Provost’s Newsletter: News and Updates from the Division of Academic Affairs for August 7, 2024
August 7, 2024
Dear Baruch College Community:
We are firmly in the “dog days of summer,” when Sirius, the dog star, rises and falls with the sun and New York City is at its hottest and stickiest. It is also a time for planning for the fall semester, which is just around the corner. One of the biggest changes we will see in the 2024-25 academic year is the implementation of Brightspace as the replacement learning management system (LMS) for Blackboard. Brightspace has significant advantages, especially in its mobile interface, making it easier for students to access course materials on their mobile devices. To support this transition, Baruch’s Brightspace Transition Team will be holding extended office hours in the run-up to and through the first weeks of the semester. Please scroll down for details.
I hope you are able to stay cool whether on campus or off, and that what is left of the summer is both productive and rejuvenating.
Warm best wishes,
Dr. Linda Essig
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Campus Updates
Brightspace Open Office Hours Resume Tuesday, Aug. 13
The Brightspace Transition Team will be hosting extended open office hours Tuesdays through Thursdays from 12 to 4 pm, Tuesday, Aug. 13 through Thursday, Sept. 12. These office hours may be joined via Zoom or in person in the Library and Technology Building, Room H-655. No registration is required. If you cannot make open office hours, Brightspace support 24/7 pairs you with a Brightspace expert who will work with you one on one. You may reach Brightspace Support at 1-888-895-2511.
Monthly Coffee Chats/Tea Talks
Each month, the Division of Academic Affairs organizes a “coffee chat/tea talk” for the Baruch community to come together in an informal setting. Most months, the events align with the Cultural Heritage Month celebrations organized by the Division of Student Affairs. All are welcome to attend, so mark your calendars now. Coffee Chats/Tea Talks are held from 9:30 to 10:30 am, with locations to be announced. If you’re interest in hosting one of the Coffee Chat/Tea Talks, please contact the Office of the Provost. The tentative schedule is as follows:
- September 25 – Latinx Heritage Month | Host: Raquel Fich
- October 23 – LGBTQIA+ History Month
- November 22 – Native American Heritage Month
- December 12 – Celebrate Faith Diversity | Cohosts: Olga Dais, Linda Essig, and others
- February 19 – Black History Month | Host: Shelly Eversley
- March 20 – Women’s History Month
- April 24 – Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month
- May 14 – Caribbean Week
CUNYHub AI Training Resources
The CUNYHub in Microsoft Teams offers training resources in Information Technology as well as AI. The Hub offers free webinars on a multitude of topics surrounding AI including AI Prompting as well as integration within the classroom. All webinars are recorded so they may be accessed at any time.
Faculty Affairs
Baruch Faculty Mentoring Network
The college-wide Faculty Mentoring Network will be up and running in a pilot version in the fall to support both professorial title faculty and lecturers at all career stages. We’re excited to announce the appointment of our Senior Mentor, David Jones, Professor, Department of Political Science. Dr. Jones will oversee the faculty mentors, lead a mentor training this fall, and provide ongoing support during the academic year.
Please save the dates for the Mentoring Network Faculty Gatherings which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4 and Friday, Mar. 27 from 5 to 7 pm. These will happen immediately after the Faculty Research showcases, providing opportunities to meet peers, mentors, and potential collaborators from across the college.
New Faculty Interest Groups Launched
Faculty interest groups (FIGs) are self-organized and complement the more formal Faculty Strategic Research Clusters. In FIGs, faculty across disciplines meet regularly to explore common research, creative, or teaching interests and share challenges as well as best practices. Faculty may join at any point during the duration of the FIG, as there is no required time commitment. Baruch’s first FIG is on Gender Studies. Coordinated by faculty members Shawn Grant, Assistant Professor, Department of Law and Katherine Pence, Associate Professor, Department of History, the Gender Studies FIG seeks to foster an interdisciplinary community of faculty members, staff, students, and practitioners interested in advancing their understanding and engaging in conversations around the current legal, legislative, and political developments targeting reproductive rights, gender identity, and sexual orientation. To join this FIG, please contact Shawn Grant. If you would like to propose a new FIG, please contact Norene Leddy, Director of Faculty Affairs.
Faculty Affairs: Adjunct Services
Online Asynchronous Adjunct Orientation
An updated version of the online asynchronous orientation for new adjunct faculty is available now via this link. Please share the link with new adjunct faculty members, course coordinators, and any staff who onboard adjunct faculty. In addition to the online orientation, there will be two college-wide Adjunct Socials, held on Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Tuesday, Apr. 8, from 4 to 7 pm, to give adjunct faculty the opportunity to meet and socialize in person.
Adjunct Community Space in Brightspace
The Adjunct Community Space in Brightspace is working well. This functions like the former Adjunct Orientation organization in Blackboard, which is no longer in use, with additional features. The Adjunct Community Space is updated regularly to provide resources and announce events, trainings, and other critical information for adjunct faculty. All adjunct faculty with summer teaching assignments have already been added, and adjunct faculty will continue to be added throughout August. If you are an adjunct faculty member who would like to be added to the Adjunct Community in Brightspace, please contact Adjunct Services.
Teaching and Learning
Getting to Know Brightspace: Messages
Faculty and staff have two messaging tools in Brightspace. When you log into Brightspace, in your top white menu bar, you will see an envelope icon. When you click the envelope, you will have two choices: instant messages or email. The instant message feature will allow you to message a student in a chat. If they are actively logged into Brightspace, they will immediately receive an alert that they have an instant message. You will be able to tell if a student is actively logged in because a green dot will appear next to their name. Faculty should use this feature sparingly, but it is a feature worth promoting to your students to be able to connect with peers in their classes. The email feature will allow you to send an email message to one student, a student group, or the entire class. Messages sent from Brightspace go directly to student emails. When they respond back to you, their message goes directly to your Baruch email and not to Brightspace. You can only send messages from Brightspace. Brightspace retains a copy of any messages you send for your later reference. For more information, review this helpful Messages in Brightspace guide. For any questions, please reach out to Brightspace Support 24/7 by clicking the blue-and-white dialogue box in the bottom right corner of any Brightspace webpage or via phone at 1-888-895-2511.
Research
Faculty Achievements
Zeda Li, Assistant Professor, Paul H. Chook Department of Information Systems and Statistics, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant for $225,444 in the division of Mathematics for his project, “Covariate-Assisted Analysis of Spectral Matrices with Applications to Physiological Signal.” Congratulations!
Do you want to share something you published, exhibited, performed, or presented with the Baruch community? Submit your information here.
Assessment, Accreditation, Institutional Effectiveness
BBA in Human Resource Management Receives Academic Alignment Credential
The N. Paul Loomba Department of Management’s BBA in Human Resource Management has officially been recognized by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as being aligned with the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge. This Academic Alignment credential is a prestigious recognition that signifies a degree program’s adherence to industry standards and commitment to preparing students for successful HR careers. The credential provides students with access to additional resources and better preparation for SHRM certification exams.
Reminders
Activity-Based Budgeting Kickoff Event on Tuesday, Sept. 3
This campus-wide engagement on the Activity-Based Budget process is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3, from 12:30 to 2 pm, in the Newman Vertical Campus (NVC), Simon Conference Room 14-220.
Faculty Convocation on Thursday, Sept. 19
Faculty should please save the date and plan to attend the annual Baruch College Faculty Convocation scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 19, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. As is customary, we will celebrate and recognize faculty achievements, including career milestones, recent research and creative accomplishments, and distinguished teaching. Additionally, we look forward to welcoming the new full-time faculty cohort. More details about the Faculty Convocation program, including this year’s keynote speaker, will be available in late August.
Stay Connected
Share Your Research and Creative Activity
Keep the College up to date with your research and creative activity by emailing facultynews@baruch.cuny.edu with the what, where, and when of your publication, presentation, exhibition, award, and so on.
President Wu’s Blog
Join the conversation at President Wu’s blog. Read and comment here.