Friday, January 20, 2023 | Vol. 6, No. 1

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DAISY COCCO DE FILIPPIS

My Dear Colleagues and Students,

The upcoming academic semester invites hopeful reflections and planning to assist our students and strengthen our aspirations. There is much to look forward to in the next few months, like supporting new, continuing, and returning students by means of thoughtful teaching and learning opportunities.

The past week, on January 11, we commemorated the 184th anniversary of the birth of our illustrious namesake Don Eugenio María de Hostos, by sharing coffee and cake with our Student Government Association President and members of the Hostos family. We sang “Happy Birthday” in English and Spanish, and our students blew out the candles! 

As the semester begins, there are a number of celebrations programmed to mark the 55th anniversary of the founding of the College. Please stay tuned and follow the Hostos Weekly/Semanario Hostosiano, now on its 6th volume, for updates on a calendar of activities. Our Strategic Plan for the next five years continues. Look in the Semanario for a schedule of open forums in March and much more.

Thank you to those who have been with us through the break; it’s very much appreciated. Our enrollments have been generously supported by you. For those returning, welcome back. We are happy to have you continue our Manos a la Obra/All Hands-on-Deck journey.

Mil gracias y bendiciones, Daisy

Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.

President

A POEM TO WELCOME A NEW SEMESTER

The Gift

By Mary Oliver 

Be still, my soul, and steadfast.

Earth and heaven both are still watching

though time is draining from the clock

and your walk, that was confident and quick,

has become slow

So, be slow if you must, but let

the heart still play its true part.

Love still as once you loved, deeply

and without patience. Let God and the world

know you are grateful.

That the gift has been given. 

Oliver, Mary. “The Gift.” Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, Hardcover ed., Penguin Press, New York, NY, 2017, p.14.

MESSAGE FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT LEAGHTON N. OZORIA

May this season find you well. We start a new semester, a new time, a new beginning. We start here to end where? As some alumni might notice, we are here to experience life. We are glad to have you here for those joining us this semester. This is a journey we live in today. May this experience be acknowledged as the genesis of the creation of your education.

As I see it, college is for your inner growth. Expect the best treatment from us to you all. We have a readied team of experts from titled MBAs to many empowered Ph.D.s. Supporting you with valuable expertise is our acumen.

We have tutoring, many workshops, and a theater that houses entertainment, ceremonies, commencements, and awards. We have a pool and a gymnasium for your exercise and strength. Our library is well equipped with books and almanacs full of knowledgeable facts.

Hostos Community College is inviting you to be one with the collegiate society. We can give you the future you want, from nursing to business and the world in between. We go from covering the basics to our honors program. Enjoy our selection of fraternity and sorority societies; all clubs are open to your advantage so that you become a leader.

Learn deeply as you study hard, for this knowledge will advance your philosophy and persona in education.

CAIMAN CLUES

Weekly Tips & Reminders to Navigate Life at Hostos

Dear Students,

The Caiman Clues team hopes you’ve had a reinvigorating winter break! We are excited to welcome you to a new semester here at Hostos Community College, and want to make you aware of all the resources available to help you have a strong semester.  

Here are the Caiman Clues for this week: 

• Get the Dates – The Spring 2023 semester begins on January 25. Check out the semester's academic calendar and make note of registration deadlines, term tuition adjustments grades/rates, and CUNY’s holiday schedule.  
• Campus Health & Wellness – COVID-19 Vaccination Verification and MMR Compliance deadline was January 16. Make sure to upload documentation to CUNYfirst. Also, review CUNYfirst to confirm your class enrollment. 
• Degreeworks and Succeed@Hostos – Join a hands-on workshop to improve your familiarity and knowledge of Degreeworks and Succeed@Hostos. You’ll learn to track your program of study and stay connected with advisors and faculty. College advisors will show you how to find and select courses, look at your grades and financial aid package, and so much more. The next event is on January 18 at 5 p.m. Register here.
• Paying for College – Get pointers on paying for college, including information on scholarships and loans. Join us for financial aid workshops on Thursday, January 19, at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Register here for the 1 p.m. session.  Register here for the 5 p.m. session. 

OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT (OIERA)

Submitted by Dean Babette Audant, Ph.D.

Institutional Data: A Framework for Inquiry

Welcome to 2023!

The last few weeks of persistently gray skies, limited daylight hours, and oddly warm temperatures have been disorienting for me. What’s been grounding has been a circling back to why institutional data is important. This reorientation can be credited to a few deep dives (produced by OIERA’s senior director, Piotr Kocik) that break apart aggregate views of something as basic as Gateway Math pass and completion rates.

We often look at these particular data, which is used by CUNY as markers of institutional effectiveness across colleges. Taken as a whole, they provide one view of Hostos’ significant improvement in the rate of FTFTF (first-time full-time freshmen) enrolling in and completing Gateway Math in their first year. Kudos to the Math Department for their thoughtful, intentional work in redesigning math sequences and integrating co-requisites, as well as their collaborative approach to developing and sharing course shells.

Looking at student outcomes for different Gateway options provides a more nuanced view of which courses students are likeliest to choose (MAT120 and MAT120SI or statistics/quantitative reasoning), or how few students are ready for PreCal when admitted (~6.5%), which is among the indicators we need to keep in mind if we want to increase enrollment in STEM pathways.

The disaggregated view of student outcomes across Gateway Math options provides a lens through which to evaluate whether or not CUNY’s hypothesis that the Proficiency Index (CPI) would give students a 65% chance of earning a C or above was on target (data for FA22 suggests “it depends” on the form of Gateway Math). Importantly, the disaggregated data provide a baseline by which outcomes in subsequent semesters can be evaluated, especially as we start to invite faculty and staff to investigate the relationship between pedagogy, curriculum and academic supports including peer mentors, co-requisite instruction and tutoring provided through Hostos Academic Learning Center (HALC), among other resources.

In short, institutional data in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs) or student success outcomes, or however it might be named, is rarely the answer. Rather, it is an invitation to ask questions and to explore what we might learn from the numeric representation of institutional work in support of our students’ success at Hostos and beyond.

POLICY OF THE WEEK

Highlighting CUNY Policies You Should Know

Submitted by Executive Counsel and Labor Designee Eugene Sohn, Esq.

CUNY Computer Use Policy

CUNY’s computer resources are dedicated to supporting the University’s mission of education, research and public service. In furtherance of this mission, CUNY respects, upholds and endeavors to safeguard the principles of academic freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of inquiry. 

CUNY recognizes that there is a concern among the University community that because information created, used, transmitted or stored in electronic form is by its nature susceptible to disclosure, invasion, loss, and similar risks, electronic communications and transactions will be particularly vulnerable to infringements of academic freedom. CUNY’s commitment to the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression includes electronic information. Therefore, whenever possible, CUNY will resolve doubts about the need to access CUNY Computer Resources in favor of a User’s privacy interest. 

However, the use of CUNY Computer Resources, including for electronic transactions and communications, like the use of other University-provided resources and activities, is subject to the requirements of legal and ethical behavior. This policy is intended to support the free exchange of ideas among members of the CUNY community and between the CUNY community and other communities while recognizing the responsibilities and limitations associated with such exchange. 

To get acquainted with the specifics of the policy, go here.

OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Submitted by Director Eric Radezky, Ph.D.

Have Questions About Your Tenant Rights?

This week’s update comes from Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala’s Office.

Do you owe rent? Questions about your lease? Are you in housing court? SCRIE and DRIE questions? Get free assistance with repairs, landlord harassment, evictions and referrals for free legal help. 

Non-NYCHA Housing Clinic

First Thursday of every month, 105 East 116th Street, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

NYCHA Residents

First Tuesday of every month, 105 East 116th Street, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get answers on succession rights, grievance procedures, getting repairs, annual recertification, and your rights as a tenant.  

To contact Deputy Speaker Ayala’s Office, please call her East Harlem Office at 212-828-9800 or her South Bronx Office at 347-297-4922.

