GRCC Science Talks continue Monday with “Gene Modifications”

Gene Modifications: CRISPR

• Monday, March 25, 2019, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you heard of CRISPR? It stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. Promises of cured disease, designer organisms, and dangerous consequences all surround this fascinating topic. The background and origin of the CRISPR technique will be presented along with a brief description of applications and potential difficulties.

Bill Faber is a GRCC chemistry professor who has researched physical and biochemical applications focused on identifying and characterizing larger bio-molecules using spectroscopy.

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Open Educational Resources (OER) meeting in the Library today

Wouldn’t you know it? Open Education Week was last week! The good news is, we’re still celebrating this week! Drop-in to LRC 123 to hear from Sophia Brewer of the Library and Learning Commons and Meegan Willi of DLIT on how to get started with OER.

Open Educational Resources (OER) at GRCC – Who, What, When, Why, and How to get started!

Wednesday, March 13, from 10-11 a.m.

Open Educational Resources (OER) meetings in the Library this week

Wouldn’t you know it? Open Education Week was last week! The good news is, we’re still celebrating this week! Drop-in to LRC 123 to hear from Sophia Brewer of the Library and Learning Commons and Meegan Willi of DLIT on how to get started with OER.

Open Educational Resources (OER) at GRCC – Who, What, When, Why, and How to get started!

Two meeting time options:

• Tuesday, March 12, from 3-4 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 13, from 10-11 a.m.

Upgrade to Windows 10

Microsoft will be ending support for Windows 7 beginning in January 2020. In order to avoid compromising the security of our Windows 7 computers, we ask that all users currently running Windows 7 migrate to Windows 10 before support ends.

To request your computer to be upgraded, please submit a Service Request or call the IT Support Desk. An IT technician will follow-up and schedule a time to begin the migration process. During the migration process, an IT technician will ensure your data, including web browser bookmarks, is backed up and put back in place. The migration process takes approximately 3-4 hours, and you do not need to be present during the migration unless you have special requests for the technician when they arrive.

If you have questions, contact the IT Support Desk at 234-4357.

G Suite Tip – Accessing your archived emails after the transition to G Suite

Wouldn’t it be great if you had access to all of your emails, all of the time? How about if they didn’t automatically delete after 6 months? If you’re thinking “YES!” then you’re going to love Gmail.

After the switch to Gmail, you will no longer need to navigate away from your inbox to find old mail. Unless deleted, your mail will remain in Gmail indefinitely. As a best practice, we recommend labeling the mail you want to hang on to, and using the “archive” button. Once archived, your mail will always be available from the “All Mail” folder, or by simply using the search box at the top of your Gmail inbox.

To test this feature out, try logging in to the “pilot” environment to familiarize yourself with the features and layout of Gmail.

“What’s going to happen to our old email in Retain?”

Retain will be available after we migrate to G Suite. This means that up to the day Gmail officially goes live, emails and calendar items will be backed up in Retain and held in the archival system for you to access, if necessary.

For more tips on managing your inbox, see the G Suite Learning Center’s guide on Organizing your inbox.

The IT Support Desk has also compiled a handful of tips regarding the transition to Gmail. If you ever feel stuck, take a look in our knowledge base over at supportdesk.grcc.edu; we have a section dedicated to G Suite related topics.

If you have difficulties logging into your pilot account, please contact the GRCC IT Support Desk at (616) 234-4357.

Disclaimer:

The G Suite Pilot accounts are only for testing and training purposes. Any content migrated from GroupWise to pilot for testing and training purposes will not be moved to the production G Suite environment.

Upcoming professional development opportunities

Sign up online for the following staff development learning opportunities! There’s a spot with your name on it for these upcoming sessions! There are several interesting topics, with multiple opportunities to expand your understanding and grow personally and professionally!

Tuesday, March 12: Signs of Marijuana Use

• Scott Nuismer, a certified addictions specialist, will teach both how to recognize the markers of marijuana use and what you can safely do about it. Participants will learn how to recognize biological and physiological sign of marijuana use, as well as interventions to use.

Friday, March 22: Label Reading

• Knowing what you’re putting in your body starts with being able to decipher the labels. We’ll look at which categories are of the most importance. We will also examine the front labels on foods and what they mean – Organic? Non-GMO? Natural?

