"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. | |
|
LaGuardia Partners with Airbnb to Help Students with Housing
The City newspaper recently reported on the innovative partnership between LaGuardia Community College and Airbnb to help students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. The pilot program has helped about 15 LaGuardia students, so far, experiencing homelessness. Vouchers provided to the school by Airbnb helped recent GED graduate and new nursing student Anthony Franco find a steady place to stay and student Kayla Henriques-Dunlap move out of a city shelter. See full article here.
| |
|
LaGuardia is One of New York State's Top Five Community Colleges, According to New Rankings from WalletHub
LaGuardia is one of New York State’s top five community colleges, according to WalletHub’s recently released 2023 list of The Best & Worst Community Colleges. Given the importance that cost plays in college selection, the rankings were designed to determine where students can receive the best education at the lowest price. WalletHub looked at 19 key indicators of cost and quality, which included in-state tuition and fees, student-faculty ratios, and graduation rates. In New York State, 30 community colleges were examined, with only Queensborough, Columbia-Greene, Guttman, and Hudson Valley community colleges listed above LaGuardia. Among the 650 community colleges WalletHub analyzed nationwide, LaGuardia is ranked among the top 15%.
| |
|
Actor and Playwright Ahsan Ali Credits LaGuardia for Teaching Him to Stand Out
As he gets ready to star in an Off-Broadway production that he co-wrote, Ahsan Ali (LaGuardia’15, Theater) credits LaGuardia Community College’s Theater Program for teaching him how to stand out on stage. Friends with Amenities will be performed at 59E59 from Sept. 14–30. “The training that LaGuardia Theater students get creates a hunger to work harder—a quality that makes actors stand out in a room or on stage,” said Ahsan, 34. “LaGuardia is where I learned to be bold in storytelling and to do the stories that you are compelled to tell. It’s because of this encouragement that I’ve learned to trust my intuition in my professional life.” Read more about Ahsan Ali here. If you see his show, be sure to look for Stefanie Sertich, professor and director of LaGuardia’s Theater Program, in the audience. “It is extremely difficult to write and star in a production that gets produced Off-Broadway," said Professor Sertich. “Please join me in seeing the production. I'll probably see it more than once!”
| |
|
NY-Presbyterian Hospital Hosts LaGuardia’s Certified Registered CST Certification Ceremony
On Friday, September 8, LaGuardia celebrated the graduation of the first class of the NYPH/CUNY LaGuardia Program, during a ceremony hosted by New York-Presbyterian Hospital. This initiative provided opportunities to individuals who had completed the formal Central Sterile Technician (CST) training and needed 400 hours of hands-on experience, and to those who needed the education and 400 hours of experience to complete the role and professional requirements. Individuals went through a comprehensive application to the NYP program, and upon acceptance, attended the didactic portion on site at Weill Cornell offered through the LaGuardia Central Sterile Technician program, with an option to attend classes in the day or evening.
| |
|
LaGuardia Partners With Other CUNY Schools to Study Shortage of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
According to a recent report from the Advocates for Children of New York, during the 2021–22 school year, 36.8% of preschoolers with disabilities—a total 9,800 children—went the entire year never receiving at least one of their mandated special education services. To address the shortage of childhood special education (ECSE) teachers and develop much-needed ECSE associate degree programs, specializations and courses, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education has awarded Borough of Manhattan Community College a two-year, $200,000 grant to lead a partnership with Brooklyn College, Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College, Kingsborough Community College and LaGuardia Community College, as well as with the Kennedy Children’s Center, a community-based, early childhood special education program with more than 65 years of experience serving children with special needs and providing vital services for their families. In addition to creating ECSE programs and courses, the partnering CUNY colleges and Kennedy Children’s Center will develop career pathways to ECSE teacher certification for teacher assistants and paraprofessionals currently working in the field. LaGuardia and the other partnering institutions will also create ECSE career pathways for underrepresented associate degree students. Professor Michele de Goeas-Malone, Education Program Co-Director and Lecturer in the Education and Language Acquisition Department, is representing LaGuardia as one of the co-researchers of this project. “This project will help us develop a consistent curriculum that can be easily transferred across the CUNY campuses involved,” Professor de Goeas-Malone said, “and most importantly it will prepare our students to be ready to teach preschoolers with disabilities upon graduation with an associate degree, who may already be teaching this population while enroute or not to certification.”
