News

BMCC Community Invited to Attend Enrollment Town Hall March 29 
All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend BMCC’s Enrollment Town Hall scheduled at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Everyone is invited to attend in-person at Theater 2, located on the second floor of the 199 Chambers Street Building. People will also have the option to register and attend virtually through the webinar link HERE. The Enrollment Town Hall will offer everyone the opportunity to learn about the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan which is being developed as part of the larger set of BMCC strategic and operational plans. The college community will be able to participate and ask questions in-person and through the “chat” on the webinar.

Former City Council Speakers Christine Quinn and Melissa Mark-Viverito as well as National Children’s Advocate Kathryn Robb Headline Panel 
Trailblazing former New York City Council Speakers Christine C. Quinn and Melissa Mark-Viverito as well as legislative advocate, attorney and co-founder of New Yorkers Against Hidden Predators, Kathryn Robb participated in a panel discussion with BMCC students at the college’s Murray Street campus on March 24 as part of Women’s Herstory Month. Quinn is President and CEO of Women in Need, the city’s largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing. Currently, Mark-Viverito is Chief Policy Officer at Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Robb is Executive Director of Child USAdvocacy. All three leaders spoke about their current work, answered questions and encouraged BMCC students to find their place in society and use the tools they acquire through education to make change in the community. For more about Quinn, Mark-Viverito and Robb’s current advocacy work, click here.

Transitions and Transactions VI Explores Teaching and Learning in a Pandemic
BMCC, in collaboration with the New York College English Association, will present Transitions and Transactions VI: Teaching Literature in the Time of COVID, an all-day virtual conference set for Saturday, April 9. The conference will feature 20 panels and two featured panels with presenters from across CUNY as well as Europe, Canada and many regions of the United States. What this remarkable array of educators share is having grappled with remote learning across many diverse communities. For program details and more information, visit Transactions and Transactions VI or email transitionsandtransactionsconference@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Announcements

Women's Herstory Month: Women's Visibility in the Art History Classroom and More
On March 25, learn how the canon is being diversified across academic areas including art history. On March 28, join the conversation on ways that race, class and access impact maternal health outcomes. Move with Zumba on March 29, learn about menstrual equity on March 30, talk with Sexperts on April 7 and take part in trauma-sensitive yoga on April 14. Students who attend two or more of these events will receive Co-Curriculum Transcript credit.

Faculty and Staff Invited to Rent Cap and Gown to Participate in 2022 Commencement Ceremony
BMCC will celebrate the Class of 2022 on Thursday, June 9, 2022 beginning at 9 a.m., with an in-person commencement ceremony at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Faculty and staff who need to rent a cap and gown to participate in the ceremony, please contact Jonathan Rosser at jrosser@bmcc.cuny.edu for ordering information as soon as possible, but no later than April 5, 2022.

Joe Doctor Colloquium 2022: Promoting Mindset, Metacognition, and Belonging for Equity, April 1
The Faculty Development Committee invite BMCC faculty and staff to join the 2022 Joe Doctor Colloquium: Promoting Mindset, Metacognition, and Belonging for Equity on Friday April 1 at 10 a.m. via the online platform Zoom.  This year’s guest speaker is Fullerton College English Professor Miguel Powers.  For more information, contact Professor Ruth V. Guirguis at rguirguis@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Now Accepting Faculty and Teaching Staff Applications for Summer 2022 Anti-Racist Pedagogy Seminar: Deadline to Apply March 28
The Anti-Racist Pedagogy Working Group in collaboration with CETLS is accepting applications from faculty and teaching staff for the Summer 2022 Anti-Racist Pedagogy Seminar: Transforming the Classroom, scheduled for June 13-17. Made possible through a grant from the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation, the seminar will explore anti-racist teaching practices and provide participants with the opportunity to revise their course curricula and lessons. Participants who successfully complete the seminar will receive a $400 stipend. For more details, workshop dates and the application form, click here. The deadline to apply is March 28, 2022.  Contact Professor Shawn Grant at shgrant@bmcc.cuny.edu or Professor Kirsten Cole at kcole@bmcc.cuny.edu with further questions.

SBE Major Carlene Hunte-Nelson Wins Award at Competition for Pitch About Her Company Small Business Entrepreneurship major Carlene Hunte-Nelson received a Spirit Award—including $500—at the New York City Regional Business Plan Competition Spring 2022 on March 18 for a business pitch about her company Outdoor Unicorn. Hunte-Nelson’s company aims to provide protective lifestyle accessories such as helmets, knee pads, lights, bells and apparel that speak to Black and Latino cultures through graphics and design. She said the BMCC SBE program has helped her view business not as an event but a process. “Deconstructing the process and understanding the various components is enlightening and takes time and work,” said Hunte-Nelson. “I feel already better prepared and equipped to navigate my entrepreneurial journey.”

