13 minute read
CUNY Names Three to Lead Colleges in Queens
PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS
Rupchandani tapped to lead Zone 126
A nonprofit organization that drives educational and community transformation for children and families in western Queens has a new leader at the helm.
On June 15, Zone 126 appointed Anju Rupchandani as its new executive director. Rupchandani has been involved with the group since its inception in 2011.
“Anju’s career has been dedicated to supporting students and families living in public housing and providing access to equal opportunities that level the playing field from cradle to career,” said Lynn Grossman, board chair of Zone 126. “We can’t wait to see the new heights that Anju brings Zone 126 to.” Raised in Astoria,
RUPCHANDANI Rupchandani is a product of the local public school system, including PS 70 and William Cullen Bryant High School.
Her journey in the education and advocacy sectors began 20 years ago as an after-school counselor for the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF) at PS 70.
“That experience really shaped me wanting to be an educator,” she said.
Rupchandani was the first person in her family to graduate from college after receiving a bachelor’s degree in adolescent education and history from Pace University. She would later earn her master’s degree in leadership and community-based learning from Bank Street College of Education.
She also received certificates in executive education management from Fordham Center for Nonprofit Leaders and Columbia University.
After working in several community schools, Rupchandani joined Zone 126 at its founding nearly a decade ago.
“The work here at Zone 126 is really personal,” she said. “To be able to rise to this position is very humbling for me.”
As the new executive director, Rupchandani said her goal will be to elevate the importance of creating a student pipeline from elementary to high school, and ultimately to community college or a four-year university.
“I really believe in bloom where you grow,” she said. “I want other children to be able to see this as a path and a pipeline.”
Another goal, Rupchandani said, is to ensure community partners understand that “collective impact” is not a threat, but rather an opportunity for collaboration.
She said she wants to sit down with local leaders and elected officials to plan strategically so the limited resources available will support as many students as possible.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, shutting down schools and in-person after-school programs, Rupchandani said Zone 126’s team has been on the ground delivering food pantry bags to local families.
The team has also been sending hotspots to students who don’t have internet service in their homes.
“We’ve been in and out of the office supporting families,” she said. “We will continue to do that post-COVID.”
Rupchandani said she feels ready to serve her home community in a new capacity.
“I’m really excited and ready to go back out there, roll up my sleeves and support,” she said. “With everything going on with the pandemic and race relations, to be a woman of color leading during this difficult time is a challenge, but it’s a challenge I’m ready for.”
(BENJAMIN FANG)
Lisella selected for poetry fellowship
The Academy of American Poets has selected an Astoria resident as a 2020 Fellow.
Maria Lisella will spend the fellowship hosting “Writing Your Way Home,” a curated series of readings and writing workshops for senior citizens in Queens. The readings will feature senior poets, and the workshops will culminate in public readings throughout the borough.
AAP will provide a $50,000 stipend to Lisella, who was selected as Queens Poet Laureate by the Borough President in 2015, and donate some funds to nonprofits that work with her.
Twice-nominated for the Pushcart Poetry Prize, Lisella has authored Thieves in the Family (NYQ Books) and the chapbooks Amore on Hope Street (Finishing Line LISELLA Press) and Two Naked Feet (Poets Wear Prada).
She also contributes articles to USA Today and La Voce di New York, which publishes in English and Italian. She holds degrees from Queensborough Community College, Queens College, and Polytechnic Institute of New York University.
Three to lead Queens CUNY institutions
Three educational institutions in Queens now have new leaders at the helm.
Last week, the CUNY Board of Trustees voted to appoint new presidents for LaGuardia Community College, Queensborough Community College and York College.
Leading LaGuardia Community College will be Kenneth Adams, who currently serves as the dean of workforce and economic development at Bronx Community College. His appointment begins on August 17.
Adams previously served as acting commissioner of the state Department of Taxation and Finance. From 2011 to 2015, he was the president and CEO of Empire State Development, the state’s economic development agency.
Prior to his stints in state government, Adams also led the Business Council of New York State, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and MetroTech Area Business Improvement District (BID). He was the founding executive director of the nonprofit New York Cares.
