CUNY Colleges prepare to transition from Blackboard to a new LMS, Brightspace.
Starting April 3, 2024, CUNYFirst will integrate real-time data, including course shells, transitioning Brightspace into its operational phase. The comprehensive shift to Brightspace across the University, unfolding over two and a half years, will have all CUNY college courses hosted on Brightspace by Fall 2025.
Brightspace is celebrated for its accessibility, dependability, and cutting-edge design. This aligns with CUNY’s goal to be the leading student-focused University system in the nation, offering transformative and equitable access to higher education for our diverse student body.
News & Updates
April 15, 2024
LMS Transition Update – April 2024
May 15, 2024
LMS Transition Update – May 2024
August 22, 2023
Extended On-Ramp for Transition Group One
June 23, 2023
Transitioning to D2L Brightspace
Why Brightspace?
The transition to a new LMS will enable CUNY to support student learning in both traditional and online courses, deliver engaging learning experiences using modern teaching and learning technology.
The goals and benefits of transitioning:
- Provide a comprehensive learning management system that is modern and easy to use for faculty, staff, and students.
- Deliver new capabilities to support teaching and learning across different modalities.
- Support growth in online learning.
- Contribute to student success through advanced analytics.
- Set a foundation for engaging learning experiences that connect and inform.
A First Look
On YouTube, the Office of Academic Affairs and D2L offer an in-depth exploration of the Brightspace learning environment, functionalities, and features. Discover how Brightspace empowers educators to facilitate engaging teaching and learning experiences while ensuring accessibility for every student.
Transition Process Timeline
Spring 23
Preparation
- Establish governance groups and begin implementation planning. Campus working groups identified.
- LMS website published.
Summer 23
Kick Off
- Contract signed.
- Engagement with D2L begins, and CUNY Brightspace configuration begins.
- Governance groups meet
Fall 23
Transition Group 1
- Train-the-Trainer begins.
- Transition Group 1 accesses Brightspace.
- Transition Group 1 courses migrate.
Spring 24
Transition Group 2
- Training for instructors begins.
- Transition Groups 1 & 2 prepares to use Brightspace.
- Transition Group 2 courses migrate
Summer 24
Launch TG 1 & 2
- Transition Group 1, 2 courses delivered in Brightspace. (*12-6 schools deliver instruction beginning Fall 2024)
Fall 24
Transition Group 3
- Transition Group 3 migrates courses and prepares to use Brightspace.
Spring 25
Launch TG 3
Transition Group 4
- Transition Groups 1, 2, 3 courses delivered in Brightspace.
- Transition Group 4 Migrates course and prepares to use Brightspace.
Summer 25
Launch TG 4
- Transition groups 1, 2, 3, 4 courses delivered in Brightspace. (*12-6 schools deliver instruction beginning Fall 2025)
- Any remaining courses migrated to Brightspace.
Fall 25
- Archive
- All courses delivered in Brightspace.
- Brightspace transitions to a university service.
- All governance groups wrap up work.
- Project ends
Training and Resources
Brightspace training is an optional and voluntary learning path for anyone at CUNY. Following are some additional training opportunities.
Faculty & Staff
CUNY
- Faculty Getting Started Checklist
- CUNY Faculty Workshops
- LMS Transition YouTube Channel
- CUNY IT Help Knowledge Base Articles
D2L
- D2L Community
- Instructor Guided Training
- YouTube Playlist for Instructors
- Brightspace Resource Course for Instructors (Requires CUNY Login credentials)
Students
For additional training resources, don’t hesitate to contact your college support teams. Below is a list of available college transition websites.
