@BMCC

December 14, 2023

Apprenticeship Programs Provide Pathways to Good-Paying Jobs
On November 15, more than 100 city officials, corporate leaders and educators filled the 14th floor conference room in Fiterman Hall for the 2023 National Apprenticeship Week - New York City Event Brief. The early evening gathering celebrated companies who participate in apprenticeship programs while raising awareness among members of the business community of the transformative, tangible benefits such programs provide. The event was organized by BMCC along with the companies Accenture, Aon and Zurich North America, as well as the New York Jobs CEO Council (Jobs Council). “Since the Fall 2020 semester, our partnerships have grown to include six companies where 129 students have benefited from these opportunities,” said Sharon Reid, Director of Internships and Experiential Learning at BMCC. Shown above, L-R: Mahatapa Palit, Abby Jo Sigal, Julia Backon and Kiersten Barnet.

From Pencils to AI, a Provost and VP Take the Long View
As BMCC honors its 60-year anniversary, community members who have decades of perspective are sharing their experience. In 1978, VP Craig entered BMCC as a Liberal Arts major and work-study employee in the College’s early midtown location. Provost Wong joined BMCC in 1984—just after the college moved to Chambers Street—as an adjunct in the English Department. Today, the Office of Academic Affairs, led by Provost and Senior Vice President Erwin Wong, and the Division of Student Affairs, led by Vice President Marva Craig, support the BMCC mission to serve the whole student, supporting both their intellectual and personal growth, and helping to build the environment they need to thrive in college.

BMCC Signs Statement of Shared Interest with University of Turin
On December 7, BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe and University of Turin Rector Stefano Guena signed a Statement of Shared Interest with the University of Turin, a public research university with around 80,000 students in the city of Turin, located in the Piedmont region of Italy. “We are here to memorialize our mutual intention to promote collaborative academic opportunities,” said President Munroe. “We look forward to the exchange and development of opportunities for students and faculty of our respected institutions to collaborate and pursue education and research programs.” Shown above, L-R: President Munroe and Rector Guena.

NSLS Chapter Welcomes High-Achieving Student Inductees
BMCC’s chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) welcomed 96 student inductees in Theatre 2 on December 11. Student Life Peer Mentoring and Success Specialist Denise Dellaporta welcomed the new members. “NSLS brings together success-oriented individuals who support one another’s accomplishments,” she said. “It’s a process of reflection and self-exploration.” Dean Michael Hutmaker commended the inductees on their hard work. “You’ve committed to having an impact on the campus and on yourselves,” he said. “You’ve done this while juggling class, family, work and volunteering—all the while maintaining your academics.” View the full ceremony here.

Professor Hao Tang On Team to Create Indoor Navigation for the Sight-Impaired
BMCC Computer Information Systems Professor Hao Tang is part of a City College of New York, CUNY team which has developed groundbreaking technology to enable both sighted and low-vision users to have a seamless indoor navigation experience. Congratulations to Professor Tang for his ongoing work, including earlier research at BMCC aimed to enhance public crowd safety and create mobile indoor navigation software for the blind.

Music Professor Douglas Anderson Releases Album
Music Professor and composer Douglas Anderson released an album, What She Saw, on December 8 from Ravello Records. With words by Andrew Joffe, the album features two epic, large-scale vocal works that focus on the lives of two archetypal women: Cassandra of ancient Greece and The Woman of modern times.

Did You Know?

Announcements

Raise Awareness: Share Holiday Safety Tips
The BMCC Public Safety Department raises safety awareness year-round. “As the holiday season approaches, we urge BMCC community members to be mindful of tips that can keep them safe, on and off campus,” says Public Safety Director Michael Korn. “For example, don’t leave valuables in your car—use well-lit, well-populated ATMs and stay alert in crowds.” View more holiday safety tips here. To report a crime or emergency on campus, call Public Safety at (212) 220-8080, dial 911 or use one of the blue call boxes or video intercoms located throughout campus.

Extreme Temperatures: Be Aware
Winter begins December 21. Meanwhile, the temperature is dropping to the single digits and teens in the NYC area. If your classroom or office is experiencing extreme temperatures, please call Buildings and Grounds at (212) 220-8025.

Let Students Know: Sign-In Process Has Changed
Starting December 26, students will be required to use their full BMCC email address when signing into campus computers, Wi-Fi, the BMCC Portal and all other BMCC IT services requiring authentication. They will also need to use a different domain on their email addresses, changing from stu.bmcc.cuny.edu to bmcc.cuny.edu. Please note: When accessing their BMCC email, the domain will remain stu.bmcc.cuny.edu. Students can reach out to the Service Desk with questions, email userservices@bmcc.cuny.edu or stop by 199 Chambers Street, Room S-141, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Healthcare Expo: Learn How Virtual and Augmented Reality Enhance Provider Education, Dec. 17
Learn how healthcare simulation technology such as augmented reality training impacts patient care. BMCC students as well as hospital staff, administrators and EMS providers are invited to register here. If you have questions, please contact the BMCC Paramedic program at EMTMedic@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 776-6012.

BMCC Guitar and Jazz Ensembles Winter Concert, Dec. 18
The BMCC community and general public are invited to a free performance by the BMCC Guitar and Jazz Ensembles on December 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Theatre 2 at 199 Chambers Street. Led by Music Professors Quentin Angus (Guitar Ensemble Director) and Can Olgun (Jazz Ensemble Director), talented student musicians will perform in a variety of genres: jazz, R&B, funk, Afrobeat and more. For more information, contact the Department of Music and Art at Music&Art@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Storytelling Lives: Students and Faculty Perform at PAC NYC, Dec. 20
The Department of Speech, Communication, and Theatre Arts is excited to present Storytelling Lives on December 20 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) at 251 Fulton Street, a short walk south of Fiterman Hall. The event will feature 10 students and faculty, each presenting a story that captures a unique moment in their lives and reflects our collective experience. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Professor Brian Lorio at blorio@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Cafeteria Closed for Winter Break
BMCC’s MBJ Cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street will be closed from December 22 through January 1. When it opens on January 2, hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Get 25% Off at BMCC’s Farmer’s Fridge Vending Machines, Through December
BMCC community members can purchase healthy, fresh meals at a 25% discount throughout December at the BMCC Farmer’s Fridge vending machines located at 199 Chambers Street on the fourth floor; the Murray Building on the second floor and in the cafeteria at Fiterman Hall. The Farmer’s Fridge vending machines are temperature controlled and stocked with a variety of meals and snacks.

Free Winter 2024 Immersion Workshops: Registration Deadline Dec. 25
Let your students know: The free Winter 2024 Immersion workshops will be offered to matriculating BMCC students who need to complete the ENG 95 or MAT 51 course. It will be offered to continuing students who previously took MAT 56 but did not successfully complete their developmental requirement (repeaters only). Students can register here through December 25. For more information, contact immersion@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Nominate Your Students for the Transfer Scholars Network: Deadline Dec. 31
The Office of Academic Affairs is recruiting students for BMCC’s second cohort of the Aspen Institute’s Transfer Scholars Network (TSN). The TSN guides high-achieving BMCC students to build relationships with admissions officers from top-tier, four-year institutions. Faculty can nominate a student by completing this form online. For more information, contact BMCC Director of Student Success Tiffany James at tjames@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Educating for Health Equity & Social Justice Conference: Proposals Due Jan. 12
The CUNY Office of Recruitment and Diversity will host its 2024 conference on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (C-IDEA) on March 14 at the CUNY Graduate Center. The 2024 theme is Educating for Health Equity & Social Justice. Submit session proposals by January 12 to IDEA@cuny.edu. Click here for proposal guidelines. For questions, please email Maryann McKenzie at maryann.mckenzie@cuny.edu

Transitions and Transactions Conference April 5-6: Proposals Due Jan. 15
BMCC’s English department invites faculty to submit paper and panel proposals for the 2024 Transitions and Transactions conference scheduled for April 5 and 6. The deadline for submissions is January 15. For more information, visit the event’s web page.

Enrollment

Winter/Spring 2024: There’s Still Time to Get Advised and Register
Winter and Spring 2024 registration is well underway, and we still have many students who have yet to register for classes. One of our goals is to ensure every student has a smooth transition from semester to semester, and this involves creating a solid course plan. Please encourage students to talk to their advisor to discuss their academic progress and registration. Things to know: All students must meet with their advisor before registering. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom. When choosing classes on CUNYfirst, students should pay close attention to the class meeting mode (in-person, online or hybrid), as well as the length (15, 8 or 7 weeks). For more information, visit the Registration page or contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Human Resources

BMCC Closed for Holidays
The college will be closed in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays on Friday, December 22; Monday, December 25; Friday, December 29 and Monday, January 1. For more information, visit the 2023-2024 CUNY Employee Holiday and Annual Leave Periods Calendar.

Gender-Based Violence Training Joins ESPARC and WVP Mandated Trainings

The state- and CUNY-mandated Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and Workplace Violence Prevention Training (WVP) are available for the 2023-2024 academic year. All part-time employees, including adjuncts, must complete both trainings by the end of the current semester. Full-time employees have until May 31 to complete the trainings.
The state- and CUNY-mandated Gender Based Violence Training (GBVT) is required for HR professionals and managers with at least one direct report. Full-time employees notified by email about GBVT must complete it by May 31; part-time employees who are contacted have until the end of the current semester.
From December to April, Human Resources will host four pre-recorded ZOOM sessions each month that include the ESPARC and WPV. The trainings require around two hours to complete. To schedule a Zoom training, contact Lori Mazzola at lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Sports and Wellness