PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
|
Well we made it through to the half-way point
in the semester! Congratulations to all
of us and our students. As you can see
from the length of this email message, there are many, many wonderful events
happening on our campus and this issue is a round-up of the offerings on
campus. I hope you will make a point to
skim through the happenings and make sure to note those of importance to you so
that you can enthusiastically participate.
I
am very proud of our 40 faculty, staff and administrators from Grossmont who
participated on Sept. 30 in a districtwide daylong forum to discuss the
Educational Master Plan, the blue print for GCCCD planning for the next two
decades. As a district, we have been working on the plan since January, guided
by a steering committee with GC representatives Chris Hill, Shirley Pereira and
Barb Blanchard. The work included
reading 175 articles that were submitted to help determine trends that will
influence education over the next 20 years. Those trends include: older and
more diverse students; technological changes in the way education is offered,
from online courses to new ways to publish and access information on the
Internet; and increased demand for training and education as more jobs require
skills beyond high school. After hearing the predictions for the future that
were offered at a community forum and student forums at Grossmont and Cuyamaca
colleges, participants from Grossmont, Cuyamaca and District Services each
huddled to come up with their ideas on what they’d like to see for the
college’s and district’s future. Grossmont’s representatives came up with ideas
for the future in a wide range of areas. Many great ideas were shared and the
draft Educational Master Plan is likely to be completed and ready for our
collegial consultation discussions on campus in the month of November followed
by a presentation to the Board of Trustees in December. The
full trends report is available at www.gcccd.edu/intranet/emp.
EARTHQUAKE DRILL-
“GREAT CALIFORNIA SHAKEOUT”
|
We
never know when the next seismic activity will occur. So, to highlight
importance of earthquake planning, we will participate in the upcoming “Great California Shakeout” on Thursday, October 20. Dozens of colleges and
universities already will join us for this statewide earthquake
drill. Last year more than 7.8 million Californians participated. For more
information on the Great Shakeout please visit www.ShakeOut.org.
‘FIFTY AND FANTABULOUS’
CELEBRATION
|
“Fifty
and Fantabulous” is the theme of our 50th anniversary fundraising celebration
from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Health and Sciences Complex.
Proceeds will benefit the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the
recently-formed fundraising organization that supports students and educational
programs at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. Guests are encouraged to dress in
the attire they may have worn as a college student, whether it’s the peace beads of the 1960s
or the acid-washed jeans of the 1980s.
Heavy
hors d’oeuvres, desserts and a no-host bar will be featured. Several hundred
silent and live auction items are expected to be available to the highest
bidders. Also located in different areas of the two-story Health and Sciences
Complex will be displays of photographs, memorabilia and videos chronicling the
college’s 50-year history, as well as live entertainment showcasing Grossmont
College’s performing artists. Guests can look forward to listening to their
favorite pop tunes heard during the previous five decades. Discounted tickets
can be purchased online at www.foundation.gcccd.edu.
The
proceeds from this 50th anniversary fundraiser will benefit
Grossmont College Scholarships and programs so please consider purchasing a
ticket, donating a silent auction item or soliciting a donation from a
community business.
COLLEGE TRANSFER
DAY
|
College
Transfer Day is Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Main Quad.
The Transfer Center is anticipating representatives from four UC’s, five CSU’s,
six out-of-state schools and 22 independent or private schools. There are four
things you can do to help students consider their transfer options:
#1.
Encourage students to attend the College Transfer Fair.
#2.
Add your name to the list of faculty, administrators and staff who are willing
to share information about their alma mater(s) with students.
#3.
Wear an “Ask Me Where I Graduated” button on Tuesday and Wednesday (contact mary.rider@gcccd.edu to
get a button)
#4.
Wear the t-shirt of your alma mater on Wednesday, October 5th.
CLUBS FAIR WAS A
SUCCESS
|
Nearly
30 student clubs participated in the Clubs Fair hosted Wednesday and Thursday,
Sept. 28 and 29 between the Learning Technology Resource Center and Building
55. Combined, these student clubs offer
activities encompassing a wide variety of topics, from religion to politics,
from community service to gaming and from academic programs to advocacy. The
Clubs Fair is a bi-annual event hosted by the Inter Club Council, under the
direction of the Student Affairs Office, to provide students with an opportunity
to become involved in campus life at Grossmont College. Those unable to attend
the Clubs Fair can get more information and a complete list of clubs by
visiting www.grossmont.edu and
search keyword “Clubs.”
STUDENT SERVICES
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
|
Two
open forums were held to review and discuss organizational structure options
for Grossmont College Student Services. As some of you may be aware we have
recently experienced the separation, through retirement or resignation, of a
Dean, Associate Dean, and a Supervisor. This is an ideal time to review and
discuss potential organizational ideas that lead to enhanced student support,
potential future collaborations as well as leadership and support for the
area. The two forums allowed for
important feedback and input from the College community as to how best to
proceed with an organizational structure that is both effective and efficient
and positions us well into the future. The last forum is scheduled October 6th
@ 10:00-11:00 in Griffin Gate.
DREAMKEEPERS GRANTS NOW
AVAILABLE
|
Grossmont
College was recent selected two years ago by Scholarship America as a
“Dreamkeepers Grant” school. The Dreamkeepers grants are made to students who
are enrolled in at least six units with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and
can demonstrate an “emergency” need. These grants are for unanticipated emergency costs and not for costs associated with a lack
of preparation or anticipation associated with the costs of a college
education. Some examples of such emergencies include unanticipated bills
associated with child care, rent, transportation, and utilities. Expenses not
considered emergencies, and will not be covered, include tuition and fees,
books and supplies and normal academic related expenses. Approved awards will
be made within two business days from the point of application submission.
Checks in the amount of the approved award will be co-payable to the student
and the vender seeking payment (i.e. utility company, child care provider,
landlord, etc.) and collected by the student receiving the grant at the College
Cashier window. The Grossmont College Financial Aid Office began allocating
funds for the fall semester 2011 Monday, Sept. 26. Faculty or staff aware of
students experiencing a one-time emergency or a financial related crisis can
refer students to Selam Gebrekristos in Financial Aid for more information. We
will allocate up to $20,000 for the remainder of the current fall semester. The
average Dreamkeepers’ grant ranges from $300 to $500. If you have any questions
regarding this process, Scholarship America, or the Dreamkeepers program please
contact Michael Copenhaver or Selam Gebrekristos in Financial Aid. We are all
excited about this opportunity to assist our students through the unexpected
financial burdens associated with college and life.
WORLD ARTS AND CULTURES
COMMITTEE
|
The
World Arts and Cultures Committee (WACC) is soliciting applications of grant
requests for funding of on-campus arts and cultural events to occur in the Fall
2011 and Spring 2012 semesters. The deadline for grant requests for events
scheduled to occur in the Fall 2011 semester has been extended to Oct. 28,
2011. Grant requests can be submitted to the Student Affairs Office. The events
that will be funded must fit within the Committee’s charge, which is: “The World Arts and Cultures Committee aims
to foster a climate of appreciation and respect for the diversity of values,
ideas and cultural expressions represented by our students, staff, faculty and
surrounding community. We will strive to accomplish our mission by bringing
cultural events on campus reflecting the college’s position in today’s global
society.” The WACC Committee meets on the third Friday of every month to
consider Grants. Requests will be considered as they are submitted on a
“rolling basis” with earlier submissions preferred (please allow at least three
weeks for approval). Requests with missing details, requiring extra time
seeking clarification or additional information, may not be funded. Also,
requests submitted just prior to the event may not be funded. We look forward
to working with campus groups to support their events. Please visit the WACC
website for more information, www.grossmont.edu/WACC.
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TO THE
SUMMIT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
|
All
faculty, staff and administrators are invited to become a free e-mail
subscriber to The Summit, the Grossmont College student newspaper. Donald H.
Harrison, Media Communications instructor for the class that produces The Summit,
is encouraging you to activate your subscription by visiting www.gcsummit.com and
typing your e-mail address at the top left box. Whenever news breaks, you will
receive an e-mail headline alert. This is Harrison’s second year to oversee The
Summit. Harrison, with more than 40 years of experience in journalism, is the
founder and editor of San Diego Jewish World, an online newspaper. 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. He also
co-founded the San Diego Cruise Industry Consortium and the Old Town Trolley
Tours company, and has authored “Louis Rose, San Diego’s first Jewish settler
and entrepreneur,” which was published in 2004. He also has served as editor of
the San Diego Jewish Press-Heritage and a columnist with the San Diego Jewish
Times.