Tuesday, March 26: Strengths Finder

• This session will use the StrengthsFinder assessment to determine your top five strengths. We will use this tool to discuss how to understand your strengths and how they interact with others’ strengths. Using this information, you can improve your connections with your co-workers, peers, and on teams.NOTE: You will receive instructions and will need to take the assessment prior to the session.

Friday, March 29: Fitness can be NEAT

• Studies show that families who find ways to be active together are healthier and more engaged. Learn ways to keep your kids and family members involved and active. Be ready to play and have fun as a group. You will leave with a handout of ideas and games that will be engaging for all ages.

Friday, April 5: Eating for Energy

• Do you feel sluggish or tired throughout the day? So you want to feel more energetic without having to rely on caffeine or sugar? Learn how to eat to maximize your energy and keep yourself awake and fresh throughout the day. This class will teach your which foods to eat, and which to avoid.

Wednesday, April 10: Coaching Skills for Managers

• It would be a wonderful workplace if everyone did a perfect job all of the time. But sometimes, people need coaching to help them improve. This program explains the process of effective coaching that you can use to help improve performance and behavioral issues.

Wednesday, April 17: GRCC Purchasing Policy

• The Purchasing Department at GRCC serves the needs of the college for all purchases in excess of $1,000. Responsibility and authority to make commitments for these purchases are assigned to the Purchasing Department. Mansfield Matthewson, Director of Purchasing, and Melissa Davis, Procurement Specialist, will present the college’s Purchasing Policy, and provide a forum for open discussion and Q & A with participants.

Friday, April 19: Game Play as a Family

• Studies show that families who find ways to be active together are healthier and more engaged. Learn ways to keep your kids and family members involved and active. Be ready to play and have fun as a group. You will leave with a handout of ideas and games that will be engaging for all ages.

Wednesday, May 15: Non-Verbal Communication

• In our daily communication, we are constantly sending and receiving messages. Experts at UCLE report that 93% of our communication is non-verbal. Some would argue that this is extremely high, but when you consider how much meaning we transmit just with our physical appearance and actions, it is probably pretty accurate. People communicate with more than words. Other means of communication include movement, posture, gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, tone of voice, and use of space and time.

Thursday & Friday, May 30 & 31: Basic Life Support & CPR certification

• THIS IS A TWO PART COURSE. PARTICIPANTS MUST COMMIT TO ATTENDING BOTH PARTS! This hands-on skills training prepares you to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies. It also teaches the skills and knowledge needed to provide care for victims of sudden cardiac arrest through the safe use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). The class can teach Adult CPR/AED, Child CPR/AED, and/or Infant CPR/AED.

 

GRCC Retiree Biography: Nanci Guigue

Nanci Guigue started her career at GRCC as an adjunct teacher in the Dental Department in the mid 1980’s. In 1998, she started as a contingent employee in the Dental Clinic office, moved to the Registrar’s office and also spent time working for the Admissions office. In November 2000, Nanci was hired into her current position, Support Professional in the Associate Dean’s office for the School of Workforce Development. Nanci noted that she has also been an adjunct in the Business Department during her time at GRCC.

Nanci has encouraged many students and made a tremendous impact during her employment at GRCC. Nanci recalled one of her favorite stories of serving a GRCC student: “One of the AMP students I was working with was a little older than the rest of the students in the cohort. He would stop in the office to talk periodically and I think to get some encouragement to keep pursuing his degree. He was finishing his degree and I encouraged him to attend graduation. It was so rewarding to see him walk and get his diploma and I got a big hug and thank you at the end of the evening.”

Nanci feels she belonged at GRCC because of the many opportunities she has had to participate in GRCC events as a volunteer or serving on committees. “Thus, I have met many wonderful people both at GRCC and in the community.”

Nanci has many fun plans for her retirement and plans to continue to make a difference in student’s lives. “Many years ago I taught first grade and gifted/remedial reading. I have made arrangements with an elementary school near my home as a volunteer to tutor students that need extra help with reading. There are several other volunteer opportunities I am pursuing as well as having time to do some traveling. Seeing St. Petersburg, Russia, has always been on my bucket list so will be trying to make that happen at some point. Since my husband is retiring at the same time, we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas in March to celebrate. I also hope to work at some type of employment part-time.”

Nanci wants everyone to know “I have truly enjoyed my time here at GRCC and will miss all the friends that I have made over the course of all these years.”

