@BMCC

April 9, 2020

Wilks to Deliver State of the College on May 5
BMCC Interim President Karrin E. Wilks will deliver the State of the College on May 5 from 1 to 2 p.m.. The presentation will be available for viewing through a live webcast available at this link. Wilks will update the BMCC Community on the college’s Designing for Success: Strategic Planning Phase II and other college-wide initiatives supporting the BMCC mission that places high priority on preparing students for degree completion, successful transfer, career achievement, lifelong learning and civic participation.

BMCC Contributes to CUNY-wide Consolidation Residence at Queens College
BMCC is contributing disinfectant supplies and resources to support a CUNY-wide effort to support students. On March 28, José Luis Cruz, Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, CUNY sent a request to all CUNY campuses for expertise and coordination as CUNY continues with the process of relocating CUNY students from various residences around New York City into a Consolidation Residence in the Summit Apartments at Queens College. “We are all on this together as a University, a City, a Country and we need to support and share our resources with those that have critical needs,” Jorge E. Yafar, Assistant Vice President for Campus Planning and Facilities. “That is the only way we can come out of this crisis stronger.”

Lorna Malcolm Joins BMCC as Vice President of Advancement
BMCC is proud to welcome the college's new Vice President of Advancement Lorna A. Malcolm. She will officially begin her role on April 13, 2020. “I am excited to welcome Lorna to our BMCC family,” says Interim President Karrin E. Wilks. “Particularly in these very challenging times, increasing fundraising to support our inspiring and deserving students is a critical priority for the college."

Virtual Town Halls Offer Updates and Discussion
BMCC's Interim President Karrin E. WIlks hosted four virtual town halls on April 7 and 8, where faculty and staff learned about the college's updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The two April 7 town halls for faculty had more than 300 participants, and the April 8 town halls for staff had more than 330 participants. Both town halls offered opportunities for BMCC community members to ask questions and provide feedback through an online chat option. Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics Christopher Shults and Executive Director of Public Affairs Manny Romero curated the questions, and then directed them to the interim president. Content from the town halls will be used to review and assess concerns and needs from the BMCC Community.

BMCC Campus Planning and Facilities Teams Tackle COVID-19 Pandemic Head On
Staff members including the Facilities Management and Operations Team — custodial team, tradespeople, plumbers, carpenters and electricians — as well as peace offices and others, are maintaining BMCC's limited open areas, including the critical distribution areas at 199 Chambers Street.

Continuing Education Hemodialysis Course Enhances Career Opportunities
BMCC's Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers a course on Hemodialysis. Upon completion, participants are ready to work in the Hemodialysis field before taking the National Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician Certification Exam. Watch video.

CUNY Interdisciplinary Research Grant Supports Removal of Harmful Algal Blooms in NYC Ponds and Lakes
BMCC Professor Abel Navarro leads a team that blends public health awareness, environmental engineering and bioremediation.

As Pandemic Rages, BMCC Alumna Continues Research Related to Infectious Disease
Claudia Melo (Science, 2019), now at Brooklyn College, began investigating bacterial and viral properties at BMCC.

UMLA and Project Impact Host BMCC Virtual Talent Showcase
On April 8, BMCC’s Urban Male Leadership Academy (UMLA) and Project Impact hosted the BMCC Virtual Talent Showcase using Zoom. The event was emceed by Ashtian Holmes, director of UMLA, who introduced each of the 13 acts, which included rap, vocal and instrumental performances, poetry and anecdotes on what participants are doing to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was scheduled in an effort to engage the BMCC Community while practicing social distancing. “There were a lot of great performances,” Holmes said. “I was truly impressed.”

Announcements

COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund
In the wake of this crisis, BMCC has created the COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund. By making a contribution to this fund, you can make a difference in the lives of our students at this time. Your support will provide emergency funding for housing, food and technology to students who are unable to meet the unexpected financial burdens resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to give.