DOWNLOAD FREE APP FOR
GRIFFIN RADIO
|
Griffin
Radio, Grossmont College’s student Internet radio station, is offering a free
download app that allows you to tune-in to Griffin Radio anytime. A QR code
that can be scanned by most smart phones is now appearing on posters located
throughout the campus. In addition to playing music, including requests,
Griffin Radio offers news that is pertinent to students, including information
on events, activities and financial aid filing deadlines, according to Marc
Arizmendez, Griffin Radio news director. Griffin Radio will celebrate National
College Radio Day by playing music in the Main Quad on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
YOUR EVENT ON OUR
CAMPUS CALENDAR AND YOUR PHOTO ON WEB STAFF DIRECTORY
|
In case you don’t know - we now have a Grossmont
College calendar of events via Google Calendar!
E-mail your event to chris.rodgers@gcccd.edu to have it
posted. Feel free to visit the campus calendar at www.grossmont.edu/events.
For publicity of your event, contact our office of College and Community
Relations, rick.griffin@gcccd.edu.
Also remember our Web Staff Directory solely of internal GCCCD use. More than 600 of you already have your
photograph posted on this Web directory. If you photograph is not yet posted,
please contact our college photographer, stephen.harvey@gcccd.edu,
or ext. 7377, for an individual appointment. In addition, an entire department
can be photographed at the same sitting. Access to the Web Staff Directory is
available only over the Intranet.
PAINTING EXHIBIT
THROUGH OCTOBER 27
|
The
Hyde Art Gallery is now presenting “Painting at the Hyde,” an exhibit of 39
paintings by current Grossmont College Art Department
faculty members, including Jennifer Bennett, Daphne Hill, Tom Lazzara, Bill
Mosley and Michael Wheelden, as well as former faculty member Anna Stump and
Ben Aubert, gallery curator. The artwork reflects the use of acrylic paints,
oil on canvas and pen and ink drawings.
All of the participating artists have represented our Art Department
over the years. This makes for a logical connection between Grossmont
College celebrating its 50 years of higher education and these particular
examples of artwork produced by those artists having a direct influence on our
students. As a great diversity of approaches to teaching exist so, too, exists
a strong set of contrasting styles of painting in this exhibition. An opening
reception with the artists was held on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The exhibit closes on
Thursday, Oct. 27. 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. The Gallery is located in building 25 across from Café 200.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT EVENTS IN OCTOBER
|
·
The Grossmont College Guitar
Guild will present a benefit concert for the Grossmont Guitar Guild
Scholarship Fund featuring Music Dept. Co-Chair and guitar instructor Fred
Benedetti at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14 in Room #220. The concert is open to the
public. Admission is $10 per person, and $8 for students.
·
The Grossmont College
Afro-Cuban Ensemble will perform on Sunday, Oct. 16, in Room #220. The
concert is open to the public. Admission is $8 per person, and $5 for students
and seniors.
·
The Grossmont College Symphony
Orchestra will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 at St. Joseph Catholic
Cathedral, 1535 Third Ave., at Third Ave. and Beech St., in Downtown San Diego.
Guest artist will be Anna Belaya, soprano. Admission is free, however a free-willing
offering will be held.
·
The Grossmont College Concert
Band will perform its Fall 2011 concert with the St. Augustine High School
Concert Band at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, at Cuyamaca College Fine Arts
Theatre, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon.
·
The Grossmont College Guitar
Ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28 in Room #220 on campus.
The performance is another fundraiser for the Grossmont College Guitar Guild.
Admission is $5 per person, and free for students.
·
The Grossmont College Master
Chorale and Grossmont College Gospel Choir will perform with the Martin
Luther King Jr. Community Choir of San Diego at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at
Calvary Baptist Church of San Diego, 719 Cesar Chavez Parkway, San Diego, and
at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Paradise Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church,
2701 East 8th St., in National City. Admission is free.
CULINARY ARTS DINNERS
|
Culinary
Arts Dept. is continuing to host on several Thursdays a five-course dinner
prepared by students enrolled in Grossmont’s Quantity Foods class. The dinners
will start at 5:30 p.m., and be held in the patio area outside bungalow #58G,
in parking lot #5, near the parking structure. Cost is $20 per person. The
dinners will feature soup, salad, entree, dessert and coffee service.
Vegetarian dinners are available with 48-hour advance notice. Space is limited
and some dates may already be fully booked. Dates are Oct. 6, 20, 27, Nov. 3
and 17. Reservations can be made by phoning Michele Martens in the CTE office
at (619) 644-7550, or by e-mail at michele.martens@gcccd.edu.
