August 26, 2021 FacebookTwitterInstagram
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News

Fall 2021
Welcome to Fall 2021!
"During my first year as your President, I have engaged with many of you in meetings and events through virtual platforms like Zoom. Now, I have the opportunity to see and meet all of you in-person and experience the energy and electricity of BMCC first-hand," said President Anthony E. Munroe in a welcome message to the college. "Thank you for choosing to be a part of the BMCC community. Show your Panther Pride and remember to stand strong, protect each other and our greater community." Read the President's message in its entirety here.
Mask
Plaza

Regular Testing Mandated for Unvaccinated Faculty and Staff 

  • CUNY provides on-site COVID-19 testing at 20 University locations — including BMCC. All faculty, staff and students who (1) have not submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination in the CUNYfirst system, (2) are unvaccinated or (3) have undisclosed vaccination status, must register on CUNYfirst and make a selection under the vaccination status box, then click the “submit” button at the bottom of the page. This generates a personalized link that lets you register and make an appointment at one of the 20 CUNY testing locations.
  • Unvaccinated individuals entering a CUNY facility must show proof of a negative test from the past 7 days.
  • Vaccinated individuals can upload vaccine verification information at CUNYfirst. For assistance, click here.
  • Once uploaded, the BMCC Office of Human Resources and Office of Health Services will review and approve the vaccine verification. Check your approval status in CUNYfirst 48 hours after submission. If unapproved, please read the reason carefully and re-submit.
  • Once approved, your BMCC photo ID will be synced with the verification so you can simply swipe your ID on the turnstile to enter a BMCC facility.

For Instructions, Refer to CUNY Vaccination Verification User Guide
To gain in-person access to BMCC facilities, all faculty and staff must submit their vaccination information. If you have not done so, please do so immediately since it can take up to 48 hours for the information to enter the system. Please refer to this CUNY Vaccination Verification User Guide for instructions on how to upload your vaccination information to CUNYfirst. 

Visit the Reimagining BMCC website for more information on returning to campus.

Students Registering for In-Person Classes Must Submit Vaccine Documentation by September 14 
CUNY students attending in-person and hybrid classes for the Fall 2021 semester are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Students must submit vaccination documentation by September 14.

Mask

Mask Mandate Keeps Everyone Safe
CUNY has enacted a mask mandate based on vaccination statistics and coronavirus transmission rates. For now, all students, faculty and staff — regardless of vaccination status — must:

  • Wear a face mask inside all CUNY campuses and office buildings;
  • Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others (for example, while attending a CUNY gathering or sporting event).

The only exceptions to wearing a mask inside are:

  • A fully vaccinated person alone in an enclosed space such as an office, conference room or dorm room;
  • A vaccinated professor teaching an in-person class who is able to maintain social distance from everyone else in the room, and 
  • A person who is eating or drinking — provided social distancing is maintained — for brief periods of time.

To read CUNY’s update on Masking, click here.

Everbridge Everbridge VaxPass Required For Campus Entry 
Employees and guests must log onto the Everbridge app before entering any BMCC location. There is a new feature in Everbridge that will display a CUNY VAX Pass for those who have verified their vaccination information in CUNYfirst. For a visual step-by-step guide to submitting information to CUNYfirst, please visit here.

Announcements

Cafeteria

BMCC Library Provides Textbooks, Printing and Much More
The BMCC Library is open for studying, access to textbooks, printing, computers and more! Please see our website for details and hours.  Students, faculty, and staff can also chat with a librarian via the website, call for assistance at (212) 220-1451 or email help@bmcc-cuny.libanswers.com. We look forward to seeing you in the library this semester.  

Cafeteria

Welcome Back! The BMCC Cafeteria Is Ready to Serve You.
BMCC students, faculty and staff can enjoy a hot meal, snack or beverage in the college cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street. MBJ Food Services provides a wide variety of menu options at reasonable prices. Stop by and treat yourself to a back-to-school coffee, chips, salad or something more substantial. Tables are available throughout the lobby, so you can rest and refuel with fellow students and colleagues. Please mask up, when you're viewing and purchasing food. Stay safe, and enjoy your semester!

