Friday, October 8, 2021 | Vol. 3 No. 7, Fall 2021 Semester
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MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DAISY COCCO DE FILIPPIS |
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My Dear Colleagues and Students,
Another week ends, and we are moving closer to the mid-semester point. I write to reach out to thank you for your good work with our students, and to encourage all to move forward with safety measures, vaccines, face masking, social distancing, and good hygiene habits. As you know, Hostos is working diligently to respond to student inquiries as it continues to follow established College and University protocols to maintain the health and safety of students, faculty and staff. In case you missed it, please see my message with more details, shared on Wednesday, October 6, here.
The following are the latest numbers on vaccinations, shared by colleagues in SDEM on October 6:
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Yesterday we had a very effective golf outing fundraising event on behalf of our students. Colleagues in DIA, in this case an effort headed by Idelsa Méndez, have done a supportive job, very encouraging at the beginning of the academic year.
I am also happy to report that Director Felix Arocho has received a $326,615 grant from the Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venues Operators Grant (SVOG) in support of the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture. The grant is designed to provide financial support to performing arts and theater rental venues hard-hit by the pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns. (See more in Bravo News section below.)
Stay engaged, hopeful, and focused on the task at hand to teach and to learn, as we intentionally work to retain our students, for their sakes and for the sake of the communities we serve.
Mil gracias y bendiciones, Daisy
Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
President
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A POEM TO HONOR ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH |
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Sonnet: The Beauty Of Her Face
By Dante Alighieri
For certain he hath seen all perfectness
Who among other ladies hath seen mine:
They that go with her humbly should combine
To thank their God for such peculiar grace.
So perfect is the beauty of her face
That it begets in no wise any sigh
Of envy, but draws round her a clear line
Of love, and blessed faith, and gentleness.
Merely the sight of her makes all things bow:
Not she herself alone is holier
Than all; but hers, through her, are raised above.
From all her acts such lovely graces flow
That truly one may never think of her
Without a passion of exceeding love.
The author of La Vita Nuova and La Commedia is considered a masterwork of world literature, Dante Alighieri was born Durante Alighieri in Florence, Italy, in 1265. Learn more about the author here.
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION |
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Submitted by SGA President Brian Carter
This will be an interesting semester. God willing, we can start to look past this pandemic and to new beginnings. I commend my beloved students, faculty, and staff that have been making phenomenal efforts in bringing back some sense of normalcy to our college. Although it hasn’t been easy, I recognize the effort and that is encouraging to see and feel. I know we will continue to go through difficult times, but we stand together. On behalf of the Hostos SGA, I vow to continue to support the entire student body and want to remind them of the opportunities Hostos has to offer, like being a part of the SGA leadership.
We are currently interviewing possible SGA Senators. I encourage any second-semester student who fulfills the criteria of a minimum 2.5 GPA and be available for mandatory meetings every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. to apply. Reach out to Jerry Rosa or Rhonda Smith via emailing or visiting them in the Student Activities Office located on the third floor of the C-building, near the elevators. And you can also reach out to Jason Libfeld, director of the Student Leadership Academy. We are looking for students who will help carry the SGA tradition forward of representing student voices at the College-Wide Senate Meeting held every third Thursday of the month. This is a prestigious opportunity that looks great on a resume. Since we serve the entire student body, handling numerous issues and concerns, including grievances that you may have with another student, or faculty or staff member, as an SGA Senator you are also responsible for joining committees to learn more about student life.
At the moment, the SGA has seven open positions. We are really looking forward to getting to know more students. Take advantage of this opportunity, it could be the game-changer you’re looking for in your life.
Also, please support the series of workshops we have created with the Counseling Center scheduled for October 29, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Follow the Counseling Center on IG @hostoscounseling for updated information. The virtual event is titled “Adjusting to the New Normal.” We created the space for students to have an opportunity to stay engaged with the college activities but also be given a chance to speak their truth about how this “new normal” is impacting their lives. We really look forward to seeing you!
To end, the Athletic Department is currently looking for athletes to join the women’s volleyball team and the women’s basketball team. Check it out here.
Students, you are appreciated. I must encourage you to participate as much as possible because we are each other’s keeper. Regardless of whether the circumstances improve in a timely manner, we continue to strive and stay motivated because we will continue to be the engine that drives this vehicle called life, and mark my words, we will continue to live life.
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MIDDLE STATES SELF-STUDY UPDATE |
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Submitted by MSCHE Steering Committee Co-Chairs Professor Kate S. Wolfe and Professor Nelson Nuñez Rodríguez
The key role of IT department support
The Self-Study process requires a well-organized and referenced Evidence Inventory. Middle States recommends designing a sustained process to gather, organize and evaluate evidence that can be utilized as a tool for future institutional review and operational processes. The Hostos IT department developed our Self-Study inventory using SharePoint. The steering committee deeply appreciates the constant support of Assistant Vice President of Information Technology Varun Sehgal, IT Training and Collaboration Specialist Gurudutt Sanjeev, IT Assistant Francisco Quiroz, and the President’s Office IT Assistant Victor Santana. These Hostos members have been instrumental in finding solutions and creating simplicity as the evolution of Self-Study produced new demands. They have also been involved in maintaining the Hostos Self-Study site on the College website including systematic uploading of Self-Study updates. Middle States requires an updated site to inform the community.
Once completed, the Steering Committee aims to empower our institution with the creation of this long-term resource. This site will contain a wealth of thoughtfully organized information. It will be appropriate to use it in future strategic planning and assess what worked during the Self-Study while finding opportunities to refine the organized evidence. The Steering Committee firmly believes in the value of the Self-Study process itself as it creates ways of operating that illuminate our daily efforts. The IT role in creating the Self-Study evidence inventory represents an institutional skill that can be used to organize the daily operations of several College divisions and offices. Consequently, this tool will improve Hostos service to students.
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INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH & ASSESSMENT |
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Submitted by Dean of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Assessment Babette Audant, Ph.D.
Mission in practice: Provide access to higher education
Hostos as a point of access to higher education is discussed from several perspectives in the Self-Study report, and each emphasizes why our role as a community college in the Bronx comes with such responsibility and possibility.
First, we are an open-access institution. We do not turn away students because of their GPA, their ACT or SAT scores, or their need for academic support. Unlike the flagship CUNY institutions that brag about their relatively low acceptance rates, we communicate that we are here to serve as a starting point for all.
Our role as an open-access institution means we admit students whose diversity includes varying baseline math, reading, and writing skills. For some, we offer thoughtfully designed co-requisite courses that offer students supplemental support. Others are referred to CUNY Start or Math Start, in which 280 and 181 students enrolled respectively in AY19-20. These cohort-based pre-college programs are low-cost and effectively prepare students for college-level English and math, with ~75% of program completers achieving proficiency in math. CUNY Start and Math Start also provide intense advisement that prepares students for their transition to college, familiarizing them with processes and resources at Hostos.
Access to higher ed depends on financial access. More than 90% of Hostos students receive federal financial aid. CUNY brags, with reason, that 2 of 3 students across the University graduate debt-free. Hostos’ Financial Aid office is proactive, and tireless, providing one-on-one support to students who are contacted as soon as they accept Hostos’ offer of admission, and urged to complete their FAFSA and TAP quickly. The same message is repeated (and repeated) by advisors and coaches.
Several transfer initiatives led by CUNY strive to ensure that access to higher education is equitable as students move from Hostos to baccalaureate granting institutions and that their credits are appropriately valued as they move from one institution to the other. When faculty negotiate specific (versus “blanket”) articulation agreements, they define intentional pathways for students. For example, many, if not most, of the new Liberal Arts options have articulations across CUNY. In addition to delivering a foundation in liberal education, the options help students map their next academic and career steps.
Lastly, the workaround CPL (credit for prior learning) is gaining momentum. For all of our students, and in particular, the ~40% of students >25 years old, policies that guide and capacity to implement assessments of prior education, training, experience, and award credit create access by saving students time and money, and state clearly that we, Hostos, see them and value their prior experiences.
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OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS |
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Submitted by Director of Government Relations and External Affairs Erik Radezky, Ph.D.
New York City’s Free COVID-19 Isolation Hotel Program
The City of New York offers a COVID-19 Isolation Hotel Program through the NYC Test & Trace Corps for New Yorkers who have tested positive for coronavirus or who may have been exposed to it and cannot safely self-isolate from others at home.
If you are infected or think you might be infected and you cannot stay six feet away from others in your home, if you share rooms or a bathroom with others, or if you live with someone who is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, the Isolation Hotel Program can help. Call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) to book a room. You may also call that number for COVID-19 testing, test results, information for individuals with long COVID, paid family leave, test and trace corps, and questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
The program is free of charge to eligible New Yorkers and includes up to 10 days of isolation in a hotel with meals, private rooms and bathrooms, COVID-19 testing, on-site doctors and nurses, medication delivery, and free Wi-Fi and local phone service. And for a behind-the-scenes look at the program, read the story of a 24-year-old woman who recently stayed in an Isolation Hotel for a description of her experience.
