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"Campus Update" is a weekly e-newsletter published by LaGuardia's Division of Communications and External Affairs to provide news and information to the college community.

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NEWS

Save the Date: Strategic Plan Open House 

At last week’s Fall Report, President Adams outlined the updated Pillars of Student Success (Access, Teaching & Learning, Student Support, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Career Success) that are guiding the preparation of LaGuardia’s 2029 Strategic Plan. In addition to presentations at upcoming Senate meetings, the college community is invited to attend Strategic Plan Open House on Friday, November 22 at 9 a.m. in E-242. RSVP to attend

President Kenneth Adams Appoints Dr. Tameka Battle as Chief Academic Integrity Officer

President Kenneth Adams, in consultation with Dr. Cristy Bruns, Chair of College Senate, has appointed Dr. Tameka Battle as Chief Academic Integrity Officer. Per CUNY's Academic Integrity Policy, the Academic Integrity Officer shall serve as the initial contact person with faculty members when they report incidents of suspected academic dishonesty. Dr. Battle is a Professor of Health Sciences; Deputy Chair of Health Sciences; Program Director, Therapeutic Recreation; and Interim Program Director, Public & Community Health. Dr. Battle was a CUNY Career Success Fellow (2023-2024) and a CUNY Black, Race, & Ethnic Studies (BRES) Faculty Fellow (2023-2024). Dr. Battle has been an active member of the Working Group on Student Conduct and Academic Integrity for the college. Learn more about CUNY’s Academic Integrity Policy HERE.

Elected Officials to Attend Women in Politics Panel Discussion on October 9 

On Wednesday, October 9 LaGuardia will welcome (from left to right) New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, NYC Council Members Julie Won and Tiffany Cabán, and the Governor’s Deputy Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs Chanel Lopez for a Women in Politics Panel Discussion. The event takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in E-242 and is hosted by the Women’s Center & LGBTQ+ Hub, Political Science Option, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Option, and the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. This is a critical, contentious, and dynamic election year with a woman of color on the ballot as candidate for President of the United States. Panelists will extend their voices and share perspectives about women, U.S. politics, representation, and the significance of this moment. Please RSVP via email to Deema Bayrakdar

J.Crew Outfits President’s Society 2024–25 Cohort, Thanks to Melissa’s Career Closet 

The 2024-25 President’s Society cohort commenced earlier this semester with 28 student-ambassadors, each of whom has been recognized for academic excellence or campus leadership. Among their first events was a visit to a J.Crew store in Manhattan, where they selected professional attire to wear at President’s Society cultural events, meetings with industry leaders, and career interviews. The clothing was generously gifted by Melissa’s Career Closet, named for a donor who contributed the funds for this very special shopping trip. Throughout the year-long program, students attend weekly workshops and seminars where they learn soft skills for networking and workplace success, receive transfer and career counseling, and more. The cohort reflects the diversity of LaGuardia’s student population and the wide array of majors and programs. Sixty-seven percent of the students were born outside the U.S., representing 13 different countries; and the same amount (67%) are working while pursuing their college degree. All members plan to transfer to a senior college after graduating from LaGuardia with their AA, AS, or AAS degrees. 

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Announces Fall Season 

LPAC is a vibrant venue for events and cultural performances that engage and entertain both the college and Long Island City communities. Its Fall 2024 lineup features partnerships that highlight cultural diversity, providing inspiration and community, and the return of LPAC’s Rough Draft Festival supporting emerging playwrights. Events include free dance classes for adults ages 50 and above, a choral performance with members from a diverse array of NYC metropolitan area unions, and an original work by playwright David Samuel about growing up as the eldest son in an immigrant Habesha (Ethiopian/Eritrean) household in the Washington metropolitan area. Click here to read more and reserve tickets today

LaGuardia Community College Celebrates National Coming Out Day and LGBTQ History Month With a Variety of Activities

LaGuardia is hosting and participating in a variety of events to celebrate National Coming Out Day (October 11) and LGBTQ History Month. The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives is presenting the Student Research Project Showcase on October 10 at 1 p.m., in Room E-242. The showcase will feature the student project titled, “New York City LGBTQIA+ Mapping Initiative, which showcases four LGBTQIA+ spaces that cultivate joy, wellness, activism, and hope in New York City through photography and oral histories. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet with the students who photographed and interviewed important people and places for this project. Attendees can also learn how to contribute to the map. Participation in this event is made possible by the generous funding from the New York City Council LGBTQIA Caucus and the Office of the Mayor, and is supported by the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and LGBTQIA+ Programs at Queens College. Additionally, LaGuardia’s Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Hub will host a “Coming Out and/or Inviting In: A Dialogue and Celebration of Our Authentic Selves” on Friday, October 11 from 2-4 p.m. in Room MB-08.

LHI and CARE International to Host Event on October 8

LaGuardia Humanitarian Initiative invites you and your students to “On the Frontlines: Addressing Humanitarian Needs in Gaza and Sudan”, a special session with a CARE representative from Washington, DC. The event will be held Tuesday, October 8 at 11 a.m. in E-500. Each academic year two students represent LaGuardia at CARE’s Advocacy event on Capitol Hill, made possible through LHI’s ongoing partnership with CARE. Highlights of the event will include testimonies from LHI student representatives that attended CARE advocacy sessions on Capitol Hill; CARE’s humanitarian activities in Gaza and Sudan, covering topics such as but not limited to international policy, livelihood, education, food, and healthcare; and information on how LaGuardia students can get involved with CARE advocacy.

LaGuardia to Celebrate National Day on Writing on October 21 

Mark your calendars for the English Department and Casa de las Américas (La Casa)’s celebration of the National Day on Writing on October 21. The celebration will take place from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in Room E-111, with a reading and keynote address from acclaimed writer and editor Kima Jones, as well as a zine-making workshop from participatory artist and designer Lizania Cruz. Faculty members Dr. Deirdre Flood, Dr. Thomas Fink and Dr. Rochelle Spencer will lead writing and translation workshops and attendees will receive notebooks, writing utensils and refreshments. For more information, please contact co-organizers Deirdre Flood and Rochelle Spencer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join the Thriller Flash Mob! 

Ever dream of dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller as a zombie? Now is your chance! We’re looking for 20 fearless dancers to bring Thriller to life in an unforgettable Flash Mob on Thursday, October 31 at 2 p.m. at The Greenway! Rehearsals will be held October 7, 16, 21 and 28. If you can’t wait to dress like a zombie and show off your moves, RSVP here by October 4


Photo credit: Optimum Productions

October: Religious and Ethnic Holidays and Observances

LaGuardia aims to be an inclusive and welcoming environment with an appreciation for celebrations and observances that are important to a wide range of cultures and religions. Here are just a few of the religious and cultural observances recognized in our community throughout the month of September: 

  • October 2-4: Rosh Hashanah
  • October 11-12: Yom Kippur
  • October 14: Indigenous People’s Day
  • Through October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • October 31: Bandi-Chhor Diwas

For a full listing of holidays and observations celebrated this month and throughout the year, please visit the CUNY Religions & Ethnic Holiday Calendar.

2024 Clery/ Annual Security Report Now Available 

The LaGuardia Community College 2024 Clery/ Annual Security Report is now available online. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies on sexual assault, timely warnings, emergency notifications, etc. For more information, visit the Office of Public Safety’s webpage.

New York Voter Registration Applications Due October 26 

  • Voter registration forms sent by mail must be received by county board of elections no later than October 26, 2024 to be eligible to vote in New York state in the General Election.  
  • You may register in-person at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the General Election, your application must be received no later than October 26, 2024.  
  • Early Mail and Absentee Ballot Requests sent by mail must be received by county board of elections no later than October 26, 2024 to be eligible to vote in New York state in the General Election. (In-person requests must be received no later than November 4, 2024.) 
  • In addition, early voting begins on October 26 in New York and continues through November 4. 