| |
|
LaGuardia Community College Celebrates National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week and Hispanic Heritage Month
This week, LaGuardia is celebrating National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week (Sept. 11-17), which commemorates the contributions of more than 500 Hispanic-serving institutions nationwide in their work to advance postsecondary student success for all. It’s also a good way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) a little bit early – be on the lookout for events and opportunities to celebrate all around campus, including the Casa de las Américas Open House on Wednesday and various movie screenings throughout the month. Click here to learn more.
| | |
|
|
September: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Did You Know?
Welcome to Fall 2023! As we begin a new semester, we are excited that you have chosen to share your uniqueness within our campus community. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Team is looking forward to teaching, learning, and working with you. Here are some September celebrations and observances worth exploring. Departments, groups, or individuals planning DEI-related events or heritage month celebrations this school year should contact Wendy Nicholson, Executive Director of DEI at wnicholson@lagcc.cuny.edu at least one month in advance.
| |
|
Students, Faculty and Staff: VOTE for Red Hawk’s Name
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! The winner will be announced in the “Campus Update” newsletter on October 4th.
| |
| |
|
|
College Bookstore Closing Sept. 22
LaGuardia’s College Barnes & Noble Bookstore, located on the lower level of the M-Building will be closing its doors on September 22. The store closure will be bringing an online option for students, faculty and staff to use for purchase books and merchandise. Faculty will be using Akademos to select books to support college course offerings. Faculty training (which includes videos) will take place in October 2023 (dates to be announced). Students can place Fall 2 orders with ISBN numbers. The official online store will open around November 1. For more information, contact Carmen Luong at carmenl@lagcc.cuny.edu.
| | |
|
|
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.
| | |
|
|
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. During the presentation, President Adams 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 or view online (RSVP and stream info coming soon).
On September 6, President Adams presented remarks on the importance of supporting student success. To read his remarks, click HERE.
| | |
|
|
Planning Committee Hosts Meeting to Discuss Forming of Staff Council
The Planning Committee for the Staff Council met for the first time on Tuesday, September 12. Thank you to the 27 staff members from across all divisions, who attended. The Planning Committee reports there is overwhelming support to move forward with forming the Staff Council. They will announce the next meeting in a future issue of “Campus Update.” Interested staff are encouraged to bring a colleague along.
| |
|
Dean Dionne Miller highlights LaGuardia Humanities Program at NYC Council Hearing
On Wednesday, September 6, Dean Dionne Miller testified at the NYC Council Committee on Higher Education hearing. Chaired by Council Member Eric Dinowitz, the hearing focused on Humanities as a Viable Academic Path for CUNY Students. The CUNY panel also included Interim University Dean for Graduate and Undergraduate Programming Anne Lopes (CUNY) and Dean Karin Beck (Lehman College). Dean Miller highlighted LaGuardia's successful humanities program and the College's focused and intentional efforts in supporting our students through our First Year Seminar as well as experiential and co-curricular learning. You can view the full hearing on the NYC City Council website.
Photo: Dean Dionne Miller with Chairperson Eric Dinowitz at NYC Council Chambers.
| |
LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES | |
 | |
Thank you, Dr. Stephen Weinstein
During Opening Sessions on September 6th, the Archives hosted staff and faculty for an interactive workshop on incorporating archival resources into their classroom curricula. After the group discussion with our education staff, Stephen Weinstein brought the group into the cold room to highlight artifacts from our collections. We wish to take this opportunity to commend Dr. Weinstein on his incredible work at LaGuardia over the last 15 years. As an integral member of our education staff, he has taught hundreds, if not thousands of students, provided research for faculty, helped create curricula, and generated content to the archives’ apps “This Date In History,” and “Walking New York.” For years, he has spearheaded our calendar team, bringing incredibly rich historical facts and images to this annual publication. Dr. Weinstein is retiring at the end of this month and will be deeply missed. He is currently finalizing the 2024 calendar titled, “Pleasure and Protest: Public Spaces in New York City.” The calendar looks at all the ways New Yorkers celebrate, protest, relax, and utilize public spaces in New York City. We look forward to sharing the 2024 calendar with you for the new year and we thank Stephen Weinstein for all of his contributions to our community. We wish him a wonderful retirement.
