GRCC In the News, 9-4-13

U.S Sen. Debbie Stabenow to promote investing in job training during GRCC appearance

Sept. 3, 2013; MLive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow is to appear Wednesday at Grand Rapids Community College to promote a plan to grow the number of businesses participating in Michigan’s New Jobs Training Program.

Sen. Stabenow coming to W. Mich. to promote job training

Sept. 3, 2013; WWMT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Senator Debbie Stabenow is coming to West Michigan, promoting legislation aimed at training job-seekers. She will be at Grand Rapids Community College on Wednesday afternoon for the New Skills for New Jobs act.

Teachers Experimenting with Google Glass to Energize Ed

Sept. 3, 2013; educationnews.org

As the use of technology grows in the education sector, Google, among other technology companies, is keen to attract students and teachers to its products and services. Google has committed to innovation that it sees as a game-changer in education with Google Glass, a wearable device that puts the power of a computer on an optical display for the user.

Andrew Vanden Heuvel, a high school science teacher in Michigan, was selected by Google to purchase one of the Glass devices for $1,500 and use it as an early Explorer user of the new technology. Vanden Heuvel is using Google Glass to virtually take his students to amazing places in the world to learn about physics, science, math and more, according to Todd R. Weiss of Eweek:

(Article doesn’t mention it, but Andrew Vanden Heuvel teaches at GRCC.)

CW’s reality series ‘Capture’ resumes tonight without Grand Rapids siblings in the game

Sept. 3, 2013; MLive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — On CW’s reality series “Capture,” Grand Rapids siblings James and Rebecca Wallington were riding high at the end of the fourth episode of the show inspired by the film “The Hunger Games.”

(Article doesn’t mention it, but James Wallington is a GRCC alumnus.)

Game Notes: Central Michigan vs. New Hampshire

Sept. 3, 2013; cmuchippawas.com

… (Cody) Kater transferred to CMU from Grand Rapids Community College, where he guided the Raiders to a perfect 11-0 record in 2011, directing an offense that averaged 50 points and 509 yards per game.

Change to wellness class schedule

There has been a change to our Fall 2013 Wellness Class Schedule.

The SPINNING class that was to be offered on Thursday mornings will be changed to Wednesday evenings. The Calkins Science building is not open that early in the morning so we have changed the class offering to Wednesday evenings from 5:30-6:30. The Wednesday Spinning class will start NEXT WEDNESDAY 9/11/13.

There will be no Thursday morning SPINNING classes offered this semester. Please see the full wellness class offerings on the Staff Development website:

http://www.grcc.edu/staffdevelopment/employeewellnessenrichment/fall2013groupexercisewellnessofferings

Policy highlights

Contracting Authority Policy (new)

• Ensures that contracts that obligate College time or resources receive appropriate review and are signed by appropriate College officials.

• Defines contracts to include: MOUs, affiliation agreements, clinical agreements, leases, partnership agreements, articulation agreements

• Only the President, EBCO or their designees may sign contracts.
• Purchasing agreements that do not obligate the College beyond the current fiscal year and do not have renewal provisions may be signed by the BCO without prior review and approval.
• The Executive Director of Purchasing may request review of agreements that contain unusual or complex terms and conditions.

• Establishes a process and timeline for contract review by general counsel and appropriate EBCO.

BIM briefing session set for September 18

The GRCC BIM Briefing Session for GC/CM’s, Subcontractors and Suppliers is coming up soon!

The session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, 2013 from 11am to 5pm.  Feel free to share the flier to inform and encourage attendance.

You don’t want to miss this session. We’re encouraging those interested to please register today!

Registration deadline: Monday, September 16, 2013; 5:00 p.m.

Please call (616) 234-3850 with any questions.

Check out lean champion program at free information session

Our lean champion certification program helps you identify and eliminate waste.

Even if costs remain constant, elimination and  reduction of waste may:

• increase an organization’s ability to produce more products or services with the same resources.
• increase an organization’s ability to serve more customers.
• reduce total lead time.

And all that results in increased profits!

In GRCC’s program, you will learn to develop and use your organization’s value stream map to identify and drive your improvements. Critical to learning the principles and various tools is applying them to your current work. By successfully completing a lean implementation (or value stream) project of your choice from your company, you will yield results from this program immediately.

You can learn more about the program through a free information session. Sessions are scheduled for 7:30-9:30 a.m. September 6, 7:30-9:30 a.m. September 11 and 3:15-4:45 p.m. September 16. To sign up, click here.

Classes start September 30. To register, click here.

Diversity Lecture Series topics include immigration, Middle East

The 2013-2014 Diversity Lecture Series kicks off October 2 with journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. For details about the series, click here.