"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

LaGuardia Receives Ichigo Foundation Grant to Launch Correctional Education Partnership


With a two-year $233,618 grant from the Ichigo Foundation, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY (LAGCC) is establishing the LaGuardia Correctional Education Partnership to improve access to education and training opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. “The LaGuardia Correctional Education Partnership represents a significant step forward in the pursuit of equitable access to education and opportunity for all, irrespective of past involvement with the justice system,” said Sunil B. Gupta, Vice President of the Division of Continuing Education at LAGCC. As part of the partnership, LaGuardia has hired Matthew Wilson (’19), pictured at left, to serve as program coordinator to oversee the Correctional Education Partnership and lead the implementation of activities to increase awareness among LaGuardia students, faculty, and staff of the needs of formerly incarcerated students, including professional development to enable faculty and staff to better understand the challenges of reentry.

LaGuardia Receives U.S. Dept. of Education Grant In Support of International Studies Program


LaGuardia Community College/CUNY was recently awarded an Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) two-year grant in the amount of $176,134.65. The UISFL program is part of the U.S. Department of Education, which provides funds to plan, develop, and carry out programs to strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages. The grant supports the project titled “The Community College Internationalization Initiative: Outreach, Pedagogy and Professional Development in International Studies.” Dr. Maria Savva, a professor in Education and Language Acquisition (ELA), is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the grant, and is supported by co-PI Dr. Arthur Lau (ELA), and Dr. Tomonori Nagano (ELA), Dr. Olga Aksakalova (English), and Dr. Anita Baksh (ELA).

Celebrating National Coming Out Day 


National Coming Out Day is an annual LGBT awareness day observed on October 11 to support anyone “coming out of the closet.” On Sunday, October 8, the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium co-sponsored, at the invitation of the LGBT Network, the first annual Queens National Coming Out Day Fair in Astoria Queens. A CUNY team met with fairgoers, many of whom were young college-bound queer youth. LaGuardia was represented by Dr. Allie Brashears, associate professor of biology and director of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium and LGBTQ+ Programs at LaGuardia, and Dr. Shannon Lund, director of Admissions. Queens College was represented by JC Carlson, and York College was represented by Ryan Jagbeer.  

The LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub and Women’s Center, in partnership with the Queer and Fierce Student Club and the Fine Arts Student Club, held an event on October 11 for LaGuardia community members to share coming out stories, tips, and support those thinking of coming out and or questioning their sexuality.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wellness Center Offers Services and Counseling


LaGuardia’s Wellness Center provides counseling and wellness services that support and assist you in your intellectual, emotional, psychological, and social development while coping with the challenges of college and life stressors. The Wellness Center offers free and confidential counseling in a safe environment where individual and cultural differences are valued and respected. In addition to a wealth of services, the center is partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – New York City Metro to present “Mental Health 101” workshops in November and December. The first one was on October 10, which coincided with World Mental Health Day. Both external and internal trends illustrate that more and more students are experiencing mental health challenges. These challenges are often a barrier to persistence and completion. Please join the Wellness Center, BMEC and NAMI to learn more.

Register Now

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. This year’s principal sponsor is Boyce Technologies, Inc. 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.

Communications and External Affairs Offers Guidance on Promotion Efforts 

The Communications and External Affairs Division offers a guidance policy on the use of posters and flyers on campus. In addition, offices and departments can submit requests for assistance on projects (including event promotion, website assistance, photography and video) by filling out the Project Request Form. The CEA staff will review your request to provide you with the best options to help you promote your project or event effectively. Visit the CEA website to learn about services including: social media, web, graphic design, public relations, communications, government relations, video and photography and marketing. Also, be sure to check out the Branded Promotional Products Catalog to purchase customized giveaways. 

LaGuardia Community College to Celebrate National Transfer Student Week 


LaGuardia Community College’s newly launched Transfer Council is pleased to announce that LaGuardia will be participating in National Transfer Student Week, from Monday, Oct. 16 to Friday, Oct. 20. Every third week of October, the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students organizes National Transfer Student Week — a whole week dedicated to the unique needs and demands of transfer students. Given that nearly 70% of LaGuardia grads transfer to a bachelor's degree program, the LaGuardia Transfer Council is excited to celebrate this week with a series of events, workshops, and college rep visits to support students on their transfer journey all throughout the week. On Wednesday, the festivities will culminate in the Fall Transfer Fair from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the E-Building Atrium, where students can meet with representatives from more than 30 different public and private universities. This is a core event that our institution hosts to ensure our students connect with college admissions reps for a smooth transfer process once they graduate. 

CEA Offers Photo Shoot and Video Recording Opportunities for Faculty and Staff

LaGuardia’s Communications and External Affairs Division is hosting a series of “Photo Days” for faculty and staff who need to update their professional headshots! The Photo Days are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, October 18; and Wednesday, November 15, in Room E-509. Faculty and staff can reserve a 30-minute timeslot HERE. In addition, we are asking faculty and staff to share a quick on-camera response to the question: “What do you enjoy most about working/teaching at LaGuardia.” The video responses will be used as part of social media campaigns highlighting the LaGuardia community. For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471 or Carlos Freire, videographer, at Ext. 5292.

Dr. Javier Ávila to Present One-Man Show at University Human Resources’ Next Diversity Dialogues on October 18


As part of the Chancellor’s Campus Climate Support Initiative, University Human Resources (UHR) is proud to continue its Diversity Dialogues, a series of open forums to showcase a range of issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural communications. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, UHR is honored to host Dr. Javier Ávila’s dynamic show, The Trouble with My Name. CUNY employees can still register attend this presentation virtually on October 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.


