Unbelievably, another academic year has nearly passed and it's
that stressful, happy season of awards, celebrations and graduations!
It's been a difficult year and yet, we have arrived at the other side of
it. Despite the many financial challenges we face, exceptional work
continues on at Grossmont College. We continue to focus on changing
lives through education. We launched a strategic plan that allows us to
focus our efforts through these difficult times. We continue to focus on
student success and learning through our many, many efforts in basic
skills, project success, community service learning, student learning
assessment just to name a few. Our students have performed in and
participated in many artistic and cultural events including music, dance,
theatre, literary and cultural events. In addition, our coaches and club
advisors have been engaging students on the field and outside of class to
maximize their potential and passion. Though we anticipate further
challenges into next year and beyond, one thing is for sure, working together
and with the spirit of commitment and dedication to our students that is
palpable at Grossmont, we will endure!
As this may be the last newsburst you read before summer
begins, I hope that this summer will bring you rest, relaxation and
rejuvenation!
THE RESULTS ARE IN!
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Thank you to all those who
responded to the survey this spring which was an abbreviated,
follow-up college accreditation survey gauging the perceived improvement in
college-district relationships and services. The results are included in 2010
draft midterm report and described, briefly below.
One
of the commission's recommendations from the 2007 comprehensive visit was
regarding the need for improved relations among the college, Chancellor and
district such that all are working together for the good of the
institution. The college reported on progress made over the past 2 years
in its reports to the Commission regarding this and other areas. Please
see the accreditation website for all reports submitted."An indicator of improvement in relationships and processes resulting in benefit to the college community can be found in the results of an abbreviated survey completed by Grossmont College employees throughout late fall 2009 and early spring 2010. The survey consisted of a subset of questions that had been part of the comprehensive 2006 survey completed for the 2007 self study. The follow up survey focused on full time employee input, as this was determined to be the focus of the key issues noted in the self study of 2007. The streamlined survey was made available to employees November 2009 through February 2010. At the end of the survey period, approximately 46% of full-time employees had completed the survey. The employees consisted of 280 faculty and 148 staff and administrators of the college.
Survey results indicate that
college faculty and staff see a significant improvement in the areas of
Governing Board decisions and support, district policy implementation, the
chancellor’s communication and inclusion of faculty voices, district
information dissemination, and district resource use. " (2010
ACCJC draft mid-term report)
For more specifics of the survey, please turn to page 60 of
the ACCJC mid-term report and the tabular results of the survey including
2006 and 2010 responses by group (faculty or staff) on the intranet: http://www.grossmont.edu/intranet/midtermReport/default.htm
DRAFT MIDTERM REPORT NOW AVAILABLE FOR YOUR REVIEW
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The 2010 Draft Accreditation Midterm Report to the
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) is now
available for your review on the intranet at: http://www.grossmont.edu/intranet. Your
login and password are required. A space is available for you to
provide your comments. The draft midterm report is going through collegial
consultation throughout the month of May. Feedback received will be
discussed by the Steering Committee throughout the summer for potential
incorporation. The final version of the report is expected to go to the
Governing Board in August/September with submission to ACCJC by
October 15, 2010. Thank you to the entire Steering Committee for their
hard work in getting this report completed.
MUSIC DEPT. FUNDRAISER MONDAY NIGHT
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A jazz concert benefiting the Grossmont College Music Dept.
Scholarship Fund will be held starting at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 10, at
Humphrey’s By the Bay. Tickets are $18 per person. All admission fees will go
directly for scholarships for Grossmont College music students. The public is
invited to attend. Performing will be Grossmont College
Music Dept. instructors, including Derek Cannon, Paul Kurokawa, Steve Baker,
Ken Ard, Manny Cepeda, Justin Grinnel, Melonie Grinnel and Chris Kilch. Emcee
will be Dave Scott of KUSI-TV, who is a jazz trombonist. Also performing will
be special guest Jose Molina Serrano on guitar, Tom Stillman on drums and Carlos
Arias on bass. Serrano, a Grossmont College graduate and the student speaker at
the June 2009 commencement, has played with some of the recording history’s top
R&B acts, including Bo Diddley, The Olympics, Thelma Houston and Joe Tex,
along with all-night recording sessions with Ike & Tina Turner, Red Bone
and Spiral Staircase. He also has gone on tour with Carlos Santana. Serrano’s
most recent CD, called “Only by Grace,” was taken aboard a 2008 flight of the
Space Shuttle Columbia and his song “Away from Home” was played to awaken the
sleeping astronauts. For more information, call the Music Dept. at extension
7254.
PLANNING & RESOURCES COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING ON MAY
12
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All faculty and staff are invited to attend a special
Planning & Resources Council meeting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May
12 in Griffin Gate. The purpose of this meeting is to provide the entire campus
with a sampling of the Strategic Plan activities submitted by departments
last year that received funding to implement the activities for this current
year. The departments will provide an overview of the funding they
expended and the progress they have made towards achieving their anticipated
outcomes. Please make plans to attend this special Planning &
Resources meeting and listen to the progress being made towards achieving the
College’s Strategic Plans. Please mark your calendars for this important event
2010 COLLEGE RECOGNITION AWARD CEREMONY
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Please join in the celebration of accomplishments,
achievements and successes at our campus’ 11th annual College Recognition
Awards ceremony, starting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, in the Student Center.
