Important news from Payroll

Do you want to get your W-2 early?

Employees who give consent to receive their W-2 electronically get their W-2 two weeks early. To take advantage up this opportunity go to our webpage and follow the instructions to give consent.

Vacation bank carry over reminders

Employees are encouraged to review their employee contract or handbook regarding vacation leave carry overs to determine if leave time needs to be used by December 31 and to avoid losing vacation hours.

APSS, Campus Police and Meet & Confer employees wishing to have their vacation carry over rolled over into their sick bank, need to send an email to Becky Bailey at bbailey@grcc.edu by December 31.

Please contact the payroll department if you have any questions regarding your vacation bank carry over limitations.

Timesheets tips for the holidays

The holidays are approaching and payroll can use your help with following:

• We will be asking for timesheets early for the December 1 and December 29 pay dates. Timesheets for the January 12 pay date will be due on Wednesday, January 3. Watch for emails with more information.
• If you are going to be gone on a timesheet due date, please remember to submit your timesheet before you leave.
• Supervisors, please remember to designate a backup to approve your employees timesheets if you are going to be away from the office. Simply email IT Help with the name of your temporary replacement and the date range they will be covering for you.

GRCC In the News, 11-2-17

News 8 at 6 p.m.

Nov. 1, 2017; WOOD TV

The investigation continues tonight after someone found a loaded magazine for a semiautomatic handgun inside a bathroom at Grand Rapids Community College. We’re also learning more about the emergency notification system on campus.

New AP courses give students shot at college credits

Oct. 31, 2017; schoolnewsnetwork.org (Kent Intermediate School District newsletter)

Kelloggsville Public Schools, MI — A slate of four new Advanced Placement classes at Kelloggsville High School are giving students a taste of college rigor and the opportunity to earn college credits.

… The plan is to add more AP classes in the future, along with more dual-enrollment college opportunities. Currently, the school offers an English course through Grand Rapids Community College, allowing students to earn early college credits.

Spectrum health in Grand Rapids launches culinary medicine program for residents

Oct. 31, 2017; Michigan State University Extension

This fall Spectrum Health launched a new Culinary medicine program for doctors in their residency program. Culinary Medicine is a program developed by the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University. The purpose of the program is to equip future doctors with healthy cooking skills and information about how nutrition plays a role in preventing and managing chronic diseases, especially Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

… Instructors include Chef Werner Absenger, director of the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College, Kristi Artz, M.D., a Spectrum Health emergency room physician and lead physician for the Culinary Medicine program, and Krista Gast, Registered Dietitian with Spectrum Health. Some of the classes are held in the teaching kitchen of the Grand Rapids Downtown Market.

Mary McSwain’s retirement party

Help us celebrate Mary McSwain (the Raider Grille’s cashier) with cake, punch and laughter:

Wednesday November 8th at 3 p.m.

Student Community Center 205/207 (glass room inside the Raider Grille)

Zumba canceled for Nov. 2

Zumba has been canceled this evening, November 2. Class will resume next week and we hope to see you there!

Spare change for United Way can get your department sweet reward

Is your department up for a UW competition?  Is your department “hungry” for a treat from one of our Executive Leaders?

Due to scheduling and logistics challenges, the United Way core team has had to scrap our pie-in-the-face idea. We worked with our Executive Leaders to devise a new plan!

Departments will be challenged to collect their spare coins for the last week of the campaign — Nov. 6 through Nov. 10.

If your department is participating, let Nicole Dekker know and she’ll be expecting your change collection on Monday, Nov. 13.

Winners choose their treat!

The department who collects the highest dollar value will select the Executive Leader of their choice, and their corresponding yummy treat, which will be brought in on a mutually agreed upon date.

Treats:

• Dr. Bill Pink – will bring your department donuts from your favorite bakery.
• Lisa Freiburger – will bring your department some homemade chocolate chip cookies
• Dr. Laurie Chesley – will bring your department veggie/dip trays and fruit trays.
• Dr. Kathy Mullins – will bring your department her favorite cake and pie treats.
• Dave Anderson – will bring your department bagels from Big Apple Bagels.

Are you a small department?  No worries…..you’re quite welcome to combine forces and make a larger group.

 

Photos from United Way Cheesecake and Cider event

Thank you to those who visited us for the Cheesecake and Cider event. Winners for the drawing between those who turned in their UW forms at the event were: Janis Qualls, Jessica Berens, Nancy White, and Cathy Noviskey.

“I have been blessed to be part of GRCC for many years.  My donation to the United Way is just a small thank you to the community that has enriched my career and given it purpose.”  — GRCC Leadership Giver

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Mechanical Concepts class tours Artiflex Manufacturing

Students from the Mechanical Design Program in the DR 180-Mechanical Concepts class toured Artiflex Manufacturing, an automation company in Kentwood. Jon Dyer gave students an extensive tour of their facilities, solidifying information that is covered in the class. They have been a very good partner in the education for our GRCC students!

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Student panel on food, housing insecurity is today

A College Action Project Team (CAP 1.3.6) has been formed to strengthen our systems to better support students with food and housing assistance. The team is hosting two upcoming events:

Student Panel Discussion — TODAY, November 2, at 1 p.m. in 205/207 SCC

A 2017 GRCC graduate who completed research on food and housing insecurity will be facilitating a panel discussion with current GRCC students on the subject. This is an opportunity to hear directly from our students about their experiences and their peers’ experiences with hunger, housing insecurity and homelessness. Please also encourage students to attend.

Holiday Season Food Drive — through November 13

GRCC has a student food pantry and six smaller snack pantries. The food pantry is available to any currently enrolled student and includes items like canned goods, dry pasta, peanut butter, etc. We also have six snack pantries around campus that stock grab-and-go items such as granola bars and easy mac. Our goal with the holiday food drive is to stock both the food pantry and snack pantries well.  Check out the list of needed items and drop-off locations and see how you can help!

 

Record turnout for Fall Open House

The Admissions Office would like to thank all staff who participated in our annual Fall Open House this past Saturday.  We had a record turnout and a great showcase of our community.  Special thanks to Bayard Brooks for his help in set-up for the event, Keaton Krupa for the wonderful refreshments and lunches, the GRCC Foundation for donating a scholarship, and to Jennifer Rockafellow and the Bookstore for donating prizes for our participants.  Our next Open House will be held in the spring on Saturday, March 24, 2018.

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UW: Great things happen when we live united.

Just $1/week helps feed hungry families in Kent County. Your donation matters. Thank you for supporting Heart of West Michigan United Way.

 

APSS, Campus Police collecting donations for veterans

The APSS employee group and the Campus Police will be collecting donations of new items for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, from Oct. 16 to Dec. 14 for the holiday season.

Items needed:

• Gift cards or certificates to fast food restaurants (McDonald’s, Burger King, etc.)
• Small lap blankets
• 100-piece puzzles
• Stationery sets
• Personal toiletries:  toothbrushes, soap, body wash,
• mouthwash, deodorant, cologne for men or women

Donations will be accepted at the following locations:

• Lt. Robert Decker (x3579) – Campus Police
• Colleen Copus (x3119) – Math Tutorial Lab – Rm 105 – Cook Bldg.
• Kim Zinger (x4253) – Math Dept. – College Park Plaza – 2nd Floor
• Janice Holton (x4129) – Rm 118 – Main Bldg.
• Janis Qualls (x4248) – Rm 320 – Science Bldg.
• Tracy Payne (x3673) – Rm 313 – Student Center

Donations will be collected each Friday.  The total collection will be delivered to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans on Thursday, December 14.  Please help us support our veterans!