Campus Teams Contacts
Transition Group 1
Website
Team email: lmstransition@bmcc.cuny.edu
Brian Nemeth
IT Academic Technology Specialist, Digital Education Center
Eliza Osae-Kwapong
Instructional Design, Digital Education Center
Gail Fernandez
Acting Associate Dean of Faculty
Gina Cherry
Director, CETLS
Jennifer Mary Lauren
Instructional Design, Digital Education Center
Michael Hutmaker
Dean of Students
Thomas Harbison
Director, Digital Education Center
William Guttenplan
Lab Director, Business Management
Ana Marjanovic
LMS Administrator/Instructional Designer, Office of Educational Technology
Andrea Fabrizio
Associate Dean, Office of Academic Affiars
Babette Audant
Dean of Academic Affairs
Carlos Guevara
Director of Educational Technology and Co-Director of the Center for Teaching
Jacqueline DiSanto
Chair, Education Department/ETLC Co-Chair
Wilfredo Rodriguez
Coordinator, Office of Educational Technology
Caroline Peppers
Senior Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Helen Keier
Director of Learning Management Systems, Department of Online Education and Support (DOES), Academic Affairs
Joseph Laub
Chief Information Officer
Nicole DeBonet
Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Website
Team email: EdTechsupport@hostos.cuny.edu
Ana Marjanovic
LMS Administrator/Instructional Designer, Office of Educational Technology
Andrea Fabrizio
Associate Dean, Office of Academic Affiars
Babette Audant
Dean of Academic Affairs
Carlos Guevara
Director of Educational Technology and Co-Director of the Center for Teaching
Jacqueline DiSanto
Chair, Education Department/ETLC Co-Chair
Wilfredo Rodriguez
Coordinator, Office of Educational Technology
Caroline Peppers
Senior Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Helen Keier
Director of Learning Management Systems, Department of Online Education and Support (DOES), Academic Affairs
Joseph Laub
Chief Information Officer
Nicole DeBonet
Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Website
Team email: lmstransition@bmcc.cuny.edu
Caroline Peppers
Senior Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Helen Keier
Director of Learning Management Systems, Department of Online Education and Support (DOES), Academic Affairs
Joseph Laub
Chief Information Officer
Nicole DeBonet
Learning Management System Support Specialist, DOES
Alirio Valbuena
Associate Provost
Cristina Migliaccio
Assistant Professor, English
Ian Josephs
Director, Online and Distance Education
Karen Mitchell
Instrutional Technologist
Margaret Caroll
Faculty, Co-Director-Center for Teaching and Learning
Moses Phillips
Co-Director, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence
Stephen Wymore
Director, MEC Educational Tech Center
Website
Team email: brightspace@qc.cuny.edu
Divya Samaroo
HelpDesk Manager
Gina Nurse
Deputy CIO
Nikki Siapno
Administrative Coordinator
Roseann Warren
Director of Communications
Troy Hahn
AVP Information Technology
WayGuard Wong
Access Security Liaison
LMS Administrator, Information Technology Services
Website
Team email: brightspace@sps.cuny.edu
Ericke Wong
Ass. Director of Information Technology and User Support
Kathryn Larkins
Academic Faculty Development and Instructional Design Manager
Matthew Lewis
Instructional Design and Multimedia Manager
Ruru Rusmin
Asst Dean, Faculty Development and Instructional Tech
Sarah Kresh
Faculty Development and Instructional Design Manager
Tanichea Blackstock
Instructional Design Technologist/IT Academic Technology Specialist
Website
Team email: AcademicTech@slu.cuny.edu
Antoinette Isable-Jones
Director of Communications and Marketing
Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers
Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Mowmita Jabir
Academic Technology Manager
Przenyslaw Bielawski
Webmaster
Transition Group 2
Team email: brightspace@baruch.cuny.edu
Adalaide Ilyasov
Student Governement
Bruce Little
LMS Administrator, Baruch Computing and Technology Center
Carrie Stevens
Director of Communications
Craig Stone
Project Manager
Elizabeth Heath
Faculty, History Department
James Weirich
LMS Administrator, Baruch Computing and Technology Center
Website
Faculty team email: LMSHelpFaculty@Bcc.cuny.edu
Student team email: LMSHelpStudent@Bcc.cuny.edu
Albert Robinson
Director of Online Support and Learning Management System, Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology
Giancarlo Arias
Information Technology Assistant
Katherine Acevedo-Coppa
Acadmic Affairs Manager
Luis Montenegro
Dean of Academic Affairs
Luisa Martich
Assistant Vice President, Chief of Information Technology
Michael Miller
Chairperson & Chief Librarian
Richard Martinez
IT Academic Technology Specialist, Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology
Vivian Rodriguez
Assistant Professor/Clinical Coordinator
Christopher Roth
Associate Director of Academic Technology, Academic Affairs
Daniel Collins
Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs
John Stroud
CIO & AVP
Nicola Blake
Vice President and Provost
Patricia Jones
Professor, Health Information Technology
Asif Hussain
CIO and AVP of Information Technology
Cynthia Olvina
Administrative Specialist, Office of Academic Affairs
Gordon Alley-Young
Dean of Faculty
Larry Weiss
Blackboard Coordinator-Office of Information Technology