Don’t wait, separate! Help stop the spread of coronavirus and call 212-268-4319 to book an Isolation Hotel room.
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Submitted by Executive Counsel & Labor Designee Eugene Sohn, Esq.
CUNY Campus and Workplace Violence Policy
POLICY STATEMENT
The City University of New York (the “University” or “CUNY”) is committed to the prevention of workplace violence and will respond promptly to any threats and/or acts of violence. For purposes of this Policy, Workplace Violence is defined as any physical assault or acts of aggressive behavior occurring where an employee performs any work-related duty in the course of his or her employment, including but not limited to:
An attempt or threat, whether verbal or physical, to inflict physical injury upon an employee; (ii) Any intentional display of force which would give an employee reason to fear or expect bodily harm;
(iii) Intentional and wrongful physical contact with an employee without his or her consent that entails some injury;
(iv) Stalking an employee in a manner which may cause the employee to fear for his or her physical safety and health when such stalking has arisen through and in the course of employment.
Workplace Violence presents a serious occupational safety hazard to CUNY and its employees. The University will respond promptly to threats and/or acts of violence. All employees are responsible for helping to create an environment of mutual respect and for assisting in maintaining a safe and secure work environment and will participate in the annual Workplace Violence Prevention Training Program.
Learn more about the CUNY Campus and Workplace Violence Policy here.
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HOSTOS REOPENING UPDATE: OCTOBER 8, 2021
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Submitted by Esther Rodríguez Chardavoyne, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance and Interim Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management
As we move further into the Fall 2021 semester, the College continues to follow established procedures to maintain the health and safety of students, faculty and staff. Equally important is maintaining open communications with our community during the shift to reopening.
The document now includes these required changes from CUNY:
- Student vaccination requirements.
- Face covering/mask requirements.
- Quarantine and isolation guidelines for unvaccinated and vaccinated people.
- Visitor guidelines, including for brief visits (under 30 minutes) and for visitors under the age of 12.
- Criteria/circumstances and procedures for shut down, as described in updated Supplemental Guidelines.
As always, if there are details you would like to see included on our COVID-19 Readiness website, let us know so we can consider adding them! Please send feedback to our COVID-19 Communications email address (covid19@hostos.cuny.edu).
Reminder: Student Vaccination Policy
Take a class on campus (marked as “hybrid” or “in-person” in CUNYfirst).
Do in-person clinical work or fieldwork, including nursing clinicals and student teaching.
You may be able to come on campus for certain emergency services if you’re still unvaccinated after October 7, or if you have an approved medical exemption or religious exception. You will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 7 days prior to the visit. If you need assistance, contact Fabian Wander (Director of Health & Wellness).
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NEWS FROM THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
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Submitted by Acting Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Charles I. Drago
Student Success Programs in STEM
OAA is pleased to acknowledge the STEM Proyecto Access/STEP/CSTEP programs that served 250 secondary school students during the Summer 2021 session. Proyecto Access/STEP/CSTEP provided theoretical and hands-on instructions in math, physics, living environment, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and technical writing.
The Proyecto Access/STEP/CSTEP ’21 Summer session also offered panel discussions, Kahoot Trivia competitions, and research workshops. This Fall ’21 semester the STEP program is offering individualized tutoring services, college preparation workshops, SAT prep, and a 6-week C++ workshop.
Currently, close to 100 Hostos undergraduates are enrolled in the CSTEP program to receive support services in STEM. During the ’21 Summer session, these students participated in research activities, game theory, and anatomy and physiology workshops.
The leadership of the Hostos CSTEP program works closely with the College’s institutional departments as well as community partners that include the NYC Department of Education, NYC Department of Design and Construction, NYU Langone Medical School, The New York Power Authority, Attain Labs, SISDA, NYMACS, and the Brookhaven National Laboratory, among others.
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Students: Every week, for the academic year, read the Caiman Clues for helpful tips and reminders.
Caiman Clues —Your Hostos Helping Hand to Success
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NEWS FROM THE DIVISION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
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CEWD: Updates from Career Services
Partnering for Success - Faculty & CBO's networking
The annual Career Services, Partnering for Success Virtual Meeting, will be held on October 13, from 3-5 p.m. Internship employers, faculty, and career services have the opportunity to engage in dialogue around internship and workforce readiness and discuss trends and best practices in the industries represented. Faculty members partnering with organizations are welcome to attend.
