THANK YOU!
|
As you know this has been one of the most challenging years
for public higher education in the state of California. Each day we hit
new highs and new lows. The highs include record high numbers of students
that we are serving and record high financial
aid forms filled out by our students. The lows include staffing levels
and dollars to support instruction and essential services to our
students. But through it all, Grossmont College continues to “stand
and deliver” even through these most challenging of times.
Every opportunity I get, I want to thank you for your
tireless service to our college and to our students. Without you and your
support, we would not be able to accomplish all that we do on behalf of our
students and our community. Thank you for your determination and heroism
on the front lines. With an attitude of excellence, enthusiasm and loyal
teamwork, you have put forth the effort in service to students and to one
another. And, your efforts continue to produce significant achievements and
change lives.
EXPANSION PLANS FOR THE SUMMIT NEWSPAPER
|
Now available in newsstands across campus is the Fall
semester’s first issue of The Summit, Grossmont College’s student
newspaper. According to Dr. Wayne Towers, newspaper advisor, a twice-a-month
publishing schedule is planned. Efforts are underway to increase advertising,
which will increase the size of the paper. In addition, GC’s Media
Communications Dept.
has adopted a new generation, cross-media journalistic approach that will
result in wider distribution of the school newspaper, along with other news
delivery content created by GC students this semester. A new website, currently
under construction, is planned to feature an online PDF version of The Summit,
including archived issues and a readers blog for opinionated comments, along
with digital TV magazine programming that will be written and produced by
students enrolled in the new Broadcast Journalism class (MCOM 299). This
integrated effort is bringing together GC students concentrating in video,
audio, digital media and photography. Local new-media experts in the community,
some of whom helped grow SignOnSanDiego, are advising GC with ideas.
REVIEW OF 6 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN UNDERWAY
|
Review has begun by campus constituencies of the 2010-2016
Grossmont College Strategic Plan. The Plan sets out ambitious six-year goals
and strategic directions that the college will pursue as it responds to the
changing educational needs
of the community. The Plan focuses the college’s commitment on its community,
students, and employees by encouraging new thinking and efforts to help
Grossmont College address the dynamic educational, economic, civic and
workforce needs of the region. Through a collegial planning process, the
college has refined goals and strategies to reflect the most current assessment
of needs and opportunities facing the East San Diego County region. The Plan
includes results from an institutional SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats) assessment, as well as proposed vision statements,
mission statements and value statements. The Plan also identifies five major
strategic planning areas of focus for the next six years, including Student
Access, Learning and Student Success, Fiscal and Physical Resources, Economic
and Community Development and Value and Support of Employees. The Strategic
Plan, along with appendices and an area for comments, can be viewed on the
Intranet at http://www.grossmont.edu/intranet/strategicReport/default.htm.
OUR NEXT ACCREDITATION REPORT
|
Our Follow-up Report to the Accrediting Commission for
Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) was submitted to meet the Oct. 15
deadline. Now, work will begin on our Midterm Accreditation Report, which is
due October 2010. Selection of a Steering Committee is beginning and the report
should be ready for collegial consultation in Spring 2010.
You can read our current Follow-Up Report on the intranet at
PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP AWARD
|
As a reminder, nominations for the President’s Leadership
award are due to the President’s Office by Friday, Oct. 16. This award
will be presented during the Spring 2010 flex week and at a special recognition
ceremony in May 2010. We encourage each of you to consider nominating an
outstanding member of our college community for this award. The President’s
Leadership Award was established to recognize leadership in service to
students, faculty and staff, and to encourage continuation of that excellence.
Nominations of full-time administrative staff and other individuals in
leadership positions at Grossmont College may be submitted by any member of the
college community who has personal and direct knowledge of the nominee’s work,
and who can comment on the unique and outstanding characteristics in support of
the nominee’s excellent service to students, faculty and staff.
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION
|
We are pleased to announce this year’s Art Faculty
Exhibition, opening on October 5th and closing on October 29th. This 2009 mixed
media show features both a very diverse and outstanding selection of
work. The art is representative of the various disciplines that exist
within the Grossmont College Art Department: photography, jewelry, painting and
drawing, ceramics and sculpture. Selected pieces are available for sale. The
exhibition is free and open to the public. An Opening Event will be on Tuesday,
October 6, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Gallery’s hours are Monday & Thursday,
10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday & Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. we are CLOSED
Friday to Sunday & Legal Holidays. Admission is free. The Gallery
is located in Building #25 in the 200 area quad across “Café
200.” Questions please call extension 7299.
WEB STAFF DIRECTORY
|
The Web Staff Directory can be assessed by visiting www.grossmont.edu/intranet/staffdir.
If you want your photo included, and if your photograph has not yet been taken,
please contact our college photographer Stephen Harvey (ext. 7377) for an
individual appointment. In addition, photo sessions can be scheduled so that
entire departments can be photographed at the same sitting.
GOVERNING BOARD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
|
As a reminder, the Governing Board adopts various Board
Policies and Administrative Procedures that are available for review on the
District website. The categories include Chancellor, General Institution,
Academic Affairs, Student Services, Board Policies, Business and Fiscal Affairs
and Human Resources. The topics vary from Ethics and Conflict of Interest to
Disaster Preparedness and Workplace Safety. To view the Governing Board
Policies and Procedures, visit http://www.gcccd.edu/governingboard/policies-and-procedures.asp.
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
|
Please be sensitive to the backgrounds and perceptions of
others when forwarding e-mails to a group of other employees. Reserve the
“Reply to All” for instances where everyone must hear the response .
In many cases, replying to the sender alone may be sufficient. If someone
asks you to refrain from forwarding e-mails to them, try not to take it
personally and see if you can accommodate them. Be careful when forwarding
e-mails on political or controversial issues -- the recipient may not
appreciate your point of view or may be offended by the content. Also,
don’t forget that there is no such thing as a private e-mail.
BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE GALA
|
The Grossmont College Foundation’s 2009 Dinner Gala and
Auction fund-raiser will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Barona Valley
Ranch Resort & Casino. Don’t miss this spectacular event. Festivities will
begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception and silent auction, followed by dinner starting at 7 p.m., live auction and live
entertainment.. The theme for the 2009 Gala, the eighth annual, is “Reaching New
Heights With You.” The theme reflects the Foundation’s partnership with the
community in assisting the college’s efforts to reach “new heights” in
educational excellence, workforce training, scholarship programs and an endless
array of new opportunities for students. Division and departments are
encouraged to buy a table and sit with colleagues. Significantly discounted
tickets are available for GC faculty, staff and administrators. In addition,
everyone is invited to donate silent auction items, including gift certificates
for merchandise and professional services. Proceeds again will benefit student
scholarships and under-funded programs at Grossmont College. A donation to the
Grossmont College Foundation directly supports students through scholarships,
educational equipment and supplies, educational programs and improvements to
activities. For more information about tickets, sponsorship and donation
opportunities, contact Alexis Popko at the Grossmont College Foundation office
at (619) 644-7109, or via e-mail at grossmont.foundation@gcccd.edu,
or visit www.grossmont.edu/foundation.
BLOOD DRIVE RESULTS
|
At a recent two-day blood drive held Sept. 8 and 9 in the
Main Quad, the San Diego Blood Bank collected
a total of 88 pints, representing 176 saved lives. The number of donors who
responded was 56 on the first day and 60 on the second day. The next blood
drive will be held Nov. 3 and 4.
H1N1 VIRUS UPDATE
|
Preparation and Monitoring
In
preparation for flu season, numerous stations have been set up in public areas
across campus to dispense alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Preventive
information has been made available through email and the college's
website. Monitoring of flu-like symptoms on campus affecting employees as
well as students has been compiled through supervisors through central
locations on campus. Student illnesses have been monitored through
student health services on each campus.
Additionally, in preparation for flu season, County Public
Health Officials recommend two different types of vaccines:
The general seasonal flu vaccine which is currently available to the public
and the H1N1 vaccine (not yet available). The H1N1 vaccine is
anticipated to arrive to healthcare providers in October and early indications
are that only one dose of the H1N1 vaccine will be required for
protection.
Avoiding contact with sick people will limit transmission of
the flu which commonly occurs via airborne and droplet transmission as well as
contact transmission. Additionally, wash hands frequently with soap and water
or, if necessary, alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Keeping hands away from
your face and keeping work stations clean are all important steps to avoiding
the flu.
H1N1 Mitigation
If you have flu-like symptoms (fever greater than 100
degrees, cough and/or sore throat), stay home from work or school. Be
sure to have critical phone numbers with you so that you can inform your
supervisor of your absence.
While ill, keep away from others, stay home, cover coughs
and sneezes (with an elbow or shoulder), get plenty of rest and drink ample
amounts of clear liquids to hydrate. Stay home until the fever has gone
away for 24 hours (without fever reducing drugs). Healthcare workers are
encouraged to remain home for 7 days or until symptoms are gone plus one day.
Monitoring employee’s health will allow for special
housekeeping precautions to be taken in areas or units where transmission of
the flu is significant. Encouraging students to stay home when ill, will
also be crucial to prevent the spread of the flu.
County Health Officials indicate that medical assistance
should be sought if you are pregnant or suffer from complicating health
conditions. Emergency care is warranted if the sick person
has chest pain or difficulty in breathing, is vomiting and unable to keep
fluids down, is dehydrated, has seizures or is not responding normally.
Continuity of Operations
If you are ill and unable to come to work, please follow the
normal procedures for calling in the illness and state that you may be
experiencing flu-like symptoms.
The Academic Senate will be considering measures that
faculty might take to ensure the integrity of coursework during times of
significant student or faculty absence. The reassurance from faculty and
staff and willingness to assist students in returning back to class when they
are well will assist in preventing the spread of the flu.
