GRCC students and employees will not be able complete COVID-19 reporting through the Online Center during the weekend – Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 — due to system maintenance.
People experiencing symptoms, having a high-risk exposure, or have tested positive can email the COVID health screening team at covidhealthscreeningteam@grcc.edu or wait until Monday to submit the information.
All of PeopleSoft, which includes the Student and Faculty Online Centers, will be offline for scheduled maintenance starting at 5 PM on Friday, October 29.
This maintenance will be completed by 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 31.
Always remember, at GRCC, you are surrounded by people who want you to be successful and are ready to walk with you on your educational pathway. We are here to help!
Meet Kim Zinger. Kim is a problem solver in the mathematics department. If you’re a student with a question about a math class, start with Kim and she’ll get you the information you need, or get you to the right place!
As the academic secretary, Kim is also the go-to for math faculty members. She supports them by processing waivers, ordering textbooks and software for faculty and students, keeping the department supplies stocked, and more!
Kim is proud to have a reputation for lending a hand. When she attended community college up north, there was little support for students and she felt lost and confused. No one helped her figure out her schedule, let alone her academic pathway.
“I feel so blessed to have the opportunity each day to change that for our Math students,” Kim said. “To be that resource for them that they know they can rely on to answer their questions, help them fix or figure out their class schedule, or help them figure out who the correct person is to contact for their situation — so that they can continue to make progress towards their academic goal.”
Kim attended community college part time after high school and worked three jobs to pay her tuition and rent. After five years, and with two classes left to graduate, she decided to enter the military.
Kim spent several years in the armed forces: active duty Air Force, Air National Guard, then active duty Army. She later was awarded the credits she needed to earn an Associate of Science Degree for her military service.
Then she began working in the mathematics department at GRCC, where she’s been for almost 20 years! And she has decided to become a student again and is working towards a bachelor’s degree.
Kim knows it isn’t easy to juggle family life, work, and attend college at the same time.
“My work helping students is extremely rewarding,” she said. “When students start a phone conversation worried and confused, but end it happy and confident in knowing their next steps, that makes me feel like I’ve done my job well.”
You can contact the Math Department at (616) 234-4253 and online at grcc.edu/math.
Free event on Dr. Juan Olivarez Plaza Nov. 2 from 11 AM to 1 PM.
PTK will be providing pumpkins and other small items to smash. Chance to win prizes, food, and other small stress relievers.
We welcome any lold pumpkins (in any shape) on Tuesday (11/2/21) morning. We will have a tarp set out beside the Bostwick Lot on the Cook/ RJF side. We would welcome any donations to our event on Tuesday 11/2/21.
Volleyball coach’s titles, national rankings, 400 wins traced back to Whitehall roots
October 28, 2021; catchmarksports.com
Chip Will runs the Grand Rapids Community College volleyball program with a family feel. Certainly, he’s no stranger to success.
Bay partners to promote careers in water industry
October 29, 2021; Daily Press (Escanaga)
ESCANABA — Bay College, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and the City of Grand Rapids are teaming up for a project aimed at building a pipeline to careers in the water and wastewater industry. The project is supported by a national $3.8 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant.
A School news Network feature — Grand Rapids Community College professor Amy Bowling began her Monday morning class at Kenowa Hills High School by requesting help from her students.
“I need you guys to teach me how to set goals,” she said.
Sophomore Clayton Gilbert sounded surprised: “You don’t know how to set goals? You’re the teacher.”
“The best way to learn is to teach somebody else,” the college professor responded.
Although they’re still sophomores in high school, Bowling’s 24 students are dual-enrolled in high school and college. It’s called the middle college program, a new partnership between Kenowa Hills and Grand Rapids Community College.
The Kenowa Hills middle college program is the latest for GRCC. The college also partners with Wyoming, Cedar Springs, East Kentwood, Ottawa Hills High Schools with an associate of Arts degree program; Kent Intermediate School District with an associate of applied arts and sciences – mechanical design program; and the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District and local business partners with a certificate of industrial maintenance or tooling and manufacturing.
