Lehman Goes Remote Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Lehman campus seen empty. (Photo Credit: Perla Tolentino)
By Deanna Garcia
“We’re careful not to say that Lehman is ‘closed’ because we are still an active community – we’re still Lehman and we’re still here for our students even though most of us are not physically on campus,” said Dean of Students Stanley Bazile.
Lehman’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was followed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to close all CUNY and SUNY campuses on March 11.
Prior to the closure, only one case of a Lehman student feeling ill was reported on March 5, but the student assumed it was allergies. The student, whose identity was kept confidential, attended classes in Lehman’s Carman and Davis Halls on March 5, 7, 9 and 11. President Daniel Lemons informed the community on March 16 via email: “The areas visited by the student on those dates have been thoroughly cleaned by our custodial staff as part of their ongoing proactive cleaning measures.” Classmates and professors of the student were told to go into a “precautionary quarantine” for 14 days after attending the class.
On March 22, Cuomo ordered the entire state to go on “PAUSE”, or “Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone,” which forces all nonessential workers to remain home, maintain a 6-foot distance from others and wear masks while in public. According to MSNBC, PAUSE will be extended until May 15.
Some Lehmanites felt the closure should have happened sooner.
COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at Lehman's parking lot. (Photo Credit: Perla Tolentino)
“The wait could have jeopardized more students if the person had gotten sick earlier,” said Amman Ahmad, a junior journalism major. “The virus is reaching people at a great amount, so it wouldn’t surprise me if others contracted it as well.”
Others were worried about succeeding at distance learning for the remainder of the semester.
Joseph Flaz, freshman biomedical engineering major, mentioned that learning for his math and science classes online will be a challenge for him. “Having to learn all of this from home will be difficult, but it’s better than prolonging the spread of the virus around campus.”
“I’ve maintained my high GPA and I would like to keep it that way, but I have a fear that this new experience with remote learning could jeopardize it,” said Katerina Sopilidis, senior English literature major with a minor in childhood education. She wants Lehman to make it clear to professors to remain patient with their students during this pandemic.
Music department Chair Diana Mittler-Battiapaglia, told the Meridian that some courses such as music history and music theory, were able to convert to online learning. However, ensemble courses are seeing some difficulty.
“You can’t coordinate sounds coming from various sources even if we call a Zoom meeting; it’s not like everyone is in the same place,” she explained. “If I were to accompany them, it’s almost impossible to synchronize sounds.” This resulted in students in courses with vocals and instruments individually video chatting with their professors.
To address increased student precarity, on April 2 the CUNY Board of Trustees approved a flexible grading policy for spring 2020. All students have the option of converting all of their (A-F) letter grades to Credit/No Credit for their courses.
Road sign let drivers know Lehman's testing site is appointments-only. (Photo Credit: Perla Tolentino)
“I have a fear that this new experience with remote learning could jeopardize [my GPA].”
Lehman is also trying to provide adequate tech support for students who lack necessary resources. The college has received over 500 loan laptop applications for devices towards the beginning of April, according to Bazile. CUNY sent out 30,000 laptops for students in need to continue the semester. So far 200 new Lehman-purchased Chromebooks and about 23 iPads, loaned from Lehman’s Leonard Lief Library, have been sent out through UPS. An additional 200 new Chromebooks were expected to ship by April 4.
Bazile told the Meridian that essential staff from the IT, Student Affairs and Administration and Finance Departments gather in a large room, while practicing social distancing and wearing protective gear, to prepare each device before sending them to students.
Although students and faculty are not on campus for classes, an appointment-only drive through testing site was put in Lehman’s parking lot on March 23, which is still open for residents, and is providing 500 tests daily. The site is only accommodating appointments for people in their 50s, immunocompromised and displaying symptoms.
“As humans, we need to unite, help each other out and make sure we are all staying inside,” said Ahmad. “The best way to battle a virus without a current cure is to fight from home.”
Lehman Library’s Design Fast-Forwards From 1980 to 2020
Lehman student receiving help at updated reference desk. (Photo Credit: Jaquira Truesdale)
By Deanna Garcia
With redesigned floors, a modernized circulation, question mark-shaped reference desks, contemporary study-group rooms, accent-furnished seating areas and everywhere outlets, the first floor of Lehman’s Leonard Lief Library officially left the ’80s after a year of rigorous renovations.
The library’s old design consisted of computers for printing and tons of towering bookshelves with the same look it had since 1980; now the study environment across the rooms has been reinforced with new equipment such as monitors for students to prepare for presentations. Changes also include a revamp of the two teaching labs in the library’s basement, Concourse Level.
“We’re very much interested in working with students in order to train them on how to navigate information,” said chief librarian Kenneth Schlesinger.
One of the new study-group rooms. (Photo Credit: Deanna Garcia)
Approximately 300 students participated in a survey conducted by the library’s Public Service Group in 2018, to help improve the premise’s environment; all inputs were used in the construction’s planning.
