improvement. Funded through a PSC-CUNY Grant for 2020-21, the survey takes fewer than five minutes to complete. No personal information is collected. Students who take the survey can enter a raffle to win one of a limited number of Amazon gift cards ranging from $25 to $100. Please contact Rebecca Hyams, Web and Systems Librarian and Assistant Professor, with any questions or concerns at rhyams@bmcc.cuny.edu. To take the survey, click here.

BMCC Hosts CUNY Theatre Festival on March 20
The CUNY Theatre Festival will be live-streamed from BMCC on March 20 from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. Guest artists will offer workshops, panel discussions and lectures. The evening session will feature CUNY student playwrights including five from BMCC—Hassan Shah Azeemi, Leonardo Gonzalez Dominguez, Isidora Farias and Raven Scott. Special guest artists include Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, playwright Nikkole Salter, actress Melissa Errico and actor Patrick Sabongui, among others. For more information, visit the events webpage.

Visit ITS Website for Computer Lab and TEC Availability Information
Faculty and staff can visit the BMCC Instructional Technology Services (ITS) webpage to check availability and log into computer lab and Technology Enhanced Classrooms (TECs). ITS staff are available to provide assistance to faculty using technology in education, research, conferences and special events. For more information, click here.

Free Drop Off Tax Preparation for BMCC Community Available Through April 8
Current BMCC students or parents of a dependent student, alumni, faculty and staff with a total pre-tax household income at or below $66,000 are invited to take advantage of free tax preparation assistance. For more information, contact the BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center at arc@bmcc.cuny.edu

Courses Now Available at BMCC Continuing Education and Workforce Development to Help New Yorkers Get Back to Work
All the courses in the Winter/Spring 2021 Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development catalogue are online and many are free to qualifying students. “Whether you are looking for a pathway to an associate degree or professional development that leads to career opportunities, the staff and instructors at the BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development are here to welcome, support and inspire you,” said BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe.

Submit Your Ballot for the 2020-2021 Employee Appreciation Awards by April 30
BMCC students, faculty and staff, show your appreciation for staff (non-faculty) members who demonstrate outstanding achievement and creative contributions through their role at BMCC— beyond what is normally expected of employees. Examples of outstanding achievement include those that support the college's mission to advance equity, inclusion and diversity through individual and team projects. Submit one ballot with a detailed nomination in any or all categories: Leadership, Inspiration, Innovation/Technology, Rookie of the Year and Team Achievement. Deadline for nominations is April 30.

Quiet Study and Computer Lab Reservations Available
Students can reserve a single-seat study space on the second floor of the Murray Building at 70 Murray Street, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students must bring a photo ID with them and complete the daily health screening each day they visit campus. They can reserve a study time here.

Device Distribution Has Resumed
Eligible BMCC students can borrow an electronic device Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the BMCC gym, 100 North Moore Street. Students must apply and choose a day to pick up their device. For more information, students can contact studentaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Compliance and Diversity Policies: Equity Is our Strength
BMCC policies protect equal educational and employment opportunity, and prohibit unlawful discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment. These policies may also apply to online and off-campus incidents. If you have experienced or witnessed unlawful discrimination and harassment, you can report it to the Office of Compliance and Diversity.

Campus Planning and Facilities

The Reimagining BMCC Website Now Provides a Quick Reference to Student Resources
Scroll down the Reimagining BMCC website to find Faculty Resources, Staff Resources and Student Resources — the last of which now includes a handy listing of services, offices, their hours of operation and virtual contact information to assist you as your guide students toward resources during the academic year. Other sections continue providing information on campus reopening, procedures, safety measures and more.

Consult BMCC Virtual Events Website, for Support in Planning Classroom Activities and Special Events
BMCC offers different ways to host Virtual Events. These include Zoom Meetings, Zoom Webinars and Livestream. To keep those events secure, review the updated CUNY Zoom Security Protocol page.

Resilience, Health and Wellness: A Comprehensive Website Supports the BMCC Community
Whether focusing on fitness or finding support in a time of crisis, the Resilience, Health and Wellness website provides resources and news for students, faculty and staff. As BMCC President Anthony Munroe puts it, “As a community, we need to reach out to each other, encourage each other to access the resources available to us. No one has to experience this time alone.”

Daily Everbridge Wellness Screening Mandatory for Faculty, Students, Visitors and Staff
Anyone who visits the BMCC campus must complete a daily health screening using the Everbridge App or the Everbridge Email Option. Students, faculty and staff can use this Instructional Guide and visitors can use this Visitor's Guide. The CUNY FAQ guide is also helpful. For those who do not have a smartphone, go to the Everbridge Member Portal and sign up, using your CUNY login credentials to receive email notifications. To protect the health of the BMCC community, it is important to be accurate as possible in self reporting on the Wellness app.

Have You Traveled Outside New York Recently? New Everbridge Guidelines Apply.
The Everbridge COVID screening has been modified to meet New York travel guidelines. It will ask the question, "Have you traveled outside of New York State or traveled internationally during the past seven days?"

If you have traveled to Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Vermont during the past seven days, you must answer “No”
If you have traveled to a state other than Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Vermont in the last seven days, or if you have traveled internationally, you must answer “Yes”

Enrollment

Spring 2021 Virtual Open House Welcomes Future Students on March 20
The BMCC Virtual Open House is Saturday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Future students will become familiar with online learning options through virtual mini sessions, speak with current BMCC students and faculty, take a virtual tour of the campus, and learn about financial aid options, student services, success programs and how to apply. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Listen In: Podcast Series Features Authentic Student Conversations
Get a first-hand perspective on BMCC. In a limited-release podcast series from BMCC Admissions, students and alumni look back at 2020 in conversations on choosing classes, club shenanigans, and fitting-in, in an online college community. Listen and subscribe!

