News

BMCC Hosts AI Innovation Faculty Summit, Showcasing AI Across the Curriculum Success

BMCC hosted its first AI Innovation Faculty Summit on October 31 in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. More than 80 participants, including over 50 interdisciplinary faculty members, attended the inaugural event. The full program featured a day of interactive, research-driven sessions, beginning with a morning check-in and welcoming remarks from Interim Provost Liesl Jones and Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Corey Cush, followed by a spotlight presentation from BMCC AIAC Faculty Fellows. The summit also included hands-on workshops, ideation challenges, faculty showcases, and presentations highlighting the impact of the AI Across the Curriculum (AIAC) project, one of the largest and most comprehensive studies conducted at BMCC and across CUNY. Participants then engaged in a discussion of AI tools before taking part in a two-part Ideathon focused on identifying and designing solutions to AI literacy challenges. Midday sessions included presentations on findings from the AI Across the Curriculum research study, which reached 829 students, followed by the AI Innovation Faculty Showcase featuring group-designed solutions.

BMCC Human Services Program Alumni Share Career Advice and Insight at Panel Event

BMCC’s Human Services program and the Center for Career Development hosted a Human Services Alumni Career Panel on November 18 at the Fiterman Hall Conference Center. The event featured panelists Camille Beaubien, LMSW, a therapist at Harlem East Life Plan; Grace Harris, CTE Accessibility Student Support Coach at BMCC; Alessandra Hussain, LMSW, a clinical social worker and therapist; Dieshell Pratt, MSW, a life coach at Phipps Neighborhoods; Alyssa Seibert, a harm reduction counselor at The Door; and Ilona Silva Alvarez, LMSW, an outpatient social worker in Multiple Sclerosis and Epilepsy at The Mount Sinai Hospital. The panelists shared details from their academic and career journeys and answered questions from Human Services program coordinator and Professor Lisa Rose, as well as from students. They also offered advice on overcoming challenges and succeeding in the Human Services field.

Teacher Education Professor Cara Kronen Elected Mayor of the Village of Tuckahoe BMCC Teacher Education Professor and Deputy Chairperson Cara Kronen has been elected mayor of the Village of Tuckahoe, a municipality in Westchester County, New York. She was sworn in on December 1. Professor Kronen first became involved in local politics in 2020 when she began attending Village Board meetings to advocate for moving Tuckahoe’s local elections from March to November. “I was concerned that the extremely low voter turnout in March signaled a disengaged electorate, and I was troubled by the lack of transparency in local decision making,” said Professor Kronen. “It felt as though many residents didn’t believe they had meaningful access to their elected officials.” Her initial advocacy inspired her to dive deeper into local government, and she says she quickly realized how important it was for everyday community members to participate and speak up. She first ran for office in 2020 but lost the election. That experience, she says, taught her a great deal about the political process and about how to mobilize community.

BMCC Psychology Day Features Columbia University Professor Dr. Courtney D. Cogburn as Guest Speaker

BMCC’s Psychology program hosted a Psychology Day event on November 19 in Room S-452 at 199 Chambers Street. The event focused on the overlap between technology and psychology and featured Columbia University School of Social Work Professor Dr. Courtney D. Cogburn as the guest speaker. Dr. Cogburn is the Principal Investigator at the Cogburn Research Group, a research initiative focused on examining the role of racism in the production of racial inequities in health. She spoke about the use of technology in the development of her project “1000 Cut Journey.”

BMCC Celebrates Friendsgiving at Events

The Inspires and Motivates People to Achieve in College Together (IMPACT) Peer Mentoring Program, in partnership with the International Student Services Office (ISSO) and the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), held its annual Friendsgiving event on November 21 in Fiterman Room 1404. IMPACT mentors and mentees, international students, and NSLS members were in attendance. The event centered on the idea of bringing community to those who are far from home and unable to visit their families during the holidays. More than 100 BMCC students from across the globe participated, sharing international foods and taking part in activities including karaoke, coloring sheets, and giving thanks. Also held on November 21 at 199 Chambers Street was Crear Futuros’ Friendsgiving event, co-sponsored by Conexiones & Connections. Open to all BMCC students, the gathering featured food, board games, painting, and opportunities to express gratitude for the current semester and the one ahead.

Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Lissette Acosta Corniel Speaks at Events Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Lissette Acosta Corniel discussed the history of slavery, race, and identity in the Dominican Republic for a GTown Radio—92.9 FM segment, “Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements,” on November 15. She was also a speaker at Princeton University for the Department of African American Studies as part of its “Global Blackness: New Approaches to Black Studies in the 21st Century” Faculty–Graduate Students seminar on November 13. In addition, she presented her edited volume Transatlantic Bondage: Slavery and Freedom in Spain, Santo Domingo, and Puerto Rico during a panel discussion at Columbia University on November 18.