Learn more

LaGuardia Division of Communications and External Affairs Provides Guidance on Using Flyers and Posters to Promote Campus Activities

LaGuardia takes pride in its effort to decrease its carbon footprint through digital content delivery—as such, the use of posters and flyers is limited and should only be considered if no other options are available. Please be sure to read through the division’s guide to using posters and flyers to promote your events and services; if you would like a flyer, poster, or other asset to promote your programming, please request it through the Division of Communications and External Affairs’ Project Request Form to ensure that it meets the college’s tone and style guidelines. Flyers and posters must be provided to the CEA division for approval before they can be placed on designated bulletin boards across campus. Note that posters on easels are not permitted, as they disrupt pedestrian flow in the hallways. Once approval has been provided by CEA, the division will send an email to the Print Shop so production can begin.

Sign Up to Add a Professional Headshot to Your Faculty Profile

LaGuardia’s Communications and External Affairs Division is hosting a series of “Photo Days” for faculty and staff who need to update their professional headshots! Your headshot can be used for a variety of purposes, and adds a personal touch to your Faculty Profile on the LaGuardia website. The Photo Days are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Room E-509. Book your timeslot here for one of the following dates:

  • October 23
  • November 13
  • December 11

For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471.

LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES

Shana Tova from the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives!

Happy Rosh Hashanah to our Jewish students and fellow New Yorkers! Have some powerful words of greeting from Mayor Robert F. Wagner, recorded for WNYC on September 23, 1954! 1954 was also the three hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants to what was then New Amsterdam! 

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Understanding Liberal Arts Value through ePortfolio Practice

The International Journal of ePortfolio (IJeP), the double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access journal of American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), has published an article by Associate Provost Dionne Miller and Professors Tonya Hendrix (Natural Sciences) and Demetrios V. Kapetanakos (English). "Creating an Integrative Student Liberal Arts Identity: A Reflection on the Process of Building an ePortfolio for a Community College Liberal Arts Program” focuses on how LaGuardia faculty created an ePortflio-based process to guide liberal arts students to understanding the value of their education.   

CUNY Faculty Fellowship Publication Program Seeks Proposals 

The Faculty Fellowship Publication Program (FFPP) is a faculty development and mentoring program that advances CUNY’s institutional commitment to diversity. Sponsored by University Human Resources, this university-wide initiative assists full-time CUNY faculty in the design and execution of writing projects essential to progress toward tenure and promotion. These projects may include research-based scholarly articles for juried journals, books for academic presses, and grant proposals. This signature program provides three credit hours of course release for the spring semester, a writing group, and the guidance of a senior faculty member. Proposals on structural and systemic inequality are encouraged. The application deadline is October 25, 2024. View the FFPP website and Call for Proposals eligibility.  

ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Virtual Office Available Every Friday for Enrollment Assistance

Students looking for enrollment services support can now access virtual office hours every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Virtual One Stop takes place on Zoom and allows students to drop in and meet with staff from the Admissions, International Student Services, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Student Information Center, Transfer Credit Evaluation and Testing offices.  

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Working Group on Student Conduct and Academic Integrity: Brown Bag Series 

The Working Group on Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, led by Alexis J. McLean, vice president for student affairs, and Bojana Blagojevic, social science department chairperson, invites faculty and staff to the Brown Bag Series. These workshops, held via Zoom on Wednesdays throughout the fall semester, cover topics including de-escalation methods, student rights and responsibilities, and online conduct. Check event details and register in advance to receive the Zoom link. Contact Jennifer Mitchell-Mayer and Dianne Gordon-Conyers for more information. 