“LaGuardia is uniquely positioned to support the city’s recovery by training and upskilling workers who have lost their jobs,” he said, “and preparing students for new fields and emerging occupations in a post-COVID economy.”
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PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS
Adams, who succeeds interim president Paul Arcario, raised $2 million to support workforce training and career services programs while at Bronx Community College. He increased Continuing Education enrollment by 45 percent and the revenue by 15 percent, according to CUNY.
“I look forward to working with the incredible LaGuardia faculty, students, staff and alumni, and of course the Queens community,” he added, “in a collective effort to deliver on the rich promise of LaGuardia to a growing number of students in these challenging times.” At Queensborough Community College, Dr. Christine Mangino will become the ADAMS president after 16 years leading Hostos Community College in the Bronx, including stints as dean for faculty and curriculum, and later as provost and vice president.
A first-generation college student, Mangino developed her interest in the mission of community colleges while attending Nassau Community College. She later earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at Hofstra University. Mangino also has a doctoral degree in instructional leadership from St. John’s University.
According to CUNY, in her five years as provost at Hostos, Mangino increased three-year
BY ROB RYNARZEWSKI
Before COVID-19 access to commercial real estate financing was relatively simple. Borrowers rarely thought twice about who provided their loans, so long as the terms were favorable.
Today, there’s more uncertainty in the commercial real-estate market. Many lenders are telling clients they are “waiting to see how the market will play out.” Challenged by growing defaults, lenders are focused on tightening structures across their client base.
Too often these days we hear about “relationship lenders” ghosting their clients after they call or email. We hear from borrowers that terms are being changed at the last minute, or that loans are coming due without the ability to refinance. We hear from borrowers who are questioning whether they have the right financing partner. graduation rates by nearly 15 percent. She also boosted the number of faculty of color by 6 percent, and expanded online offerings by 5 percent.
“I look forward to working together to not only recover from the current crises,” Mangino said, “but also to continue the important work of student success and providing an affordable, MANGINO high-quality education marked by academic excellence and rigor.”
York College, meanwhile, will have a familiar face as president. Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes, who served as interim president since September 2019, will continue to serve on a permanent basis starting on August 1.
Eanes came to York College from California State University Fullerton (CSUF), where she was vice president for student affairs for seven years. During her tenure, the university saw a 33 percent improvement in six-year graduation rates for first-time freshmen, as well as a 100 percent improvement in four-year graduation rates for first-time freshmen.
Prior to CSUF, Eanes served for six years as vice president for student affairs at John Jay College for Criminal Justice.
Since September, she guided York College through the implementation of distance learning
EXPERT ADVICE
and remote working.
Dr. Eanes earned her doctorate in social work from Clark Atlanta University, master’s degree in social work from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree in public health from Dillard University.
“It has been a pleasure to serve as the interim president this past academic year and establish the new strategic plan and priorities that will drive the future of the college,” Eanes said. “Following our ‘One York’ theme, we will push ahead and work collaboratively to embrace the amazing opportunities and tackle the current challenges together.”
Eanes succeeded Dr. Marcia Keizs, who stepped down from the post last August to return to teaching.
“I am especially proud to have been able to recommend these dedicated and experienced leaders to guide CUNY colleges as we continue to navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic and its many associated challenges,” said Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez. “All of these leaders have acquired the wideEANES ranging personal and career histories to make innovative contributions
(BENJAMIN FANG)
RIGHT-SIZED COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCING
as CUNY college presidents.”
EXPERT ADVICE COVID-19 REOPENING AND THE PPP
BY ROBERT C. INTELISANO
The long-awaited “reopen” has commenced, and New York City is lagging just one stage behind the rest of New York State. We went from “flatten the curve” to “rebuild” to “reopen.”
But reopen to what, the new normal? What does the “new normal” look like? If you go back to 9/11, the “new normal” was metal detectors in airports, office buildings, stadiums, schools and many other places where large gatherings occur.
After Hurricane Sandy, we changed building codes and homes were rebuilt and elevated while raising electrical circuit boards and generators.
