BMCC Community Encouraged to Participate in Focus Groups: REVISED DATES
The Listening Tours Committee, as part of the Designing for Success Initiative, has been charged to create a process by which students, faculty and staff all across the college can speak openly about their experience and impressions of inclusivity at BMCC. This input will help guide recommendations to make BMCC an environment in which every member of the community can thrive. The college is hosting a series of charrettes-inspired focus groups. This is an opportunity for the BMCC community to share concerns, ideas and points of view that will help influence the design and implementation of strategies to build student success and support an equitable workplace for faculty and staff at BMCC.

The BMCC community is encouraged to sign up for a focus group by emailing Peter Hoontis at phoontis@bmcc.cuny.edu.  

Please select from the following focus groups:

Leaning Becomes Transformational for BMCC's First Honors Program Graduate
Liberal Arts major Yosef Friedman came to BMCC after 10 years studying the Talmud, in a yeshiva in Chicago. Though college classes were a new experience, he thrived, earned a 4.0 grade point average and will graduate with honors.

BMCC Symposium Highlights Educational Opportunity for Justice-Involved Students
More than 100 attendees gathered for the Re-Entry/Entry Symposium, Pedagogy, Programs and Policies that Support and Sustain Justice-Involved CUNY Students on May 3. The day-long event was sponsored by BMCC along with the University Faculty Senate's Committee on Higher Education in Prisons.

BMCC Students Earn Scholarships to Global Learning Experiences
Eleven students from BMCC were awarded scholarships to study abroad programs at various parts of the world. Thirteen scholarships were awarded among 11 students, including a first-time winner for the Fund for Education Abroad and a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. government. The scholarship recipients will be studying in different parts of the world that include Brazil, China, Mexico and Spain. Yetunde Adesunloro (Liberal Arts) and Assel Frolova (Business Administration) were each awarded a CUNY Chancellor Award and a Gilman Scholarship. Other Gilman Scholarship recipients were Eric Day (Modern Languages), Deysy De La Cruz (Human Services) and Sara El (Liberal Arts). Mario Altamirano, Jr. (Criminal Justice) earned a scholarship to the Critical Language Scholarship Program; Man Huang Ho (Computer Science) earned a scholarship from Fund for Education Abroad; Sinaia Jones (Liberal Arts) earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship; Brandon Morales (History) earned the Hostel International Explore the World Scholarship; Maria Rivera (Art Foundations: Studio Art) earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship; and Elizabeth Taylor (Business Administration) also earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship. “We are very proud of our students, who clearly demonstrate their skills and abilities to compete for these scholarships. said Jessica A. Levin, Experiential Learning and Study Abroad Manager. "I am impressed by the variety of majors. This shows that there is a diverse group of students who can take advantage of this opportunity."

Iconic Figurative Artists Featured in Exhibition at Shirley Fiterman Art Center On May 23 in the Shirley Fiterman Art Center, a reception will celebrate the opening of Double Portrait: Mimi Gross and Marcia Marcus. Gross and Marcus are innovative figurative painters whose work from 1958 to 2012 will be on display (Image shown: Mimi Gross, Genny's Anatomy Class: After Rembrandt's Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp,' 2009-2012, Oil on canvas, 66 inches x 7 feet, © Mimi Gross / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. / Courtesy Eric Firestone Gallery.)

2019 BARS Conference Showcases Faculty-Led Research by Student Scholars
More than 125 student researchers shared their research projects in areas such as assistive robotics, visual perception, biological activity in plants and fruit, and more. Seven students received special recognition for their work.

Women's Resource Center and Center for Career Development Welcome Directors Tammie Velasquez joins BMCC as director of the Women's Resource Center and Christopher Thunberg joins the college as director of the Center for Career Development.

Professor Munshi Awarded Mellon/ACLS Community College Faculty Fellowship Assistant Professor of Sociology Soniya Munshi is one of 26 scholars selected to participate in the 2019 Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Community College Faculty Fellowship. This is the first year of this program, which supports research projects from humanities and social science faculty who teach at two-year colleges. The program is made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This is the first of three annual competitions funded by this grant. Fellows receive a $40,000 stipend over 18 months and will participate in a convening to meet, share their work, and discuss broader issues in the humanities in the community college sector. Professor Munshi will conduct her research project, “Cultural/Sane: Immigrant Domestic Violence Survivors, Mental Health, and Logics of Citizenship.” “We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of these awards,” said ACLS program officer Rachel Bernard, “each of whom exemplifies the kind of rich humanistic research, innovative pedagogy, and deep community engagement that is flourishing within humanities programs at two-year colleges across the country. This program serves an unmet need by supporting teacher-scholars at community colleges through flexible stipends that fellows can use to fund their research, teaching and public programming.”

COMING UP: 2019 BMCC Foundation Gala, May 16
The BMCC Foundation 2019 Gala — Invest in a Future, Celebrate Success — is scheduled for May 16 at Cipriani, 25 Broadway in lower Manhattan. This year's honorees are Tim Gokey, President and CEO of Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc., and the Herbert and Audrey Rosenfield Fund. Special guest artist honoree is Ashley Bouder, Founder and Director, The Ashley Bouder Project and Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet. The Foundation is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of BMCC’s Out in Two Program with recognition of its visionary founder and former BMCC President, Dr. Antonio Pérez. The emcee is Baruch Shemtov of Fox 5 News. For more information, contact Tracie Basch at (646) 483-8018 or tracie@baschproductions.com.

BMCC Hosts 54th Commencement: May 31
On May 31, BMCC's 54th commencement will present two ceremonies at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden – one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The 54th Commencement Presidential Medal honorees are Margaret Chin, Council member for the 1st District of the New York City Council (D) and Bill Fisse, Managing Director, Institutional Clients Group, Citi. The Morning Ceremony will feature Accounting, Business Management, Computer Information Systems, Teacher Education, English, Health Education, Mathematics, Media Arts and Technology, Science, Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts, Music and Art and Modern Languages majors. The Afternoon Ceremony will feature Liberal Arts, Allied Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice, and Nursing majors. For more information visit the BMCC website or call the Office of Student Affairs at (212) 220-8130.

BMCC Film Festival Set for May 15 This free event presented by the BMCC Video Production Club is open to the public and will feature over 40 short films by BMCC students in genres including fiction, documentary and animation. Awards will highlight those BMCC student films with best narrative, best director and more. Also presented, but not competing, will be recent CUNY films.

Call for Volunteers: Commencement Production Assistants BMCC staff members interested in serving as Production Assistants at the college's 54th Commencement Ceremonies on May 31 at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden are invited to RSVP online by April 26, selecting either a morning (8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) or afternoon (1:30 to 6:30 p.m.) shift. Production Assistant meetings will be held at 199 Chambers Street in Room N-451 on May 14 at 10 a.m., and May 16 at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Katherine Bedoya, kbedoya@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Emergency Funds Available to Students From Petrie Foundation
BMCC has received funds from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation to offer emergency grants to eligible students who are facing short-term emergencies. Please encourage students who can demonstrate need and who are facing an unexpected emergency to apply for the Petrie Grant. Applicants will be asked to complete certain requirements before they may be eligible to receive grant funding and all grant requests require documentation. While Petrie grants will not be given for tuition cost, college debts or legal representation, we encourage students to visit the Single Stop office to discuss their concerns. To find out more and to access the application, students may visit Single Stop online or stop by in Room S-230 at 199 Chambers Street.

BMCC and Weight Watchers Will Host an Open House and Raffle: May 20
Faculty and staff are invited to attend a free open house and raffle on May 20 in Room S-341 at 199 Chambers Street from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m. You do not need to be a current Weight Watchers member to attend. Sample Weight Watchers topics: What's for Dinner?, Meal Prep for the Work Week and Healthy Eating on the Road. There is no RSVP for the open house. For more information or to suggest topics for the open house, please contact Lori Mazzola, lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu.

BMCC Upgrades Charging Stations
BMCC has upgraded its charging stations at 199 Chambers Street to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff. As technology continues to evolve, more members of the BMCC community are highly dependent on communication by cell phones and tablets. BMCC’s upgraded charging stations have been placed at S-130A, N-450, N-430, N-466, N-480, S-530, S-533, N-561, N-580, N-598, S-613, N-662, N-679, N-698 and N-777. For more information, contact Information Resources and Technology, (212) 220-8360.

Save the Date: Civil Service Employee Recognition Day, June 12
The BMCC community is invited to a special luncheon in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street, to honor Civil Service Classified Staff who have served for 20 or more years. Seating is limited, so please RSVP by May 24 to Maria Deckinger, mdeckinger@bmcc.cuny.edu

Guidelines for Posters and Flyers on Campus The Office of Public Affairs consults with BMCC departments, offices, faculty and staff to promote events and initiatives in an effective manner, reaching audiences on multiple platforms. Learn how to maximize college resources including the @BMCC e-newsletter, TV monitors, BMCC calendar and social media.

Summer 2019 STEM Tuition Waiver
BMCC is offering tuition waivers to eligible students who enroll in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) courses in Summer 2019. To be eligible, a student must be matriculated at BMCC, a New York City resident, and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time the waiver is applied. For more information visit the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center, Room S-108, 199 Chambers Street, or email advisementandtransfer@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Faculty Invited to Participate in COACHE Job Satisfaction Survey
Full-time faculty are invited to participate in the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) job satisfaction survey. Data collected by COACHE gives voice to faculty about the successes and struggles of working in academia. By participating in the study, faculty will have an opportunity to share their perspective about working at BMCC and CUNY in a secure and confidential manner. Faculty will receive an email with a personalized link to the survey. For more information, visit the COACHE survey page.

Plaza Reconstruction Capital Project
As part of the upcoming Plaza Reconstruction project at BMCC, abatement of hazardous materials identified in the underlayment of the existing pavers will be performed at various phases of the construction project. This activity, which began January 21, is regulated by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, which ensures the safe and proper removal and disposal of these materials. Abatement notifications posted on all building entrances are part of these requirements and are there to inform the occupants of these activities. The required notices are not meant to alarm our building occupants, but to keep everyone informed that the work will be performed in a safe and regulated manner. We apologize for any inconvenience this upcoming construction may cause as we work to improve our facilities.

BMCC Website Faculty Pages Guide Available
The Office of Public Affairs has installed WordPress — a content management system which will make BMCC website use easier for faculty and staff — and is scheduling training sessions with liaisons from BMCC offices and departments on the use of this system. In addition, BMCC faculty can now access and update their Faculty Pages, using the Faculty Page Guide found on the BMCC Faculty and Staff Resource webpage. If you have questions, please call Manny Romero, Executive Director of Public Affairs, (212) 220-1238.

Recent Data Supports Strategies to Build Retention
“Recent data from our office show that new freshmen in the fall who earn at least one WU — a grade of ‘Withdraw Unofficially’ — tend to have the poorest rate of fall-to-fall retention among their cohort,” says Bettina Hansel, director of institutional research at BMCC. "Only 23 percent of new freshman who earn at least one WU in their first fall semester are still at BMCC a year later.” On the other hand, Hansel says, among students who complete all their courses with C- or better in their first fall semester, just over 80 percent are still enrolled a year later.

“We’re studying the withdrawal rates and their effect on retention, because we’re concerned about recent declines in fall-to-fall retention of new freshmen, and WUs are an important part of that picture,” she says. “The faculty are really concerned about these students, because these are the ones who just stop coming to their classes. In our Designing for Success efforts across the college, this data can inform how we might help students better understand what is expected in their classes before they register for them, and to support them with interventions that can help them succeed instead of giving up. It's part of the culture of caring we want to achieve.”

Summer and Fall 2019 Registration Is Open
Please encourage students to continue on their path to success and register for the summer and fall 2019 semesters. All students must meet with their advisor before registering. Students can register on CUNYfirst or visit Lab Services in Room S-114.

A few important dates:
Continuing Students Priority Registration Deadline – May 15
Continuing Students Advisement Deadline – June 17
In-Person Registration – Week of August 12
First Day of Fall 2019 Classes – August 27

For more information, visit the Registration page, contact Academic Advisement in Room S-108 or call (212) 220-8315.

Admissions and Financial Aid Info Sessions
Prospective students are invited to attend information sessions for an overview of BMCC and the admissions and financial aid process. They can also take part in a Q & A with admissions and financial aid specialists. For more information, check the Admissions website​, or contact the Admissions Office, (212) 220-1265.

Say Hello to the Admissions Office on Social Media
The BMCC Admissions Office has launched new social media accounts. Stop by online and say hi! We appreciate your likes, follows and thumbs up. Facebook: @bmccadmissions Twitter: @bmccadmissions Instagram: @bmccadmissions Snapchat:@explorebmcc

BMCC cited in story about Goldman Sachs Local College Collaborative
May 6—Global CSR News, Ethical Goods, CSR International

Meet With a TIAA Representative on Campus Faculty and staff can schedule an appointment at BMCC with a representative from TIAA, now through June. For more information, call (800) 732-8353 or visit a session schedule.

Mandatory Workplace Violence Prevention Training: Classroom Session May 28
All BMCC faculty and staff must complete an annual Workplace Violence Prevention Training by registering through CUNY Blackboard. Part-time employees must complete the course by the end of the Spring 2019 semester; full-time employees by July 31.A classroom session will be held May 28 in Room S-341 at 199 Chambers Street. To RSVP, please contact Maria Deckinger, mdeckinger@bmcc.cuny.edu or (212) 220-1496.

Deer Oaks EAP Now Offers Phone and Video Counseling As part of BMCC's Employee Assistance Program, Deer Oaks offers organizational training and skills development, crisis management, wellness services and other services including video, structured telephonic and in-person counseling services. Employees can schedule calls with a counselor in advance by calling (855) 492-3633 or emailing eap@deeroaks.com.

Pre-Tax Limit for Wageworks Commuter Benefits Increased
The pre-tax limit for monthly Commuter Benefits deductions (WageWorks) increased from $260 to $265 on January 1. No paperwork is required to activate the increase, but those who wish to change their deduction or enroll in the program may visit the Benefits page of the BMCC Human Resources website, complete the WageWorks Transit Benefit form and submit it to Human Resources, 199 Chambers Street, Room S-717.

Enhance Your Skills Through CUNY Professional Development
The CUNY Professional Development and Learning Management (PDLM) Office presents the CUNY Professional Development Program now through June 19. BMCC faculty and staff can choose sessions ranging from data analytics to business writing and many others. Certificate programs are available. View catalogue and sign up now.

Charitable Giving Through an IRA
Donors at least 70½ years old can take advantage of a simple way to satisfy minimum required distribution and benefit BMCC students at the same time. Donate up to $100,000 from an IRA directly to the BMCC Foundation without having to pay federal income taxes. Please contact Phillip Keefe, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving, (212) 346-8650 or pkeefe@bmcc.cuny.edu for additional information.

Alumni Invited to Connect and Network BMCC Alumni Affairs provides alumni benefits and services, as well as involving alumni in the advancement and support of BMCC. Alumni are invited to special events, 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
The faculty and staff of BMCC support our students in countless ways, every single day. That support includes contributing to the BMCC Foundation Scholarship Fund. Your support of the Faculty and Staff Campaign makes a significant difference in our students’ lives. There are three easy ways to give: Make a donation online.

• Text your donation to BMCC at (646) 876-2622.
• 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).

Lit BC (Literature Book Club)
May 10

Stonewall Uprising 50th Anniversary: Readings of New LGBTQ Plays
May 10

Jazz, Wind and Guitar Ensemble Recital
May 11

Writers' Guild
May 15

BMCC Learning Academy Information Session
May 16

	BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center Listings		Center for Career Development Events
	Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship Events		Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development Events

Make a Splash! Welcome to the Community Swim Program
The BMCC swimming pool has been renovated and is ready to welcome community swimmers, ages 18 and up. Lockers are available. Bring your own lock and towel. Entrances are at 199 Chambers Street and 77 Harrison Street. For fees and registration, contact the BMCC Athletic Department, (212) 220-8260 or the BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, (212) 346-8410.

Certified Lifeguards Needed
If you are interesting in becoming a lifeguard at the BMCC swimming pool this summer, email a resume to Senior Lifeguard Judith Gamboa, judjud125@gmail.com. Lifeguards are required to have American Red Cross certification and be First Aid/AED/CPR certified. Experience is preferred.

Spring 2019 Recreation Schedule
BMCC students, faculty and staff with current college ID — and BMCC alumni with a current BMCC alumni card — are eligible to use the BMCC Fitness Center and pool for free. In addition to fitness machines and a pool, the BMCC Fitness Center offers Zumba classes and activities including badminton, tennis, half-court basketball and more.

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