President's Report for April 2022

Enrollment Management Update

The Office of Admissions and Recruitment began offering in-person group and individual tours on March 14, 2022.  Prospective students, families, and school groups can now sign up to visit QCC on a weekly basis.  In addition to in-person visits, the recruitment team has also returned to other in-person recruitment activities such as attending school visits and college fairs.  In addition to in-person initiatives, the recruitment staff will continue to offer virtual experiences such as events for prospective and admitted students, in-classroom virtual presentations, and a Zoom into Majors Series (a collaboration between admissions and faculty), and Senior Week which is scheduled to run the week of April 18 with a combination of in-person tours and virtual information sessions.  Recommendation files continue to be delivered from UAPC and the office is preparing to begin new student registration on Monday, April 18. 

 

The Office of Academy Advisement has kicked off their “March is Advising Month” campaign. Additionally, they have also implemented communication through Signal Vine texting service to encourage students to make an appointment with their academic adviser early in the semester. Presently, they are preparing for the start of continuing student registration beginning the week of April 6 and will host an Instagram Live session to kick off registration on Friday April 8th. Academic Advising is also preparing for new student registration to begin mid-April by reviewing our current new student advising process and designing additional Group Advising experiences to improve services and availability. Lastly, they will implement an advisement hold pilot for the spring first-semester freshmen students with an intention to closely monitor those students and improve first-year retention.

 

QCC’s 61st Annual Commencement Ceremony

Queensborough Community College’s 61st Annual Commencement Ceremony will take place on Friday, June 3 on the Athletic Field (rain location is parking lot #1).  Outreach is already underway to fall 2021 and winter 2022 graduates as well as Spring & Summer 2022 eligible candidates for graduation.  Faculty and HEO’s who wish to participate in this year’s ceremony must order their academic attire no later than Friday, April 29 (click here to order). Graduates must RSVP themselves and their guests (2 guests per graduate) no later than Friday, May 27. Additional information regarding this year’s ceremony can be found on the commencement website at www.qcc.cuny.edu/commencement.

 

Athletics Update

QCC sophomore student Khari Ojeda-Harvey was selected as 2021-22 CUNYAC Player of the Year and Region XV Player of the Year in Men’s Basketball.  Next, QCC sophomore Shorn Grant won the individual CUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Championships in the Long Jump and Triple Jump, defeating all athletes in the event from both CUNY junior and senior colleges.  Also, Tahkwai Wilson-Hill, Michael Oh, Benjamin Wade, and Brendan Kim won the CUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Championship in the Distance Medley Relay.  Lastly, the QCC Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Teams will be participating at the 2022 NJCAA Division III National Championships, May 12-14 in Troy, NY.

 

Student Support Services/Resources

• All currently enrolled students wishing to receive financial aid for the Fall 2022 and/or Spring 2023 semesters were advised to complete the 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the Priority Filing Date of April 14, 2022. Students who miss this date are encourage to complete the FAFSA immediately. For more information and zoom appointments for assistance, please visit our QCC Financial Aid Website.

 

• Faculty and staff are asked to encourage our students to avail themselves of the valuable and free resources through the QCC Advocacy Resource Center. Services provided include (but not limited to) public benefits screening, financial coaching, legal assistance, tax preparation services, housing assistance, food pantry referrals, and more.

 

• Free Tax Preparation for QCC Students! Representatives from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will help students prepare and e-file their income tax return during an online Zoom seminar at no cost. Zoom sessions will be held every Wednesday and Friday, beginning January 28, 2022 and ending on April 15, 2022. Pre-registration is required. As such, students should call the Advocacy Resource Center (formerly Single Stop) at (718) 631-6347 or e-mail [email protected]. Session days and times are as follows: Wednesdays between 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Wednesdays between 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Fridays between 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, and Fridays between 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm.

 

• The Finch College Alumni Community College Transfer Scholarship application period is now open for all eligible female students. The scholarships, worth $5000, are awarded to second-year female community college students who will graduate from QCC at the conclusion of spring 2021 and transfer to a four-year university for fall 2021. For additional information, including eligibility requirements and application deadline, visit their website. The deadline to apply is May 22, 2022.

 

• The Point Foundation LGBT Scholarship Program for Community College Students is the nation's largest higher education scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Point's multifaceted support of its scholarship recipients (“scholars”) extends far beyond direct financial contribution toward the cost of their education. Each scholar is paired with a mentor and participates in leadership development programs and events. To be selected for the scholarship, students are evaluated on academic performance and potential, financial need, their involvement in school and community, and goals for the future. This selective program aims to support LGBTQ leaders in their growth as student activists so that they can continue to inspire change in their communities both before and after transferring.   The awards range between $2,000 and $4,800 per year.  The deadline to apply is May 3, 2022.

 

• The Family Fellowship Program, the largest scholarship in the U.S. available to current and former foster youth pursuing post-secondary education, is accepting applications from eligible students. The scholarship provides up to five years of financial support to assist with tuition, books, tutors, and more to assist students with navigating and eventually completing college.  Additional information on the scholarship can be found on their online FAQ at https://www.togetherwerise.org/family-fellowship/faq/. The application deadline is May 27, 2022.

 

• The 2022 Abbey Duncan Brownfield Scholarship Program is now accepting applications. The program provides financial support to students pursuing careers in the brownfield industry in New York City. For more information, including eligibility requirements and application deadline, please visit The NYC Brownfield Partnership website. The deadline to apply is April 12, 2022.

 

• The Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity is not a traditional scholarship focused on rewarding academic achievement and financial need. Its specific goal is to reward and encourage innovative and creative problem solving.  The scholarship aims to honor students who excel as creative problem solvers and to help make their higher education goals more accessible. The award amount is $5,000 per year and the deadline to apply is May 3, 2022. Learn more about the Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity.

 

• Emergency funding is available to students who face a financial crisis that puts at risk their continued enrollment toward their QCC degree. Supported through a grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, the funds provide one-time, emergency grants to students in good standing with short-term financial emergencies to enable them to remain in school, rather than being forced to leave or drop out. Please refer students with short-term financial emergencies to Ms. Amawati Gonesh via e-mail at [email protected]. Additional information can be found online at our QCC Scholarship Website.

  

Upcoming Events

• The 2022 Student Government Elections will take place online beginning Wednesday, April 6 through Wednesday, April 13. Please encourage students to consider running for a position.  For more information, interested students can contact Ms. Gisela Rivera, Director of Student Leadership & Development, at [email protected] or Mr. Raymond Volel, Student Life Specialist, [email protected] in the Office of Student Activities.

 

• The Counseling Center presents a "Healthy Living Fair" to promote wellness in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. De-stress and unwind with us as the semester ends. Find ways to bust stress and gain resources to add positive ways to help you achieve better social, emotional, and physical health.  We will host/engage in various activities throughout the week of May 2 thru May 6.  Please check the Events Calendar for updates and registration instructions.

OPERATIONAL PLANNING

 

Operational planning resumes this semester. Consistent with the five-year strategic plan developed last year and building on the operational plan for this year, planning for 2022-23 will commence in the coming weeks. Divisional and faculty groups will convene to discuss, and open forums will take place for campus-wide feedback. Everyone will be invited to participate.

 

OFFICE OF CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (CETL) AND THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (OET)

 

The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) continues to offer virtual and in-person professional development opportunities and individual consultations regarding instructional practices. CETL supports CUNY's Open Educational Resources (OER) scale-up initiative for faculty who are redesigning course materials and pedagogical approaches to replace proprietary textbooks with OERs available on campus-based, centralized technology platforms. OER courses are designated on CUNYfirst. Faculty who are integrating High Impact Practices (HIPs) in their courses are requested to complete the HIPs designation form to designate their courses on CUNYfirst. Please click here to complete the HIPs designation form (CETL).

