"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 is among the six CUNY community colleges partnering with the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) to provide associate-degree holders who majored in psychology or a related field with a seamless pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology. According to the announcement issued by CUNY SPS, this innovative collaboration, known as the Online Psychology Academy, will allow eligible graduates from the schools to be admitted into the CUNY SPS online BA in Psychology program without completing a transfer application. Additionally, even before students register, the Online Psychology Academy will ensure prospective students have an easy and supportive transition to CUNY SPS by inviting them to partake in a selection of engaging departmental programs and events. | |
LaGuardia Representatives Meet with USDA Leadership | |
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On April 18, LaGuardia representatives led by President Kenneth Adams, Billie Gastic Rosado, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; Nayelli Valencia Turrent, Chief of Staff; faculty members including Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, Program Director of the Environmental Science Program; and Nicolle Fernandes, Director and Professor of the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program and students, met with leaders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to learn how LaGuardia is utilizing USDA grants and to tour the facilities around the LaGuardia campus. Representatives from the USDA included Kenya Nicholas, Deputy Director, Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement; Dr. Michael B. Williams, Division Lead, Education Initiatives, Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement; and Julio C. Puentes, Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program Manager, Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement.
A cooperative agreement was originally signed in 2023 with the objective to strengthen the partnership between the USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the designated regions, and the CUNY Research Foundation on behalf LaGuardia to focus on solutions to challenges facing rural and historically underserved communities, connecting those communities to the education, tools, and resources available to them through USDA’s programs and initiatives. Through the agreement, USDA Liaison Herminia Gomez has been stationed at the LaGuardia campus to advise and counsel students, faculty, farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the surrounding service area on USDA programs and initiatives as well as coordinate onsite campus activities to raise awareness and to connect stakeholders to USDA programs and initiatives.
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LaGuardia Hosts 6th Annual CUNY Neurodiversity Conference | |
LaGuardia hosted the 6th Annual CUNY Neurodiversity Conference on April 19. The conference invited experts from colleges across CUNY and institutions and organizations from across the Eastern Region to share programming, stories and experiential opportunities that address and support mental health as it relates to neurodiversity. The conference served as a space for individuals and organizations to share, explore, and reflect on strategies and best practices for addressing mental health. Welcome remarks were presented by Dr. Denise Maybank, Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs, CUNY; Mr. Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College; Dr. Alexis J. McLean-McKessey, Vice President for Student Affairs at LaGuardia; and Dr. Regina Varin-Mignano, Manager of Health and Wellness Education/Director of LaGuardia’s Neurodiversity Program. | |
President Adams Speaks at Coro New York Event | |
Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College, participated as a panelist during the 2024 Coro New York Executive Leadership Summit on April 18. The Summit, hosted at The Ford Foundation, was a celebration of 40 years of Transformative Leadership. The Summit offered an unparalleled space for the city’s top talent to exchange best practices, expand their leadership capacity, and catalyze change in real-time. President Adams was a panelist in the “Innovating Workforce Development: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Labor Market Trends.” He served alongside Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director of the Center for Urban Future; Henry Garrido, Executive Director of DC 37; Chauncey Nartey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Adult Learning Leaders; and Rafia Zahir-Uddin, Vice President for Global Philanthropy with JP Morgan Chase. | |
Center for Career and Professional Development Hosts Shark Tank | |
 | LaGuardia’s Center for Career and Professional Development hosted its first "Shark Tank” competition on April 17. Similar to the television show, LaGuardia students, who are aspiring entrepreneurs, presented their projects to a panel of “Sharks” (the judges). Students presented a visual display, marketing plan, and a proposed project budget. The student entrepreneurs included: Sana Mengal, who presented “Cell phone case reimagined;” Md Nayeem Hossain and Mustapha Kenna, who presented “Green Revolution;” Danjel Buci, who presented “Aqount;” Walter Iwachiw, who presented “Wee4justice;” and Mohammed Hasanat, who presented “Forex Investing.” The “Sharks” included Mr. Sunil Gupta, Vice President, Adult Continuing Education & Workforce Development; Dr. Alexis McLean-McKessey, Vice President for Student Affairs; Mr. Sam Friedman, Co-Owner at Eat Mud; Ms. Evelyn Carrasco, a senior business adviser and entrepreneur; Mr. Barton Jackson, Vice President/Relationship Manager with TD Bank; and Ms. Catherine Man, Co-Founder of Project Alpaca. The first-place winners (Md and Mustapha's "Green Revolution" tied with Mohammed's "Forex Investing") received a $50 gift card and each of the other participants received a $25 gift card. | |
LaGuardia Students Excel at Chemistry Challenge | |
LaGuardia Chemistry students showcased their brilliance at the Long Island subsection of the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Challenge on April 19. Competing against peers from various institutions around the region, LaGuardia secured a notable victory, landing in first place in the 2-year school division and third place overall. Led by their Chemistry faculty mentors, students Hannah Davis, Miguel Posada, Chaw Nandar, Amena Shamia, and Thaw Lin Aye, demonstrated their strong knowledge of both general and organic chemistry topics. | | |
