Stressed? Check out the Massage Clinic p.8 Volume XVII. No. 83 March 2014 Wear it, or Bear it? -p.11 Say it Ain’t Snow Expelling Asbestos from QCC By Johairo Lopez Asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials such as brake linings. Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late twentieth century because of its sound absorption, average tensile strength, its resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage, and affordability. It was used in such applications as electrical insulation for hotplate wiring and in building insulation. Queensborough Parking Lot, 7:30 AM, February 13, 2014. Photo by Michael Dolan Why do you, as part of the Queensborough community, need to know By Kristin Vazquez Professor Michael K. Brozinsky “We’re pretty confident if you can get about asbestos? from the department of Mathematics and to school, you’ll be safe,” added President Unfortunately, Queensborough Can the city handle anymore of this Computer Science noted, “During the Call. “If someone is stuck here, they can Community College (QCC) is currently try atrocious weather? storm, one of my students fell after getting wait in the Temp 2 building because there to amend areas on campus that have been This past winter has been more than a off the Q27 bus and walking on the path are heat, lights and bathrooms, so they can detected with Asbestos. According to the Winter Wonderland, leaving not only the from it to the campus.” safely wait for the bus.” “Asbestos Abatement Notice,” located QCC faculty, but also the student body with Some students who drive to school Students who found themselves unable on the exit door of the science building, a a fear and loathing for the chilly season. preferred to stay home because the roads to attend class due to heavy transportation removal of a vast amount of asbestos on Icy sidewalks, slippery roads and keen were really bad. Taking the risk of sliding delays weren’t as concerned as professors campus is now underway. winds were the least of concerns for faculty on the road just to get to class was not an who had scheduled classes. The decision The areas that have been detected and current students. Attending class was option. whether to cancel a class was left to the include the ground floor courtyard outside priority. Evidently, the vigorous storm did not professors, and they were not allowed to the science building; the beams at the “I came to school because I had to take prevent CUNY from closing their doors, but use sick or personal days because it would courtyard overhang; the basement hallway; a math test,” said QCC student Geovanni the president did provide an incentive for be considered an unexcused absence. the second floor hallway and classrooms; Mieses of the storm on February 13th that those who endured the heavy snowfall— The Chancellor of CUNY said the the third floor hallway and classrooms; the dumped a foot of snow in Bayside. He free lunch for faculty and the student body. school would be open on Thursday the fourth floor hallway; the first floor inner added that his professor had said, “As long “It was a gesture to those who did 13th, because the city public schools were, vestibule; and the third floor courtyard as the school is open, then the test is still come,” said President Diane Call. “It is a but a vast amount of students and faculty interior windows. going on.” very complex decision [whether or not to felt it was poor decision making. The removal of asbestos from the A majority of the QCC student body close the campus],” she explained. “When “We were left responsible for our Science Building has been schedule for and staff travel not only from Queens, but snow hits at night, we never know when students’ safety,” stated a professor who Monday-Sunday from 12:00am – 12:00am. the entire New York City region, including it’s going to stop. … There are twenty- asked to remain anonymous. Every hour of every day until the construction places like Long Island and Westchester. An four different schools in the CUNY system The outcome of CUNY leaving their is completed, there will be work in the increase in transportation delays affected that have different environments.” Many doors open during the super snow storm Science Building. The construction, which work schedules and classroom attendance, other campuses like Hunter and Baruch, left faculty members altering their course and having a car was not considered an she noted, have subway stops right there continued on page 2 continued on page 5 advantage. available to all students. 2 Queensborough Communiqué, March 2014 QCC News Library Update QUEENSBOROUGH COMMUNIQUÉ 222-05 56th Ave. Bayside, NY 11364 Editors Geovanni Mieses Edward Ramirez Arts Clara Lizardo Lifestyles Jossie Vaca Copy Editors Lourdes Carballo Sade Smith Typesetting and Design Jeannie Buxo Faculty Advisor By Sandra Olufidipe when they finish with their classes faculty members do get exactly what Elizabeth Toohey and have a gap in-between their they want, and all the students will Are we up to date with our schedule, the closest place they can be able to accesses it. library system? Do we have all that come to is the library. We are hoping So far, I had learned what the we need to get our work done? Is that once the science building is librarians are doing to make the there enough room available in the done with their construction, we will library more accessible for us. But library for us all? be able to phase out the library as a what do you think the students, I had a chance to interview social space, as a result making more librarians and professors may do to Say it Ain’t Snow Professor Jeanne Galvin, the room for students that really need to work together to make the library a chief librarian at Queensborough study—or at least try to send them to more conducive environment? continued from cover page Community College, to get answers the student union” Professor Galvin let me know to these questions. I then asked a question about the that they have a program called syllabus, extending dates for assignments or dropping the In today’s world where books in the library. When students the “Embedded Librarian.” “A lowest grade on tests and quizzes to prevent their students everyone is technologically savvy, come to the library, sometimes professor will bring in their students from failing. we either have a smart phone, a the edition that the library has is for a library lesson, and then either “Many teachers were absent and those who made it computer or even an iPad or tablet. different from what the professor the professor puts the librarian’s to school had to repeat the very same lectures that they Having these modern electronics asks for; how does the library go information on the blackboard or gave to classes that were poorly attended,” said Professor. available, wouldn’t it be easier to about getting the right books for the the librarian gives the students Bronzinsky. have all the books on one system? students? information on how to get in touch But the professors who did cancel classes faced Professor Galvin explained that Professor Galvin replied by with them. In doing this we found consequences that resulted in extra coursework to be “it should be easier to have the books explaining the process of how they students coming in and wanting to given to their students. “The students had to complete an electronically because it should be acquire these books: speak to their librarian, and then he assignment to make up for the lost day, and that assignment easier for students to gain access “When the students let us know or she then becomes familiar with had to be approved from the department Chair,” said one to the books online, even when the that we don’t have the right edition what the student is doing, giving it a professor. President Call explained that this was necessary library is full or closed.” She added, of a book, we take money from the more personal approach.” because “the state has to receive verification,” that students “The problem is that we need the book budget and go to the bookstore Still more interesting is that the are receiving the instruction they have paid for. publishers to be able to give us to buy some for the library reserve library is creating a “student advisory The evening classes that were scheduled did not have access to these books electronically, section, and sometimes the book committee,” “so that students can to worry about submitting an assignment. Those classes therefore not everything is available store does give us a few books for come and advise us with what is had been cancelled because that’s when CUNY decided to in eBook format. Once each one is free, which is greatly appreciated.” needed from us to create a better close their doors. available we will gladly buy them Further, the library doesn’t just library for them.” That seems like Professors who cancelled class were not thrilled for our students, but [right now] want to throw out the old edition a pretty good idea to me, students about the requirement they give students an additional one-third of our library is available because sometimes student can still working for students! assignment, feeling that it was not their fault that Mother in eBook format for our students to use it simply because some of the Through this interview I Nature intensified the weather that day and prompted them use online”.