 

The Office of Educational Technology

CUNY CIS has enabled the Blackboard Ally WYSWIG feedback tool for the Blackboard Content Editor.  When faculty access the Content Editor within their Blackboard courses, they will now see a small meter above the Content Editor.  This meter relays an accessibility score for the content entered into the Content Editor box.  Faculty can select the score to learn more about accessibility issues in your content and follow step-by-step guidance on how to fix them.  For more information on the Ally WYSWIG feedback tool, please visit the following resources:

 

Blackboard WYSYIG Accessibility help page:

https://help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Instructor/WYSIWYG

 

We strongly recommend all faculty to visit the OET web site to see a complete listing of all upcoming Distance Learning Webinars and Professional Development Opportunities. Currently, the Office of Educational Technology is offering Drop-in Virtual Office Hours through Blackboard Collaborate. Faculty can join the OET Virtual Office to speak with an IT Academic Specialist, Monday - Friday, 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. and 2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

 

For an in-person appointment, please contact [email protected]

 

Please visit CETL and OET homepages to see a complete listing of all upcoming events and professional development opportunities.

 

OFFICE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (CEWD)

 

CEWD Announcements!

 

QCC/CEWD received a contract award $385,740 from Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) to offer Hemodialysis and 5G Mobile Technician workforce training programs to out-of-school youth for the calendar year 2022.

 

QCC/CEWD-led Department of Labor Strengthening Community Colleges CUNY Community Colleges Consortium Grant hosted a kickoff event series starting February 15 and 16 with information sessions introducing 16 workforce training programs in three different sectors (technology, healthcare and education), employer career panels and workshops. As of today, we received 850+ RSVPs and 500+ students participated in the kickoff event activities. Click here to see the website and program offerings.

 

QCC/CEWD-led Department of Labor Strengthening Community Colleges CUNY Community Colleges Consortium Grant entitled “Co-Designing an Integrated Accelerated Pathways Model with Employers and the Workforce Development System: Driving System Changes through the CUNY Community Colleges Consortium” is selected to present at the American Association of Community College’s Annual Conference on May 2, 2022 at New York City, New York.

QCC/CEWD will host the first Annual Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) Conference (Virtual) on June 10 and 11. This year’s conference theme, "Cultivating New Beginnings through Peer Recovery: Advocating for CRPA Career Pathways in the Post Pandemic Landscape” strives to create a community of practice for those dedicated to coaching and guiding people through recovery, supporting career opportunities for CRPAs and gaining insights from the latest in CRPA research, practice, and training. Call for Proposals is Now Available! Please check out the flyer and the Request for Proposal (RFP).

 

Office of Research

 

Upcoming Events

• Responsible Conduct of Research Workshops: Tuesday, April 12^th at 9:00 a.m., Monday, May 9^th at 3:00 p.m. All faculty members and students who are involved in a research project on campus are required to complete the RCR CITI online training and the in-person/synchronous workshop. RSVP here.

 

• Undergraduate Research Brown Bag Lunch Discussions: The next UR-HIP Brown Bag Lunch Discussion will be on Wednesday, April 13th: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Zoom: Asst. Professor Bianca Sosnovski, MPhil, PhD (Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science)  and  Asst. Professor Jodi Van Der Horn-Gibson, PhD (Dept. of Communication, Theatre, & Media Production ) will present.

 

• The 2022 QCC Spring Student Symposium - a celebration of QCC faculty-mentored students’ coursework, research, and creative work(s) during the academic year, will be held on Friday, May 6^th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please register and save the date.

STEM Tuition Waiver

 

The balance of the FY 21/22 STEM Tuition Waiver Program funds, will be used for the summer 2022 session. The application will open to students on April 13, 2022.  Students will have the tuition for one STEM course covered by the waiver during the summer session.  