BMCC Early Childhood Center Profiled as Federal CCAMPIS Funding Threatened

Amidst major changes proposed at the U.S. Department of Education, a little known, but highly impactful, program that supports student parents here at BMCC, and nationwide, could soon face elimination. The federal Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS)—the only federal program dedicated solely to providing child care assistance for low-income postsecondary students—has supported BMCC’s Early Childhood Center since 1999 and has been instrumental in supporting nearly four million college students who are parents of dependent children. BMCC completed its latest four-year $1.4 million CCAMPIS grant on September 30 and no new competition has been announced, leaving BMCC and over 100 programs with grants ending without the chance to compete for another cycle. On the heels of outreach conducted by BMCC’s government relations office, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) published an article that profiles the BMCC Early Childhood Center and the impact the elimination of the CCAMPIS funding could have on the program and its students. “The proposed elimination of CCAMPIS is but one of several concerning funding challenges that the College has been facing over the course of the past year,” said Doug Israel, BMCC’s director of government and community relations, “we will continue to outreach to our members of Congress to let them know of the important role that federal funding plays for community colleges and our students, and the impact this funding has on families and communities across New York City and State.”  

MLD Students Essay Featured in Publication from CUNY Grad Center’s Center for the Humanities

A group of students in Modern Languages Professor Ángeles Donoso Macaya’s “Literature and Civilization of Latin America” class—Anahí Benítez Hidalgo, Richard Cuevas, Bertha Martinez, and Nancy Zapata—presented at the VI Student Symposium of Modern Languages on October 29 and later wrote about their projects in a collective essay titled “Archives in Common from La Morada to BMCC: Learning from and with recetarios.” Their essay was featured in Distributaries, a publication from The Center for the Humanities at The CUNY Graduate Center. “The students’ reflections are eloquent and moving, and the publication arrives right on time for the holidays,” said Professor Donoso Macaya.

Making Headlines

BMCC Choir to perform at Trinity Church Holiday Sing-Along

December 1—The Broad Sheet

Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Michael Partis appointed to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's emergency response transition committees

November 24—CBS News 2

Did You Know?

BMCC's Library will be open after regular hours as a study hall from December 9 to December 21. The laptop kiosk, desktop computers, printing, and scanning are available. See more information.

Announcements

College Community Invited to Fall 2025 BMCC Film Festival December 7

The BMCC Cinema Arts Club invites College community members to its Fall 2025 BMCC Film Festival on Sunday, December 7 at 3 p.m. in Theatre II at 199 Chambers Street.  The event’s red-carpet arrival begins at 4 p.m., with screenings from 5 to 9 p.m. To RSVP, click here.

BMCC Community Invited to December 11 premiere of “Breakthrough” Music Video from Healing Through Hip Hop and Creative Expression Workshop”

BMCC community members are invited to join The BMCC Counseling Center, UMLA and R.H.Y.M.E. as they premiere “Breakthrough,” an original music video created by BMCC students from the Healing Through Hip Hop and Creative Expression workshop on December 11 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. “Witness how vulnerability, creativity, and unity came together to pave the way for this powerful “Breakthrough,”  said BMCC Student Psychological Counselor Sybil Young. “We’d love for you to be there to celebrate and cheer on our student creatives!"

BMCC IDs Currently Available

BMCC IDs are currently available to all registered students and active employees at the Service Desk located in room S-141 of 199 Chambers Street, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, visit the Service Desk Knowledge Base.

BMCC Cafeteria and Fiterman Café Fall Hours The BMCC Cafeteria at 199 Chambers St. is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Fiterman Café is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Call for Proposals: BMCC Transitions and Transactions Conference

BMCC’s English department invites faculty to submit paper and panel proposals for “Transitions and Transactions VIII: Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, and the Classroom,” scheduled for April 17-18, 2026. The Transitions and Transactions conference is dedicated to helping community college teachers of literature flourish and excel as they envision, invent and expand ideas. The deadline for submissions is December 15. For more information, visit the event’s web page.

Enrollment

Winter, Spring and Summer 2026 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.

Human Resources

Annual Compliance Training Available Online

We are pleased to announce the launch of CUNY’s 2025–2026 annual compliance training program. All employees are required to complete their assigned trainings in Brightspace, the University’s new learning management system. This is the first year compliance trainings are being offered through Brightspace. We encourage all employees to log in and complete the required courses as soon as possible.

Required Trainings:

• ESPARC: Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course
• WVP: Workplace Violence Prevention Training
• GBVT: Gender-Based Violence Training (Required for HR professionals and employees who supervise at least one direct report)

Deadlines:

• Full-time employees must complete all assigned trainings by May 29, 2026.
• Part-time employees, including adjuncts, must complete their trainings by May 29, 2026, or by the end of their employment for the semester, whichever comes first.
• Employees who become inactive in CUNYfirst will lose access to the trainings.

How to Access Your Trainings:
You have been automatically enrolled in your required compliance courses.
To get started:

1. Log in to Brightspace
2. Go to the "Compliance" section under My Courses

New employees will gain access the day after their CUNYfirst record becomes active.

Resources and Supports:

• Employee Navigation Guide
• Compliance Training FAQs
• Need help? Contact your campus compliance administrator.

Thank you for your continued commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all members of the CUNY community.

Sports and Wellness

Men's Volleyball Open Tryouts

January 14, 2026

Follow the Panthers The BMCC athletic program leads eight varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For more news on the Panthers, visit the official site of BMCC Athletics and follow the Panthers on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Calendar

BMCC Library AI Workshop

December 8

2nd Annual Winter Eros Kiki Ball

December 9

Ethnic Studies Symposium: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage, Culture and Contributions

December 9

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.