News

BMCC Partners With NYC.gov Vaccination Service to Bring Vaccines and Boosters to the Community
More than 85 students, faculty and staff, as well as New York City community members received a free COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot during an NYC Mobile Vaccination Clinic hosted by BMCC December 14, 15 and 16. The vaccination van, which also provides COVID-19 testing, remains parked in front of Fiterman Hall until 6 p.m., December 16. This event is part of BMCC’s ongoing efforts to encourage students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated. A $100 incentive was offered to individuals who received their first vaccine dose.

Students Taking In-Person or Hybrid Classes Mandated to be Vaccinated  CUNY mandates that all students taking in-person and hybrid classes get vaccinated and upload proof of vaccination to CUNYfirst. For details, click here or read these Frequently Asked Questions. For instructions to upload your information, see the Student Guide to Vaccination Verification. Faculty, staff and students who have been vaccinated, uploaded their vaccination verification in CUNYfirst and were approved, have turnstile access when entering the BMCC campus.  Random Testing for Covid-19 Required for Vaccinated Individuals at CUNY As part of a greater effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, all vaccinated CUNY employees and students are subject to random and required COVID testing. Those chosen for testing will receive an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com with instructions to complete testing within seven days at a CUNY test site. At BMCC, the closest testing site is the café at Fiterman Hall, 81 Barclay Street. There is no appointment necessary. Test results should be available within 48 hours. For more information about testing sites, visit the CUNY testing site location page and for information about the tests being used, view the Safe Circle Testing FAQ.   Regular Testing Mandated for Unvaccinated Faculty and Staff  CUNY provides on-site COVID-19 testing at 20 University locations — including BMCC. 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 an email with a personalized link to make an appointment at a CUNY testing location. Monitoring and Reporting Positive Cases Visit the Reimagining BMCC website for more information on returning to campus.

Announcements

BMCC Community Encouraged to Take Advantage of Resilience, Health and Wellness Services
Students, faculty and staff are invited to visit the Resilience, Health and Wellness website to explore resources and strategies for physical fitness, mental health, food insecurity, nutrition, financial support and other vital areas. With a focus on health and wellness, BMCC builds a diverse and connected community that supports its members every day.

De-Stress Fest Helps Students Stay Grounded Before Exams Students are invited to attend in-person and online events designed to minimize stress and provide helpful information in preparation for final exams. The full list of activities can be found at the De Stress Fest webpage. Events run through December 21.

Random Testing for Covid-19 Required for Vaccinated Individuals at CUNY
As part of a greater effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, all vaccinated CUNY employees and students are subject to random and required COVID testing. Those chosen for testing will receive an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com with instructions to complete testing within seven days at a CUNY test site. At BMCC, the closest testing site is the café at Fiterman Hall, 81 Barclay Street. There is no appointment necessary. Test results should be available within 48 hours. For more information about testing sites, visit the CUNY testing site location page and for information about the tests being used, view the Safe Circle Testing FAQ.  

BMCC Fitness Center and Swimming Pool Open Through December 21 The BMCC Fitness Center and pool are open through December 21 to fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff. The Fitness Center is open from Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers cardiovascular and resistance equipment, free weights and more. Patrons are required to wear a mask. The BMCC pool is open Monday through Friday, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Learn more on a virtual tour of BMCC’s fitness facilities or contact Dakota Olson, Coordinator of Athletics and Athletics facilities.

BMCC Publishes 2020-2021 Annual Report  The 2020-2021 Annual Report, Excellence, Equity and Opportunity, is now available on the BMCC website. The report includes articles highlighting college events, fundraising efforts, student achievements and faculty research from the 2020-2021 academic year. A list of donors is also included.

BMCC Grant Seekers Invited to Attend Hanover Webinar January 14
Faculty and staff who are interested finding funding opportunities for a grant project are invited to attend the Hanover Webinar: Prospecting: Identifying the Funding Landscape for Your Grant Project on January 14 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The session will focus on the art of identifying funding opportunities that align with faculty and staff interest areas and project concepts.  Advanced registration is required. Click here for more information.

Holiday Reminder: Acceptance of Gifts Guidelines
CUNY employees are prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts from vendors and other interested sources, regardless of whether the gift was intended to influence or reward the recipient. For guidelines, visit CUNY’s Conflict of Interest policy page.

CUNY Zoom Security Practices Help Ensure a Safe, Collegial Event BMCC faculty and staff that use Zoom for CUNY-related activities are required to follow the CUNY Zoom safety protocols. These guidelines help prevent disruptions such as Zoombombing, and maintain a safe, collegial environment for virtual activities. To learn more, visit the BMCC Virtual Events Page.

BMCC Panther Pantry Assists Students Facing Food Insecurity  BMCC students facing a food emergency are welcome to visit the Panther Pantry and take home a three-day supply of nutritious, non-perishable food. The pantry will distribute bags of food, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Hot meals will be distributed on Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m., in the Main Building (Richard Harris Terrace) located at 199 Chambers Street. For more information, contact the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) at arc@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8195.

