PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
|
Thank
you to all the 55 of Grossmont College employees and students who participated
in our recent Leadership Planning Retreat held last Friday. It was an important
day as we continue to work together and find ways to still provide the best
service possible to all that we serve, but with less money and resources. It
was an especially productive day as we worked individually, in small and large
groups to closely examine data, including who are we, who are our students and
student learning and success. We also reviewed the college planning processes,
analyzed key performance indicators and prioritized planning goals for 2012-13.
Selected as the top priorities:
- Respond to changing community needs
- Provide an Exceptional Learning
Environment to Promote Student Success
- Enhance Workforce Preparedness
These
results will help us plan for strategic focus areas in the future. Thank you
again for everyone’s participation! If
you’d like to learn more about the retreat, please talk with Chris Hill, Pat
Murray, Shirley Pereira, your dean or VP or visit the planning site at www.grossmont.edu/planning
.
COLLEGE RECOGNITION
AWARDS CEREMONY
|
Don’t
miss our 12th annual College Recognition Awards ceremony to be held at 3 p.m.
on Thursday, May 12, in Room 220.
Refreshments will be served. Please
arrive early as the program will start at 3:00 p.m. The
annual College Recognition Awards is an important way for us to celebrate and
acknowledge the contributions that our faculty and staff make every day to the
success of our students and programs. Recognition will be given in such
categories as: Academic Rank, Faculty Tenure, New Degree Recipients, Recent
Publications and Exhibits, Teaching Excellence Awards, Vice Presidents’ Support
Staff, Chancellor/Classified Senate Award, Kudos recipients, Faculty and Staff
Retirees, Club Advisors, Foundation awards and President’s Leadership Award.
Please
note the location will be in room 220 during this time of construction.
50TH
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION UPDATE
|
Did you know that the founders of Grossmont College sponsored a ballot
measure to approve the formation of the “Grossmont Junior College District”
without any dollars allocated for construction of classrooms and buildings and not even a permanent
location identified for the college campus? Fortunately, Proposition “O” was
approved by voters on the same Nov. 8, 1960 ballot headlined by the
presidential campaign between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Very soon, you
will be able to read more interesting historical trivia about Grossmont College
in “Grossmont College, Celebrating 50 Years,” a 50-year anniversary
commemorative book that you can pre-order from the bookstore. Janet Althaus is
now accepting orders via e-mail. Another option will be for staff to place
pre-orders using their credit card on the B&N website, www.grossmont.bncollege.com,
starting Monday, May 9. The cost for each book is $19.61 plus tax.
The 50th Anniversary Committee is looking for names of Alumni to be
recognized at the Commencement Ceremony on June 1, 2011. Please try to provide
names of alumni who are not currently working at Grossmont College and have
gone on to be successful in their field of study. Please send your suggestions
by Friday, May 6th, to Rick Griffin at Rick.Griffin@gcccd.edu
Stay up to date with the latest on your college’s 50th anniversary
celebration by visiting our 50th anniversary website, www.grossmont.edu/50years,
and our 50th anniversary Facebook page, www.facebook.com/grossmont50years.
STUDENT HONORS
|
ASGC held its 49th annual Academic/Service Awards and the 20th annual
Club Advisors’ Recognition Ceremony on May 4 in Room 220. Outstanding student leaders were recognized for their
academic, service, and student life achievements during the 2010-2011 academic
year. Also acknowledged were club advisors for their dedication to helping the
student organizations function and succeed, adding an extra dimension to campus
life. Among the Division Honor Awards winners: Berneda Kilbury, CTE/Workforce
Development; Bill Vosti, Math, Natural
Sciences and Exercise Science Wellness; Frank Ammirato, English &
Social/Behavioral Sciences; Megan Meyer, Arts, Languages and Communication. In
addition, Megan McManus and Alex McLeland were named Athletes of the Year,
Taisuke Matsuo was named International Student of the Year, and Debra Barrett
and Stephen Dailing were named Woman and Man of Distinction, respectively.
