"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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LaGuardia Community College Receives Almost $2.8M HSI Grant From U.S. Department of Education
LaGuardia received a five-year grant award of $2,799,526 starting October 1, 2023. The grant will be used for the development of “Project CAMINO: Fortifying a Guided Pathway for College & Career Success.” Dr. Eric Hofmann, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at LaGuardia, says CAMINO builds off previous and current HSI grants and will allow faculty, staff, and peer mentors to integrate LaGuardia’s proven student success activities within a Guided Pathways framework from admissions and orientation tied to their First Year Seminar through their Capstone courses. LaGuardia Community College/CUNY was one of only two New York community colleges to receive an HSI grant (the other was Westchester Community College). The list of community college awardees can be found here.
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Dr. Nicolle Fernandes to Collaborate on USDA-funded Projects to Enhance Nutrition and Culinary Arts Curriculum and Training
Addressing diet-related health disparities and environmental impacts, culinary and operational changes in food service continue to be a challenge in today’s world. Recently, Dr. Nicolle Fernandes, professor in Health Sciences at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, has been collaborating on two projects to address curricula and workforce skills development in the nutrition and culinary arts industries. Dr. Fernandes was awarded a one-year grant of $50,845 from the United States Department of Agriculture to develop the Climate-friendly, Healthy, Efficient Food (CHEF) Service credential. Dr. Fernandes was also awarded $186,911 to help create the "Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders" (IMODEL), an innovative leadership development and mentored experiential learning program for underrepresented undergraduate students to address the AFRI Farm Bill Priority Area of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health of the American Public.
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Biology Professor Charles Keller Receives Research Fellowship from the NASA New York Space Grant Consortium
Dr. Charles D. Keller, professor of Biology at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, has been awarded a New York Space Faculty Fellowship from the NASA New York Space Grant Consortium, along with $20,000 to support his research proposal involving organisms known as tardigrades (sometimes called “water bears”), to further the study of astrobiology at LaGuardia. “Tardigrades are of interest to space science for the insight they may provide into how life can survive hostile environments,” said Dr. Keller. “Since studying the genetic basis of lifespan in a microscopic worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, during graduate school, I have been interested in fundamental biological questions: How did life arise? Could life exist elsewhere?”
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Dr. Keller’s proposal is “to incorporate tardigrade and other microanimal DNA sequences, obtained by LaGuardia students in faculty mentored research projects, into a lab activity for biology majors that aims to illustrate evolutionary relationships by asking the students to compare DNA sequences,” said Dr. Keller. “This initiative supports the Natural Sciences Department’s efforts to integrate research into classroom curriculum, with the ultimate goal being to sparks students’ interest in pursuing research opportunities and STEM careers.” | |
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Students, Faculty and Staff: VOTE for Red Hawk’s Name
The deadline for voting is September 29
LaGuardia’s mascot, the mighty Red Hawk, needs a name! Students, faculty and staff can cast a VOTE HERE and select one of the following gender-neutral names: Red, Rebel, Remy, or Rocket; or you can suggest another “R” name. Signs are also posted around each of the college’s building entrances with a QR code that can be scanned to vote. Show your school spirit and be a part of history!
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LaGuardia Invites Neighbors and Runners to Community 5K Run on October 14
The LaGuardia Community Run is making its way back to Long Island City this fall for the second time. Avid runners and walkers of all levels are welcome to participate in the event, which will take place Saturday, October 14. The run will begin at 9 a.m. near the C Building, at the intersection of 29th Street and 47th Avenue. Participants will make their way out to the East River Waterfront before meandering back toward campus. This year’s principal sponsor is Boyce Technologies, Inc., located in Long Island City, Queens. Proceeds from the LaGuardia Community 5K Run support LaGuardia CARES. Registration for the Community 5K Run is now open to participants ages 7 or older. Volunteers are also welcome.
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President’s Fall Report Scheduled for September 29
President Kenneth Adams will present the Fall Report on Friday, September 29, at 10 a.m. in the Little Theater. He will be joined by other members of the college administration who will share data and updates regarding college priorities. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend in-person RSVP or view online.
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LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Spotlights Western World’s 1st-Ever Female Playwright in New Work, Sex and the Abbey
The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) kicks off its 11th annual Rough Draft Festival with a new play, Sex and the Abbey, written by Diana Ly and directed by Emily Lyon. Sex and the Abbey tells the story of Hrotsvit, the first recorded female playwright in the Western world. Hrotsvit was a canoness living in the Gandersheim Abbey during the 10th century. In Sex and the Abbey, Gandersheim Abbey is under threat of male takeover when Emperor Otto visits. Hrotsvit and the other canonesses become embroiled in lustful conflicts and impassioned moral arguments, as they grapple with what it means to be a woman in 10th–century Saxony. Reserve tickets today for performances on Thursday, October 12, 3:30 p.m. and Friday, October 13, 2 p.m. Post-show discussions will be held with the creative team following each performance. Discounts are available for the LaGuardia community. Faculty and staff should use promo code STAFF. Reservations must be made with LAGCC email address.
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Wellness Center Programming and Resources for Fall I
With Fall I underway, the Wellness Center would like to inform faculty and staff of the various resources and programming available to students through the center. The Wellness Center offers both in-person and remote counseling services, as well as crisis support, mental health workshops, and training. Students interested in the Wellness Center’s counseling services at the center can fill out intake forms in English or Spanish to get started. For a comprehensive guide on Wellness Center programming and resources that you can share with students, you can access the Wellness Center’s Fall I E-Guidebook. This semester, the Wellness Center, located in Room C-249 of the C-Building, has extended its hours to the following:
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Monday through Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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LaGuardia’s College Senate Publishes 2022-2023 Year-End Report
LaGuardia’s College Senate has produced its 2022-2023 Year-end Report (October 2022 – August 2023), which was approved by the College Senate on September 13, 2023. The report highlights the work of the Senate and its committees which are described in the Governance Plan (2009) and on the Senate webpage. The College Senate represents the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of LaGuardia Community College in shared governance. It formulates policy on all matters pertaining to the operation of the college, except those specifically reserved by the laws of the State of New York, the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York, or the collective bargaining agreements in force. The Senate also serves as a forum for diverse constituency voices to discuss issues and problems of general college concern, it consults with the President both in response to his request for counsel and upon its own initiative, and it seeks to foster transparency in communication across the college. Senate business is conducted according to the Governance Plan and Robert’s Rules of Order.
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Academic Policies Workshop
The Academic Standing Committee, a subcommittee of the Senate, would like to invite you to the yearly Workshop on Academic Policies. The workshop will cover important policies related to student’s academic progress and also recent policy changes and updates. The workshop will take place on Monday, October 23rd from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Share policy questions you would like addressed in the workshop using the two question Feedback Form linked here. Please contact the Committee Chair, Lilla Toke (ltoke@lagcc.cuny.edu) with any questions or concerns.
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LaGuardia Community College to partner with New York Power Authority and the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens
On Friday, September 22, President Kenneth Adams along with local elected officials Congress Member Nydia Velázquez and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez attended the Rooftop Garden Event at Sky Farm LIC to announce the joint partnership between LaGuardia Community College, New York Power Authority (NYPA), and Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens (VBGCQ). The Power Authority will be supporting and helping LaGuardia develop a curriculum for VBGCQ and community members that focuses on urban farming and sustainable agriculture practices. Also in attendance from the College was USDA representative Herminia (Mina) Gomez, Environmental Science Major (Project SEMBRAR) student Iviana Chmielowski, and Deputy Director of External Affairs Claudia Chan. You can view the full press announcement here.
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Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez Visits LaGuardia
On Friday, September 22, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY 7th District) visited LaGuardia Community College and met with members of the college community including President Kenneth Adams and other administrators including Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado; Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Dr. Manny Romero; and Senior Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs Laura Bartovics. The Congresswoman had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, Program Director of the Environmental Science Program; Iviana Chmielowski, LaGuardia student participating in Project SEMBRAR; and Dr. Sarah Durand, Professor of Biology, who each shared experiences of working on environmental research projects supporting agriculture, waterways, and other natural resources in Queens and the surrounding community. Other LaGuardia representatives included Herminia (Mina) Gomez, Hispanic-Serving Institutions Liaison, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Claudia Chan, Deputy Director of External Affairs.
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Professor Battle Elected to ATRA Board of Directors
Earlier this month, Dr. Tameka Battle, Program Director of Therapeutic Recreation and Interim Program Director of Public & Community Health in the Health Sciences Department, was sworn in as President-Elect of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s (ATRA) board of directors. ATRA is the nation’s only membership organization representing the needs and interests of more than 10,000 recreational therapists throughout the country. Previously, Dr. Battle served as co-chair of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce, leading the creation, implementation, and facilitation of recommendations for ATRA in reinforcing the importance of addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within a national professional organization. Dr. Battle’s work as ATRA’s President-Elect for 2023-2024 will focus on serving as a liaison and support to ATRA’s strategic focus groups, in shaping ATRA’s strategic decisions, developing new initiatives, and building new partnerships within the recreational therapy community. Congratulations to Dr. Battle on this special achievement.
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Professor Ekiert Co-authors Chapter in Publication
A chapter co-authored by Dr. Monika Ekiert, Professor of Linguistics and Education and Program Director of TESOL & Linguistics, was recently published in "Predatory Practices in Scholarly Publishing and Knowledge Sharing." The chapter titled, “Spamvitations: Examining invitations to Submit Scholarly Work,” was co-authored with Dr. Kristen di Gennaro, Associate Professor and Director in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, at Pace University. The publication offers multiple methodologies, including corpus, discourse, and genre analysis, as well as historical and autoethnographic approaches to offer in-depth, empirical analyses of the causes, practices, and implications of predatory practices for scholars. Contributors span a broad range of disciplines and geolocations, presenting a diverse range of perspectives.
“The topic of the volume in general, and my chapter in particular, may be of interest to the entire community as the lines between legitimate and predatory publishing and conferences can be thin and blurry, and many on our campus fall victim to the enterprise,” said Dr. Ekiert. “It’s especially important to new faculty seeking tenure and promotion.”
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Updates from LaGuardia’s Library
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Be sure to check our Library Hours before you make the trip.
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Need a Chromebook for the Fall? Be sure to stop by our Media Help Desk where students can borrow one for the entire semester. You can also borrow laptops, calculators, or iPads for 7 days.
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Need a book for your Fall class? We have almost all of your textbooks in the Library available to check out for 2 hours (you can’t leave the Library, though). If we don’t have it, please let us know. If you can’t make it into the Library, you can request a chapter scan.
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We have created “FinLit for Life: Teaching Financial Literacy at a Community College,” a resource freely available to all.
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Plasencia Named HR Professional Development and Training Manager
Jose R. Plasencia was recently named Professional Development and Training Manager for LaGuardia’s Human Resources Department. “I'm thrilled for the opportunity to lead the area of professional Development at the college,” he said. “I will approach this new role with professionalism, compassion, and an open mind. I will use my experience and institutional knowledge to create a Professional Development program that meet the needs of the whole college community.” Plasencia has over 25 years of experience in the field of higher education. 19 out of those 25 years, working in various capacity for LaGuardia Community College, including 16 years in management-level positions, which included his role as Associate Director of Transfer Services. As a service leader he has planned and developed various programs and operations that have helped to foster the academic, cultural, and personal growth of the student population, as well as advancing CUNY’s institutional goals. Jose has earned a master’s degree in Urban and Multicultural education and an MPA with a focus in public management from Baruch College. In his managerial positions, he has worked collaboratively and effectively with members of the college community. During his tenure in the Registrar’s Office, he organized and executed training for faculty and staff on topics such as FERPA and academic regulations. In addition, he has developed, implemented, and directed new operational and systematic initiatives, such as the preparation and submission of grades, web-attendance, and the graduation evaluation process. Throughout his career in higher education, Jose has shown strong professionalism, integrity, and dedication. He possesses a genuine passion for the field of organizational management and student development.
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Save the Date: The LaGuardia Employee’s Benefits Fair is Taking Place on October 4
Want to learn more about your benefits as a LaGuardia employee? Come out to the E-Atrium next Wednesday, October 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the LaGuardia Employee’s Benefits Fair. In addition to learning more about the perks of being a LaGuardia employee, you’ll also get to meet face to face with representatives of the various vendors that provide your benefits.
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Update Your Zoom Software to Help Ensure Security During Your Sessions!
ZOOM is an important tool we use to communicate and work with our students and each other. Unfortunately, if not secured properly, it can become a channel for disruptive behavior. Since Zoom’s introduction, there have been a number of disruptive and offensive incidents across CUNY targeting Zoom sessions.
There are a number of things you can do to secure your sessions from intrusion and provide a safer environment. Below are some tips. Please visit the ZOOM Security Protocol website page for more information.
Ways to secure your ZOOM events:
- Only schedule password-protected meetings.
- Allow only signed-in users to join.
- Avoid using your personal meeting ID (PMI) to host public events.
- Avoid sharing your meeting link on social media or other public forums.
- Use waiting rooms.
- Identify guests.
- Remove uninvited, disruptive participants.
- Control chat and screen sharing.
Zoom regularly provides new versions to release security enhancements, new features and fix bugs. Zoom recommends updating to the latest version for the best experience. Check which version you're currently running, as well as Zoom’s release notes to stay updated on changes.
Please check your email regularly for detailed Zoom updates. If you have any cyber security questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security.
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LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES
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WALL STREET JOURNAL: Last call to see "Song of the Nightingale" (Brookfield Place, New York, through Sept. 30), a modern fairy tale with music by Lisa DeSpain, LaGuardia Professor of Music.
QNS: LaGuardia is firing on all cylinders after the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong enrollment seen in majors in Health Sciences, STEM, Business, Humanities, and more. LaGuardia is the third largest producer of STEM graduates in the CUNY system and has New York State’s top-ranked nursing program.
CITY & STATE NEW YORK: Op-ed from President Kenneth Adams about how public colleges like LaGuardia are poised to play a critical role in the new green energy economy by creating advancement opportunities for New Yorkers.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DAILY: LaGuardia is one of only two community colleges in New York State, and the only CUNY community college, to earn U.S. Education Department funding through its Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program. LaGuardia was awarded $2.8M, out of a total of $37M awarded in 64 grants.
QUEENS GAZETTE: The LaGuardia Community Run 2023, a fitness celebration that includes a 5K run/walk and an activities plaza featuring local businesses, sponsors, and the College community, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14.
QUEENS GAZETTE: LaGuardia is developing a new curriculum on urban farming and sustainable agriculture practices, as well as food justice topics, for Variety Boys and Girls Club young people along with other community members. New York Power Authority is expanding a rooftop garden in Long Island City, where these learning opportunities will take place.
QUEENS LATINO: LaGuardia recibe dinero para estudianes latinos via CAMINO (LaGuardia Receives Money for Latino Students via CAMINO).
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Thursday, September 28
Friday, September 29
Monday, October 2
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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. |
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