‘DEAD MAN’S CELL PHONE’
BEGINS
|
Grossmont
College Theatre Arts is celebrating 50 years of award winning community
theatre. Please attend some of our 2011-2012 performances. Staff and Faculty pricing is $11
per ticket per performance. Season tickets are available for $40 (6 plays). The
season’s first play will be “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” by Sarah Ruhl and directed
by Martin Katz. Performances are on Oct. 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m.
and Oct. 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. The plot: A café, a dead man, and a cell phone that
won’t stop ringing. When Jean, a stranger from the next table, decides to
answer it she sets in motion a chain of events that is, by turns, baffling,
mysterious, comic, and grim. As Jean becomes involved with the dead man’s wife,
mother, mistress and brother, she begins to suspect that her life will never be
the same again. The box office phone is ext. #7234. All reservations must be
paid and /or guaranteed 24 hours prior to the performance you wish to attend.
Call Alexis Popko at ext. #7267 to make your reservations. We accept all major
credit cards.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AWARENESS EVENTS
|
Student
Affairs Office is presenting two events in recognition of National Domestic
Violence Awareness Month. At 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Building #26, Room
#220, the film “Telling Amy’s Story” will be shown, followed by a discussion
about what we can do to prevent this type of violence in our community
facilitated by YWCA San Diego representatives. Then, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Main Quad, “The Clothesline Project” will be on
display, along with a resource fair featuring representatives from Grossmont
College Student Health Services, The Center for Community Solutions, Jewish
Family Services – Project Sarah and YWCA San Diego. “The Clothesline Project”
features T-shirts that will be on display in honor of survivors as well as those
who have died due to crimes of domestic violence or sexual assault. The shirts
are hung on a clothesline display to: Honor survivors and memorialize victims;
Help with the healing process for survivors and people who have lost a loved
one to violence; Educate, document, and raise society's awareness about
domestic violence. Participants also may bring a shirt to add to the display.
For more information, contact the Student Affairs Office at extension #7600.
ANTI-BULLYING/SUICIDE
PREVENTION EVENT
|
The
Student Affairs Office, LGBT Communication Students in Sherri Struthers’ class,
LGBTS Student Union, English & Social/Behavioral Sciences Division Arts,
Languages & Communication Division and Student Health Services are
presenting the showing of “Trevor,” an Academy Award winning short film,
followed by a panel discussion hosted by faculty, staff and students, starting
at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 in Building #26, Room #220. Closed Caption and
American Sign Language will be provided. For more information, contact the
Student Affairs Office at 619-644-7600.
Suicide
is the second leading cause of death on college campuses (CDC 2008). Lesbian,
gay, and bisexual youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide
than their heterosexual peers (Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey 2007). LGBT
students are three times as likely as non-LGBT students to say that they do not
feel safe at school and 90 percent of LGBT students have been harassed or
assaulted during the past year (GLSEN From Teasing to Torment 2006). You have
the power to help make a difference and prevent future suicides. If you, or
someone you know is contemplating suicide, please contact the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Trevor Project at
866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386), which provides crisis intervention and suicide
prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning
youth.
WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM
FUNDRAISER
|
GC
Women’s Tennis Coach Megan Haber is inviting everyone to step back in time with
the third annual “Whites and Woods Doubles Tournament,” a fundraiser for the GC Women’s Tennis team, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct.
8, at the GC tennis courts on campus. Players are encouraged to wear all white
and use wooden rackets (wooden rackets will be available for rent for $5). Cost
to play is $40 per team. A prize will be presented for the most authentic
outfit. Las year about 20 teams participated. For more information, contact
Nathan Welden at (619) 920-9052, or visit www.FletcherHillsTennis.com,
click “Tournaments.”
CAREER WEEK AND CAREER
EXPO
|
The
Career Center will host “Career Week” from Oct. 10 to 13. Clinics and workshops
will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10 in the Main Quad. Two
workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct 11 in the Career
Center, Building #36, Room #346. The annual “Career Expo” event will be held
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12 in the Main Quad with
approximately 30 exhibitors. A transfer workshop will be held on Thursday, Oct.
13. For a complete list of Career Week workshops and clinics, including the
time and location, visit www.grossmont.edu/careercenter,
click “News & Events” or please call the Career Center at ext. 7614.
CREATIVE WRITING
READING SERIES
|
The
English Department’s Creative Writing Program will continue its Fall 2011
Reading Series with an appearance by author Cris Mazza, a San Diego native
whose writings have been reviewed nationwide, at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct.
