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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.

NEWS

CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference Held at LaGuardia Community College on International Transgender Day of Visibility

 

On March 31, International Transgender Day of Visibility, LaGuardia hosted the second annual CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference. Attendees included LGBTQI+ students and their fellow student advocates from CUNY's 25 campuses, as well as Queer & Trans faculty, staff, and allies throughout CUNY. The theme was “Community, Advocacy, Power, and Healing.” A keynote address was given by Cecilia Gentili a trans advocate who is the principal and founder of Trans Equity Consulting. Additional remarks were given by City Council Member Tiffany Cabán (District 22), CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, LAGCC President Kenneth Adams, LAGCC Provost Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado, LAGCC Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs Fay Butler, and members of the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council (co-host of the conference). Student speakers included Keys Rigual, a LAGCC computer science major who is president and founder of the Queer And Fierce (Queer AF) student club, and Landon Ranchor (LaGuardia’20, Human Services) who is pursuing a bachelor's in social work at the College of Staten Island.

SAVE THE DATE: LaGuardia Community Greenway Activities Begin April 19



Launched in 2022, the LaGuardia Community Greenway is a vision to create a new open space for Long Island City, and LaGuardia Community College. Together, LaGuardia and the local community are working to reclaim the public streets to create an urban sanctuary that gives people mental and physical respite, and an opportunity to reflect and connect with the environment. The 2023 Greenway events will be presented every Wednesday from April 19 to June 7 at LaGuardia, in partnership with DOT Open Streets. Activities will include workshops, performances, and more! Stay tuned!

LaGuardia Community Celebrates One Year Anniversary of Middle States Accreditation

Review Process


LaGuardia faculty and staff who participated in the Middle States Accreditation review process were treated to a small reception to thank them for their work with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) last year.


LaGuardia and Wagner Archives - Women’s History Month event at City Hall



On March 29th, LaGuardia’s Gardiner-Shenker students, staff, and faculty attended the Women’s Herstory Month event at City Hall. They delivered materials including a pamphlet about the history of the City Council, made at the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, as well as the Women In Politics Calendar for 2023. Students heard speeches by the Co-Chairs of the Women’s Caucus Amanda Farias and Farah Louis, as well as the Speaker of the Council Adrienne Adams, and Council Members Lynne Schulmann, Kamillah Hanks, and Mercedes Narcisse. The event honored Former Council Member Karen Koslowitz, and representatives from Planned Parenthood, and featured a performance by Ballet Hispanico. The Women's Caucus the Resistance Revival Chorus and spoken word artist Melissa Avery. The Co-Chairs gave thanks to LaGuardia Community College and recognized the students' work. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

COVID-19 Testing Updates

 

  • LaGuardia’s COVID-19 Testing Site will change from Room E-242 to Room E-150 on Monday, April 17.  Days and times of operation remain the same. For more information about all CUNY testing site locations, days, and times of operation, visit CUNY COVID-19 Testing Site Locations.


All testing sites will be closed on Saturday, April 8. Samples collected on Friday, April 7 will be run on Monday, April 10.

 

  • CUNY policy has changed and the University no longer requires students, staff, or faculty to share their negative test to return to campus after isolation due to a positive COVID-19 test. The CUNY website has been updated to reflect this change. See Spring 2023 Guidelines, Isolation and Exposure.

Reminder: Religious/Ethnic Holiday Calendar and CUNY Policies Available

 

The CUNY March/April Religious/Ethnic Holiday calendar and policies are available on the CUNY website. Please note, many holidays in this time frame include fasting or other religious practices associated with dietary traditions, including a sunrise-to-sunset fast as part of the holy month of Ramadan. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to review the CUNY Religious/Ethnic calendar and policies. CUNY's policy on VI. Religious Accommodations allow students to request and be granted academic and attendance accommodations based on religious beliefs. CUNY's Interfaith Council offers many resources and links to CUNY campus interfaith pages. This collaborative effort of faith leaders associated with CUNY gives our colleges a good base of information to expand our knowledge of important observances and confirm student requests for accommodations. Please be mindful that some holiday observances may impact activity on days immediately before or following the official date. For questions about CUNY's policy on religious accommodations contact Sophia McGee, Director of Intercultural Student Engagement and Dialogue at sophia.mcgee@cuny.edu.

New York Jobs CEO Council Announces Faculty Fellowship Opportunity


The application process for the third cohort of our New York Jobs CEO Council Faculty Fellowship in Practice-Based Teaching and Learning is now open. The purpose of the Fellowship is to support CUNY faculty in high-demand career pathways to become expert practitioners and pedagogical leaders in practice-based teaching and learning grounded in sustainable employer relationships as an integral part of preparing students for the future of work. The Faculty Fellowship is a competitive award to two CUNY faculty teaching in your Associate of Science in Computer Science program, which is aligned with one of the 12 high-need job categories of the Jobs Council member companies. The duration of the Fellowship is one year, including a 2023 Summer Intensive focused on improving practice-based teaching and learning, a Visiting Scholars program hosted by Jobs Council partner companies, two semesters of implementation, and periodic cohort meetings to refine strategies and measure progress.


This year, the Jobs Council added a new element to the Fellowship which involves integrating staff in Career Services, Advisement, or Experiential Learning and asks institutions to select 2 staff members who have relevant experience in your Associate of Science in Computer Science program to join the Faculty Fellows in selected activities to strengthen career learning and development for students throughout their educational journey and to better integrate career support with Jobs Council member company recruiters. Each Fellow will receive an award of $5,000 at the completion of the summer intensive, and an additional $5,000 after two semesters of cohort activities. Each Career Services/Experiential Learning/Advisement staff will receive $1500 at the completion of the summer intensive. Additional Visiting Scholars activities during the subsequent fall and spring are voluntary but highly encouraged. For more details contact Dr. Dionne Miller, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, at (718) 482-5741 or dmiller@lagcc.cuny.edu.

College Website Redevelopment Update 


Teams from Communications & External Affairs and Information Technology have been working behind the scenes preparing for our website to migrate to a new content management system. Individuals that provide updates for the site are asked to respond to requests for content review to help ensure information moves accurately to the new system. Edits to website text can be requested online; if you have questions, please contact Gina Taraskewich.


We Are 1LaGuardia Artwork and Video Competition: Submissions Due April 7 

 

LaGuardia is giving students, faculty and staff the opportunity to answer the question: “Who Are You?” as part of a Campus Climate Project, funded through the City University of New York. The 1LaGuardia competition gives participants the opportunity to express themselves through art and video in the spirit of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion on the LaGuardia campus. Submissions will be accepted through April 7, 2023.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Did You Know?


As the trees are budding and the flowers are blooming, so too should your desire for newness and wonder! Here are some April celebrations and observations worth exploring. Shout Out of the Month – For their work in preparing our students to be global employees and citizens, let’s applaud the staff in The Center for Career & Professional Development! PLEASE NOTE: Departments, groups, or individuals planning DEI-related or heritage month celebrations, please contact me via email (wnicholson@lagcc.cuny.edu) at least one month in advance.

Wendy Nicholson, Executive Director of DEI 

College Senate Approves Children on Campus Policies


At the meeting of LaGuardia’s College Senate on Wednesday, March 29, the Senate voted on the Children on Campus policies - one policy for students and one for employees. The policies were approved, with 20 senators voting in favor, three against, and one abstention. The two policies will be posted on the Policies and Governance page of the College website here. On behalf of the College Senate, join me in thanking the members of the Senate’s Campus Affairs Committee and its co-chairs Evelyn Lowmark and Anthony Pappas for their diligent work on developing these policies, and in seeking out and considering the feedback many of us provided. The policies they produced are those that they think best address all the concerns and perspectives voiced through this process. – Cristina V. Bruns, Ph.D, Chair of College Senate


INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

M365 Email Migration Today!


It’s here! Microsoft 365 (M365), our new cloud-based email system is launching today, Weds., April 5. But in order to access M365, you must set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as soon as possible.  

 

To learn how to set up MFA using a free version of the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app, view the videos on laguardia.edu/m365/ or follow these step-by-step instructionsNote: If you do not set up MFA, you will not be able to access your M365 email or Microsoft Office 365 apps. 

 

Our IT Team is ensuring all your emails dated prior to April 5 are transferred to your new account on April 5. Emails sent/received on April 5 could take up to 72 hours to appear in your new account.

 

To learn more about M365 and the launch, visit the Microsoft 365 website or laguardia.edu/m365/.

LinkedIn Learning Availability Ending April 18, 2023 


Our two-year subscription to LinkedIn Learning (LIL) was up for renewal in April and despite the benefits offered by LinkedIn Learning’s high-quality content, after carefully considering the high cost of renewal and the College’s budgetary priorities combined with an activation rate of 18% after two years, the difficult decision was made to not renew the subscription.

 

Your access to LinkedIn Learning will be terminated as of April 18, 2023. This means that all access to the course content, as well as user learning history, will no longer be available to you and all faculty, staff, and students after that date. If you are a LIL user, we urge you to read the IT Update email sent to you on April 3 or visit the LIL website page



LIBRARY NEWS

Latest Updates from LaGuardia’s Library 


  • The Library will have reduced hours during Spring Break. April 5-April 7 and April 10-April 13 we will be open 9 a.m. - 4:50 p.m. We will be closed from April 8-April 9. We resume our regular hours on Friday, April 14, at 8 a.m. You can see our full calendar here.
  • Our next MoneyBoss workshop will be IN PERSON! Join us on Monday, April 17, at 4:35 p.m. in Room E-111. We will have snacks! Register here.
  • In addition to books and research databases, did you know we have Streaming Video? Check out our offerings!

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Black Lives Matter Summit 2023: April 21- 28


The 8th annual Black Lives Matter Summit will take place April 21- 27, 2023 and invites anyone who believes in the power of unity and community to join the call of action for justice. Our communities are being plagued by violence and anti-Blackness. We invite students, faculty and staff, to discuss issues of violence, racism and cultural differences in our Black and Brown communities. Now is the time to bring about change and a better future for all. Join us this year to commemorate our 8th Annual Black Lives Matter Summit as we discuss viable solutions to issues faced by people of color in our communities. View full schedule and register to attend on our website.

Students Encouraged to Apply for CUNY Cultural Cultural Corps



The CUNY Cultural Corps program provides paid internships at cultural arts organizations for CUNY students. The program was started in collaboration with The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs as an effort to foster diversity and equity in NYC’s cultural sector. Through the Cultural Corps program, CUNY students can obtain internship positions at various cultural institutions including: Art & Natural History Museums Theater & Performing Art Centers Botanical Gardens & Zoos Community Centers Historical Societies. Students can work between 10-12 hours a week throughout the fall and spring semesters and are paid $17 an hour. For more information about eligibility requirements and the application process, students can visit the CUNY Cultural Corps website. Apply HERE by April 10. 


ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

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Important Information About Filing Taxes 


It is very important that members of the LaGuardia community—especially students and their families —who are eligible for the EITC to file their tax returns and receive these benefits in addition to any refunds they get. The good news is that the LaGuardia CARES team, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, offers free weekly virtual tax preparation for students, faculty, staff, and the general public until April 13th. 

LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES

INSIDE HIGHER ED

April 4, 2023: Gordon Tapper, a professor and former chair of LaGuardia's English department, on how the college helps students grasp the versatility of a degree in English. 

 

BUZZFEED NEWS (MSN/Yahoo! News)

April 4, 2023: Khalia Beckford and Peter Don are college sweethearts who met four years ago at LaGuardia Community College.

 

QNS

March 30, 2023: The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center and Flushing Town Hall are co-hosting the Emerging Choreographer Series.


SUNNYSIDE POST

March 30, 2023: LaGuardia President Adams and Council Member Julie Won honored eight women for their community service in western Queens, including three from LaGuardia: SYEP Director Claudia Baldonedo, Student Information Center Director Loretta Capuano-Vella, Financial Specialist Wen (Wendy) Ren.

EVENTS

Wednesday, April 5


Thursday, April 6 

 

Wednesday, April 12

 

Wednesday, April 5- Tuesday, April 11 

  • Spring Recess: No Classes Scheduled 

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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 Share a Story or send an email to CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday.