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- Archive: CUNY Guidance Memo #16, July 6, 2020
Archive: CUNY Guidance Memo #16, July 6, 2020
Page Updated: July 16, 2020, 11:00 a.m.
CUNY Guidance Memo #16
We have slightly edited the University guidance to reflect Brooklyn College particulars as applicable for the reader’s ease.
Guidance on Instructional Modalities and Course Scheduling for Fall 2020
The University’s highest priority in determining the balance between in-person and remote learning and working in Fall 2020 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. To this end, in accordance with flexibility afforded by the CUNY Board of Trustees and recent distance education regulatory relief provided by the United States Department of Education (USDE), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and New York State Education Department (NYSED), the University issues the following guidance to inform the work of CUNY’s campuses as they continue to prepare for a Fall 2020 were the proportion of online courses and remote services shall be higher than in the pre-COVID 19 era.
To allow faculty, staff and students to prepare and create the conditions for an effective Fall 2020, colleges shall review and adjust their currently published course schedules and the instructional modalities of the corresponding courses by July 25, 2020.
Please note that the guidance presented herein complements University and New York State Reopening Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions (pdf) regarding the safe re-opening of campuses and changes to instructional modalities and course schedules must be reflected and supported by campus re-opening plans which require approval by the University. Furthermore, the guidance presented herein recognizes the important scenario planning processes colleges have been conducting and actions taken to build upon the successful implementation of the online and distance learning conversion process followed for the majority of the University’s academic courses and support services in the Spring 2020 Semester and the ongoing Summer Term, as well as the alternatives developed to safeguard the completion of courses not easily converted to said modalities, in accordance to State and University guidelines at the time.
The guidance presented herein is subject to periodic updates which will be communicated in a timely fashion.
Strategic Context
On July 9, 2020, the Board of Trustees approved a resolution (pdf) recognizing that by “(i) reducing the density of individuals on the University campuses and (ii) offering classes and support services in a primarily online and remote format, the University can better ensure the continued health, safety and welfare of its students faculty and staff and further ensure a continuity of educational curricula and better outcomes for our students, and preserve the availability of its physical spaces for those academic programs and support services that require them.”
To this end and in consideration of the Fall 2020 semester, the Board resolved to endorse the University’s preparation for “the offering of its academic courses and programs for as many of its academic courses and support services as is reasonably practicable, in an online modality and remote format for the Fall Semester 2020 — with exceptions being made for courses that cannot be effectively delivered at a distance, such as those courses which are highly experiential, or services that involve some form of tangible exchange, such as food pantries, provided they meet New York State and University guidelines for on-site instruction or delivery; and that the Chancellor shall take such actions as are reasonable and necessary to give effect to the foregoing.”
On July 10, 2020, Chancellor Matos Rodríguez stated that in endorsing this action, the Board has given the University “the most flexibility in making decisions and planning what the Fall semester will look like once New York City enters Phase 4, which signals the start of the reopening for CUNY.” The Chancellor also acknowledged that the University has been “preparing for a range of scenarios that combine in-person, virtual and hybrid instructional modalities,” and acknowledged that while 48 percent of the courses open for Fall 2020 registration are already scheduled for hybrid or online delivery, the hope is to increase this percentage in the weeks ahead in preparation for the start of the semester — as we want to avoid the type of disruption other universities have faced after announcing they would return to (predominantly) in-person instruction in the Fall only to soon after have to backtrack and reverse course because of a surge in coronavirus cases. (As a point of reference, a preliminary analysis performed by the University suggests that approximately 90% of courses offered for the Fall 2019 term could be if needed candidates for online delivery for the Fall 2020 term with approximately 10% requiring some accommodations for in-person learning.)
Chancellor Matos Rodríguez also stressed that “each CUNY campus has formed a Reopening Committee to develop personalized plans, following guidelines from CUNY Central that are consistent with Governor Cuomo’s Phase 4 blueprint for higher education institutions and subject to final approval from the Office of the Chief Operating Officer.”
Additional background information on the regulatory context for expanded online education is presented near the end of this guidance document.
Considerations: Instructional Modalities
In determining the instructional modality of specific courses in degree, non-degree programs, and continuing education as part of the development of campus-specific reopening plans, college presidents in exercise of their authority and in observance of all pertinent University bylaws and policies shall continue to:
- Ensure that decisions be guided, first and foremost, by our commitment to equity and our obligation to protect the health and safety of all students, faculty and staff, along with our commitment to facilitate the maintenance of academic momentum and the achievement of learning outcomes for all students across CUNY.
- Strive to offer as many of its academic courses and support services as is reasonably practicable, in an online modality and remote format for the Fall Semester 2020 — with exceptions being made for courses/programs that cannot be effectively delivered at a distance, such as those courses which are highly experiential or are dependent on access to campus infrastructure, and/or require in-person instruction based on regulatory requirements (e.g. select healthcare trainings).
