Inside Bergen Community College: Volume 8, Issue 4 by BergenPR

The Bergen Community College Newsletter | Vol. 8, Issue 4

With the start of the fall semester, Bergen welcomed back the largest number of students, faculty and staff to campus since the beginning of the pandemic. In this edition of Inside Bergen Community College, you’ll see how the College community came together live and in-person once again. For example, in the largest on-campus gathering of the College community since March 2020, students, faculty and staff broke bread (pizza is a type of bread, right?) in the outdoor classroom before an open house that brought nearly 1,000 prospective students and their families to campus.

Removing Debt Removes Barriers

ore than 2,000 students had the opportunity to come back to Bergen with a zero balance on their accounts with the help of the institution’s federal relief funds. In its latest initiative to remove barriers for students seeking to complete their education, the College used approximately $5 million of federal pandemic assistance funds to satisfy the out-

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standing balances of past-due tuition bills. In order to qualify for the debt relief, students must have enrolled in classes and incurred a tuition balance during the pandemic (from March 2020 to the present) “When I arrived at Bergen in January, I sought to lead with an ‘ethic of care,’” President Dr. Eric M. Friedman, said. “That philosophy represents the driving force behind this initiative, as financial concerns often present the most significant barrier to earning a college degree — especially given the pandemic’s effect on the finances of our students. By erasing past-due tuition, students can return to Bergen to continue their path to a degree without debt hanging over their heads.” 2 0 1 7

N C M P R

The funding Bergen received through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan intends to defray expenses associated with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and make additional emergency financial aid grants to students. Bergen has already distributed over $10 million in direct emergency aid to its students. n

M E D A L L I O N

VOTE!

No matter where you live in Bergen County, you can cast your ballot at the College Oct. 23-31 in the Moses Family Meeting and Training Center (TEC-128) at the main campus.

W I N N E R !

Supporting Student Parents

ust weeks after announcing its plans to erase $5 million of debt for 2,000 students, Bergen launched another initiative to remove barriers to education — tuition-free enrollment at its on-campus early learning facility, the Child Development Center, for the children of 25 student-parents who expressed a need for childcare due to the pandemic. Combined, the College used $153,000 in federal funding from two sources to sponsor the tuition-free enrollments. The first, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan, covered 10 of the spots, with the U.S. Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents in School grant program funding the other 15. Without the federal assistance secured by the College, student-parents pay $180 per week for a child to enroll at the center. Each semester, the preschool offers early childhood education for 45 children ages two- to five-years-old. Located in Ender Hall at the College’s main campus, the center has

educated more than 1,100 since its inception in 1982. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and licensed by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, center enrollees include the children of College faculty, staff and students and those from the greater Bergen County region. As a laboratory school, the center provides an on-campus observation, demonstration, field and workforce training site for the College’s students, who use the center to fulfill their course requirements relating to child development. n

Open for Business Virtual Exit, Back to Reality

allery Bergen welcomed students, faculty, staff and community members back to the exhibition space Sept. 24 with a closing celebration for a “virtual exit,” a hybrid event closing the installation of Newark artist Gianluca Bianchino’s “An Attempt to Communicate with Reality.” The exhibition conveyed the dichotomy between living “in reality” and “virtually” while offering commentary on the immersion of virtual realities and spaces since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. n

fter more than a year of operating via a mostly remote instructional and professional environment, Bergen fully reopened its campus facilities in July, and with the beginning of the fall semester, welcomed the largest number of students back to campus since March 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bergen moved all of its classes and professional operations into a remote environment in March 2020 before reintegrating some oncampus staff and classes thereafter. The College’s on-campus protocols such as requiring face masks, the installation of MERV-rated air filters and enhanced cleaning helped maintain a secure environment that prevented any cases of community spread occurring among those who took classes or worked on campus.

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To further protect the College community, Bergen will require all faculty and staff become vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18. Individuals who choose not to vaccinate will need to submit proof of weekly negative tests. Students will adhere to the policy beginning Jan. 4, 2022. n

Volume 8, Issue 4

Students for Service

ervice represents one of the four hallmarks for Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society of two-year colleges. It should come as no surprise, then, that Bergen’s award-winning chapter seemingly never stops serving the community. With the beginning of the new school year, members of the chapter launched a school supply drive for the Washington Irving Elementary School in Garfield. The PTK students plan to paint a mural at the school as well. Additionally, this summer, PTK students spent an afternoon volunteering at the nonprofit MEVO Farm in Mahwah and then made sandwiches for a Newark food pantry as well. n

Stockton Signs On

Published for Pandemic Research

TEMatics students’ research article, “Microbiology of COVID-19: The Rise of the Mutants, Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants as a Response to Evolutionary Pressures to Optimize Viral Transmissibility and Replication” was published in the July/August 2021 issue of American Pharmaceutical Review, a

leading pharmaceutical industry review journal for business and technology. Under the supervision of biology Professor Dr. Luis Jimenez, students Anna Maciejewska, Brittany Cardona, Yara Abazah, Hadassah Haricha, Tae Kim, Shakila Behzadi, Sultan Kahloon, Laila Metwaly and Amy Kass Georges conducted research on COVID-19 to study the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during the course of the pandemic to understand the different changes leading to a more infectious and transmissible virus. The students, and other Bergen STEM researchers, presented their findings at the 3SP Summer 2021 Poster Competition and Networking Session in August. n

Now You Know

hild Care Access Means Parents in School Program Coordinator Lark Lo-Sontag has published her children's book, “What Every Child Should Know” through Sanctuary Publishers. The picture book offers a guide for parents, caretakers and children to envision a colorblind childhood where all young people can achieve their dreams. “I wrote this book because I wanted to cre-

ate a guide for what is not yet mapped,” Lo-Sontag said. “This book is not a map, it is more of a reminder to pack snacks before you leave. This book states that you can find community everywhere and family looks many ways.” The book will appear in the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy, the world's leading professional event dedicated to the children's publishing industry. n

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resident Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., and Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman, Ed.D., signed a dual admission and transfer partnership agreement that will ensure a smooth transition from Bergen to a Stockton bachelor’s degree program. n

The Wheels on the Bus

tate Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, Bergen County Commissioner Tom Sullivan STEM students, faculty and staff waited for a bus on a late September afternoon. But this wasn’t just any bus. As part of a nationwide tour promoting renewable energy, the hydrogenpowered bus owned by the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority in Canton, Ohio included a stop at the College’s main campus. The elected officials and students took a look under the hood, which lacked many of the parts a standard gas-powered engine would include, and saw the bus leave nothing but a trail of harmless water vapor in its wake when departing. n

Volume 8, Issue 4

Tedesco Test Drives Volvo Initiative

ergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III joined Bergen President Dr. Eric M. Friedman for a tour of the College’s culinary facilities at Volvo Car USA in Mahwah. Bergen faculty, staff and students manage all aspects of hospitality dining services at the company’s corporate headquarters. The pair met with students and faculty members before enjoying lunch. Before lunch, the county executive and president spoke at the Bergen Community College Foundation’s quarterly meeting, which also took

place at Volvo headquarters and featured lunch prepared by the culinary students. n

Bergenstock Rocks

tudents and faculty headlined the inaugural “Bergenstock,” a music festival featuring an all-Bergen County lineup of singers and songwriters at the Overpeck County Park Amphitheater Sept. 12. Musicians spanning genres from pop and rock to R&B, soul, jazz and blues performed in a largely acoustic format. The lineup featured current students Ginny Lackey and Daniel Tineo, as well as Michael Febles with his band Hidden Figures. Singer/songwriters Melissa Cherie and Amanda Brite, graduates of Bergen’s music program, performed too.

Music faculty Andy Krikun, Ph.D., and Dan Sheehan also jammed at the concert. n

The College served as the title sponsor for the sixth annual Bergen County Music Festival in Overpeck Park in August. … Professor Melissa Krieger penned “Community colleges open doors to a diverse teaching force” in the September issue of NJEA Review. … Longtime Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office captain and Bergen County Sheriff’s Office undersheriff David Borzotta has joined the College as its associate vice president of public safety. … Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation that makes the tuition-free Community College Opportunity Grant program permanent for eligible students. Nearly 1,100 students take advantage of the program at Bergen. … In the July issue of Inside Bergen Community College, the editorial team referred to Professor Dallas Gray as “retired.” He remains an active faculty member at the institution. The editorial team apologizes for the error.

Cabinet Retreats to Meadowlands

he members of President Eric M. Friedman’s cabinet took part in an executive retreat at the headquarters of the Meadowlands Chamber in September, while learning more about the organization’s role in spurring economic development. n

SBA Offers Hurricane Help

.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) spoke at the opening of a U.S. Small Business Administration Business Recovery Center at the College’s Philip J. Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack. The center provides one-on-one assistance for residents recovering from Hurricane Ida. n

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Winter & Spring Registration Opens October 31

Volume 8, Issue 4

FACULTYFOCUS Dr. Lou Ethel Roliston

Student Life Returns to Campus

ongtime Office of Student Life Coordinator of Student Development Greg Fenkart immediately felt the “Bergen buzz” on the first day of classes. “It's so exciting to see students back on campus after so long,” he said. “That energy is critically important to what we do in Student Life, and to the college as a whole.” Student Life, along with members of the Student Government Association and other student leaders have sponsored numerous events, including “club day,” an eat-and-greet with members of the SGA and even more subdued affairs such as the College’s annual Sept. 11 remembrance. “It's great to see people getting involved and finding their passion at Bergen,” Fenkart said. “We're looking forward to more student club recruiting events throughout the fall. We'll also feature the return of the Student Organization Spotlight series, as well our brand-new Leadership Lunch series that will be hosted in partnership with the culinary arts program.” n

ith students, faculty and staff back on campus, Professor Dr. Lou Ethel Roliston hopes to get everyone on the same page by reading the same book. In recent years, Bergen has taken numerous steps to strengthen its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that promote access and support the success at the institution. Among the initiatives, the College convened an Equity Council of faculty, staff and students that discusses how Bergen can develop new tactics that enhance efforts related to these goals, while President Dr. Eric M. Friedman has made establishing a vision for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as one of his initial 11 presidential goals. In response to this work, the Equity Council has launched “the Common Read,” a project led by Professor Roliston, that will encourage the entire College community through both class curricula and personal time to read the same text — Between the World and Me, an acclaimed nonfiction work by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Written as a letter to his son, Coates addresses the complexities of race relations in the United States. With the interdisciplinary support of nearly three dozen faculty and staff across disciplines and professional areas, the Common Read Committee has developed a yearlong schedule of cocurricular and extracurricular events to support the reading of the work. Students, faculty, and staff can join the dialogue by participating in a reading group or taking part in other campus events. “This is the first time that Bergen has had a campus-wide reading experience,” Roliston said. “I think the excitement surrounding the project and the willingness of students, faculty and staff to participate and to move beyond the Bergen campus speaks to the shared desire and responsi-

Inside Bergen • The Bergen Community College Newsletter |

bility we feel collectively to engage in discussions of topics related to race and social justice.” Roliston said the goals and objectives of the initiative speak directly to the goals and objectives of the College’s diversity, equity and inclusion work. Bergen represents a “majority minority” institution, with non-Caucasians comprising 60 percent of enrollments. Among the programming that will feature discussions on Between the World and Me include new student orientation, adjunct faculty training, faculty development workshops, music concerts, art gallery exhibitions, historical presentations, social justice themed conferences and writing contests and reading circles. “I hope the Common Read will begin the conversation about social justice for some, strengthen and enrich the conversation for others, but overall contribute to a community of openness and sharing of our perspectives and experiences on diversity, equity and inclusion and the need to address systematic racism both inside and outside the classroom,” Roliston said. “My hope is that the conversation moves beyond a select group of two or three friends to larger groups across campus and the Bergen community.” n

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The Write Stuff

ive Bergen County high school students claimed first-place honors in the 45th annual Bergen County High School Writing Contest sponsored by the English department. The contest, co-directed by professors Geoffrey Sadock, Ph.D., and Peter Helff, featured five categories of submissions — scholarly essay, personal essay, poetry, short story, and drama — judged by faculty. The work of 15 finalists became part of the College’s literary journal, “Pegasus,” published this summer. The firstplace winners are: • Yilin Xie, of Upper Saddle River, Bergen County Academies: “The Reflection of Agency in Oedipus the King” (Scholarly Essay); • Halle Hau, of Tenafly, Tenafly High School: “no motivation” (Personal Essay); • Tanisha Shende, of Lodi, Bergen County Academies: “we continue to be engulfed by everything that remains unknowable” (Poetry); • Zoe Zachko, of Tenafly, Tenafly High School: “Morning Commute” (Short Story); • Isabel Shi, of Ridgewood, Bergen County Academies: “February 29th” (Drama). In recognition of their efforts, students received electronic copies of the literary

Middle States Matters

journal and Amazon gift cards. Open to high school juniors and seniors, the annual countywide literary contest accepted submissions during the spring. Bergen professors Leigh Jonaitis, Ph.D. (personal essay category); Prof. Jim Bumgardner (drama category); Prof. Mary Crosby (poetry category); Prof. Peter Helff (short story category); and Geoffrey Sadock, Ph.D. (scholarly essay category) participated as judges in this year’s writing contest. Submissions were judged based on effective persuasion, clarity, reasoning, concept, style and thematic development. n

ach issue of Inside Bergen Community College features an update on the College’s road to the reaffirmation of its Middle States accreditation (a process it undergoes once every eight years). President Eric M. Friedman recently appointed longtime professor Dr. Gary Porter to the role of “accreditation liaison officer,” which spearheads the efforts to prepare for the Middle States team visit in 2025. The College will unveil the logo and branding for its Middle States effort in the next issue of this newsletter. “Bergen’s newly launched ‘assessment institute’ will focus on deepening the College’s understanding of the commission’s standards and will promote an ongoing process of self-review and improvement,” Dean of Assessment, Accreditation & Compliance A. Karolina Wolfe said. n

Top Trustee

he New Jersey Council of County Colleges awarded Bergen Board of Trustees Chair Dorothy Blakeslee its “Trustee Spotlight” award at the group’s September meeting. Bergen President Dr. Eric M. Friedman introduced her at the event. “She represents the model trustee — engaged, active, passionate, responsible, insightful,” he said. “She embodies the ethic of service, providing countless hours of her time and effort dedicated to the advocacy, awareness and support of our colleges, communities and students we serve.” Blakeslee, Bergen’s longest active serving trustee with nearly two decades at the College, also served as the board treasurer for many years. Outside of the College, Blakeslee devotes her time to causes such as the New

The Township of Teaneck recently renamed Birch Street in honor of departed Board of Trustees Chair Carol Otis, who passed away in 2019. Otis served the College for nearly a decade as a trustee. Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency, the Quest Autism Program, the State of New Jersey Family Advisory Council, the Hackensack University Medical Foundation, the New Jersey Task Force on the Needs of Autistic Adults and the Organization of Chinese Americans. n

Inside Bergen • The Bergen Community College Newsletter |

Volume 8, Issue 4