To help their professor with her request, the Gilbert used the DAPPS process (dated, achievable, personal, positive, specific) to offer suggestions for goal-setting.
Chloe Dykhouse advised Bowling to break her project into parts and set aside time to work on it each day.
“Plan a date to have it done, because having it done on the day it’s due is not very convenient,” Melody Dibble suggested.
“Having something to motivate you helps you look forward to achieving your goals,” Ray McGaran added.
As they worked, Bowling reminded her students that setting and prioritizing goals is a balancing act.
In life, “you’re going to have simultaneous dreams and goals,” she told them. “We’re in college now; that’s the level we’re at.”
Are you suffering from email overload? Unable to distinguish legitimate emails from unimportant ones? If so, you can use filters to declutter your inbox. Gmail filters are rules that are automatically applied to new emails. With Gmail filters, emails can go straight to archive, be labeled or even deleted.
Article – Creating Filters in Gmail
For more information and helpful tips, please visit the IT Customer Support Portal or contact the IT Customer Support Desk at x4357.
If you have a suggestion or a Technology Tip you think can be useful, you can submit them by emailing techtips@grcc.edu.
My Degree Path will no longer be available to staff and faculty once October 2021 ends. Academic Advisement, known to students as Academic Progress will be the degree audit tool used moving forward. Academic advisement includes degree plans beginning in the 2017-2018 academic catalog.
The good news is that academic advisement/academic progress is available now!
So… how do you locate academic advisement and run a report?
If you are teaching a class and you are advising students you can request access to academic advisement through your faculty center in your online center tile.
Run a WHIF report type to view a “what if” degree audit with an academic program different from what a student is declared in.
Run an ADVIP report type to view the real-time degree audit for a student’s declared academic program.
If you are staff or faculty that requires access to academic advisement for your work but are not teaching classes you can access it in PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (grcc.edu/cwis).
Navigating to academic advisement in the CWIS:
From the Navigation Bar: Academic Advisement>Student Advisement>Request Advisement Report
Requests for access to the report may be emailed to valeriebutterfield@grcc.edu.
Requests for individual training may be submitted here.
A CTE training session was held on October 20 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. If you couldn’t attend, it has been recorded and made available through CTE.
10/27/21 schoolnewsnetwork.org (Kent Intermediate School District)
Kenowa Hills — Grand Rapids Community College professor Amy Bowling began her Monday morning class at Kenowa Hills High School by requesting help from her students.
Bay College, Grand Rapids Teaming Up On Water Tech Jobs
10/27/21 radioresultsnetwork.com
Bay College, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and the City of Grand Rapids are teaming up for a project aimed at building a pipeline to careers in the water and wastewater industry. The project is supported by a national $3.8 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant.
All of PeopleSoft, which includes the Student and Faculty Online Centers, will be offline for scheduled maintenance starting at 5 PM on Friday, October 29.
This maintenance will be completed by 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 31.
Be a champion! GRCC is helping students and employees focus on all areas of health and wellness as we emerge together from the pandemic.
Wellness is a full integration of physical, mental and spiritual health. That includes physical health, but so much more. During the next year we’re also looking at emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental and occupational health, and how we all can work to help ourselves and each other.
There are many resources at GRCC to help all of these types of wellness. Each week, we’ll introduce you to people and places here on campus ready to support you on your wellness journey.
Whitney Marsh is director of the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse, which includes the GRCC Fitness Center. The center has more than 50 machines designed to help you with cardio training and other exercise.
Use of the Fitness Center is free for GRCC students and employees, with special rates for alumni and community members. Hours and other information can be found on the website here.
Whitney is among the people who use the center.
“I exercise regularly because it is a stress reliever for me,” she said. “When I exercise, I feel more energetic throughout the day, I sleep better at night, and feel more relaxed in general.”
The very first member of the GRCC Fitness Center? None other than President Gerald R. Ford. He was presented with his official membership at the fieldhouse dedication in 1976.
GRCC’s Office of Diversity Inclusion and Equity is endorsing an opportunity the United Way is able to offer through our college’s partnership.