NEWS FROM THE DIVISIONS

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Submitted by Provost and VP Shiang-Kwei Wang, Ph.D.

Spring 2023 Welcome Days

Academic Affairs and Student Development and Enrollment Management are pleased to share that Welcome Days will happen on January 25 and 26, 2023, thanks to the support of the President, divisional Vice Presidents, the Business Office, Procurement, and the Office of Communications.

Welcome Days is designed to connect our professionals and student leaders with new and continuing students coming to campus during the first and second day of classes. It is laudable that volunteers have emerged from offices and programs across the divisions and service directors have donated Hostos swag for student prizes. This retention effort strives to connect volunteers with upwards of 2,000 students, faculty and staff over the two days and will help establish the tone for the semester for what students can expect when using campus resources and reaching out for support.

As part of this retention activity, all campus professionals are kindly encouraged to greet students in the hallways around campus. The more we help students connect with us, the more reasons they may find to complete their educational journey and achieve their goals at Hostos. Thanks to the campus community for your commitment to promoting student success and making this initiative possible. For more information, contact Dean Johana Gomez or Ms. Sarah Brennan. 

New Publication Released

Congratulations to Jorge Matos Valldejuli for his most recent publication in the journal Latino Studies titled, “‘Together we arrived and together we shall leave’: The Gouverneur Parents Association and the politics of race and disability in postwar New York.” Jorge Matos Valldejuli is an Assistant Professor & Reference Librarian who started at Hostos in 2014. His research documents the history of race and class at the former institution for the developmentally disabled, the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York. He holds an MLS from Queens College and an MA in Modern European and Latin American History from The Graduate Center (CUNY). He was a Founding Member of the National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities and developed the CUNY Disability Scholars Network. A former librarian at the Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños Library and Archives at Hunter College, he has also published in the online journal Activist History Review.

Citation: Valldejuli, J.M. “Together we arrived and together we shall leave”: The Gouverneur Parents Association and the politics of race and disability in postwar New York. Latino Studies 20, 428–454 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41276-022-00375-2

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT (SDEM)

Submitted by VP La Toro Yates, Ph.D.

Student Services

Enrollment for Spring 2023 is open now! Continuing students can log in to their CUNYfirst accounts to register for classes using Schedule Builder. For navigation assistance, click here. If you need further support, you can make an appointment with your ASAP Advisor or College Discovery Advisor. You can call Student Services at 718-518-4385.

CUNY EDGE

The CUNY EDGE Office… 

• Wishes to congratulate 30 of our students that earned GPAs of 3.0 and participated in workshops. These students will be receiving a $60 Amazon gift.
• Participated in a meeting with the District 7 Family Leadership team. This meeting, arranged with the Family Empowerment Program, was an opportunity to share the services we provide with the executive teams of District 7. They, in turn, will refer their students to us to be educated as matriculated or Continuing Education students. It is also an opportunity to collaborate with the district to find employment for our students in the Department of Education (DOE). More to come!

Children’s Center

• Winter semester: The Children’s Center reopened for the winter semester. We have 11 children attending this session. 
• Spring semester: We are gearing up for our spring semester. Currently, together with our infant/toddler rooms, we expect 44 children enrolled, up from 36 in the fall. Parents are still registering for Spring 2023.

Student Success Coaching Unit (SSCU)

Classes begin January 25, 2023! Enrollment is going on now. Students assigned to SSCU, can click on one of the links below:

In-Person Walk-in Event

Virtual Walk-in Event

Scholarships

• Great News! TheDream.US National Scholarship is now open! This scholarship is for highly motivated undocumented students who want nothing more than a college education but cannot afford the cost. You may be eligible for our National Scholarship if you are undocumented and are enrolled in a community college or university. Read more about the eligibility criteria below:
• Our Scholars have what it takes to succeed in college and life! While we consider your GPA, we place great emphasis on your commitment to community service and your demonstrated ability to overcome the barriers and challenges that undocumented students face each day.
• Our National Scholarship Award will cover your tuition and fees up to a maximum of $16,500 for an associate degree and $33,000 for a bachelor’s degree at one of our partner colleges. 