Say Hello to the Admissions Office on Social Media
We appreciate your likes, follows and thumbs up.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat

Making Headlines

Studio Art alumnus Mecca Mshaka-Morris recognized for his experimental films in article featuring his mother; filmmaker, creative director and activist Thembisa S. Mshaka
March 8, 2021—Medium

Human Resources

Now Is the Time to Set Up a NY State Deferred Compensation Plan
CUNY employees are in a unique position to save for retirement. Make an appointment with Arlene Werner, Retirement Specialist and BMCC's dedicated account executive for the 457 Plan through CUNY at (614) 854-4547 or wernea2@Nationwide.com. Review your existing plan or discuss benefits and get enrolled. Employees 50 and older, learn about the 50+ catch-up plan. For more information, visit the NY State Deferred Compensation Plan website or call (800) 422-8463.

Are You Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Many City employees are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine—a safe, free, effective way to help end the COVID-19 pandemic. To find out if you are eligible visit nyc.gov. Bookmark the page and check back often. If you're eligible, make an appointment online.

Payroll Distribution: Thursday, March 18
BMCC employees who do not have direct deposit can pick up their paper payroll check on Thursday, March 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. only, at 199 Chambers Street, Breezeway, 2 South. Please bring your own pen to sign the registry.

2020 W-2s Now Available Electronically
BMCC employees can download 2020 W-2s on the NYCAPS webpage. To create a NYCAPS account, click here. Instructions on how to create a NYCAPS account are available on NYC Payroll or the BMCC Human Resources website under Payroll.

Join WW and Celebrate National Nutrition Month
Join WW from March 1 through March 31 and get a free Healthy Kitchen Kit with your membership. Redeem for your kit by April 10 here. Also, fill out this form for your WW discount. BONUS: Recipe of the Month Polenta “Pizza” Margarita.

Join the "5-a-Day-Your-Way" Challenge Through March 23
Register here to join the WorkWell NYC Challenge to consume at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day from March 9 to 23.You’ll get email tips, a tracking tool and access to a supportive digital community for sharing recipes and ideas.

Join Virtual Adaptive Fitness Classes with NYC Parks
Register now to join NYC Parks every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for a virtual adaptive fitness class. Classes are 30 minutes long and all exercises can be done without equipment, sitting or standing.

Move More at Home, With Free Zumba, Yoga and Other Classes
Now through March, WorkWell Digital offers free online toning and conditioning, yoga, Zumba, meditation courses and more. Register online.

Alumni and Donors

VAT Alumna Awarded Prestigious Critical Language Scholarship
Video Arts and Technology alumna Sienna Rodriguez-Truley, now earning a bachelor’s degree in Film Production with a minor in Chinese and Art at Brooklyn College, CUNY, has been selected as one of about 550 college students nationwide to receive the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. “I want to do cinematography and set production design in China, and learn what I wouldn’t learn in the United States,” says Truley. Her mentor in the study of Mandarin, BMCC Modern Languages Professor Chun-Yi Peng, guided her toward the CLS opportunity, which includes eight to 10 weeks abroad studying a language that is less commonly taught in U.S. schools, but considered essential for America’s engagement with the world.

BMCC Virtual Alumni Chat, March 17: Careers in Wealth Management
BMCC's Finance and Banking Club in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations presents a BMCC Alumni Chat on Wednesday, March 17 at 2 p.m. Join us and hear from alumni who have careers in wealth management. They will be sharing their Start Here. Go Anywhere journey and sharing tips on how to succeed. Click here for registration information.

Free Webinar, March 17: Learn About Estate Planning from Financial Planner Daniel Timms
BMCC alumni, faculty, staff and friends are invited to a free webinar on Wednesday, March 17 from 2 to 3 p.m. led by attorney and certified financial planner Daniel A. Timms. The Law Offices of Daniel Timms specialize in estate planning, probate and Medicaid planning. This event, sponsored by the BMCC Office of Institutional Advancement, will address how to plan for the distribution of assets, find the best way to start an estate plan, and plan a legacy that supports causes you care about. Participants are invited to bring their own questions to the session. Space is limited. Please register to receive webinar information.

Thank You for Giving the Gift of Education
Your generous donations go a long way in funding scholarships, research and programs and allow us to continue delivering quality education to our students. Some of the ways to give include Direct Gifts, Gifts of Securities, Gifts of Real Estate and many more. For more information, please visit the Ways to Give website, call the Office for Institutional Advancement at (212) 220-8020 or email lmalcolm@bmcc.cuny.edu). Your support is greatly appreciated.

Take Action Now on Charitable Deductions for Non-Itemizers
Rather than itemize their deductions, the CARES Act allows taxpayers who take the standard deduction to claim a charitable deduction for cash donations made to public charities. For 2021 only, the law doubles to $600 the maximum amount joint filers may deduct. (Single filers or married filers who file separately are limited to $300.) Please donate to the BMCC Foundation at Giving to BMCC Foundation. For more information, please contact Phillip Keefe, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at (212) 346-8650 or pkeefe@bmcc.cuny.edu.

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