Surviving and Thriving at CUNY: Students, faculty, and staff at CUNY created this wonderful resource on how not just to survive, but to thrive at CUNY during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The guide provides a one-stop guide of health, academic, financial, and basic needs services at CUNY and in the community and encourages all of us to become advocates for ourselves within CUNY and beyond. It is truly a fabulous resource that I have started using myself and that I encourage all students to look at. The table of contents is on page 6 & 7 of the PDF, where you can click to whatever section is of interest to you.
Accommodations & Accessibility: Lehman College is committed to providing access to all programs and curricula to all students. If you need accommodations for any reason, I encourage you to let me know. If you have any disability, I encourage you to register with the Office of Student Disability Services.
Tutoring: The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) provides appointment-based and drop-in tutoring in the humanities, social sciences, and writing, as well as general writing and academic skills workshops. For more information, please visit their website, Instructional Support Services Program.
Sensitive Topics: In sociology, we study real-world problems, many of which are relevant to our personal lives. We all carry around social trauma and some academic discussions hit a little too close to home. It is my goal in this class to create an environment in which we examine our assumptions and learn new ways of thinking and experiencing the world through engaging conversations. Content warnings will be provided whenever possible, but discomfort can be part of the learning process as we are challenged to think deeply about things that are sometimes hard to express. I invite you to sit with this discomfort. However, if the discomfort starts to turn to distress, I want you to take care of yourself. You can withdraw from an activity or even leave the class at any time. If you feel comfortable, please feel free to check in with me and let me know what is going on so that we can address it.
Counseling Center: Many people say that college is the best time of your life, but it is very common to struggle with mental health issues, and it can be an incredibly isolating experience. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or are otherwise struggling, know that you are not alone and you do not have to feel ashamed. The Counseling Center is available to you should you need it. I would also recommend checking the “Mental Health Challenges” section of Surviving and Thriving at CUNY.
For Undocumented and DACA-Status Students: As an educator, I fully support the rights of undocumented and DACA-status students to an education and to live free from the fear of deportation. If you have any concerns in that regard, feel free to discuss them with me, and I will respect your wishes concerning confidentiality. One great resource is CUNY Citizenship Now!, but you can also check page 65 of Surviving and Thriving at CUNY.
