President's Report for March 2020

Enrollment Management Update

• Fall 2020 recruitment began in early February with staff from the Office of Admissions visiting local high schools and attending college fairs. Two (2) recommendation files have been delivered to Queensborough from the Central Office. With these two files, 9,175 freshmen and 61 transfers received notification of acceptance. Also, the Office of New Student Engagement hosted its first information session for the fall 2020 recruitment cycle on Tuesday, February 18^th.  Information sessions and tours will continue throughout the spring to support fall enrollment.
• Academic advisement within the Office of Academy Advisement began on Monday, February 24^th. Advisers are currently communicating with their spring caseloads, welcoming back returning students, and connecting with new incoming students.  Advisers are currently addressing the Starfish flags/alerts reported by faculty. The Office of Academy Advisement will be connecting with students through a series of Instagram Live events, designed to provide more information about each Academy. These events will feature Academy Leads/Advisers, students, and faculty.  The Visual & Performing Arts and the Liberal Arts Academy kicked off their Instagram sessions on Tuesday, February 18^th.  Additional events are being planned for March, April, and May.  The Office of Academy Advisement has been preparing for the incorporation of the Visual Schedule Builder, the new CUNY-wide advising and registration tool, for students and advisers to start using during the Fall 2020 registration cycle.

 

Student Honors/Achievements

• QCC College Discovery students Mr. Tausif Bhuiyan and Ms. Alondra Resendiz will be participating in the Somos el Futuro Albany 2020 Conference on Friday, March 6th. Somos el Futuro provides a platform for stakeholders to come together to address the various issues and concerns of the community.  Participating in the Somos conference will provide students with a civic engagement and leadership, self-advocacy experience to access the legislative process and their elected representatives with respect to where they live as well as where they attend college.

 

Student Resources 

• All currently enrolled students wishing to receive financial aid for the Fall 2020 and/or Spring 2021 semesters are advised to complete the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the Priority Filing Deadline Date of Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Students who miss this date are encourage to complete the FAFSA immediately. For more information, visit our QCC Financial Aid Website.  The Office of Financial Services will be hosting a series of FAFSA Fest to assist students with completing the online FAFSA application.  The sessions will take place as follows: Tuesday, March 3^rd, Tuesday, March 17^th, Tuesday, March 31^st, and Monday, April 6^th.
• Faculty and staff are asked to encourage our students to avail themselves of the valuable and free resources through the QCC Single Stop Program, located in the Library Building - Room 440. Services provided include (but not limited to) financial benefits screening, financial counseling, legal assistance, tax preparation services, food bank, housing assistance and more. Additional information can be found online at our QCC Single Stop website.
• Single Stop in collaboration with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will provide Free Tax Preparation and E-Filing now through Wednesday, April 15^th.  Our service will follow the Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA) model. Students and their family members will complete their income tax returns with the assistance from a tax department employee. There will be six sessions per week, as follows:

Wednesdays: 

Session 1:  9:30 am – 11:30 am

Session 2: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Session 3:  2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Fridays:

Session 1:  9:00 am – 11:00 am

Session 2: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Session 3:  2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

All sessions will be held in the Library Building – Room 117.

• Emergency funding is available to students who face a financial crisis that puts at risk their continued enrollment toward their QCC degree. Supported through a grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, the funds provide one-time, emergency grants to students in good standing with short-term financial emergencies to enable them to remain in school, rather than being forced to leave or drop out. Ms. Veronica Lukas, Dean for Enrollment Management, will be sending periodic e-mail reminders to the college community outlining the grant eligibility and encouraging faculty and staff to refer students to apply. Please refer students with short-term financial emergencies to Ms. Amawati Gonesh, Single Stop Administrator, via e-mail at AGonesh@qcc.cuny.edu. Additional information can be found online at our QCC Scholarship Website.
• The 2020 Abbey Duncan Brownfield Scholarship Program is now accepting applications. The program provides financial support to students pursuing careers in the brownfield industry in New York City. For more information, including eligibility requirements and application deadline, please visit The NYC Brownfield Partnership website.
• The Freya Moskowitz Stern and Laura Rollins Hockaday Scholarships are now available for eligible students. The scholarships, worth $5000, are awarded to second-year female community college students who will graduate from QCC at the conclusion of spring 2020 and transfer to a four-year university for fall 2020. For additional information, including eligibility requirements and application deadline, visit the Finch College Scholarship website.
• The Belle Zeller Scholarship Trust Fund is now available for eligible students to apply. The award shall consist of the yearly undergraduate tuition for in-state students as set by the university. For additional information, including eligibility requirements and deadline date, please visit the Belle Zeller Scholarship website.
• The New York State Transfer and Articulation Association (NYSTAA) Scholarship is available for students who anticipate they will complete their degree by August 2020 and enroll in a select four-year university for Fall 2020. The deadline to apply is March 24th. For full details, visit NYSTAA website.
• The Senator Jose Peralta NYS DREAM Act (DREAM Act) allows undocumented and other eligible students to apply for New York State financial aid. The NYS DREAM Act application is used to determine student eligibility under the provisions of the NYS DREAM Act. Students who meet the NYS DREAM Act’s eligibility requirements for high school attendance, high school completion, in-state SUNY or CUNY tuition, and citizenship or immigration status will be able to apply for one or more NYS student financial aid programs.  Students who qualify under the NYS DREAM Act can separately apply for NYS student financial aid programs. The program is administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.  Additional information can be found on the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation website.