- Ensure that the corresponding course schedule allows international students to receive some degree of in-person instruction to respond to a worst-case scenario in which recent changes to the rules governing the Student Exchange and Visitor Program are not overturned by political or legal means prior to the start of the Fall 2020 term.
- Continue to support professional development opportunities for faculty and staff on effective online teaching and provision of remote student support services.
- Provide students with content to enhance their comfort and ability to learn online and seek to meet their expressed technology needs.
Considerations: Course Scheduling – In-Person Instruction
In setting course schedules for classes requiring in-person instruction as part of the development of campus-specific reopening plans, college presidents in exercise of their authority and in observance of all pertinent University bylaws and policies shall continue to:
- Design/update Fall 2020 course schedules to reduce overlap and reduce the number of people in circulation on campus in accordance with phased reopening guidelines on maximum campus occupancy, while maximizing educational opportunity via strategic enrollment management.
- Design/update Fall 2020 course schedules to minimize number of students, faculty, and staff traveling on public transportation during peak hours.
- Design/update Fall 2020 course schedules to minimize disruptions in case COVID-19 conditions require all courses to be converted to online modalities after the term has started.
- Design/update Fall 2020 course schedules to ensure that decisions be operationally feasible and financially viable.
- Assess the impact of individual course modalities and course schedules on the ability of students to effectively enroll in the courses they need to maintain academic momentum as prescribed by their academic program and degree maps.
- Develop strategies to reduce the face-to-face components of courses that must be offered at least partially in-person through, for example, virtual labs, or that may require on-site examinations (e.g., licensure exams.)
- Extend classroom use during the day and at night to accommodate more class sections, working students, and optimize the use of academic spaces while maintaining physical distancing guidelines.
- Assess feasibility of A/B scheduling depending on student needs (e.g. vulnerable populations), technological capabilities and/or immediately following historically high-travel periods (e.g. limiting on-site instruction during holiday travel periods), among other measures to reduce in-person congregations.
- Assess feasibility of shifting design of class schedules to create cohorts or sections of students (e.g. alternating block (A/B) classroom schedules or course sections) to reduce risk of exposure or transmission among students.
- Assess the impact of on-site instruction on the required number and type of staff needed to support the corresponding in-person student support services.
- Enhance communications with prospective and continuing students to ensure they have all the information and support they need to enroll in the courses they need to maintain momentum toward their degree.
Coding of Instructional Mode
In finalizing instructional modalities for Fall 2020 courses, colleges shall code courses according to the definitions circulated on June 3, 2020 and reproduced below for convenience:
Value | Description | Definition |
---|---|---|
P | In-Person | In an In-Person class, all required class meetings occur on campus, during scheduled class meeting times. Contact includes instruction, learning activities, and interactions (both student-student and student-instructor). An In-Person class where material is provided online, via a learning management system or website, does not displace any of the required contact hours that would normally occur in a scheduled In-Person class. Assignment deadlines and exams days/times are maintained and included on the class syllabus. All In-Person class meeting days/times must be listed in the schedule of classes. |
H | Hybrid | In a Hybrid class, online contact hours (synchronous* or asynchronous**) displaces some portion of the required contact hours that would normally take place in a scheduled In-Person (face-to-face) class. Contact includes instruction, learning activities, and interactions (both student-student and student-instructor). A hybrid class is designed to integrate face-to-face and online activities so that they reinforce, complement, and elaborate one another, instead of treating the online component as an add-on or duplicate of what is taught in the classroom. Assignment deadlines and exams days/times are maintained and included on the class syllabus. All In-person and synchronous online class meeting days/times must be listed in the schedule of classes for students. |
O | Online | In an Online class (synchronous* or asynchronous**), all required contact hours are online. Contact includes instruction, learning activities, and interactions (both student-student and/or student-instructor). All the class work, examinations, quizzes, writing assignments, lab work, etc. are fully online. All synchronous class meeting days/times must be listed in the schedule of classes for students. |
**Asynchronous: Asynchronous class meetings do not require you to log in to your virtual classroom at a specified time. Students do not have to follow a strict schedule to engage in live classes or discussions, and the only requirement regarding when they turn in their work is the assignment deadline, not an arbitrary timeline. Assignment deadlines and exams days/times are maintained and included on the class syllabus. Per best practices, instructors should create non-mandatory opportunities for live interactions with and among students.
