News

Dear BMCC Community, First and foremost, I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and doing the best you can during these challenging times. Our hearts go out especially for those in our community who have fallen ill. Please know that your BMCC family wishes you a speedy recovery and the very best. We have been asked to make unprecedented sacrifices, and we are traveling together on a journey with many unknowns. I am so proud of and very grateful for the hard work, creativity and dedication of faculty, staff and students in making the transition last week to distance teaching, learning and support services. We have proven that we can rise up and come together as a community to maintain academic continuity, student engagement, and our culture of care, despite many obstacles. The Chancellor announced a recalibration period starting March 27 through April 1 to allow faculty, staff and students additional time as necessary to strengthen the tools and strategies we are using to deliver instruction and support services from a distance, most importantly to ensure that all students have equitable access to the technology they need to succeed. The primary purpose of the recalibration period is to allow for the expanded distribution of laptops to students who need them. We will provide more details on that distribution shortly. The Chancellor also indicated that courses that were fully online or hybrid prior to our transition to full distance learning can continue uninterrupted. I strongly encourage all faculty, staff and students to stay connected (from a distance) during the recalibration period. We ask for flexibility and patience particularly for students struggling with technology or other adjustment issues. Taking care of our community remains at the forefront. The Panther Pantry is open again for limited hours; BMCC’s Early Childhood Center remains open, one of only two in CUNY; and almost all our student support services and resources such as admissions, advisement, tutoring, and counseling are available at a distance. Please check our website for updates, hours of availability and links to services. We welcome your feedback as always on how we can improve. Thank you all for your generous understanding, strength and compassion. We will get through this together, and we will be stronger on the other side. BMCC strong. Please continue to take good care of yourselves, your families and those around you. Karrin E. Wilks Interim President Borough of Manhattan Community College

Karrin E. Wilks

BMCC Campus Updates
Effective Monday, March 23, all of Fiterman Hall and all floors in the Murray Building will be closed; no access to any of these facilities will be granted. Access to 199 Chambers Street will be extremely limited. We urge members of the BMCC Community to update and complete your contact information in CUNYfirst. Also, the college will send out community notices to the email addresses provided in CUNYfirst and through CUNY Alert text messages if necessary. In addition, updates will be posted on BMCC’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin. 

BMCC Distributes Laptops and Food to Students
Top of mind for BMCC is aligning resources and rallying as an institution, to make equity-driven decisions that take into account the challenges that BMCC community members are facing during the coronavirus pandemic. BMCC is doing its part to keep services available to students, including the Panther Pantry. In addition, the college is distributing laptops to help students in need. Please visit the college’s Coronavirus Information and Resources website to learn more.

Nursing Program Graduate Works in Coronavirus Testing Facility Brenda Lagares, 2019 graduate of the BMCC nursing program, is working 12-hour shifts at the drive-through coronavirus testing site located in the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area at Bear Mountain State Park. The site is run by the New York State Department of Health and supported by personnel from the New York National Guard. Lagares shared her experiences from her first day on the job.

As Pandemic Ramps up, BMCC Student Links Doctors, via Video, to Panicked Callers
Science for Health Professionals major Monica Mezarina was juggling work, family and school when a global pandemic got added to the mix. A medical receptionist in a multi-doctor suite at a major hospital in lower Manhattan, she has been moved to a call center, where she screens patients for COVID-19 and connects them to doctors who continue the screening via video.

BMCC Commencement 2020 Postponed
BMCC Vice President of Student Affairs Marva Craig announced in a message on March 25, that BMCC's Commencement Ceremony at Barclays Center, which was scheduled for May 29, 2020, will be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The ceremony includes graduates and potential graduates from the classes of Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Winter 2020, and Spring 2020. "We want to be clear that it is the commencement ceremony that will be postponed, not graduation. We will keep faculty, staff and students updated on our plans for the commencement ceremony and on other changes at BMCC as we adjust to this global pandemic," Craig said. 