Upcoming Events

• The QCC Blood Drive, hosted by the Office of Health Services, will take place on Wednesday, March 11^th at 9:00 am in the Student Union Lounge. There is an ongoing blood supply shortage that strains the ability of our community to meet the critical health needs of its people. As a member of the Queensborough community, you can make a difference. All students, faculty and staff are welcome with a valid QCC ID Card.  Every drop counts in saving lives so, come and donate!
• The Office of Career Services will host “The Business of Etiquette” event on Wednesday, March 25^th with special guest speaker, Ms. Terri Thompson. At the event, you will learn how to make proper introductions, improve your networking skills, and upgrade your overall business etiquette skills.  Stand out from the crowd and become more confident with the good manners that will help you make a positive impression on employers and be successful in the workplace. The first 100 students to attend will receive a free gift.  This event is open to all QCC students with a valid TigerCard. 
• The Office of Career Services will host the Annual QCC Job Fair on Wednesday, April 1^st at 12:00 pm in the Student Union Lounge. The Job Fair provides QCC students with a unique opportunity to meet with employers without having to leave the campus. These employers can help students now and in the future, not only with the jobs they are offering but, with their knowledge of the job market, industry, and careers.  Students are advised to bring their QCC Tiger Card and several copies of your résumé to the Job Fair.  Students in need of assistance with their résumé are welcome to visit the Office of Career Services, located in the Library Building - Room 429 during walk in hours for answers to their questions and résumé review on Mondays from 10:00 – 11:30am and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 – 3:30 pm.
• Spring 2020 Voter Registration/ Census Event will be held on Wednesday, April 1^st at 12:10 pm in the Humanities Quad. Student volunteers will be available to assist the college community in becoming registered voters and/or completing census paperwork.
• The QCC Wellness Festival will take place on Wednesday, April 22^nd at 11:00 am in the Student Union Lounge. Hosted by the Office of Health Services, the festival will include informational tabling from BJ’s Wholesale Club, HIV & STI/STD Prevention, Health Insurance Enrollment as well as free blood pressure screening, mental health, massage therapy, and much more.  All student, faculty and staff are invited to attend this free event.
• 2020 Student Government Elections will tentatively be taking place on Wednesday, April 22^nd through Wednesday, April 29^th. Please encourage students to consider running for the 2020-2021 Student Government Elections.  For more information, interested students can contact the Office of Student Activities at (718) 631-6233 or visit their office located in the Student Union Building - Lower Level.

Academic Momentum Plan:

• STEM Waiver for the Winter Session 2020

Over 500 applications were received and processed for the STEM waiver program for the winter 2020 session:  294 STEM courses were taken and students earned 763 STEM credits at a total cost of $160,300.  92% of the students completed their courses, with only 4% of the students withdrawing. Of those who completed their course 53% got an A, 25% got a B, 14% got a C, with the remaining 8% getting grades of D, F or INC.

Funding will be available for summer 2020, which normally has even higher participation.

 

• Milestone Scholarship for the Winter Session 2020

Of those students identified as candidates qualifying for the Milestone Scholarship for the winter 2020 session, 15 scholarships were awarded.  60% of these students got an A, 33% got a B, and 7% got a C.

      We will be offering the Milestone Scholarship for the summer 2020 session.

 

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Office of Educational Technology (OET)

The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) & the Office of Educational Technology (OET) continue to offer a full menu of professional development opportunities, and the staff are available for individual consultations regarding your instructional practice, scholarship, and use of educational technology.  Every Spring, CETL sponsors a full week of Common Read events that allow faculty and students to engage in thematically linked co-curricular activities. This year’s Common Read Book Selection is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and twenty events have been scheduled based on the theme of self-realization. Faculty have the opportunity to incorporate the text in their own classes and participate in co-curricular activities that promote integrative learning across the curriculum through multi-disciplinary approaches to a common text. These cross-disciplinary events provide an opportunity for increased social and academic engagement while supporting the learning that takes place in the classroom.

All Faculty are encouraged to visit the CETL and OET homepages to see a complete listing of all upcoming events and professional development opportunities.

 

Office of Research

Announcement:

Dr. Anissa Moody (Social Sciences) is now the QCC IRB HRPP Coordinator. Questions regarding IRB protocol and the IDEATE system, please contact Dr. Moody at 718-631-6296 or Amoody@qcc.cuny.edu.

 

Upcoming Events

• Responsible Conduct of Research Workshops: 3/3 (12 pm to 1 pm), 4/8 (1 pm to 2 pm), and 5/7 (2 pm to 3 pm), all at CETL L313. All faculty members and students who are involved in a research project on campus are required to complete the RCR CITI online training and the in-person workshop.
• Undergraduate Research Brown Bag Lunch Discussion: The next UR Brown Bag Lunch Discussion will be on 4/29 (12 pm, M142). We are looking for speakers who would like to share their UR experiences with their colleagues. If you are interested in presenting, please contact Joan Petersen (JPetersen@qcc.cuny.edu).
• The 2020 Spring Student Symposium will be held on April 24^th from 9 am to 3 pm. Please save the date. The call for abstracts will be sent out soon.

 

Grants Update 

Grants Awarded January 22 through February 20th, 2020

 

• New York State Education Department (NYSED): $1,222,500 for five years, Gisela Rivera (Lead PI), Francesca Berrouet (co-PI), QCC Collegiate Science & Technology Program (CSTEP)
• New York State Education Department (NYSED):  $800,000 for five years, Dr. Shiang-Kwei Wang (Lead PI), Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu, Dr. Simran Kaur & Dr. Joan Petersen (co-PIs), QCC Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP)
• Federal Aviation Administration/ASCENT Centers of Excellence (Subaward from Pennsylvania State University): $87,153 for three years, Dr. Kimberly Riegel, ASCENT Project 57: Support for Supersonic Aircraft en-route Noise Effects in ICAO CAEP

The 2020 Partners for Progress Gala is on Thursday, April 30th at Terrace on the Park.

Cocktails at 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m.

All faculty and staff of Queensborough are eligible for a discounted rate of $150 per Gala ticket. External tickets are $350 per person.  In order to accommodate those faculty and staff who wish to sit together, your Gala tickets must be purchased no later than Thursday, April 9, 2020.

To purchase Gala Tickets online visit:  QCC Partners For Progress Website.

Please make checks payable to the QCC Fund, Inc. and return to the Advancement Office, Room A-508.

For those departments and faculty and staff who wish to purchase journal ads, please submit the copy for your journal ads by Thursday, March 26, 2020.

 

2020 PARTNERS OF THE YEAR

For our Nursing Partners, we will be paying a special memorial tribute to Johanna Brady and Bridget Brady who were both nurse practitioners. In honor of their lifetimes of service helping others, Mr. Brady has established the Johanna & Bridget Brady Excellence in Nursing Endowment.  Mr. Brady is a proud veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force in Strategic Air Command during the Vietnam War.  He took evening non-credit ground school pilot refresher courses at Queensborough in the 1990’s.

Mr. Saleem Iqbal, our Corporate Partner, is President and CEO of HAB Bank, a New York State-chartered bank focused on meeting and serving the banking needs of the South Asian community. Mr. Iqbal, who served on the QCC Fund Board, recognizes the financial struggles of our students and established the HAB Bank Scholarship Endowment to support Queensborough students in need of financial assistance. 

Jasmin Moshirpur, MD, our Healthcare Partner is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Reproductive Science, Dean for Queens Hospital Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Chief Medical Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst/Queens. She has devoted over fifty years of service to women’s health and is the recipient of the distinguished Jacobi Medallion, the highest honor the New York City medical center awards to its alumni. 

We truly value the attendance of ALL faculty and staff on Thursday, April 30th!