*Synchronous: Synchronous classes meetings resemble traditional on-campus In-Person classes in that students must be (virtually) present at the same time. Though they are conducted virtually, synchronous classes meet in real-time. Students must commit to scheduled class times and sign onto their virtual learning platform on schedule. During these classes, students will engage with the instruction during online lessons and presentations and even have virtual class discussions. Assignment deadlines and exams days/times are maintained and included on the class syllabus. All synchronous class meeting days/times must be listed in the schedule of classes for students. Per best practices, instructors should make effective use of learning management systems for the posting of class materials and submission of class assignments.
Course Assessments for Fully Online Courses
A system-wide remote proctoring task force — including members from our Committee on Academic Technology, Council of Academic Affairs, University Faculty Senate, and Council of Chief Information Officers —recently submitted recommendations (June 29, 2020) that reiterate that, whenever possible, alternative methods of assessment such as papers, presentations, annotations, or e-portfolios should be the default assessment method.
Understanding, however, that across the University there are several programs and courses, including specialized and licensure programs, that utilize the traditional testing approach and need an on-line proctoring solution, the task force has identified several tools that the University will explore with an eye towards implementation in Fall 2020.
Moving forward, the Office of Academic Affairs will work with the task force and other stakeholders to curate and aggregate content that highlights best practices for promoting academic integrity in remote learning. In the meantime, 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. Other resources, in addition to those already available through your own CETLs, include: Rutgers' School of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Education; Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois Bloomington; Cornell University’s Center for Teaching Innovation and, UC Berkeley’s Center for Teaching & Learning.
Grading Policies
The Flexible Grading Policy was approved by the Board of Trustees exclusively for the Spring 2020 semester in response to the sudden change in instructional modality and the disruption the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the lives of our students, faculty and staff. The policy has not been extended to future terms nor is there an expectation that it will be.
Classroom Teaching Observations of Hybrid and Online Courses
Per CUNY and PSC’s Memorandum of Agreement, regardless of the mode of instruction, at least once during each academic semester, non-tenured and non-certificated members of the teaching staff shall be observed for a full classroom period. One observation shall take place during any scheduled class, except as specified in Article 18.2 (b) 3 for classes conducted wholly or in part through online technology, during the first ten weeks of the semester. For additional details please refer to the Memorandum of Agreement.
Regulatory Context
The expansion of hybrid and online courses in CUNY’s Fall 2020 academic offerings is supported by regulatory relief provided by the United States Department of Education (USDE), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and New York State Education Department (NYSED), the University, as summarized in the brief chronology below.
On May 15, 2020, the United States Department of Education (USDE) extended the waiver it had previously issued for the Spring 2020 conversion of in-person courses/programs to distance education to the Fall 2020 term. The relevant text from the corresponding memo is reproduced below for convenience.
Distance Education: We are aware of the need for institutions to plan how they will offer instruction for upcoming periods of enrollment. Many institutions have informed us of their intent to offer both the summer and fall terms using distance education. To provide the necessary flexibility for institutions to make timely decisions, we are expanding the broad approval for the use of distance education as provided in the April 3, 2020, EA [Electronic Announcement] to include payment periods that overlap March 5, 2020, or that begin on or between March 5, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Accreditation Requirements: Normally, an institution offering a program via distance education must be accredited for distance education by an agency that has distance education in the scope of its recognition by the Secretary. The Department has interpreted this requirement to apply when an institution offers a program where at least 50% of the program is offered through distance education. The Department is waiving this requirement under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act for payment periods that begin on or before December 31, 2020 as outlined above.
On May 19, 2020, following USDE action, the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) indicated that “institutions not approved to offer distance education may continue to offer programs using this delivery method for the duration of the USDE extension without further approval from the Commission.” The relevant text from the corresponding memo is reproduced below for convenience.
On May 15, 2020, the United States Department of Education (USDE), Office of Postsecondary Education, extended the temporary waiver for the use of distance education as an alternate delivery method through December 31, 2020. MSCHE institutions not approved to offer distance education may continue to offer programs using this delivery method for the duration of the USDE extension without further approval from the Commission. The expedited distance education review process, discussed in the MSCHE memo of May 4, 2020, will not be used at this time. Institutions wishing to use distance education as an alternate delivery method beyond the USDE extension must seek approval through the substantive change process outlined in the Commission’s Substantive Change Policy and Procedures and Substantive Change Guidelines. For more information, please contact your institution’s MSCHE Vice President liaison.
On May 20, 2020, following USDE and MSCHE action, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) extended its waiver of registration of academic programs in the distance education format due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency, granting flexibility to institutions of higher education in the State of New York to offer online courses in programs without triggering the need to register with NYSED the distance education format to the program for the Fall 2020 semester. The full text of the corresponding memo (linked here) is reproduced below for convenience.
