@BMCC

July 22, 2021

BMCC Professors' Research on Online Learning Wins International Recognition at Conference
A research paper, Differences in Academic Resiliency When the Pandemic Forced Courses Online: Was Prior Online Coursetaking Protective?, written by Mathematics Professor Claire Wladis, Business Management Professor Katherine Conway and former BMCC Professor Alyse Hachey (now at the University of Texas El Paso) was just awarded the best research paper award at the European Distance Learning Network (EDEN) annual conference, Europe's largest research conference on online learning.

Students Registering for In-Person Fall Classes Must Be Fully Vaccinated for COVID-19
CUNY and SUNY students—including BMCC students—attending in-person classes are required to get COVID-19 vaccinations before entering campus in the Fall 2021 semester. CUNY has posted up-to-date guidelines that include requirements, deadlines, exemptions and other details so students can be ready for the start of the semester on August 25. To be considered fully vaccinated, students must receive two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine by August 10.

Students Invited to Attend Latinx Exchange Panel with Apple Employees July 28
BMCC students are invited to attend a panel discussion led by Latinx Apple employees on July 28 at 12 p.m. During the Latinx Exchange panel, Apple Operations team members will talk about their professional journeys, challenges and triumphs, and share advice to help students along their career path. Apple Operations teams transform the work of Apple’s industrial designers into the devices that enrich the lives of Apple customers. The Apple Operations team will also have recruiters available to answer questions about the hiring process at Apple. The deadline to register for the panel is July 23. For more about diversity and inclusion at Apple Inc., click here.

Science Major Nana Wiafe Addae Owusu Receives Coca-Cola Scholarship as Leader of Promise
Science major Nana Wiafe Addae Owusu, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society chapter at BMCC, is one of 200 PTK members nationwide to be selected as a 2021 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Scholars are selected based on outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated leadership potential. The Leaders of Promise Scholarship, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, recognizes 200 Phi Theta Kappa members from across the country. Owusu is president of the BMCC Student Government Association.

Announcements

Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development Course Catalog Available
The BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development enables individuals to launch their careers and higher education goals in Information Technology, Allied Health and more. Whether planning a career in cybersecurity, the legal field, respiratory therapy, data analytics, film editing, graphic design or more; whether looking to build English-language or math skills and get on the path for an associate degree, students take important steps toward their goals at the Center and gain a competitive edge in today's rapidly changing workforce. Learn more in the Summer/Fall 2021 Catalogue, available here.

9/11 Victims Compensation Fund: Document Your Presence, File Claim by July 29
If you were working at BMCC September 11, 2001 through May 31, 2002, you were exposed to the same toxic dust as the first responders. There are 68 cancers that have been approved by the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) as presumed to be caused by exposure to 9/11 toxic dust. If you can prove your presence in the exposure area September 11, 2001 through May 31, 2002, and you have developed one of the approved illnesses, you are entitled to all the benefits provided by the new legislation. You do not have to prove that your illness was caused by 9/11. Read more about documenting your proof of presence here. The deadline is July 29, 2021 for filing a claim with the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF); either two years from the certification of an illness by the WTCHP or two years after the death of a loved one. Read registration and claim filings details here. NOTE: Firms specializing in World Trade Center Victim’s Compensation Fund claims can be viewed in the 911 Victims Fund PDF. BMCC/CUNY does not endorse any of these firms, and they are listed solely for informational purposes.

Were You in Lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001?
As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, BMCC invites students, faculty, staff and alumni who were present in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001 or were a member of the BMCC community that semester and school year, to share their experiences. A planning committee led by VP Marva Craig is organizing the college's commemoration of this important milestone and there will be a variety of platforms through which to participate. Please begin by completing this form.

Answer Your BMCC Office Phone From Any Device: RingCentral Now Available
Faculty and staff can answer their BMCC office phone from any device, anywhere with the Ring Central service. Download the RingCentral app from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The app can be installed on a PC, Mac or other personal device. BMCC has also pre-installed the RingCentral app in desktop computers throughout the college. Visit here for more information. For training resources and videos, visit the BMCC RingCentral resources page.

CUNY Staff Will Return to In-Person Work in August
CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez has announced that all CUNY staff, including those at BMCC, will return to their campus workplaces the week of August 2. Faculty will follow the BMCC academic calendar. This return to in-person work will be guided by CUNY's safety-first approach, which includes blended remote and in-person scheduling. Full details and instructions to request reasonable accommodations available here.

Resilience, Health and Wellness: A Comprehensive Website Supports the BMCC Community
Faculty, students and staff focused on fitness, seeking support in a time of crisis and more can find resources in the Resilience, Health and Wellness website. 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.”

