President's Report for October 2019

Enrollment Management Update

• The Office of Admissions has begun recruitment for the Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 semesters by visiting local High Schools and attending college fairs. The office has begun processing Spring 2020 applications for the upcoming enrollment cycle. The Office of Admissions and New Student Engagement are focused on hosting a series of information sessions, weekly campus tours, and enrollment days to showcase all that QCC has to offer. Each of these events will include an action oriented component such as application completion, filing for financial aid, providing on-the-spot admission decisions and registering students for classes.

• The Office of Academy Advisement officially began advisement outreach for continuing students as of Monday, September 23^rd. The Office of Academy Advisement has redesigned caseloads in order to balance resources, and has setup the Starfish Kiosk to provide students with flexibility in their advising experience. A new initiative for the upcoming enrollment cycle, Academy Advisers will begin visiting ST-100 sections throughout the fall semester in order to assist in registration and retention of first year students. Students enrolled in special programs (ASAP, College Discovery, CSTEP, COPE, International Students, Veterans, etc.) will be able to register for Winter/Spring 2019 courses beginning Wednesday, October 16th. Students in the Academies will be able to register for Winter/Spring 2019 courses beginning Thursday, October 17^th. Newly admitted students (freshman, transfer & readmits) will begin advising and registration starting on Tuesday, November 5th. The Office of Academy Advisement will be hosting three (3) “Advising On-the-Go” events in October, November and December in which advisers will be set-up around campus to assist with advising and registration.

Student Resources

• 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 QCC Single Stop.

• 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. 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 Program Administrator located in the Library Building, Room 440. Additional information can be found at QCC Scholarships.

• 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 at New York State Higher Education Services Corp. Dream.

• The deadline to apply for The Guttman Scholarship for High-Achieving Community College Graduates is October 13, 2019. Faculty and staff are asked to encourage our students to apply. The scholarship requirements are as follows: (1) Earn an associate's degree from QCC by Spring 2019, Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Winter 2020 (2) Have a current cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above; and (3) Transfer to Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, Lehman College, or Queens College for the Spring 2020 semester as a full-time student. Additional information can be found at CUNY Guttman Transfer Scholarship.

• The CUNY Ethics and Morality Essay Contest is funded by an endowment gift of $100,000 to the City University of New York by Dr. K. York Chynn and his wife Noelle Chynn. This annual award is intended to promote and stimulate thinking by college students at CUNY about the topic of ethics, morality, and virtuous behavior in their lives. More than ever, these issues arise not only in the personal relationships of individuals and family and friends, but also in the context of corporate, government, and social responsibility, whether it is about treating others fairly and honestly, or food safety. The topic of this year's essay is virtue and the deadline to apply is October 21, 2019. Additional information can be found at QCC Scholarships.

• The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship makes it possible for the nation's top community college students to complete their bachelor's degrees by transferring to a selective four-year college or university. The Foundation provides up to $40,000 per year to each of approximately 45 deserving students selected annually, making it the largest private scholarship for two-year and community college transfer students in the country. Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student's educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor's degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships he or she may receive. The deadline to apply is November 20, 2019. Additional information can be found at QCC Scholarships.

• The Women's Forum Education Award provides a scholarship of $10,000. The awards will be given to women aged 35 and over who have faced and overcome adversity and now, after an interruption in their education, have resumed the pursuit of their first Associate or Bachelor degree. Applicants must demonstrate noteworthy promise and resilience in the face of challenges and must also demonstrate a commitment to helping others and to making a difference in their community, large or small, when their own career goals are achieved. Financial need and academic excellence are not the primary determining factors in the selection of recipients, although true financial need should be evident and the candidate should be in good academic standing. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2020. Additional information can be found at QCC Scholarships.

Upcoming Events

• The Office of Health Services will host the Annual Fall Blood Drive, in conjunction with the New York Blood Center, on Thursday, October 24^th at 11:00 am, in the Student Union Lounge. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to donate blood.

• The Veterans' Day Remembrance and Reflection Ceremony will take on Wednesday, November 13^th at 9:30 am at the Charles F. Bova Veterans Memorial Grove. The ceremony will be held to honor our military members, past and present. In the week honoring our veterans, let us recommit to showing our respect and gratitude to those who have served, especially the veterans on our faculty, staff, and among our student body. We invite the Queensborough community to join us!

• On Wednesday, November 13^th, the Office of Career Services will hold its annual Internship & Cooperative Education Forum from 12:00 – 3:00 pm in the Student Union-Upper Level. The Internship & Cooperative Education Forum provides an opportunity to currently enrolled Queensborough students to learn about internships being offered by more than 50 employers in fields related to the curricula of the College. Also in attendance will be Cooperative Education Coordinators who can educate students about the steps they need to take to complete an internship for credit. All students are urged to attend this event and bring copies of their resumes.

Academic Master Plan

In response to the self-study process and site visit from last year, planning has begun for the development of an Academic Master Plan (AMP). The Office of Academic Affairs hosted a chairs' retreat in August facilitated by an outside consultant experienced in this area. The College Advisory Planning Committee met in September to discuss preliminary planning. The chair of the committee, Dean Arthur Corradetti, has met with the Faculty Executive Committee and Senate Steering Committee for valuable input on the process. A faculty survey has been distributed requesting input that will help to determine priority areas that the AMP should address. This will be a year-long process. Please stay tuned.

Academic Momentum Plan

• STEM Tuition Waiver

  The program will continue in FY20. We have had robust program participation from our students and have historically maximized use of the funds with our online application. Students will be able to apply for tuition waivers for the Winter 2020 Session after registration starts at the end of October. Along with other funding sources, the balance of the funds will be spent during the Summer 2020 session.

  The goal of the STEM Tuition Waivers is to promote credit accumulation in STEM courses while not jeopardizing TAP eligibility. QCC students who are in good academic standing, are legal residents of New York City, and enrolled in a degree or certificate program will be offered a chance to receive a waiver to enroll in one STEM course (includes lab) during the Winter 2020 Session. During the summer session, students are allowed to take one STEM and one non-STEM course. Student fees are not covered by the waiver.

  Results for STEM Tuition Waiver applicants for Summer 2019:

  • of the 945 courses that were approved, over 92% of the courses were completed
  • of courses completed, 40% received an A, 26% received a B, 18% received a C, 8% received a D and 8% received an F.

• Milestone Scholarship

  Queensborough will continue to help students reach their “thirty-credit milestone” by granting Winter 2020 session scholarships through the Milestone Scholarship funding. The scholarship will be applied to a course in which a student is enrolled during the January 2020 intersession to help meet or exceed the 30-credit halfway point of their education at Queensborough. Student fees are not covered by the waiver. All eligible candidates will receive a letter sent to their residence and an email.

  Results for Milestone Scholarship applicants for Summer 2019:

  • of the 76 courses that were approved, over 93% of the courses were completed
  • of courses completed, 50% received an A, 25% received a B, 14% received a C, 8% received a D and 3% received an F.

New Personnel Updates

We welcome Emiko Sanchez, College Registrar, to QCC. Emiko began on September 26, 2019. She brings many years of experience working in the Office of the Registrar, coming from New York University and most recently Hunter College. Please join me in welcoming Emiko to QCC.

Upcoming events:

• 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. Kindly note that CETL will host Faculty Writing Lab Hours every Monday and Thursday throughout the Fall semester in support of faculty efforts to advance their scholarship. Please look at the CETL and OET pages of our college web site for the full calendar of events and contact information.

• Undergraduate Research Day: the 2019 UR day will be held on Friday, December 6, 2019. The call for abstract/project description will be sent out on Friday, November 1, 2019. The deadline to submit the abstract will be Friday, November 22, 2019. Details please see QCC Undergraduate Research.

• Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop: 10/15/19, 12 pm to 1 pm, L-313. QCC students and faculty who are involved in a research project on campus are required to complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) CITI online training and participate in an in-person RCR workshop within six weeks of starting the project.

• Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) will host a table at the World Journal/McDonald Bilingual College Fair, Oct. 6, 2019.

• Healthcare Fair will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the CUNY Center for Higher Education, 39-07 Prince Street, 2/F, Flushing, NY 11354. This event is mainly for students taking classes at the Flushing center and not open to the public (sponsored by MetroPlus and co-sponsored by Port of Entry Program and QCC Health Services).

Grants Update

Grants Awarded August 27, 2019 through September 24, 2019

• National Science Foundation: $2,328, Michael Pullin, RCN-UBE Incubator: Sustainable, Transformative Engagement across a Multi-Institutional/Multidisciplinary STEM (STEM)2 Network

• New York State Education Department: $365,191, Yicel Nota-Latif and Jacqueline Montgomery, Liberty Partnership Project Prize

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Update

Our FY 2020 Financial Plan will be submitted to the University on October 11, and will reflect consultation with the Budget Advisory Committee of the Academic Senate and with the College Advisory Planning Committee. The budget planning process for FY20 was collaborative and included the significant involvement of Department Chairs, Directors and Vice Presidents. The budget trend for QCC continues to be challenging, and FY 2020 even more so, with reductions (enrollment related) in FTE support from New York State, a City Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG), mandated OT and administrative efficiency reduction targets, and significant losses in revenue resulting from trending enrollment declines. We expect the 2020 QCC budget to remain stable, however, mid-year adjustments may be necessary depending on Spring 2020 actual enrollment. We are already preparing for the FY 2021 budget planning process and will be including preliminary projections for FYs 21 and 22 in the Financial Plan. The Academic Master Plan and other planning processes now underway will serve to guide the College's Strategic Plan and will form the basis of our financial planning going forward.

Office of Institutional Advancement

The College will be honoring employees with continuous service who have worked twenty (20), thirty (30), forty (40) and fifty (50) years at the Celebration of Service to be held on Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Union. This year we are inducting 36 faculty and staff members into the 20-year Association. Five (5) faculty and staff members will be recognized for their 30 years of service; three (3) will be recognized for their 40 years of service; and one (1) faculty member from Biological Sciences and Geology, Antoinette Peragine, will be recognized for her 50 years of service to QCC.

The Donor Appreciation Reception, hosted by President Lynch and the QCC Fund, Inc., will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in the Oakland Dining Room to thank supporters of the College. A program following the cocktail reception will engage our guests in conversation with faculty and students. Faculty participating in the group conversation include

Dr. Nidhi Gadura.

Fight Campus Hunger

The Fight Campus Hunger grassroots student fundraiser will kick off on Wednesday, October 30^th and will run through until March 4^th, 2020. All funds raised will support the food pantry on campus. Student clubs will fundraise by organizing activities in accordance with the overall theme of their clubs and/or collectively participate in one or more sports tournaments scheduled on campus during the fall semester such as a soccer tournament on Wednesday, October 30^th, held during club hours on the outdoor track and an indoor volleyball and basketball tournament, scheduled for Wednesday, November 13^th also held during club hours in the gym. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the tournaments to show their support. All those who wish to participate in the tournaments need to contact Shariq Rizvi shariqfifa@gmail.com who is the president of the Muslim Student Association. Students participating in the upcoming tournaments will be asked to contribute $5 and the suggested minimum contribution for faculty and staff is $10. Trophies will be awarded to the winning teams at the end of each tournament and tournament results will be posted on social media.

Art Gallery

October 14^th – November 27, 2019

Taiwanese artist Pey-Chwen Lin embraces digital technology to create an interactive experience using iconic imagery from Italian master Leonardo DaVinci. The result is a digitally enhance character named - Eve Clone. The final touch uses AR techniques that transform Eve Clone from a static print into dynamic video simulation that interacts with the audience. The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 25, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and the exhibit will continue through November 27, 2019.

Sakura Obsession – Chin-Lung Huang - Taiwanese artist Chin-Lung Huang blends the artistic styles of “East and West” culture creating gorgeous paintings of the sakura flower, commonly known as the cherry blossom.

Kupferberg Holocaust Center

Exhibition Opening: Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island Community Celebration

Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center

After a successful yearlong NEH lecture-series on the same topic, Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island: Engaging with Contemporary Native American Art is on view in the KHC for the 2019-2020 academic year. Join the KHC, the co-curators of the exhibit, and local talent as we celebrate the opening of our newest exhibition. Embracing both the past and the present, with an eye on the developments of the future, Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island features artworks by sixteen different artists from across the continent.

Exhibition Opening: Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island Student Celebration

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center

Join the KHC, the co-curators of the exhibit, and local talent as we celebrate the opening of our newest exhibition. The QCC campus community so that our students and faculty/staff may join us in our celebration. Embracing both the past and the present, with an eye on the developments of the future, Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island features artworks by sixteen different artists from across the continent. Explore the artworks on display and come ask questions of our curators and esteemed guests.