| |
September is "Suicide Prevention Awareness Month", and the Wellness Center will be honoring "Suicide Prevention Month" with a variety of programming throughout the month. Faculty and staff are encouraged to share this Campus Suicide Prevention flyer with their students and post in classrooms. All of the Wellness Center's programming in the upcoming fall is listed in the Fall I 2023 e-Guidebook: tinyurl.com/WellnessEguidebook as well as on Campus Calendar . The Wellness Center is also hosting a variety of mental health trainings and workshops for students, faculty and staff. Faculty and staff are encouraged to review the Wellness Center's Guide of Educational Trainings: tinyurl.com/WellnessWorkshopList and can sign up on the included link to request trainings you may be interested in. Faculty and staff can also refer students to individual counseling services at the Wellness Center anytime and may visit Helping Students in Distress webpage for other resources. Our 4-step referral guide will help you identify and respond to students who are in distress, who are disruptive in class and other spaces on campus, or who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. | | |
|
|
LaGuardia Offers Mental Health 101 Program
LaGuardia Community College has partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of New York City Metro to present, “Mental Health 101,” at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10. Students can REGISTER HERE. Participants will learn about mental illness, ask questions, and navigate support programs. When participants register for this Mental Health 101 presentation, they will be added to NAMI-NYC's email list for the latest free mental health programs, resources, and events. NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. We offer free classes, support groups, and a Helpline in English, Spanish and 180 languages regardless of income, insurance, or immigration status. All information shared is confidential. To learn more, visit www.naminyc.org.
| | |
|
|
Annual Golf Outing Tees Off in October
The 10th Annual Mark C. Healy Scholarship Fund Golf Outing is set to take place on Monday, October 2 at Indian Hills Country Club in Northport. Every dollar raised directly benefits students at LaGuardia Community College, by supporting their educational aspirations and empowering them to create brighter futures. Over the last ten years, the event has raised more than $390,000 for students.
| |
HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES
| |
|
Veras Appointed Co-Director of Casa De Las Américas
Dr. Ingrid Veras, associate professor in the Natural Sciences Department, was recently appointed co-director of Casa de las Américas, the first center at a CUNY community college offering comprehensive academic and career services to Latinx students from all countries of the Americas. Veras joins Dr. Ryan Mann-Hamilton, associate professor of social science, as co-director. Veras was part of the working group responsible for drafting the proposal that was subsequently submitted to the CUNY Board of Trustees for La Casa. Additionally, she served as a member of La Casa's Executive Committee.
Dr. Veras earned her associate degree in liberal arts: Math and Science from Westchester Community College before transferring to St. John’s University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology. Dr. Veras then earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from St. John’s University.
Her area of teaching is Biology, providing instructions for courses such as Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, and First Year Seminars. Her research involves studying environmental pollution in NYC. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Natural Sciences Department at LaGuardia.
Dr. Veras says being a part of La Casa de las Americas since its inception and witnessing its growth to its present state has been an incredibly rewarding experience.
“Drs. Ryan Mann-Hamilton and Sonia Rodriguez, along with Stefania Gonzales, our Office Manager, did an outstanding job leading Casa during its inaugural year,” Dr. Veras said. “I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to co-direct Casa with Ryan during the Fall semester and with Sonia during the Spring semester, and I eagerly anticipate collaborating with Casa's Executive Committee. I am enthusiastic about carrying forward their legacy and further enhancing La Casa's impact. My goal is to introduce a greater number of STEM-related events, reinforcing our commitment to diversity and excellence in our programming.”
| |
|
Fernandez Appointed Manager of 5th Floor Art Galleries
Arianne M Fernandez, Lecturer-Fine Arts & Art History, Advising Liaison for Fine Arts-Humanities, has been appointed the manager of the fifth floor art galleries in the E-Building. The art gallery was previously managed by Dina Pizzarello, who taught studio art in the Humanities Department of the college. We thank Dr. Pizzarello, who recently left the college, for her efforts to bring work by local artists to LaGuardia.
