GRCC In the News, 8-26-13

Local colleges deal with changing national student loan rates

Aug. 23, 2013; Grand Rapids Business Journal

West Michigan students are safe for now, but local colleges are still uncertain about the future of financial aid legislation.

… Grand Rapids Community College was closely following the news as it came out, said Ann Isackson, GRCC’s director of financial aid. After the bill was signed, the school posted the following on the financial aid page of its website:

“The U.S. Department of Education recently increased the student loan origination fees for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans and for Parent PLUS loans. These increases will take effect for loans first disbursed after July 1, 2013. Due to federal sequestration, Subsidized and Unsubsidized origination fees will rise from 1 percent to 1.051 percent of the loan principal. Parent PLUS origination fees will rise from 4 percent to 4.204 percent of the loan principal.”

No headline

Aug. 25, 2013; The Holland Sentinel (special section called Women Everywhere)

Gabrielle Vilella put her college plans on hold as she took care of her family and entered the workforce. But her desire for a degree didn’t waver.

… Community colleges offer programs in the summer, on weekends and — increasingly — online. In fact GRCC’s newest degree — in information security — can be taken completely online.

Local college, university enrollment increases noted

Aug. 23, 2013; Grand Rapids Business Journal

Students are descending on local college campuses, some in record number. Several West Michigan colleges are anticipating increased enrollment in incoming freshman classes and most are offering new programs of study. Additionally, schools shared information about what areas students are arriving from and how this years numbers compare to 2012-2013.

… Grand Rapids Community College

GRCC said it expects to see 3,700 incoming freshman students this fall.

GRCC renames Bostwick Commons for Juan Olivarez

Aug. 23, 2013; Grand Rapids Business Journal

A Grand Rapids Community College space will bear the name of Aquinas College’s president.

Take Five Summer to Fall Cocktails – 8/23/2013

Aug. 23, 2013; WZZM

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (August 21, 2013)– Grand Rapids Area restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Grand Rapids will soon learn who the winners are of the judged and people’s choice competition for winning the best cocktail in two categories for the Grand Cocktail 2013 competition held during Restaurant Week Grand Rapids.

… Second and third place finalists will receive dinners at some of the Restaurant Week restaurants and “People’s Choice” winners will receive dinner at the Heritage Restaurant at GRCC operated by the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.

GVSU and Delta College sign reverse transfer agreement

Aug. 24, 2013; MLive

ALLENDALE, MI – Grand Valley State University has signed a reverse transfer agreement with Delta College.

… GVSU’s agreement with Delta brings to 22 the number of reverse transfer agreements the university has with community colleges in Michigan. Other agreements are in place with schools in Jackson, Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Lansing.

Prep football’s No. 1 player: Grand Rapids Christian’s Drake Harris led from Michigan State hoops to Michigan football

Aug. 25, 2013; The Detroit Free Press

GRAND RAPIDS — If only Drake Harris had been more obstinate.

… Instead it is the second week of August, and Harris is not at Christian’s football practice. But instead of playing basketball, he is at Grand Rapids Community College, taking two classes so he can graduate early and enroll at Michigan in January. He will be able to participate in spring football practice and be ready to play football at U-M next fall.

Michigan game-by-game predictions: Will 10-2 be enough to net a B1G title?

Aug. 26, 2013; MLive

ANN ARBOR — In the first two years of Brady Hoke’s tenure at Michigan, the Wolverines accomplished something they hadn’t done in a while.

… Aug. 31 vs. Central Michigan

Dan Enos’ Chippewas will bring a quarterback into Michigan Stadium who has thrown just four passes at the Division I level. Cody Kater was a terrific JUCO player, but this is a long way from the now defunct Grand Rapids Community College. Michigan’s defense should be fine here, and it should allow Devin Gardner to work through any early-season kinks with the new offense. Michigan 38, Central Michigan 10 (Record: 1-0)

Ferris State coach Tony Annese knows there’s no sneaking up on opponents this season

Aug. 23, 2013; MLive

BIG RAPIDS, MI — Coach Tony Annese can’t play the underdog card again after Ferris State won seven games in his first season.

