GRCC in the News: 3/29/11

’10 Ways to Change the World in Your 20s’ author challenges young adults to do more
Published: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 6:53 AM | Steve Kaminski | The Grand Rapids Press

Most recent college graduates would be thrilled to land the type of job Libuse Binder had after she finished school. Binder worked in production for big budget movies such as “Vanilla Sky” and “What Lies Beneath,” in Hollywood. […] Binder has spent the past eight years writing “10 Ways to Change the World in Your 20s,” and she will be visiting Grand Valley State University and Grand Rapids Community College to share her story April 4-5.
http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/03/10_ways_to_change_the_world_in.html

Ferris State University Trustees Approve Renewal of Lease Agreement with GRCC
Inside Ferris State | Friday, March 25, 2011

The Ferris State University Board of Trustees approved the renewal of a lease agreement with Grand Rapids Community College for space at the Applied Technology Center in Grand Rapids for up to four additional five-year terms during its meeting today (March 25).
http://ferrisstatebulldogs.blogspot.com/2011/03/ferris-state-university-trustees.html

Science Advising Days: 4/11/11-4/12/11

The Biology and Physical Science Departments will be hosting two Science Advising Days in the 3rd floor atrium of the Calkins Science Center on April 11 and 12. The science faculty will be on hand to assist students in the selection of appropriate biology, astronomy, physics, geology, and chemistry courses and provide advising on careers that require training in science. Faculty will be available between the hours of 9:00 am and 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

GRCC Spirit Award Presented to Francisco Ramirez

Francisco (aka Cisco) Ramirez, ESP in the Enrollment Center, was presented with the March GRCC Spirit Award. To quote from his nomination form:

“Francisco is a great employee who has provided an indispensable service to his community and this college. The biggest part of his job is to provide service. Anyone can do this however, always wearing a smile, he makes the student feel comfortable and glad to be here. His strongest ability is to lead. From training student workers to mentoring the students in the Hispanic Student Organization, Francisco takes on a leadership role motivating those around him. He is an exemplary employee, has a noble heart, and is a great friend. He would be honored to receive the GRCC Spirit Award and he would look great in that fedora!”

Click here to see Cisco’s reaction.

Remember, the GRCC Spirit Award is presented every month to a deserving GRCC employee. To nominate a colleague, click here.

GRCC in the News: 3/26/11-3/28/11

A smart start: Community colleges hold appeal with smaller class sizes, lower costs
Published: Saturday, March 26, 2011, 6:00 AM | By Deborah J. Cook

Community colleges are ready to help give prospective students a jump start on the path to that seemingly elusive career goal. According to Doug Klemm, Grand Haven High School guidance counselor, community colleges like those in Muskegon and Grand Rapids offer a plethora of options. [….] (Photo: Javon Bolen, a freshman at Grand Rapids Community College, hopes to become an architect or graphic designer.) (More)

Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Volleyball Showcase set for Saturday at GRCC
Published: Friday, March 25, 2011, 10:00 AM | Steve Ungrey | The Grand Rapids Press

The luxury of having a full year to pull off the second annual Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Volleyball Showcase didn’t result in a lot of changes to the event.  Grand Rapids Community College volleyball coach Chip Will only changed the event’s location and the college team that will face Michigan on Saturday.  (More)

Taylor speaks of hard future for GRPS – Superintendent spoke Saturday
Saturday, 26 Mar 2011, 3:15 PM EDT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – Bernard Taylor, superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools, talked about the accomplishments of the district at the fourth annual State of our Schools address Saturday. […] Taylor also proposed accelerated college credit programs through partners such as Grand Rapids Community College; and said he’ll seek a waiver from Michigan’s Department of Education that would allow students in GRPS to take up to six years to graduate, if needed. (More)

Bernard Taylor: GRPS aiming for ‘acceleration academies,’ blended learning changes
Published: Saturday, March 26, 2011, 9:00 AM | Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS – Grand Rapids Public Schools students could soon attend one or more “acceleration academies” based at colleges campuses to gain credit, one of several new plans Superintendent Bernard Taylor expects to reveal today. […] The acceleration academies could allow high school students to graduate from high school with college credits and possibly an associate’s degree through dual enrollment at Grand Rapids Community College.  (More)

Notice of availability of Annual Security Report

A copy of GRCC’s Annual Security Report is available for review. This report is required by federal law and contains statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by GRCC; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assaults, emergency situations, and other matters.

