eGrossmont

Volume 13, January 2013 - Previous Editions

Governing Board Meeting Highlights

At the January 15 meeting of the GCCCD Governing Board:

• Trustee Rosinski indicated that budget news from Sacramento is starting to look a bit more positive for next year.
• Trustee Barr expressed interest in the status of GCCCD's emergency preparedness in light of the recent school shooting in Connecticut.
• The Grossmont College report included information regarding the first GC Classified Staff Convocation held January 11, Professional Development staffing to support year-round professional development for all employee groups, new employees to the college and also the recent Union Tribune article on Peg Marcus (ASGC President). All stories are detailed below.

Other Governing Board highlights will appear in the Courier which is distributed electronically from the District Office.

First to GC-Classified Convocation, Friday January 11th

The classified staff professional development advisory committee planned the first Grossmont College all staff assembly. The morning started with breakfast with friends and colleagues followed by a short program planned by the group. There was an address by the College President, followed by announcements of upcoming exciting offerings for staff. Finally, the team invited Willie Pelote, Legislative Director, California-AFSCME to speak offering "Good News for Classified Staff". Staff were asked to show their Griffin Spirit and the theme for the morning was celebratory, grateful and optimistic. A special greeting and note of thanks was provided by student government president, Peg Marcus. Raffle prizes and other treats were awarded and a good time was had by all!

Flex Week Convocation

Plans are shaping up for the Flex Week Convocation to be held on Tuesday, January 22nd starting at 9am in Griffin Gate. Breakfast will begin at 8:00 am in the Griffin Center and the program is to include greetings from GCCCD leaders, a president's message and a focus on key areas for spring 2013. New employees will be introduced followed by the announcement of the President's Leadership Award. SHHHHHHHH - this year it will be a secret for the lucky recipient. The morning activities will conclude with a keynote speech by Harold Polkinhorn, SDSU Professor of English. Many thanks to our faculty professional development committee for their planning.

Professional Development

This is what professional development looks like. After much deliberation and studying of best practices across the nation, the professional development offerings at GC were changed in structure and function. There is now a single point of contact for all campus-based training offered at GC for faculty, staff, and administrators. Denise Schulmeyer, a faculty member in Communication, was willing to step up and lead the organization because of her deep commitment to developing people and also her previous experience in the corporate world in professional training. She has now been joined by Rochelle Weiser who is the clerical support for professional development.

Rochelle was selected recently to support professional development. Previously, she supported the Academic Senate. Both work closely with the College-wide Professional Development Council and 3 advisory groups (one for faculty, one for staff, and one for administrators). Thanks to Denise and Rochelle for their energy, insight and organization!

Two New Instructional Deans Welcomed

Christina Tafoya joined GC January 2 as the dean for CTE/Workforce Development replacing retiring Sheridan Dewolf. Christina comes to us from Oxnard College where she oversaw dental assisting and dental hygiene programs and was responsible for the community dental clinic. Her degrees are in Dentistry and Psychology. She brings seven years of experience in CA CC workforce programs to our college.

Agustin Albarran was permanently selected to fill his interim position in English, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division. Agustin has been with GC since December 2006 in the associate dean of student affairs role. Agustin holds a Master of Arts in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History with a Minor in Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego, and has worked closely with faculty at GC in student discipline and academic integrity issues.

Welcome to both deans and many thanks to both screening and interviewing committees!

Student Success

Thanks to Anne Krueger and Della Elliott, our ASGC president, Peg Marcus, was featured in the Union Tribune as a student success story.

Letter to the President

Dear Grossmont,

I just wanted to applaud a Grossmont piano faculty member for his help in this scholarship (although it is vague in the email below). Ken Ard, adjunct music teacher for years at GC is my son's first JAZZ teacher! He wrote Chase's letter of recommendation and he really stressed teaching and his experience at GC. I think he is an amazing teacher and should be recognized. :-)

My son, Chase, is currently a double degree candidate at Harvard (B.S. Neurobiology, minor in Computer Science) and New England Conservatory of Music (M.M. Jazz Studies - Composition). www.chasemorrin.com.

I am hoping my younger son will join GC's middle college when he is old enough. :-)

Cheers!

Cindy

Upcoming Events

• We will graduate 30 students from our OPT program. The graduation is scheduled on January 24th @ 6:30 p.m. room 220. Monica Zech, Public Information Officer from the City of El Cajon, will be the keynote speaker. Several scholarships will be announced and awarded at the ceremony.
• Our Student Affairs Office will again host "Week of Welcome!" (WoW!) to coincide with the first week of instruction in the spring (week of January 28th). The mission of WoW! will be to provide a unified campus-wide welcome to new students and welcome back to returning students via information and programming. WoW! will feature an All-Campus Information and Activity Fair in the Main Quad, Wednesday, January 20th, and information booths to be located around campus on Monday, January 28th and Tuesday, January 29th from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. At each Info Booth, departmental and programmatic information will be on display, along with knowledgeable faculty and staff volunteers available to answer questions. Patrice Braswell Burris, Interim Director of Student Activities, is organizing WoW!
• The Hyde Art Gallery opens their Spring semester with "Double Visions: Contemporary Collaborative Artists". It will feature artists who work together and influence each other artistically. The exhibition will run from January 28th through February 21st, with an opening event on February 7th from 6-8 p.m. in the gallery. Admission is free.
• Theater presents "Inside the Actor's Process - Drama" on February 8 & 9 at 7:30 p.m., and February 9th at 2:00 p.m. at the Stagehouse Theater. Cost is $10.