LIBRARY NEWS

Updates from LaGuardia’s Library


HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES

Human Resources to Host Benefits Fair


LaGuardia’s Human Resources will hold a Benefits Fair on Wednesday, October 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the E-Building Atrium. The fair is an excellent opportunity to learn more about benefits available to you, and to speak directly with many attending vendors and organizations including EmblemHealth, Anthem, TRS, TIAA, PSC, Social Security Administration, MCU, Chubb/Combined, the Wellness Center, Costco, BJs, LaGuardia CARES and many more! In addition, free flu shots will be available – reserve yours here by completing and submitting the form by no later than Monday, October 14. For questions and additional information, please contact Bonnie Brown

CCA Hosting Employee Assistance Program Zoom Meeting 


CCA, a resource available to CUNY employees, provides practical, around-the-clock information and resources to help you manage daily life from emotional health and wellness support to daily work/life concerns like dependent care and financial/legal challenges. CCA will be hosting a Zoom meeting to provide an overview of their Employee Assistance Program on Tuesday, October 15 at 10 a.m. For questions and additional information, please contact Bonnie Brown

In-Person New Employee Orientations Are Back! 


We’re happy to announce the return of in-person new employee orientations. They’re a great way to help new employees feel more comfortable by learning more about LaGuardia’s history, values, work environment, culture, employee resources and more. Orientations are also a terrific opportunity for new employees to meet other newly hired colleagues and begin establishing strong working relationships. The next new employee orientation session is for adjuncts on October 9. If you have any questions, contact Human Resources at HRHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu or at (718) 482-5075. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month 

 

This year’s theme, “Secure Our World,” emphasizes the importance of safeguarding personal data and digital interactions amid increasing cyber threats. CUNY is supporting this global effort in partnership with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA). 

 

Throughout October, CUNY will distribute weekly messages on key cybersecurity behaviors: 

  • Week 1 – Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager 
  • Week 2 – Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication
  • Week 3 – Recognize and Report Phishing 
  • Week 4 – Update your Software 

CUNY emails and information are available on the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) CUNY website page, where you can also find helpful resources and interesting facts and figures on cybersecurity. Visit OUCH! to read recent security articles. If you have questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security team

IT Reminder: Complete Mandatory Cybersecurity Awareness Training 

This is an important reminder to log in to Blackboard and complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Training course. You can find this course under the “Organizations” tab, along with the other essential annual training courses required for CUNY employees. This course was developed specifically for CUNY and covers phishing attacks, spam, and best practices for protecting your CUNY accounts and sensitive data. We encourage you to take it as soon as possible to protect the University's data, as well as your own. Your active involvement is crucial to our collective security efforts. If you have any questions regarding the training, please contact Maritza Acero.

Security Alert: Guard Against Increasing Phishing Email Attacks  


There has been an increase in phishing attacks directed at CUNY from a variety of Gmail accounts. Most are of the familiar job scam variety which students are prone to acting on. CUNY/CIS teams are working with Microsoft to block these attacks, which are not “spammy” or “phishy” in nature so they aren’t automatically blocked by email security measures. CUNY/CIS urges all to guard against responding to potential phishing emails, as well as to communicate with colleagues and students to generate greater awareness about the scam increase. 


Recommended User Actions Include: 

  • DO NOT reply to unexpected or unusual emails. 
  • DO NOT reply to emails with personal information or passwords. 
  • DO NOT click links or open attachments in unsolicited emails.  
  • DO read the CUNY Ransomware and Phishing Advisories.  
  • DO complete security awareness training at security.cuny.edu

If you suspect you’ve received a suspicious or phishing email, please forward it to spam@lagcc.cuny.edu. Do not forward it to the LAG Information Technology Division or other group distribution lists or employees, including IT personnel. If you already responded to a phishing email, immediately contact our IT HelpDesk by submitting a ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal or by email at ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu, or call 718-482-6134. If you have questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security team

LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES

DAILY FREEMAN ON MSN: LaGuardia is one of four community colleges nationwide working with the Education Alliance for Semiconductor Experiential Learning (EASEL), a new program to train workers to fill in-demand jobs in semiconductor production. 


QUEENS GAZETTE: LaGuardia Community College is offering students, faculty, staff and the community an opportunity to race toward the finish line in the third annual LaGuardia Community 5K Run on Saturday, October 19. Proceeds will support the new Community Health and Wellness Department, which helps students prepare for roles that maintain and enhance the health and wellness of New York communities. 

EVENTS

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"Campus Update" is produced and published by the Communications and External Affairs Division. Faculty and staff who wish to submit items for publication can email CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday.