@BMCC

March 18, 2021

Town Hall Webinars Provide Updates and Invite Feedback on Fall 2021 Campus Re-Opening Plan
BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe led two virtual town halls—one for students on March 17 and another for staff and faculty on March 18—to provide updates on BMCC’s gradual transition to in-person classes and services in Fall 2021. The Student Town Hall hosted over 360 attendees while 470 faculty and staff attended the second event. At both events, Assistant Vice President of Campus Planning and Facilities Jorge Yafar presented details about safety protocols, enhanced measures to improve air quality, classroom reconfiguration, expanded utilization of outdoor space and more. A participant survey and Q&A in each town hall highlighted responses from the community, which will be incorporated into the plan. It will also be approved by CUNY and the state of New York.

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 event’s website.

BMCC Economics Seminar: National Economics Association President Nina Banks to Discuss Economics of Black Women’s Unseen Community Activism March 26
BMCC students, faculty and staff are invited to attend a talk featuring Dr. Nina Banks who will discuss her research on the overlooked community work contributed by Black and other marginalized women on March 26 at 5 p.m. Banks, an associate professor of Economics at Bucknell University is also president of the National Economics Association. She is known for her research on the contributions of early women economists, particularly, the first black economist in the United States, Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossel Alexander. The talk is sponsored by the Department of Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice the Economics Program and the Economics, Equality and Environment Academic Club. To RSVP, click here. For more information, contact Professor Christine Farias at cfarias@bmcc.cuny.edu or Roshelle Sumner at bmcceeeclub@gmail.com.

Announcements

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. Forthcoming events include March 19; Embodied Poetics with Aimee Cox, March 23; a discussion, Sexuality and Mental Health as We Age, March 24, 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.

Complete Workplace Violence and ESPARC Training ASAP
BMCC employees must complete Work Place Violence Training as well as ESPARC training. Part-time employees must complete both training before the end of the current semester. Full-time employees must complete both training before July 30, 2021. In addition, HR will be hosting virtual trainings for both the ESPARC and WPV via Zoom on March 23 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., April 6 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and May 4 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Space is limited, and access will be granted on a first-come, first-reserved basis. If you are interested in attending one of the virtual trainings, send an email to Josefa Larios (jlarios@bmcc.cuny.edu).

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.

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)

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.

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.

Electronic Device Distribution on Pause During Spring Break
BMCC will not distribute electronic devices to students during spring break from March 29 through April 2. Normal distribution will begin the week of April 5. 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

BMCC Business Lecturer Brett Whysel featured in Ask the Experts and weighs in on credit card offers
March 2021—WalletHub

CUNY Theatre Festival at BMCC on March 20
March 15, 2021—Broadway World

BMCC workshop leader and special guest speaker Dr. Bessie Blake discusses her close companionship with Rosa Parks
February 27, 2021—Center for the Women of New York

Starting Over in Sunset Park, a children’s book co-written by BMCC Communications Manager Lynn McGee reviewed
February 25, 2021—BookPage; March, 2021—American Library Association/BookList, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, School Library Journal

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.

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.

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.

March Is Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in NYC. However—there’s good news - colon cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer when caught early. If you are 45 years or older, talk to your health care provider about colon cancer screening. For more information about colon cancer, take this quiz, assess your personal risk, or read this illustrated story to learn more about what it’s like to get a colonoscopy.

Webinar Offers Tips on Decluttering for Spring
Spring is in the air, so why not mix up your routine by making spring cleaning a fun way to be active? View Work Well’s Decluttering for Your Best Life Webinar for spring cleaning inspiration. This WorkWell NYC webinar is free and now available.

Grow a Garden and Eat More Green
A healthy diet includes all colors of the rainbow—especially green! Dark, leafy greens are full of critical nutrients including vitamins A, K, folate and fiber. Growing leafy greens or herbs can also be a healthy garden project this spring.

Alumni and Donors

Alumni Chat Focused on Careers in Wealth Management March 24
The BMCC Finance and Banking Club as well as the BMCC Alumni Relations office will host an alumni chat on March 24 at 2 p.m., featuring Simon Zais (’16, Business Administration) a consultant at the global technology and management company Capco who is focused on the wealth management industry. Prior to Capco, Zais was a wealth management consultant at UBS. Register for the event here. For more information, contact Yaritza González.

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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