Community College White House Summit

We are proud to be a part of the Community College White House Summit.  This event will discuss how community colleges can ensure that the U.S. has the best educated workforce in the world so that U.S. businesses can compete in the global economy. They will also address President Barack Obama’s goal to lead the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

The event will take place in the GRCC Cafeteria and Workshop Room connected to the Cafe.  Schedule:

• 12:15 PM Opening LIVE Web Stream in Cafe and in Worshop Room
• 1:30 – 2:30 GRCC Cafe/Workshop area – Open Mic Discussion
• 3:15 PM CLOSING LIVE Web Stream in Cafe and in Workshop Room

Students/ Faculty / Staff are welcome to come in at any time. This will be a relaxed and interactive event.  Resources are available for facilitating discussion: White House CC Summit Tool Kit (.pdf) White House Summit Facilitator Resources (.doc)

The “open mic” discussion will feature the topics listed below:

• Industry Partnerships
• Pathway to a Baccalaureate
• Increasing Graduation Rates
• Affordability/Financial Aid
• Innovation: Community Colleges of the Future
• Supporting Military Families and Veterans

If anyone has any “ideas” to help make GRCC bring positive change to the above topics please send to ljjohnson@grcc.edu. We will upload ideas as we receive them.

The opening plenary session and closing session of the White House Summit on Community Colleges on Oct. 5 will be streamed live at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The White House announced partial list of summit participants, including:

• Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and a community college English professor, who will lead the summit
• U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan
• U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis
• Admiral Mike Mullen, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• William Green, chair and CEO of Accenture
• Eduardo Padrón, president of Miami Dade College (Florida)
• Jim Jacobs, president of Macomb Community College (Michigan)
• Ted Carey, president of the American Student Association of Community Colleges
• Albert Ojeda, graduate of Estrella Mountain Community College (Arizona) and an honors student at Arizona State University.

Fire Drill Thanks and Reminder

Fire drills were conducted last Friday on all buildings containing classrooms. GRCC Campus Police Lt. Harold Woolworth would like to thank everyone for your help and patience during these test. Although they are inconvenient for all of us, someday they may save a life.

Just a reminder to close the door to your classroom after exiting. Please assist with moving students out and away from the building. The Grand Rapids Fire department will be paying us a visit in the near future for their annual test.

Again, GRCC Campus Police would like to thank everyone for helping to make this a safe campus.

Condolences to Nancy O’Brien and Family

Nancy O’Brien’s step-daughter, Francis O’Brien, passed away unexpectedly last Monday night. A prayer service is tentatively scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, October 6th with funeral services on Thursday morning.  More details will follow.  Please keep Nancy in your thoughts and prayers.  An obituary and details of the services is available here.

GRCC in the News: 10/2/10-10/4/10

Baker College smoking ban extended to include outdoor spaces
Published: Monday, October 04, 2010, 4:59 AM | Brian McVicar | The Muskegon Chronicle

MUSKEGON — There haven’t been any complaints from students in response to Baker College’s newly implemented campus-wide smoking ban, said President Lee Coggin. […] Baker is among numerous higher education institutions to ban smoking in recent years, including Muskegon Community College and Grand Rapids Community College.  (More)

Michigan family raises butterflies for business
Published: Sunday, October 03, 2010 | Morning Sun

GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP (AP) – Dozens of monarch butterflies created an orange and black collage on the side of Holli and Dustin Ward’s screened backyard tent, which acts as their summertime butterfly abode. After a recent release at John Ball Park Zoo, the butterflies are well on their way to Mexico. […] “For the entire month of July and into August, we were spending three to four hours a day cleaning out the caterpillar pens, watering plants and (maintaining) the nectar stations,” said Holli Ward, 34, who first worked with butterflies as a Grand Rapids Community College student with zoology professor Matthew Douglas, an expert in the field.  (More)

Muskegon Community College has record enrollment; Baker College expects slight drop
Published: Sunday, October 03, 2010, 5:22 AM | Brian McVicar | The Muskegon Chronicle

MUSKEGON — Enrollment at Muskegon’s two colleges remains strong this fall, prompted by students looking to save money through cheaper tuition and unemployed residents aiming to transition into new careers, administrators say. […] It includes a 5.5 percent increase at Grand Rapids Community College, a 3.6 percent enrollment boost at Ferris State University and a 2.8 percent jump at Davenport University.  (More)

MCC v. GRCC volleyball
Posted: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 9:13 PM | Kendra Stanley-Mills | The Muskegon Chronicle

