March 2026 - Socrates - Queens College Mailman 3 Archives

Queens College Classroom Photography and Recording Policy (updated)
by QNS qcctlonline 16 Mar '26

16 Mar '26

Dear Faculty: We write to bring your attention to the Queens College Classroom Photography and Recording Policy<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/photography-recording-policy/ >, updated by the QC Academic Senate on February 5, 2026. We recommend that you update (or add) this policy to your course syllabus, Brightspace course site, and/or any other modes of communication with your students. Best, CETLL (Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership) *** Full text of policy: Neither photographs nor recordings (audio or video) of all or parts of classes at Queens College may be made without written permission from the course instructor(s). The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Special Services may provide for the recording of classes on behalf of a student receiving disability accommodations, missing class due to religious beliefs, or experiencing extended absence due to medical or other exigent circumstances. The Queens College Classroom Photography and Recording Policy applies to both students and visitors. Students and visitors are not authorized to copy, download, or disseminate authorized recordings and photographs to others. Students in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, and visitors in violation of this policy are subject to removal from the classroom and/or campus. Adopted at Queens College Academic Senate Meeting, February 5, 2026

1 0

CETLL Spotlight: March into Spring 🌷
by QNS qcctlonline 12 Mar '26

12 Mar '26

[https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mcusercontent.com/2bf982422cf9fae883f98… ]<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/ > The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Leadership Newsletter March 2026 In the Spotlight: Eric Goldfischer (Urban Studies) Service Learning as a Form of Career-Connected Learning [Dr. Eric Goldfischer] Dr. Eric Goldfischer This month, we interviewed Dr. Eric Goldfischer, Lecturer and Service-Learning Coordinator in the Urban Studies Department, to learn more about service-learning, career-connected learning, and career-readiness. CETLL: Can you explain what “service-learning” means? What are its goals? Dr. Goldfischer: Service-learning is a form of experiential learning or experiential education that specifically pairs students with internships but also involves an academic component. The biggest difference between a traditional internship and what we consider to be service-learning is that in service-learning you’re doing an internship but you’re also in a class, and you’re also having an academic experience that’s guided by a faculty member. There’s also explicitly a social justice component with service-learning, so all of the internships that students do as part of a service-learning experience are with organizations that have a social justice mission or with government agencies that have a “helping people” mission. The internships are really curated. We meet with the internship sites beforehand. For a lot of them, we’ve been working with them for years and make sure that they understand the goals of the internship program for the students, which are that students will have an experience that will hopefully help prepare them for professional life, but also that they will be able to connect what they’re doing in the internship to what they’ve learned in the classroom during their time in college. What makes it really specific are these kinds of connections between experiential learning outside the classroom and academic learning inside the classroom. Please click here to read the full interview.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://sway.cloud.microsoft/ToTJAdKU70u8PlhZ?r… > Faculty Resources Course Content Accessibility Support for Faculty In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice issued new ADA Title II regulations requiring public universities to ensure that actively used digital content is accessible. These regulations apply directly to course materials such as websites, documents, videos, media, and other web-based instructional resources housed in Brightspace and otherwise used in teaching. These requirements take effect for New York State on April 27, 2026. At CETLL<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/ >, we recognize that accessibility is not simply a compliance requirement—it is part of a commitment to inclusive pedagogy. Ensuring that course content is accessible enhances student success, improves the usability of online materials, and supports learners with a wide variety of needs, regardless of disability or assistive technology use. Go to CETLL’s website for more information on digital accessibility<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/accessibility/ >. We recommend you conduct a review of your syllabi, announcements, presentation slides, and required readings, videos, and other materials in your course to identify what revisions are needed. QC instructors can use the Ally Accessibility Tool to help assess and remediate accessibility issues in Brightspace. Make use of our new guide, Make Your Course Content Accessible.<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/make-your-course-content-accessible/ > Come to CETLL’s (expanded) virtual Drop-In Hours on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., beginning March 13 for 1:1 support (no DIH on April 3 and 17). We will continue to hold Drop-In Hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. You’re welcome to bring your materials to DIH to work in real time in the Zoom room. No appointments are needed—you can simply drop into the Zoom by clicking on this link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!uKtA… <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!rLS9…> You can email us anytime at CTLOnline(a)qc.cuny.edu with questions, requests, and/or to set up an appointment with a member of our Instructional Technology team. [Eric Goldfischer] Scam Alert: Never Share Your CUNY Login Password or MFA Please remember the following: * Never share your passwords or MFA factors with anyone — Campus and CUNY IT will never ask for it. * Do not respond to an MFA prompt if you did not initiate the login yourself. * Do not click on links or open attachments in suspicious or unexpected texts and emails. * If you think you may have provided your password or MFA factor, clicked on a suspicious link, or opened a suspicious attachment by mistake, please contact your campus help desk<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://cunyithelp.cuny.edu/csp?id=kb_search&qu… > for assistance. Here and Now Pedagogy Pop-Ups [An illustration of a chalkboard that reads "Pedagogy Pop-Ups".] Pedagogy Pop-Ups are a space for faculty to engage in peer-based discussion about teaching and learning at Queens College. Please join us for our upcoming pop-up: Local History and Community Memory in Queens College Classrooms<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/pedagogy-pop-ups/ > with faculty presenter Johnathan Thayer, PhD, MLS (QC School of Information Studies). We will meet on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in Kiely Hall 111A and on Zoom from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Click Here to Register<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/VwgyLs3sAm__;!!E8lrG… > Join us for a presentation and discussion on place-based learning through local community history curricula and a local community memory program for Queens College graduate students. Faculty Presenter Bio: Dr. Johnathan Thayer is Associate Professor at the School of Information Studies, Queens College, CUNY, where he is Coordinator of MLS/MA Programs. He teaches classes in archival studies, public history, and community-engaged local history. Next Pop-Up Date: April 22, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. with Jorge A. Alves, PhD (Political Science and Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS)) Global Development Theories at Your Doorstep Brightspace Advanced Training for Faculty Spring 2026 [Illustration of a person in front of computer screen.] This Spring, CETLL will be continuing our series of workshops covering advanced features in Brightspace.<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/brightspace-advanced-training-for-faculty/ > Sessions on each topic will be offered twice, in order to accommodate faculty schedules. Each session will begin with a demonstration, followed by a hands-on period where you can apply what you learned to your Brightspace course. Please see the schedule and registration links below. “Quizzes & Questions Pools” sessions: Creating Quizzes, Availability Dates & Conditions, Special Access, Submission & Completion, Evaluation & Feedback, Add Questions, Question Library, and Question Pools. Click Here to Register for Thursday, March 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/5r4arihynW__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Monday, March 16, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/gaPuSPG6hb__;!!E8lrG… > “Discussions” sessions: Create Forums and Topics, Due Dates, Availability Dates & Conditions, Submission & Completion, Evaluation & Feedback, and Evaluate Individual Posts. Click Here to Register for Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/HwCrtRTwH8__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Monday, March 30, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/JGTiM8xpUc__;!!E8lrG… > Future Focus Pedagogies of Writing Workshop Designing career-oriented and disciplinary writing assignments [A handwritten draft on lined paper with a yellow pencil, showing edits and the word "DRAFT" at the top.] Facilitated by Amy Wan (Special Assistant to the Provost on Writing and Professor of English) How can we use our writing assignments to help students prepare for their future classes and careers? Join us to learn about developing career-oriented and disciplinary writing assignments. Hear from colleagues across campus about assignments they’ve developed with these kinds of future writing expectations in mind. We’ll talk about a range of types of writing we ask students to do, as well as have time to develop or revise writing assignments. All participants should bring an assignment to the workshop. We will meet on March 23, 2026 from 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the President’s Conference Room #2 (RO 525). Click Here to Register<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/H3s2VwS1CL__;!!E8lrG… > Spring 2026 Teaching & Learning Showcase Assignments that Build Student Skills in the Age of Generative AI [https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mcusercontent.com/2bf982422cf9fae883f98… ] We will meet on Friday, April 17, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Muyskens Conference Room (The Summit). Breakfast will be served. Register Here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/QJbRxShcFy__;!!E8lrG… > Are you a QC faculty who is… * experimenting with ways to incorporate student use of gen AI in your course assignments? * concerned that students are offloading their learning when they use gen AI in assignments? * curious about how other CUNY faculty are addressing student use of AI in assignments? * all of the above? Please join CETLL for a faculty development program focused on the design of assignments aimed at building foundational student skills (e.g. critical thinking/reading/writing) and discipline-specific skills along with AI literacy through the intentional use of generative AI. PROGRAM: * Guest Speaker Dr. Gina Rae Foster<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://grfoster.commons.gc.cuny.edu/bios-and-b… > (Teaching and Learning Center Director, John Jay College of Criminal Justice), Flipping the Pyramid: Developing Critical Thinking Skills with GenAI<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://pressbooks.cuny.edu/flippingbloomai/__;… > * Faculty Panel: Assignments in Progress and the Evolution of Learning * Hands-on Work Time: Bring an Assignment to Develop or Revise Pedagogy Pop-Up: Invitation to Share Your Work [An illustration of a megaphone.] In Spring 2025, CETLL launched Pedagogy Pop-Ups<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/pedagogy-pop-ups/ > - an informal peer-based space for QC faculty to share innovative strategies, pressing questions, and helpful resources related to teaching and learning matters. We invite QC faculty members to bring their ideas to the table for presentation and discussion. If you are interested in presenting at or facilitating a future pedagogy pop-up, please fill out this short form<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/VxmcfAp0wT__;!!E8lrG… >. Questions? Contact us at CTLOnline(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:CTLOnline@qc.cuny.edu?subject=&body=> CETLL is located in Kiely 111 Phone: (718) 997-4650 Email: CTLOnline(a)qc.cuny.edu - If you are experiencing issues with Brightspace, please visit our drop-in hours on Zoom<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!uKtA… >: Tuesdays, 2pm - 4pm Wednesdays, 2pm - 4pm - For future newsletters and other CETLL updates, subscribe to our mailing list: Socrates<https://lists.qc.cuny.edu/mailman3/lists/socrates.lists.qc.cuny.edu/ > - View email in browser<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mailchi.mp/050be40dbc52/march-2026-cetl… > [https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mcusercontent.com/2bf982422cf9fae883f98… ]