“Students were looking for a variety of study configurations, and I think we addressed that in a more proactive way by having the individual terminals and seats, but also having the group settings,” said Schlesinger. “We built this space for students and had them in mind primarily; we wanted to respond to their needs and support their success and research.”
The library partnered up with H2M Architects and Engineers, a professional consulting and design firm, to make this renovation possible.
“A design process and concept was needed in order to create a more vibrant environment for students which was proposed by the library staff in multiple meetings. We wanted to brighten up the space a little bit,” H2M project architect Erik Heuler told the Meridian.
Students in the gallery area taking a break from studying with snacks. (Photo Credit: Jaquira Truesdale)
This entailed replacing tall dull-looking bookshelves with shorter stands to allow more sunlight into the room, and brown-gray furniture with bright-colored models for a more lively and welcoming appearance.
The new 3-foot-tall reference desk, shaped like an iconic question mark, is now located towards the front of the library instead of the back like before. Schlesinger called the old model a “4-foot barrier” between students and service.
“We wanted to be friendly, accessible and where students would feel comfortable approaching and to make sure the encounter is equally matched,” he said about the reference desk.
“The renovation makes me excited to study in such an aesthetic area.”
Lehmanites now have plenty of space and can even enjoy individual chair pods for a more private and focused study experience. Some students, excited for the library’s new structure, expressed a higher motivation to study.
“I am a very visual person and my environment can dictate a lot for me. The renovation makes me excited to study in such an aesthetic area,” said Jenifer Calix Marin, a senior nursing major, who spends about 26 hours or more weekly at the library.
“Rather than trying to hunt for an open outlet in the library, like I used to, and trying to snack discreetly, I now enjoy having more tables and outlets in an area where I can snack simultaneously. [It] allows me to work for longer periods of time,” said biology graduate, Lamisha Shia.
Another area where groups can gather around and look at presentations on the monitors. (Photo Credit: Deanna Garcia)
New looks and comforts aside, the renovation came at some cost to student focus. Schlesinger said that students did complain about the noise as well during finals week.
“Unfortunately, it was unavoidable just in terms of the construction calendar,” he said. “We tried to schedule it early in the day for it to be less disruptive for students to work.”
This is not the end for updating the other floors of the library.
“What we’re really hoping is that we can show people the first floor and what we’ve done with it to use it as leverage to get renovation for the second and third floor so that the library is new and state-of-the-art,” said Schlesinger.
Lehman’s library will have an official grand opening on March 19.
Adjuncts Demanded $7K or Strike… They Get $6,875 Instead
Professional Staff Congress posters at Lehman's Carman Hall faculty room doors. (Photo Credit: Deanna Garcia)
By Deanna Garcia
Two months after the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) and City University of New York (CUNY) agreed to a new contract that they promise will fulfill 30,000 full and part-time faculty and professional staff, staff and students are still asking whether the contract meets their hopes.
Some CUNY staff claim the contract is not enough.
“I think that it is about time that CUNY recognized this unpaid work and now will begin to compensate all adjuncts for it,” said Ayanna Alexander-Street, a biology professor and secretary of Lehman Chapter’s PSC. “I think we are still far from a desirable place, as far as wages go.”
Alexander-Street, who formerly worked as an adjunct at Hunter College and the Borough of Manhattan Community College for five years, continued: “We are energized by this contract and will keep working toward these goals, as well as fighting in other ways to keep CUNY affordable, ensuring that we offer enough courses each semester, improving conditions on campus and addressing the needs of students, such as housing and food insecurity.”
Lehman students also questioned the contract.
Chantel White, 18, a Lehman fine arts freshman, thought the wages were outrageous to begin with. “Why can’t they just give the professors what they deserve?” she asked. “They work hard to make sure their students are educated throughout a semester. A professor doesn’t only work during class hours, but also off-campus.”
“I hope they keep fighting for a higher pay,” said David Ortiz, 24, Spanish senior. “Adjuncts, like anyone, have every right to. They should be getting more than what they’re offered.”
Unlike other students, Kendall Jackson, 20, chemistry junior, was unaware of the unequal pay of adjuncts. “It’s upsetting to even think that some professors aren’t getting recognized for the work they do in classrooms,” he said. “These low wages hold professors from helping their students succeed in life and in their future careers.”
CUNY adjunct professors standing in front of Governor Andrew Cuomo's office building while chanting, "What's outrageous? Adjunct wages!" back in March. (Photo Credit: Deanna Garcia)
Under the old contract, part-time professors, also known as adjuncts, were only paid $3,222 per course. The new contract promises to increase these wages by more than 70 percent. The minimum for a three-credit course would be $5,500 and the maximum would equal $6,875 for a four-credit course, instead of the $7,000 that was originally demanded by PCS’s Committee of Adjuncts and Part-timers with the slogan “$7K or Strike.”
“I hope they keep fighting for a higher pay.”
According to PSC, 15,976 of 21,416 members eligible to vote participated. 2,316 of which were not in favor of the contract a few weeks later- the biggest contract ratification union-voting ever recorded.
Union leadership praised the contract. PSC President Barbara Bowen stated, “The 2017-2023 contract prioritized equity and is a testament to the unity of our membership. Everyone gains when the salary floor for the lowest paid is lifted.”
Robert Farrell, PSC Chair of the Lehman Chapter, refers to the contract as “a major breakthrough in the union’s fight for equitable adjunct wages.”
The PSC website claims the new wage will also create equity between staff and grant adjuncts more individual time with students, office hours and professional development, as well as giving department chairs research funds to support their staff.
It will create a paid family leave program modeled New York State and City programs, financially supporting graduate students who teach, expanding funds to allow access to healthcare for graduate employees.
And it includes equity raises for full-time College Laboratory Technicians, entry-level Higher Education Officer employees, Lecturers, and full-time CUNY Start and CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) staff.
The contract between PSC and CUNY promises to increase adjunct wages by 70 percent. (Photo Credit: Deanna Garcia)
“To achieve these gains, the union was able to secure funding from the City and State to pay adjuncts for some of the currently uncompensated labor they are doing as part of their work at CUNY,” said Farrell.
While the contract now awaits approval by the CUNY Board of Trustees, Bowen wrote on the PSC website that just because there was a contract agreement does not mean that every problem was solved and the union would not stop fighting for adjuncts’ rights.
She added that the PSC has support from the CUNY Board, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to improve CUNY’s employees and students.
“We have more work to do to ensure that our students have adequately paid faculty in the classroom who have time to devote to them,” said Farrell.
Lehman Completes Renovation of Performing Arts Center
A view of the additional 5,595-square-feet-expansion of Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts. (All photos by Deanna Garcia)
By Deanna Garcia
On its 40th anniversary, Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts celebrated the completion of a $15.4 million renovation with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 19.
Started in November of 2017, the upgrades include a 5,595-square-feet expansion of the lobby, a new box office, handicap-accessible enhancements to the hall’s floors and 2,276 seats, new ramps, new restrooms and elevators that ascend to the balconies.
Lehman students praised the transformation of the center, which bills itself as the largest entertainment venue in the Bronx.
“When you think about the Bronx, you don’t think about an amazing space like this, especially at Lehman.”
-Johana Gracia Lara, senior music major.
“It makes me even happier that I attended here. It’s just rare to even have something beautiful and a legitimate performing arts center here in the Bronx.”
One of the ramps in the Center for the Performing Arts.
“It’s something in our backyard and something that we have a personal attachment to as students who attend this college,” said Kassandra Montes, a Lehman biochemistry and philosophy senior. “So to have other college students come to our campus and say, ‘Wow your college is amazing,’ that’s great gratitude to us.”
“Most of us can take the bus or walk here instead of preparing one day to travel all the way to Lincoln Center,” said Lehman biochemistry senior, Tarialy Hernandez, about the convenience of the center.
According to the center, over 200,000 visit it between September and early June; visitors come from Manhattan, Westchester and even Connecticut. Lehman officials said the renovation’s main goal was for the center to be more compliant for Americans with Disabilities (ADA).
“In 1980, people weren’t thinking about handicapped people as much as we do now,” said Executive Director of Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts, Eva Bornstein. “Now people are becoming more aware that handicap individuals need access to the same seats and bathrooms as anyone else.”
All costs of the upgrade were covered by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, the Bronx delegation of the New York City Council and the Office of the Bronx Borough President. The center will receive additional funding with a seat naming initiative.
Goya Foods Inc., the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department, the New York State Council on the Arts, Con Edison, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, the Havana Café and the Friends of Lehman Center all support the center as sponsors for the 2019-2020 season.
Bornstein told the Meridian that she wants more national companies to perform at the center. “I’m excited because we get to bring all of these fantastic events from around the globe to the Bronx,” she said. “I think it’s important that people on campus know something about the Lehman Center. This would be a great opportunity for students and faculty to explore their own college.”
Many took this opportunity at the grand opening, where attendees included Lehman President Dr. Daniel Lemons, CUNY Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodriguez, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and city council members. Lehman’s Urban Male Leadership Program offered tours of the new renovations, and the Lehman Student Jazz Ensemble played live music.
“One, if not the major ingredient of our DNA is music,” said Diaz Jr. about the influence of music on Bronxites.
As they carry on this legacy, some Lehman students are excited to start rehearsing at the center.
“It’s just really nice for me because as a senior, I get to still perform in in this new renovated space now,” Gracia Lara said. “Hopefully I can continue to work in my career and come back here to actually perform.”