News

President Munroe Delivers 2024 State of the College Address: “Students are the heartbeat of this Institution.”
The 2024 State of the College address presented on March 26 by BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe acknowledged points of pride as well as challenges. Success Programs, cohort programs, apprenticeships, Supplemental Instruction, food and housing support and other initiatives are in place to close equity gaps at the College. “Our collective efforts and investment in our students have paid off exponentially. Let’s continue this momentum,” the President said. “We are here to reaffirm our commitment to supporting students. We are here to ensure that every student who walks through our doors feels valued, heard, and empowered to succeed.”

Four Astrophysicists and an Anthropologist Talk About the Full Eclipse, Coming April 8
What exactly is an eclipse? Is it true you can't look directly at it? Where can we view the eclipse in New York City? Four astrophysicists on the science faculty at BMCC—Professors K.E. Saavik Ford, Barry L. McKernan, Quinn Minor and Shana Tribiano—answer these questions and more as they share insight into the solar event that will turn New York City into one big science project. Anthropologist Patricia Mathews, Professor and Chair of the Ethnic and Race Studies Department, shares insight into the cultural response to this natural phenomena. Be ready for the big day! It won't come again until 2044.

Admissions Spring Open House Sees Record Breaking Turnout
More than 450 prospective students and their families (around 950 in total) attended the BMCC Spring 2024 Admissions Open House at 199 Chambers Street on March 21. Highlights included financial aid information sessions, campus tours, a student services fair, and academic breakout sessions. Vice President of Student Affairs Marva Craig and Director of Admissions and Outreach Lisa Kasper welcomed attendees who enjoyed a performance from the Theatre Department. Faculty from more than 25 academic programs hosted interactive mini-lessons, giving a taste of the BMCC learning experience. Explore the photo gallery for a glimpse into the day’s events.

BMCC Hosts All-Male College Fair, March 27
An All-Male College Fair (AMCF) held at the BMCC gymnasium featured 85 exhibitors including BMCC, and provided a transformative experience for over 800 students from more than 40 high schools. The event empowered young men of color from NYC Public Schools through direct engagement with higher education institutions. The BMCC Academic Advisement and Transfer Center (AATC) and the Urban Male Leadership Academy  (UMLA) were among the planners and those present at the event. Aspiring college students gained a comprehensive understanding of their opportunities and were encouraged to confidently navigate their future educational paths. Check out photos from the event here. Photo on right, L-R: Sanjay Ramdath, VP of Enrollment Management at BMCC, and David Banks, NYC Schools Chancellor

BMCC to Celebrate Community College Month in April Coming up in April, BMCC will celebrate Community College Month (#CCMonth), a monthlong grassroots education campaign coordinated by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). The primary goals of #CCmonth are to improve awareness of the economic, academic and equity advantages of attending community colleges. Public community colleges like BMCC are a uniquely American educational model that was designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality higher education for all people. Community colleges such as BMCC are the primary educators of life-saving nurses, healthcare professionals, and many others. They also serve as an onramp to higher-level degrees for many students, and particularly for the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students. BMCC also offers support services for adult students who have to work to support their families. Without community colleges such as BMCC, many New York City students would not be able to access higher education at all. Take this opportunity to learn more about BMCC’s dynamic programs, students, resources; and why BMCC is among the top five community colleges in the nation. Visit the BMCC Community College Month webpage to learn about upcoming activities on campus.

BMCC Modern Languages Colloquium April 2 The BMCC Department of Modern Languages will host the XXV Modern Languages Department Colloquium on April 2, from 9:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. The theme of this year’s event is “Translating the Power of Languages in the Professional World.”  The event features a morning of talks with professionals as well as BMCC students and alumni.  This year’s keynote speaker is Fordham University Professor Alessia Valfredini.  For more details, visit the event’s webpage.

Making Headlines

Science Professor and Astrophysicist Saavik Ford talks about eclipse on Today Show
March 25, 2024—NBC News

Teacher Education Professor Jean Plaisir weighs in on ongoing events in Haiti
March 20, 2024—Spectrum NY1

Did You Know?

Announcements

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Day 2024 Is April 3
WAC Day—both in-person at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-341, and available on Zoom—is set for Wednesday, April 3. The event will feature guest speaker Ted Hadzi-Antich, founder of the Great Questions Project and a professor at Austin Community College. A faculty panel at 12 noon will feature BMCC Professors Laura Kujo (Teacher Education), Michael Liu (Ethnic Studies), Cara O’Connor (Social Science) and Anika Thrower (Health Education). A panel of students discussing their experience in writing intensive courses across the disciplines will start at 12:40 p.m. Learn more about BMCC WAC here.

Catch Cybersecurity Threats Before They Catch You 
Faculty and staff are strongly urged to complete a 40-minute, online Cybersecurity Awareness Training course, accessible via Blackboard. Completing this course will enable users to apply best practices in safeguarding their personal information as well as CUNY and BMCC data. Those who complete the brief course will gain tips on how to recognize and mitigate potential cybersecurity threats, including phishing attacks, spam and account breaches. To access the training, log into Blackboard using your CUNYfirst credentials. Under “My Organizations,” click on "Borough of Manhattan CC Cybersecurity Awareness Training FY23-24." For assistance with the training or more information, please contact the Office of Information Resources and Technology (IRT) Service Desk at userservices@bmcc.cuny.edu, or visit 199 Chambers Street, Room S-141, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Faculty and Staff Over Age 55 Invited to Retirement Seminar
As part of its continuing effort to support employees considering retirement options, The City University of New York is pleased to announce a "Pre-Retirement Seminar," part of the "What to Think About" series. This seminar is designed for employees age 55 and older who have 10 years or more of CUNY service. During the seminar, employees will learn about health and welfare options, listen to presenters from various agencies and ask questions to subject matter experts. The seminars take place April 15 and 17.  Register here.

Encourage Students to Apply for BMCC Foundation Scholarship: Deadline April 21
Students are encouraged to submit applications for the BMCC Foundation Scholarship. The deadline is April 21. Eligible candidates receive up to $3,200 annually. To qualify, students must be matriculated, pursuing their first college degree at BMCC and maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Full-time students should have completed a minimum of 12 credits by the conclusion of the Spring 2024 semester, while part-time students should have completed at least 20 credits by the same period. Here are additional details. Contact Scholarship and Special Services Manager Sussie Gyamfi, sgyamfi@bmcc.cuny.edu with questions.

Transitions and Transactions Conference Set for April 5–6
BMCC in collaboration with the Working Writers reading series, New York College English Association (NYCEA) and Pennsylvania College English Association (PCEA) will host the seventh annual Transitions and Transactions conference April 5–6 at BMCC. The Transitions and Transactions conference is designed to help community college literature teachers navigate the evolving landscape of teaching and respond to the distinct challenges of diverse student populations as well as the dynamic demands of the profession. For more information, including registration, click here.

Civic-Minded Students Encouraged to Apply for Sen. Gillibrand’s Summer Internship Program by April 30
The New York City office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is seeking highly motivated, dedicated and civic-minded students to apply for the Summer 2024 internship program. Interested students are invited to apply here. Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter, writing sample, letter of reference and transcript (unofficial accepted). Contact Gillibrand_InternshipsNYC@gillibrand.senate.gov for more information or questions.

Let Students Know: Free, Virtual Tax Assistance Is Available Through April 8 Staff from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will help currently enrolled BMCC students e-file their income tax returns in a free, self-help Zoom session on April 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. The students will need an active email account, photo ID, social security number, proof of income, information related to claimed credits, their 2022 tax return and banking information for direct deposit. For details and to register, students can visit here.

Would Your Students Benefit From a Free Naturalization Clinic? Registration Deadline is April 11 for April 18 Workshop
The BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC), the City Bar Justice Center and Fragomen, a law practice, will sponsor a free naturalization clinic on April 18 at 199 Chambers Street, Richard Harris Terrace, from 2 until 5 p.m. Students who are permanent residents can attend the clinic and work with a licensed attorney in completing their U.S. Citizenship Naturalization application. The registration deadline is April 11 for the April 18 workshop. To register, students can visit ARC at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230; email ARC@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8195.

Enrollment

Summer and Fall 2024 Advisement and Registration is Open
Faculty and staff, 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 class session (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.

CUNY Extends Decision Day Deadline for New Students
CUNY has extended the "Decision Day" deadline for new students to accept admissions offers, giving applicants until June 1 to determine their full financial aid package before they decide. Current students can visit CUNY’s FAFSA guide for news about financial aid and tools to plan their educational future. Students who have questions about their financial aid or enrollment status should contact finaid@bmcc.cuny.edu or visit www.bmcc.cuny.edu/panther-station/.

Human Resources

Annual Step Challenge Is Back: Register by April 5
During WorkWell’s four-week step challenge, “Let’s Move NYC,” thousands of City employees will walk, run or roll towards their fitness goals and a healthier NYC from April 22 through May 19. The deadline to register is April 5.

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, as well as full-time employees must complete both trainings by May 31.
• The state- and CUNY-mandated Gender Based Violence Training (GBVT) is required for HR professionals and managers with at least one direct report. Full and part-time employees notified by email about GBVT must complete it by May 31.

Human Resources will host pre-recorded, two-hour ESPARC and WPV Zoom sessions. Visit here to view the dates through April 25. To schedule a Zoom training, contact Lori Mazzola at lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu and include the training date and time you want to attend.

Calendar

Stop by our FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Information Table
April 2

Join us for weekly yoga
April 2

BMCC Blood Drive: Help Save Lives
April 4

Women In Economics Symposium Watch Party
April 4

Connect with BMCC

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