Coping Tips From the BMCC Counseling Center
The COVID-19 pandemic may trigger a variety of feelings including increased health anxiety, fear for loved ones, and feelings of helplessness. It promotes social withdrawal, which can lead to loneliness. It is vital that we take care of our mental health. Below are tips to help you focus on your emotional well-being:

1. Focus on things you can control.
2. Take it day by day. 
3. Take a break from the news.
4. Maintain a daily routine.
5. Stay connected to friends and family — social connections are crucial.
6. Eat well, exercise, and get plenty of rest.
7. Get some fresh air when possible.
8. Get your information from reliable sources like the CDC and WHO. Text COVID to NYC-NYC (692-692) to stay informed.
9. Be gentle with yourself.
10. Reach out for help when you need it: 888-NYC-WELL, 1-800-273-TALK. Students can contact the BMCC Counseling Center at counselingcenter@bmcc.cuny.edu.  

Announcements

Virtual Choir Submissions Deadline Extended to May 31 Looking for a fun activity during shelter in place? Join aspiring singers from around the world by recording and uploading a performance onto the CUNY Virtual Choir Project website, through May 31. The performances will be synced and blended and live-streamed later in Spring 2020.

Keep Up with the News: Activate Your FREE New York Times and Wall Street Journal accounts
Students, faculty and staff have free access to The New York TImes and Wall Street Journal using your active BMCC email account. Also, all COVID-19 reporting by The Washington Post is free for all readers. 

E-Learning Center Services and Updates

Blackboard Support is Now Available After Hours 
BMCC students and faculty with a pressing Blackboard question can now call Blackboard for assistance. This after-hours Blackboard support will be available by telephone (646) 664-2024; Monday through Friday, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.; and weekends, all day.

Zoom Support Available
The BMCC Community can call (212) 220-8379 or email servicedesk@bmcc.cuny.edu for Zoom tech support. For support on how to use Zoom in the classroom, email elearning@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Course Continuity Resources for Faculty and Staff
The E-Learning Center has created a Course Continuity Resources website with tutorials, training materials, and tools to support faculty and staff. It includes teaching approaches during emergencies, how to create an in-person course in Blackboard, how to create and use Zoom Web Conferencing, and other useful information.

Distance Learning for Students Resources Available
The E-Learning Center has created a Distance Learning for Students website to prepare BMCC students to participate in distance learning. It includes frequently asked questions, tips for success, how to access and participate in Blackboard courses, how to use Zoom Web Conferencing, and other useful information.

A. Philip Randolph Memorial Library Offers Services Online The Library is physically closed until further notice. Some services will only be available online. For all questions please email: help@bmcc-cuny.libanswers.com. Learn more about virtual services that are available.

Virtual Service Desk Open
To protect the health and safety of our students and employees, the Service Desk has gone virtual. For assistance, call (212) 220-8379, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 7p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Submit a request or ask a question by sending an email to servicedesk@bmcc.cuny.edu. Visit the IT Services site where you can submit a ticket, check the status of your request, and find answers to common technology questions including how to download and install Office 365, set up BMCC email on your mobile device and much more.

CETLS Offers Facilitated Discussions, Workshops and More CETLS, E-Learning, and the Office of Research have planned a series of facilitated discussions, distance education workshops, and research sessions, all of which will take place on Zoom. They have also created an online space where faculty can connect to share experiences, ideas, and questions. The BMCC Course Continuity website is an excellent resource for distance education tools and strategies. Please contact CETLS Director Gina Cherry with any questions or ideas about how CETLS can support faculty during this time.

Campus Planning and Facilities

Announcement from the Office of Campus Planning and Facilities
In anticipation of extended building vacancies at BMCC, all offices must undergo the following protocols for the removal of perishable items to prevent environmental hazardous conditions, such as insect infestation and mildew.

• Removal of Perishable Food Items in Refrigerators
  Any food items found in offices and refrigerator will be disposed of to avoid decay.
• Removal of Office Plants
  Although we realize that many office plants have an aesthetic and emotional worth, our limited essential staff during this crisis, does not afford us the ability to sustain them indoors. In order to maintain a clean and safe building environment, the plants will be relocated to the exterior of the building, with the hope that some of them can survive and thrive in an outdoor setting that affords access to sunlight and rainwater.

Please note that the college is currently under strict access control and we will not be able to accommodate any individual request for access. 
We thank you for your support and cooperation and ask that you follow the Governor’s directive to stay home and help us stop the spread of this deadly virus.

Enrollment

Summer and Fall 2020 Registration Is Open
Please encourage students to continue on their path to success and register for the summer and fall 2020 semesters. Things to know: All students must meet virtually with their advisor before registering. Students can use Schedule Builder on CUNYfirst to create a schedule that works best and to register for classes. For more info, visit the Registration page, or contact Academic Advisement at eadvisement@bmcc.cuny.edu.

BMCC Virtual Tour Provides Interactive Views of College
The BMCC virtual tour provides an immersive experience of BMCC. Whether using their mobile phone, tablet or computer, prospective students can view panoramic images of campus buildings, as well as videos highlighting academic and support service locations and student success stories. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu. 

Making Headlines

ALA award recipients include BMCC Open Knowledge Librarian Jean Amaral
March 6, 2020 — American Library Association

Adjunct Professor and Playwright Antoinette Nwanda Comments on Honoring Students' English
March 4, 2020 — The Washington Post

Human Resources

Sign up for Direct Deposit and Suspend Transit Benefits
During this time while the college is in distance-learning mode, you may want to consider signing up for Direct Deposit. Email the completed Direct Deposit form (pdf) to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu.

If you would like to suspend your Transit Benefit or Park-n-Ride deductions, email the completed form (below) to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu

• Transit Benefit form (pdf)
• Park and Ride form (pdf)

For those that did not pick up their paper checks on Friday, March 20
On Friday, March 27, there will be check distribution for 3/6 and 3/20 payrolls at 199 Chambers Street main entrance from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Alumni and Donors

Support Memorial Funds  Last academic year, BMCC lost two beloved colleagues — Sadie Bragg, retired Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Scott Anderson, retired Vice President for Administration and Finance. To commemorate their deep commitment to BMCC, we have established memorial funds to raise money in support of naming opportunities of areas located on the BMCC campus. Make a donation today and select a memorial fund under the “Designation” option. THANK YOU for your support!

Gifts of Stocks and Mutual Funds Are an Extremely Tax-Efficient Gifting Option
A gift to the BMCC Foundation of highly-appreciated securities offers tax savings and avoids the capital gains tax you’d owe if you sold the stock and then made the gift. Please contact Phillip Keefe, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving, (212) 346-8650, or pkeefe@bmcc.cuny.edu, for more information. We are deeply grateful for your support.

Alumni Invited to Connect and Network BMCC Alumni Relations provides alumni benefits and services. Alumni are profiled in BMCC publications and welcomed into the vibrant community that is BMCC. For more information, contact Yaritza Gonzalez, Manager of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund, (212) 346-8455 or ygonzalez@bmcc.cuny.edu

Make a Difference in Students’ Lives: Faculty and Staff Campaign
Your support of the Faculty and Staff Campaign makes a significant difference in our students’ lives. Make a donation online; text your donation to BMCC at (646) 876-2622, or send your check, payable to the BMCC Foundation, via interoffice mail to the Office of College Development, F-1330. (Please note, you can designate your donation to your department).

Calendar

Advanced Blackboard: Gradebook, Assignment, Exams, Etc (Faculty and staff)
March 27

Zoom Web Conferencing (Faculty and Staff)
March 27

Online Accounting and Liberal Arts Internship Advisement and Registration
March 30

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.