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GRCC In the News, 10-19-17

Grandson of Cesar Chavez shares millennial message in GR

Oct. 18, 2017; WOOD TV

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The grandson of labor and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez visited Grand Rapids Wednesday with a message for millennials: In today’s political climate, it’s more important than ever to remember his grandfather’s message of unity, hope and uniting people.

… Andrew Chavez spoke at Grand Rapids Community College as part of an event put on by the Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Center for Equity and Inclusion.

Jayhawks volleyball team beats back Kellogg, clinches second place in conference

Oct. 18, 2017; Local Sports Journal (Muskegon)

The Muskegon Community College volleyball team secured at least a second place finish in their  conference with a tough five-set victory over Kellogg Community College on Tuesday.

… MCC is now 18-14 overall and 12-2 in the Western Conference of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association. The Jayhawks trail undefeated Grand Rapids Community College by two games, with only two conference matches remaining.

Grants Lab Newsletter: October 2017

• #TBT: National Science Foundation Awards a Grant for Implementing the Internet: This month’s featured project is a throwback to 1994 when GRCC received notification from the National Science Foundation about its proposal to implement the internet.
• Tips for Successful Project Evaluations: Evaluation is a key aspect of any project…here are 10 tips to make yours a success.
• Grants Department Annual Report 2017: In FY 2016-17, the department successfully obtained 23 grants totaling $8,160,859, bringing the overall award total to more than $72.7 million over the last ten years.
• Congratulations to the SSPD awardees for September 2017: The SSPD Review Team awarded nine SSPD grants during the September round.

Newly documented procedure covers excessive absenteeism

Human Resources has a newly documented procedure regarding excessive absenteeism. The document will provide guidance for HR and supervisors on situations when an employee uses all of their paid time off, isn’t eligible for a leave of any kind, and gets into an unexcused/unpaid absence situation.

This may never be a concern to most employees, however, it has become necessary to provide some written guidance on this subject. As communicated with our union leaders and our supervisors, employees are being notified via GRCC Today and can access the procedure on the HR webpage titled “Employment Practices.”

Any questions regarding this procedure can be directed to Cathy Kubiak, or your HR Generalist.

Recital hall named for Linn Maxwell Keller

GRCC named the newly renovated recital hall for mezzo-soprano Linn Maxwell Keller during a special ceremony and concert on Oct. 18. Linn Maxwell Keller, who died in 2016, was an ardent supporter of the music program. The recital hall project was part of the $8.5 million renovation of the Music Center, which was renamed last month for Grand Rapids Junior College Humanities Department Chair Albert P. Smith.

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SLT Profile: College Accessibility Team

GRCC’s College Accessibility Team (CAT) team formed in 2016 as part of our accessibility efforts on campus. The CAT is a cross-college team including representatives from faculty, IT, facilities, administration, DSS and others.

Team members include:

•   Lina Blair, Student Life and Conduct
•   Cathy Kubiak and Jessica Berens, Human Resources
•   Dave Anderson, Nathan Hamilton, and Simon Kittok, Information Technology
•   Dave Selmon, Academic Outreach
•   Don VanOeveren and Katie Vandermeer, Computer Information Systems
•   Lori Cook, Enrollment Center
•  Jim Vandokkumburg, Facilities
•  Leah Nixon, Communications
•  Kimberly DeVries and Deven Swanigan, General Counsel
•  Misty McClure-Anderson, President’s Office
•  Rebecca Allington, Disability Support Services
•  Sarah Rose, Occupational Support
•  Scott Mattson, Job Training
•  Steven Putt, Library and Learning Commons
•  Victoria Janowiak, Finance and Administration
•  William Faber and  Meegan Willi, Center for Teaching Excellence

This team is tasked with monitoring accessibility concerns and progress across campus and reporting those issues back to the cross-college group. The team communicates about potential areas of improvement and has collaborated on improving some of these areas.

The team has discussed and suggested improvements on methods for tracking accessibility concerns, routing of accessibility questions, and website improvements to aid in directing those who have questions. Various areas who work directly with accessibility, like facilities and DSS, often provide updates on their work so the team can help spread the message about progress and improvements.

Last year the team facilitated a community member’s request for a ramp near the Ford Field House; through the CAT, this request was forwarded to facilities, who examined the feasibility of the request and ultimately had the ramp constructed in response. Communicating this request through the CAT enabled the broader team to see the process, provide input, and spread the word about the improvement.

The team also discusses big-picture concepts related to college goals, including several conversations about universal design, the idea that an area be accessible to anyone as is, without having to institute specific accommodations. Last winter the team took a trip to the new Mary Free Bed YMCA to view the universal design concept of their building. After the tour, representatives from the developers came to visit our team to discuss how to incorporate universal design into our long-term facility planning.

Any questions or suggestions for the CAT can be directed to Kimberly DeVries, Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, at (616) 234-2120 or kimberlydevries1@grcc.edu. We are always happy to accept input on topics. You can also contact us if you are interested in joining our work!