President's Newsburst - March 2013

PRESIDENT’S NEWSBURST

MARCH 2013

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I’ve always been proud of our teamwork here at Grossmont and it was evident once again when we pulled together these past few weeks to offer more than 40 new courses for Spring 2013.

As you know, it has been a difficult four years of budget cuts and downsizing. The passage of Proposition 30 in November allowed us to respond to the needs of the community and to our students, some of whom have been frustrated by those cuts.

A special thanks to Chris Hill and the deans for organizing the many offerings and to the instructors who are teaching the additional courses. The faculty and staff worked tremendously hard to publicize the new “late-start” classes through radio ads, webpage links, Facebook postings, posters and fliers around campus and in the classrooms, and information on our onsite TV screens. I also sent an email blast to current and former students.

Because of our combined efforts, we were able to offer all five of the proposed classes that began Feb. 25. We have additional classes starting in March and more than 30 courses set to begin April 1. Classes are both online and on campus across the entire curriculum.

I expect that with your continued help in getting the word out about this tremendous opportunity, students will take advantage of these added courses starting later this month and in April. They, as always, are the beneficiaries of your efforts. Thank you!

VOLUNTEER TO GIVE THE DREAM

The Give the Dream fundraising campaign is scheduled on Thursday, March 14^th (a similar event will be held at Cuyamaca) on campus in the main quad, and at its community activities on Saturday March 16^th, at Grossmont Center, Parkway Plaza and the Santee Trolley stop.  Volunteers are needed for the Street Teams on Saturday, March 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers will be asked to spread the word about Give the Dream at these events and provide people with the opportunity to make donations.  The money raised will fund the Dreamkeepers® program in 2014; 100 percent of the donations will be used for student grants of up to $500 for a financial emergency – medical bills, car repair, unexpected child care expenses – that might mean the difference between staying in school or dropping out.

To volunteer, go to www.givethedream.net/volunteer.  Just complete, click “submit” and you will be on your way to helping a student achieve their dream. As an added incentive, each Street Team member will be entered into a drawing to win four Padres tickets where you will enjoy watching the game from a suite – food and beverages included. 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

In honor of Women’s History Month, Dr. Sue Gonda will present a lecture titled, “Corsets, Heels and Surgery, Oh My:  A Historical Look at Women’s Health and Fashion.”  The event is from 1-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, at Griffin Gate.  It is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Student Affairs at x7601.

Interesting facts about women form the U.S. Census Bureau:

·         More women (31.4 million) have bachelor’s degrees than men (30 million).  Women has a larger share of high school diplomas (including equivalents), as well as associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but more men hold a professional or doctoral degree.

·         Some 41.7% of women who are in management, professional and related occupations, compared to 35.1% of working men.

·         The median annual earnings of full-time women workers was $37,118, compared to $48,202 for men.

·         Of the 204,973 women on active duty in the military, 38,378 were officers.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

·         Rick Hazlett, the professor originally scheduled to be our Spring 2013 Flex Week keynote speaker before a scheduling conflict prevented him from being here, has volunteered to speak at our campus, at no cost. The lecture titled, “The Energy Transition Imperative: The Necessity and Challenges of Attaining a ‘Popular Mechanics’ Future,” with be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, in Building 34, Room 204, followed by a question-and-answer session. This guest lecture qualifies for two hours of flex credit. Students are welcome. For more information, click here. ·         As part of the Spring 2013 Workshop Series, Annie Zuckerman offers a class on Outlook Express from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, March 1, and Donna Dixon will offer a class in Excel from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 15. The content of these workshops will be par­ticipant-driven, so fill out the questionnaire when you register to help determine the con­tent of the workshops. Registration: Click here.  Classified staff are asked to work with their supervisor so that appropriate service levels be maintained.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

·         Teams of videogame players representing colleges countywide will gather in Building 55, Room 530, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, to challenge online gamers in a real-time League of Legends tournament. The event will be shown simultaneously on the big screen in the adjacent student center. Representing Grossmont College will be members of the Epic Video Gamers Guild, an on-campus club led by Paul Cornish, a professor in the Computer Science and Information Systems department. It is free and open to the public.

·         The Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble will perform from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13, in the Main Quad. “The Gathering,” a dazzling show of music and dance from around the world, features a troupe of 42 musicians, dancers and technicians who have performed for millions of people in more than 50 countries. The ensemble will showcase dances from more than a dozen ethnic cultures, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.

