Prresident's Newsburst - February 2013

PRESIDENT’S NEWSBURST

FEBRUARY 2013

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Spring 2013 semester promises to be one of renewal and moving forward. With the passage of Proposition 30 in November, we have the opportunity to offer 182 additional courses this semester.  Despite the heroic efforts of our department chairs, deans, and instructional operations, we were unable to fully restore all of the 182 sections for spring.  Therefore, following census, stay tuned for opportunities to add additional second 8-week sessions as our FTEs goal for 2012/13 warrants. 

We currently are working on the Facilities Master Plan Phase 2 to determine priorities for classroom and program space, thanks to the passage of Proposition V by East County voters.

After the past five years of devastating budget cuts,  Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget is good news for community colleges, although there are some areas of concern. I was in Sacramento on Jan. 28 with the Chancellor and several members of the Governing Board, meeting with our legislators about the recommendations.

This week, I have had the honor of speaking in New Delhi, India, at a conference hosted by the U.S. State Department and the Government of India. I traveled with a delegation of U.S. community college presidents to assist the Indian Government in its effort to open some 200 community colleges in the country.  I spoke about healthcare programs, how they are established, structured and maintained, telling conference participants about our own wonderful course offerings that lead to highly skilled professions in high demand areas.

I know you are working hard each and every day to ensure our students’ success, and I thank you for all that you do.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month was first celebrated on a college campus (Kent State University in Ohio) in February 1970, although its origins date back to 1926. The Black History Month Planning Committee has organized a series of free events throughout the month, including “A Day of Giants,” featuring the Queen of Kansas City Blues Jeannie Cheatham and legendary jazz musician John Handy, who will discuss their lives, careers and craft from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at Griffin Gate inside the student center. The event is free and open to the public. Other events include:

·         Jazz Kitchen with Soul Food Specials is available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 13 and 27, and Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Griffin Grill inside the student center, Building 60. Musical performances will feature the Grossmont College Music Department’s Jazz Studies Program on Wednesdays and Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist John Handy on Feb. 21.

·         The student documentary, “Who Are We Really: An exploration of Multiculturalism Self-identity,” will be shown at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room 220, Building 26. This film directed by Grossmont College student Sicarra Devers explores self-identity through the lens of a multicultural society and utilizes interviews from students, faculty and community members to highlight issues relating to race relations today.

·         Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service beach cleanup will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at Fiesta Island. Sponsored by the Associated Students of Grossmont College and the Inter-Club Council, the community is invited to join students from Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges in this joint community service project.

·         The Umoja Program is sponsoring a showing from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, of the film, “The Great Debaters,” based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College in Texas in 1935, who inspired students to form the school’s first African-American debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. Prior to the film, members of Grossmont College’s award-winning speech and debate team will conduct a mini-debate. The Umoja Program is a student-achievement program designed to promote academic success, retention, degree completion and transfer rates of African-American and other students enrolled at the college.

·         From 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and from 3-4 p.m. Wednesdays through the month of February, representatives of the college’s Umoja Program will be available in Room 173, Building 10, to provide information and research help about the nation’s 105 historically black colleges and universities.

For more information about events, contact Student Affairs at ext. 7600.

HEART HEALTHY MONTH

February is Heart Healthy Month and the GC Wellness Initiative and Professional Development Committee can help you with that through a variety of free employee fitness classes.

Get energized with Zumba from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in Room 42-101, or join the Yoga class from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in Room 42-101. Both classes begin Feb. 11.

Join your colleagues and co-workers for Volunteer-Led Activity Groups that provide a fun way to stay fit.

·         Contact Laura Murphey for information about the walking group at 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Feb. 12, at the steps in front of Student Services Complex Building 10.

·         Denise Schulmeyer leads a beginning jogging group for those who haven’t jogged before or those who would like to start again at 5:15 p.m.  Mondays and Wednesdays at the track.

·         Talk to Agustin Albarran to participate in a cycling group that leaves from parking lot 1 in front of the Digital Arts building at noon on Wednesdays.

·         Anita Martinez leads hikes at Mission Trails and Will Pines does the same in North County.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

·         Students will be awarded scholarships at the Spring 2013 Scholarship Awards Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 9, in the Griffin Center. Food service begins at 9:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 10 a.m. The Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges and the Grossmont College Scholarship Department host the event. Thirty-five students will be awarded scholarships totaling $17,100. In addition, 21 students will receive Osher scholarships totaling $10,500. The scholarships can be used to help defray the cost of textbooks, equipment, lab fees and other items beyond registration fees.

·         Give the Dream is a new fundraising extravaganza to support the Dreamkeepers program, which provides grants of up to $500 to students who encounter unforeseen financial challenges. Sponsored by Scholarship America with financial support from the Walmart Foundation, the goal of Dreamkeepers is to keep students in school. On Thursday, March 14, the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges will host a noon rally outside of the Griffin Center , with entertainment, radio promotions and food. Community events will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at Grossmont Center, Parkway Plaza and the Santee Trolley stop. Faculty and staff are invited to all events, and to volunteer.  You can learn more here.