CUNY-Wide Training and Resources for Using PeopleSoft 9.2
Computer Information Systems is planning to launch the CUNYfirst Campus Solutions upgrade to PeopleSoft 9.2 over spring break in April 2022. This second phase of the upgrade extends the new PeopleSoft 9.2 improvements across all of CUNYfirst, including the new tile-based CUNYfirst home page (also known as the “Interaction Hub”). The changes to CUNYfirst will be new for many in the BMCC college community. CISTraining has developed a sustainable and engaging training program to support the various and ever-changing needs of our learning community as we prepare for the launch of the 9.2 CUNYfirst Interaction Hub (IH), Campus Solutions, and Faculty/Advisor upgrade in mid-April. It has released a four-week training calendar of live webinars and is updating its CUNYfirst Sharepoint site on an ongoing basis with the latest recordings, video clips, user guides, and job aids. It is also updating and migrating over 500 CUNYfirst user guides into CUNYITHelp, which will improve your ability to find the information you need via keyword searches.  In addition to the user guides, students will find helpful videos on www.cuny.edu/cunyfirst closer to the launch date.

To help ensure a truly supportive foundation for the launch, the first set of live webinars will be delivered to our campus service desks and technicians.  This will be followed by general sessions on Campus Solutions for administrative staff, along with sessions for the faculty and advisor communities. Please complete the Registration Form for Administrative Staff and/or the Registration Form for Faculty/Advisors to select and sign up for your desired 9.2 webinar session using your CUNY Login (Username: Firstname.Lastname##@login.cuny.edu). 

Poverty, Humanities and Teaching Brown Bag: A Conversation with Professors Shawn Grant and Jamie Warren
The Social Sciences, Human Services, and Criminal Justice Department invites the BMCC community to its second “Poverty, Humanities and Teaching Brown Bag” featuring presentations by Business Professor Shawn Grant and History Professor Jamie Warren. This virtual event is scheduled at 1 p.m. on March 25. Members of the Voicing Poverty project will facilitate a conversation in response to the presentations on how a poverty and humanities focus can be woven into the content of a course. To register for this virtual event, 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.

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 distributes bags of food, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hot meals are distributed Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230. For more information, contact the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) at arc@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8195.

Enrollment

Admissions is Back in the Swing with In-Person Events
In an effort to assess prospective student interest and reverberate vitality to the BMCC campus, the Admissions and Recruitment team is vamping up for Spring and reintegrating on-campus Tours and Information Sessions. Campus Tours will be offered Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. and the Information Sessions at 3 p.m. Be on the lookout for new and friendly faces around campus. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Join BMCC at CUNY Virtual College Fair, March 30 
On Wednesday, March 30 from 4 to 6 p.m., BMCC will be part of a CUNY Virtual College Fair featuring all 26 CUNY campuses. Encourage potential students and community members to join the BMCC Room which will feature alumni panels, an overview of Success Programs and a virtual campus tour. Faculty and staff are encouraged to also join the BMCC breakout room to meet interested students and share information about their programs. Let us know if you’re interested in participating by completing this form.

Encourage Students to Attend Academic Open House Throughout April
The Admissions Office will host a virtual Academic Open House on Tuesdays and Thursdays in April for admitted students, prospective students and even current students to explore each Academic and Career Community, meet our dynamic faculty and learn about the robust academic offerings at BMCC. Faculty are invited to join our Admissions team and be as creative and involved in the content and delivery of these benefits as possible. Please take a look at the schedule below and let us know if you’d like to co-present, create a dynamic breakout room, bring along some of your current students or alumni, share a presentation and more. Let us know who will be representing your area and how you wish to participate by completing this form. Here is the April Academic Open House Schedule:

• 4/5 at 5 p.m. – Accounting, Business, Economics
• 4/7 at 6 p.m. – Arts and Humanities
• 4/12 at 5 p.m. – Behavioral and Social Sciences
• 4/14 at 6 p.m. – Communications and Media
• 4/19 at 5 p.m. – Education
• 4/21 at 6 p.m. – Health Professions
• 4/26 at 5 p.m. – Government & Public Service
• 4/28 at 6 p.m. – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Making Headlines

Former BMCC Theatre Professor Shawna Lucey Named General Director Opera San José
March 24, 2022—Broadway World

Human Resources

Free WorkWell Events: Learn About Nutrition and More
WorkWell is sponsoring a series of events this month. For additional information and to sign up see the March Calendar.

Have You Been Impacted by the Russian Invasion of Ukraine? CCA Can Help BMCC faculty and staff experiencing anxiety and distress caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can access free, short-term counseling sessions and unlimited counseling by phone 24/7 at (800) 833-8707 through CCA@YourService. Updated information can be found on the CCA member website. If you are seeking assistance for friends, family or colleagues residing in Ukraine, or are a concerned global citizen looking to offer support, these online resources can assist in locating services and providing and receiving aid. CCA also provides the webcast, Navigating Through Grief and Loss. Read the CUNY Chancellor’s statement on the crisis in Ukraine and its palpable impact on many in New York, home to the largest Ukrainian community in the nation.

Mandatory Full- and Part-Time Staff and Faculty 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.

Donors and Alumni

Calendar

How to Graduate in Two Years (or Less) March 24

Online Internship Information Session
March 28

Career Development: Resume Ready?
March 29

Fit Mind Series: Creating Structure in an Unstructured World
March 29

Join Us at a Writers' Guild Meeting
March 30

Connect with BMCC

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