 

Fight Campus Hunger 

There are two (2) student sponsored fundraising tournaments scheduled this semester in support of the Food Pantry:  

• Fight Campus Hunger Gaming Tournament: Wednesday, March 18^th in the Student Union, Upper Level from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The link to register is QCC's Fight Campus Hunger Website
• Fight Campus Hunger Volleyball Tournament: Wednesday, March 25^th in the RFK Gym from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The link to register is  QCC's Fight Campus Hunger Website

The suggested minimum contribution for faculty and staff to participate or to sponsor a student is $10. 

Faculty and staff are encouraged to actively participate/sponsor a student player or attend the tournament to show their support.

All funds raised support the food pantry on campus!

 

Art Gallery

 

Miriam Beerman: Collages 1965-2008

Exhibit running through April 2, 2020

Miriam Beerman is a prolific American artist whose work reveals her deep emotional responsiveness to the tragedies of the human experience, both historical and modern. The collage work highlights her sympathetic preoccupation with injustice and tragedy through the visual expression of strong emotions, as well as her quick intellect, erudition, sense of humor, and most importantly, her intuitive, spontaneous artistic process.

P.O.T.U.S.  - Josefina Brunés

Exhibit running through April 2, 2020

Spanish artist Josefina Brunés presents her series of busts of former Presidents of the United States (P.O.T.U.S.). In her sculptures, the artist expresses herself with a formal realism. The main motivations are the fun and the personal pleasure of creating the subject, together with the desire to obtain a multiple and circular view of the “object.” The result is a play that seeks to highlight the beauty and elegance of the human figure.

 

Juried Student Exhibition:  Department of Art & Design

Opening reception: April 22, 2020 - 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Exhibit on display from April 22, 2020 through May 29, 2020

The Juried Student Exhibition displays a broad range of talent from the students currently pursuing their artistic aspirations here at Queensborough Community College. This is the twelfth annual student exhibition held in the QCC Art Gallery.

 

Kupferberg Holocaust Center

 

Eugenics, Historical Trauma and Survivance: A Conversation with Artist and Educator Judy Dow

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center

Judy Dow, whose artwork is featured in the current KHC exhibition, Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island: Engaging with Contemporary Native American Art, speaks about her use of Abenaki basket making to tell the untold stories of her ancestors who experienced oppression and injustice. She will address her work in the exhibition and related research pertaining to the Vermont Eugenics survey that targeted her family, making connections to the broader eugenics movement and its lasting effects. Following her presentation, there will be a conversation between the speaker and the exhibition’s co-curator, Kat Griefen.  This is a Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island Exhibition Event.

 

Special Exhibition Tour: Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island                       

Sunday, April 5, 2020 - 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center 

Join one of the curators of Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island: Engaging with Contemporary Native American Art on a guided tour through the KHC’s current exhibition, on view through May 22, 2020. Bringing together sixteen artists from across the continent, the exhibit interweaves the government-sanctioned atrocities of the past with the continued resilience of the first peoples of this land. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to learn about how the exhibition came together firsthand from co-curator Kat Griefen. The KHC’s annual Freedom Seder will take place immediately following the tour. Separate registration is required.  This is a Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island Exhibition Event.

 

Annual Holocaust Freedom Seder

Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. at the QCC Student Union

Join us for our annual commemoration of the first Passover Seders that were held in one of the Displaced Persons (DP) camps near Munich after World War II. You can reserve a seat with a $18 donation to the KHC’s Program Fund.  QCC students can attend free of charge with valid student ID. Pre-registration is required for this special event.

 

The Yehoshua and Edna Aizenberg Annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration

Sunday. April 5, 2020 - 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center

Join the KHC for our annual Yom HaShoah commemoration. This year we pay tribute to Rabbi Isidoro Aizenberg, the KHC’s longtime Scholar-in-Residence, who was instrumental in researching a significant number of the Center’s exhibitions. We will also screen a special 37-minute version of the acclaimed 2018 film, Who Will Write Our History. Led by historian Emanuel Ringelblum and known by the code name Oyneg Shabes, a clandestine group of journalists, scholars, and community leaders in the Warsaw Ghetto who vowed to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. Now, for the first time, their story is told in the documentary featuring the voices of three-time Academy Award® nominee Joan Allen and Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody.