Thanks to a donation from SKANSKA USA CIVIL, the Department of Engineering Technology at Queensborough will be accepting ET Merit Scholarship applications for the spring 2022 semester.  The company has 29 offices and 7,600 employees in the U.S. and prides itself on being one of the best employers for diversity. The company delivers critical infrastructure, including current renovations at Penn Station and La Guardia airport. On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, a team of engineers from SKANSKA spoke to our ET students, via Zoom, about internship and employment opportunities.

 

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation launched a ‘double the impact’ fundraising campaign to raise scholarship funds for full-time Queensborough students for the 2022-2023 academic year! The Crowdfunding campaign is LIVE and will run until 5:00 p.m. on June 30, 2022. The Foundation will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made to the campaign! Individuals interested in having their donation matched by the Amazin’ Mets Foundation should visit: https://give.amazinmetsfoundation.org/scholarship

 

A Tribute to John P. Bevilacqua

The Athletic Scholarship Award Fund is accepting donations in honor of Dr. Mangino’s late partner, John Bevilacqua. This Fund supports Queensborough student-athletes, who meet financial and/or academic prerequisites, by providing them additional opportunities to succeed and advance, on and off the playing field. To learn more about John’s remarkable career and to make a donation in his honor, please click here. The campaign has been extended to run through April 30, 2022.

 

Annual Fund Campaign – 2022 Spring Appeal

Your donation to Queensborough’s Annual Fund will make both an immediate and life-long impact on our students who continue to grapple with the impact of the pandemic. Faculty and staff may choose to support faculty development, merit scholarships, the QCC Food Pantry, the Coronavirus Community Fund, or another key service or program that resonates deep within them.

 

Click here to make an online donation to the Annual Fund spring appeal. Please make checks payable to the QCC Fund, Inc. and mail them to Queensborough Community College, Office of Institutional Advancement, Room A-508, 222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364.

 

Thank you for your continued support of our students!

 

 

Art Gallery

 

Exhibitions:

 

Opening reception - April 27, 2022 – 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Juried Student Exhibition: Department of Art & Design
The Juried Student Exhibition displays a broad range of talent from the students currently pursuing their artistic aspirations here at Queensborough Community College. This is the fourteenth annual student exhibition held in the QCC Art Gallery. This exhibition will be on display through May 22, 2022.

 

Architectural Designs - The Engineering Technology Department (Virtual)
Art gallery - Exhibitions Details (cuny.edu)
A collection of architectural models embracing the talent and creativity of the students enrolled in Engineering Design courses here at QCC. The exhibition explores the techniques used to develop these models and architectural construction under the guidance of Professor Craig Weber.

 

Recent Acquisitions:

 

The Gallery has obtained the African art collection, archives and research library of African art expert Arthur P. Bourgeois, Ph.D. (1940-2021).

 

The African art pieces received feature pieces from the Yaka/Suku region of the Democratic Republic of Congo where Dr. Bourgeois focused his dissertation. The archives are composed of his field research in that same region. Dr. Bourgeois’ comprehensive collection consists of over 500 research publications spanning throughout Africa. The Gallery plans to hold an exhibition of this recent acquisition in 2023.

 

Dr. Bourgeois held B.A. and M.A. degrees in Humanities from Wayne State University, and

a Ph.D. in African/Pre-Columbian/Oceanic Art with a minor in Medieval Art from Indiana University.  Dr. Bourgeois was a University Professor of Art History at Governors State University, University Park, IL from 1977 to 2012.  Upon his retirement, he was awarded the status of Professor Emeritus.  He taught courses in non-western art, namely African, Native American, Pre-Columbian, Oceanic and Asian contexts, where art is viewed in a cultural matrix of ceremony, religion and mythic narrative.

 

His primary research interests were in African Art of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, specifically of the Yaka, Suku, and their neighbors, among whom he conducted his doctoral research.  He will be remembered by his many students and colleagues as a dedicated and innovative teacher and an internationally recognized expert in his field.  He is the author of six (6) books and more than 30 articles in professional journals, and lectured widely throughout the United States. 

 

 

Kupferberg Holocaust Center

 

KHC ORIGIHNAL EXHIBITION:

 

The Concentration Camps: Inside the Nazi System of Incarceration and Genocide

 

On View and Online

 

khc.qcc.cuny.edu/camps

 

This original exhibition at the Harriet & Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center surveys the scope and brutality of the Nazi system of incarceration and genocide, underscoring the horrific consequences of intolerance, racism, and authoritarianism. In addition to the exhibit’s text, images, and artifacts, personal testimonies from local Holocaust survivors offer painful insights into these excruciating landscapes of degradation and dehumanization. This exhibit is curated by Dr. Cary Lane, KHC 2020-21 Curator-in-Residence and Associate Professor of English at QCC.

 

PROGRAMMING

Human Rights and the Museum Series

The Visual Archive: Documenting the Holocaust and Genocide Through Photography
Jeremy Dennis, Contemporary Fine Art Photographer

Maya Benton, Curator, Art Historian, & Art Critic

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 – 4:00 p.m. EDT

 

Special Event:

 

Art against War, Art against Hate: A Conversation with Grzegorz Kwiatkowski
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – 12:00 p.m. EDT

 

Virtual Symposium with the Harriman Institute at Columbia University
The Parallels Between Genocide Denial in the Balkans and Holocaust Distortion
Thursday, April 14, 2022

 

KHC-NEH Performance

From Slavery to Revolution: Afro-Cuban Folkloric Drumming of Matanzas 

 

Featuring performances by the Queensborough Community College (QCC) Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Neeraj Mehta, Associate Professor of Music at QCC

Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. EDT

 

Virtual Symposium with the Harriman Institute at Columbia University
The Holocaust in Bulgaria
Thursday, April 28, 2022

 

Holocaust Memory / Annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration
The Annual Rabbi Isidoro Aizenberg Lecture

Jane Wells, Director of Preserving the Holocaust

Hannah Wilson, PhD candidate at the Department of History, Nottingham Trent University

Thursday, April 28, 2022 – 6:00 p.m. EDT

For all public program information visit: http://khc.qcc.cuny.edu/events-2/

PLEASE NOTE

All programming will be held virtually for Spring 2022.

 

Visit the Education page of the KHC website at khc.qcc.cuny.edu/education for a complete listing of our comprehensive library guides and to view recorded events from our past NEH colloquia.

 

 

Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC)

 

Between April and June, QPAC is tasked with completing the programming funded by the City Council.

 

These programs include:

 

Cultural After School Adventures: P.S. 193, Queens

 

Cultural After School Adventures: P.S. 280, Queens

 

Senior Loyalty Arts Programming: Latimer Gardens Senior Center

 

New Audiences for QPAC: Music performance in District 22

 

Senior Loyalty Arts Programming: Allen Community Senior Center

 

Senior Loyalty Arts Programming: Forest Hills Community House

 

Senior Loyalty Arts Programming: Young Israel Senior Center

 

Additional programming is scheduled for June, July and August (funding received).

 

 

Virtual Programming is as follows:

 

KHC-NEH Performance (Co-Sponsored by QPAC)
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 – 12:00 p.m. EST
From Slavery to Revolution: Afro-Cuban Folkloric Drumming of Matanzas 
The city of Matanzas remains an important hub of Afro-Cuban culture where drumming traditions that arrived with Africans, who were forcibly brought to the island in the 19th century, are still practiced today. This drumming tradition has survived urban slavery during which Africans were incarcerated in the lowest, flood-prone parts of the bay. It continued to be performed in secret through colonial and pre-revolution history, and only in the last 40 years has this drumming been performed in the open without the persecution of policing and prejudice. Featuring performances by the Queensborough Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Neeraj Mehta, this program will contextualize selected works from this repertoire to explore and illustrate the impact that the urban slavery experience and subsequent liberation had on the way this music has been practiced and performed.