It will be the final College
Recognition Awards to be held in the existing Student Center before re-building
begins. The afternoon event will feature a variety of awards, honors and
presentations. The categories include Distinguished Faculty, Academic Rank,
Faculty Tenure, New Degree Recipients, Recent Publications and Exhibits,
Teaching Excellence Awards, Vice Presidents’ Support Staff Awards,
Chancellor/Classified Senate Awards, Kudos, Faculty and Staff Retirees
Recognition, Club Advisors Recognition, Grossmont College Foundation Awards
(Faculty/Staff Giving and Commitment to Service), Innovator of the Year Awards,
and President’s Leadership Awards. Refreshments will be served. So come
congratulate your colleagues and bid a fond farewell to our Student Center!
ALL MY SONS
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The Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department will present
“All My Sons,” Arthur Miller’s classic drama, at 7:30 p.m.
on May 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and 15, and at 2 p.m. on May 8 and 15, at the
Stagehouse Theatre. “All My Sons,” directed by Henry J. Jordan, is the story of
the Keller and Deever families, their tragic losses and misfortunes, greed and
injustice, denial and love -- all ending in an intensified climax as only
Miller could have written. “All My Sons” won the Drama Critics Award in 1947,
and launched the long distinguished career for one of America’s preeminent
play-writers. Admission is $10 per person. Children under age 10 are not
permitted in the theatre. The box office will be open one hour prior to all
performances. For more information, phone extension 7234.
GROSSMONT COLLEGE FOUNDATION WALK OF FAME ON MAY 21
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At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 21, the Grossmont College
Foundation will induct two new members into the Grossmont College Walk of Fame,
a permanent display of bronze plaques embedded in concrete in the Main Quad
that features names of distinguished Grossmont College alumni. This year’s
inductees are the late Leslie Conway “Lester” Bangs, a rock music journalist
who attended GC from 1966 to 1968, and Christina Csanadi Deckard, one of the
today’s internationally recognized experts in laser technology who attended GC
from 1979 to 1980. Mr. Bangs, who passed away in 1982, has been called
“America’s Greatest Rock Critic.” He wrote for “Creem,” “Rolling Stone,”
“Village Voice” and countless other magazines, and was known as one of the most
influential voices in rock criticism. Ms. Deckard is the recipient of a
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Role Model Award. After
Grossmont, she earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in physics, and a
master’s degree in math, all from SDSU. She is currently a Senior Scientist
assigned to the Ocean Systems Division of the Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance/Information Operations Department at the Space and Naval Warfare
(SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific in San Diego. She taught as a math and science
adjunct instructor at Grossmont 1989 to 1998, and her father Frank Seeley also
taught in the 1970s and 1980s. The Walk of Fame program began in 1989. Among
the 19 previous Walk of Fame recipients are community leaders, medical
researchers, political advocates, artists, athletes and actors.
RECENT HONORS
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On Friday, May 7, Grossmont Police Academy
Graduation celebrated the graduation of 26 cadets who comprised
the 30th Academy Graduating Class. The 415 hours of training lasted about 8
months, from September 19 to May 7. Barry Mahler was named the Honor Recruit,
earning as well the Firearms Award and Academic Award. The Honor Recruit is
selected by the training staff for his leadership, commitment to excellence and
willingness to motivate and assist other recruits.
On Saturday, May 8, the Students of Note
ceremony was held. Twelve GC students were honored for achieving their
educational goals while overcoming significant barriers, as well as exhibiting
persistence, courage, dedication and a drive to succeed. The program concluded
with some of the students delivering inspirational and tearful remarks of
gratitude to their faculty members. The Students of Note Awards has been an
annual event at GC since 1991.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
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Mark your calendars for our college’s Commencement
Ceremony on Thursday, June 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the Main Quad. El Cajon
Police Chief Pat Sprecco (class of 1976) will be the featured speaker. His career with the El Cajon Police Dept. spans 37 years.
The criminal justice administration graduate first joined the El Cajon PD as a
volunteer cadet at age 16 in 1972.
The GC Art Student Exhibition 2010 will
run from May 10 to 20 at the Hyde Art Gallery. This exhibit is a cross-section
of art produced by students resulting from their studies within the department.
The works on display were selected and submitted by their instructors for this
exhibition. The Opening Event and Awards will be presented at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 18.
The GC Jazz Ensemble will perform with
guest artist Wendell Kelly on trombone at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, at the
Cuyamaca College Fine Arts Theater. Admission is $8 per person.
The
Transfer Center will host the Transfer Achievement Celebration at 5:30
p.m. on Friday, May 14, at the Student Center. Students who have been accepted
to a four-year college or university for Fall 2010 will be honored.
The Corrections Academy graduation will
begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 14, in the Main Quad.
Robert Wetzel will perform in a fundraiser for
the Grossmont Guitar Guild at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, in Room 221.
Admission is $8 per person.
The GC Music Dept. will present “Jazz
Night,” an evening of students performing a variety of different styles of jazz,
starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 16, in Room 220. Admission is $8 for
adults and $5 for students, seniors and children.
The GC Afro-Cuban Ensemble will perform
with Ritmo Caribe with Manny Cepeda at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 20 at the
Cuyamaca College Fine Arts Theater. Admission is $8 per person.
The Grossmont Master Chorale will perform
at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, at Fredericka Manor in Chula Vista, and at 7
p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in Spring Valley.
Admission is free.
The Grossmont Concert Band will perform
at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, at the Cuyamaca College Fine Arts Theater.
Admission is $8 per person.
The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra will
perform with guests artists Suzanne Kennedy and Kay Van Tassel, flautists, at
7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21, at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church in Lemon
Grove. Admission is a free-will offering.
The Nursing Dept. Pinning Ceremony will
begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1, in the Main Quad.
The Office of Professional
Training graduation will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 4, in the Main
Quad.
The Middle College
High School graduation will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 7, in the
Main Quad.
SPORTS REPORT
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