Wednesday, September 1, 2010

President's News Burst for September 2010


THANK YOU FOR WORKING TOGETHER!

As we begin the Fall 2010 semester, let me acknowledge the stressful circumstances that we are all under. Due to the economy, personal stresses, education cuts, increased demand for classes, construction/re-location, and summer heat -- tensions are high.  I want to express my appreciation for your efforts and hard work despite the many hardships. I would like to personally commend every employee -- faculty, staff and administrator -- for your hard work, selfless dedication and personal sacrifices during these difficult times. I am so proud of every one of you, and I certainly appreciate all that you are doing for our college and our students. Many of you have assumed extra responsibility and gone the extra mile, and you should be praised for it. The results have been extraordinary (see below). With an attitude of excellence, enthusiasm and loyal teamwork, you have put forth the effort to our students and to one another. Thank you for working together. With our best minds and combined energies, we will survive these challenging times and continue to change lives through education. Thank you for your support and cooperation.


GROSSMONT COLLEGE IS 2010 BEST LOCAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
Hooray for Grossmont! The results from The San Diego Union-Tribune‘s 2010 San Diego’s Best Readers Poll are in, and Grossmont College has just been named “San Diego’s Best Local College or University for 2010.” Our competition this year included SDSU, UCSD, USD, Pt. Loma Nazarene and Cal State San Marcos. Grossmont was previously selected as “San Diego’s Best” in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008. So, this is our fifth time in the past eight years. Like any election, the results represent the total votes received. Behind Grossmont College were UCSD in second place and SDSU in third. It was the U-T’s 14th annual San Diego’s Best Readers Poll. The Union-Tribune said there were more than 1 million page views to their website (last year it was 462k) and about 650,000 votes were cast (last year it was 180k). Winners in more than 150 categories can be viewed under “San Diego Life” at www.sdbestpoll.com.


HEALTH AND SCIENCE COMPLEX GRAND OPENING
Please join us as we celebrate the grand opening of our new Health and Sciences Complex at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, on campus. The celebration will include a ribbon cutting, plaque unveiling and refreshments. The 52,000-square-foot, two-story Health and Sciences Complex houses classrooms with the latest technology, state-of-the-art labs and lab preparation areas, as well as indoor and outdoor gathering spaces for studying. It also has faculty and staff offices for Career Technical Education, Forensic Technology, Physics and Health Professions programs. The Complex features the latest teaching tools and equipment, including high fidelity simulation labs with lifelike mannequins for Nursing, a casting room for Orthopedic Technology, a mock apartment for Occupational Therapy, a blood-spatter room for Forensic Technology and simulated ICU patient stations for Nursing and Respiratory Therapy. The Cardiovascular Technology Program and EKG Training have three specialty classrooms and a dedicated ultrasound scan lab. Additional features of this comprehensive facility include Physical Sciences labs, a rooftop astronomy lab, two computer labs, and a large lecture hall for health seminars, guest speakers and combined class lectures. The $35 million construction cost was financed by the Proposition R bond measure that East County voters approved in 2002. Construction began in July 2008, and was completed this past spring.


GROSSMONT COLLEGE OSHER SCHOLARS FEATURED IN AFFINITY MAGAZINE
Published by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Affinity Magazine features stories that discuss the impact and reach of California’s community colleges. In the most recent issue, “Creating a Legacy,” a story about how the Osher Initiative for California Community College students is delivering on its promise. The story features a photo of Grossmont College Osher Scholarship recipients. Here is a link to the article: www.affinityonline.org/Departments/ScholarshipEndowment/CreatingALegacy/tabid/209/Default.aspx.  For every $1 donated until June 30, 2011, 50 cents is matched and held in the California Community Colleges Scholarship Endowment, and 100 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding $1,000 student scholarships every year, forever. A gift of $13,334, matched by the Osher Foundation, results in a $1,000 scholarship every year, FOREVER! For more information about Osher Scholarship, contact the Grossmont College Foundation at x7109.


SUMMIT NEWSPAPER
The Media Communications Dept. invites you to visit www.gcsummit.wordpress.com. This is the website for the new GC Summit, the student newspaper. On this website you will find news stories, a calendar of on-campus events, links to campus and District publications, sports results and an invitation to subscribe to a blog and receive notifications of new posts by e-mail. Students enrolled in Media Communications 132 are assisting in the content seen on this website, all to the benefit of the Grossmont College population of students, faculty and staff. Donald H. Harrison, creator of San Diego Jewish World, an online newspaper, has been selected as the new instructor for this class. Harrison has more than 40 years of experience in journalism. He was the managing editor of the Daily Bruin as a student at UCLA, and has worked for the Associated Press, San Diego Union and Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.