Annual Kristallnacht Commemoration: Decoding Symbols of Hate

Sunday, November 10, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center

Join the KHC and the Center for Jewish Studies at Queens College as we remember Kristallnacht, the violent anti-Jewish pogrom that took place over 48 hours beginning on November 9, 1938. The “Night of Broken Glass” was a turning point in the history of the Holocaust and this year's event focuses on decoding the messages imbedded within hate symbols. Steve Goldberg, the Co-Director of Education at the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center in White Plains, will discuss these deeply problematic marks, including the history of the swastika and its connection to anti-Semitism. Then, Dr. Jeff Benvenuto, Indigenous Studies scholar and lecturer at Gratz College, will discuss the symbolism of the less recognized genocide against Indigenous populations in North America in connection with the KHC's newest exhibition, Survivance and Sovereignty on Turtle Island: Engaging with Contemporary Native American Art, on display until May 2020. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. This event is sponsored by Sinai Chapels.

Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC)

Sunday, October 20, 2019 – 2:00 p.m. (Note earlier start time)

Carole's Kings

An iconic singer-songwriter gets a brand-new sound in CAROLE'S KINGS, the world's first all-male Carole King tribute. With lush orchestrations, witty banter, and a cast of three incredibly talented New York stage veterans, CAROLE'S KINGS is a dynamic act jam-packed with chart-topping sensations such as The Locomotion, I Feel the Earth Move, You've Got a Friend, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and many more. The show also includes songs by King's collaborators, including You've Lost That Loving Feeling and other hits by epic songwriting duo Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Amazing vocals and hilarious comedy, make CAROLE'S KINGS a unique experience that's fun for the whole family! $48, $42

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

Dining and Show Packages

Friday, October 25, 2019 – 11:00 a.m. – Lunch

Swing That Music! A Musical Tribute to the Three Louis - Armstrong, Jordan and Prima

Danny Bacher is a singer, saxophonist, and entertainer in the fullest sense of the term. He is not only a master of the demanding soprano sax, but combines his virtuosity on the instrument with a talent for comedy, singing, scatting and narrative storytelling. Man, does he swing! He's a cool cat who makes hot jazz, cut from the cloth of the true greats in entertainment. With a compelling stage presence, Danny has all of the talents to perfectly pay homage to the three legends he celebrates in this special show. Limited seating. $53/pp

Sunday, October 27, 2019 – 3:00 p.m.

Lucie Arnaz - I Got the Job! Songs from My Musical Past

October comes to an exciting close with show biz Royalty Lucie Arnaz in her hit show, I Got the Job! Songs from My Musical Past. Arnaz made her Broadway debut in 1979 in They're Playing Our Song, for which she won both the Theater World Award and the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She also toured with Tommy Tune in the international company of My One and Only, and appeared in such Broadway productions as Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and the recent revival of Pippin. No stranger to films, Arnaz starred with Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier in The Jazz Singer, for which she earned a Golden Globe award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. Lucie is the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, stars of the TV classic, I Love Lucy. Join us for a very special afternoon, as Lucie shares stories and anecdotes about her co-stars, and iconic songs from some of Broadway's greatest shows. Musical Director, Ron Abel. $50, $45

Presented at St. John's University, The Little Theater, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

Sunday, November 3, 2019 – 3:00 p.m.

Let There Be Love – Keith David Celebrates the Music of Nat King Cole

With over 150 film, television and stage credits to his name, Emmy Award-winner Keith David continues as one of Hollywood's greatest actors to remain in demand both on and off screen. Film credits include the summer blockbuster The Nice Guys, alongside Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, Oliver Stone's Academy Award winning Platton, Academy Award winning Crash, There's Something About Mary, Armageddon, Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Currently, Keith David stars in the OWN (Oprah) Network drama series Greenleaf, which is in its 4^th season! Noted for his deep commanding voice, Keith is also an Emmy Award winning voice over artist and an accomplished singer, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Broadway's Jelly's Last Jam. Keith David's Let There Be Love is a joyful, swinging and theatrical journey into the music and life of one of America's greatest artists, Nat King Cole. $48, $42

Presented at St. John's University, The Little Theater, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

Gotta Dance – Kids Edition!

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

October 19, 2019, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Wednesdays: QCC – Dance Enrichment!

For QCC Students Only!

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday workshops run for 5 (five) weeks and take place inside the Student Union on the campus of Queensborough Community College.

Fall: 5-week session:

Wednesdays: September 25, 2019 – October 30, 2019