Registration of a program in the distance education format is normally required if 50% or more of the program can be completed online. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and consistent with US Department of Education updated guidance, institutions are granted flexibility to offer online courses in programs without triggering the need to add the distance education format to the program for the Fall 2020 semester.
Offering programs in the distance education format (50% or more of the program can be completed online) beyond the Fall 2020 semester will be subject to regular distance education approval requirements, including the submission of program registration applications to NYSED. The need to extend this flexibility will be determined depending upon the COVID-19 emergency timeframe and circumstances.
Professional licensure and educator preparation program clinical experience courses must meet regulatory requirements, and students must complete adequate clinical hours to ensure competency. Updated clinical experience guidance and considerations may be forthcoming based upon the circumstances of the continuing emergency.
On June 22, 2020 New York State published Reopening Guidance for Higher Education Institutions (pdf) as part of the Phase 4 New York Forward reopening plans. These guidelines were last updated on June 28,2020 by the New York State Department of Health (DOH). The “Interim Guidance for Higher Education During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” document is the foundation of the University’s Reopening process described by Chancellor Matos Rodríguez in his July 19, 2020 message to campus communities. The foreword of the DOH document (linked here) is reproduced below for convenience.
This Interim Guidance for Higher Education during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Higher Education”) was created to provide colleges, universities and other higher education institutions, and their employees, students, visitors, contractors, and vendors with precautions to help protect against the spread of COVID-19. This guidance is intended to address all types of in-person higher education institutions, including but not limited to community and junior colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools, medical schools, and technical schools. In addition to affirming to understand and meet the requirements described herein, higher education institutions must develop a plan for reopening and operating for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Plans should reflect engagement with campus stakeholders, including but not limited to administrators, faculty, staff, students and, where appropriate, affiliated organizations (e.g., union, alumni, and/or community-based groups). Specifically, each institution must develop and submit a plan that, at a minimum, covers: (1) Reopening of the campus, (2) Monitoring of health conditions, (3) Containment of potential transmission of the virus, and (4) Shutdown of in-person operations on the campus, if necessitated by widespread COVID-19 transmission.
Reporting
Similar to the attestation process developed by the Office of Academic Affairs for the conversion of in-person courses to distance learning in Spring 2020, college presidents will be required to attest to and provide supporting documentation of the following:
- The College developed a plan to determine the balance between In-Person, Hybrid, and Online course offerings in Fall 2020, subject to the New York State and University guidelines.
- The College provided guidance to faculty regarding relevant policies associated with IT platforms, safeguarding student data, and accessibility standards, per guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education, for an institution to meet the requirements for distance education.
- For Hybrid and Online courses the College provided guidance to students regarding technology needs associated with each course and the assessment methods to be used in those cases where online proctoring solutions could be utilized.
- In approving the final Fall 2020 course schedule and corresponding course by course instructional modalities, the College met all the requirements — including the requisite number of instructional hours for all courses regardless of instructional modality — established by the US Department of Education (USDE), New York State Education Department (NYSED (pdf)), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP (pdf)).
Professional Development — Online Teaching Essentials
More than 1,000 faculty have already participated in the first two CUNY School of Professional Studies Online Teaching Essentials (OTE) workshops. A third group of more than 660 faculty began on July 9. A fourth workshop is tentatively scheduled to take place beginning August 4. 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.
Summer 2020 Term(s)
The City University of New York’s Summer 2020 course offerings are being 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 the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost. Proposed plans will ultimately be submitted to relevant state agencies for approval (See NYSED information under Accreditation and Regulatory issues).
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.
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.
Policy on the Use of Credit for Prior Learning for Non-CUNY Transfers
We have been fielding questions regarding the applicability of the COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for students applying to CUNY institutions from non-CUNY institutions. This is understandable as approximately 150 institutions (as of April 6, 2020) of higher education in the United States alone have provided students the option to select a binary grade instead of a letter grade, or mandated that all students be graded with a binary grade. To this end, we wanted to alert you that we will update the CR/NC FAQs to include the following Question/Answer pair:
- Q - If I am transferring to CUNY from outside the university and my previous school had a mandatory or voluntary binary grading system (P/F; CR/NC) will my credits still transfer?
- A - For courses taken in the spring 2020 semester only, we will honor and transfer in binary grades for all courses that would normally transfer, without negative impact on admission, transfer credit, or degree requirements.
As a result, the binary grades of all applicants from institutions outside of CUNY to undergraduate degree programs at CUNY shall be transferred in the same manner as binary grades transferring within CUNY, providing the institution’s accreditation meets the normal standards for credit transfer at the college or school. A previously granted equivalency shall be honored regardless of the Spring 2020 grade or grade type. Courses that have not been previously evaluated for an equivalency shall be reviewed by the appropriate parties on the basis of the content and learning outcomes with no regard paid to the grade or grade type of a specific applicant.