FIRST FOOTBALL GAME THIS SATURDAY
All employees and students are invited to watch community college football up-close this Saturday afternoon, Sept. 4, on our own football field as our Griffins football team plays cross-town rival San Diego Mesa College in the season opener. Kickoff is 1 p.m. All faculty, staff and administrators can enjoy the game with free admission (show your college I.D. at the gate). Coach Mike Jordan begins his fifth year as head coach. Last season’s 2009 team finished 8-3 and ended on a high note as the Griffins beat perennial powerhouse, El Camino College in the U.S. Bank “Beach Bowl” 27-22. The Griffins football program has a tremendous tradition of successes. Grossmont has posted the best winning percentage of all the other 71 teams in California over the past decade. The Griffs have participated in more post season games than any other college in the nation over the past 15 years.



RECENT HONORS
David Weeks, Stagecraft Technician, recently received the Best of Show Award from the International Plastic Modelers Society for his 56-inch tall model of a Saturn 1-B rocket that was used in the 1960s in NASA’s Apollo program. David began his research on this rocket 20 years ago, and it took the past seven years to build it. David’s model won first place in the “Real Space” category and “Space & Science Fiction” class before winning Best of Show competing against about 1,600 other entries.

Michael Golden, Biology, has been honored by the SDSU Bridges program with the 2010 Homer Peabody Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Teaching. The award is presented in honor of Homer Peabody, M.D., executive director of the Rees-Stealy Research Foundation, in recognition of individuals who carry on his commitment to the students of San Diego.


HYDE ART GALLERY EXHIBIT
The Hyde Art Gallery is presenting on display through Sept. 16 an exhibit of 31 paintings from three different artists, Wade Cline and William Glen Crooks, both of San Diego and Suong Yangchareon of Los Angeles. The exhibit is open to the public. The paintings feature local landmarks and sights, including famous traffic intersections and waterfront scenes, from San Diego, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Pasadena, San Francisco and New Mexico. Cline’s 13 paintings includes Adams Avenue and Kensington in San Diego, Crooks’ six paintings feature Humboldt Bay and Leavenworth and Yangchareon’s 12 paintings showcases a railroad crossing in Azusa and an alley in Los Angeles. The Hyde Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission is free.


WHOOPING COUGH IMMUNIZATION
The Grossmont College Student Health Services Office reports that whooping cough (Pertussis) cases in San Diego are greater than ever. Everyone is encouraged to protect yourself, protect your family and get immunized. Immunizations for Pertussis are available to students, faculty and staff at Health Services for $35, at Kaiser Permanente Nurse Clinics at no cost and at selected San Diego County Public Health clinics for $10. Whooping cough disease causes coughing fits that make it hard to breathe. The disease spreads easily when someone with the disease coughs or sneezes. Early symptoms start mild and are like a common cold, including runny nose, sneezing, low or no fever, mild cough. Symptoms can get worse after 1-2 weeks and can last for months. Bad coughing attacks can include vomiting, red or blue face, a “whoop” sound, problems breathing, extreme tiredness and sweating spells. For more information, contact Health Services at ext. 7192.


MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
*      Women’s soccer vs. Chaffey, 3 p.m., Friday, Sept. 3.

*      Women’s Volleyball vs. Chaffey, 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 3.

*      Grossmont Guitar Guild fund-raiser with Grossmont College guitar instructor Fred Benedetti, starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8, in Room #220. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students.

*      Chamber Music Concert with guest artists Michael Dvoskin, violin, and Katherine Petrosyan, piano, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10 in Room #220. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students, children 12 and under are free with paid adult admission.

*      Odeum Guitar Duo with Grossmont College guitar instructors Fred Benedetti and Robert Wetzel, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, in Room #220. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students. Odeum refers to a small building in ancient Greece or Rome that was used for public performances of music.

*      The Scholarship Department and Grossmont College Foundation will present the Fall 2010 Scholarship Awards Breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 11, in the 200 Building Courtyard. The breakfast begins at 9:30 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m. With questions, contact Selam Gebrekristos at ext. 7121.

*      The Grossmont College Foundation’s upcoming Auction and Dinner Gala will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Barona Resort & Casino. The theme is “Griffin Gold Rush, 49 Years of Excellence.”