Dr. Ávila’s show, The Trouble with My Name, examines issues of language, race, and social justice in an eye-opening performance where he engages the audience as he tells the story of his life and reads poetry that illustrates what it means to be the American of the future. 

COLLEGE SENATE

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 23 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 Töke ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns. 

GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY

NYS Assembly Higher Education Chair Patricia Fahy and Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez visit LaGuardia 



On Thursday, October 5, recently appointed NYS Assembly Higher Education Chair Patricia Fahy, along with Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, visited LaGuardia Community College as part of a day long tour of CUNY campuses for the Assembly Member to learn more about the wide range of academic programs and support services we provide.  

At LaGuardia, Assembly Member Fahy participated in a roundtable discussion with students where she learned about their journey to LaGuardia and programs they participated in, such as the Student Success Mentors (SSM), President's Society, ASAP and many more. President Kenneth Adams, Provost Billie Gastic Rosado, Vice President Alexis McLean and Vice President Sunil Gupta shared with the Assembly Member the unique challenges and needs of community colleges, and highlighted the work Rhonda Mouton and her team at LaGuardia CARES do to ensure our students have the wraparound services to succeed academically.

LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES

A Gem from The Edith Asbury Collection: Edith Reports on Afeni Shakur - member of the Black Panther Party and Mother of Rapper Tupac Shakur



With renewed popular interest in Afeni Shakur, as evidenced by the TV series, “Dear Mama," the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives would like to share a compelling primary source document with the college community brought to light within its Edith Asbury Collection. Afeni Shakur represented herself in the Black Panther 21 trial while pregnant with her son, Tupac, and drew out essential information from witnesses on the stand that would eventually lead to a full acquittal. Asbury, a trailblazing female journalist at the time, reported on the case for The New York Times in 1971. We invite you to discover more documents on the Black Panther movement found in the Edith Asbury Collection. Please stay tuned for additional index records on this and other topics covered by Edith Asbury being added to the Archives’ web database very soon.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 

Fall II Book Adoptions in New Online Bookstore 


LaGuardia is transitioning to a new provider for our online bookstore, Akademos, Inc. Book adoptions for Fall 2023 Session II can now be made on the Akademos site (log in with your CUNYfirst credentials). Please be advised that September 30 was the last day to make adoptions in CUNYfirst. Book adoptions made through Akademos will be reflected on CUNYfirst as well. 

Introducing the Office of Global and Experiential Learning

This Fall LaGuardia celebrates the launch of the Office of Global and Experiential Learning (GEL). Co-directed by Professors Tuli Chatterji and Olga Aksakalova (English), GEL will support a wide range of global and experiential learning initiatives that aim to empower students to serve as agents of positive change in their local and global communities. Through comprehensive resources, professional development opportunities, and related events, GEL will serve as a platform for the college community for facilitating global engagement and connecting classroom learning with direct experience. Please stay tuned for important updates on how you can be involved with GEL’s work, and contact Professors Chatterji and Aksakalova for questions.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Thank You, from Student Health Services


Last week, LaGuardia Community College helped collect 29 pints of blood, which will go on to save 87 lives. Thank you to all, especially during this blood emergency which proved to be a critical time. 

ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Division of Enrollment Management Launches Virtual Office Hours for LaGuardia Students 

 

Students looking to speak with an advisor about enrollment services can now access virtual office hours every Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Virtual One Stop takes place on Zoom and allows students to drop in and meet with advisors in the Admissions, International Student Services, Registrar, Student Financial Services and Testing offices. 

LIBRARY NEWS 

Updates from LaGuardia’s Library:


  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Want a spooky book for Halloween? Come to the Library and check out our latest Selection from Our Collections!
  • We have created “FinLit for Life: Teaching Financial Literacy at a Community College,” a resource freely available to all. 
  • Our next MoneyBoss workshop is Monday, Oct. 16, at 1 p.m. via zoom. Register here.


HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES

Flu Shot Clinic Scheduled for October 16


Flu season is coming up fast — protect yourself against the influenza virus with a vaccine at the upcoming Flu Shot Clinic. Members of the LaGuardia community will be able to receive a dose of the flu vaccine on Monday, October 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in room E-111.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

Cyber Security Awareness – More Important Than Ever


October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Cyber Security awareness is especially important now more than ever, as Cyber-attacks continue to find their way into the many tools necessary to work and learn from home.


To help keep you safe, we encourage you to visit CUNY’s Cyber Security Awareness. There, during the month of October, you can find weekly tips on how to protect your workstation and data from malicious attacks. In addition, we highly urge you to take the CUNY Cyber Security Awareness course located on CUNY’s Information Security Page.


Helpful tips to remember:

  1. Pay close attention to the sender’s email address and the website’s URL. Make sure you recognize the sender’s domain, not just the display name.
  2. Secure your sessions on Zoom or Blackboard by disallowing unauthorized access.
  3. Use CUNY cloud storage options, such as Dropbox and OneDrive, instead of USB thumb drives that sometimes are lost or crash.
  4. Do not share passwords with anyone.
  5. Employees working from home should not allow anyone to use their College issued computer.


We are committed to supporting your use of technology, safely and securely. If you have any cyber security questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security.


LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES 

UNIVISION: LaGuardia President Kenneth Adams is interviewed about Airbnb providing housing vouchers to LaGuardia students like Anthony Franco so they have a place to live during the educational semester.


EPOCH TIMES: Congresswoman Grace Meng announced a federal grant that will enable LaGuardia Community College, Queens College, and Queensborough Community College to develop a training program for careers in sewage epidemiology, an emerging discipline that can provide early warning and insight into future epidemics.

EVENTS

Wednesday, October 11 


Thursday, October 12 


Friday, October 13


Saturday, October 14


Monday, October 16


Tuesday, October 17 


Wednesday, October 18

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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 [email protected]. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday.