News

A Reminder from the President: Staff Will Work 70% In-Person, as of February 28
This Spring 2022 semester has seen BMCC's offices and classrooms come to life with in-person engagement. To continue building the college experience all students deserve, and in compliance with CUNY guidelines, starting Monday, February 28, all BMCC staff are required to work 70% of the time in-person on the BMCC campus. Read President Anthony Munroe's announcement to learn more.

Mohammad K. Alam Named Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management Mohammad K. Alam, who has served as Senior Registrar at BMCC since 2013, will assume the role of Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management Services, effective March 1. In his new role, Mr. Alam will oversee the College’s one-stop and other student intake services for the Offices of the Registrar, Financial Aid and Admissions. He will provide leadership to ensure that students are receiving the best possible service, that staff is updated on procedures, best practices and new technology, and that college enrollment initiatives are successfully implemented.

BMCC Faculty and Staff Required to Upload Proof of Vaccination by April 1
All BMCC faculty and non-teaching instructional staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to upload proof of vaccination into CUNYFirst no later than April 1. CUNY defines full vaccination as two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

CUNY Mandates Masks in all Campus Indoor Space, Regardless of Vaccination Status A CUNY mask mandate updated February 7 instructs everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to  wear a face mask inside all CUNY campuses and office buildings. This includes while in class and working in a non-enclosed space such as a cubicle or other open seating, regardless of physical distance from others. Students, faculty and staff are also mandated to wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others. The only exceptions to wearing a mask inside are 1) If a fully vaccinated person is alone in an enclosed space such as an office, conference room or dorm room, and 2) Briefly while eating or drinking. Read the full memo on the CUNY website. Students, Faculty and Staff Must Register Through Cleared4 System to Obtain CUNY Access Pass To access BMCC buildings, all students, faculty and staff, must upload  their vaccination verification to CUNYfirst, which automatically generates a Cleared4 account. Cleared4 is the platform used by CUNY to conduct random testing and provide building access.  After successful completion of the upload process in CUNYfirst, an account activation email will be sent from no-reply@cleared4work.com to the email address associated with your CUNYfirst profile.  The activation email includes a link to complete your registration which is required to obtain your CUNY Access Pass. Please check your SPAM folder if you cannot find the email from Cleared4. Students who cannot find the email should contact Health Services at healthservices@bmcc.cuny.edu. Faculty and Staff who cannot find the email should contact Human Resources at: officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu Please complete your profile on Cleared4 accurately and entirely to ensure that all communications, including test results can reach you. The access pass and BMCC ID will facilitate access to all BMCC buildings and other campuses in the CUNY system. For additional information please visit CUNY Access – Cleared4 Guide for Vaccinated CUNY Students, Faculty and Staff  or Cleared4 FAQs available in CUNY IT Help. REMINDER: All students, faculty and staff, please review and update your primary business email address and cell phone on CUNYfirst.

NYC Mobile Vaccination Bus Coming to BMCC March 2 and 9
BMCC students, faculty, staff and all New Yorkers can get FREE vaccinations, boosters and COVID-19 testing.

The NYC Mobile Vaccination Bus will be parked on the BMCC campus at Fiterman Hall, 245 Greenwich Street (at Park Place) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the following days:

• Wednesday, March 2
• Wednesday, March 9

The bus is offering the following services:

• Pfizer vaccines, boosters, and COVID-19 (PCR and rapid) tests are available for ages 12 and up 
• Johnson & Johnson vaccines, boosters, and COVID-19 (PCR and rapid) tests are available for ages 18 and up
• Rapid and PCR tests are available for ages 4 and up

Students, faculty and staff can upload their vaccination verification in CUNYFirst. Booster verification is also uploaded in CUNYFirst — here are some helpful instructions for students and helpful instructions for faculty and staff.

For more information call the Office of Public Affairs at (212) 346-8501 or email publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu

How to Upload Your COVID-19 Booster Verification BMCC students, faculty and staff can now upload their verification for the COVID-19 booster on CUNYfirst: Sign on to your CUNYfirst account Select “Vaccination Verification” from the CUNYfirst Menu Click on the “Add New Record” button For more information on how to upload verification for the COVID-19 booster, click here for students, or here for staff and faculty. All CUNY faculty, staff and students are also eligible for free COVID-19 testing at 20 CUNY university locations, including BMCC. Students Taking In-Person or Hybrid Classes Must Upload Proof of Vaccination or Register for Online Courses Only CUNY mandates all students taking in-person and hybrid classes must upload proof of vaccination to CUNYfirst. For details, click here, read these Frequently Asked Questions or visit the Student Guide to Vaccination Verification. Please note: Students are still able to upload vaccination records after they are dropped.  However, they may not get their original schedule back.  Students who are not vaccinated should register for online classes only.  Students who are fully vaccinated by March 28 are encouraged to consider BMCC’s Spring 8W2 Express Session starting March 28. Random COVID Testing Required for Vaccinated CUNY Employees and Students To help contain the spread of coronavirus, vaccinated CUNY employees and students chosen for random, mandatory COVID testing will receive an email from noreply@cleared4work.com with instructions to complete testing within seven days at a CUNY test site — no appointment necessary; test results in 48 hours. The BMCC test site is in the café at Fiterman Hall, 81 Barclay Street. For more information, visit the CUNY testing site location page or Safe Circle Testing FAQ. Regular COVID Testing Mandated for Unvaccinated Faculty and Staff   CUNY provides on-site COVID-19 testing at 20 University locations. 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 See the full details of BMCC's Spring 2022 Repopulation and Operations Plan. Visit the Reimagining BMCC website for more information on returning to campus.

Announcements

Afrikan Heritage Month Recognizes Black Women in STEM and Across Identities
Afrikan Heritage Month closes out with two powerful virtual events. Black Women in STEM, Friday, February 25 at 5 p.m., honors women who have made crucial contributions to science, technology and medicine — and changed daily life more than most people know. On Wednesday, March 2 at 2 p.m., in an event that links Afrikan Heritage Month with Women’s History Month, Women Like Me: Making Women’s Needs Visible, examines strategies to support women as factors like race, ethnicity, religion, class and sexuality deeply impact their lives. 

Floors 6 and 7 at 199 Chambers Not Accessible February 26 and 27
The entire 6th and 7th floors, along with the pool at 199 Chambers Street, will not be accessible on Saturday, February 26 or Sunday, February 27 due to ongoing construction activities associated with the cooling towers. These safety precautions are mandated by the Department of Buildings when rigging operations are scheduled.

BMCC Website Can Be Viewed in Many Languages
At BMCC, students come from all over the world and speak more than a hundred languages. To support inclusion and widen access, the College website now offers a translation option. On the right-hand side of the screen, click the orange tab, “Select Language,” then click on an option from the list including Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, French, Indonesian, Polish, Urdu and other languages. To return to English, click the gray tab, "Options," in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen and select “Turn off translation for this site.” 

Encourage Students to Sign Up for the Grow With Google HIS Career Readiness Program BMCC students with an active email account can develop digital skills and explore career paths with Google’s free, online learning platform. Students who complete all the lessons in a given pathway will unlock a downloadable certificate of completion to share on LinkedIn and their resumes. Faculty and staff who want to integrate the Google lessons into existing courses or programs can contact Christopher Thunberg, Director, Center for Career Development, cthunberg@bmcc.cuny.edu, for guidance.

Resilience, Health and Wellness Website Provides Support for BMCC Community 
No one has to go it alone. A wide array of services is available to every member of the BMCC community. Whether you are a faculty or staff member seeking counseling through the CUNY Employee Assistance program or a student trying to overcome food insecurity, the Resilience, Health and Wellness website provides links and contacts for a wide range of support.

The Inquirer, a BMCC Journal, Seeks Proposals for Papers by February 28 The Inquirer, a journal focused on teaching, learning and scholarship at BMCC, welcomes proposals for manuscripts by February 28. Once a proposal is accepted, complete manuscripts are due April 16. More details can be found on the Call for Papers. Please send questions to the editors, Professors Holly Messitt, hmessitt@bmcc.cuny.edu and Elizabeth Wissinger, ewissinger@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Deadline to Apply for Vassar College Exploring Transfer Program is March 7 Each summer, a small group of BMCC students are selected for the Exploring Transfer opportunity at Vassar College. This residential, five-week immersion program takes place June 17 through July 22. Participants' tuition, room, meals and books are fully covered and they experience first-hand what dorm life and college culture is all about. Contact the BMCC Vassar College Exploring Transfer committee for more information. The student application deadline is March 7.

Summer 2022 NSF-REI Scholarship Applications Open Through March 1 
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at BMCC offers paid summer internships for qualified BMCC students to conduct biological research alongside faculty scientists, explore phenomena including the bioactivity of natural products and more. Gaining experience through BMCC's excellent research labs eases a student's transition to bachelor's degree STEM programs. For more information, click here.

Submit Your Ballot for the 2021-2022 Employee Appreciation Awards by May 6 BMCC students, faculty and staff, show your appreciation for staff (non-faculty) who demonstrate outstanding achievement and creative contributions through their role at BMCC — beyond what is normally expected of employees. SUBMIT ONE BALLOT with a detailed nomination in any or all categories: Leadership, Inspiration, Innovation/Technology, Rookie of the Year and Team Achievement.

Support Students and Build Attendance for Your Event Through the Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT)
Through the BMCC Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT), faculty and staff can build attendance for campus events, and students can build an official CUNY record of their extracurricular activities. Faculty and staff who want to submit activities to be considered for the CCT can follow these steps: 1) Go to www.bmcc.cuny.edu, 2) Click on: LOG IN in the top right-hand corner, 3) Click on: BMCC Portal, 4) Sign in with the same user name and password used to access your BMCC computer, and 5) Click on the CCT icon. For more information, visit the BMCC CCT website or email CCT@bmcc.cuny.edu. 

BMCC Cafeteria Announces Spring 2022 Hours BMCC students, faculty and staff can enjoy a hot meal, healthy salad or delicious sandwich at a reasonable cost in the MBJ Food Services/BMCC Cafeteria on the second floor at 199 Chambers Street, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

BMCC Panther Pantry Assists Students Facing Food Insecurity BMCC students facing a food emergency are encouraged to visit the Panther Pantry and take home pre-packed bags of nutritious, non-perishable food. The pantry will distribute bags of food, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hot meals will be distributed on Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m., in S-230 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.

BMCC Brand Guidelines Updated for College Community 
The BMCC Office of Public Affairs has launched a webpage with extensive college brand guidelines. This guidance is not intended to limit creativity, but to ensure the college community uses the BMCC branding elements properly and consistently. For details related to logo usage, editorial and digital style, social media and more, please consult the BMCC Brand Guidelines Page.

Enrollment

Register Now for Spring Express Sessions 
BMCC students can register for the Spring 2022 Express Session (Eight-Week, 3/28 – 5/24). The session is 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 session and some financial aid limitations. Here are the registration instructions. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with Panther Station Specialists on Zoom, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information, contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu. 

Remind Students Registering for Spring: Mandatory Zoom with Advisor, Proof of Vaccination  
Faculty and staff, please encourage students to go online and schedule their mandatory Zoom meeting with an advisor to discuss spring registration. Remind students they can register for classes and upload proof of vaccination on CUNYfirst. Drop-in advisement is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. via Zoom link; Meeting ID: 863 5332 0349, Passcode: ADV. 

Enrollment Assistance Available on Zoom and by Phone 
For Enrollment assistance, students can meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Making Headlines

Upswing CEO Melvin Hines references BMCC as institution partner in improving education technology accessibility 
February 16, 2022 — American Consortium for Equity in Education

Human Resources

Mandatory Trainings Available on Zoom 
The Office of Human Resources will host virtual sessions for ESPARC (Employee Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course) and WPV (Workplace Violence Prevention) trainings via Zoom during the Spring 2022 semester. For dates, times and to reserve a spot, please visit the Human Resources Training and Development page.

BMCC Faculty and Staff Benefit from Free CCA Resources  
CCA@YourService provides services including free short-term counseling sessions and unlimited counseling by phone. In February, CCA presents “Black Health and Wellness,” which aims to close the disparity in health care for Black Americans. CCA also presents the webcast, Navigating Through Grief and Loss. 

Donors and Alumni

Calendar

This Is not a Text: Email Etiquette
February 28

Writing Center Workshop: Synthesizing Sources
February 25

Join us for Mindful Mondays
February 28

Express Yourself Series Month: Vision Board Contest
March 1 – March 31

Connect with BMCC

@BMCC is produced and published by the Office of Public Affairs.

Faculty and staff: Submit items for consideration in an upcoming @BMCC to publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu by 12 noon, Wednesday.