Campus Planning and Facilities

Enter 199 Chambers Street at West Street Entrance While Ramp Is Closed
To complete the Plaza Roofing Replacement Project, ramp access to the BMCC entrance at 199 Chambers Street is off-limits and access to the main campus is through the West Gate on West Street. As you walk west on Chambers Street, turn right at the intersection of Chambers and West Street, and the West Gate will be about 200 feet north. Public Safety staff and signage will help guide you. Thank you for your cooperation.

Daily Everbridge Wellness Screening Mandatory for Faculty, Students, Visitors and Staff
All visitors to BMCC 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 CUNY login credentials to receive email notifications. To protect your and everyone else's health, be as accurate as possible while self-reporting on the Wellness app.

Reimagining BMCC Website Provides Quick Reference to Student Resources
Scroll down the Reimagining BMCC website to find Faculty Resources, Staff Resources and Student Resources—a listing of services, hours of operation and virtual contact information to help you guide students toward assistance and support. Other sections provide information on campus reopening, safety measures and more.

Enrollment

Register Now for Fall Express Sessions
BMCC is offering two Fall 2021 express sessions: A 7-week express session, September 1 through October 26 and an 8-week express session October 27 through December 21. (The regular 15-week Fall 2021 session will be August 25 through December 21.) All students are welcome to enroll in the Fall 2021 express sessions, but they are ideal for part-time students or new and continuing students who miss registration for the regular 15-week session. Please note, there will be limited course offerings in the express sessions and some financial aid limitations. Students are encouraged to speak with an advisor to see if the Express Sessions are the best option for them. Here are registration instructions.

Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialists on Zoom, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Application Workshop Walks Students Through the Process
Every Tuesday at 3 p.m., admissions specialists will answer questions and explain how to complete the BMCC application or apply as a readmit student. BMCC uses the CUNY Application to admit new students, and in these sessions, staff will walk students through the whole process—from completing the CUNY application online to figuring out how to send BMCC their school transcripts to complete their applications.

Information Session Demystifies Majors, Financial Aid and More
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m, BMCC admissions specialists will share information about major options, financial aid, career planning and more.

Stay Connected with the Office of Admissions
Students who prefer communicating via chat, can ask general questions about BMCC on Fridays at 3 p.m., through one-on-one chat sessions.

Making Headlines

BMCC student cited in opinion piece about homeless CUNY students
July 20, 2021—City Limits

Human Resources

Summer Fridays Continue Through August 13
The College will be closed these Fridays: July 23, July 30, August 6 and August 13. During those weeks, employees will work 8.75-hour days, Monday through Thursday.

Mandatory WPV and ESPARC Trainings: Choose Zoom or Blackboard Version by July 30
All BMCC employees must complete Workplace Violence Awareness (WPV) and Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) trainings. For part-time employees the deadline to complete both trainings was end of May; for full-time employees it is July 30.

To complete the training via Blackboard, go to CUNY Blackboard, and follow instructions on the HR Training and Development webpage.

Make Your Appointment at a CUNY Employee-Only Vaccination Site
CUNY employees are eligible to receive the COVID vaccine at an employee-only site. Book an appointment with your employee ID number at Bronx/Queens/Staten Island, Brooklyn/Manhattan or one of these NYC sites:

The Bronx, Hunts Point Job Center, 847 Barretto Street, Bronx,10474
Brooklyn, George Wingate High School, 600 Kingston Ave, Brooklyn, 11203
Manhattan, Louis D. Brandeis High School, 145 W 84th St, New York, 10024
Queens, NYC Dept. of Health, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, 11101
Queens, Queens Public Library, Flushing, 41-17 Main St, Flushing, 11355
Staten Island, Susan E. Wagner High School, 1200 Manor Rd Staten Island, 10314

CUNY Employees Invited to CUNY Professional Development Conference
CUNY employees are invited to be part of the first CUNY Professional Development Conference, coming up November 9 and 10. The conference will provide opportunities for the CUNY community to come together and share ideas, best practices and innovative ways to enhance workplace skills. If you would like an opportunity to present, please submit your conference session proposal on or before Friday, August 20.

Alumni and Donors

Give 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. 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 Lorna Malcolm, Vice President, Institutional Advancement at lmalcolm@bmcc.cuny.edu. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Take Action Now on Charitable Deductions for Non-Itemizers
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 maximum amount joint filers may deduct doubles to $600. (Single filers or married filers who file separately are limited to $300.) Please consider a charitable donation to Giving to BMCC Foundation. For more information, please call the Office for Institutional Advancement at (212) 220-8020 or email Lorna Malcolm, Vice President, Institutional Advancement at lmalcolm@bmcc.cuny.edu. Thank you for your support.

Calendar

Online Free Workshop: How to Be a Successful Online Student (Students Only)
July 26

Online Free Workshop: How to Manage Your Time When Taking Classes Online (Students Only)
July 27

Online Free Workshop: How to Manage Your Time When Taking Classes Online (Students Only)
July 28

Financial Aid: Plan and Appeal for Student Success (PASS)
July 28

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