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- Archive: CUNY Guidance Memo #14, June 16, 2020
Archive: CUNY Guidance Memo #14, June 16, 2020
Page Updated: June 16, 2020, 8:00 a.m.
CUNY Guidance Memo #14
We have slightly edited the University guidance to reflect Brooklyn College particulars as applicable for the reader’s ease.
CUNY Forward Reopening Plans
On June 9, Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez shared the following message with the University community.
As you know, New York City this week entered the first of four phases of Gov. Cuomo’s New York Forward reopening plan. I wanted to take a moment to discuss the practical ramifications of this process for the University, now and for the weeks and months to come.
In order to begin reopening, the city, as with the other regions of New York State, was required to meet seven health-related metrics involving COVID-19 hospitalizations, testing and contact tracing. The plan’s stipulated trajectory prescribes the in-person reopening of educational institutions in the fourth and final phase, but there are important exceptions that could enable other facets of the University, such as research activity, to return sooner, if the city continues to meet all metrics.
Last month, I established two task forces to provide a roadmap for the physical reopening of our campuses and on-site teaching and support services. The Academic and Student Support Task Force is chaired by Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost José Luis Cruz and the Coronavirus Planning Task Force is co-chaired by Executive Vice Chancellor and COO Hector Batista and Senior Vice Chancellor for Institutional Affairs, Strategic Advancement and Special Counsel Glenda Grace. These task forces have been hard at work developing CUNY-wide guidelines that — along with feedback received from various campus-specific groups — will help inform decision-makers as they prepare their college’s individualized, unit-level plans for reopening, which will require formal approval by the CUNY’s central administration before they can take effect.
As you know all 12 sessions of our Summer Term are being conducted by distance learning, and student support services that are currently being provided remotely — including mental health counseling; advisement; library, enrollment management, and career engagement services; student life; development; and inclusion programming — will continue to be delivered in the same way until further notice.
The safety of students, faculty and staff continues to be the primary consideration that guides all University decision-making involving the continuity of our operations. This includes decisions involving the fall semester. Because of the fluid and variable nature of the recovery and reopening efforts, no decision has been made yet about the possibility for resumption of on-campus instruction.
We understand that the uncertainty surrounding the in-person reopening of our campuses will require continued patience, but the circumstances demand a measured pace and the utmost prudence. I will continue to keep you informed of every development, and thank you for your dedication and hard work.
Before I finish, please know that I realize that the recent weeks and months have been exceptionally fraught. Just as the city was beginning to emerge from the pandemic shutdown, the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis highlighted to all the pernicious evil of racism as well as the need for cultural and structural change in law enforcement and society. As I said, universities can be the engines of change and badly needed reforms. CUNY is committed to being one of those engines. We are proud to serve one of the country’s most diverse university communities, and I am firmly committed to building on that legacy.
SPS Online Teaching Essentials
More than 550 faculty representing 16 colleges are participating in the second cohort of the Online Teaching Essentials (OTE) workshop, a 3-week fully online workshop sponsored by OAA and designed and hosted by CUNYSPS. OTE gives faculty first-hand experience of what it is like to learn online in an asynchronous environment in Blackboard. The training is organized into 6 modules, including: understanding the online learning environment; structuring the online learning experience; communicating and interacting online; online presence and engagement; effective online assessment; and course schedule and reflection. A total of 364 faculty from 14 colleges successfully completed the first workshop. The third session is tentatively slated to run between July 9 – July 30.
Fall 2020 Term(s)
Per previous guidance, a decision regarding the balance between in-person and remote learning and working in Fall 2020 is still pending. No decision has been made. The University’s highest priority in making this decision is to protect the health and safety of CUNY students, faculty and staff while creating the conditions for our students to make progress in their academic programs, for our faculty to advance their creative and scholarly activities, and our staff to meet our myriad programmatic goals. In the meantime — and in accordance with recent distance education regulatory relief provided by USDE, MSCHE, and NYSED — we continue to prepare for a Fall 2020 were the proportion of online courses and remote services will in all likelihood be higher than in the pre-COVID 19 era.
Summer 2020 Term(s)
As you know, after careful consideration and consultation, The City University of New York’s Summer 2020 course offerings will be primarily conducted via distance education format. We recognize this may pose significant challenges for specific programs, such as those requiring on-site skills assessment or campus laboratory access to meet licensing or accreditation requirements. In response, programs requiring interim campus access to support critical programming should request approval by a College’s president or dean and be subject to the social distancing provisions of the New York State on Pause Executive Order that may be in effect at the time. This decision is consistent with NYSED Guidance (pdf) published on April 2, 2020, which waived the requirement that specific courses and programs be registered for delivery via distance education. We appreciate the feedback we received from the University Faculty Senate and other academic leaders on this. For staff, current guidance regarding remote work will remain in effect consistent with the New York State on PAUSE executive order.
All In-Person Courses Suspended
Effective Monday, March 23, all in-person courses were suspended for the duration of the State’s “Pause”. This applies to all undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education courses that have not yet converted to distance-learning modes. Faculty engaged in these courses are asked to continue to explore, in conversation with their students, ways in which the in-person courses can be converted to distance learning. If the course’s learning outcomes cannot ultimately be achieved via distance learning, the courses could resume once the “pause” is lifted, at which time faculty and students would work to make up for lost time. Given the circumstances, students could also opt to withdraw from the course or receive a grade of incomplete if appropriate. For in-progress continuing education courses, colleges will communicate options available to students who decide to drop or cannot continue with coursework. The University is currently developing a refund/credit policy for these types of situations related to COVID-19.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
On May 15, the USDE expanded the approval for the use of distance education through December 31, 2020. On May 19, MSCHE released draft changes to select policies and procedures for public comment, and these changes were further explained in the MSCHE webinar on June 11. The changes to the Substantive Change Policy include:
- MSCHE will add four “sub-types” to the current 14 types of Substantive Change.
- It will require one (instead of two) approved programs for an institution to add an alternative delivery method (e.g., distance education) within its permanent scope of accreditation.
- Institutions will need to complete a (yet-to-be released) form to notify MSCHE about every program offered 50% or more via distance education (after the current USDE waiver expires in Dec 2020).
- Institutions that have been on warning, probation, or show cause in the past three years will need to do the full Substantive Change process (and receive prior approval) for every program offered 50% or more via distance education (after the current USDE waiver expires in Dec 2020).
There will be attendant changes to the current Substantive Change Request form (streamlined and a separate form for each type of change), as well as a new tiered review procedure, with tiered fees. Some of the fees will be waived through 2020-2021. These new policies and procedures will be finalized at the June 25 Commission meeting, to become effective (and further clarified by) July 1.
Most of these changes were determined in November 2019 and are necessitated by changes in USDE policy. MSCHE acknowledges that Covid-19 and its continuing impact still leave unanswered questions. Other changes coming July 1 include new requirements for increased transparency and communication.
Upcoming MSCHE events to note:
- September 15, 2020, 1-3 p.m.: Virtual President-Provost Meeting
- September 21, 2020, 10 a.m.-Noon: Virtual Town Hall
As always, MSCHE recommends that college Presidents and Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs) keep in good touch with their MSCHE VP liaisons, but please contact Karen Kapp (karen.kapp@cuny.edu) in CUNY’s OAA with additional questions.
New York State Education Department (NYSED)
As of May 15, 2020, NYSED has also extended its flexibility on distance education through December 31, 2020. For the latest, please see here.
Therefore, colleges do not need to take any extra steps with regard to NYSED in order to offer programs or certificates online in Fall 2020. At this point there is no information regarding anticipated changes in NYSED practices for Spring 2021. During the Fall semester, colleges interested in adding distance education format to NYSED registration programs may do so via the usual CAPPR Report procedure (while being mindful of any applicable MSCHE requirements depending on the institution’s accreditation status): http://www.cuny.edu/academics/academic-programs/academic-program-resources/academic-reports/.
Further, programs leading to professional licensure that need to amend their clinical experiences during Summer 2020 need to complete an NYSED form that includes a signature by the respective CAO or Dean and submit it to Dr. Ekaterina Sukhanova (ekaterina.sukhanova@cuny.edu) for forwarding to NYSED’s Office of the Professions. Please contact Dr. Sukhanova for more information. Programs that already have such a request submitted to NYSED do not need to it again.
The Governor also announced that medical schools statewide will be allowed to reopen on June 22, following appropriate precautions, in order to safely prepare for and welcome new cohorts of medical students this Summer and Fall.
MSCHE Annual Institutional Update (AIU)
The 2020 Annual Institutional Update (AIU) had been rescheduled from earlier this spring and will now launch on July 13, 2020 and remain open through August 14, 2020. MSCHE will send additional information in June. Please update your institution’s key contacts in the MSCHE portal to ensure appropriate individuals receive important messaging. The AIU is mandatory.
Class Schedule Mode of Instructions Updated Guidelines
The Committee on Academic Policy consulted broadly with all of our provosts, chief student affairs officers, and chief enrollment managers to update our “Coding of Instruction Mode in Class Schedule” — a policy and procedure memorandum that was last revised in 2014. Revised coding/updated definitions for Modes of Instruction for classes offered at the university are available here. Please contact University Executive Registrar Vivek Upadhyay (Vivek.Upadhyay@cuny.edu) with any questions.
Policy on the Use of Credit for Prior Learning
On June 8, the Committee on Academic Policy, Programs, and Research favorably recommended the approval of a policy on the use of credit for prior learning. The policy is now subject to review by the full Board of Trustees on June 29. The policy recognizes that research has shown that non-traditional 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.
Alternative ESL Placement Assessment for Incoming Fall 2020 Students
The closing of campus testing centers for spring 2020 has created a number of challenges in administering the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CATW) for English as a Second Language (ESL) placement and proficiency. The paper and pencil exam is typically administered to incoming students who have been flagged as potential ESL via the admissions process, as well as, students who are exiting the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) and scored at University-administered central grading sites. In place of paper and pencil exams, an online variation of the CATW, the ESL Diagnostic Assessment, will be administered to incoming fall 2020 ESL students, as well as, students exiting the CLIP program. The student responses will be evaluated locally by each colleges’ ESL faculty or designees to determine appropriate placement into the ESL course sequence, English Composition, or pre- matriculation programs (CLIP, USIP). The ESL Diagnostic Assessment was developed by the University Testing Office and the Office of Policy Research in consultation with the members of the ESL Discipline Council (ESL DC). Additional guidance and instructions for campuses will be released shortly. Please contact Director of Testing Melissa Uber at Melissa.Uber@cuny.edu with any questions.
Special COVID-19 Graduate Admissions Policy
- Because the University recognizes the disproportionately adverse impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on historically underserved communities and in consultation with campus presidents and deans, the Council of Academic Affairs and the University Faculty Senate as well as the University Student Senate, have determined the need for a policy that will provide students clarity on how the University will consider “Pass/Fail” and “Credit/No Credit” grades when evaluating applications to graduate programs. To this end, on May 18, 2020 the Board of Trustees approved the Special COVID-19 Graduate Admissions Policy. This policy identifies three major actions:
That in evaluating future candidates for admission to graduate programs, the University will not disadvantage students who present P (pass) or CR (credit) grades in their transcripts for courses specifically taken during Spring 2020 and other terms which could be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — regardless of whether their institutions imposed a flexible or similar grading policy for all students or gave them the choice to opt-in; and be it further - That to this end, all University graduate admissions committees shall adjust their selection processes to honor this commitment while keeping with the norms of their specific programs and corresponding disciplines; and be it further
- That the University strongly encourages other institutions of higher education to enact similar policies to level the playing field as students who are today impacted by COVID-19 seek to meet their full potential through graduate education in the future.
The Board resolution explanation for this policy reads as follows:
The City University of New York has adopted a Credit/No Credit flexible grading policy for the Spring 2020 semester that will provide students maximum flexibility as they navigate the challenges associated with the University’s move to distance learning and the effects of social distancing guidelines on the personal lives of students. Similar Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit grading policies have been adopted by institutions of higher education across the country. As a result, questions have arisen regarding how students with Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit grades will be evaluated when applying to graduate programs. The University recognizes the disproportionately adverse impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on historically underserved communities and in consultation with campus presidents and deans, the Council of Academic Affairs and the University Faculty Senate, have determined the need for a policy that will provide students clarity on how the University will consider Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit grades when evaluating applications to graduate programs. By clearly articulating that in evaluating candidates for admission into graduate programs, the University will not disadvantage students who present P (pass) or CR (credit) grades in their transcripts for courses taken during Spring 2020 — regardless of whether their institution imposed the flexible grading policy on all students or gave them the choice to opt-in, the University will allow students to feel less pressure and anxiety about their grades as they contemplate their future graduate school options against the backdrop of the disruptions to daily life resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The University strongly encourages other institutions of higher education to enact similar policies to level the playing field as students impacted by COVID-19 seek to meet their full potential through a graduate education.
CR/NC Grading Policy
On March 30, the CUNY Board of Trustees approved the “Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Spring 2020 Semester.” The detailed FAQ (see below) was most recently updated on May 5, and the Credit/No Credit option is now live for students in CUNYfirst. To help students make the best and most-informed decision, OAA has developed, in consultation with the University-wide Implementation Team and a group of campus liaisons, information for students (including, a visual opt-in tutorial and video update from USS Senate Chair and CUNY Trustee Timothy Hunter, and a campus contact site), faculty, and staff. This content has been communicated across multiple channels during the last few weeks, with more outreach to come. The policy will remain in effect for the Spring 2020 semester and will be reviewed by the Chancellor and extended as necessary to meet public health emergency policies and practices. All student information and processing systems, including Degreeworks, FACTS, EAB, Schedule Builder, CUNYfirst prerequisite module, State and Federal SAP processing, Academic Standing process, have also been updated to comply with this policy.
General Information
No, this policy applies only to courses taken during the Spring 2020 semester. This includes Winter Session, Spring Session 1, and Spring Session 2 (relevant for Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Guttman), and any other session within the Spring 2020 semester.
The COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy was designed in consultation with campus presidents and deans, the University Faculty Senate, the University Council of Registrars, and the University Student Senate to provide students with maximum flexibility during the ongoing and challenging transition of all courses to distance learning.
This policy applies to all CUNY students who are enrolled in credit bearing courses for the Spring 2020 semester, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses, with the exceptions of the CUNY School of Law and the CUNY school of Medicine. Courses in all Spring 2020 sessions, including 8-week and mini-sessions, are included in the Credit/No Credit policy. The policy applies to all courses, including capstone, internship, and lab courses except dissertation continuation courses.
No, course grades will not automatically convert to Credit/No-Credit. The change is optional, at the student’s discretion.
Students will have up to June 25, twenty business days after the University’s final grade submission deadline (May 28), to elect Credit/No Credit (this also applies to any/all courses completed in all sessions completed, prior to regular session end date).
Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Guttman students enrolled in Spring Session 1 (or sessions already completed prior to Session 1 end date) who wish to have one or more course grades converted to Credit/No Credit will have up to July 16, which is twenty business days after the University’s final grade submission deadline (June 17), to submit their request.
Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Guttman students enrolled in Spring Session 2 (or sessions that started after Session 1 and already completed prior to Session 2 end date) will have up to September 10, which is twenty business days after the University’s final grade submission deadline (August 12), to submit their request.
Undergraduate students who are graduating and whose cumulative or major GPAs are below a 2.0, or graduate students who have a GPA below a 3.0 should consult with their advisor before declaring the option. Additional information regarding the election process will be forthcoming.
A student can opt to take the Credit/No Credit option for all, some, or none of their graded classes for Spring 2020 semester.
Students will not be denied the right to opt-in to receive a Credit/No Credit grade for any course that applies toward their degree (general education courses, electives, major, minor, and prerequisite courses) based upon this University policy. While CUNY programs cannot prohibit use of the Credit/No Credit options, a grade of Credit/No Credit may not be acceptable to licensing, accreditation or other bodies external to CUNY. Students should consult with their program advisors or the external body prior to making the decision to elect Credit/No Credit. International students and veterans electing this option should review section “International Students, Veterans, and Special Programs” for further guidance.
Graduation: f an undergraduate student’s major GPA and/or cumulative GPA is below a 2.0, and the student is graduating, and the letter grade will raise the GPA to at least a 2.0, then choosing the Credit/No Credit option would prevent the student from graduating. Similarly, if a graduate student’s cumulative GPA is below a 3.0, and the student is graduating, and the letter grade will raise the GPA to at least a 3.0, then choosing the Credit/No Credit option would prevent the student from graduating.
Professional Licensure, Transfer, and Graduate School Admission: Some professional licensure organizations, and graduate schools outside of CUNY, may not accept a grade of CR. As such, students, in consultation with program advisors, should weigh the potential impact of electing the Credit/No Credit option on their ability to earn licenses, transferability of credit to non-CUNY institutions, and/or admission into graduate school outside of CUNY. As one example, there are some graduate programs that typically convert a CR grade to a C and an NC grade to an F when evaluating a transcript. The University is currently working to provide additional clarity on these matters.
The University will endeavor to ensure that the flexibility afforded by this policy works in the best interest of students. Students will be encouraged to be in contact with external scholarship organizations, the transfer admissions office at non-CUNY institutions, the graduate admissions offices at non-CUNY institutions and any organization external to CUNY that could have an impact on their current or future educational or professional plans.
This policy currently applies exclusively to courses taken during the Spring 2020 semester. This includes Winter Session, Spring Session 1 and Spring Session 2 (relevant for Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Guttman), and any other session within the Spring 2020 semester. Following the end of the Spring 2020 semester, the Chancellor has the discretion to review and extend the policy as necessary to meet public health emergency policies and practices.
Yes, every CUNY campus catalog will be updated with University Policy on Credit/No Credit for students, faculty and staff.
No. After the University’s final grade submission deadline a student will have up to twenty business days to elect the Credit/No Credit option. Once a student chooses to convert course grades to the Credit/No Credit the decision is final. Importantly, there may be circumstances where electing the Credit/No Credit option may not be in the best interests of the student, some of which are described below.
Financial Aid
There may be cases where a student’s eligibility for financial aid could be adversely impacted by electing the Credit/No Credit option, including private scholarships, state student aid, and federal student aid. Students should meet with financial aid advisors prior to choosing Credit/No Credit. More information is provided below, and additional information will be posted on the CUNY Continuity Site.
Federal Student Aid: Students who receive federal aid are required to successfully complete courses within a specified period of time, with a determined GPA and at a pace based on the length of their academic program, known as Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The federal CARES Act allows for a college to exclude any attempted credits that you did not complete from spring 2020 semester SAP calculation, as a result of COVID-19. You will not need to submit an appeal for the exception.
State Student Aid: Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), New York State's higher education student financial aid agency, has determined that students certified by the college as impacted by COVID-19 and receiving state financial aid will not suffer negative consequences regarding their current or future awards. You will be required to submit the CUNY COVID-19 Financial Aid Documentation form to the college where you are enrolled to support your circumstance. The form can be found here (pdf).
Private Scholarships: Private scholarship organizations may not accept a grade of CR. Considering that, financial aid counselors can help students to best leverage the flexibility afforded by the Credit/No Credit option by reviewing private scholarships with students and advising them to communicate with private scholarship organizations. Most scholarships will not be affected by a change in grading system unless they are for more than one year and have academic requirements.
Grades and GPA
Neither the CR nor the NC is included in the calculation of the GPA. The CR grade will allow the student to earn credit (for credit bearing courses) but is not factored into the GPA. If the student elects an NC grade in place of an F then it is not factored into the GPA, but the student will not earn the credit. A student should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of electing the Credit/No Credit option, particularly on matters related to graduation, professional licensure requirements, financial aid eligibility, and transfer of credit and/or graduate admissions to non-CUNY institutions.
Yes, a grade of CR earned at one CUNY institution will transfer to another CUNY institution. There are no exceptions to this.
All students opting for a CR grade will receive credit for that course (for credit bearing courses). Students will not be prevented from registering for courses in subsequent semesters that require specific grades in courses completed in the Spring 2020 semester, including students who transfer. Prerequisites for all courses and programs will be considered complete with a CR grade, at all CUNY institutions. Students should, however, consider the likelihood of succeeding in subsequent courses, in which they will earn a letter grade, if they have not mastered the material in a related lower level course. In the case of programs that fulfill the academic requirements for licensed professions, student decisions to pursue the Credit/No Credit option may impact their acceptance into the program (or graduate program). These students are encouraged to check with their respective departments.
The policy applies to all courses, even taken via ePermit/Study Abroad, in the Spring 2020 semester.
Stops and holds will not have an impact on a student’s ability to select the Credit/No Credit option.
A grade of CR is a passing grade, will replace an F, apply towards the F-Repeat policy, and count towards the 16-credit F-Repeat limit (for credit bearing courses) but will not contribute to the calculation of the term GPA.
A NC grade will not replace a previously earned F grade.
WU is not an earned grade and is assigned to students who stop participating in and do not complete the course; thus, student will not have option to convert to an “NC” grade. After consulting with the financial aid office, on a case by case basis, campuses can decide to exercise this option for a student. As is generally the case, campuses must document and retain this exception decision.
FIN is not an earned grade and is assigned to students who do not complete coursework for which they received an INC grade in Spring 2020 semester, thus, student will not have the option to convert to an “NC” grade. After consulting with the financial aid office, on a case by case basis, campuses can decide to exercise this option for a student. As is generally the case, campuses must document and retain this exception decision.
Yes, upon resolution of INC grade, earned during Spring 2020 semester, student will have the option to opt-in.
If a student has a version of the W grade (W, WN, WA, WD) on their record for a particular course for the Spring 2020 semester, this option does not apply to that course.
These grades will not be included in the total number of non-letter grade courses a student may take as per the existing campus policy.
Credit/No Credit grades are not counted toward the Dean's List and Campus Honors. Students must earn letter grades in order to be considered for any honors opportunities.
Each campus has a grades appeals process that can be invoked if issues arise as a result of the Credit/No Credit policy.
No, the NC grade will not be replaced and will continue to appear on the transcript. A grade of NC is not calculated into the GPA; therefore, it will not impact the 16-credit university limitation on repeats. On the other hand, if an F is received in a course, then successfully repeating that course later would replace the F grade in the calculation of the GPA.
No, students found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy are not allowed to opt-in to receive a No Credit grade, as academically sanctioned F grades are not earned grades.
Credit/No Credit Opt-in
Students will be able to elect this option after their class grades have been posted in CUNYfirst by their instructor.
Students will be able to elect this option starting May 11, 2020 for classes for which they have already received grades for Spring 2020 semester.
Students will use CUNYfirst to elect the Credit/No Credit option. Detailed instructions and communications will be provided across multiple channels as part of the communication and implementation plan.
The grade glossary, attached to each transcript, will be updated to include a notation denoting that all Spring 2020 grades, including CR or NC, were earned during a major disruption to instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Campus registrars will be able to assist any student with late grade submissions and or any issue with Credit/No Credit policy, on a case-by-case basis.
A passing letter grade (A, B, C, or D) can convert to ‘CR’ with credit for the class being awarded (for credit bearing courses), while a failing grade (F) can convert to ‘NC’, with no credit awarded. Still, it is important to understand that under certain circumstances, there is a difference between a passing grade for the purposes of CUNY, and an acceptable grade in the eyes of institutions outside of CUNY, specialized programs such as Nursing, and standards for professional licensure. Students should consult with their advisors before electing the Credit/No Credit option.
Once a degree is conferred and student has graduated, changes to an academic record, including grade change due to Credit/No Credit option, cannot be made.
Stops and holds will not have an impact on a student’s ability to select the Credit/No Credit option.
An existing Credit/No Credit (or “pass/fail” or “pass/no credit”) options at the colleges continue to apply in the Spring 2020 semester according to established rules of each individual college, provided these are selected by the student up until their established deadline and before grades are posted. The Spring 2020 Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Credit/No Credit only applies after the grades are posted. If, upon seeing their posted letter grade in CUNYfirst, student wants to change an earned letter grade to Credit/No Credit, they can then opt-in to elect this option. The dates of this opt-in period are from when the final grades are posted until 20 business days from grade posting. It is during this period that if the student wishes to change a letter grade to the Credit/No Credit option they may do so. Once the choice is made in CUNYfirst, it is irrevocable.
International Students, Veterans, and Special Programs
International students should consult campus International Student and Scholar Services before initiating this option. For Spring 2020, international students will be able to opt-in to Credit/No Credit without any impact on their visa status if the decision is due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The VA does not typically pay for classes for which the grade received, such as Credit/No Credit, may not contribute to student progress standards for graduation (what the VA calls “non-punitive grades).” Non punitive grades have the same effect as taking a class in “audit” status. If COVID 19 is reported by the institution as a mitigating circumstance for the student’s receipt of a nonpunitive grade (i.e., Fail in a Pass/Fail class) then VA will pay for the class. As a mitigating circumstance, Veteran students should consult campus Veterans Support Services before initiating this option. More information is available here.
The policy applies to all students taking courses in the Spring 2020 semester regardless of matriculation status.
The policy applies to all courses applicable to all CUNY undergraduate programs equally.
Students Pursuing Licensed Health Professions Programs
Admission to many of the licensed health profession programs at CUNY is highly competitive. There are more students interested in these programs than there are clinical placements available, therefore there is a selection process based upon a review of the academic record of each student seeking admission. While no student will be deprived the right to a CR grade in any class at CUNY, overall GPA is not the only indicator in admissions decisions to licensed health profession programs. Students are encouraged to review the admissions criteria, which can be viewed on the program’s webpage, for acceptance to the program. Program directors will review the full transcript of each student and will make their admissions decisions based upon conclusions drawn from the review of those transcripts. Opting for a CR grade instead of a letter grade in a course may impact your ability to meet the expected admission criteria and acceptance into the program. Students doing poorly in a course may be advised to withdraw from a course, which has been extended to May 14, or take a Credit/No Credit grade option and repeat the course in a subsequent term.
No student will be denied the right to elect the Credit/No Credit grade option. All students, regardless of their field of study need to consider the impact that their level of proficiency in a Spring 2020 course will have on their success in a future course or in successfully advancing in the program in which they will earn a letter grade or choose a Credit/No Credit This consideration is particularly important for students in programs preparing them to take licensing examinations in one of the health professions upon graduation. Students doing poorly in a course may be advised to withdraw from a course or take an NC grade and repeat the course in a subsequent term. Students should contact their professor or advisor either prior to the end of the semester or certainly prior to opting for the Credit/No Credit grade.
Each graduate program will view these grades as they see fit. Many colleges and universities throughout the United States are implementing similar type grading options for students for the Spring 2020 semester, so your transcript will most likely not be the only one with a Credit/No Credit. Students may consider admission criteria for graduate schools in your selected health profession to inform decisions on eligibility and other conditions that may potentially impact admission to the program. You have twenty days after your letter grade has been submitted to decide if you want to opt in for the Credit/No Credit grade. We advise you to use that time to check with the admissions office of each program to which you have applied in order to make an informed decision.
Education Students
Candidates who complete a registered program would apply for certification through the approved program pathway. In this pathway, NY State Education Department (OTI) looks for the institutions’ recommendation for certification in the candidates’ TEACH account and does not look at courses on a transcript. Credit/No Credit courses would not be an issue in this case.
Candidates who complete college courses but are not matriculating in a registered program and would not receive an institution recommendation for certification, may apply for certification through the individual evaluation pathway. In this pathway, “candidates must have achieved at least a C or its equivalent in any undergraduate level course and at least a B- or its equivalent in any graduate level course in order for the semester hours associated with that course to be credited toward meeting the content core or pedagogical core semester hour requirements for a certificate”, according to the regulations.
Students pursuing the individual evaluation pathway who earn at least a C or its equivalent in any undergraduate level course and at least a B- or its equivalent in any graduate level course may decide to accept the letter grade (and not convert it to CR) so their transcript can be more readily assessed by NY State Education Department.
The minimum letter grade requirement does not apply to the general core (liberal arts and science) courses, unless they are also counting towards the content core semester hour requirements. CR/NC grades would be acceptable for those courses. In addition, any grade is acceptable, including pass/fail grades, for the 12-semester hour graduate coursework content core for the Professional certificate master's degree requirement, as long as the college granted degree credit for the course.
Each graduate program will view these grades as they see fit. Many colleges and universities throughout the United States are implementing similar type grading options for students for the Spring 2020 semester, so your transcript will most likely not be the only one with a Credit/No Credit or P/F or P/NC grade. CUNY’s Credit/No Credit grades will not impact the students’ GPA. You have twenty days after your letter grade has been submitted to decide if you want to opt in for the Credit/No Credit We advise you to use that time to check with the admissions office of each program to which you have applied in order to make an informed decision.
Colleges may give students additional advice stemming from their accrediting bodies, etc. (CUNY will send letters explaining the Credit/No Credit policy to CAEP and AAQEP, in addition to Middle States.) Before choosing this grading option for one or more of their classes, students will consult with their academic and financial aid advisors regarding potential impact to their financial aid, licensure requirements, and graduate school admissions.
Final Exams for Developmental Courses
Given the closing of CUNY campuses for the spring and summer 2020 terms, University-wide final exams for developmental courses and interventions will not be administered for those terms. Under normal circumstances, the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CATW) and CUNY Elementary Algebra Final Exam (CEAFE) are administered in person at campus testing centers. Per University policy, these tests normally constitute 35% of a student’s final course grade in top-level developmental/English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and interventions in writing and math. The instructor determines the other 65% of the course grade based on the student’s course performance. For spring and summer 2020, faculty and instructors of such courses/interventions (including CUNY Start/Math Start/USIP and any other intervention) will determine 100% of the final course grade based on student performance in the course/intervention. Top-level reading courses and interventions typically use a departmental (rather than University) final exam as 35% of the course grade. For spring and summer 2020, faculty and instructors of reading courses/interventions may also locally determine 100% of the final course grade based on student performance. Proficiency in reading, writing, and math will continue to be awarded based upon successful completion of the course/intervention.
Colleges are not required to, but may, substitute a local final exam in place of the University final exam. Because CUNY Start/Math Start uses structured common curricula and has a professional development team that works across partner colleges, the program has created standardized grading plans and common final assessments for its math and reading/writing interventions which will be used to determine students’ grades and proficiency status.
Some short USIP interventions have used CEAFE or CATW as 100% of a student’s grade (no instructor grade component), as authorized in the September 28, 2016 memo “Exit Standards for Non-Course-Based Developmental Interventions.” (pdf) A poll of USIP Directors found that no campuses planned to do that for summer 2020. If a Provost decides to exercise that option, the University will share test forms for local use and grading. The same 2016 memo indicated that the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) would use the CATW as a high-stakes exit. For CLIP, alternative measures were coordinated with the program leadership. These decisions were made in consultation with the ESL, Reading, Writing, and Math Discipline Councils; CUNY Start leadership; USIP Directors; and the University Director of Disability Programs. For additional information, please contact Director of Testing Melissa Uber at Melissa.Uber@cuny.edu.
Early Graduation of Students in Health and Human Service Programs
The University — in collaboration with SUNY, NYSED, and several of our Colleges — has created the conditions that will allow the early graduation of our first-ever graduating class from our School of Medicine and of qualified students in nursing and respiratory therapy (RT) programs across the system. Colleges and schools who choose to request early graduation for students in these programs must develop a graduation plan that meets NYSED’s emergency guidance and that of their accreditors. Additional details of the University’s work to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, include:
- The School of Medicine accelerated graduation of our fourth- year medical students to Friday, April 10 (from May 20). The 44 graduating students have already been engaged by local health systems and are scheduled to start immediately.
- BMCC is graduating 18 Respiratory Therapists and Hostos is graduating 23 Nursing students in early May in response to the urgent need for these essential health professionals.
- The University us working closely with accrediting bodies on considerations for alternative training models and accommodations to maximize any/all methods to maintain continuity or accelerate preparation of our licensed health professional students.
- To date, the University has submitted close to 80 applications to NYSED for modified clinical training plans for key healthcare disciplines, such as nursing (LPN, RN, NP), physician assistant, social work, mental health counseling, radiologic technology, audiology and speech-language-hearing pathology. This is critical to maintaining pending graduation plans for our students in these programs.
- The Office of Academic Affairs is working with NYC DOHMH to facilitate recruitment of CUNY students and graduates into the new NYC Contact Tracer positions. The University is also supporting recruitment of Contact Tracers for the NYS DOH sponsored tri-state initiative.
The University is also actively working across our campuses to activate existing and new training programs to address immediate workforce priorities such as telehealth and medical scribes. The University has the capability to provide online training, complemented by virtual simulation for clinical skills, and on-site competency-based assessment of students in our state-of-the art high fidelity clinical simulation center located at Bellevue Hospital. Furthermore, the University’s faculty have extensive expertise and capacity to support any number of short-term training programs.
Student Retention and Progress
Per University policy, each student will be expected to maintain a grade point average of at least 1.50 for the first twelve credits, attempted and at least a 1.75 grade point average for the first twenty-four credits, attempted. In each subsequent semester students will be expected to maintain at least a 2.00 grade point average. Students who fail to meet their college’s retention standards or the conditions of an academic or other probation for Spring 2020, are to be placed on continued probation and will not be subject to academic dismissal.
Course Withdrawal Period
Last Day to Drop with a Grade of “W.” The current deadline date listed on the calendar is Wednesday, April 1, 2020. We will move that date to Thursday, May 14, 2020 (for KCC/LAG/GCC – Spring Session 1: June 4, 2020; Spring Session 2: August 1, 2020). This is the published “Last Day of Classes,” and before final examination week and also prior to the “End of the Spring Term”.
Incomplete Grades
Students who receive an INC grades in the Spring 2020 term would generally be required to submit outstanding work, “according to a deadline established by individual colleges of the University but no later than the last day of the following semester (pdf).” But the University will allow students to submit incomplete work to faculty for resolution of INC grades for courses taken in Spring 2020 through the Fall 2020 semester, and the new deadline for faculty to submit Incomplete to Grade forms to the Registrar’s Office for resolution will be Wednesday, December 23, 2020. This date coincides with the “Final Grade Submission Deadline” for Fall 2020 courses. For students who received an INC grade in the Fall 2019 semester, the University will allow students to submit incomplete work to faculty for resolution through end of Summer 2020 semester. The new deadline for faculty to submit Incomplete to Grade forms to the Registrar’s Office for resolution will be August 30, 2020.
Disciplinary Hearings
The offices of the General Counsel and Student Affairs have reviewed the circumstances under which student disciplinary hearings should be held in the current environment, given that it is not possible to hold in-person hearings. Based on their review, the University has determined that most student disciplinary hearings can be postponed until it is possible to hold an in-person hearing in accordance with Article 15 of the CUNY Bylaws. In cases involving emergency suspensions, where Article 15 dictates time limits for hearings, each college should either get the respondent's consent to postpone the hearing (if the respondent has not requested an adjournment) or proceed with the hearing remotely. To this end, each college has been asked to review all of its pending student disciplinary cases and determine whether there are any cases that the college believes cannot wait and need to go ahead remotely — for example, in cases were (1) a student has been given an emergency suspension and for some reason has not been able to continue classes remotely; (2) the respondent is a senior scheduled to graduate at the end of the Spring 2020 semester and thus a delay in the hearing will affect graduation; and (3) the complainant or necessary witnesses are graduating at the end of Spring 2020 and possibly will not be available for a hearing if the case is postponed.
Given the particular difficulty of holding remote student disciplinary hearings in cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct, those hearings should not go forward so long as appropriate interim remedial measures, such as no-contact orders, are in place. If there is a particular sexual misconduct case that a college thinks should move forward, the college should consult with the offices of the General Counsel and Student Affairs. In addition, in any case, where the college wishes to proceed with a remote hearing, it must consult with the offices of the General Counsel and Student Affairs to discuss the ground rules under which the hearing will proceed. The College will need to ensure that the remote hearing process is consistent with Article 15 in that, among other things, personal recording of the hearing is prohibited, and the college will employ the use of screen sharing technology for document review purposes in advance of the scheduled hearing. If you have any questions about student disciplinary hearings during the coronavirus pause, please contact Yvette Santana- Prado, University Director of Student Conduct at Yvette.Santana@cuny.edu.
Agreement on Extension of Notification Date for Adjunct Appointments for Fall 2020
On May 26, in the spirit of collaboration in these most uncertain and unprecedented times, Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez proposed once again the extension of the notification deadline for re-appointments and non-reappointments of adjuncts and non-teaching teaching adjuncts through June 30, 2020 to allow the University to make more informed decisions regarding these personnel actions, as additional time would allow our City and State fiscal year budget situation to become clearer, our enrollment projections to come into sharper focus, and our Board of Trustees to exercise its fiduciary responsibility through the enactment of our FY 2021 budget. We are pleased the PSC accepted the Chancellor’s proposal on May 29 through the following agreement:
- For adjunct appointments that start in the fall 2020 semester, the contractual notification date in Article
10.1 (a) 3 and Appendix E, paragraph 2, of the CBA will be extended so that adjuncts shall receive notice on or before June 30, 2020. Notice will be sent electronically on or before June 30, 2020 and will be presumed to be received on the date that it is sent. - The University will provide fiscal year 2020-2021 budget information about the colleges and university— this will include detailed college budget information, information about proposed cuts, information about State and City fiscal situations and enrollment projections.
- No adjunct appointments already made will be rescinded.
- Chancellor will direct the colleges to make every effort to make adjunct appointments so that any adjunct who had health insurance in the 2019-2020 academic year by virtue of having CUNY employment will be eligible to maintain health insurance in the fall 2020 semester.
- Chancellor will direct the colleges to make every effort to ensure that three-year appointments are made to those eligible.
- By June 5, 2020 the Central Office Benefits Department will provide a list to each college of its adjunct employees who received health insurance in the 2019-2020 academic year through their CUNY employment.
- By June 12, 2020 the colleges must provide Central Office with a list of adjunct employees who received health insurance in the 2019-2020 academic year and who—as a result of potential non- reappointments/reduction in courses/reduction in hours, owing to budgetary reasons—stand to lose health insurance eligibility.
- On or before June 19, 2020, the parties will meet to review the list of adjuncts who stand to lose health insurance and will seek to address any needs for continuing health insurance coverage during the fall 2020 semester of those adjuncts who had been receiving health insurance for the 2019-2020 academic year. Information will be provided in accordance with any and all relevant state or federal privacy laws relating to the disclosure of such information. Individual employees’ identities will be protected.
- The parties will make every effort to resolve the issue of health insurance coverage for the 2020-2021 academic year for tuition-only doctoral students by June 30, 2020.
Supplemental CUNY-PSC Agreement Regarding Adjunct Reappointment/Non-Reappointment Dates
Several weeks ago, The City University of New York suggested to The Professional Staff Congress that the notification dates for adjunct reappointments and non-reappointments be delayed. On May 13, the PSC confirmed agreement to the University’s recommendation to delay from May 15 to May 29, 2020 the deadline for all notifications regarding adjunct reappointments/non-reappointments that would become effective with the Fall 2020 semester. This agreement includes notifications regarding three-year appointments, one- and two- semester appointments, non-teaching adjunct, and adjunct CLT appointments.
Supplemental Agreement for the COVID-19 Virus State of Emergency
The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York entered into the following Supplemental Agreement for the COVID-19 Virus State of Emergency (“Emergency Agreement”). The Emergency Agreement is retroactive to March 12, 2020, and will continue until the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, unless an extension is agreed to by the parties. Additional provisions may be added by agreement of the parties. The provisions of the Emergency Agreement shall supersede any other agreement concerning the subject matter herein made by the parties prior to March 12, 2020.
- Both full-time faculty and adjuncts who are responsible for holding office hours will hold office hours through distance technology and will notify their students and their department chair regarding how they plan to hold the hours.
- Classroom teaching observations that had not been conducted prior to March 20, 2020, for the spring 2020 semester will be conducted only if requested by the employee to be observed. If a teaching observation is requested, the department will use the new contractual provision for classroom teaching observations of online classes set forth in Article 18.2(b)3, recognizing that courses being taught through distance technology are not necessarily online courses and acknowledging in the observation report that the course was not a distance-learning course from the start of the semester. The individual to be observed must be made aware of the procedure to be used and have the option not to proceed with the observation. Teaching observations for faculty teaching courses online since the start of the semester and who are due to be observed during this semester shall be observed pursuant to Article 18.2(b)3.
- The annual evaluation conference required by Article 18.3 will be conducted through distance technology, which may include telephone and/or videoconferencing. The written record of the discussion, as required under Article 18.3, may be delivered to the employee by electronic means. In satisfaction of the requirements of Article 19, the electronic communication of the record of the discussion may be placed in the employee’s personnel file after the employee has been given the opportunity to read the contents and attach any comments. The employee will acknowledge by email receipt of the written record of the discussion; if the employee fails to send such acknowledgment, a statement to that effect will be included in the employee’s file along with a copy of the record of the discussion. If the overall evaluation is unsatisfactory, the record of the discussion shall so state, and the employee may electronically make a request to appear before the department P&B pursuant to Article 18.3(a). Such appearance may be held through distance technology.
- Decisions on tenure effective September 1, 2020, on promotion, on reclassification and on discretionary assignment salary differentials that were in process as of March 12, 2020 shall be completed.
- Faculty and staff shall be permitted to retrieve personal belongings and materials needed to work remotely. In conformance to the New York State on Pause Executive Order, access to campuses will be limited except by appointment. Faculty and staff will contact their local campus for specific information.
- Faculty who are candidates for tenure effective September 1, 2021, may receive a one-year extension in their tenure review, if they so desire. It is understood that if such a faculty member is reappointed for the 2021-2022 academic year, the reappointment will be without tenure and will be deemed the 6th reappointment (i.e. seventh consecutive year of service) toward tenure. Such a faculty member must request a tenure clock extension by emailing their college provost by May 15, 2020. The written record of the request shall be placed in the employee’s personnel file. By June 1, 2020, each college provost shall send the CUNY Office of Labor Relations a list of all faculty who elected the one-year extension. CUNY OLR shall forward that list to PSC by June 15, 2020.
Faculty on the tenure track for consideration in later years who wish to seek a one-year extension based on the circumstances of the spring 2020 semester must apply to their college provost by February 1 of the spring semester preceding their fall tenure review. These requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with past college and university practices.
University Summer Workload Regulations
Summer is defined as the period beginning the day subsequent to the spring commencement of each college until the third day, excluding Saturday and Sunday, preceding the thirtieth of August that follows such commencement. Teaching adjuncts are limited to 105 hours of instruction during the summer, except in departments with four-credit courses for which a 120- hour assignment is permitted. Non-teaching adjuncts are limited to 175 hours during the summer. Non-teaching adjuncts engaged as University Readers will be approved for a maximum of 100 additional hours during the summer for CATW work only. Exceptions to the above limitations require approval by the college’s chief academic officer (Such hours must be categorized as CATW under "Department" on the form).
P&B Meetings and Remote Voting
Earlier in the week, the University had a conference call with the college Legal and Labor Designees on this issue. Several of the colleges reported that they had tested/were testing systems to be able to hold remote P&B voting. Colleges that were still trying to figure out how to proceed were advised to reach out directly to their colleagues, including those at Lehman College, City College and Baruch College who were among the schools that had worked out a process for these important meetings.
The Brooklyn College campus is working on its procedures and information will be available shortly.
Public Meetings
Per previous guidance, Article 7 of the Public Officers Law, to the extent necessary, permits any public body to meet and take such actions authorized by the law without permitting in public in-person access to meetings and authorizes such meetings to be held remotely by conference call or similar service, provided that the public has the ability to view or listen to such proceedings and that such meetings are recorded and later transcribed.
Tenure Clock
The University recognizes that the transition to distance learning in the Spring 2020 semester as a result of COVID-19 may cause interruption and delay in faculty research and scholarship. This is particularly critical for faculty advancing toward tenure. Accordingly, the University will permit faculty whose candidacies for tenure are coming up in the fall 2020 semester to receive a one-year extension, if they so desire. Such faculty must request a tenure clock extension by emailing the request to the Brooklyn College Provost Provost, anne.Lopes@Brooklyn.cuny.edu, by May 1, 2020.
Going forward, faculty on the tenure track who subsequently want to request a tenure clock extension based on the circumstances of Spring 2020 must apply by February 1 in the year immediately preceding their tenure review. Faculty wanting to apply for a tenure clock extension should follow the procedures normally followed at Brooklyn College for requesting these extensions to tenure review; the request will be subject to fact-specific review, in accordance with past University practice.
CARES Act Emergency Funds
The University has implemented the distribution plan for the “Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students” which provides direct aid to students. CUNY schools were awarded $118,477,183 to be distributed. The plan is driven by equity considerations, conforms to Federal guidelines, and will make a significant impact in the lives of our students. Students are being notified of their awards and informed of the USDE’s expectations on how the funds must be used. The funds will be disbursed via direct deposit or check depending on the student’s account information and home address available in CUNYfirst. For more details of CUNY’s implementation visit: https://www.cuny.edu/financial-aid/federal-and-state-grants/federal-grants/cares-act-student-emergency-grant/. An FAQ for students is available on the CUNY Continuity page: https://www.cuny.edu/financial-aid/federal-and-state-grants/federal-grants/cares-act/. To- date, the University has awarded 154,382 students $107,054,343 in CARES Act Student Emergency Grant funds. The last group of 2019-2020 FAFSA filers will be reviewed next week to establish eligibility. All newly eligible students will be awarded the base rate amount, and determinations will be made to establish any incremental funds based on funds availability.
Use of Student Activity Fees for Emergency Grants
The Office of General Counsel has received a number of inquiries regarding the use of student activity fee funds for emergency grants to students affected by COVID-19 as a threshold matter use of SAF must fall into one of the eleven expenditure categories set forth in Section 16.2 of the CUNY BOT Bylaws. We are of the view that these emergency grants would fall into category ten – student services to supplement or add to those provided by the University – and therefore that such grant programs would be acceptable.
SAF that have been earmarked through a student referendum for other purposes may not be used for a COVID-19 emergency grant program unless the student body approves the new use through another referendum. Student governments may, however, use unearmarked funds that were budgeted for other purposes by making budget revisions through the normal process. (Student governments may also use funds earmarked generally for student government use.)
Some college associations have SAF that are not allocated or budgeted to student government or other student clubs and organizations and are not earmarked. We discourage using these funds for an emergency grant program. SAF funds are intended to benefit all students, so a college association board will have difficulty justifying a program that is funded by SAF but available only to a subset of students with COVID-19 financial challenges. Students’ governments, on the other hand, represent the student body. If the student body, through the student government budget process or a referendum changing earmarkings, determines that they wish to spend SAF for an emergency grant program, they may choose to do so.
In general, SAF should not be used as cash gifts to students. Consequently, any emergency grant program must have a structure that ensures that the funds are given to needy students and used for appropriate expenses (e.g., rent, food, transportation costs, etc.). Every program needs to develop and make readily available to the student body written criteria that describe who is eligible, how to apply, the amount(s) of the grants, how grantees will be determined, and by whom. The program must also require grantees to show that their grant has been/will be used to cover expenses related to COVID-19, such as by providing rent or utility bills.
Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Grants
On April 8, The City University of New York announced the launch of a Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Fund to help students facing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis. With initial support from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation, the Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Fund will distribute grants of $500 each to thousands of CUNY students who are coping with the severe economic fallout of the extraordinary public health emergency. The recipients will be chosen by lottery from a group of about 14,000 students who have been identified as meeting financial-need and academic criteria. With additional funding, the University will seek to deploy emergency grants to more students in the coming months. The emergency fund is the latest financial-assistance resource CUNY is providing to its most vulnerable students in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Over the past few weeks, the University, with support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, quickly purchased 30,000 computers and tablets to distribute to students who need them in order to fully participate in distance learning and keep up with their studies. In addition, about 1,600 CUNY community college students who were issued $400 campus cafeteria food vouchers through a City Council pilot will be getting the money as a payout they can spend anywhere for food. And 117 foster care students in the CUNY Fostering College Success Initiative will receive $425 emergency grants thanks to a donor wishing to remain anonymous.
Emergency Funds and Web Resources Available for Undocumented Students
The Office of Student Inclusion Initiatives has developed web resources to encourage undocumented CUNY students to seek economic support, without fear, during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The web so The resources will be included on the CUNY Student Continuity page and includes guidance on medical care, housing, emergency funds, immigrant rights, and education. In addition, to provide economic relief to the more than 320 CUNY TheDream.US scholarship recipients, scholarship co-founder Don Graham announced that scholars would be eligible to receive a $500 emergency grant in addition to their semesterly stipend. While the pandemic has profoundly impacted all members of the University community, it has been especially hard on immigrant communities dealing with the unique challenges of coronavirus and immigration status. The public benefits and stimulus funds that many in New York City will rely upon for financial relief during the pandemic are not available to undocumented individuals. Concerns about privacy and the ability to pay for treatment may also deter undocumented students and their family members from seeking medical care.
Pandemic Unemployment Insurance
City and State officials have released information on additional unemployment resources as a result of the CARE Act that was passed on 3/27/20. Specifically, there are new and additional unemployment benefits called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) that is available to those who are not typically eligible for unemployment insurance including self-employed/1099 workers, part time workers, and those who were not working for an extended period of time. Impacted students can apply by phone or online. We encourage all campuses to share this information with all students broadly via digital, faculty, student affairs and general college communications. More information can be found here (pdf) and here. There is also a hotline NYC WELL staffed 24/7 with counselors, described as follows: “An infectious illness outbreak such as this one can be stressful to you, your loved ones, and your friends. It is natural to feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, and afraid, or to experience other symptoms of distress, such as trouble sleeping. To reduce your stress and to manage the situation more resiliently, try to remain positive, remind yourself of your strengths, connect with friends and loved ones and use healthy coping skills. NYC Well's website offers a number of well-being and emotional support applications (apps) that can help you cope. If your symptoms of stress become overwhelming, reach out for support and help. You can contact NYC Well, a confidential 24/7 helpline, staffed by trained counselors. They can provide brief counseling and referrals to care in over 200 languages.”
- Call 888.NYC.WELL (888.692.9355)
- Text "WELL" to 65173
- Chat at NYC.gov/nycwell
Financial Aid for Veterans
Student Veterans will continue to receive their GI Bill benefits under S. 3503, which President signed into law March 21. The law enables VA to continue providing the same level of education benefits to students having to take courses online due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The law gives VA temporary authority to continue GI Bill payments uninterrupted in the event of national emergencies. This allows for continued payment of benefits even if the program has changed from resident training to online training. Thanks to the law, GI Bill students will continue receiving the same monthly housing allowance (MHA) payments they received for resident training until December 21, or until the school resumes in-person classes. Students receiving GI Bill benefits are not required to take any action. Benefits will continue automatically. VA will work closely with schools to ensure accurately certified enrollments and timely processing. Updates will be provided to students via direct email campaigns and social media regarding VA’s effort to implement these new changes. For more information, please contact Lisa Beatha, CUNY Director for Veterans Affairs, at lisa.beatha@cuny.edu.
New York State Financial Aid
HESC has allowed for COVID-19 impacted students who are adversely affected by the crisis to be held faultless for the term and has created a portal with additional information, which can be accessed here: COVID-19 Updates & FAQs for Students, Parents, Borrowers, and Lenders. As always, for more information, please contact Elaine Pimentel, Univ. Exec. Director of Financial Aid: elaine.pimentel@cuny.edu.
USDOE Guidance on Federal Student Loans
“The US DOE directed all federal student loan servicers to grant an administrative forbearance to any borrower with a federally held loan who requests one. The forbearance will be in effect for a period of at least 60 days, beginning on March 13, 2020. To request this forbearance, borrowers should contact their loan servicer online or by phone. Also, an automatic suspension of payments was authorized for any borrower more than 31 days delinquent as of March 13, 2020, or who becomes more than 31 days delinquent. To request the forbearance or more details on the suspension of payments, borrowers should contact their loan servicer online or by phone."
NYS Contact Tracer Initiative
New York has officially launched the NYS COVID- 19 Contact Tracer Initiative in an effort to recruit 6,400 to 17,000 tracers to help prevent the spread of the virus. CUNY/SUNY faculty and staff are supporting NYSDOH by volunteering time to conduct second-round interviews of Community Support Specialists and Team Supervisors for the state-wide initiative. To date, CUNY volunteers have completed close to 1,000 interviews of candidates for these critical positions. Interviews are expected to continue through July, at least, until the state meets the necessary hiring thresholds in response to regional incidence rates for COVID-19 and associated requirements of the NYS phased reopening plan. We recognize the value of CUNY’s involvement in this important work and appreciate the contribution of faculty and staff to support these efforts. Contact tracing is critical to stemming the epidemic and COVID-19 recovery efforts across NYS.
NYC Resource Navigators
CUNY is working directly with the NYC Mayor’s Office and Health + Hospitals to recruit eligible students and alumni for Resource Navigators and Resource Navigator Supervisors to help New Yorkers overcome challenges in response to COVID-19, such as supporting access to basic services such as food and medicine. Navigators will work staff from 15 community-based organizations across the city to address critical resource needs as part of the city’s Test and Trace Corps. More than two hundred resource navigators will be deployed the week of June 1st in communities across the city, with the potential of expanding the program and hiring more navigators in the coming weeks. In addition, CUNY’s School of Public Health has been a key partner in these efforts, designing and delivering training to new staff, and will work with NYC directly to support the role of navigators in selected communities.
Clinical Placements—Education Programs
As of Monday, March 16, education students who were participating in clinical placements for fieldwork or student teaching required by their academic program, and their faculty supervisors, were told not report to school/field sites until further notice. Virtual fieldwork, facilitated by faculty, is recommended and supported. In light of the DOE school closure, CUNY supports clinical fieldwork placements that support schools’ use of remote learning, under the following conditions: 1. the principal invites/approves the candidate’s continued participation; 2. cooperating teachers can provide adequate supervision to students in the context of remote learning; and 3. faculty are willing and able to support student placements, as required. This policy, and its conditions, pertains to social workers, therapists, counselors and other students with required school-based placements. In cases where CUNY students are not able to access a web-based remote learning environment because of PII/FERPA concerns, candidates may be able to support their cooperating teachers through the development of instructional materials, assessments, etc. The health and safety of our students and faculty remain a top priority, therefore considerations for in- person clinical experiences and placement may be addressed on a case-by-case basis. NY State Education Department issued specific guidance for Educator Preparation Programs pertaining to clinical experiences and certification exams (including the edTPA). Education Deans and Chairs are receiving communication and resources from University Dean for Education Ashleigh Thompson via email and postings on http://www.cuny.edu/teachered. Please contact Ashleigh Thompson with any questions and updates.
Health Professions—Credit Considerations for Clinical and Field Experiences During the COVID-19 Crisis
Below is guidance for credit consideration from the Office of Academic Affairs on Credit for HHS Student Experiences During the COVID-19 Crisis to consider portfolio reviews for clinical/field experiences completed outside of CUNY-approved placements. Final guidance is still pending on insurance and liability protections for students who choose to accept paid or volunteer roles during the crisis. This guidance was shared with HHS deans and chairs (April 3, 2020) in response to Governor Cuomo's Executive Order 202.10 - Mar 23 authorizing healthcare professions students to receive educational credit for volunteering in facilities without the need for clinical affiliation agreements, as well as guidance from national licensing boards and accrediting bodies endorsing academic/practice partnerships for students to work in paid roles at healthcare facilities and receive academic credit toward clinical requirements to address critical workforce demands during the COVID-19 crisis.
Credit Consideration
CUNY encourages programs to consider educational credit for students who choose to seek clinical and field experiences during the crisis, based on guidance from the respective NYS licensing boards and professional accrediting bodies, and in alignment with the direction provided by NYSED.
Programs may conduct a portfolio review for clinical/field experiences completed outside of program-approved placements during the COVD-19 crisis for students who feel they have gained knowledge and experience equivalent to either an existing course or a new course. While this may be an opportunity for some students to apply their experience during the crisis toward an educational certificate or degree, it is the responsibility of the student to describe, reflect, and synthesize their learning experiences carefully for consideration of credit. The college/program has the discretion to accept and apply these experiences to existing or new electives or course requirements, pending internal governance approval processes.
If courses need to be created or changed in order to assign credit to these portfolio experiences, colleges should consider efficient ways of obtaining any applicable governance approvals. Following local approvals, the existing Academic University Report (AUR) mechanism may be utilized to have such courses approved so that they may be added to degree plans. The approval of such new or modified courses will be done by the Chancellor’s Designees normally approving the AUR, on a special expedited schedule outside of the usual timeframe for AUR submissions. The Office of Academic Affairs stands ready to assist colleges with considering ways in which courses may be developed or adapted to apply experience credits for program and degree requirements.
Clinical Placements—HHS Programs
FAQs were prepared by the Office of Academic Affairs to inform the implementation phase of the new Flexible Grading Policy which includes information for students earning a letter grade or choosing a CR/NC option as it pertains to admission to or progression in health professions programs. In response to ongoing requests from healthcare facilities to address critical workforce demands, we are exploring liability and academic credit considerations for students interested in volunteer or paid positions at healthcare facilities during the crisis. Information on these issues will forthcoming, as available. In the meantime, the University continues to identify and facilitate access to virtual resources to support alternative training models for our health and human service programs. Lastly, the University hosted the first Annual CUNY NYSIM Simulation Summit, on Friday, April 3. This virtual event included 10 national simulation experts, as well as CUNY faculty and staff, who shared their expertise and recommended online resources for designing effective clinical simulation and reflective learning experiences. Attendance included 125 CUNY participants. Please contact Patricia Simino Boyce for additional information.
CUNY Libraries Online Support for Distance Learning and Research
All CUNY campus libraries are open online for reference, instruction, robust journal and e-resource access, and limited interlibrary loan. Contact librarians via chat, phone, email, or video conference for research or teaching support. Library-licensed journals and e-books remain fully available with authentication through campus library websites. Faculty can post their own scholarly work in the CUNY Academic Works institutional repository to make it publicly available to global audiences. Campus libraries support teaching and learning with open educational resources (OER), library-licensed texts, and considered fair use guidance for reproducing course material when library collections are unavailable. Books may be returned by mail to most CUNY libraries; few campuses offer on-site book return. Overdue fines for regular loans are eliminated, and books on loan are automatically renewed. When libraries re-open for book processing, overdue fines will be waived for books returned during the COVID-19 closure and in the aftermath, no matter how overdue they are. Limited interlibrary loan services circulate digital files. CUNY libraries continue migration to a new catalog and library services platform, with cutover expected in early August.
Virtual Backgrounds for Video-Conferencing Platforms
Members of our campus communities have expressed privacy concerns regarding the use of video-conferencing platforms, specifically as it pertains to providing others a window into an individual’s home environment. To this end, we are pleased to announce that instructions on how to use virtual backgrounds on the most often used video-conferencing applications are now available here:
Webex Meeting Platform Terms
There are two ConnectCUNY Webex meeting changes that became effective on May 5, 2020. First, the license for ConnectCUNY Webex has been extended to August 31, 2020. Second, ConnectCUNY Webex will be available to support CUNY Summer Session and Spring Session 2 classes at Kingsborough, LaGuardia and Guttman Community Colleges. Third, the toll-free telephone number and “call me” options for telephone audio access to online ConnectCUNY Webex meetings have been discontinued (this change only applies to ConnectCUNY Webex accounts and not to standard Webex accounts.) Hence, users participating in a ConnectCUNY Webex meeting by dialing the telephone number listed may incur telephone service toll charges. Users can avoid these telephone charges by using their computer audio instead of the telephone. See the ConnectCUNY WebEx Quick Start Guide (pdf) for instructions on accessing and information on using WebEx Meetings and WebEx Teams.
Cloud-Based Adobe Licenses for Students
Adobe is extending until July 6 its temporary student at-home access to Creative Cloud. This offering is for students who currently have only lab access, at no additional cost. Students can continue to access Adobe using their @login.cuny.edu credentials using the Accessing Adobe Creative Cloud instructions on the CUNY IT Resources for Remote Work & Teaching page. Faculty already have home use of these tools under our current CUNY licensing agreement.
Proctoring Distance Learning Exams
As previously communicated, the University decided to not provide a University-wide proctoring solution for the Spring 2020 term. In evaluating options for your colleges, you may want to consider Baruch College’s Center for Teaching & Learning: Balancing Academic Integrity during Final Exams with Student Privacy, Access and Equity in Spring 2020.
In evaluating options regarding proctoring distance learning exams, please check our CTL website and review Rutger’s School of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Education; Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois Bloomington; and, UC Berkeley’s Center for Teaching & Learning.
Understanding the increased role distance education will have within CUNY, please know that we have established a system-wide task force including members from our Committee on Academic Technology, Council of Academic Affairs, University Faculty Senate, and Council of Chief Information Officers to review and provide forward-looking recommendations on this issue.
Making Online Content Accessible
CUNY offers a variety of University-wide guides and tutorials to faculty members to help make their online content accessible to students with disabilities. There is an Accessibility link at the bottom of every page of www.cuny.edu containing a tab for Faculty, including a section on Accessibility in the Classroom and Online Courses. This section links to Reasonable Accommodations: A Faculty Guide to Teaching Students with Disabilities (pdf), prepared by CUNY’s Council on Student Disability Issues. It also contains guides on making content accessible, including Creating PDF & Microsoft Office Documents, Creating Emails and Captioning Videos. In Blackboard, there is also an “Accessibility Training” tab, with a self-paced, online course about making online courses and course materials accessible. The course was created by CUNY faculty for CUNY faculty. It includes tutorials forusing accessibility features in Blackboard, Microsoft Office documents, PDF documents, multimedia content, and materials from publishers. To get started, you can watch a video created by CIS (mp4) for instructions on how to find it in Blackboard. The “Accessibility Training” tab in Blackboard also includes Accessibility Training videos, which are recordings of a prior live training on making your website and documents compliant with accessibility guidelines.
CUNY Assistive Technology Services
As we all adjust to instruction in a distance learning environment, the CUNY Assistive Technology Services (CATS) and Media Accessibility Project (MAP) are here to continue to support CUNY students with disabilities. The CATS website features updates on assistive technology resources, including how-to guides, videos, accessibility resources, and other important information with easy and simple installation instructions for CUNY students. As a friendly reminder, the following software is available to students for free at-home use, CATS Assistive Technology Lab Package:
- Kurzweil 3000 and WYNN are reading and writing software programs used primarily by students with learning disabilities.
- ZoomText Magnifier/Reader is a magnification and reading program tailored for low-vision users.
- JAWS is a screen reading software program that enables blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen using a speech synthesizer or refreshable braille display.
- Fusion is a combination of JAWS screen reader and ZoomText Magnifier/Reader primarily used by low vision and blind students.
- OpenBook is a scanning and reading software program that converts printed documents into accessible digital text.
For training videos on accessibility, please visit YouTube channel (CATSCUNY). More information on assistive technology and accessibility training videos can be found on our CATS website. For additional information, call 718.281.5014 or contact shmahabir@qcc.cuny.edu.
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
To support the ongoing need to prevent plagiarism and ensure academic integrity of our students; work product, the University licenses Turnitin under an enterprise contract. This solution is available as a Blackboard Building Block and our colleges, through their Blackboard Administrators, have developed extensive documentation and user guides for this invaluable tool.
Distribution of Tablets and Laptops
Per previous communications, CUNY purchased 30,000 new laptops and tablets for students who need one to fully participate in distance learning. If you are a student in need of a device, please request one through your school by referring to the links provided here. Important to note that after prioritizing degree-seeking students, colleges can allocate devices to students in pre-matriculation programs, Continuing Ed Programs, and faculty who may need them.
Using Blackboard and Blackboard Collaborate on Chromebooks
While several Blackboard Administrators and faculty have expressed concerns that Blackboard Collaborate would not work on the Chromebooks that CUNY has attained for designated students, staff and faculty, the fact is that CUNY CIS has received official assurances from Blackboard, Inc. that Blackboard Collaborate is indeed compatible with Chromebooks. CIS staff have also tested Collaborate on the Chromebook from both the instructor and student perspective and found that it works smoothly. We also validated operations such as using the whiteboard, polling, uploading PowerPoint and breakout rooms. Additionally, Blackboard Learn student and instructor Chromebook browser tests indicate overall compatibility with the exception that the pop-up blocker should be disabled. CIS is informing the Blackboard Administrators and the Service Desks of the compatibility and test results, as well as sharing with them instructions they developed for getting on Blackboard Collaborate from a Chromebook. These instructions will also be posted on the Blackboard support page (www.cuny.edu/blackboard) and on a support site for those receiving Chromebooks and iPads (www.cuny.edu/loaners).
Expansion of EAB Navigate to Graduate Students at the Senior Colleges
CUNY OAA is working in conjunction with EAB and CUNY Finance and Procurement to accelerate the addition of graduate students to the EAB Navigate implementation. The anticipated final approval of the contract expansion is at the May Board of Trustees meeting; in recognition of the importance of the tool to the CUNY colleges during the current crisis, EAB has agreed to provide this service in advance of the contract amendment. Queens College requested this acceleration and has pointed out several benefits of this added functionality. It will:
- Expedite finding contact information for any graduate students reporting COVID-19 exposure
- Facilitate sending communications to graduate students
- Allow us to track COVID-19 related issues (such as need laptop, need Wi-Fi, need tutoring, need space to work, need special financial or academic advice)
- Allow graduate students to stay connected to their graduate advisors, by being able to book appointments with them virtually.
This functionality will provide a vital tool to all of the OAA, CIS, and EAB will immediately begin work on the implementation of this functionality. Associate University Provost for Planning Bob Maruca will update the EAB Navigate program sponsors and owners on implementation progress. He can be contacted at Robert.Maruca@cuny.edu should you have any questions. We are grateful to EAB for this demonstration of partnership and support.
Cloud Resources
As a reminder, most CUNY applications and cloud resources, such as Blackboard, CUNYFirst, Microsoft Office 365 (including OneDrive), and Dropbox can be found online on CUNY’s Technology Resources pages and accessed through web browsers. Also, please know that Blackboard course shells are automatically created for every CUNY course based on CUNYFirst data.
New Curricular Resources for Faculty
In addition to the open educational resources indexed on the Office of Library Services website and the previously announced free access to commercial e-books offered by Barnes and Noble and Akademos (see below), some companies have offered free resources to colleges and universities affected by the COVID-19 virus, including:
- Lumen Learning is making its courseware, Waymaker and OHM, available at no cost for courses currently in session. Lumen also provides free services to support the transition. Details here.
- Pearson is similarly offering digital resources at no charge. Details here.
For faculty members seeking digital alternatives or supplements to their current course materials, these materials may be an appropriate fit. Please note that CUNY is not endorsing or requiring the use of such services. Nevertheless, CUNY is appreciative of their support in making such services available to our students and faculty.
Microsoft Teams
Faculty can now easily add students to Microsoft Teams meetings. The CUNYfirst Class Roster now contains students’ CUNY login usernames that can be downloaded and inserted into Teams Meeting invitations. Accessing the Student Roster for Dropbox/Microsoft Office 365 (pdf), available on the Microsoft Office 365 for Education Training Resources page, provides step-by-step instructions.
Additional Blackboard Help Desk Support
CUNY has contracted with Blackboard to provide this telephone support as an additional service to our students and faculty to ensure coverage when the campus help desks are closed and Blackboard administrator support to students and faculty is unavailable. After-hours Blackboard support is to assist students and faculty with using Blackboard only; all performance, technical and access issues will remain the responsibility of campus helpdesk and Blackboard administrators during their regular support hours. Starting tonight, students and faculty with a pressing Blackboard question can call Blackboard for assistance. This after-hours Blackboard support will be available by telephone: weeknights, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. the next morning; weekends, all day and night on Saturdays and Sunday.
Online FAQs and Training
CIS Training offers a variety of training resources for CUNY-wide cloud applications that support remote collaboration, such as Dropbox and Microsoft Office 365. Webinars on these applications have been added as a result of the increased demand – registration for the webinars is available to all faculty and staff. Additionally, faculty and staff can view CUNY-specific video tutorials for Office 365 Teams, such as creating teams, sharing files, and posting announcements, on the CIS Training Stream channel. CIS Training is available for training questions and requests at CISTraining@cuny.edu. On Monday, we will also be launching a new IT Training site that consolidates links to all sites with training guides, videos, etc., so that users can more easily find the training they need to work and teach remotely. Again, we hope that the CUNY community will appreciate having one resource to find desired training and guidance. This site will also be accessible from the new IT Remote Resources site.
Open Educational Resources and Free Access to Commercial Books
Building on the Open Educational Resources initiative and also including CUNY library resources, the Office of Library Services website provides an index to digital resources that faculty may use in online/distance courses at zero cost to their students. Check the Continuity of Library Services page under the heading “Support for Online Instruction.” This site will be regularly updated. If you are aware of additional resources that should be added or if you have other questions or requests, please contact Ann Fiddler, Open Education Librarian, ann.fiddler@cuny.edu. Akademos and Barnes & Noble have partnered with the digital platform VitalSource to offer free access to over 50,000 eBooks to its current customers to facilitate their move to online learning. CUNY students at participating colleges can now access these materials by creating a VitalSource account at bookshelf.vitalsource.com using their cuny.edu email addresses. Free access will last through the end of the Spring semester or until May 25, whichever comes first. More information is available at VitalSource Helps page.
Blackboard and Collaborate
To accommodate greater use of Blackboard for distance learning, CIS asked Blackboard to double the default quota for all Spring 2020 courses (from 750 MB to 1.5 GB). In addition, the Blackboard Collaborate tool, which CUNY licenses will also be able to support 300,000 students. Collaborate is Blackboard’s all-in-one video conference platform that works through computer, tablet, or mobile device. As a fully interactive web conferencing environment and asynchronous voice authoring solution, Collaborate enables faculty to establish web conferences and connect with one student or an entire class, up to 500 participants per Collaborate session.
SPARC Training
Since June 2018, when CUNY first rolled out the mandatory SPARC training, over 100,000 CUNY students have successfully completed this training. And while this is quite an accomplishment, we felt that we could do more to solve some of the technical challenges we experienced along the way. Most recently, based on information provided by students and various campus administrators, the CUNY SPARC Task Force, with the aid of the University CIS office, has worked to revise SPARC training. These revisions will make SPARC training more user-friendly and allow it to keep up with the present technology. The CUNY CIS team has worked primarily to make SPARC training accessible on a variety of Web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) and mobile devices such as Android and iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, and MacBook). The revised SPARC training for Fall 2020 will be uploaded to the Blackboard platform and will be available to all Fall 2020 students May 18, 2020. In addition, it will be available to the designated Blackboard leaders on each campus to enroll the students who are required to complete SPARC training (i.e. heads of student organizations, student athletes, students studying abroad and domestically, and students considered at-risk). We encourage campuses to launch a robust campaign to urge students to complete the SPARC training once it is made available. Should students encounter any difficulty with the SPARC training, please direct them to report this to their campus Help Desk, where a ticket will be generated to resolve the issue. Technical issues for accessing SPARC training via Blackboard should be directed to the campus Blackboard administrator; functional or content issues with SPARC training should be directed to the Student Affairs Office. Should you have any questions regarding this email please contact Rodney L. Pepe-Souvenir, University Title IX director, at rodney.pepe-souvenir@cuny.edu, or Joseph Awadjie, assistant director for External Relations and Compliance at joseph.awadjie@cuny.edu.
Counseling and Health Services
Counseling and health services have transitioned to tele-counseling and telehealth via video or telephone for the duration of distance learning at CUNY. Each campus will offer mental health and wellness services to students in a manner consistent with services provided on campus under regular circumstances. Students are directed to contact counseling services and health services for updated information about services offered, referrals available, and information. Services provided by counseling and health services during distance learning are done so in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning privacy.
International Students
SEVP has permitted institutions to accommodate students as they deem necessary for instance, if a student cannot complete one course of his/her program because the course has been cancelled, that student is permitted to remain in status in SEVIS. The Designated School Official will indicate that the student was unable to complete the particular class due to the coronavirus outbreak and the student will be deemed to be in valid status in the country, and they can continue with classes once everything is back to normal. However, no clarity has been given in the event the student choses to withdraw from all courses but still remains in the country. Our understanding is that SEVP is still working on such kind of cases to come up with proper guidance for the schools. Below is recap on the last clarification from SEVP:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) provided some clarification on department’s guidance to colleges/universities about how to handle student-visa issues during the coronavirus outbreak. SEVP informed colleges that they would be given leeway to adapt policies for international students during the public-health crisis. Though the latest guidance was more on students records in SEVIS, it still gives an idea on the process. The three common scenarios below were based on the questions from the international higher education community related to emergency procedures/operations that colleges have put in place:
- The first scenario is in the event the college completely closes without any online courses or alternate learning opportunities and how the students’ records should be recorded in in SEVIS.
- The second scenarios refer to colleges/universities that cancel in-person classes and shift to online instruction, and the international students decide to stay in the United States instead of going back to their home countries. In this case, students could count online courses toward their full course of study, superseding the restrictions that limit them to a single online course per semester.
- The third situation is similar to the second, except the international student leaves the U.S. In that case, students will still be allowed to engage in online study and the records in SEVIS will remain in active status even though the students are outside the country.
Due to the “fluid nature of this difficult situation, SEVP will continue to provide updated guidance as more issues and scenarios arise making the current guidance subject to further tweaking. Please be advised that the current guidance does not address any school operations beyond the spring 2020 semester yet.
Student Veterans, National Guard and Reservists
Please advise students who are activated to communicate with their campus Veterans Services Coordinator, Registrar’s Office, and faculty. The University might be facing one of the following scenarios: 1) National Guard students called up as early as the week of April 1, 2020; 2) military personnel may be activated in 30 days; or 3) Military units might be given notice of activation at any time. Students’ response to all three scenarios SHOULD NOT be to drop classes or discontinue their Spring 2020 coursework. Rather, as per CUNY Military Activation Policy Sections 3.1 – 3.3 listed below, faculty can and should accommodate activated students to enable them to complete the Spring 2020 semester. For more information, contact: Lisa Beatha, lisa.beatha@cuny.edu.
- 3.1 A student who is called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States or National Guard should be given every consideration around either making up the work for the course, obtaining an Incomplete, or being given the grade that he or she has earned at the time that he or she is called to duty.
- 3.2 At each college, the appropriated committee or other designated authority shall be empowered to grant the remaining number of credits required for graduation to a member of the graduating class who lacks twelve or fewer credits in elective courses to complete the requirements for the degree for those called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States. Credits should be applied from the service members JST (Joint Service Transcript) as MILT elective credit
- 3.3 Colleges shall encourage students who enter military service to maintain their status as students by availing themselves of such opportunities as may be offered to them (by the colleges, by other accredited colleges, and/or by service agencies) to continue their studies while in Military Service.
CUNY EDGE Research Foundation Campus Staff
CUNY EDGE Research Foundation (RF) campus staff, both FT and PT, may work remotely with the approval of their supervisor. CUNY RFguidance can be found here, which outlines the recommended policy and includes a Remote Work Agreement to be completed and signed by each staff member and their supervisor. CUNY OAA EDGE leadership fully supports this move and has worked with college program directors to ensure EDGE students can be served remotely. All advisement activities can be conducted via phone, email or text, and campus staff are already using a variety of platforms to do so that have been in place for more than a year. Additionally, CUNY OAA EDGE leadership has received approval from our funder, the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) to suspend all new referrals to our HRA Fellowship Program and to submit required documentation to HRA remotely. CUNY EDGE is fully prepared to support participating students through remote work arrangements.
Disability Services
During this transition to distance learning, CUNY’s faculty remain the University’s most vital resource in ensuring reasonable accommodations for our more than 11,000 students with disabilities. As our faculty prepare to deliver course content via distance learning modalities, we ask that they consider the following overarching principles and key resources:
- Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), CUNY college are still required to provide equal access to our University’s academic programs – even in a distance learning environment.
- Campus Offices of Disability Services (ODS) continue to serve as key sources of technical assistance and support to faculty in determining the best ways to reasonably accommodate students with disabilities in distance learning instructional modalities; please use this link to contact the ODS on your campus: http://cats.cuny.edu/reasonableaccommodations/COSDIDirectory.html.
- The barriers that exist at the intersection of a student’s disability and course design may be different from those posed by the original course format. Some accommodations students used before may no longer apply in distance learning formats, and some accommodations not considered previously may need to be considered now; we appreciate our faculty’s flexibility and collaboration with ODS staff and students with disabilities themselves to meet their accommodation needs in distance learning modalities.
To aid in these efforts, the guide Reasonable Accommodations: A Faculty Guide for Teaching Students with disabilities resource was developed specifically for CUNY faculty to provide them with information and best practices to be most effective in meeting the needs of students with disabilities and achieving the goal of equal access. This guide includes helpful information in accommodating students with disabilities in distance learning, including the following two sections: Technology in the Classroom and for Online Courses and Alternative Text for Students with Disabilities. Please know that our campus Offices of Disability Services will work closely with our CUNY Office of Student Inclusion Initiatives to ensure that our faculty have the support they need to successfully and meaningfully accommodate students with disabilities. We are grateful to our faculty and to our disability services professionals for their abiding commitment to the access, success, and wellness of students with disabilities.
CS/MS and Adult Literacy and Language Immersion Programs
CUNY Start/Math Start, CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), and the Adult Literacy Program are all moving their instruction online. The Central Office staff that support each program have been working with college teams to develop plans for this transition using both synchronous and asynchronous delivery via platforms like Blackboard, Dropbox, Zoom, and WebEx, and how to make use of video, discussion tools, chat, and other technology tools to deliver instruction. Each program will develop a plan, to be provided to the appropriate college leadership, that details how content will be delivered, multiple options for communicating with students, and how student work will be assessed to document learning outcomes have been met. Colleges are encouraged to make any local resources that are available to faculty to assist with this conversion available to these programs as well. CUNY CIS is also supporting assessment of technology needs for these programs if there is not a local college resource readily available. We will provide further guidance on any standardized testing that typically takes place in CUNY testing centers, which would also be developed for students in developmental education classes that require the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CAT-W) and CUNY Elementary Algebra Final Exam (CEAFE). CUNY OAA has also confirmed with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Adult Career and Continuing Education Services that our adult literacy programs should follow the guidance of their respective agencies/organizations (i.e.: CUNY, SUNY, DOE) regarding the use of distance learning strategies to maintain program continuity and keep students and teachers engaged while in-person classes are suspended.
Legal Guidance for Internship Agreements
Working in collaboration with the CUNY Office of General Counsel, we recommend the following guidance for any students who are participating in internships in Summer 2020 that are facilitated, funded, or directly connected by campus staff. This language is consistent with the assumption of risk/waiver that is part of the Domestic Travel Policy. The language below could be included, or modified for inclusion, into internship documents that campuses use:
“In signing this Agreement, I acknowledge that I understand that my participation in an in-person internship will involve risks and hazards not found in remote study at the College, which is the current mode of instruction required by the COVID-19 pandemic and the executive orders and directives of New York State. In ordinary times, these risks can range from a) minor injuries and illness such as bruises, and strains, to b) major injuries and illness such as broken limbs, loss of sight, neck or back injuries, heart attacks, and concussions, to c) catastrophic injuries, including paralysis and death, and also include risks of damage to or theft of personal property, and risks involved in traveling to and within, and returning from, internship sites. I understand that COVID-19 presents unique health risks, especially to those with underlying conditions, and that there may be other risks not known or reasonably foreseeable. I have sought and obtained information and advice that I feel are necessary and appropriate. I voluntarily accept and assume all of the risks in participating in the internship and my participation in an internship with internship partner described below is voluntary.”
Guidance for Credit Bearing Internships
Students will maintain enrollment in Spring 2020/Summer 2020 campus-based academic internship courses at their discretion and the discretion of college faculty with whom they are registered. Students and faculty will continue to meet in seminars via online/distance learning tools once they are introduced at the campuses. Students and faculty will work together to redesign any assigned internship deliverables, to ensure that learning outcomes reflected in course syllabi are met and measured at the conclusion of the semester. Where permissible, academic internship responsibilities given to students by outside organizations at the beginning of the semester will continue to be carried out via remote. In cases where internship responsibilities cannot be carried out via remote, campus faculty will develop and assign alternative experiential learning responsibilities and goals to students enrolled in credit-bearing courses.
Guidance for CUNY Students Working in Internships
CUNY students working as interns, whether with private or public sector employers, should abide by the internal protocols of their internship site. They may work if the site remains open and is allowing interns to report. In addition to the work site’s coronavirus policy, students who are sick or have knowingly been in contact with anyone who is sick should notify their internship manager and CUNY program manager or contact immediately. We ask that all students and supervisors touch base to work on a course of action. Some students may be working with individuals in vulnerable populations, so we ask that supervisors and students use their best judgment. Companies or organizations may institute telecommuting or work from home policies that apply to students. We ask students to inform their internship manager or CUNY program manager if their employers move to telecommuting/work from home policies. Students should confirm that they have the tools they need to do this effectively and reach out to their internship manager or CUNY program manager with any questions or concerns. In some cases, students have negotiated a leave of absence from internships, that will end when the statewide "pause" is lifted.
Guidance for Campus-Based Internships
Similar to the guidance for public and private sector internships, students and supervisors should abide by the protocols and policies set by the institution.
Employer/Employee Resources Related to the Impact of COVID-19
The City of New York Department of Small Business Services has developed comprehensive resources for business owners and jobseekers. Topics include: job assistance, training assistance, financial assistance, tax/debt relief, marketing support, insurance and lease support.
Business Owner Resource Guide
Jobseeker Resources for Jobs and Training
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/careers/find-a-job.page
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/careers/access-training.page
For more information, contact: Angie Kamath, angie.kamath@cuny.edu.
Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) Financial Management
As is generally the case for University-wide academic and administrative programs, all college business managers and budget directors should be keeping track of COVID- 19 expenses for all areas of operation, including Adult and Continuing Education. ACE units should be working with College leadership and Presidents to manage any new or existing financial needs resulting from COVID-19 impacts. The CUNY Budget Office is in process of working with the colleges on updating their current financial conditions. For more information, contact: Angie Datta Kamath, angie.kamath@cuny.edu.
Prospective Travel
The following Travel Guidelines are intended to supplement existing University Domestic and International Travel policies adopted by the University Board of Trustees in 2018, as the University continues to exercise an abundance of caution amidst the international COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines are no way intended to excuse the obligation of any faculty, staff member or student from being familiar such policies when considering domestic or international travel. Each member should review the approval requirements referred to in these guidelines carefully, together with the Domestic and International Travel Policies set forth on the University’s website, before considering participation in domestic and international travel programs. This guidance will be reassessed in late summer and fall as warranted by COVID-19 developments in the United States and abroad.
Student Travel
The following types of student travel are suspended until further notice: 1) Spring 2020, Summer 2020, and Fall 2020 study abroad and incoming and outgoing foreign exchange programs; and 2) CUNY- sponsored student international travel (including spring break) and non-credit travel under the auspices of CUNY or any CUNY college or student organization. International travel in non-CUNY credit-bearing programs is discouraged. Please know that pursuing these types of programs, without a waiver as described below, will be deemed a private undertaking and is not eligible for CUNY’s international travel insurance so students would need to certify they would be responsible for any and all limitations that may be associated with their personal travel insurance and understand that CUNY assumes no responsibility for liabilities resulting from high-risk travel. Additional information is provided in the ITG Travel Guidance (pdf).
The following types of student travel require approval, as described in the waivers and exceptions section: 1) to conduct research conducive to a dissertation or meeting other degree requirements; 2) present research, scholarly or creative works at national or international conferences; and 3) participate in domestic experiential learning trips.
Faculty and Staff Travel
Faculty and staff, with the authorization of their campus President or Dean and subject to financial availability, will be allowed to engage in necessary international travel. In traveling abroad, faculty and staff must attest they understand any and all limitations that may be associated with their travel insurance and that CUNY assumes no responsibility for liabilities resulting from high-risk travel. For guidance on reimbursement from externally funded travel, faculty and staff should contact their Program Director. Additional guidelines for Principal Investigators from federal funders are available through the CUNY Research Foundation portal. Authorization of travel from abroad of incoming faculty and staff (e.g., visiting professors) will be subject to approval, as described in the waivers and exceptions section below.
Waivers and Exceptions
Requests for exceptions to this policy will be submitted by campus Presidents or Provosts to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost for due consideration and consultation with relevant CUNY central offices, including the Office of Global Education and Initiatives (or the Office of International Students and Scholars in the case of incoming visitors), Office of Environment, Health, Risk, and Safety, and the Office of General Counsel, prior to rendering a recommendation to the Chancellor. Note that no petition will be considered without prior approval by the President or Provost. Among other relevant parameters, this review will consider: 1) national and local travel restrictions; 2) guidance established by local health authorities and the CDC for New York; and 3) the travel destination to limit the risk of exposure and geographic spread of COVID-19; 4) in the case of study abroad, confirming to a reasonable certainty that cooperating institutions abroad are truly in a position to safely receive incoming students and that students have secured travel insurance and established backup academic plans at their home institution. In traveling abroad, faculty, staff and students need to attest they understand any and all limitations of their travel insurance and that CUNY assumes no responsibility for liabilities resulting from high-risk travel.
Planning For and Returning from Personal Travel
The Department of State’s Global Health Advisory (issued March 19, 2020) warns that a shutdown of international travel options is imminent, and that Americans abroad should arrange to immediately return to the U.S., or risk an indefinite stay abroad. In order to help CUNY students, return home before it is too late, CUNY will continue to offer rebooking support to any CUNY student or employee abroad (regardless of citizenship) who is unable to make these arrangements directly with the airline. Individuals should contact evac-support@cuny.edu with details on their CUNY affiliation (including EMPLID if possible) to receive instructions on accessing this support. Students returning from abroad should coordinate closely with the Study Abroad Office on their home campus to ensure they receive support to complete the semester whenever possible. Employees returning from abroad should contact their supervisors to make arrangements to work remotely, if this is not already in place.
Admissions Services (Welcome Center/Recruitment/Communications)
University Admission Services continues to provide application support, recruitment and outreach services remotely during this critical time. Applicants and the broader community can contact us by e-mail or phone.
- Applications Available: Admission applications for undergraduate freshmen/transfer, graduates, visiting students and continuing education learners remain open for the fall of 2020. There are a few college programs that have reach enrollment capacity and have been closed: Close Programs. The Spring 2020 undergraduate application opened on June 1.
- Commitment Deadline Extensions: Over 300 hundred colleges and universities nationwide have extended their commitment deadline as a result of the crisis, including many CUNY colleges. CUNY commitment deposit deadlines can be found on the Future Student Enrollment Guide.
- Virtual Tours and Recruitment: Virtual tours are an important tool for applicants considering their college options given current campus restrictions on gatherings and visitors. While not all campuses have tours available virtually, many are using available video conferencing tools and other virtual messaging platforms to conduct information sessions for admitted students as a substitute for traditional in-person yield events.
- Recruitment Communication: Recruitment and application messages continue to go out to the CUNY applicant pool and broader educational community that supports them. You can view copies and timing of these messages on our Recruitment Communication Blog.
- Admissions Operations (Application Processing): University Admissions Operations continue remotely with minor changes to the receipt and processing of mail. Application review for the Fall 2020 is moving forward on schedule and will be extended through July to support colleges in the enrollment process. Below is additional guidance on completing applications.
Future Student Enrollment Guide
The Future Students Enrollment Guide has been developed as a one stop portal for all Admission and Post-admission enrollment needs of Future Students.
Immunization Requirements
According to the New York State Department of Health, immunizations are not required for higher education students attending online-only classes. For the purposes of immunizations, therefore, requirements are waived for the Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 semesters. Each campus will be responsible for updating and maintaining immunization records consistent with New York State law, including waiving immunization requirements in CUNYFirst and resuming the collection of immunization documents when appropriate. When on-campus instruction resumes in Fall 2020 (or earlier/later), immunization requirements will again resume. Immunization requirements are located here.
Document Upload Tool
Students are now able to securely upload documents required by their colleges in the areas of Financial Aid, Health Services, and Registrar/student records. This new upload feature in CUNYfirst enables students to deliver supporting documents that were previously required to be submitted in person. Upon submission, document files are stored in a FileNet Student Documents Repository and viewable by designated administrators in the relevant college and Central Office departments. Students can access the new “Document Upload” link in CUNYfirst by selecting Campus Solutions > Self Service > Document Upload. They then select the desired document classification (Financial Aid, Health Services or Registrar) type of document to be uploaded. File formats include the following, subject to a 20-megabyte size restriction each: PDFs, Microsoft Office files, and photos of documents (JPEG). Detailed student instructions are available in Student Document Upload on the CUNYfirst Student Training page as well as from an announcement on the CUNYfirst portal page. Students having an issue with a document upload should contact their campus help desk for assistance.
Submission of Supporting Documents
With the launch of the CUNY Application we have seen an increase in the number of applicants who submit supporting documents electronically; through the CUNY Application or via secure e-delivery services. Some applicants continue to mail supporting documents to the University Application Processing Center and/or the CUNY Welcome Center, and we are prepared to continue to pick up and scan those documents into the admission system on a weekly basis. Postal mail continues to be a viable option for document submission and applicants should be encouraged to utilize it in the event documents are unable to be submitted electronically. Below is some guidance on specific credentials necessary to the completion of the application review process.
- Official College/University Transcripts: We continue to require official post-secondary records, whether those credentials are coming from US based institutions or International institutions. Though many colleges and universities are closing on-campus facilities, like us, they are moving to a distance workforce and their students are able to request transcripts via the web. Our applicants who attended US based institutions, will continue to request that official transcripts be emailed to admissions@cuny.edu or mailed to the University Application Processing Center. For our applicants who attended institutions abroad, and who indicate that they are unable to obtain their academic records because of the closure of the institution, we will consider copies of the original documents on a case-by-case basis. The copies of those credentials should be accompanied by a statement from the applicant that clearly indicates the reason for being unable to obtain the official credentials and an understanding that when the institution is able to do so, official post-secondary records will be requested and sent to CUNY. College administrators may consult the University Admissions Office via our campus support help desk (askCWC@cuny.edu) with any questions on the copies of the international credentials.
- Official High School Transcripts (from US based institutions): Applicants from US based institutions are required to submit official secondary school records. Schools/Guidance Counselors may continue to submit those via postal mail to the University Application Processing Center or they may submit electronically to transcripts@cuny.edu. The copies of those credentials should be accompanied by a statement from the applicant that clearly indicates the reason for being unable to obtain the official credentials and an understanding that when the institution is able to do so, official secondary school records will be requested and sent to CUNY. College administrators may consult the University Admissions Office via our campus support help desk (askCWC@cuny.edu) with any questions on the copies of the credentials.
- Photocopies of High School Transcripts (non-US based institutions): In line with our general business process, copies of secondary school credentials (transcripts, certificates, and national exam scores) from non-US based institutions will continue to be accepted. Those copies may be emailed to admissions@cuny.edu or mailed to the University Application Processing Center. The only exception are those applicants who are providing proof of secondary school completion through the WAEC; where we typically require the scratch-card information to be submitted via email for score verification with the testing agency.
- English Language Translations of Secondary/Post-Secondary Credentials: In line with our general business process, copies of translations of academic credentials will continue to be accepted via email to admissions@cuny.edu or postal mail to the University Application Processing Center.
- Standardized Test Scores: We continue to request, receive, load and match standardized test scores to applicant’s records electronically. This is the fastest, most accurate and efficient way to get the scores attached to the applicant’s record. For applicants unable to submit required standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE) as a result of a cancelled test administration; waiver requests should be directed and decided on by the campus admissions director.
Guidance for Evaluating Applicants Missing Standardized Test Scores
Given the limited availability for applicants to sit for standardized testing as a direct result of the COVID-19 crises, we strongly encourage college admission offices to consider applicants missing only standardized test scores on other available academic data. Centrally, we continue to request, receive, load and match available standardized test scores to applicant records electronically. Using a publicly accessible query (CU_AD_AUDIT_APPS_INCMP_CHKLIST), colleges can identify the exact list of applicants who are incomplete as a result of missing SAT/ACT scores. Using the output of the query, and other academic data points available on the Applicant File and CUNYfirst, colleges should review and decide on whether or not they are willing to admit an applicant without SAT/ACT scores presented. The college may choose to accept the applicant to the academic program initially requested or a more suitable academic program at the college. In practice, the college would mark the college-specific AUTST (SAT/ACT) checklist as waived and manually enter the ADMT row on the campus application in Maintain Applications. Colleges must do the two steps simultaneously to avoid receiving an inaccurate admissions decision recommendation from the University Admissions Office. If the college is unwilling to make an admission decision without the SAT/ACT scores, the AUTST checklist should remain initiated and the file left in Applicant status. For more information, contact: Mark Ciolli, mark.ciolli@cuny.edu.
Payment Plan (Nelnet)
The final Spring 2020 scheduled April payment for the 15-week schools is postponed from April 5 to May 5. The scheduled April payment for the 12/6 schools is also being postponed, and will be split between May 1 and June 1. Students who did not make their March 2020 payment will have that missed payment added to the remaining scheduled payments in their respective plans. For the Spring 2020 semester, Nelnet will not make re-attempts on student payments. Students who require additional time to make the final scheduled payment may be able to receive an additional extension. The 15-week schools’ Plan participants may request a hardship extension to June 5, and the 12/6 schools’ Plan participants may request a hardship extension to June 26. Students must contact Nelnet to request this additional extension. A communication from Nelnet will be sent to effected students shortly.
Registration and Cancellation
Colleges will have the flexibility over cancellations and registration for the Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 semesters. This flexibility includes if and when students are cancelled for nonpayment of current semester charges, and the profile of the students that may be cancelled. Colleges will also have flexibility in determining if they will allow students with an outstanding Spring 2020 unpaid balance to register for Summer and Fall 2020 classes, and the criteria for allowing students to register with outstanding balances.
Collections
Colleges are asked to: 1) Temporarily postpone sending notices to students who have an outstanding Spring 2020 balance; 2) Temporarily postpone assigning unpaid student balances from Spring 2020 semesters to the University’s collection agencies. Additionally, please be aware that two resolutions regarding student fees were passed by the University’s Board of Trustees yesterday (March 30, 2020), as following:
Student Activity Fees
The resolution related to the University waiving (i) 25% of the Spring 2020 student activity fee for students enrolled in those University schools and colleges on a 15-week calendar; and (ii) 50% of the student activity fee for students enrolled in those University schools and colleges on 12/6 week calendars. The portion of the fee which supports the activities of the University Student Senate will not be waived ($1.45 per student). The University Office of Budget and Finance will be performing the necessary activities in CUNYfirst to process these waivers, and will be in touch with the campuses prior to execution. In addition, the Board’s action resolved that the individual colleges will ensure that any student receiving compensation from their local student government will continue to receive full payment for the remainder of the semester.
Dormitory Fees
The Board resolution authorized the University to credit dormitory fees on a prorated basis from the move-out date to continuing students, and would apply these credits to either the Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 semester. The resolution also authorized the University to refund dorm fees, on a prorated basis from the move out date, for students that are expected to graduate in Spring 2020. The University Office of Budget and Finance will be sending out a template to those colleges with dorms in order capture information about the students who resided in the dorms for the Spring 2020 semester. These credits and refunds will need to be calculated and processed in partnership between the central office and the colleges.
As we continue to navigate this time of uncertainty and change, we want to provide you with important information regarding our student veteran population. If you have any student veterans in your courses that inform you they have received orders of activation please contact the Veteran and Military Programs Office. The Veteran and Military Programs team will work with you and the student to ensure a seamless academic transition. Working together we can make sure our students who are called to serve our country at this time feel fully supported by our college community. The V&MP Office can be reached via email at veteransaffairs@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
For your information, here is the CUNY policy about student veterans being activated:
- 3.1 A student who is called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States or National Guard should be given every consideration around either making up the work for the course, obtaining an Incomplete, or being given the grade that he or she has earned at the time that he or she is called to duty.
- 3.2 At each college, the appropriated committee or other designated authority shall be empowered to grant the remaining number of credits required for graduation to a member of the graduating class who lacks twelve or fewer credits in elective courses to complete the requirements for the degree for those called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States. Credits should be applied from the service members JST (Joint Service Transcript) as MILT elective credit
- 3.3 Colleges shall encourage students who enter military service to maintain their status as students by availing themselves of such opportunities as may be offered to them (by the colleges, by other accredited colleges, and/or by service agencies) to continue their studies while in Military Service.
If you have a student that is activated, here are 2 easy steps to take.
- Instruct the student not to drop their courses;
- Contact Veteransaffairs@brooklyn.cuny.edu and the team will make certain to assist the student every step of the way.