@BMCC

February 16, 2023

BMCC Welcomes Acting Assistant Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development Terry Kidd
Before joining BMCC, Dr. Kidd served as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning, Research, Technology and Innovation at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In his new role, Assistant Vice President Kidd will report to President Munroe as he provides direction and develops policies to expand existing workforce development programs at BMCC. He will also develop new programs and services designed to meet the needs of BMCC’s diverse college community as well as its urban community partners. He will serve on the president's cabinet.

BMCC Welcomes Gail H. Fernandez, Associate Dean of Faculty
Dr. Fernandez comes to BMCC from New Jersey City University where she was Associate Provost. She will serve on BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe’s cabinet and report to Provost and Senior Vice President Erwin Wong. Among other responsibilities, Dr. Fernandez will oversee and support faculty development and enhance faculty research, scholarship and creative activity. She will also oversee recruitment and hiring efforts, as well as manage the reappointment, promotion and tenure process.

Students Fill BMCC Gym for Spring 2023 Club Fair
Students filled the BMCC gymnasium for the Spring 2023 Student Club Fair on February 15 at 199 Chambers Street. More than 40 academic, creative, diversity, professional, cultural, social services and sports club representatives were on hand to answer questions and provide information. “We had a tremendous turnout for the Student Club Fair,” said Student Affairs Director Harry Mars. “Students appear to want to be back on campus and get involved, especially after the pandemic.” He said the benefits of joining a club are immense, from the social aspect to developing leadership skills, attending events and opportunities to go on field trips. Small Business Entrepreneur major and Student Government Association President Carlene Nelson said in addition to existing clubs, there was widespread student interest in forming new ones. “Joining a club helps students develop relationships which are critical,” she said. “Joining a club can play an important role in being part of the BMCC community." See photo gallery.

AANAPISI Bridge Initiative Hosts Open House
The BMCC-Hunter AANAPISI Bridge Initiative (ABI) hosted an open house on February 16 in the cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street. The ABI is a partnership between BMCC and Hunter College that provides student programs and faculty development to support the diverse needs of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). To learn more about the program, contact abi@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Making Headlines

Women’s basketball player Emily Kennedy named rookie of the week
February 14, 2023—CUNY Athletics

Sociology Professor Schneur Zalman Newfield interviews Daniel Lasker, author of “Karaism: An Introduction to the oldest Surviving Alternative Judaism”
February 12, 2023—Player FM

Former BMCC student pens opinion piece, commends BMCC’s support services for minority students
February 12, 2023—The Banner (CSI/CUNY)

Did You Know?

Announcements

WakandaCon-Comic Books and the Black Panther February 22
The CUNY community is invited to watch the movie Wakanda Forever and to participate in a discussion and a dinner afterwards on February 22 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will also be a pre-movie panel presentation regarding the movie’s influences and impacts. For more information, visit the WakandaCon webpage. See a list of all Afrikan Heritage Month events.

Deadline to Register for Free Naturalization Clinic April 19
The BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center has partnered with City Bar Justice Center and Fragomen to sponsor a free naturalization clinic on April 26 to assist currently enrolled BMCC students who are permanent residents in completing a U.S. Citizenship Naturalization application. Attendees will meet with a licensed attorney to complete the application. Registration is required; space is limited. To register, visit the Advocacy and Resource Center Office, 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230, email ARC@bmcc.cuny.edu, or call (212) 220-8195.

Join the BMCC 60th Anniversary Celebration Committee
In 1963, classes at BMCC were held in an office building at 131 West 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. BMCC has come a long way in 60 years. Members of the BMCC community interested in serving on the 60th Anniversary planning committee, please email Karen Wilson-Stevenson at kwilson-stevenson@bmcc.cuny.edu.

MBJ Cafeteria Open for Spring Semester
The MBJ cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.

Free Tax Preparation Available for BMCC Students
BMCC students are invited to receive virtual or in-person assistance in filing their tax returns through the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) in Room S-230 at 199 Chambers Street through April 10. Virtual assistance is also available via Zoom webinars, each Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration is required. Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., in person service will be available at the ARC through April 12. For more information and to register, contact: arc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Public Safety Seeking Volunteer Fire Wardens
BMCC’s Office of Public Safety is seeking faculty and staff to serve as volunteer fire wardens on campus. BMCC fire wardens are provided free training and are called upon during fire evacuations and other emergencies, as well as drills, to ensure the safety of the college community. Fire wardens may help or help locate persons with disabilities who may need further assistance to evacuate. To find out how to become a campus fire warden, reach out to the Office of Public Safety at (212) 220-8136.

Services Available to BMCC Community Members Impacted by the Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
In a message to the BMCC community, Vice President for Student Affairs Marva Craig reminded students impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria about available support services including: The Counseling Center; Student Affairs; The International Student Services Office as well as the Advocacy Resource Center.

Enrollment

There’s still time to Register for the Spring Semester
BMCC students can register for the Spring 2023 Express Session. The 8-week session runs form March 23 to May 25. This opportunity is ideal for part-time students or new and continuing students who missed registration for the regular 15-week session. Students are encouraged to speak with an advisor to determine whether the Express Sessions are the best option for them. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom, Monday, Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or on Friday’s from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu. (Please keep in mind that the Express Sessions have limited course offerings and some financial aid limitations.)

Human Resources

Deadlines to Complete ESPARC AND WVP Training May 31
The 2022-2023 academic year University’s mandatory annual Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and the Workplace Violence Prevention training (WVP) are now available on Blackboard. All part-time employees, including adjuncts, are responsible for completing both trainings by the end of the current semester to ensure their completion is logged by the University. All full-time employees will have until Wednesday, May 31, to complete the trainings. Employees are automatically registered for their campus training in Blackboard as long as they are active employees in CUNYfirst. Employees can sign into their CUNY Blackboard account and navigate to My Organizations to view and complete both the ESPARC and WVP trainings.

NYCERS Hosting Comprehensive Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar March 30
NYCERS will host a comprehensive pre-retirement planning seminar on March 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is the first in a series of six seminars being presented in partnership with the NYC Office of Labor Relations and the Social Security Administration. Tier 4 member BMCC employees enrolled in the 62/5, 55/25 and 57/5 plans are eligible to attend. Tier 6 member BMCC employees in the 63/5 plan are also eligible to attend. Please email ddonald@bmcc.cuny.edu by March 14 with questions or to reserve a spot. Space is very limited and once the maximum capacity for Zoom has been reached, the session will be closed.

Sports and Wellness

Women’s Basketball: FINALS BOUND!
Fourth quarter push sends Panthers to program's first championship game since 2018-19.

Check out the upcoming game schedule on the BMCC Athletics page
Learn more about BMCC’s recreation schedule, including the fitness center and swimming pool.

Calendar