Help Our Students Succeed: Share Information About the Learning Resource Center
Let students know about free, in-person academic coaching and tutoring offered through the BMCC Learning Resource Center (LRC) at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-510. The LRC also offers computer lab hours so students can complete classwork on campus. Email lrc@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-1383 for more information.

BMCC Cafeteria/MBJ Food Services: Hours of Operation BMCC students, faculty and staff can enjoy a hot meal, snack or beverage in the BMCC Cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street. MBJ Food Services provides a variety of menu items at a reasonable price on days classes are session from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on days when no classes are scheduled, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Don't forget to mask up, when purchasing food. Please note, the cafeteria will be closed January 7, 14 and 21.

Enrollment

Winter/Spring 2022 Advisement & Registration is Open
Faculty and staff, please encourage students to schedule a Zoom meeting with their advisor to discuss their academic progress and spring registration. Things to know: All students must meet with their advisor before registering. Students can register for classes and upload proof of vaccination on CUNYfirst.  Vaccine deadlines dates are:

• Moderna: first of two doses by December 17
• Pfizer: first of two doses by December 24
• Johnson & Johnson: single and only dose by January 14

For Enrollment assistance, students can meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Registration page or 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 explain how to complete the BMCC application or apply as a readmit student. In these virtual sessions, staff walk students through the whole process — from completing the CUNY application online to including transcripts and more.

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

Making Headlines

Former BMCC Professor Shawna Lucey named director at Opera San Jose
Broadway World—December 8, 2021

Human Resources

Payroll Distribution: Thursday, December 23 
Employees who do not have direct deposit can pick up their paper paycheck on Thursday, December 23 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street, Lower Lobby. Please bring a pen to sign the registry. 

ESPARC and WPV Trainings: Mandatory for all Employees and Now Available via Zoom

• By the end of the fall semester, part-time employees must complete the Employee Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and Workplace Violence Prevention (WVP) trainings. Full-time employees must complete both trainings — which are offered on Blackboard, as well as Zoom — by the end of the academic year. To learn more, visit Compliance Training FAQs or contact Maria Deckinger, mdeckinger@bmcc.cuny.edu or Loriann Mazzola, lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu
• ESPARC training will be offered via Zoom from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on December 21. WPV training will be offered via Zoom from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on December 23. To sign up, email Josefa Larios at jlarios@bmcc.cuny.edu and cc Amal Bakleh at abakleh@bmcc.cuny.edu from your BMCC account. Include your name and employee ID number as well as which training (ESPARC or WPV) and date you want to attend. The Zoom link and support documents will be provided the Monday before your training. Sign up now, while seats are still open! 

Paying it Forward: Free Online Seminars Start December 21 
At noon on Tuesday, December 21, BMCC faculty and staff will be able to access a series of free, on-demand, online seminars: "Practicing Generosity Builds Resilience," "Pay it Forward With Kindness and Generosity," "Be a Great Mentor" and "Invest in Yourself." To learn more, visit CCA@Your Service and enter the Company Code: CUNY.

Senior Stationary Engineer Exams Open Through December 21 
The Senior Stationary Engineer (CUNY) Exam #2093 and Senior Stationary Engineer (CUNY) Exam #2534 (Pro) are open through December 21. The filing fee is $101. The exams are open competitive and promotional. Applications will not be accepted at any CUNY college HR department or at the 395 Hudson Street location. To complete the application online or download it, go to the Online Application System (OASys) at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs. If you have any questions, please email classified.centex@cuny.edu.

Donors and Alumni

CUNY Tuesday: It’s Not too Late to Donate  The BMCC Urban Male Leadership Academy (UMLA) is committed to increasing the graduation rates of groups severely underrepresented in higher education, particularly men of color. Other BMCC programs dedicated to closing gaps in educational outcomes are Conexiones & Connections and the College Discovery program. Support their commitment to raising the retention and graduation rates of all students. Make equity a reality. Give now, to CUNYTuesday at BMCC.

Alumni Now: Xiangli Huang  Xiangli Huang (Accounting, ’16) was a member of the BMCC Accounting Club and an IRS Certified Tax Preparer through BMCC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) at the Food Bank of New York. Mr. Huang earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting in 2018 and Master’s in Accounting in 2020 at Queens College, CUNY, where he worked up to 30 hours a week while attending classes, just as he had done at BMCC — all the while maintaining a 3.8 GPA and making the Dean’s List four semesters in a row. He passed all four parts of the CPA exam and held an internship at Wallace Lau CPA. Another internship, at PricewaterhouseCoopers, led to Mr. Huang’s current position at the firm as an associate in the Asset Wealth Management department.

Read more about Xiangli Huang and other inspiring BMCC alumni. If you know high-achieving BMCC alumni who have entered careers and could be candidates for Alumni Now, please let us know by emailing publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Calendar

Online Free Workshop: Microsoft PowerPoint (Students Only)
December 17

The Dream U.S. Scholarship Workshop
December 20

CUNY in The Heights: Panther Pantry Food Pick-up (Every Tuesday)
December 21

Connect with BMCC

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