OAA This Week: Thursday Edition

OAA THIS WEEK | July 9, 2020

A news update and community connection for the Office of Academic Affairs of The City University of New York

OAA NEWS

Chancellor decries Trump rule aimed at international students

In a statement issued Tuesday, Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez voiced strong opposition to a recent Trump administration directive that impacts the visa status of international students.

------ The directive , announced Monday, prevents international students from holding F1 visas if they are enrolled in completely online coursework. With many higher education institutions expecting mostly online fall semesters, the presidential directive puts hundreds of thousands of international students in danger of being forced to leave the U.S.

----- The new rule would especially impact the CUNY system, which currently hosts over 9,000 international students, a matter that was directly addressed by the Chancellor in his statement: “CUNY campuses have thousands of international students whose status is threatened by the new rule. These students are a valuable and a vital part of our community.”

----- Yesterday, the Chancellor reiterated in a tweet that the University is committed to protecting the visa status of its international students and would explore all available avenues to allow them to stay in U.S. to complete their studies: “My administration will explore and pursue measures that would help students remain in the U.S. and continue their education at CUNY. We’ll work with other universities and orgs to support those affected and pursue all viable, legal remedies to humanize these rules.”

---- The predicament in which international students now find themselves is highlighted by a recent Daily News article that features USS Vice Chair for International Student Affairs Nicole Agu , who was profiled in last week’s OAA This Week “Student Snapshot” section.

Four CUNY colleges receive new presidents

The CUNY Board of Trustees of the City University of New York has officially approved the appointment of presidents at four of its colleges: BMCC, Queensborough, LaGuardia, and York.

----- Berenecea Johnson Eanes , newly appointed president of York College, had served as interim president of the school, guiding it through the COVID-19 crisis and implementing distance learning for the school’s 40,000 students while establishing new support services to help the students most impacted by the pandemic.

----- Anthony E. Munroe will serve as president of Borough of Manhattan Community College, effective October 1. Munroe had been president of Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey. He was previously president of Malcolm X College, part of the City Colleges of Chicago system.

----- LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City will now be led by Kenneth Adams , who currently serves as dean of workforce and economic development at Bronx Community College. He brings a highly accomplished résumé as chief executive of numerous New York State governmental agencies.

----- The Board appointed Christine Mangino to lead Queensborough Community College. She is a longtime advocate for community colleges who previously served as provost at Hostos Community College.

Credit for Prior Learning approved by Board

The University’s Policy on the Use of Credit for Prior Learning was approved by the full Board of Trustees on June 29. The policy recognizes that research has shown that nontraditional students who are awarded credit for prior learning not only complete their undergraduate degree more quickly and at a higher rate but also perform better academically in their college coursework.

----- In presenting this policy, the University acknowledges that college-level learning also occurs outside of traditional classrooms and recognizes that non-traditional paths that lead people, many from underrepresented communities, to CUNY are worthy of assessment for credit toward degree completion.

Free yoga and meditation offered to CUNY community

The wellness website The 10 Minute Mind continues to offer virtual yoga and meditation classes to CUNY students, faculty, and staff. However, the link to the classes has now changed, and this new link must be used instead.

CITY NEWS

NYS issues Phase-4 reopening guide

In an effort to better inform the fall reopening plans of City and State, New York State has published a Phase-4 guidebook. Titled “ Reopening New York ,” the guidebook addresses all types of in-person higher education institutions, which must develop and submit a plan for reopening and operating for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

-----According to a recent continuity report issued by Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost José Luis Cruz, “Reopening New York” will play an essential role in CUNY’s plans for the coming fall semester: “ These guidelines are driving the work of the various University-wide task forces and committees working to develop re-opening plans per the Chancellor’s communication [on the fall semester].”

Media Roundup: CUNY experts weigh in on COVID-19, racism, and visa rules

CUNY graduate students Harry Blain and Ferhat Zabun contributed an op-ed to the Daily News titled “ International Students Left in a Lurch ,” which shines a light on the tense situation F1-visa students face in the wake of a new presidential directive and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

----- The CUNY School of Public Health’s ongoing surveys of public opinion on the coronavirus were cited in a Newsday article about immigrant and Latino communities hard hit by the pandemic. The Daily News also featured an article quoting Tanisha Ford , history professor at The Graduate Center, on the strong likelihood of high unemployment rates and large-scale layoffs and evictions this coming fall and winter. In related coronavirus news, Senior Vice Chancellor of Facilities Allen Lew , who recently died from COVID-19, was memorialized in The New York Times .

---- Finally, David C. Bloomfield , professor of education at Brooklyn College wrote an article for The Daily Beast in which he argues that the U.S. education system is and always has been racist and is in desperate need of immediate reform.

Arts Roundup: Musical mash-ups and silent films!

Streaming Movies

Feeling nostalgic about the New York City that was? Here are some classic New York silent movies from the early 20th century to take you back to the long before the pandemic. Despite the lack of first-hand familiarity, you will recognize many of our historical landmarks and neighborhoods. The music and sound effects are just as important as the video — listen intently, with appreciation!

---- “ Regeneration” (1915), the first full-length feature film by Raoul Walsh, was filmed on location in the tenements of the Bowery. It is considered the first true NYC movie as well as the first gangster movie. A poor orphan (Rockliffe Fellowes) falls into a life of crime until he is reformed by a caring social worker (Anna Q. Nilsson). Available in some areas on Amazon Prime Video , and everywhere on YouTube . The quality of the YouTube video is impressive, even in full-screen mode.

---- “Speedy” (1928) is the last silent movie from the genre’s superstar, Harold Lloyd, who is on a quest to save the city’s last horse-drawn streetcar. Filmed in NYC, this hilarious comedy takes you on a thrilling tour of the city from Coney Island to Yankee Stadium — yes, “The House that Ruth Built,” in The Bronx. Available to rent ($3.99) or buy ($14.99) on YouTube .

----- “The Crowd” (1928) is one of the very last silent masterpieces. The protagonist, John Sims (James Murray), goes to New York in search of success, but ends up being a low-level office worker who gets married and faces the hardships of life in the big city. Streaming on TCM .

Hybrid Music/Theater

Thursday, July 9 and Friday, July 10 at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 pm

Since 2006, Brooklyn-based Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) has made a name for itself specializing in Indie opera, new music, and multimedia forms. BMP’s latest, exciting production is “Psst…”, which is about a bar during the Prohibition era. “The jukebox at this joint remixes Baroque with techno in an hour-long departure from your self-isolated ab-normal. Come interact with new friends you’ve known forever. Sip into the singularity,” reads its website. All it takes is a click, and you’ll find yourself transported back a century to the year 1920, juxtaposed with modern day, cutting-edge music and drama. $20

Saturday, July 11 at 5:00 p.m. live stream, and 8:00 p.m. rebroadcast

The Cell Theater with Room|to|Breathe presents “Divine Feminine,” a performance event that showcases music, words, and movement that break the expectations of where femininity thrives. This week’s live broadcast features the world premiere of “AND SHE” by violist/composer/singer Jessica Meyer and choreographer/dancer Caroline Fermin . “And She” is a 21st century take on Greco-Roman classical drama in which song, dance, poetry, symbolic staging, and audience participation create a visceral evening of storytelling. Woven throughout will be the vivid poetry of four acclaimed, living, female poets: Laura Kasischke , Alicia Jo Rabins , Jennifer Beattie , and Lucy Anderton . Part of all proceeds will benefit Step Up , an organization that helps girls reach their highest potential. $25 plus fees

COLLEAGUE CONNECTION

In each edition, OAA This Week asks our colleagues about how they’re faring with remote-work life. If you would like to be featured as a Colleague Connection, please contact Duffie Cohen at Duffie.Cohen@cuny.edu .

Zun Tang , Director, Institutional Research

What has your unit has been doing during the COVID-19 crisis that’s given you pride? I am proud of our collaboration with colleagues in other CUNY offices on a number of COVID-19 related projects. We worked closely with CIS and Donna Linderman ’s team to distribute devices to students. With Bob Maruca and Vivek Upadhyay at the helm, we collaborated seamlessly with the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) on the distribution of the CARES Act grant. Led by Angie Kamath , we joined forces with Student Affairs, OSFA and the Communications team to support the Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Grant Program. These high-impact projects would not have been successful without the cross-office collaboration.

What’s your home workspace like? What kind of challenges or disruptions are you dealing with while working from home? With my wife and I working and two kids taking online courses, we need to be flexible and innovative in creating our workspace. I converted a dresser into a standing desk but also had to use our dining table when it is not available. The biggest challenge has been managing everybody’s schedule. We had a few occasions where both my wife and I were in meetings during the kids’ lunch break. On other occasions, we kept on working not realizing that it was almost dinnertime. To address this, we made many efforts to coordinate our schedules, to add calendar holds and to set alarms to remind ourselves that it is time to “leave the office.”

Do you have a self-care practice that has helped you deal with the stress of the current situation? Walking has been very helpful. In the first couple of months, we did not go out at all. It has become apparent that we missed the fresh air and the sunlight. Since then, I have made walking a top priority in my daily routine. This past month I walked an average of 3 miles per day, back to my pre-COVID level. I also enjoyed playing video games with my kids. The popular game “Animal Crossing” can be hard but we had a lot of fun playing.

What’s your daily routine these days? After breakfast, I walk for about 15 minutes before logging on. The alarm goes off at 11:45, a reminder that I need to head to the kitchen to prepare lunch — typically, I am responsible for lunch while my wife takes care of dinner. I try to walk for another 15 minutes before resuming work. The alarm goes off again at 5:15, meaning that I should wrap things up and shut down the computer. After dinner, I walk for about 30 minutes. We make sure to spend a couple hours’ family time each day to chat and play.