1 0

Update to CETLL Drop-In Hours Schedule
by QNS qcctlonline 10 Mar '26

10 Mar '26

Dear Faculty, Please note the changes in our Virtual Drop-In Hours schedule for this week: Tuesday, March 10, 2:00pm-4:00pm Wednesday, March 11, 3:15pm-5:00pm We will also be holding Accessibility-Focused Drop-In Hours this week on Friday, March 13, from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Zoom link : https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!r9Tr… Contact CTLOnline(a)qc.cuny.edu with any questions. Best, CETLL

1 0

Discussion panel on learning outcomes, hosted by School of Social Sciences 3/18/26
by Soniya Munshi 09 Mar '26

09 Mar '26

Please join a discussion panel on Learning Outcomes in Online Classes 🎓 WEDNESDAY | March 18 | PH 333 | 12:20–1:30 PM Online education is at a crossroads. Many faculty members are skeptical about its effectiveness and rigor. The proliferation of AI chatbots has made it increasingly difficult to assess genuine student learning. Is academic dishonesty now unavoidable in online settings? Are we teaching into a void, being unable to determine whether we are reaching human minds or simply receiving AI-generated responses? Are there effective techniques to engage students authentically and evaluate their real understanding of course material? Panelists: 🔹 Alexia Papigiotis — Philosophy 🔹 Padmini Biswas — Urban Studies 🔹 Antonio Donato (Acting Chair) — Philosophy Kate Pechenkina, Ph.D. Dean of Faculty School of Social Sciences <https://www.qc.cuny.edu/academics/ss/ > Queens College Powdermaker Hall 335 917-6707009 (mobile)

1 0

Course Content Accessibility Support for Faculty
by QNS qcctlonline 09 Mar '26

09 Mar '26

Dear Faculty: We are writing to follow up on recent communications about digital accessibility. In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice issued new ADA Title II regulations requiring public universities to ensure that actively used digital content is accessible. These regulations apply directly to course materials such as websites, documents, videos, media, and other web-based instructional resources housed in Brightspace and otherwise used in teaching. These requirements take effect for New York State on April 27, 2026. At CETLL (Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership)<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/ >, we recognize that accessibility is not simply a compliance requirement—it is part of a commitment to inclusive pedagogy. Ensuring that course content is accessible enhances student success, improves the usability of online materials, and supports learners with a wide variety of needs, regardless of disability or assistive technology use. Where to begin? According to Hunter College’s accessibility guidance, the most common barriers that prevent equal access include: * Missing or incorrect alternative text for images and figures * Videos lacking captions or containing inaccurate auto‑captions * Insufficient color contrast between text and background * Scanned documents that have not been OCR‑converted to readable text * Untagged or auto‑tagged PDFs that screen readers cannot interpret properly We recommend you conduct a review of your syllabi, announcements, presentation slides, and required readings, videos, and other materials in your course to identify what revisions are needed. QC instructors can use the Ally Accessibility Tool to help assess and remediate accessibility issues in Brightspace. This tool provides: * Accessibility gauges (green/yellow/red indicators) on individual course files * A Course Accessibility Report that gives an overall accessibility score * Specific, step‑by‑step guidance for fixing identified issues * Automatic alternative formats for students (e.g., audio, ePub, tagged PDFs) Make use of our new guide, Make Your Course Content Accessible.<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/make-your-course-content-accessible/ > This guide has specific instructions to support you to make different aspects of your content accessible. Come to CETLL’s (expanded) virtual Drop-In Hours on Fridays from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., beginning March 13 for 1:1 support (no DIH on April 3 and 17). You’re also welcome to bring your materials to DIH to work in real time in the Zoom room. We will continue to hold Drop-In Hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 2:00 p.m. -- 4:00 p.m. No appointments are needed—you can simply drop into the Zoom by clicking on this link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!rLS9… You can also email us anytime at CTLOnline(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:CTLOnline@qc.cuny.edu> with questions, requests, and/or to set up an appointment with a member of our Instructional Technology team. Best, CETLL

1 0

Call for Student Recommendation Letters for 2026 Baccalaureate Awards
by Rebecca Baron 04 Mar '26

04 Mar '26

Dear Colleagues, I am writing on behalf of the Committee on Honors and Awards to request that faculty and staff members (e.g., student advisors, athletics coaches, other staff from student-centered offices) send letters of recommendation for college-wide awards on behalf of their students who are graduating seniors. Letters should be emailed to QCSAwards(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> by Monday, March 16. You may also email QCSAwards(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> if you have inquiries regarding a student’s graduation status. Approximately 40 awards will be granted at the Baccalaureate ceremony on May 26. Some of these awards come with substantial scholarships that provide significant assistance to students going on to graduate and professional schools. In order to be eligible for a college-wide award, students must have taken at least 45 credits at Queens College and (in most cases) have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better. Because of the large number of students who meet these basic qualifications, letters from faculty and staff members who know the students well are critically important elements of the committee's decision-making process. It is not necessary to nominate students for specific awards, nor is it necessary to write separate letters of recommendation for these awards. If you are writing a letter of recommendation for a student's application to law, medical, or graduate school, or if you have written a letter in the past, you can send a copy of the letter to QCSAwards(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> and it will be added to the student's file. Several awards have been created to recognize extracurricular contributions to the college and wider community, so letters that describe such activities are particularly useful. We are especially interested in students with a strong record of work for social justice, civil rights, or other service to the community. Unfortunately, it is the case every year that some students with the most outstanding academic records are not considered for college-wide awards because we lack the kind of information about them that can only be provided through letters from faculty and staff. The Honors and Awards office has sent to department chairs a list of students who have graduated in Summer and Fall 2025 and who will graduate in Spring 2026 who are eligible to receive college-wide awards. Please contact your chair to request the list. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Best wishes, Dan A. Lee Professor of Mathematics Chair, Committee on Honors and Awards Rebecca Baron (she/hers) Scholarships & Fellowships Specialist Honors & Scholarships Department Queens College, CUNY Remote on Thursdays In Person Walk In Hours: Monday & Wednesday 11AM - 12PM Tuesday & Friday 1PM - 2PM Call Honors & Scholarships: 718-997-5502 Email: rebecca.baron(a)qc.cuny.edu