Muskegon Community College’s Karlee Schreur falls as she tries to return the ball in the fourth game against Grand Rapids Community College Tuesday evening. MCC won the match in five games. Chronicle photo by Kendra Stanley-Mills (photo available for sale, call 231-725-6368) (More)

Korey Ringer scores three touchdowns to give GRCC road win against Iowa Central
Published: Saturday, October 02, 2010, 6:25 PM | The Grand Rapids Press

DODGE CITY, Iowa — Ring up another victory for the Grand Rapids Community College football team. Freshman running back Korey Ringer rushed for more than 100 yards and scored three touchdowns to propel the 10th-ranked Raiders past Iowa Central 28-14 on Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.  (More)

Hawks hit the road for No. 13 Ellsworth
By Jonathan Cregier | Daily Herald Staff | Published: 10/2/2010 12:00 AM

Beating the NJCAA’s 13th-ranked team on the road will be a tall task for the Harper College football team today. The Hawks (1-3) are in Iowa to take on Ellsworth Community College (4-1). The Panthers are coming off a 49-28 road loss to No. 10 Grand Rapids Community College.  (More)

Faculty Development Seminars

The Following International Faculty development Seminars are available to all faculty.  If interested, please contact CIEE at the link below:

Deadline Extensions
The October 1 deadline for the following programs has been extended to October 15:

• Czech Republic, Prague: Film Studies
• England, London: School of Oriental and African Studies
• Korea, Seoul: Arts and Sciences

Monteverde, Costa Rica
Tropical Ecology and Conservation-Program Filling
We have received a great number of early applications for this program. If you are currently reviewing applications for spring 2011, please forward these to CIEE as soon as possible. The program is filling and there are a limited number of spaces available. We strongly recommend that students indicate a second choice option on their application in the event they are placed on a waiting list. Please consider the Sustainability and the Environment Program at the CIEE Study Center in Monteverde or the Tropical Marine Ecology Program at the CIEE Study Center in Bonaire as alternative programs.

Cape Town, South Africa
Service-Learning-Program Filling
We have received a large number of early applications for the CIEE Service-Learning Program in Cape Town, South Africa. If you are in the process of reviewing applications for the spring 2011 semester, we ask that you forward these to CIEE as soon as possible for consideration as the program is filling and there are a limited number of spaces available. We strongly recommend that students indicate a second choice program on their application.

CIEE offers additional programs in southern Africa, including the Arts and Sciences program at the CIEE Study Center at the University of Cape Town, the CIEE Study Center at Stellenbosch University, and the CIEE Study Center at the University of Botswana.

For a complete list of deadline extensions, click here.

Campus Dining Specials : 10/04/10 – 10/08/10

Monday : 10/04/10

• Raider Grille –
  Breakfast: Dutch Apple Griddle Cakes
  Lunch Grille: Mushroom & Swiss Burger
  Hot Express: Ball Park Bar
  Wok This Way: Sesame Chicken
• Quiet Café & Sneden Café
  Lunch Special: BLT Pizza

Tuesday : 10/05/10

• Raider Grille –
  Breakfast: Southern Scramble Combo
  Lunch Grille: Cali Hot Wrap
  Hot Express: Nacho Siesta
  Wok This Way: Orange Chicken
• Quiet Café & Sneden Café –
  Lunch Special: Oriental Chicken Wrap

Wednesday : 10/06/10

• Raider Grille –
  Breakfast: Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
  Lunch Grille: Traditional Reuben
  Hot Express: Pasta Station
  Wok This Way: Bourbon Chicken
• Quiet Café & Sneden Café –
  Lunch Special: Philly Beef Panini

Thursday : 10/07/10

• Raider Grille –
  Breakfast: Meat Lover’s Omelet
  Lunch Grille: French Dip
  Hot Express: Top Your Own Spud!
  Wok This Way: Teriyaki Chicken
• Quiet Café & Sneden Café –
  Lunch Special: Chicken Pesto Panini

Friday : 10/08/10

• Raider Grille –
  Breakfast: Make Your Own Belgian Waffle Bar!
  Lunch Grille: Chef’s Choice
  Hot Express: Belgian Waffle Bar
  Wok This Way: CLOSED
• Quiet Café & Sneden Café – CLOSED

GRCC Spirit Award

Nominate a colleague for the GRCC Spirit Award. This award is presented each month to a deserving GRCC employees. The purpose of this award is to celebrate and recognize those individuals who exemplify GRCC Values in action through their work at GRCC.

For complete details about the award or to nominate someone, click here.

Contact Liz Timmer in Employee Professional Development & Enrichment if you have questions.