… The Bulldogs went 7-4 overall, 6-3 in the GLIAC North Division in the first year under Annese, the former Muskegon High School and Grand Rapids Community College coach.

Fitness challenge is open to all GRCC employees

Staff Development is excited to offer a college-wide fitness challenge! As of this morning, 116 GRCC employees have signed up for this fun and healthy challenge!

This friendly competition is open to all employees, with the ultimate goal of becoming more active. Included in this program is an activity converter to help you convert non-walking activities into “steps.”

Thanks to the generous donation of an anonymous supporter to employee wellness, there will be five $100 Amazon gift cards given out during this challenge!

Staff development has pedometers available for use, or you are welcome to use your own. If you would like to borrow one from Staff Development, please stop by Room 100, Administration Building on the DeVos Campus between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to pick one up.

This fitness challenge will last eight weeks, from September 3 until October 25, 2013.

Grand Rapids Community College encourages the entire campus community to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate a need for an accommodation or have questions about accessibility, please call Staff Development at 616.234.4285 in advance of your visit or program participation.

If you are up for a healthy challenge, here is where you can sign up and find out more information:

http://grcc.walkertracker.com

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Otte in Staff Development.

Healthcare information session set for September

You can learn about GRCC’s Healthcare Programs and get your questions answered at an information session from noon to 1 p.m. September 20, 2013, at Tassell M-TEC.

Health Certification Programs that will be covered in this information session are:

• Medical Assistant
• Personal Trainer
• Pharmacy Technician
• Phlebotomy

All information sessions are free, and you are under no obligation to enroll in a course when you attend these sessions. To register, click here.

The latest from GRCC TV on YouTube: using Visual Studio

“How to Use Visual Studio”

Commit to improving quality through Workforce Training courses

This fall, commit to improve quality through these courses offered through GRCC Workforce Training:

• Process Based Auditing, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. September 17, 2013.
• TS 16949 Internal Auditor, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. September 25 through 27.
• ISO 14000 Internal Auditor, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 30 and 31.
• Statistical Process Control – SPC I, 8 a.m. to noon November 13.
• Statistical Process Control – SPC II, 8 a.m. to noon November 20.
• ISO 13485 Internal Auditor, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. February 17 through 19, 2014.
• AS 9100 Internal Auditor, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 10 through 12.

Classes are held at Tassell M-TEC, 622 Godfrey Ave. SW. To register, click here. For more information, call 234-3400.

Community music lessons available!

GRCC offers music lessons to community members(ages 3 and up) through the Arts Outreach Music Program.

There are openings for flute lessons with Carmen Maret, cello lessons with Jill Collier Warne, piano lessons with Loretta (Lanning) Cetkovic and violin lessons with Glenda Specht. We will also be offering a preschool music class on Fridaysat 1pm. For more info or if you have any questions please visit our website grcc.edu/ArtsOutreach or email Yelena Wells at grccao@gmail.com

Arts Outreach is a music outreach program of Grand Rapids Community College. Our highly qualified faculty use Suzuki and traditional methods of training to provide exceptional individual and group instruction in flute, cello, violin, guitar, piano and voice. This program serves all ages and levels, from the earliest beginners through the adult learner.

Policy highlights

Purchasing Policy (revised)

• Reorganized sections for ease of accessing information.
• Added provision prohibiting use of college resources  for charitable donations or sponsorships unless approved in advance by the President or designee.
• Added requirement that all products and services must be universally accessible
• Updated the link to MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CERTIFICATION (CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS)
• Updated the link to DIRECTORY OF MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS)
• Updated link to  City of Grand Rapids – Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• Revised language for  Personal Gifts (section L).
• Revised language for Purchase of Gifts (section O)
• Revised language and order for Procurement/Travel Cards (section M)
• Revised language in Section VI Who should read this policy to include All GRCC staff that influence, authorize and/or execute purchases.
• Included section addressing Accessible Electronic Information Technology
• Added Purchasing Policy Attachment B – MLBE Guidelines

Hazard Communication (revised)

• Revised the policy statement for clarification regarding the expectation that employees are to be aware of the hazardous chemicals they may encounter in the normal course of their employment and procedures established for appropriate response to these hazards.
• Simplified references to the GRCC Right to Know Program Document