My vision of the COVID-19 phase one reopen will include many office employees working from home. I see about 20 percent in an office-home hybrid setting and 80 percent working virtually from home full time.
I envision people always knowing their body temperature before leaving home. Self-administered at-home tests will be the new protocol.
I interviewed Queens Chamber of Commerce member John Rafferty, who is CEO of Watch Guard 24/7, a Queens-based security firm, for his thoughts on how buildings and security protocols will change when they reopen.
He sees buildings relying on their security and concierge teams to ensure a safe passage into the building and enforcing social distancing guidelines.
Some of these steps will include: • Prohibiting entry into the building to persons not wearing masks. • Ensuring visitors, tenants and staff remain six feet apart, and that no one is loitering or congregating in the lobby. • Limiting the amount of people in an elevator at one time. • Utilization of hand sanitizer when entering a building.
• Thermal thermometer scans to prevent entry by asymptomatic persons into the building.
These are minimal steps that buildings should be looking to incorporate.
Rafferty said when his company reopens its office to the entire staff, they will be implementing teams that will work on different days and times to further protect their staff.
“This will be the new normal, and we need to be proactive at this time to ensure everyone’s safety,” he said.
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY
ACT (PPPFA)
The way business owners decide to spend PPP money will have a direct effect on our economy and the unemployment rate. Uncertainty is rampant as there have been few recent guidelines released by the U.S. Treasury Department.
Here’s some tips for PPP recipients: • Set up a separate bank account. For those approved who haven’t received funds, do not “commingle” with other bank account expenses. This is a much cleaner approach. • Consider ordering paper checks for your new bank account as soon as you have an approved loan reference number to literally create paper trails when spending PPP money. This will be important for loan forgiveness purposes. • Be careful to meet the 60 percent minimum requirement for payroll costs as defined by the U.S. Treasury and Small Business Association. • The date you receive funds will generally determine the beginning of your eight-week spending period to accumulate expenses eligible for forgiveness. There is some flexibility to align your spending period start date to coordinate with your payroll date.
For example, you receive funds on June 27 and your June payroll periods were on the first and fifteenth. You can move your spending start date to July 1 to coordinate with your next payroll period. • Document in writing asking every employee to return to work. I suggest furloughing employees instead of termination. After a week or two, invite them back to work. It’s a win-win as the employee now has a choice of unemployment or their job back. There is a “final bailout” that kicks in should an employee refuse to come back to work. If that happens, you will not be penalized for that worker’s refusal to return.
INSURANCE
• AUTO INSURANCE: There has never been a better time to shop your auto insurance, as insurance carriers are dropping rates by different percentages to gain market share. Many carriers have applied discounts on premiums or sent checks back for March and April or April and May.
There are fewer cars on the road, and accident risks have decreased while people shelter at home. Check with your auto agent. • LIFE INSURANCE: During these difficult times we have seen a large increase in families feeling the need to increase their life insurance. We have providers on our platform that will issue nonmedical underwriting (it can be as fast as one to two weeks) policies for people under 60 years old.
Up to $3 million of coverage is available with no direct human contact. Three life insurance companies have announced there will be 10 to 25 percent increase in premiums. I foresee only a two to six-month window to apply before other insurance carriers follow suit, and COVID-19 could be excluded.
HEALTH INSURANCE: Laid off or furloughed workers were allowed to stay on their plan until May 31 without electing COBRA. Due to COVID-19, early refills on prescriptions are permitted. Most health insurance companies have relaxed these rules and will allow you to switch from a 30-day supply to 90 days. Tell your pharmacist to file form SCC13 (submission clarification code 13). Not all pharmacists will be familiar with this code.
COVID-19 testing is free from in-network deductibles and copays.
TELEHEALTH: Consulting with a doctor virtually is now accounting for about 80 percent of doctor interaction. I suggest reviewing your policy’s telemedicine co-pay, as they range from free to $40 on most health insurance policies.
There are also stand-alone telemedicine plans that can be added to existing group health insurance policies that currently don’t have them.
