"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. | |
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COIL Program Offers Congratulations and Opportunities to College Community
LaGuardia successfully concluded the virtual exchange program Global Scholars Achieving Career Success, supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. Under LaGuardia's leadership, the program impacted over 2,600 students across CUNY (BMCC, Guttman, Hostos, LaGuardia, and Queens College) and universities in the Middle East and North Africa. Congratulations and thanks to LaGuardia faculty who brought this transformative global learning experience to their students across multiple academic programs: Sada Hye Jaman and Bindu Pillai (Business and Technology); Lamees Fadl and Maria Savva (Education and Language Acquisition); Kelly Aliano, Rochell Isaac, Lara Kattekola, and Lucy McNair (English); Nicolle Fernandes (Health Sciences); Nancy Bandiera, Arianne Fernandez, Dahlia Elsayed, and Olivera Stankovic (Humanities); Alaa Darabseh and Milena Cuellar (Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science); Joby Jacob and Ingrid Veras (Natural Sciences); and Neetu Kaushik and M. Victoria Perez-Rios (Social Science). Thank you to LaGuardia's GSACS program leaders and support team: Pablo Avila, Jesse Wolfe, Aarkieva Smith (CTL), Jessica Perez and Yevgeniya Granovskaya (CCPD), Emma Handte (GSACS/Library), Rojan KC (GSACS), Lucy McNair (English), Habiba Boumlik (ELA), Olga Aksakalova (English/GSACS/COIL), and Dean Eric Hofmann (Academic Affairs). LaGuardia faculty are encouraged to APPLY HERE to the upcoming CTL COIL seminar offered jointly with Queens College to enhance transfer opportunities for our students!
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LaGuardia Community Comes Together for Opening Sessions Fall 2023
Faculty and staff gathered in the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center’s Mainstage Theater for the Fall 2023 Opening Sessions, which this year focused on “Student Success: Inspiration, Cultivation, and Application.” Keynote Speaker was Dr. Christine Harrington, Professor and Co-Coordinator, Ed. D. in Community College Leadership New Jersey City University, who shared some helpful tips and engagement exercises to help students succeed in college. Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia; Dr. Billie Gastic-Rosado, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Dr. Alexis McLean-McKessey, Vice President for Student Affairs, presented welcoming remarks and congratulated the Opening Sessions Planning Committee on their successful event, which included concurrent workshops and departmental meetings. Additional highlights included two student music/vocal performances.
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LaGuardia Graduate Accepts Invitation to Prestigious Harvard Kennedy School Conference about Careers in Public Service
John Bahia (LaGuardia’23, Liberal Arts) has been invited to attend Harvard Kennedy School’s annual Public Policy and Leadership Conference (PPLC). “My acceptance is the embodiment of the idea that with dedication and the right resources, students from all backgrounds can rise to achieve their dreams,” said John, who is currently studying at Columbia University, intending to major in Urban Studies. John will attend the 23rd PPLC on October 12–15. PPLC aims to inspire and motivate first and second-year undergraduates, especially from historically underrepresented and underserved communities, to consider careers in public service. This encompasses roles in various governmental levels, NGOs, nonprofits, international institutions, and more. Through exposure to a grad school setting with a focus on public policy and international affairs, PPLC also provides insights into fellowship opportunities that can potentially fund graduate studies. While pursuing his bachelor’s, John works at the Office of Assemblymember Steven Raga as communications coordinator and scheduler. In addition, he’s a voice for his community as a member of Queens Community Board 2 (CB2).