·         Alyze Dreiling, a well-known professional violist/violist doubler in San Diego performs as the new principal violinist with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra at its next concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Grossmont College Recital Hall (26-220). General admission is $10; students are $5. A second performance will be at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, at All Saints Episcopal Church at Sixth and Pennsylvania avenues in San Diego’s uptown district. Admission is free, although donations are accepted. The performance includes selections from Bach, Brahms, Kodaly and Khandoshkin.

·         The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale will perform Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with guest artists, Communications/Speech Professor Joel Castellaw and student actors, at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the Cuyamaca College Music Hall. General admission is $10; $5 for students. A second performance with be at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, at Paradise Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church at 2701 East 8^th St. in National City. Admission is free, although donations are accepted.

·         The Hyde Gallery hosts an opening event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 7 for its current exhibition, “DOUBLE VISIONS: Contemporary Collaborative Artists.” The exhibit, which runs through Feb. 21, features artists who work in a wide range of three-dimensional media. The gallery, located in Building 25 across from Café 200, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Admission is free.

·         The Theater Arts Department will present “Inside the Actor’s Process” at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the Stagehouse Theater in Building 21. General admission is $10 per person. Tickets are available at the door and online at the Theatre Arts Department website, which you can access here. The cast uses monologues and scenes from contemporary plays to bring imaginary people to life and reveal the inner workings of the minds and hearts of the characters they portray. For more information, phone ext. 7234..

·         The Inter-Club Council, Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc. and Student Affairs present the Sweetheart Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14, in the Main Quad. Free ice cream courtesy of ASGC, Inc. Information from many of the 30 student clubs will be available as well as items for sale. All proceeds will benefit individual clubs.

RECENT CAMPUS EVENTS

·         Thirty students graduated in January from the Office of Professional Training (OPT) program. The scheduled guest speaker, Monica Zech, public information officer for the city of El Cajon, was delayed because of a snow storm in Wyoming so Tim Flood, vice president of administrative services, stepped in to give the graduation address. Since he attends every graduation ceremony, he knew what he was talking about when he recognized the accomplishments of graduates who complete an intense 20-week program to give them marketable skills. In fact, at least 10 of the graduates already have jobs.

·         More than 40 members of our campus community came together to make Grossmont College’s Week of Welcome (WOW!) a success. Students Affairs is still collecting final numbers from those who hosted workshops and events throughout the week, but early numbers show that 1,647 students participated, including stopping by the information tables and taking advantage of the Activities Fair.

HONORS

·         Congratulations to the Culinary Arts Program students and to Joe Orate, who was named Chef of the Year by the Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego. The Association honored students Cynthia Meyers with the Student Culinarian of the Year Award, David Litke with the Presidential Award and a $500 scholarship and both Salina Quan and Jessica Church with a Volunteer Appreciation Award.

·         Gary Jacobson and Pat Murray were selected as recipients of the 2012 John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Awards, which recognizes the outstanding contributions and leaders of community college faculty and staff.  A selection of recipient photos, statements and videos, which you can access here, will be featured at the kick-off celebration at the League for Innovations in Community College conference March 10-13 in Dallas, Texas.

·         Tim Flood received the President’s Leadership Award during the Spring 2013 Convocation. Tim has been such an asset to this campus, including as the go-to person for the past 10 years of Prop. R bond construction.

IN THE NEWS

KUSI’s Mike Castellucci reported from the Griffin Center on the first day of classes. Tim Flood, Agustin Albarran and ASGC President Peg Marcus were among those who were interviewed. Click here to see what they had to say.

ACCREDITATION UPDATE

Accreditation Chair Chris Hill thanks everyone who has assisted in the final editing of the 2013 Grossmont College Accreditation Self Evaluation Report. There is still time to participate. You can give feedback on the report, which can be accessed here (login and password required). Discussions on the report will occur in forums and other groups in March and April, with the goal of securing Governing Board approval in May. The report is scheduled to be submitted to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in June. A visiting team of peer evaluators representing ACCJC will visit the campus in October. If you have any questions about the document or the accreditation process in general, please contact chris.hill@gcccd.edu

WACC  GRANTS

The World Arts and Cultures Committee (WACC) is soliciting grant requests for the funding of on-campus diversity, cultural or arts initiatives, events and/or programs to occur in the Spring 2013 semester. Grant requests for this semester should be submitted to the Student Affairs Office no later than Thursday, Feb. 14. Allow at least three weeks for approval. Grants funded by the WACC in Fall 2012 include:

Celebration of Mexican Independence (16 de Septembre)

Cultural Influences on Healthcare

Dia de los Muertos Into Abstraction Artists Talk

IN THE COMMUNITY

The East County Chamber of Commerce is asking for help for its annual event, “Ethics in Business,” from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 East Douglas Ave. in El Cajon. Facilitators are needed to ask questions and guide the discussion about ethical issues for the 150 East County high school seniors who participate. If you can help, you will need to attend a Facilitator’s Training from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. either Tuesday, Feb. 12, or Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the chamber’s offices, 201 S. Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon. Breakfast and lunch will be provided the day of the event. Contact Jane Moore at (619) 440-6161, if you are interested in volunteering.