Bearcat Buzz – December 11, 2020

Friday, December 11: Reading Day
Sunday, December 13: Last Day of Classes
Monday-Sunday, December 14-20: Final Examinations
Sunday, December 20: End of Fall Term

Baruch College and The City University of New York (CUNY) are responding to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Working together on creating, implementing, and modifying policies and plans. To ensure that you have the most up-to-date guidance, directives, and resources, please check out:

Baruch Colleges COVID-19 Updates
Baruch’s Division of Student Affairs COVID-19 Resources
CUNY Coronavirus Updates
CUNY Continuity for Students
CDC- What You Need to Know
CDC- Key Facts
CDC- Traveling FAQs

To allow students additional flexibility, Baruch College extends the “last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of W” to Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

For the Fall 2020 semester only, Baruch College has adopted a temporary policy to permit students to elect CR/NC grades with some course exceptions, as noted below.

– The CR/NC grade option permits a student to convert a course grade between B+ and D- to a grade of “CR” and a grade of F to a grade of “NC.”

– Neither the CR nor the NC is included in the calculation of the student’s 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, and the student will not earn the credit.

– A course with a grade of CR earned at one CUNY institution will transfer to another CUNY institution.

– Period to elect CR/NC:  TBD (election period will take place after fall grades have been submitted)

For more information please visit Baruch College’s website and read President Wu’s message to the Baruch community.

Faculty are obligated to report any suspected violations of academic integrity policies, such as cheating and plagiarizing to the Office of the Dean of Students. On a monthly or semi-monthly basis, data will be shared with the Baruch Community via the Office of the Dean of Students website on any administrative sanctions (e.g., warnings or suspensions) imposed, and, when we know them, academic sanctions leveled by members of the faculty (e.g., F for the assignment or exam or F for the course). All information is anonymous.

Cases reported at the end of a month might not have been heard by the time reports are shared.

The information available for November can be found below:

November Reports
41 students were reported to the Office of the Dean of Students in the month of November. Of those:
– 14 were for cheating
– 24 were for plagiarism
– 03 were for obtaining an unfair advantage

Findings in November
– 68 were found “Responsible”
– 04 were found “Not Responsible”
Note: Cases reported at the end of October were adjudicated in November. The numbers reported here include cases from both October and November.

Administrative Sanctions
Of the 68 students found responsible in November:
– 63 received a Warning
– 02 received Probation
– 03 received Suspension

Academic Sanctions
The most common academic sanctions unofficially reported to the Office of Dean of Students included failure on exam/assignment and failure in the class. (Note: unless the faculty member formally notifies the Office of the Dean of Students, we don’t know if any academic sanctions have been assigned to students who were found to be responsible.)

Definitions of Sanctions

To Report an Academic Integrity Violation

Got questions? Need Baruch information? Want to speak with a person in real time? The Office of Student Life presents our Virtual Headquarters. We are hosting several one-hour sessions where students can log in and ask any questions they may have about student engagement and the Baruch community. More information can be found on the Student Life website.

The Office of Student Life is currently looking for faculty, staff and students to join the Black History Month (BHM) 2021 Planning Committee! This committee will work to plan BHM 2021 for the month of February. Meetings will take place weekly beginning on Tuesday, November 24 at 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. To sign up and join this committee please complete the form on MyBaruch. If you have any questions, email Crystal Tejada, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at crystal.tejada@baruch.cuny.edu.

The Black History Month Planning Committee is looking for creative students to join the team! We are looking for 2-3 Graphic Designers to create all marketing graphics for the month (i.e. Instagram posts, flyers, etc.) and 2-3 Social Media Coordinators (Instagram) to ensure events are being properly advertised on Instagram with all necessary information (i.e.: Zoom links, sign-up links, etc.). To volunteer for the positions, contact Crystal Tejada, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at crystal.tejada@baruch.cuny.edu.

The Office of Student Life is currently recruiting students, faculty and staff to join the Women’s History Month 2021 Planning Committee! Meetings will take place weekly starting Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 4:00 P.M. via Zoom. Sign up on MyBaruch.

The Office of Student Life presents the LGBTQ+ Resources webpage! This page lists resources on- and off-campus that provide information and support for all Baruch students who identify as LGBTQ+ or are allies of the community. Visit the LGBTQ+ Resources webpage.

Say congrats to our runners who won the Athletics Virtual 5K event within the clubs category, ASEDOM!

On the surface, ASEDOM (Dominican Student Association) focuses on celebrating and educating on Dominican Culture, however, they are all inclusive! So no, you do not need to be Dominican to be part of their club. They strive to be a family within the Baruch community where their members can always rely on one another and be their authentic selves!

Make sure to follow them on Instagram @asedombaruch.
For more information, check out their MyBaruch page!

GSA is raffling three $25 Amazon gift cards. To enter, create a short video telling us how this virtual semester has been for you and what you’ve learned about yourself as a Baruch graduate student. Upload your video to Facebook with the hashtag #BARUCHSTRONG and tag us at @GSABaruch by December 14, 2020. Once we have reviewed the videos, we will announce those who have been selected by December 20, 2020. Remember, there can only be three winners. We look forward to watching your videos!

In response to the current environment, the Counseling Center offers free and confidential individual and group counseling and Support sessions:

Individual Counseling

Please visit the Counseling Center’s website or email
Counseling@Baruch.cuny.edu.

Group Counseling

Are you struggling with a new transition, feeling lonely, wanting to make new connections or having trouble in your relationships? The Counseling Center is offering two groups called Relationship to Self and Others, during 2020-2021. The groups are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 -2:00 p.m. on Zoom. To participate, in the Tuesday group, please send an email to Jenny Choi atJenny.Choi@Baruch.cuny.edu. To participate in the Thursday group, please send an email to Kai Lin Fu at Kailin.Fu@Baruch.cuny.edu.

Wednesdays: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. via Zoom

Dear Black students,

In light of the recent events of racial violence and injustice towards Black, African American and African descendant communities, the Baruch College Counseling Center would like to remind you of and invite you to join Black Mental Health Matters. These support sessions aim to foster and support the growth, networking, collaboration, success, and well-being of Black Students. Past topics have included:

• Self-care during the pandemics (Covid-19 and Racism)  
• Being Black at Baruch  
• Intersecting Identities  
• BLM Movement and Advocacy  
• Power and privilege  
• Finding motivation  
• Coping with loss  
• Social distancing   
• Remote learning  
• Developing community  
• Power dynamics in and out of the classroom  
• Microaggressions  
• Food/Housing/financial insecurities

…and much more. If you are a Black student who is interested in finding a safe space to meet and talk with others who may have similar experiences, then these support sessions are for you. These support sessions are led by two Black Psychologists, Dr. Jael Amador and Dr. Gary Dillon, who work from a social justice and multicultural framework.  

To participate in these support sessions, send an email to Dr. Jael Amador at Jail.Amador@baruch.cuny.edu from your Baruch student email account and we will send you the Zoom link.

In solidarity and support,
Drs. Amador & Dillon

Note: In a previous version of this post, it was brought to our attention that we used offensive language. Despite our intent, we acknowledge that our impact was hurtful. For that, we offer to you all our sincerest apologies and a commitment to continue to learn and grow as we continue our work. We have also corrected our communications on all platforms.

Bearcats Launch Jingle Bell Run/Walk/Wheel 5K/1K!​
December 14-December 20. To support Baruch student emergency fund register on Baruch Athletics website and to find out more information.

Bearcats Bites with Frances Snyder of Women’s Basketball.

Basketball Alum Matt Feldman ’15 Named to Forbes 30 Under 30.

Intramurals: Athletics to Host 30 Day Fall Fitness Challenge, Open to Entire Baruch Community. To register, contact Dima Kamenshchik at Intramurals@baruch.cuny.edu.

ARC facilities remain closed through December 31. Visit BaruchAthletics.com for more information.

Baruch’s Max Berger Virtual 2021 Pre-Law Winter Institute – open to all Baruch students & alumni! January 4-8, 2021 RSVP ASAP! No separate application is required; however, you must register for each session independently. Participants attending each program in its entirety will receive a certificate of completion. Attendance will be taken. Questions? E-mail tina.coco@baruch.cuny.edu

Monday, January 4, 2021 | 9:30- 10:30 a.m. EST
Pre Law Orientation
Find out what you need to know about applying to law school & Baruch’s Max Berger Pre-Law Program. Get your questions answered. Register via Starr Search under the workshop tab. Zoom details will be provided.

Monday, January 4, 2021 | 12:45- 2:00 p.m. EST
I Survived My 1st Law School Semester!
Recent Baruch alumni that are current law students at Columbia; Fordham, Northwestern, Cornell, Washington & Lee and other law schools, will discuss their 1L experience at law schools throughout the NYC area & beyond. Hear about what each law school is doing to keep students safe during the pandemic. Register via Starr Search under the workshop tab. Zoom details will be provided.

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 | 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. EST
Washington University School of Law Virtual Admission & Information Session 
Have you thought about attending law school outside of NY? Hear from Baruch students that have done just that! Joy Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Office of Admissions at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Mo, will be joined by Baruch alumni to provide an inside look at the programs and opportunities offered by this highly ranked law school. Register on Zoom.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. EST
2021 LSAT/Law School Prep Series at the NYC Bar Association
Students will attend workshops including pre law panel presentations including free LSAT Prep Classes, Law School Networking Fair, Financial Aid Q&A Panel, Law Student Q&A Panel. Register directly with the NYC Bar (www.nycbar.org) Check back for registration link.

Thursday, January 7 | 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST
2021 LSAT/Law School Prep Series at the NYC Bar Association
Students will attend workshops including pre law panel presentations including, Free LSAT Prep Classes, Law School Networking Fair, Financial Aid Q&A Panel, Law Student Q&A Panel. Register directly with the NYC Bar (www.nycbar.org)  Check back for registration link

Friday, January 8, 2021 | 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Brooklyn Law School Virtual Admission & Information Session 
This webinar is designed for those who want to learn about Brooklyn Law School’s offerings and the admissions process. Register on the Brooklyn Law School website.

Learn how to navigate the online class environment like a pro! Students can take the self-paced Blackboard-based course, “Are You Ready?” to learn all about technology requirements, online learning etiquette, and more. Log into Blackboard to get started.

Access the “Are You Ready?” Online Readiness Tool

1. Visit bbhosted.cuny.edu
2. Log into Blackboard using your CUNYfirst credentials
3. Look for the course under “My Organizations”

It is an especially difficult time for many students, and SNAP can be a helpful resource. SNAP can assist with eligibility screenings, initial applications, re certifications, and other SNAP matters. We have English and Spanish-speaking staff and can use interpreter services for clients who speak other languages. In addition, we have staff members who can assist with healthcare, housing, and benefit concerns. Currently, our services are all offered over the phone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interested individuals can call our intake line at 212-218-0503, option 2, and leave a message.

To learn about contributing your student group materials to the Baruch College Archives, on the Baruch College website.

Get On Board With A 25% Discount For NJ TRANSIT Mobile Student Monthly Passes. Full-time undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to purchase a rail, bus, or light rail mobile student monthly pass at 25% off the regular monthly pass price, when they enroll online through NJ TRANSIT’s Mobile Student program. Sign Up for your NJ TRANSIT Mobile pass today! For more information, contact Brandy Peer at brandy.peer@baruch.cuny.edu.