Sponsored by the Yehoshua and Edna Aizenberg Holocaust Memorial Fund

 

Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC)

 

Saturday, March 21, 2020 – 8:00 p.m.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers

Under the direction of legendary Jersey Shore sax player Screamin’ Steve Barlotta, this 11-piece super group pays tribute to the very best of classic soul, R&B, Motown and Disco music.  Working together for 20 years, the Soul Cruisers know how to deliver the sounds of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with the most iconic tunes made famous by Earth, Wind & Fire, The Trammps, The Spinners, The O’Jays, KC & The Sunshine Band, Michael Jackson, The Four Tops and The Temptations. This show is a “can’t miss” tribute to these legends and their multi-platinum hits. The performance is an energy filled party making it hard to stay in your seats! $48, $42.

Presented at The Lexington Center, 25-26 75^th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370

 

Sunday, March 29, 2020 – 3:00 p.m.

The Early Bird Comedy Special!

Guaranteed laughs before 5:00 p.m.! Now you can have your laughs and your early bird dinner too! Cory Kahaney was voted Best Comedian in NYC by Backstage and Best Female Comedian NYC by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets. She appeared in Catskills on Broadway with Freddie Roman, the creator and star of the groundbreaking show, and on TV on The Late Show, American’s Funniest Mom, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and The Apprentice!  Harrison Greenbaum began performing stand-up while studying psychology at Harvard. A summa cum laude graduate, Harrison performs 600 shows a year, and has been seen on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, National Geographic’s Brain Games, and was the warm-up comic for Katie Couric’s daytime talk show on ABC.  Both comedians have the distinction of having been featured on NBC’s America’s Got Talent! Join us! The early bird gets the laughs! $48, $42.

Presented at St. John’s University, Marillac Hall, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

 

Sunday, April 5, 2020 – 3:00 p.m.

Viva Pavarotti!

Luciano Pavarotti extended his presence far beyond the limits of Italian opera. Quickly establishing his trademark rich sound as the great male operatic voice of the 20th century, he expanded his reach to stadium concerts and pop collaborations which brought him fame beyond measure.  While magic was created when Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras met onstage and became the Three Tenors, Pavarotti’s fame hit new heights with his annual Pavarotti and Friends concerts, joining with prominent pop stars such as Liza Minnelli, Stevie Wonder, Bono, and others, to raise the profile of classical music.  At this special concert, our tenors sing Nessun Dorma, O Sole Mio, Mamma, as well as popular American standards. Join us in celebrating the superstar tenor and his influence on the music world. $48, $42.

Presented at St. John’s University, Marillac Hall, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

 

Friday, April 17, 2020 – 8:00 p.m.

REZA: Edge of Illusion

Reza is recognized as one of today’s most highly sought-after entertainers in the touring illusion industry, delivering innovative, engaging and spectacular performances worldwide.  Reza's recent tour and television appearances have astounded over 30 million viewers from across the world.  Reza’s unique brand of entertainment has landed him on popular reality shows across 31 countries, including recent US TV appearances on A&E’s Duck Dynasty and The CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us. More than a magic show, Reza infuses state of the art production elements, masterful comedic timing, and numerous interactive moments, allowing the audience to experience the magic first hand. Reza's new show Edge of Illusion, is a ground-breaking grand scale production in which he connects with the audience on a very personal level. Over the last decade, Reza has garnered a world-wide buzz and loyal fan base with his passion for creating signature grand-scale illusions. Reza is intriguing, engaging, and captivating. He isn't just a magician. He is an entertainer.

$48, $42.

Presented at The Lexington Center, 25-26 75^th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370

 

Sunday, April 19, 2020 – 3:00 p.m.

70 Years in The Promised Land

From the Producers of the highly acclaimed operatic-pop crossover vocal group Kol Esperanza, comes 70 Years in The Promised Land, a blockbuster review celebrating Israel’s 70^th birthday. Musical Director and Producer Tomer Adaddi, and an international cast that includes Revital Zalcman, Lital Gabai Kakon, Omer Shaish and Nir Sheaber, take us on a musical journey comprised of the sights and sounds of Israel!  From the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, to the coast of Haifa, from the mountains of Galilee to the Negev, join us as we celebrate this breathtaking country, rich in religious significance and cultural diversity. $50, $45.

Presented at St. John’s University, Marillac Hall, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

 

GOTTA DANCE! Adult Edition

QPAC’s Broadway Dance-Along Winter Workout Challenge!

March 7, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

GOTTA DANCE – KIDS EDITION!

QPAC’s Broadway Dance-Along Workout Challenge for Kids!

10 Sessions. Five (5) sessions in the fall and five (5) sessions in the spring.

March 14, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

March 21, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

March 28, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

April 4, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

April 11, 2020 – 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.