The above is consistent with the intent of our Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy, approved by the Board of Trustees on March 30, 2020 and the Special COVID-19 Graduate Admissions Policy, approved on May 18, 2020. The former allowed all students, excluding students in the CUNY School of Law and the CUNY School of Medicine, to opt for a binary grade of “Credit” or “No Credit” in lieu of their earned grades as recognition of the disruptive effect COVID-19 on our educational process and indicated that “students with Credit/No Credit grades will be able to transfer those courses across colleges within CUNY…”. The latter requires all CUNY graduate admissions committees to adjust their selection decisions to not disadvantage applicants, from within or external to CUNY, whose transcripts indicate binary grades for the Spring 2020 semester. The same resolution also encouraged other institutions of postsecondary education to make the same considerations in making their admissions decisions, as CUNY would like the same courtesy bestowed upon our graduates. Finally, this course of action is also in the spirit of greater flexibility afforded by the Policy for the Use of Credit for Prior Learning which was approved at the June 29, 2020 CUNY Board meeting.
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.
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 June 15 to clarify that the policy applies only to courses taken during the Spring 2020 semester. This includes Winter Session, Regular Spring Session, Spring Session 1, and Spring Session 2 (relevant for Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Guttman), and any other session within the Spring 2020 semester. Additionally, the FAQ now clarifies that the policy does not apply to F grades assigned due to academic sanction for the violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, as academically sanctioned F grades are not earned grades.
In addition to the FAQ, a large-scale communication campaign has continued across multiple channels in an effort to make sure students are aware of the policy and how to effectively use it. Efforts include a text campaign that was launched on June 1 which reached more than 164,000 students, a new decision tre (png) designed to help students navigate the nuances of electing to choose the policy, and numerous social media posts, as well as multiple campus-based initiatives. The focus on implementation and outreach has proven effective. As of June 15, 40,894 students across 20,144 classes have opted to convert 69,413 letter grades to Credit/No-Credit. Per policy, college transcripts have been updated, 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, College Catalog/Bulletins have been updated to ensure compliance and inform students. Over the next few weeks, OAA will begin to analyze the data to identify opportunities to better serve students with CR/NC grades as they move forward in their academic journey.
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.
For courses taken in the spring 2020 semester only, we will honor and transfer in binary grades for all courses that would normally transfer, without negative impact on admission, transfer credit, or degree requirements.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Supplemental CUNY-PSC 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).
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.
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. To date, more than $5.2 million has been donated and/or pledged from among others, the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation, The New York Community Trust, The Carnegie foundation/corporation, Deutsche Bank, JPMC, the Jeffrey and Shari Aronson Foundation, Goldman Sachs, the AT&T foundation, The Pinkerton Foundation, the Altman foundation, the Teagle Foundation, The ECMC foundation, the Summerfield Foundation, Citi and more. Of this amount, a total of 4,000 grants in the amount of $500 per student ($2 million) have already been disbursed and an additional $1 million will be disbursed to 2,000 students during the week of July 6th. This emergency fund is the latest financial-assistance resource CUNY is providing to its most vulnerable students in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
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 have now been accounted for and campuses may move to distribute their balances according to pre-approved distribution plans adhering to CARES Act requirements. f your college has not yet submitted a plan for distributing the discretionary funds, please have your financial aid office send it to Elaine Pimentel (elaine.pimentel@cuny.edu), University Executive Director of Financial Aid, for review and approval.
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.
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."
Guidance for Field and Clinical Placement Agreements
Working in collaboration with the CUNY Office of General Counsel, we recommend the following guidance for any students who are participating in field or clinical placements in Summer 2020 that are facilitated, funded, or directly arranged 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 field or clinical placement documents that campuses use with their students:
“In signing this Agreement, I acknowledge that I understand that my participation in an in-person field or clinical placement 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 or clinical placements. 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 field or clinical placement and my participation in the assigned placement described below is voluntary.”
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.
Zoom
We are in negotiation with Zoom for an enterprise contract for Zoom Education License for CUNYwide access. Zoom was identified by many CUNY faculty as the preferred platform to supplement Blackboard Collaborate for video-based classes. The current proposal also includes Zoom accounts for CUNY students so they can host their own Zoom virtual meetings for group work, student organization meetings or social activities. Our CUNY partners are all working to complete this procurement and have the accounts implemented for Fall Semester.
Labster
Labster is web based virtual laboratory solution to provide an alternative experiential learning environment for activities that would normally take place in campus science labs. The Labster system has been licensed for eleven campuses that indicated need and will be deployed through Blackboard Integration for the Fall Semester. Labster will also provide direct support for faculty to integrate the Labster simulations into specific courses. More information will be forthcoming through campus CIOs and Centers for Teaching and Learning.
