Return to Campus Letter #6 Update on College’s Student Support Services
Return to Campus Letter #6
May 6, 2021
Dear Brooklyn College Community,
This Return to Campus Letter is the sixth in a series designed to share the ongoing work we are engaged in preparing for the fall semester and a gradual return to campus.
In this letter, I’d like to talk about some of the student services that will be available next fall. Like our classes, student services next fall will be offered in person, online, and in a hybrid format. Most student services will be offered in a hybrid format—that is, both in person and online—to provide our students with options for accessing these vital services at their convenience.
Some student services will be offered entirely in person. Our Food Pantry, for instance, will continue to provide food on campus to students with need next fall. The Food Pantry is open for food distribution now on Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment. Likewise, our WEB lab will continue to offer students study spaces and access to computers on the West Side of campus in the fall by appointment. As I’ve mentioned before, we are also working to develop other spaces on campus for students who need a quiet place to study.
Some student services that were flexibly open before the pandemic may be open by appointment when we return in the fall. For instance, the Black and Latino Male Initiative, Center for Student Disability Services, Immigrant Student Success Office, LGBTQ Resource Center, Veterans and Military Programs and Services, and Women’s Center will likely continue to offer some services remotely via zoom and offer in-person services by appointment. Financial Aid, the Bursar, and the Scholarships Office will also offer both remote and in person appointments in the fall. The Magner Career Center will continue to offer a variety of small group sessions and career events every month throughout the fall, and will offer both in person and online appointments.
In a similar vein, our campus Health Clinic will continue to offer students options for online telemedicine or in person appointments next fall. (You can make an appointment now at the Health Clinic via e-mail.) Our Personal Counseling office will also have options in the fall for online tele-counseling services or in person appointments. (You can make a Personal Counselling appointment today via e-mail.) Our Academic Advisors and Peer Tutors will continue to offer individual and group zoom sessions and phone consultations, but will also offer in-person services by appointment next fall. (You can make an appointment with an Academic Adviser today via e-mail.)
Although I have not mentioned all of our student support services here, I believe you see the trend: Our plan is to offer the in-person support services necessary to sustain our students on campus, and continue to offer remote services online where they are a helpful option for our students. I will discuss other academic support services, including the library, in later letters.
In terms of the cafeteria, we do not expect that we will be able to offer full food service; however, we may be able to offer grab-and-go snacks and meals. We are working on a plan to upgrade our vending machines to touchless operations with improved food choices.
We are pleased to be in the process of planning a return to campus for our athletics teams. Our hope is that our student athletes will be able to get back in the game in the fall. (We will be able to answer questions about wider campus access to our athletics facilities later this summer.)
The second “Return to Campus Community Consultation” will focus on student concerns. It will be co-hosted by the Undergraduate Student Government, Graduate Student Organization, Office of Student Affairs, Office of Facilities, and Office of Environmental Health and Safety. Next week’s letter will indicate the date and time for the event, and provide a link to register for it.
Now is the time to register for summer and fall classes! Our Registrar’s Office is hosting zoom registration sessions to answer your questions and help you get the classes you want. You can sign up for one of these sessions now.
I will issue a Return to Campus Letter #7 next week. If you have not yet done so, please get vaccinated against COVID-19. All City-run sites are available for walk-in appointments, so it has never been easier to get this life-saving, free vaccine.
Yours sincerely,
Michelle J. Anderson
President, Brooklyn College