9/11

Join Events Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 
September 11, 2001 was a day that deeply impacted the BMCC community, New York City and entire United States. A series of events offered by the BMCC 9/11 Planning Committee include a video and discussion contextualizing the impact of 9/11 on policing and first responders' health, a 9/11-focused poetry reading and a video featuring individuals who were on campus in Fall 2001. In addition, a padlet on which members of the BMCC community can share their reflections on 9/11 will open for entries on August 30. For more information, contact Vice President of Student Affairs Marva Craig at mcraig@bmcc.cuny.edu. View the events here.

Device Student Device Loans: Quantity Limited, Process Easier
In Fall 2021, a limited number of iPads, Chromebooks and internet hotspots will be available for loan to students who do not have a device or reliable internet at home. Students do not need an appointment or referral from Student Affairs to pick up their device or hotspot on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (but not on holidays) at 199 Chambers Street. After entering the building, everyone will be required to make a left — and not go through the turnstiles. They must bring a photo ID. Students can email help@bmcc-cuny.libanswers.com with questions about borrowing a device. After receiving the device, they can email servicedesk@bmcc.cuny.edu for tech support.
RingCentral Answer Your BMCC Office Phone From Any Device With RingCentral
Faculty and staff can answer their BMCC office phone from any device, anywhere with RingCentral. Download the RingCentral app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to 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.

Change Your RingCentral PIN by August 27
Following a RingCentral Security advisory, all faculty and staff are asked to change the voicemail PIN on their BMCC office phone by Friday, August 27. Here are instructions on how to change your PIN. Please note, you do not need to change your RingCentral password.

NSLS Faculty and Staff: What to Know if Students Ask About NSLS 
In early September, eligible students will receive an email invitation to join BMCC's chapter of the National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS). The college's NSLS chapter was inaugurated in 2018 and recognized with the Distinguished Chapter Award in 2020. Students who accept the nomination by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, September 24 — no exceptions — will complete a five-step leadership program remotely to become an inducted NSLS member. The one-time registration fee of $95 provides lifetime membership and benefits such as scholarships, professional communication training and more. For more information visit NSLS@bmcc.cuny.edu.
MEOC Learn About MEOC’s Free ESOL Program for Students
BMCC staff are invited to a virtual presentation on the Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program, Wednesday, September 1 at 11 a.m. Learn about the enrollment process for this multi-level ESOL program and tools it uses to motivate and welcome students. Reserve your seat here.

CUNY Partnership With Kognito Enables Staff and Faculty to Support Students Around Mental Health Issues
CUNY has partnered with the online program Kognito to provide training modules for faculty and staff on how to recognize signs of distress in students and connect them with support. Through simulated conversations between a student and a faculty or staff member, the modules address mental health, suicide prevention, bullying and more. To launch the Kognito program “At-Risk for Faculty and Staff,” available through December, click here and use the enrollment key bmccaruf. For more information, please contact Professor Shirley Leyro at sleyro@bmcc.cuny.edu.

CUNY IT Virtual Conference Invites Submissions: Deadline September 15
BMCC faculty and staff are invited to submit proposals by September 15 for one-hour individual presentations or panels for the 20th Anniversary Annual CUNY IT Conference, "Technologies for Teaching, Learning and Working at the Future CUNY — Utopias and Dystopias," set for December 2 and 3. Visit the conference website for more information.

Center

The Center Launches Student Careers and Higher Education Goals 
The BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development (the Center) enables adult students to launch their careers and higher education goals in Information Technology, Allied Health and more. Whether seeking certificate training in cybersecurity, respiratory therapy, data analytics, film editing and more; whether looking to build English-language skills or build a path to an associate degree, students at the Center gain a competitive edge in today's changing workforce. Learn more in the Summer/Fall 2021 Catalogue, available here.