Camtasia and SnagIt
We have begun negotiation with TechSmith, the publisher of Camtasia and Snagit, for a university wide license for these powerful online content development tools to ensure they are available to all university faculty to enrich and enhance online instruction offerings. We hope to have this procurement completed in time for Fall Semester.
Cloud-Based Adobe Licenses for Students
Adobe is extending until August 15 its temporary student at-home access to Creative Cloud. This offering is for students who are registered for Summer semester classes, at no additional cost. Summer session 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.
CUNY Libraries Open Online, Eliminate Fines, Support 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:
- Video Participation Privacy Options (pdf)
- Brooklyn College Commencement 2020 Virtual Backgrounds
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
International Students (SEVP)
On July 7, 2020, Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez issued the following statement regarding the recent change announced by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the rules governing the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP). More information will be forthcoming.
“The City University of New York decries a federal rule change announced Monday that could force hundreds of thousands of international students to leave the U.S. in the fall. As modified by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the rules governing the Student Exchange and Visitor Program will require students who are in the U.S. with an F-1 visa to take at least one in-person course. With the high probability that the coronavirus pandemic will continue to make distance learning the predominant mode of instruction at colleges across the country, the rule change means that most of the estimated 1.1 million international students will be forced out of the country in September.
“This misguided policy change also threatens to hurt higher education at a time when the nation’s universities are working hard to adjust to the dual health and economic crises caused by the pandemic. We are once again disappointed that our country’s leadership continues to restrict and reduce opportunities for those who seek them in the United States.
“CUNY campuses have thousands of international students whose status is threatened by the new rule. These students are a valuable and a vital part of our community. I have instructed my administration to explore and pursue measures that would help these students remain in the country and continue their education at CUNY. We will also be joining forces with other universities and national organizations to further support those affected by these restrictions and pursue all viable legal remedies to humanize these rules.”
CS/MS and Adult Literacy and Language Immersion Programs
CUNY Start/Math Start, CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), and the Adult Literacy Program have all moved their instruction online. The Central Office staff that support each program continue to work with college teams to support and refine remote learning. Programs are using both synchronous and asynchronous delivery via Blackboard, Zoom, and WebEx. Instructors make videos and use discussion tools and breakout rooms, and other technology tools, to deliver instruction. Each program has developed a plan that details how content is delivered, options for communicating with students, and how student work is assessed to document that learning outcomes have been met. CUNY OAA has 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. CUNY CIS is also supporting technology needs for students in these programs when local college resources are not readily available.
Temporary TASC Waiver for HSE Completion
On May 4, 2020, the NYSED Board of Regents (BOR) released a temporary waiver for students unable to take subtests of the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) due to COVID-19 statewide closures. An individual could be exempt from taking a maximum of two remaining TASC subtests if that individual: 1) is enrolled in and passing an HSE preparation program but could not take the requisite TASC subtests; and 2) had three or more passing scores which can be: Regents credits (earned through the Regents exemption) OR passed three TASC subtests (or combination of TASC subtests or GED grandfathered subtest passing scores).
OIRA reviewed the BOR temporary waiver and determined that HSE students caught in these circumstances are covered by general existing policies:
- Students are non-proficient unless/until they demonstrate proficiency. If students don't have any test scores or grades that allow them to demonstrate proficiency in a subject, they are non-proficient and required to participate in an appropriate developmental support—ideally, a coreq course or CUNY Start/Math Start.
- Colleges may place non-proficient students into regular credit-bearing courses if they believe the student will be successful in the course, for example, if the college has information about the students’ knowledge or skills that was not systematically evaluated during the admissions process. (In that case, students will earn proficiency when they earn credit for the course.)
- Note: This would apply here if a college wanted to take successful completion of the HSE program as sufficient evidence of proficiency.
Students entering CUNY after completing English language classes in adult literacy programs would take the English diagnostic described above.
Final Exams and Proficiency for CUNY Start and Math Start
For spring and summer 2020, faculty and instructors of CUNY Start and Math Start will determine 100% of the final course grade based on student performance in the course/intervention. Proficiency in reading, and writing (English) and math will continue to be awarded based upon successful completion of the course/intervention. 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 (see page X: Final Exams for Developmental Courses). Guidance on grading and testing for fall 2020 is forthcoming.
Exit from the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP)
Students exiting from the CLIP program typically retake the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CATW) to reassess placement upon matriculation. In light of the closing of testing centers in spring 2020, students exiting CLIP will follow the University’s ESL Placement process and take the ESL Diagnostic Assessment as described on page X: Alternative ESL Placement Assessment for Incoming Fall 2020 Students.
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.
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.
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 arranged 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 with their students:
“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.
Domestic Travel
Student and employee domestic travel should be postponed until further notice. For questions about the waiver petition process, contact kimberly.holland@cuny.edu.
Quarantine on Return from Authorized and Personal Domestic Travel
Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 202.45, CUNY faculty, staff and students entering New York from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10% test positivity rate, over a seven day rolling average, and which the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Health has designated as meeting these conditions as outlined in the advisory issued pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 205, are required to quarantine for a period of 14 days consistent with NYS Department of Health regulations for quarantine. The requirements of the travel advisory do not apply to any individual passing through designated states for a limited duration (i.e., less than 24 hours) through the course of travel.
Note: This also applies to new hires and visiting scholars coming from outside New York. However, short-term visits from states that meet the standard of Executive Order 202.45 should be postponed until further notice, unless they can comply with the 14-day quarantine requirement.
Planning For and Returning from Personal Domestic Travel
Any CUNY employee who voluntarily commences personal travel (i.e., not taken as part of the employee’s employment or at the direction of the employee’s employer) after June 25, 2020, to a state covered by the travel advisory, shall not be eligible for paid sick leave benefits or any other paid benefits pursuant to Chapter 25 of the NYS Laws of 2020 (pdf) (regarding COVID-19 paid sick leave legislation).
International Travel
The following Travel Guidelines are intended to supplement existing University International Travel Guidelines (pdf) 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. The following guidance is in no way intended to excuse the obligation of any faculty, staff member or student from being familiar such policies when considering international travel. Each member should review the approval requirements referred to in these guidelines carefully, together with the International Travel Guidelines set forth on the University’s website, before considering participation in international travel. This guidance will be reassessed in late summer and fall as warranted by COVID-19 developments in the United States and abroad.
Study Abroad
A restart of study abroad programming is tentatively planned for spring semester 2021 (including winter inter-session 2020-21). This is contingent on developments with COVID-19. International travel in non-CUNY study abroad programs is discouraged. Please know that pursuing these types of programs is a private undertaking and is not eligible for CUNY’s international travel insurance.
Other Student Travel Abroad
The following types of student travel abroad under the auspices of CUNY or any CUNY college or student organization require approval, as described in the waivers and exceptions section: 1) to conduct research conducive to a dissertation or meeting other degree requirements; or 2) present research, scholarly or creative works at international conferences.
Faculty and Staff Travel Abroad
Faculty and staff, with an approved waiver and subject to financial availability, will be allowed to engage in necessary travel abroad. 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.
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), the 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. 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.
Quarantine on Return from Authorized Domestic and International Travel
The CDC recommends a 14 day quarantine for all individuals returning from international travel. Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 202.45, CUNY faculty, staff and students entering New York from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10% test positivity rate, over a seven day rolling average, and which the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Health has designated as meeting these conditions as outlined in the advisory issued pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 205, are required to quarantine for a period of 14 days consistent with NYS Department of Health regulations for quarantine. The requirements of the travel advisory do not apply to any individual passing through designated states for a limited duration (i.e., less than 24 hours) through the course of travel.
Note: This also applies to new hires and visiting scholars coming from outside New York. However, short-term visits from abroad and from states that meet the standard of Executive Order 202.45 should be postponed until further notice, unless they can comply with the 14-day quarantine requirement.
Planning For and Returning from International 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 arrange to work remotely, if this is not already in place.
Pursuant to Chapter 25 of the NYS Laws of 2020 (pdf), CUNY employees shall not receive paid sick leave benefits or any other paid benefits provided by Chapter 25 if the employee is subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine because the employee has returned to the United States after traveling for personal business (i.e., not taken as part of the employee’s employment or at the direction of the employee’s employer) to a country for which the CDC has a level two or three travel health notice.
Considerations for International Students and Scholars
Below is a list of several considerations for international students and scholars.
- Plans to receive visiting scholars on J-1 visas and tourist visas should be reviewed by the campus President or Provost, who can support a petition that the visit can be managed with appropriate risk reduction measures (see Waivers and Exceptions).
- CUNY’s immigration certification that allows all colleges to continue to admit and enroll international students in F-1 immigration status was renewed through May 27, 2022. Colleges should continue to issue I-20 Certificates of Eligibility to admitted students in anticipation that developments may allow at least some of these students to enter the U.S. this fall.
- The current arrangements by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) allowing international students to participate in distance learning in fall 2020, must be extended by SEVP first in order for continuing students to be sustained. Updates from SEVP will be disseminated here and with the College Registrars and International Student Advisors.
- International students scheduled to enter in fall 2020 may not be able to obtain student visas if the nearest consulates remain closed, or if the backlog of applications does not allow for timely processing. Requirements of student visa applicants are also in flux. These conditions may also impact students who need to renew their student visas.
