Following a recent announcement, the Division of Student Affairs is now running a drop-in service designed to inform students about the different resources available to them called “Dish it with DOSA,” and is held every Tuesday at 12:15 pm.
The sessions are held one-on-one with representatives, and students can ask anything, from degree questions, to financial aid questions, to student resource questions.
“Dish it with DOSA” is the brainchild of David Wells, director of BMLI, and was headed by VP for Student Affairs Ron Jackson. The administration felt, according to Student Center Director Mitzu Adams, that “we just wanted to let students know that we’re here.”
Attending a “Dish it with DOSA” session can answer some general or specific questions about services for students. The DOSA representative will either answer the question or direct students to whoever can, for example, send students contact information for an advisor or department. In most cases, additional information can be found on each of these resources’ corresponding pages on the College’s website.
Another service is students can book a visit to the college’s food pantry by checking their page under Offices and Services on the BC website’s “About” tab. A Brooklyn College ID provides two visits per month to the College’s food pantry, which can furnish students with a grocery bag or reusable bag (which students are encouraged to bring if they can) full of various nonperishable items. Visits to the pantry are made by appointment only.
In addition, while doors to the library will remain closed to students, most of the library’s resources are available online. Since late September, the library also allows requests and pick-ups for physical material. Visiting Library.Brooklyn.Cuny.edu will bring you to the main page where you can use OneSearch, their research guides, or the endearingly helpful 24/7 chat with a Librarian that appears by clicking on the blue box labeled “Chat Help.”
Regarding whether the rise of COVID cases in BC’s immediate area will have any effect on on-campus resources like the library and food pantry, “To the best of my knowledge, nothing has changed yet,” said Adams.
The Learning Center has remained functional over Zoom. Instructions on meeting with a tutor, as well as the Zoom Schedule are available on the Center’s page.
Similarly, students can meet over Zoom with a career counselor to discuss possible career paths, tweak resumes, have a mock interview, or receive additional advice for applying to jobs or internships. Whether we’re headed for another recession or not, it’s a good idea to have a spiffy resume and cover letter on the ready for any jobs or internships that come your way. Check out their page on the College’s website to learn more about their services.
The Health Clinic also remains available remotely. Students can schedule a tele-medical consultation with the clinic by emailing them or leaving a phone message. Just be sure to include your full name and phone number.
Students can still meet with personal counselors either over the phone or through a video meeting. Whether it is stress, anxiety, depression, or any other sort of mental health concerns, the first step would be either calling (718) 951-5363 or BCPersonalCounseling@gmail.com. Their hours are Monday – Thursday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, or on Friday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. After a screening with a supervisor, students will be matched with a clinical counselor.
“The goal was to make sure students had a place and a time to get answered any questions they have to ask,” Adams told the Vanguard.