Students, Staff and Faculty: Get a New ID on Campus Through August
Students, faculty and staff can obtain a new BMCC ID card weekdays in August from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. in front of the gym at 199 Chambers Street. Please use the 100 North Moore street entrance. Note: For more information, please contact the Service Desk at servicedesk@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Veterans

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.”

Enrollment

Fall Express

There’s Still Time for Students to Register for Fall 2021 
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, but the Fall 2021 Express Sessions are ideal for part-time students, or new and continuing students who missed 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.
Fire

Share with students: 6 Sure-Fire Ways to Crush Your Fall Semester
Here are a few tips from the Admissions #FuturePanthers blog that you can share with students to foster a strong start this fall semester.

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 Professor Marci Littlefield highlighted by CUNY School of Professional Studies
August 24, 2021 — Patch

Former BMCC professor Gregory Perry writes book on reaching peak performance
August 24, 2021 — BronxTimes

Former MEOC instructor is now president of District 8 Community Education Council 
August 24, 2021 — News12.com, New Jersey

BMCC student Justin Soyka shares experience as Gen Z activist for social justice
August 23, 2021 — New York Times PostYahoo!life

BMCC Professors Galin Oksman and Erik Freas each respond to PSC/CUNY Resolution in Support of the Palestinian People 
August 2021 — Clarion

Human Resources

BMCC Closed Monday, September 6 for Labor Day
BMCC will be closed on September 6 in observance of Labor Day. Visit the CUNY Employee Holiday and Leave Calendar, for more information.

Permanent Employees Asked to File Permanent Address Meeting Commutable Distance Standard by December 1
During the period of remote work necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, some CUNY employees changed their permanent address of record to an area outside the University's commutable distance standard, which encompasses parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and upstate New York. Because CUNY is not set up as an employer in states beyond the commutable distance standard — and cannot withhold other states’ incomes taxes, participate in those states’ unemployment programs or apply their localized state and municipality laws — employees are asked to submit a change of address form to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu, reinstating their pre-pandemic address of record that met the commutable distance standard, by December 1.

Payroll Distribution Thursday, September 2
Payroll Distribution will occur on September 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street, Theater I, Lower LobbyPlease bring your own pen to sign the registry.

Step Join the STEPtember Walking Challenge
The STEPtember Walking Challenge is back!!! Enjoy movement through music and gain access to exclusive playlists, dance classes, walking groups, step tips and more, September 20 through October 19. Compete on a team within your agency, or as an individual. Lace up your shoes and let's get moving and grooving to the top of the leaderboard! Register online through September 15 with the Organization Code: workwellnyc.

Free CCA@YourService Return-to-Work Wellness Seminars Available
Click to watch these helpful online webinars: Return to Work Wellness SeminarKelly McGonigal: How to Make Stress Your FriendManaging Stress As We Return To Work PowerPoint.

Alumni and Donors

Invest

BMCC Foundation Invites Community to Invest in the Future of Students 
BMCC and the BMCC Foundation Board of Directors invite everyone to support the “Invest in a Future” Virtual Fundraiser scheduled at 6 p.m., September 30. Donations collected from the fundraiser will support student scholarships. The fundraiser will be livestreamed and will include student success stories, as well as music and theater performances from BMCC students. This year's honorees are Deirdre Featherstone, owner of Featherstone Fine Jewelry and award-winning gemologist; and John Dunleavy, Global President of Eightbar/WPP Global Client Leader of IBM. MAKE A DONATION HERE. Thank you to our Corporate Supporters (so far): Bank of America, BNY Mellon, CBOE, CBRE, CITI, and DTCC. For more information email advancementevents@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Calendar

9/11 Padlet: A Place for Community Reflection
August 30 - September 11

Career Development Employer Programs: Streetwise Partners
August 30

Connect with BMCC

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