- All international students currently abroad are subject to potential restrictions on travel by their home countries, and may be impacted by ongoing disruptions to commercial flights.
- For international students who are able to enter the U.S., colleges should ensure they understand that they must quarantine for 14 days. This also applies to any visiting scholars.
- International Student Advisors are receiving training, often in conjunction with other offices (Career Services, Mental Health and Wellness, Academic Advisement, etc.) to ensure that international students are appropriately supported under the current conditions. Campuses should encourage these collaborations, since they contribute in different ways to this population’s ability to comply with shifting regulatory requirements. This is especially the case with Academic Advisement, whose advisors must coordinate closely with International Student Advisors to ensure these students maintain academic progress and remain eligible under the terms of their visas.
Admissions Policy – Nursing Programs
On June 25, the Office of Academic Affairs issued revised guidance for students seeking admission to CUNY’s nursing programs to reflect current law, recently updated CUNY policy, and better reflect the University’s strong support of non-citizen students and its long-standing reputation for creating a pathway to education for immigrants. To this, end, effective immediately, all CUNY nursing programs will consider students to be eligible for admission consistent with the regulations of the New York State Education Department (NYSED) that make professional licensure available not only to U.S. citizens but to non-citizens so long as they are “not unlawfully present in the United States,” including those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and those who are permanently residing in the United States under color of law (PRUCOL).
New Nursing Admission Eligibility Requirements
To be admitted or advance into a NYSED-approved nursing program in fall 2020 and beyond, students must provide documentation for one of the categories listed in the attached policy. Namely, applicants may demonstrate eligibility through documents that verify that they: 1) are U.S. citizens, 2) have legal permanent resident status, or 3) are in another eligible category set forth in the policy, generally through presentation of an employment authorization document (see useful document from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services: List of Documents that Establish Identity and Employment Authorization).
Nursing Admission Policy Communications
Each campus must include the official criteria and documentation requirements cited in the revised policy in all virtual and written communications on admission eligibility for nursing students. This includes adding the new criteria to the list of other eligibility requirements for advancement into the nursing program (i.e., prerequisites, minimum GPA, etc.).
The updated policy does not affect students who have advanced into the clinical component of CUNY’s nursing programs, or those considered for advancement prior to summer 2020. Students who were not previously eligible for admission may re-apply for consideration under the revised policy, pending their satisfactory completion of ALL required admission criteria, as outlined and reviewed by the respective nursing program.
Each campus must also disseminate the revised admission policy and criteria to faculty, academic advisors, career counselors, admissions, registrar, and other relevant staff.
Student and Faculty Support Services
Students may be directed to consult with CUNY Citizenship Now! for free and confidential immigration law services available to all members of the community (both CUNY students and non-students). Faculty are advised to consult with the College Legal Affairs Designee for any questions on eligible immigration categories and documentation to verify status.
Revised Nursing Programs Admission Policy, June 24, 2020
Effective immediately, all CUNY nursing programs will consider applicants for admission who are eligible for licensing in New York under the regulations of the New York State Education Department. The regulation provides eligibility for citizens and non-citizens who are “not unlawfully present,” including those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and those permanently residing in the United States under color of law (PRUCOL).
Applicants may demonstrate eligibility through documents that verify that they meet the required criteria. The most common documents include:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship through a birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, or a certificate of citizenship.
- Proof of legal permanent resident status with what is known as a “Green Card”.
- Proof of various eligible categories, listed below, generally through an employment authorization document (EAD) or other satisfactory documentation.
Eligible immigration categories:
- International student with F-1 status
- Asylee
- Refugee
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Individuals paroled into the United States whose parole has not expired
- Persons residing in the U.S. pursuant to an Order of Supervision
- Persons granted a stay of deportation/removal
- Persons granted an indefinite voluntary departure
- Persons on whose behalf an immediate relative petition has been approved
- Persons who have filed an application for adjustment of status to permanent resident
- Persons granted Deferred Action Status
- Persons who entered and have continuously residency in the U.S. before 01/01/1972
- Persons granted suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal
- Cuban/Haitian entrants
- Persons with a pending application for asylum, withholding of removal or deportation, protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), cancellation of removal, or TPS
- Persons in T or U non-immigrant status
- Self-petitioner under the Violence Against Women Act
- Other persons living in the U.S. who are not unlawfully present
Admissions Services (Undergraduate and Graduate Recruitment/Application Support Services)
University Admission Services continues to provide application support, recruitment and outreach services remotely during this critical time to both graduate and undergraduate applicants. 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 reached enrollment capacity and have been closed: Closed 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.
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. The page has been recently updated to include specific information for Transfers and Graduate Students.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.