News

President Munroe Attends Legislative Conference Luncheon in Albany
BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe joined fellow CUNY college presidents on February 18 at Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez’s annual CUNY luncheon, held in conjunction with the 52nd Annual Legislative Conference. The event, which took place at Empire State Plaza in Albany, was hosted by the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislators and featured a number of elected officials and other special guests. Salimatou Doumbouya, a BMCC alumna who is now chairperson of the University Student Senate and a student representative on the CUNY Board of Trustees, introduced the luncheon’s guest speaker, Ndaba Thembekile Zweliyajika Mandela, the grandson of South Africa’s first president, the anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. (Pictured above left: BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe and Ndaba Mandela. Pictured above right: York College President Berenecea Johnson Eanes, CUNY Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Denise B. Maybank, BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe, Guttman Community College President Larry D. Johnson Jr., and Macaulay Honors College Dean Dara Byrne.)

More Than 40 Colleges and Universities on Hand for CUNY, SUNY and Private College Transfer Fair
Students filled Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street for the CUNY, SUNY and private college transfer fair on February 23. Representatives from more than 40 colleges and universities were on hand to answer questions and provide information to BMCC students. Rosa Martinez, an academic advisor in the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center, said it’s never too early to start thinking about the transfer process. “When they come to this event, they see they truly can start here and go anywhere,” she said. Grace T., a computer science major who has one more semester before she graduates, met with representatives from several different colleges. “I’m finding out about all these schools I didn’t realize offer advanced computer science programs.” 

Faculty Art Show Opens at Shirley Fiterman Art Center
“Working On It,” an exhibition of recent work by faculty artists from the Music and Art and Media Arts and Technology departments at BMCC opened on February 22 at Shirley Fiterman Art Center. The show is open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 12 to 5 p.m. and runs through March 22. See photo gallery.

BMCC Hosts WakandaCon – Comic Books and the Black Panther and a Presentation from Professor James Small
BMCC community members attended two in-person Afrikan Heritage month events on February 22. WakandaCon – Comic Books and the Black Panther featured art, performance and a panel discussion followed by a screening of Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever in Richard Harris Terrace. See photo gallery. Meanwhile, at Fiterman Hall, activist and historian Professor James Small shared thoughts and strategies that addressed this year’s Afrikan Heritage theme – “Black Futurity, Mining the Past, Cultivating the Present, and Shaping Tomorrow.” A question and answer session followed the lecture. See photo gallery.

Breaking News: BMCC Students, Faculty and Staff Have Free New York Times and Wall Street Journal Subscriptions
BMCC students, faculty and staff continue to have free digital access to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal provided by CUNY Libraries. The college community can create accounts to access The Wall Street Journal here and The New York Times, here.

Making Headlines

BMCC faculty art show highlights impressive range of work
February 22, 2023 — Tribeca Citizen

BMCC one of three colleges to receive NYS funds for healthcare training program
February 21, 2023 — Bronx Times

BMCC cannabis workforce training grant highlighted
February 18, 2023 — The New York Times

Did You Know?

Announcements

Open Mic Night: Speak Your Truth Featuring Guests J. Jehriko Turner and poet Mpingo Waridi Uhuru
BMCC will host the Speak Your Truth open mic night on February 28 at 6 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. The event will feature multidisciplinary artist J. Jehriko Turner and poet Mpingo Waridi Uhuru. Members of the BMCC community are also invited to share poetry, songs and spoken word about Black experiences, intersectionality, gender, sexuality and community. The event will also celebrate the release of My XY: the photo-poetic anatomy of a knotty American Black man by J. Jerihko Turner, with a book signing at 8 p.m.  RSVP and/or sign up for five- to seven-minute performance slots by February 27. Questions? Contact RaShelle Peck (rapeck@bmcc.cuny.edu).

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.

English Professor Cheryl Fish Featured in Profile English Professor Cheryl J. Fish was recently featured in a profile by the CUNY Graduate Center which examines her writing a novel while teaching full-time at BMCC and raising her son. The novel—Off the Yoga Mat—was published by Livingston Press this past October.

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

Admissions will host In-Person Spring Open House on Thursday, March 23
The Admissions staff is calling all future BMCC Panthers to step onto the main campus of 199 Chambers Street for a college experience at the Spring Open House on March 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. Prospective students and their families are welcome for a night full of activities, including a tour of our vibrant campus, a closer look at our wide array of financial resources and support programs, and a chance to chat with our dynamic faculty to explore possible major and career options. Faculty are invited to participate in the open house. This is a great opportunity to highlight your academic program and generate interest for enrollment. For more info, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Admissions In-Person and Virtual Info Sessions 
Prospective students looking to further their education are invited to attend an Admissions Info Session. Get a comprehensive overview of our campus, academic and financial offerings, support programs and guidance on the admissions process. You'll have the chance to speak with our knowledgeable admissions and financial aid specialists and get all your questions answered. This is the perfect way to learn all you need to know about BMCC before applying. Sign up today! For more info, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu.

There’s still time to Register for the Spring Semester
BMCC students can register for the Spring 2023 Express Session. The eight-week session runs from 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

Men's Basketball Gives QCC All They Can Handle But Come Up Short In CUNYAC Championship, 72-66

Women's Basketball Falls In The CUNYAC Championship Game

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

Afrikan Heritage Month: HIV / AIDS Awareness: Its Impact on the African American and Latino Community
February 27

Pre-Health/Pre-Med Workshop Part II
February 28

Tour of BMCC Campus
March 1

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