You can renew the Award each year so long as you meet the continuing eligibility criteria.

Important Dates

November 1, 2022 – Application Opens

February 28, 2023 – Application Closes

Late April 2023 – TheDream.US Awardees Notified

• The Hispanic Federation (HF) seeks to empower and advance the Hispanic community, support Hispanic families, and strengthen Latino institutions through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, economic empowerment, and the environment. Continuing its commitment to serve and support New York City’s young immigrant population, the Hispanic Federation is proud to provide funds to aid eligible undocumented students with tuition or grocery assistance through its Undocumented Student Support Fund. Read the eligibility criteria below: 

1. Enrolled in at least six credits.
2. Earned a degree from high school or obtained a GED.
3. Not eligible to apply for federal financial aid; and
4. Falls within the 400% federal poverty guidelines.
5. Attend college in one of the 5 NYC boroughs.
6. Open to all undocumented students regardless of country of birth.

For more information or assistance with these and other scholarships, contact Marina Esquilin, scholarship coordinator, at 718-518-4166 or mesquilin@hostos.cuny.edu.

Poem submitted by VP La Toro Yates

Dreams 

By Nikki Giovanni

in my younger years

before i learned

black people aren’t

suppose to dream

i wanted to be

a raelet

and say “dr o wn d in my youn tears”

or “tal kin bout tal kin bout”

or marjorie hendricks and grind   

all up against the mic

and scream

“baaaaaby nightandday   

baaaaaby nightandday”

then as i grew and matured

i became more sensible   

and decided i would   

settle down

and just become

a sweet inspiration

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Submitted by SVP Esther Rodríguez-Chardavoyne

Capital Improvements: A Building – Heating and Ventilation Upgrades

A major construction project to upgrade the heating and ventilation systems in the Old Wing of the A Building will begin in mid-January. The nine Air Handling Units (AHUs), which circulate hot and cold air throughout the building, will be replaced. This critical project will ensure the HVAC system's functioning in the A building for years to come.

The construction is scheduled to start on January 17 and will occur in the Old Wing of the A Building. The Old Wing refers to the original building, once a tire factory; it primarily houses offices and classrooms. The new wing faces the Grand Concourse and houses the Children’s Center, the library, the atrium, most of the Allied Health and science labs, and links to the C Building; this part of the building was constructed in the mid-1990s and will not be affected by the upcoming construction work.

The contractors will begin with replacing piping on the 4th Floor. In anticipation of this work, the Registrar’s Office has relocated all classes from this area to elsewhere on campus for the Spring semester. Once the pipe replacement is completed, the contractors will provide a more detailed plan and schedule for the duration of the construction; at that time, accommodations will be made on an as-needed basis.

As with all construction, there will be noise. The contractors have been instructed to minimize the noise, including restricting the noisiest work to nights.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this project and will continue to provide updates during the spring semester.

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (CEWD)

Submitted by VP Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham, Ph.D.

Spread the Word

Please share information about CEWD’s current scholarships and no-cost training opportunities, which can be found by clicking here and selecting the scholarships & tuition assistance programs link in our online course catalog. For additional information, please encourage prospective students to sign up for one of CEWD’s upcoming Virtual Information Sessions by visiting https://tinyurl.com/HostosCEWD. 

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Submitted by VP Colette Atkins

The Alumni Fund for Student Transfer Scholarships

The Office of Alumni Relations is pleased to announce the Hostos Alumni Fund for Student Transfer Scholarships. The intended fund gives alumni a way to honor the impact of their Hostos degree by providing empowering support to current students who want to further their academic careers at a four-year institution. If you’re an alum, consider making a year-end gift toward the Hostos Alumni Fund for Student Transfer Scholarships using this link.

Save the Date for the 55th Anniversary Gala

The 2023 Hostos Community College Foundation 55th Anniversary Gala will be held on Wednesday, April 26. Please save the date to celebrate with us.