1 0

Brightspace Advanced Training for Faculty – Spring 2026
by QNS qcctlonline 04 Mar '26

04 Mar '26

This Spring, CETLL will be continuing our series of workshops covering advanced features in Brightspace<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/brightspace-advanced-training-for-faculty/ >. Sessions on each topic will be offered twice via Zoom. Each session will begin with a demonstration, followed by a Q+A period. Please see the schedule and registration links below. “Gradebook” sessions: Weighting Grades, Categories, Add/Delete Grade Items, Display Grades, Curve Grades, Quick Eval, Ungrading, and Grade Passback. Click Here to Register for Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/EBeBhERBmk__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Monday March 2, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/ukXkETQsJX__;!!E8lrG… > “Assignments & Turnitin” sessions: Creating Assignments, Accessibility Checker, Availability Dates & Conditions, Special Access, Submission & Completion, Evaluation & Feedback, and Copying Assignments to Another Course. Click Here to Register for Thursday, March 5, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/D5P1C1UTWw__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/msvJCdbwnn__;!!E8lrG… > “Quizzes & Question Pools” sessions: Creating Quizzes, Availability Dates & Conditions, Special Access, Submission & Completion, Evaluation & Feedback, Add Questions, Question Library, and Question Pools. Click Here to Register for Thursday, March 12, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/5r4arihynW__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Monday, March 16, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/gaPuSPG6hb__;!!E8lrG… > “Discussions” sessions: Create Forums and Topics, Due Dates, Availability Dates & Conditions, Submission & Completion, Evaluation & Feedback, and Evaluate Individual Posts. Click Here to Register for Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/HwCrtRTwH8__;!!E8lrG… > Click Here to Register for Monday, March 30, 2026, 1p-3p<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/r/JGTiM8xpUc__;!!E8lrG… > For assistance with Brightspace, email Brightspace(a)qc.cuny.edu<mailto:Brightspace@qc.cuny.edu> or join CETLL’s virtual Drop-In Hours, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2pm-4pm at https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/QCxCETLL__Zoom__;!!E8lrGBvW!p7e4… . [Brightspace Spring Advanced training 2026_v2_02.17.26.png]

1 1

QC Scholarships: Class Visits (Sign Up Now), Monthly, & Review Committee Volunteers Needed
by Rebecca Baron 02 Mar '26

02 Mar '26

Dear Colleagues, I hope this message finds you well and that you've had a good semester so far. Please see the scholarships & fellowships monthly for March, attached. Regarding our Queens College internal scholarships, 1. My team is organizing classroom visits, where we’ll briefly tell students about the QC scholarship application process and relevant national opportunities. If we’re able to come present, please fill out this form<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.asp… >. We greatly appreciate any time you're able to give us to let more students know about these opportunities. 1. The Honors and Scholarships team is seeking volunteers to serve on the Scholarships Review committee. Through the generosity of our QC alumni and the QC Foundation, we will be able to provide support to many students seeking financial support. However, to do this effectively and within a small timeframe, we need your help! The Honors and Scholarships team is seeking 25+ volunteers to serve on the QC Foundation Scholarships Application Review Committee. Collectively, the committee will have the opportunity to review 700+ applications. Next Steps: * If you're interested in serving on this committee, please let us know using this form.<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.asp… > * Please reply by 3/13 if possible. * Each volunteer will be assigned roughly 30 to 35 applications to score beginning March 23rd, which must be completed by April 20th . * The whole procedure would be virtual and self-directed within the time frame. Further instructions will be sent out on March 23rd along with the applications. * The time commitment is roughly five hours total, with about a month to conduct the review. Questions about class visits or the review committee? Please reach out to us at qc.scholarships(a)qc.cuny.edu. Thank you in advance for your support. Best, Rebecca Rebecca Baron (she/hers) Scholarships & Fellowships Specialist Honors & Scholarships Department Queens College, CUNY Remote on Thursdays In Person Walk In Hours: Monday & Wednesday 11AM - 12PM Tuesday & Friday 1PM - 2PM Call Honors & Scholarships: 718-997-5502 Email: rebecca.baron(a)qc.cuny.edu

1 0