Loretta Brancaccio-Taras
Professor and Director, Center for e-Learning
Sandra LeFranc
Help Desk Support/Blackboard Adm- Office of IT
Yves Etienne
Blackboard Administrator Assistant-Office of IT
Student website | Faculty website
Team email: atol@citytech.cuny.edu
Caroline Hellman
Interim Special Asst. to the President
Evelyn Pak
Academic Techonology Specialist, iTEC
Jose Diaz
Director, iTEC
Pamela Brown
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Rezaul Hoque
Assistant to iTEC Director, BB Administrator
Rita Uddin
CIO/Assistant Vice President
Anthony Monahan
Faculty Champion
Delwar Sayeed
IT Academic Applications Specialist, Office of Educational Technology (OET)
Denis Bejar
Director of Education Technology
Ka Cheng
IT Academic Applications Specialist, Office of Educational Technology (OET)
Phyllis Curtis-Tweed
Academic Dean, Assistant/Associate Provost/Provost
Punita Bhansali
Faculty Champion
Ted Dec
Chief Information Officer
Dontae Richardson
LMS Admin, The Center for Teaching, Learning & Educational Technologies
George White
Interim Dean, Professor
Joshelyn Vivas
LMS Admin, The Center for Teaching, Learning & Educational Technologies
Wenying Huang-Stolte
Instructional Technologist & LMS Admin, The Center for Teaching, Learning & Educational Technologies
Wilvrantz Valcin
LMS Admin, The Center for Teaching, Learning & Educational Technologies
Transition Group 3
Laura Meoli-Ferrigon
Manager of Learning Design and Multimedia Innovation, Office of Online Learning
Sergio Costa
Interim Assistant Dean, Digital Learning, Marketing and Communications
Sumana Chandra
Director of Communications
Francisco Torres
Trainer
Henry Saltiel
CIO and AVP of Information Technology
Jasmina Elnahal
Trainer
Julie Van Petegham
Professor and Director of Academic Center for Excellence in Research and Teaching (ACERT)
Nicole Bennett
Associate Provost and Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs
Noeli Rosario-Sanchez
Administrative Assistant and Software Coordinator
Shiao-Chuan Kung
Director, Center for Online Learning
Steven Giovino
Training Coordinator
Suman Taneja
Deputy CIO
Victoria Kudritskiy
LMS Administrator – Instructional Computing and Information Technology (ICIT)
Vincent Dimiceli
Assistant Vice President, Communications
Charles Elias
Communications Liaison
Eric Hofmann
Campus Lead
Georgina Taraskewich
Director of Communications
Jason Bryan
Campus co-lead
Jetmir Troshani
Project Manager/Coordinator
Jose Castro
LMS Administrator/ Software Support
Pablo Avila
Training Lead
Siu Sang Tin
Software Support Manager – Technology Support Services
Francisco Salgado-Robles
Ivette Rodriguez
Service Desk Assistant Manager, OIT Service Desk
Kevaughn Hunter
Kevin Foster
Mary Pena
Service Desk Assistant Manager, Blackboard Administrator, OIT Service Desk
Matthews Matthews
Michael Miller
Owen Williams
Sean Weiss
Tom Peele
Doriann Hyland
Educational Technologist, Academic Technologist, LMS Trainer
Fausto Canela
IT Academic Technology Specialist, Faculty Center for Professional Development, Academic Affairs/Provost Office
Michael Castelli
IT Academic Technology Manager, Faculty Center for Professional Development, Academic Affairs/Provost Office
Michael Steiper
Campus Lead (a.k.a. “LMS Champion”)
Patricia Kahn
Campus Co-Lead in a Technology Role
Wilma Jones
Campus Lead (a.k.a. “LMS Champion”)
Transition Group 4
Anne Lopez
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
April Bedford
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Carlos A Cruz
Learning Management System Administrator, Instrutional Designer Specialist, AIT /Library Department
Emir Ganic
Acting AVP for Information Technology
Malka Simon
Director, Roberta S. Matthews Center for Teaching and Learning
Mariya Gluzman
Instructional Designer
Richard Pietras
Communications and Media Relations
Achia Samuels
Achia Samuels
Information Technology Associate, Information Technology
Nino Imnaishvili
Information Technology Associate, Information Technology
Christopher Agiropoulous
Chief of Information Technology
David Baluarte
Ser. Assoc. Dean of Academic Affairs
Kenny Armenta
User Services Assistant
Stanley Leslie
User Services Assistant
Charles Elias
Eric Hofmann
Georgina Taraskewich
Jason Bryan
Jetmir Troshani
Jose Castro
Pablo Avila
Siu Sang Tin
Software Support Manager – Technology Support Services
Dermot Foley
Associate Director of Online Education
Dorothy Dobson
Associate Director of workforce Educational Programs
Ediltrudys Ruiz
Vice President and CIO
John McDonough
Instructional Designer
Jorge Silva-Puras
Interim Provost
Olena Zhadko
Director of Online Education, Academic Programs and Educational Effectiveness
Richard Relkin
AVP, communications and Marketing
Sonia Rai
Digital Skills Training Specialist
Stephen Castellano
Instructional Technology Support Specialist – ITR
Susan Lai
Director of IT Support Services – IT Division
Lisa Brundage
Director of Teaching, Learning & Technology
Emmanuel “Kofi” Asomani
CSOM Service Desk Manager, Network and Systems Associate and Media Consultant
Owen Williams
Learning Management System Support Specialist
Transition Document Hub
Get in Touch
The Office of Academic Affairs is leading the transition.
Evan Silberman
University Executive Director
Any questions can be sent to the transition team at lmstransition@cuny.edu.