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The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) welcomes renowned choreographer Sekou McMiller and friends for an “Afro Latin Soul” performance on Friday, April 26, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This one-night event of live music and dance will bring together a collection of artists to create visceral experiences, from the bandstand and stage to the theater. “Sekou McMiller is renowned for bringing his unique fusion style to the forefront of the Afro Latin dance movement. His diverse career has spanned from off-Broadway performances to choreographing for the Radio City Rockettes, the Alvin Ailey School, and the Joffrey Ballet School. He has worked with top Latin artists including Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Colon, Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Rojas, Tito Nieves, and PitBull, as well as the pop icon Madonna,” said Handan Ozbilgin, Artistic Director of LPAC. Tickets are $25 each; click here to reserve. | |
May is Mental Health Awareness Month | |
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The Wellness Center will be hosting a variety of events for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. Here are just a few of the events planned:
- Monday, May 6, 3–5 p.m., C-207: Suicide Prevention Training (Registration required)
- Wednesday, May 8, 2–4 p.m., C-Building Lobby: Mental Health Awareness Month and Self-Care Fair
- Wednesday, May 15, 1–4 p.m., C-Building Lobby: Mental Health Awareness Month and Self-Care Fair
- Monday, May 20, 3–4 p.m., E-111: Psychology Research Conference Fireside Chat
- Monday, May 20, 4–5 p.m., E-111: Psychology Research Conference Effective Ways to Manage Stress
- Wednesday, May 29, 2–3 p.m., Zoom: In Our Own Voice, a NAMI-NYC presentation (Registration required)
Additional training and events are also available; please check the full listing and contact wellnesscenter@lagcc.cuny.edu for additional information.
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Women and Organized Labor – Celebrating the Life and Work of Jane LaTour | |
Thursday, May 9, the Urban Studies Program will host Women and Organized Labor, an event celebrating the life and work of Jane LaTour, longtime friend of the late Robert Fitch, benefactor of the Robert Fitch Memorial Fund, and author of the book Sisters in the Brotherhoods. Following the tribute, by Professor Ruth Milkman from the CUNY School for Labor and Urban Studies, will give a lecture entitled “A New Political Generation and the 21st Century U.S. Labor Movement.” The event will take place from 2:15–3:13 p.m. in Room E-500. Please contact Filip Stabrowski at fstabrowski@lagcc.cuny.edu for more information. | |
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Professors Collaborate with Alumni on Peer-Reviewed Article | |
LaGuardia Professors Dr. Maureen Doyle and Dr. Juline Koken, and two LaGuardia alumni Landon Ranchor and Karla Chinchilla, co-wrote a peer-reviewed article describing the implementation of motivational interviewing into the Human Services curriculum. The article, “Implementation Model for Motivational Interviewing Training in a Community College Human Services Program,” was published in the Journal of Human Services 42(2). Ranchor and Chinchilla are currently completing their advanced degrees within CUNY. Professors Doyle and Koken said they are proud of the work that LaGuardia's Human Services program has done since implementing the Motivational Interviewing training in 2016. “With this publication we are able to present our program as a model for other community colleges,” Professor Doyle said. “It is our hope that other programs will embrace this approach and begin to offer their students the opportunity to receive the gold standard training that we are able to offer here.” | |
BRES Research Seed Research Grant Proposals Accepted through May 1 | | |
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Established in Spring 2023, the BRES Collaboration Hub is an intellectual home for convening faculty and doctoral students interested in interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research in BRES across CUNY. The Hub is a component of BRESI—a CUNY-wide initiative that aims to reimagine and transform University programs in Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies. | |
Under the generous support of the Mellon Foundation, BRESI has awarded $1.9 million in grant funding to support and seed promising work to advance BRESI’s mission across the University since 2022. In 2024, the Hub was awarded funding from the Chancellor’s Strategic Investment Initiative Fund to establish the BRES Research Seed Grant Program to support faculty research across the University. For AY 2024-2025, we expect supporting up to 30 projects of $5,000. Additional information is available here; applications are due May 1. | |
Center for Teaching and Learning Seminars for 2024-25 | |
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The application for the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) 2024-25 Seminars is now open. The deadline to apply for this initial round of seminars is Friday, May 24, 2024. Several CTL seminars, workshops, roundtables, and other activities in the upcoming year will focus on supporting faculty, staff, and students in the use of new technologies:
- Transition to Brightspace (new CUNY Learning Management System)
- Transition to EAB Navigate (new student
- Changes in Digication and ePortfolio
- Creative use of generative AI tools in teaching, advising, student support and other tasks
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Global and Experiential Learning Invites Faculty to Pedagogy Roundtable | |
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The Office of Global and Experiential Learning (GEL) invites faculty to the Second Pedagogy Roundtable on Thursday, May 16 from 1 to 2 p.m. via Zoom. The session will be dedicated to teaching and incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into course curricula and will revolve around the following questions:
- Why is it important to integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into course curricula across all disciplines?