Compliance and Diversity Policies
At BMCC, diversity is our strength. COVID-19 does not discriminate based on race, nationality, ethnicity, or any other protected category. BMCC embraces facts and rejects the stigma of unlawful discrimination and harassment. The College remains committed to fostering the safety, diversity, equity and inclusion of every single member of our community — our students, our faculty, and our staff. Please remember that our policies protecting equal educational and employment opportunity and prohibiting unlawful discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, remain in effect and may also apply to online and off campus incidents. BMCC Community members who have experienced or witnessed unlawful discrimination and harassment can report it to the Office of Compliance and Diversity.

NYC Well Offers Counseling Assistance
If your symptoms of stress become overwhelming, NYC Well offers free apps, brief counseling and referrals for care assistance in more than 200 languages. BMCC faculty, staff and students can contact NYC Well’s confidential 24/7 helpline, staffed by trained counselors at (888) 692-9355. They can also text "WELL" to 65173, or reach help via Chat.

Students Will Still Graduate — But Commencement Ceremony Is Postponed  
BMCC's 2020 Commencement Ceremony at Barclays Center — for the classes of Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Winter 2020 and Spring 2020 — has been postponed, till further notice. "We want to be clear that it is the commencement ceremony that will be postponed, not graduation,” said BMCC said Vice President of Student Affairs Marva Craig. “We will keep faculty, staff and students updated on this and other changes at BMCC as we adjust to this global pandemic."

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.

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.

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.

Campus Planning and Facilities

Limited Building Access
The Office of Campus Planning and Facilities is unable at this time to accommodate individual requests for access to BMCC campus buildings. Thank you for your cooperation. Please 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 register for Summer 2020 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 for them, and register for classes. For more information, visit the Registration page, or contact Academic Advisement at eadvisement@bmcc.cuny.edu.

BMCC Offers Live Chat Help for Students
Borough of Manhattan Community College Admissions is offering live chat to help students applying to BMCC and newly enrolled students.

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 questions or suggestions, please contact publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Making Headlines

BMCC/CUNY Virtual Choir Project featured on NY 1
Spectrum TV/NY 1—April 9

Politico notes that BMCC has created an emergency fund to support students
Politico—April 8

BMCC/CUNY Virtual Choir project brings people together in a time of social distancing
AACC/Community College Daily—April 7

Student Parents face challenges during coronavirus pandemic
The Hechinger Report—April 6

Human Resources

Sign up for Direct Deposit and Suspend Transit Benefits
While BMCC is operating on a distance model, you may want your paycheck to be deposited directly into your bank account. Also, those who are not commuting may want to suspend their payroll-deducted transit benefits. To make this happen, complete the Direct Deposit form, Transit Benefit form and/or Park and Ride form and send to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu.

View TIAA Webinar Global Lookout: “When Is it Safe to Come Out?”
How will the pandemic-driven market volatility impact your TIAA retirement account? To view the March 25 webinar (available through April 25), go to “The Webinar Lounge” and login. Click “On-Demand Webinars” in the upper right-hand corner, then click “Launch” next to the March 25 webinar, “Global Lookout: When Is it safe to Come Out?”

Tips from Weight Watchers: Healthy Eating and Staying Fit at Home
Here are some healthy eating tips: How to stock up for 2 weeks, Snacks to eat while working from home and Recipes to make with kids. Also, here are Exercises to do at home and FitOn, free workout app.

Alumni and Donors

Use your IRA-Qualified Charitable Distribution to Help During this Time of Student Need
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. This bill changes the age at which retirement plan participants are required to take minimum distributions from 70½ to 72 — but it makes no change to the age at which individuals may begin using their IRAs to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). This means that at age 70, you can still use your IRA to make a QCD of up to $100,000 for the year. 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.

Naming Opportunities Send a Message of Support to Students, When They Return to Campus
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 students — many of whom have had their educations disrupted by a global pandemic — we have established memorial funds in support of naming opportunities on the BMCC campus. Make a donation today and select a memorial fund under the “Designation” option. Your name and message of hope will inspire students when they return to campus.

Now More Than Ever, Your Support Makes a Difference in Students’ Lives
Your donations to the BMCC Faculty and Staff Campaign can provide critical support for students whose lives have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Please take a moment to make a donation online or text your donation to BMCC at (646) 876-2622, and designate your donation to a particular department, if you want.

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