BRAVO NEWS

Celebrating the Accomplishments of the Hostos Community

CEWD Recognized as “Best for Workforce Education”

Hostos ranked 6th among the top 22 community colleges in New York and was awarded “Best for Workforce Education” by Intelligent, a student-focused website. CEWD was recognized for its professional development courses and workforce training programs.

“We are honored to be recognized as ‘Best for Workforce Education’ and to rank 6th among the top 22 community colleges in New York,” said Vice President of CEWD, Dr. Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to provide students and the community with scholarships and no-cost programming to obtain high-quality occupational training, gain access to higher education, and transition to a good-paying job.”

Hostos Professor and Hollywood Actress Sol Miranda Stars in New Film

Acclaimed Latina actress and Hostos Community College professor, Sol Miranda, stars in the new film “Come Find Me,” a mother-daughter story about highly accomplished women of color. 

Also a co-producer in the project, Miranda plays the lead role of Gloria, mother to Christina (Victoria Cartagena), who is struggling to prove herself in the competitive field of law. The movie follows their lives at different stages and the difficult situations that challenge the stability of their relationship. 

“It is a beautifully executed and uplifting Latinx indie narrative about two strong, driven women. We ​hope that our tenacious Hostos community will be able to see itself in this story, will be moved by it, and that its message encourages thought-provoking conversations,” shared Miranda. 

The film is available to stream on Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, and other platforms. 

Hostos Community College Celebrates 184th Anniversary of its Namesake

The Hostos Community College family came together to celebrate its namesake’s 184th birthday on January 11 at the C-building lobby. Born in 1839, Eugenio María de Hostos was an educator, essayist, and patriot responsible for reforming education in many countries in Latin America, including Chile, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. 

Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis said, “I’m happy that we’re here celebrating together the man who later became known as The Citizen of the Americas. He reformed pedagogies, especially for women. Although he was a Puerto Rican-born intellectual, we felt he was ours in my home country, the Dominican Republic, where I grew up.” 

To symbolize passing the baton, two student leaders from the Student Government Association (SGA) were in charge of blowing out the candles on behalf of Hostos: Leaghton Ozoria, president, and Brian Carter, budget and finance commissioner.

“Thank you for celebrating our school and coming together as the big family we are,” said Ozoria.

For his part, Carter explained that Hostos’ legacy inspired him during the trying times of the pandemic, during which he was serving his term as president of the SGA. Working to support his peers, Carter spearheaded many workshops to discuss mental health and financial literacy among the student body, an endeavor motivated by Hostos’ sense of duty for his own.

HOSTOS FOR EVERYONE

Free Services for the Community

Hostos Offers Free Preventive Dental Hygiene Services to the Public

For more information and scheduling, call 718-319-7943.

The appointment schedule, as follows, will resume January 25, 2023:

Mondays: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesdays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: Hostos Dental Hygiene Patient Care Facility

500 Grand Concourse, Bronx NY 10451

B-Building 

The Dental Hygiene Patient Care Facility at Hostos Community College is a teaching unit that provides comprehensive dental care, primarily cleanings and dental x-rays to the community, while adhering to the most current sterilization techniques. Several appointments will be needed and each may last three hours at a time.

Note: The clinic does not provide restorative dental work such as fillings, implants, etc.

Title: Café Reopening on Welcome Day in Honor of our 55th Anniversary

Date | Time Wednesday, January 25, 2023 | 12 p.m.

Location: Hostos Café

Hosted by: Administration and Finance

Title: All-College Meeting

Date | Time: Wednesday, February 9, 2023 | 3:30 p.m. 

Location: SMPR

Hosted by: Office of the President

Title: Panel: A Legacy of Advocacy: Dominican Women and the Struggle for Representation

Date | Time: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.

Location: Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos

For inclusion in The Hostos Weekly, please send your items to:

publicrelations@hostos.cuny.edu at least two weeks ahead of publication.

Please keep submissions to no more than two paragraphs of written content and note,

we are unable to add attachments to our publication.

Find the Spring Publishing Schedule for El Semanario Hostosiano here.

Past issues of El Semanario Hostosiano/The Hostos Weekly can be found here.

Look for The Hostos Weekly each Friday.