The report is available online here. You can also request a paper copy by visiting the GRCC Campus Police Department.

Secchia Institute Partnership With Amway Hotel Corp in MiBiz

GRCC recently formed a partnership with Amway Hotel Corporation to create the “Franz ‘Swiss’ Imfeld Culinary Scholarship Endowment” as well as a program for students to be mentored by the first-rate culinary staff at the Amway Hotel Properties.

Culinary Crop: Amway, GRCC team to offer scholarship, mentor opportunities
By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz

GRAND RAPIDS- When it comes to food, Amway Hotel Corp. has a reputation to uphold, and that requires that it hire only the best people for its culinary team.   Now, thanks to a $100,000 Franz “Swiss” Imfeld Culinary Scholarship endowment at Grand Rapids Community College, the company will get a chance to groom and mentor some of that talent and at the same time provide some financial help to muchdeserving students. This year, the school was able to give $2,500 to two students. (Read More)

Changes to Inclement Weather Policy

The “Campus Closing Due to Inclement Weather Conditions” policy has been revised effective March 22, 2011.  The major changes are as follows:

• Updates Procedures to allow for a morning delay in inclement weather.
• In the event of a  morning delay,  employees report for work at 10:00 (campus opens) and classes that begin after 11:30 AM run as scheduled.

For the full policy, see below the fold:

Photo: GRCC Suzuki Strings Class

GRCC faculty Cassandra Kroondyke was recently featured in a photo in the Grand Rapids Press with her Suzuki Strings group:

Grand Rapids Community College Suzuki Strings director, Cassandra Kroondyke, with students, performs Kojo no Tsuki, by composer Taki Rentaro Friday afternoon while presenting their Spring Outreach Concert at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The concert and piece by Kroondyk was dedicated to the people of Japan. ( Rex Larsen | The Grand Rapids Press )

Faculty Learning Opportunities: 3/31/11-4/27/11

These learning opportunities are available from the Center for Teaching Excellence:

5th Annual Teaching and Learning with Technology Showcase
Thursday, 3/31 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Center for Teaching Excellence, 3rd Floor Main Building
See how your colleagues from GRCC and other institutions are innovating through instructional technology. Stop by for collaboration, conversation and refreshments. Enter to win a Kodak Video Cam. View exhibitor list at http://www.grcc.edu/showcase No registration necessary

Professional Development In-Person Presentations

Introduction to Avatar
Friday 4/1
9:00 – 11:00 AM 347 Main Building, Steelcase Room
Presented by Brian Morris, Music
Info and registration at http://www.grcc.edu/ctecurrentlearning

Performing CATs
Friday 4/1
1:00 – 3:00 PM 316 Main Building
Adjunct faculty discussions on Classroom Assessment Techniques
Facilitated by Ann Alexander
Info and registration at http://www.grcc.edu/ctecurrentlearning

Online Offerings

Getting Results for Adjunct Faculty
Through 4/27
This six-week online course provides a comprehensive approach to teaching adults in the community college setting.
Facilitated by Ann Alexander
Info and registration at http://www.grcc.edu/ctecurrentlearning

Blackboard Basics for Faculty
Open entry/Open exit
Facilitated by Bill Faber
Register via email request via teachexcellence@grcc.edu

New! Blackboard Grade Center
Open entry/Open exit
Facilitated by Bill Faber
Register via email request via teachexcellence@grcc.edu

Video: Board of Trustees Meeting for March, 2011

Thanks to GRCC’s intrepid Media Technologies department, the Board of Trustees meeting for March 2011 is now available for viewing:

 

New Editing Options for Website Editors

The Web Team has provided expanded functionality to content authors in the Drupal CMS (which houses the new version of GRCC’s website).  WYSIWYG editing in Drupal now includes new buttons that perform the following functions:

• Undo, Find/Replace, Fullscreen editing and Blockquote text formatting.

