New Online Courses Approved – EN 249 and CLS 101

Online continues to grow nationwide and at GRCC with over 5,500 enrollments this Fall semester representing a 16 percent growth since 2011. This Fall, 21 percent of GRCC students are enrolled in at least 1 online course. The Distance Learning College Action Project is focused on expanding the online learning program to 25 percent of all courses.

Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies department would like to offer congratulations to the following faculty and their respective departments for working to develop the following courses for online delivery:

• EN 249 – Technical Writing | Instructor: Aimee Pawlowski
• CLS 101 – Career Decision Making  | Instructor: Paul Phifer

There are currently 27 more courses being developed in the following departments: Music, Architectural Deisng, Language and Thought, Spanish, Manufacturing, General Health, Computer Applications, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Construction Trades, Business Applications, Counseling, and Physical Science.

Interested in teaching an online course? Become certified by taking the Online and Hybrid Certification Course which begins on October 12. Sign up through the Center for Teaching Excellence at: grcc.edu/ctereg

Constitution Day Panel Discussion (Photos)

Lively and informative dialogue, and audience questions kept political science professors Heather Forrest, Gordan Vurusic, Kieth St. Clair, and Dr. Yan Bai busy during Tuesday’s Constitution Day panel discussion at the ATC Auditorium.

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Constitution Day commemorates annually the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution. Since the Constitution Day law was passed in 2004 any institution that receives federal dollars commemorates “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” on September 17 of each year.

Your Voice Matters – Non-Partisan Political Forum and Voter Registration

“Your Voice Matters” – a non-partisan political forum and voter registration event will be held on GRCC’s campus at Sneden Hall (415 E. Fulton St.), room 108 (the multi-purpose room) on Thursday, September 27, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  It’s your chance to ask questions about the upcoming election, get educated and register to vote so you can make sure your voice is heard.

The event is free and open to the public.

Volunteers Needed for SCHOLARfest 2012

SCHOLARfest 2012 (formerly – Annual GRCC Foundation Fundraiser) this year will honor Fred & Linn Keller on October 11, 2012 and volunteers are needed to help pull off this event.  Are you available during the evening of Thursday, October 11 from 5-9pm?  Would you like to assist in making this year’s SCHOLARfest another success? Yes? Then volunteer! What we need:

• Parking Help
• Greeters
• Coat Check
• Registration

All volunteer positions will be assigned.  That evening, dinner will be provided to all volunteers in the volunteer break room.  We need at least 15 dedicated volunteers.  Contact Erin Cisler at 3931 or ecisler@grcc.edu to sign up. 

GRCC in the News – 9/19/12

Partnership helps high school dropouts earn college credit
Published: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 8:18 AM | Grand Rapids Press | By Brian McVicar

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Lastacia Barnes, 19, knew that earning a high school diploma was a must, but she couldn’t find a high school that fit. […] But thanks to a new partnership between Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Rapids Community College, Barnes is just a few months away from earning her diploma.  (More)

Free Dessert With Lunch at the Heritage 9/19/12-9/20/12

GRCC’s Heritage Restaurant, run by students of the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education needs patrons to help our students learn.  Today and tomorrow they are offering complimentary desserts at lunch time. They can call 234-3700 to make a reservation, or use OpenTable.

More information available at www.grcc.edu/heritage

Mathematics Seminar – 50 Centuries in 50 Minutes

The Grand Rapids Community College Mathematics Department will host its first monthly Mathematics Seminar of the 2012-2013 academic year on Wednesday, September 19, 3:00 – 4:00 PM in 107 Cook. Our speaker will be GRCC Mathematics Instructor John Dersch. The title and abstract for John’s talk may be found below.

The history of mathematics is vast, fascinating and sometimes surprising. Most of this talk will be accessible to those with a modest background in mathematics; as always, anyone from the greater GRCC community is welcome to attend.
Pop and cookies will be served at 2:45 PM.

50 Centuries in 50 minutes
(A Brief History of Mathematics)

How did we get the mathematics that is studied today? Who was responsible for major advances in the mathematics that we now take for granted? When and where did this work take place? Such questions will be addressed by tracing the development of mathematics from 3000 B.C. to the dawn of the 21st century. There will be time for questions and suggestions for further study will be made.