CUNY Recovery Corps - Program Outcomes
This summer Lisanette Rosario served as the Campus Lead for the implementation and launch of the CUNY Recovery Corps program at Hostos Community College. We supported two groups of students, Welcome Corps and General Corps. The SDEM team, Elbagina Bonilla, and Marsha Milan-Bethel led the follow-up for the students engaged in the Hostos Welcome Corps (Welcome Corps students were involved in supporting student services offices with outreach efforts and engaging new and returning students). The General Corps group was assigned to offices in CEWD, OAA, Administration & Finance, and external organizations. Hostos Community College provided 143 students with paid opportunities and students earned a combined income of $266,509. This program could not have been possible without the support from the Hostos Community College staff and faculty that served as supervisors and mentors for our Hostos students this summer. Thank you!
PSEO Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes - Employment data of Hostos graduates
The Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) is an experimental data product from the US Census Bureau containing earnings outcomes and employment flows for recent graduates of partner colleges and universities.
CUNY Service Corps - Recruitment
The Hostos CUNY Service Corps program’s recruitment, led by Career Services, is ongoing and students that are eligible for Federal Work Study and meet the program requirements have the opportunity to intern at a non-profit organization. Please refer students to the application link.
Financial Aid partnership - Campus Supervisors needed
At Hostos Community College, the Career Services Office and the Financial Aid Office partnered in Fall 2020 to begin developing a system to manage outreach and student placement for the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program. We are currently participating in a new Federal Work-Study experimental (FWS XSITE) initiative. Together these efforts will propel our FWS program into the 21st Century to provide students with work experience at external employer organizations. Students in the Academic internship and clinical programs who meet the Federal Work Study criteria are eligible to receive payment for their experiences. If you are interested in serving as a FWS supervisor and employing students click the link here to access the FWS supervisor interest form.
Monthly data/outlook for the college community
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CEWD Virtual Open Houses
Thursday, October 14, 2021 | 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. & 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 23, 2021 | 11 a.m. to noon & noon to 1 p.m.
The CEWD Fall 2021 course brochure can be found here.
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WATCH MISSION BX
MISSION BX is produced by Hostos Community College in partnership with BronxNet, and hosted by Eileen Newman, Executive Director of the Center for Bronx Nonprofits, an organization that examines the work of nonprofits in health, housing, environmental, arts, food, and other sectors.
Mission BX features interviews with nonprofit leaders, elected officials and community members. Guests will share stories of the meaningful work being carried out in neighborhoods throughout the borough.
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NEWS FROM THE DIVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
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Alumni Relations – DATE CHANGE
Fourth Annual Alma Matters Awards
Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 17, 2021, at 12:30 p.m., when the Office of Alumni Relations will host its Fourth Annual Alma Matters Awards. This virtual event will honor the Hostos alumni who serve as faculty and staff at the College. RSVP today to show your support for Hostos graduates who have committed their careers to the mission of this College, and nominate your outstanding alumni colleagues using this online form.
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The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture Receives Shuttered Venue Operators Grant From the Small Business Administration
The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture received a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant from the Small Business Administration (SVOG) for $326,615. The SVOG grant provides emergency assistance for performing arts and theater rental venues hard-hit by COVID-19.
Sheltering in place devastated the cultural economic sector. Artists and venues across the country were suddenly left in limbo. The creative economy’s halt caused a domino effect that revealed just how vibrant the performing arts sector is to society and how delicate the fabric of sustainability is. Just as the education field had to pivot towards technology, the arts also used the digital realm to re-invent the stage.
The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture was also quick to shift and appear on YouTube and Facebook Livestream with its re-scheduled programming. To the Hostos Center’s surprise, virtual events surpassed expectations with audience virtual attendance from around the world.
But the performing arts are about the excitement of the “live” and “in-person” experience. Its two theaters, cultural centerpieces of the Bronx, remained vacant. For the arts sector, no amount of virtual splendor can replace box office revenue.
Hostos Center Director Felix Arocho worked hard to complete the competitive and rigorous SVOG application.
“All the work and patience paid off. It was a very complicated application, and the requirements were very strict, with an incredible amount of organizational, financial, marketing, box office, contracting, personnel and other numberless documents required,” remarked Arocho. “I gratefully thank SVP Esther Rodríguez-Chardavoyne and her Divisional Team, especially Mr. Ken Acquah, for all their support. I am excited for this great win.”