“Film Club” Student Organization Seeking Advisor

The Film Appreciation Association is a group for students who wish to enjoy, critique, and create motion pictures of all genres. This student organization meets every Thursdays from 12PM to 2PM in ATC 232. Currently, we are planning for the next semester and watching films on a weekly basis. Our goals include instituting regular movie nights on campus, with free showings for student of recent releases after they have left theaters.

Any fulltime GRCC employee is eligible to serve as an advisor. If you are interested, or would like to discuss the advisor role in more detail, please contact Eric Mullen at ext. 4164 or emullen@grcc.edu

GRCC in the News: 3/25/11

Lisa Shannon Shares Her Fight To End Atrocities In Congo
March 17th, 2011 10:11 am ET | Taylor Gibson | Grand Rapids City Buzz Examiner

Author and activist Lisa Shannon spoke to a Grand Rapids audience Wednesday night at the conclusion of the 16th Grand Rapids Community College Diversity Lecture Series. Shannon delivered a compelling lecture on the triumphs and struggles of creating her non-profit organization, Run for Congo Women, and her experiences in the Congo that left her everyone in the room astounded.
http://www.examiner.com/city-buzz-in-grand-rapids/lisa-shannon-shares-her-fight-to-end-atrocities-congo

On-the-Town Weekend Buzz: The Band Perry, Sweet Japonic, and the Winter Jam
Published: Thursday, March 24, 2011, 4:26 PM | Courtney Fogo | On-the-Town

Forward Thinking: Visit the Student Exhibition at the GRCC Collins Art Gallery starting March 28. Admire the many different kinds of art created by students at Grand Rapids Community College and show some support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. And if you cannot make it Monday, be sure to stop by before it ends April 22.
http://www.mlive.com/onthetown/index.ssf/2011/03/on-the-town_weekend_buzz_the_b.html

Faculty IIPD Presentations: Brian Morris, Mursalata Muhammad

The Center for Teaching Excellence invites faculty to hear their colleagues present on their IIPD grant experiences.

Introduction to Avatar – Brian Morris, Music

Friday, 4/1/11 9:00 – 11:00 AM   Room 347 Main  Center for Teaching Excellence

This session is an introduction to the Avatar materials. Avatar is a series of experiential exercises that enables you to rediscover yourself and align your consciousness with what you want to achieve. You will experience your own unique insights and revelations.  It’s you finding out about you. In this session we will look at the nature of attention, beliefs and viewpoints.

By the end of this course, participants will 1) identify various states of attention; 2) be able to identify areas to help create more free attention; 3) have experience and some skill with an exercise to release fixed attention; 4) see how beliefs cause experience; 5) have experience with an exercise that will identify transparent beliefs; 6) develop skill with thinking in groups; 7) have an understanding of the Avatar Materials. Audience: All full- and part-time GRCC faculty.

Reciprocity: The Non-Zero Sum Protocol for Socially Innovative Partnerships – Mursalata Muhammad, English

Friday, 4/8/11 10:00 – 11:30 AM   Room 316 Main   Center for Teaching Excellence

Mursalata will examine and discuss how environments of equity and mutual benefit can be created by forming socially innovative reciprocal partnerships. Given the current strains on everyone’s budgets and people power, what keeps colleges and communities from working in truly reciprocal partnerships? What dos it mean to be socially innovative when forming partnerships?  Did you know that there is a US Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation? Why should we care?  Audience: Any full- or part-time GRCC Faculty Member or Administrator.

More info and registration at http://www.grcc.edu/ctecurrentlearning

TeachExcellence@grcc.edu

@teachexcellence

on Facebook at GRCC Center for Teaching Excellence

Rethinking Body Image

Wednesday, April 6
9-10:30 a.m.
Facilitated by Kathleen Owens & Tamber Moore

This learning session will explore the power of body image on women.  Are we trapped in society’s definition of beauty?  Has the concept of beauty changed over time? What affect does media play on self-esteem and self-concept?   Is individual potential hindered by these beauty concepts?  Is it dangerous? This workshop will feature contemporary statistics and explore possible responses to the particular pressures weighing on women.

Register at http://www.grcc.edu/currentlearning