·         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 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.

·         Tickets are on sale now for the Culinary Arts Department’s fine dining experience from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays in the Griffin Center, Room 173. Cost is $20 for a six-course gourmet meal (vegetarian meals are available on request). Space still is available March 7, April 4, 18, 25 and May 2. Call Alexis at ext. 7267, or purchase tickets at the Grossmont College Box Office in Building 22, 200/A-1.

·         The Theater Arts Department will present “The Odyssey: A Play” at 7:30 p.m. on March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23, and at 2 p.m. on March 14 and 23 at the Stagehouse Theater in Building 21. General admission is $15; $12 for faculty, staff, seniors and military; and $10 for students. Tickets are available at the door and online at the Theatre Arts Department website, which you can access here.  For more information, phone ext. 7234.

·         The Hyde Gallery hosts an opening event from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 14 for its current exhibition, “Works by Berning, Burkett and Wilson,” a ceramics exhibition. The exhibit, which begins March 11 and runs through April 11, features work by Trent Berning, Richard Burkett and Lana Wilson. 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.

·         Jane Blount, a guest lecturer at UCSD, will offer a Self-Massage/Body Roller Workshop from 12:45 to 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, in the dance studio, Building 24, Room 271. She has danced professionally in New York City, Chicago and San Diego, and was co-founder of Lower Left Dance & Performance Collective. She will teach you how to use the foam roller and Acuballs to reduce pain and chronic muscle tension. Bring your own yoga mat or call ext. 7766 to reserve one.

·         Sadie Weinberg will present a master class in Modern Dance from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, in the dance studio, Building 24, Room 271. Cost is $10 per class or $18 for two classes on the same day. Call ext. 7766 for more information. Weinberg holds a BFA in dance from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College and an MFA from UC Irvine.

HONORS

·         Clarissa Norris was selected softball player of the week in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference for her outstanding play during five games in the SD City Knights tournament on Feb. 15 and 16. She received a certificate signed by Commissioner John Woods.

·         Congratulations to the Grossmont Speech/Debate Team – winners once again. At the Cerritos tournament on Feb. 15 and 16, Mayte Guiterrez placed first in Open Division Poetry and Darron DeVillez placed second in Novice Division Persuasion.  Jeffrey Adams won a fourth place Speaker Award and Samuel Thomas received an eighth place Speaker Award in the Novice Division Parliamentary Debate. Cole Steffensen was a finalist in Open Division Impromptu.  The Speech/Debate team also won another competition at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensic Association Spring Championships in Long Beach February 23-24,

·         The Student and Administrative Building and Griffin Center renovation and expansion won the highest award given in the “Top Real Estate Deals of the Year” award competition from the San Diego Business Journal. A panel of real estate experts judged entries on overall significance, difficulty in completion, features of the project and numerous other categories. Top honors were given in categories that included Most Innovative, Public/Private, Biotech/Life Sciences, Industrial, Office, Multifamily, Medical and Rehabilitation/Re-Use. Grossmont won for the overall top project of the year.

IN THE NEWS

·         George Varga of U-T San Diego and Cynthia Robertson of The East County Californian both wrote stories about “A Day of Giants,” featuring the Queen of Kansas City Blues Jeannie Cheatham and legendary jazz musician John Handy. The two jazz greats discussed their lives, careers and craft on Feb. 21 in a well-attended presentation at Griffin Gate, one of the many Black History Month events.  Click here for the U-T San Diego article and click here for the story in the East County Californian.

GET HEALTHY

Reminder: The GC Wellness Initiative and Professional Development Committee organized 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.

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 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.

IN THE COMMUNITY

The contest deadline for the second annual Lake Jennings photo contest, sponsored by the Helix Water District, is April 1. Photos taken at Lake Jennings during March can be entered for prizes of up to $100 in adult and student categories. Photos can be of any aspect of the lake – wildlife, wild flowers, camping, fishing, boating or scenic views.

An entry and release form must accompany each photo. Click here.  Photographers can stop at the Bait and Tackle Shop for a free pass any Friday, Saturday or Sunday during March. Photography from the campground can be done any day of the week, with passes available at the gate house. (Passes do not include a fishing permit.)