The Equity Challenge can help you discover how issues of race and privilege impact our community and everyday lives—whether we realize it or not. The goal is to build long-term habits that empower you to take action in the fight for social justice.
Participants will start each day with a new theme and a selection of related articles, podcasts, videos, and more to choose from. There will also be occasions when you will be encouraged to focus on personal reflection or engage with organizations in your community.
By committing to the challenge, participating in the activities, and connecting with one another, together we’ll be better equipped to identify inequity and act to dismantle racism and all other forms of discrimination.
Beginning November 1: 10-Day Challenge
This abbreviated version of the Equity Challenge is designed to take participants through a state and local level exploration of the history and impacts of racism and how it has shaped the lives of people in our community.
GET INVOLVED
Commit to the challenge:
Stay engaged:
Self-register at Equity Challenge
COVID vaccine booster shots available for GRCC students, employees, and community members at Oct. 27 clinic
Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center auditorium, 151 Fountain St. NE.
Grand Rapids Community College is planning a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for students, employees and community members that includes booster shots for all three vaccines for those who are eligible.
…. It is recommended that people bring their vaccine card if they are getting a second vaccine dose or a booster vaccine.
Benefits Fair and Wellness Fair
ATC Rooms 122 and 124
Employees are encouraged to stop by the Benefits Fair to get answers to your health care questions direct from the vendors. Human Resources/Benefit Representatives will be also be available to assist employees with their online open enrollment.
We will have many more vendors in addition to these listed
…. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Debra Davis at (616) 234-4175 or Maria Belmares Herrera at (616) 234-4052.
Flu Shot Clinic for GRCC Staff & Faculty
Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center auditorium
This flu season, don’t get caught without your flu vaccine. Protect yourself by getting vaccinated. It is even more critical to get a flu shot this particular flu season because of the added complexities brought on by COVID-19.
Flu Shot Clinic for GRCC Staff and Faculty (no students or community members)
Walk-ins welcomed! If you prefer you can schedule an appointment for flu shot by selecting link below:
ATC AUDITORIUM-Schedule Flu Shot Appointment
Versiti Blood Center will be on campus from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Thursday, November 16. This is the last campus blood drive until the new year!
All donors will receive a $10 e-gift card as a special thank you.
GRCC to offer new sewing program
October 26,2021; Grand Rapid Magazine
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) is partnering with a local woman-owned manufacturing business to launch a new certification program.
GRCC Partnering with Innovative Textile ‘Upcycling’ Manufacturer
October 26, 2021; michiganagconnection.com
Public Thread, a Grand Rapids-based company, creates unique products by “upcycling” used materials, but the skills needed to create them are in great demand from a variety of local industries.
Grand Rapids Community College is teaming up with Public Thread, to create an industrial sewing certificate program to help students gain in-demand skills.
Federal government addressing water industry qualified worker shortage
October 26, 2021; WGVU
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investing $3.8 million in developing the next generation of water professionals. A portion of that money, $500,000 awarded to the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College and Bay College implementing fresh water and wastewater introduction and training to middle and high school students and provide opportunities for high unemployment neighborhoods.
Money Set Aside for City, GRCC to Find Water Treatment Employees
October 26, 2021; WOOD Radio
LANSING (WOOD-AM) – $500,000 is going to Grand Rapids Community College, the city of Grand Rapids and Bay College in Escabana to address a water treatment labor shortage.
AAPEX 2021 Announces Winners of Service and Repair Awards
October 26, 2021; autobodynews.com
AAPEX 2021 recently announced winners of the second annual Service and Repair Awards, recognizing and elevating the essential services provided by auto body shop owners, technicians and service advisors to keep the motoring public on the road, even during challenging times.
… Ervine’s Auto Repair and Grand Rapids Hybrid and EV are members of several industry organizations, including the Auto Care Association. Eric and Jamie (Carlson) are involved in WorldPac Smart Groups and Women In Auto Care, and are mentors of the Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG). They also serve on the board of Grand Rapids Community College’s Automotive Steering Committee.
The daily employee newsletter of Grand Rapids Community College 