- How can educators effectively integrate United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into course curricula across all disciplines?
- In what ways can incorporating UNSDGs into course content enhance students' critical thinking skills, global awareness, and sense of responsibility towards sustainable development?
If interested in attending, RSVP here to receive Zoom information.
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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. | |
Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | | |
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- The Library will be open for reduced hours during Spring Break. Please be sure to check our calendar before you make the trip. Our regular hours will resume on May 1 at 8 a.m.
- Students can submit “A” papers for a course taken at LaGuardia during the 2023/24 academic year to the 43rd Annual Library Research Review Competition. First place is an Amazon fire tablet. Entries are due July 6.
- Looking for an idea for your next read? Check out our Featured Resources.
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HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES | |
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Professional Development Workshops: Spring 2024
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Conflict Resolution. How to Successfully Manage Difficult Conversations
- Focuses on strategies that employees can adapt to resolve conflict in the workplace and help us explore communication methods to develop strong relationships and improve group synergy. We will recognize the causes of workplace conflict, expand our understanding of ways to facilitate resolution of conflict and manage work relationships.
- Wednesday, May 1 at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
- Planning/Goal Setting and Productivity Applications
- We will explore methods and processes of goal and objective setting. Setting SMART goals and objectives. We will also explore productivity tools that we can use to help stay organized and set obtainable goals that are both effective and efficient.
- Tuesday, May 14 at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
- Performance/Appraisal Evaluation Management
- Performance appraisals, reviews and evaluations describe documenting and communicating employees’ performance. It’s important for employees and managers to understand the role appraisals play in documenting performance issues and upholding the company’s performance management philosophy. We will go over our performance management policy, appraisal process, benefits of a fair and equitable evaluation to employees and the organization.
- Tuesday, May 28 (part 1) & Thursday, May 30 (part 2) both at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
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CUNY HR Service Alert: NYCAPS Payroll Stub Access Unavailable
NYCAPS (New York City Automated Personnel System) continues to experience a technical issue and access to Employee Self Service (ESS) is unavailable. CUNY Central is working diligently with the vendor to resolve the problem and restore access so that you can view your paystub. In the meantime, if you need immediate access to your most recent paystub, the LaGuardia Payroll department will temporarily print or email a password protected copy, please contact the Payroll Department by email at payroll@lagcc.cuny.edu or by calling 718-482-5518.
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NYCCHR Free Professional Development Opportunities for You
The University Human Resources, Professional Development & Learning Office has free, upcoming professional development opportunities available to all employees. Employees will receive a meeting invitation with the link to the workshops the day before the session begins. The NYC Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) is offering two online workshops:
- Human Rights Law and Age Discrimination in Employment, Wednesday, May 29, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. The workshop provides information about age discrimination and protections under the City Human Rights Law for all workers. Examples of age discrimination in employment are discussed, as well as best practices for employers.
For more information and to register, please go to the workshop registration form.
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NYCERS Members and Retirees: You’ve Got Questions? NYCERS Has Answers!
Join NYCERS for a special event where they will answer your frequently asked questions about your most valuable NYCERS resource – your online MyNYCERS account. Learn how to register and the great benefits of having a MyNYCERS account.
- When: April 30, 6 to 8 p.m.
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Where: Zoom. Closed captioning is available.
Click here to register. Registration will remain open until Zoom capacity has been reached.
After registering, look out for an email from “POP Zoom” (no-reply@zoom.us) with details to join the webinar on the day of the event.
For information on other NYCERS events, visit NYCERS' Pension Seminars webpage.
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Fastest and Best Way to Get Technology Help
Whenever you have any technology-related problems—whether it’s with apps like CUNYfirst, Outlook, or the Faculty & Staff Portal, etc. or with any network services or computer equipment — the fastest and best way to get help is to contact the IT HelpDesk by opening a ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal, or by calling 718-482-6134.
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Protect Your Data! Take the CUNY Cybersecurity Awareness Training Course Today!
Given the rapidly increasing threats to our cybersecurity, CUNY is taking various actions to safeguard the security of our data. To that end, CUNY recently created a 40-minute Cybersecurity Awareness training course, designed specifically for faculty and staff. This course covers many cybersecurity risks, such as phishing attacks, spam, and hacked accounts, and best practices for safeguarding your data. You can view the course on Blackboard. All LaGuardia faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to take this course as soon as possible to protect their own and the University's data. If you have any questions regarding the training, please contact Maritza Acero.
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LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | |
"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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