 

Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7:00 p.m. ET – FREE

 

QPAC LIVE! presents Tenors Unlimited

 

The number one selling UK trio, Tenors Unlimited, presents an exciting program of classical and popular music.  Also known as The Rat Pack of Opera, the tenors will take you on a fantastic musical journey that will move you and make you laugh, in equal measure!  Scott Ciscon, Jem Sharples and Paul Martin have assembled an eclectic selection of songs, including some of the best-loved melodies from the worlds of opera, musical theatre, and popular music. Using talents honed in their previous solo careers, the tenors set out to bring their own unique blend of wit, charm and vocal arrangements to the classical crossover genre. Live performance and Q&A

 

NOTE: It is also important to note the on-going collaboration with QCC campus facilities and the contractors to get the theater open - which includes a significant amount of equipment purchases, permits and certifications.  Once the contractors turn the theater over to QPAC, we will require two (2) months to restore the lighting, sound, curtains, computers, etc.

Creative Services–April 12, 2022 

  

  

Revamp of the Admissions Home Page   

The design and web teams are working with Patti Ramos of Admissions to completely redesign the Admissions home page to make it more user friendly and improve the customer journey. After a few years of updates, the current page has become very confusing and uninviting. Special focus is being placed on the creation of a clean and modern user interface including a new, left-page Menu sidebar with flyout options. The inspiration for the redesign comes from Bronx Community College: http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/admission-financial-aid/admissions/

The hope is that the final redesign will become a template for an overhaul of the entire Queensborough website.  

 

Enrollment Initiatives   

In addition to updating the Admissions page, three (3) recruitment initiatives are currently in progress focusing on three (3) separate populations: Summer visiting students; incomplete applications; and a campaign targeted at parents and guardians touting the affordability of Queensborough. Deliverables for this campaign include a postcard mailing and other targeted digital communications being drafted and designed by the Division of Marketing and Communication.

 

The Student Literary Journal: The Collective   

Work begins in April on the seventh edition of Queensborough’s student literary journal, The Collective. Coming in every year at around 100 pages, The Collective features a mix of poems, essays, and original artwork by students of the English Department at Queensborough. Benjamin Miller and Allison Cimino from English are our partners in this important and impressive annual effort.

 

Commencement 2022   

Early work is beginning on the various collateral involved with the College’s annual Commencement ceremony. 2022 marks our 61^st and includes the installation of President Mangino. Related projects include the event web page, RSVPs, invitations, signage, and the program.

 

 

UPDATE: Recruitment Initiative to Promote the College’s

Medical Assistant Degree Program   

Filming locations have been scouted, the first student volunteer has been secured, and planning continues on this series of video testimonials by graduates of Queensborough’s A.A.S. in Medical Assistant degree program. The goal is to take the final, edited videos and repurpose them for use on the program home page and for various social media and college advertising purposes. The MA program is an excellent alternative to our Nursing program for anyone interested in opportunities in the health care field outside of nursing.

  

 

 

Public Relations 

 

Highlighting the Work of C. Julian Jiménez   

Professor and playwright Jiménez has drawn widespread acclaim for his most recent work, Bruise & Thorn, including a glowing review in The New York Times. Given the play’s LGBTQ+ themes and the fact that June is Pride month, we’ve decided to make Professor Jiménez our first faculty Humans of Queensborough subject. We are in the very early stages of planning but excited about showcasing this outstanding and acclaimed member of the Queensborough community.

           

In addition to Bruise & Thorn, Professor Jimenez also wrote and directed The @s, the spring production of the Department of Communication, Theatre, & Media Production. The theme of The @s is how we share intimate moments during periods of disconnect such as the pandemic, and whether or not intimacy is dependent on in-person interaction or if the heart can extend through a computer screen.

 

Highlighting Queensborough Women Making HERstory   

Given the positive feedback and interest surrounding our profiles of female faculty, staff and students during March’s observance of Women’s History Month, we have received requests to extend the effort into the early weeks of April. You can look forward to hearing several more stories of outstanding women who contribute so much to our College’s excellence and inclusion-focused community.