About The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
While our theaters and art gallery remain closed, the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture is as active as ever — presenting engaging programs in music, dance, theater, film, and visual arts. Follow us online as we bring you events for the virtual space. Whether on Zoom, Facebook Live or YouTube, the Hostos Center remains dedicated and responsive to the cultural needs of South Bronx residents and neighboring communities. An integral part of Hostos Community College / CUNY since 1982, Hostos Center is recognized nationally as a leader in Latino/a/x and African-based programming, dedicated to the development of emerging artists and the creation of new work.
Hostos Center events are sponsored by the Hostos Community College Foundation with funds from the: National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the Coalition of Theaters of Color, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Office of New York State Assemblyman José Rivera, and the Office of New York City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, Jr. | The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture | Learn about Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (sba.gov).
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Latoya Semone Jeffers, Esq. Appointed New Chief Diversity Officer at Eugenio María de Hostos Community College
Latoya Semone Jeffers, Esq. has been appointed as the new Chief Diversity Officer at Eugenio María de Hostos Community College, effective Monday, October 4, 2021. An experienced attorney, Jeffers comes to Hostos with a demonstrated track record of conducting comprehensive investigations and analysis in law enforcement and nonprofit organizations.
Before coming to Hostos, she served as Deputy Director of the Giglio Compliance and Review Unit at the New York City Law Department, and before that as Training Unit/Senior Counsel. Jeffers also served as Agency Attorney at the New York City Department of Correction, and as the Acting Director of the Family Court Division's Intern and Recruitment Program.
Jeffers began her career at New York City’s Law Department, in the Juvenile Prosecution Unit, where she further developed her investigative skills. Jeffers then went on to work at the Trials and Investigations Bureau of the New York City Department of Correction.
Latoya Semone Jeffers, Esq. is an Adjunct Professor at Bronx Community College, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Political Science from Denison University and earned her Juris Doctor from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University (formerly Pace Law School).
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BomPlenazo ¡Continuamos! Closing Weekend Celebration
Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10
The 11th Biennial BomPlenazo Festival kicked off virtually last year (2020) - celebrating the Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance traditions of bomba and plena. The festival’s closing will take place October 8 to 10 with a series of amazing concerts online. Each concert will feature top bomba and plena practitioners, musicians, and singers from Puerto Rico, Chicago, and New York City! Get event details here.
Hispanic Heritage Month: The Distinguished Latino Leaders and Student Scholars Virtual Awards Ceremony
Office of the President
Tuesday, October 12, 2021, at 3:30 p.m.
For Students, Faculty and Staff
Nasry Michelen Allied Health Lecture Series: Economic and Financial Impact of Covid in the Community: A Discussion with Benny Lorenzo
Office of the President
October 14 at 3:30 p.m.
Candid Conversations Part 7: The Anniversary
Carlos L. Gonzalez Counseling Center
Tuesday; October 19, 2021, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Theme: Keeping the Conversation About Racism Going
Topics: Black Lives Matter; Race & Finance; Race & Mental Health; Race & Education; Solidarity
Advance Registration Required. Register here.
ADA and Brand Design Workshop for Non-Designers
Office of Communications
Friday, October 22, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Zoom link forthcoming
The workshop will review the importance of understanding and implementing a consistent and accessible brand presence across all communication platforms and doing so in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The intensive is a valuable tool for administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders who ideate, create, and share Hostos-branded content and communication. To RSVP, email PublicRelations@hostos.cuny.edu.
Bronx Social Justice Matters Film Festival
Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Hostos Community College alongside the United Nations Association of El Salvador and GLACO
Friday, October 22 through Monday, October 25
A complete list of films can be found here and tickets can be purchased here.
Make sure to purchase your ticket soon and lock in the Early Bird rate.
Hostos Votes Awareness Event
Hostos President’s Office, Hostos Experiential Learning Opportunities Program, Hostos Service-Learning, Civic Engagement Committee, Hostos Lincoln Academy, Hostos Politics Club, and JUSTICE Committee
Tuesday, October 26 | Zoom lounge opens at 6:15 p.m. | Start time 6:30 p.m.
For students, faculty, staff, and community members.
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ABOUT EL SEMANARIO HOSTOSIANO/THE HOSTOS WEEKLY
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El Semanario Hostosiano/The Hostos Weekly is a weekly communication vehicle designed to unite our multiple voices as we share news about members of the Hostos family, provide updates on our work and upcoming events, and disseminate policy that impacts our work.
Published on Fridays at 9 a.m.
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For inclusion in The Hostos Weekly, please send your items to:
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 Fall 2021 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.
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