At this time, according to County Health Officials, it is
unlikely that entire campus closure will result from sporadic cases of H1N1
which have been considered mild, to date. However, if the severity
of illness or number of cases in particular location warrant, new
guidelines may be issued which might change the County Health protocols.
Information Pertinent to Students
If you receive inquiries from students, please share
with them the following critical information and refer them to the website,
below, or student health services for more specific information.
- To prevent illness, stay
away from sick people. County Public Health Officials recommend
obtaining both the seasonal flu vaccine available now and the H1N1 vaccine
to become available in October.
- If you have flu-like symptoms (fever greater than
100 degrees, cough and/or sore throat), stay home from school and contact
your professors by phone or email. Inquire about how you might
continue your studies in the course as you are able.
- Please stay away from others during your period of
illness and do not return to school until your fever is gone (without
fever reducing drugs) for at least 24 hours.
- If you have questions or concerns, please call or visit
students health services on campus.
For More Information
Please visit college/district website at www.grossmont.edu / www.gcccd.edu
County
Office of Public Health at www.sdcounty.ca.gov
Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/flu
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
The Theatre Arts Department will present
“The Tempest,” William Shakespeare’s magical and mystical tale of fantasy, at
7:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 10 and 17 at
the Stagehouse Theatre. The classic play creates a storm of intrigue, romance
and comedy when the survivors of a sorcerer’s chaotic spell interact with the
denizens of an enchanted island. The play is directed by Grossmont College
Theatre Arts professor Beth Duggan. Admission is $10 per person and $9 for
military and seniors. The box office will be open one hour prior to all
performances.
The Culinary Arts Dept. will host on
Thursday evenings a five-course dinner prepared by Grossmont culinary students
enrolled in Grossmont’s “Quantity Foods” class. Cost is $15 per person. Funds
will help raise money for travel expenses for students to compete in state and
national culinary competitions, as well as maintain kitchen equipment and
purchase supplies. The dinners will feature an appetizer (soup or salad),
intermezzo (palate cleanser), entree, dessert and coffee service. Vegetarian
meals also are available. Dinner service will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday,
Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5 and 19, at the college’s Culinary Arts patio dining
area near the Student Center. Reservations can be made by phoning Michele
Martens at extension 7550 or 7549, or by e-mail. Space is limited and some
dates may already be full.
The Creative Writing Program will host
poet Rae Armantrout at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, in Griffin Gate. Admission
is free. Armantrout is a professor of writing, poetry and poetics in the
Department of Literature at the University of California, San Diego. She has
taught writing at UCSD for nearly 20 years, and directed the New Writing Series
at UCSD since 1989.
A Play about 9 Iraqi Women: The
Mo'elelo Performing Arts Company of San Diego is presenting a Play
entitled "9 Parts of Desire " about 9 Iraqi women living in Baghdad,
London and New York. There is a performance on October 11, at 2:00 which
will be followed by a post-discussion on the Interpretations of the Role of
Women in Islam with Dr. Ghada Osman, the Director of the Center for Islamic
and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University. If you like to go,
send Sonia Ghattas-Soliman an e-mail, as soon as possible. For more
information about the location, the play and the prices, go to http://electrictemple.net/stage.php?id_stg=15.
September 26-October 3, Banned Books Week
October 2, Women’s Volleyball v. SD City,
@ SD City, 5 p.m.
October 2,3, Women’s Water Polo, SD Mesa
Classic Tournament, @ SD Mesa.
October 3, Football v. Palomar, @
Escondido High School, 1 p.m.
October 7, College Transfer Day, 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m., @ Main Quad
October 7, Women’s Soccer v. Miramar, @
Miramar, 3:15 p.m.
October 7, Men’s Water Polo v.
Southwestern, @ Southwestern, 3:15 p.m.
October 7, Women’s Volleyball v. SD Mesa,
@ SD Mesa, 5 p.m.
October 7, Women’s Water Polo v.
Southwestern, @ Southwestern, 2 p.m.
October 9, Women’s Soccer v.
Southwestern, @ Grossmont, 1 p.m.
October 9, 10, Men’s Water Polo,
Citrus/Chaffey Tournament, @ Citrus
October 9, Women’s Volleyball v.
Cuyamaca, @ Cuyamaca 5 p.m.
October 10, Football v. Long Beach, @
Griffins Stadium, 1 p.m.
October 10, Women’s Cross Country,
Brubaker Invitational, @ Irvine Park
October 14, Women’s Soccer v. Cuyamaca, @
Cuyamaca, 3:15 p.m.
October 15, Women’s Water Polo v. SD
Mesa, @ Joan Kroc, 1 p.m.
October 16, GC Child Development Center,
10-year anniversary, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
October 17, California Teachers of English To
Speakers of Other Languages, Regional Conference, @ Grossmont College.
October 19-23, Career Week.
October 20, Governing Board, Griffin
Gate, 6:30 p.m.