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LaGuardia Introduces Fields of Interest and Two New ‘Tracks’ to Help Students’ Exploration of Studies and Careers
Choosing a subject to major in can be difficult. While some students begin their college career with a clear idea of what they want to study, most go in undecided. LaGuardia understands there are many factors to consider when choosing what major fits best. Since there are so many academic paths to choose from, LaGuardia is introducing six Fields of Interest to help students choose from the college’s 43 majors and 64 distinct academic pathways. These Fields of Interest are: Business & Entrepreneurship; Education & Public Service; Engineering, Science & Technology; Health & Wellness; Languages, Culture & Society; and Visual & Performing Arts. These Fields of Interest serve to better categorize the majors that fall underneath them, and make it easier for students to identify majors that suit their interests and goals. Additionally, LaGuardia is also introducing two new options or “tracks” within existing majors: Health Humanities in the Liberal Arts Social Science and Humanities A.A. program and Animal Sciences in the Environmental Science A.S. program. “Both of these new tracks were initiated by faculty who recognized the need and opportunity, advocated for the development of the tracks and wrote and successfully obtained grants to support their development,” said Dionne Miller, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
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LaGuardia Welcomes 20 New Lecturers and Assistant Professors
This fall, you’re likely to see a few new faces around campus—and not just new students, either. LaGuardia Community College is proud to announce the appointment of 20 new lecturers and assistant professors to share their expertise and guide students to academic success. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado says the LaGuardia community is lucky to be able to continue increasing the number of full-time faculty members at the college—last fall, the college welcomed a total of 23 new faculty. This year’s new lecturers and assistant professors represent a diverse range of backgrounds and academic interests—the new faculty will join the departments of English, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
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Office of Institutional Research and Analysis Publishes LaGuardia’s Institutional Profile Report
The Office of Institutional Research and Analysis (OIRA) recently released LaGuardia’s annual Institutional Profile Report, which examines several factors of the college: enrollment, academic programs, student demographics, student retention, and more. OIRA has been publishing the Institutional Profile annually since 2004. The profile aims to provide faculty, staff, students and alumni with data-driven content on trends, as well as strategic insight into the college and its community. LaGuardia’s Institutional Profile paints an interesting picture of the college as a highly diverse institution and one of the most affordable and innovative in the state of New York. This year’s Institutional Profile, as well as profiles from the last six years, is available on LaGuardia’s OIRA website. The website also offers dashboards that can be examined by program and demographic information.
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Students Complete First In-person ASAP STEM Summer Bridges Program at LaGuardia
The Accelerated Study in Associate Programs’ (ASAP) STEM Summer Bridges Program successfully concluded its first in-person session last week. The one-week program aims to give students the tools to succeed in a career in the sciences, technology, engineering and math. This is the first summer in the program’s history that students have come together for a fully in-person session. Throughout the week, students learned about the core principles of social and emotional learning, how to succeed in mathematics, how to handle stress, and how to approach their careers, among other topics. Students also had the opportunity to interact with several members of LaGuardia’s STEM faculty, who shared stories about their career, along with various science and engineering demonstrations.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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LaGuardia Seeks Staff Members to Join New Council
LaGuardia Community College is forming a new Staff Council offering opportunities for staff members to share their concerns, address issues, and celebrate staff achievements. The Senate's Committee of Staff and Alumni is taking the lead in forming the new Staff Council and is encouraging eligible staff to join. Eligible staff members include full-time and part-time staff members: Civil Service series (including Provisional); College Assistants; Research Foundation employees; Gittleson (COA, CSA, CAA); and HEO Title Series. The first meeting is scheduled Tuesday, September 12 from 1 to 2 p.m., in Room E-501. This meeting will be hybrid (Zoom Meeting ID: Meeting ID: 824 7977 9465; Passcode: 531445). Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch. Anyone interested in learning more can contact Loretta Capuano.
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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, September 13; Wednesday, October 18; and Wednesday, November 15, in Room E-509. Faculty and staff can reserve a 30-minute timeslot here. In addition, faculty and staff are invited 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 on social media throughout the year. For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471 or Carlos Freire, videographer, at Ext. 5292.
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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.
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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.
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LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | | |
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Updates from LaGuardia's Library
- Welcome back! The Library will resume our normal hours - opening at 8 a.m. Monday - Friday. Be sure to check our Library Hours before you come in.
- 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.
- 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.
- We already have our MoneyBoss workshops scheduled for the Fall semester! See our website for more details.
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HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES
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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.
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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.
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LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES
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Wednesday, September 6
Thursday, September 7
Friday, September 8
- First Day of Fall 2023 Session I Classes
Saturday, September 9
Wednesday, September 13
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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 CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday. |
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