For Professor Fernandez, her new role as art gallery manager feeds into her long history with the college. “LaGuardia has been a second home for over 20 years,” Fernandez said. “I came to this institution as a shy, uncertain teenager with a passion for art and history. I have had many roles during my trajectory at LaGuardia: as a part-time Slide Librarian for the Fine Arts area, as Master Tutor for the now Office of Accessibility, as an educator and advising liaison (my favorite role), teaching art history and fine arts in the Humanities department for the last 15 years.”
Fernandez has an A.S. in Fine Arts from LaGuardia, a B.A. in Studio and Art History from Queens College and an M.A. in Modern Art History with a concentration in Latin American Surrealist Art, also from Queens College.
Fernandez says the fall season heralds transformation and change and says the 5th floor galleries will feature diverse exhibits by local and out-of-state artists focusing on nature, abstraction, and the figure. She also plans to showcase LaGuardia students’ outstanding work in many different media, from traditional to illustration to digital. “Ultimately, we hope the art displayed in the fifth floor gallery walls serves our college community as a place for introspection, reflection, and connection,” she said.
| |
|
Uregar Joins LaGuardia as New HR Benefits Manager
Purysabel Uregar has recently been named Benefits Manager with the Human Resources Department at LaGuardia. In her role, Uregar will administer LaGuardia employee benefits program, which includes retirement plans, leave policies, wellness programs, and insurance policies such as health, life, and disability. Prior to joining LaGuardia, Uregar served as Benefits Specialist at Bronx Community College. Uregar earned an Associate in Applied Sciences from LaGuardia, a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Lehman College, and a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Lehman College.
“I hope to bring to Human Resources all of my expertise and experience in the field by assisting not only the department but the College as a whole,” Uregar said. “Providing the best and upmost service that the College's community needs to be informed and guided when it comes to their benefits.”
| |
|
2023-2024 Annual Compliance Training Now Available
CUNY’s Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and the Workplace Violence Prevention Training (WVP) will be available for employees starting on August 28 for the 2023-2024 academic year. All part-time employees, including adjuncts, are responsible for completing both training courses by the end of the current semester to ensure their completion is logged by the University. All full-time employees will have until May 31, 2024 to complete the training. Employees can sign into Blackboard and navigate to My Organizations to view and complete both the ESPARC and WVP trainings.
Beginning this academic year, all human resources professionals, as well as CUNY managers with direct reports must complete the state-mandated Gender Based Violence Training (GBVT) by May 31, 2024 to complete the training and all part-time employees should by the end of the current semester to ensure their completion is logged by the University. The course will be listed under My Organizations in Blackboard as well.
Employees with any questions regarding the trainings can access the Compliance Training FAQs or reach out to Bonnie Brown or Marta Clark for assistance.
| |
|
Cybersecurity Awareness: Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
Cybersecurity threats increase worldwide every year. While LaGuardia’s spam blockers and antivirus system block thousands of attempted attacks monthly, no system can block every attempt out there so it’s important to stay alert.
Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering is a broad term used to describe a range of techniques to trick people into giving fraudsters what they want. Here are a few tips that will help you avoid these attacks:
- Do not open any emails from untrusted sources. Contact a friend or family member in person or by phone if you receive a suspicious email message from them.
- Do not give offers from strangers the benefit of the doubt. If they seem too good to be true, they probably are.
- If you suspect you have received a suspicious email or are unsure if the email you received is valid, please forward the email to spam@lagcc.cuny.edu. Do not forward it to the LAG Information Technology Division distribution list, other group lists, employees, including IT personnel.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing is a technique designed to gain access to sensitive, personal information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity, usually via email. While viewing LaGuardia emails,
- Look at the sender email address - if it’s not the lagcc.cuny.edu email domain, it may not be from a trustworthy source.
- A sense of urgency may falsely convince you to respond quickly. Stop for a moment and think it through.
- An external URL link in the body of the email not associated with LaGuardia may take you to a malicious website.
For information on how to reduce the risk of becoming a phishing victim, read the CUNY Phishing Advisory. We are committed to supporting your use of technology, safely and securely. If you have any cybersecurity questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security.
| |
|
Thursday, September 14
Tuesday, September 19
Wednesday, September 20
| |
"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. |
| | | |