12, in Building #26, Room #220. Mazza, who now lives in Chicago, is a professor
and director of the Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at
Chicago. Mazza’s writings discuss the psychological and emotional complexities
of life, as well as how a region’s society and culture impact the human
experience, including sexuality, family, authority and gender. Her most recent
novel, published in January, is “Various Men Who Knew Us as Girls,” is a story
about a woman whose life changes when she decides to rescue a teenage Mexican
prostitute. Mazza’s fiction has been reviewed numerous times in The New York Times Book Review,
The Wall Street Journal,
MS Magazine, Chicago Tribune Books, The Los Angeles Times Book Review,
The Voice Literary
Supplement and The San Francisco Review of Books.
Among her other novels: “Homeland” (2004), about a woman and her elderly father
grappling with a 30-year-old family tragedy while they also find themselves
homeless, living in the canyons of suburban Southern California alongside
migrant agricultural workers; “Indigenous/Growing Up Californian” (2003),
featuring Maze’s collection of personal essays; and, “Waterbaby” (2007), a
novel about how local legends still live and grow in a seacoast town in Maine.
Mazza is among several featured speakers for Grossmont College’s Creative
Writing Program’s Fall 2011 Semester Reading Series. For more information about
the programs, visit www.grossmont.edu/english/creativewriting,
or phone extension #7523.
DANCE MASTER CLASSES
|
As
part of the Fall 2011 Master Class Series, the Dance Department will present
two classes with master class instructors on Saturday, Oct. 15 at the college’s
main dance studio, Building #24, Room #271. A class on modern dance taught by
John Malashock will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by a class on
salsa dancing taught by Michael John Saltus
from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. Cost to attend is $10 for one class or $18 for
both classes. Malashock, with 35 years of experience in dance, theater and
film, serves as artistic director of the Malashock Dance School and Malashock
Dance Company. Saltus is the founder and co-director of the Positive Energy
Dance Company, one of the largest salsa companies in San Diego with more than
30 members and five choreographers. For more information, visit www.grossmont.edu/dance,
or call the Dance Department at 644-7766.
OPT PIZZA FUNDRAISER ON
OCTOBER 27TH
|
The
Office Professional Training (OPT) program will host a fundraiser from 11 a.m.
to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 at Mountain Mike’s pizza restaurant, 7377
Jackson Dr., San Diego, 92119. When accompanied by an invitation, up to 30
percent of all orders placed will be donated to support OPT. Invitations will
be accepted from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for delivery, carry-out, and dine-in orders.
Contact Mary Leslie (x7533) or Linda Snider (x7816) to obtain an invitation.
This restaurant offers gluten-free pizza crusts, sandwiches, and pastas, as
well as a salad bar and vegetarian pizzas. Invitations must be presented at
time of ordering. Because the goal is to raise as much money as possible, other
coupons and discounts will not be accepted in conjunction with orders supporting
this event.
‘BREAKING BOUNDARIES’
DANCE PERFORMANCES BEGIN OCTOBER 27TH
|
The Dance Department will present “Breaking Boundaries: Student
Choreographers’ Showcase,” Thursday through Sunday, October 27 to 30, 2011.
Evening performances on Thursday through Saturday will begin at 7:30
p.m. Matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 2
p.m. All performances will be held in the Stagehouse Theatre on the
Grossmont College campus. The concert, which will showcase a variety of dance
genres including modern dance, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, will be choreographed
and performed by dance students under the direction of co-directors David
Mullen and Kathy Meyer. Pre-sale tickets costing $10 per person (cash
only) may be purchased by contacting the Grossmont College Dance Department at
644-7766 or through the ASGC Student Activities Office. Tickets at the door
will be $12 per person.
STUDENTS TO SELL ITEMS
AT YARD SALE ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 29TH IN PARKING LOT #7
|
The
Inter-Club Council and ASGC will host Grossmont College’s first all-campus yard
sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 29, in Parking Lot #7. Only
registered student organizations will be allowed to sell, but the entire campus
and members of the public are invited to donate items and, of course, stop by and
shop. Donated items may be brought to the event and all items (purchased or
donated) must be removed from the parking lot by 12 p.m. sharp. Please ensure
that all items are in proper working condition and in either new or gently used
condition. Items will be inspected upon donation and any items not deemed
appropriate will not be accepted. Prohibited items include drug paraphernalia,
weapons of any sort, ammunition and
explosives. All items will be sold as is. Terms of all sales are cash and
carry. No checks or debit cards will be accepted.