The Griffin Speech and Debate Team took a third place team award
against 22 other four-year and two-year colleges at the PSCFA Cool-Off
tournament, held at Cerritos College, April 30 to May 2. First place
winners included Alexander James and Dirk Stenger. Other students who placed
included Jonathan Parker, Alexander James, Bryan Hatton, Ashlee Haugum and
Madeleine Caffarel.
Child Development Studies student Fathiya Musa has received an award
from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She is the recipient of a 2011
Liv Ullmann Humanitarian Service Award. Since 1999, Fathiya has been an exceptional
leader, advocate, teacher, and friend to youth and children through IRC San
Diego’s First Things First family learning center and Students Plus after-school
programs. As an asylee from Somalia who was separated from her children
for years, Fathiya understands the complexity of issues facing refugee
children. She has worked tirelessly and selflessly to make sure refugee
children don’t slip through the cracks and that they get the support that they
need to rebuild their lives. Since September 2010, Fathiya has continued to
build a lifetime of success for our refugee families as the site supervisor of
the IRC’s First Things First Early Childhood Education Center. As Muna, a high
school senior in IRC San Diego’s youth programs said: “Ms. Fathiya
doesn’t give up on us even when we want to give up on ourselves.” Prior to
taking on the responsibilities of her current position as the Early Childhood
Supervisor, she spent three years as IRC San Diego’s Bilingual
Coordinator. She now works full time for the IRC San Diego’s First Things
First Early Childhood Education Center, and continues to help refugee youth in
need of support. Her consistent caring, encouragement, guidance, love, and
support make her an exceptional role model and mentor.
A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY
CELEBRATION THIS FALL ON THE LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS
|
This Fall 2011, from history
to nursing, science to English, and culinary arts to the dramatic arts, we are
ramping up for a curricular and event-based, interdisciplinary campus
experience called “A Multi-Disciplinary Celebration of The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks." This collaboration will be based on Rebecca Skloot's
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” a national bestseller that chronicles
how the cells of Lacks, a poor, southern, African-American woman were used to
grow human cells in the lab for the first time, without her or her family's
knowledge, leading to such discoveries as the polio vaccine. Used in over
60,000 published studies, these cells have played a part in research on Cancer,
AIDS, and gene mapping. Today, as a very
lucrative industry has arisen around the culturing and sale of “HeLa” cells,
the Lacks family still lives in poverty, still cannot afford adequate health
care, and still has only limited knowledge of “Hela” cells and their
contributions to science and humanity. The book (and soon film – Oprah has
purchased the rights), offers insight into questions of science; research
ethics; social justice; race, class and gender in the 1950’s and the present,
and even the “essence” of human nature.
In short, it is fertile ground for intellectual and cultural
investigation and celebration. Many faculty members in many departments already
have begun designing curriculum (from short, one-day assignments to whole
sequences), and you can too. If you would like to see sample assignments, find
out more about the events we have planned or get involved with an idea of your
own, please contact Tate Hurvitz, Sue Jensen or Joan Ahrens. A curriculum
design workshop will be offered at this year’s Faculty Summer Institute (June
6-9), so please sign up as soon as the workshop is announced. Also, please pick up a copy of “The Immortal
Life of Henrietta Lacks” and let the reading begin!
RECENT CAMPUS EVENTS
|
The Office Professional Training
(OPT) program hosted a fund-raising 5K walk on Saturday, April 30, at the
football field track. According to Dr. Mary Leslie, 58 walkers raised about
$1,500.
The Grossmont College Friends
of Music hosted a fundraiser to benefit the Grossmont College Symphony and
Master Chorale April 30. About $22,000 was raised.
The Music Dept. held a
fundraiser for the Scholarship Fund on Monday, May 2, at Humphrey’s By the Bay
on Shelter Island. Several thousands of dollars were raised.
UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS
|
Several workshops are available to help you prepare for PowerPoint
2010, including:
·
Wednesday, May 11, 8:30 to 10 a.m., Room 55-534. RSVP to Nadra
Farina-Hess at nadra.farina-hess@gcccd.edu.
Seating is limited to 28 people.
·
An online webinar is available from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May
19. RSVP to @one training at http://www.onefortraining.org/node/472 .
·
A tutorial is available on demand. Allow 40 to 50 minutes to complete.
To access, click: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/make-the-switch-to-powerpoint-2010-RZ101791923.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA010359435
Several workshops are available to help you prepare for Excel 2010,
including:
·
Monday, May 9, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Room 55-534. RSVP to Nadra
Farina-Hess at nadra.farina-hess@gcccd.edu.
Seating is limited to 28 people.
·
An online webinar is available from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May
12. RSVP to @one training at http://www.onefortraining.org/node/472
.
·
A tutorial is available on demand. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to complete
to access, click: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/make-the-switch-to-excel-2010-RZ101809963.aspx
The Lady Griffs softball
team is hosting the first round of the state tournament. Games are scheduled
vs. Saddleback College at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, and noon on Sunday, May 8.
An Adult Reentry Seminar
will be held in Bldg 36 Room 346, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10. The
topic is: “Finding the Fit: Learn (real life) Strategies That Work For
You.” Sarah Moore is the speaker.
The Grossmont College Theatre
Arts Department will present Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward, Directed by
Henry J. Jordan, May 12-14 and 18-21, @ 7:30 pm and May 14 and 21 @ 2 pm in the
Stagehouse Theatre. The smash comedy hit of the London and Broadway stages,
this classic offers some of Coward’s funniest characters. Charles Condomine, a
cantankerous novelist, is haunted by his first wife Elvira, after the “happy
medium” Madam Arcate arrives. All bets are off for Charles as his first and
then second wife, “the Blithe Spirits” haunt him from the other side. Don’t
miss this “comedy of manners” from the great Noel Coward. For information,
visit www.Grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure.
The Grossmont College Hyde Art
Gallery is proud to present “Grossmont College Art Student Exhibition
2011.” You
are cordially invited to view this exhibition opening on May 9th and closing on
May 19th. This exhibition is a cross-section of art produced by art students
resulting from their studies within the department. The works on display were
selected and submitted by their instructors for this exhibition. These works
represent some of the best examples in ceramics, digital media, painting,
drawing, jewelry, photography, sculpture and 2-D & 3-Dimensional design.
The student award presentation event honoring these emerging artists will be
held on Tuesday, May 17th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. In addition, we would like to
thank the Grossmont College World Arts and
Cultures Committee for their generous donation in order to make the May 17th
event possible.
The Career Center will host
a free workshop on etiquette and mock interviews from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on
Thursday, May 19, in Building 36, Room #346. To RSVP, call ext. 7614.
The Grossmont College Dance
Department will present its Spring 2011 Master Dance Class series on
Friday, May 13 in the Dance Studio, 24-271. Guest instructor is Robin Morgan.
Beginning ballet will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., and Intermediate and
Advance ballet will be held from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m.
END OF YEAR
CELEBRATIONS AND GRADUATION CEREMONIES
|
Police Academy Graduation, Friday, May 6, 6 p.m.,
Main Quad.
Phi Theta Kappa Induction
Ceremony,
Saturday, May 7, 6 p.m., Room #220.
Corrections Academy
Graduation,
Friday, May 13, 6 p.m., Main Quad.
Transfer Achievement
Celebration,
Friday, May 13, 6 p.m., Room #220.
Nursing Pinning Ceremony, Tuesday, May 31, 5:30
p.m., Main Quad.
Commencement, Wednesday, June 1, 5:30
p.m., Main Quad.
Office Professional
Training Graduation, Friday, June 3, 6:30 p.m., Main Quad.
Middle College High
School Graduation, Monday, June 6, 5:30 p.m., Main Quad. 