We are so honored to have had the opportunity to work with you, Nanci! You made a large impact on the lives of our students and campus community. We appreciate your dedication to the students and your colleagues. We wish you the best in your retirement and hope you stop by throughout the year to share your many adventures!

Excellence in Education Award nominations available now

Here at GRCC, we are truly fortunate to work with staff and faculty who go above and beyond their role at the college, in the community, or in higher education. These individuals make learning at GRCC a meaningful and impactful experience for our students and working at GRCC an honor and inspiration for fellow employees.

To recognize them, please consider nominating them for the Excellence in Education Award! The Excellence in Education Award was established in 1989 to honor an individual Grand Rapids Community College employee. In 2000, the award was expanded to provide recognition in the form of a staff award, and a separate full-time faculty award. In 2010, an additional award was added for an exemplary adjunct faculty member.

There is a cash award of $1,000 for full-time faculty who have taught at GRCC for at least 5 years, and for adjunct faculty who have taught at least 2 years, with a $750 cash award. Staff members also receive a cash award of $1,000.

Anyone can nominate! Deadline for nominations is May 10, 2019.

• Staff nomination form
  Faculty nomination form
  Adjunct nomination form

Questions?

• Faculty & Adjunct: Call or email the Provost Office at (234-3920); provost@grcc.edu
• Staff: Call or email Angela Salinas in HR/Staff Development at (234-2567); angelasalinas@grcc.edu

Thank you for taking the time to nominate a deserving member of the GRCC family for these awards.

GRCC Science Talks Continue Today with “Epigenetics”

Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups

• TODAY, February 21, 2019, at 4 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you ever wondered how there can be numerous cell types in your body (skin, muscle, etc.) even though they share the same DNA code? This is explained by epigenetics, the branch of science that studies how chemical modifications on or near DNA influence how genes are expressed. We’ll learn about epigenetics and its important role in maintaining healthy cells.

Nicole Vander Schaaf is a doctoral candidate at the Van Andel Institute Graduate School.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Come enjoy a ‘Winter Warm Up’ lunch today in the Ford Field House

Winter Warm Up

• TODAY, February 20, 2019
• 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Room 212 — Ford Fieldhouse

Come join your colleagues for a comforting cup of soup and grilled cheese along with warm conversation and connection! This is a new event replacing the February Sweets & Treats/Flowers & Cupcakes.

Use this as an opportunity to see the upgraded Fieldhouse space if you haven’t already.

Drop by and cozy up!

Don’t miss tomorrow’s tasty ‘Winter Warm Up’ in the Ford Fieldhouse

Winter Warm Up

• Wednesday, February 20, 2019
• 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Room 212 — Ford Fieldhouse

Come join your colleagues for a comforting cup of soup and grilled cheese along with warm conversation and connection! This is a new event replacing the February Sweets & Treats/Flowers & Cupcakes.

Use this as an opportunity to see the upgraded Fieldhouse space if you haven’t already.

Drop by and cozy up!

Third Annual ‘Fall in Love With STEM’ this Saturday in Calkins

The third annual “Fall in Love with STEM” event takes place this weekend at GRCC!

GRCC faculty and students will lead sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders in “exploration stations,” with activities designed to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and math skills. It’s one of several events organized by the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Women in Science. No advance signup is needed for “Fall in Love with STEM.”

WHEN: Saturday, February 23, from 1-4 p.m.

WHERE: Calkins Science Center, 226 Bostwick Ave. NE

Enjoy ‘Winter Warm Up’ in the Fieldhouse this Wednesday

Winter Warm Up

• This Wednesday, February 20, 2019
• 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Room 212 — Ford Fieldhouse

Come join your colleagues for a comforting cup of soup and grilled cheese along with warm conversation and connection! This is a new event replacing the February Sweets & Treats/Flowers & Cupcakes.

Use this as an opportunity to see the upgraded Fieldhouse space if you haven’t already.

Drop by and cozy up!

GRCC Employees on the Move through February 12, 2019

Please congratulate those who have moved and been promoted.

 WELCOME TO GRCC

• Jay Tucker
  • Grounds Maintenance, Maintenance
  • Effective Date: 11/26/2018
• Whitney Marsh
  • Director, Ford Fieldhouse
  • Effective Date: 12/10/2018
• Erin Belinger Goossen
  • Support Professional, Ford Fieldhouse
  • Effective Date: 12/17/2018
• Sarah Adkins
  • Support Professional, Registrar Department
  • Effective Date: 1/2/2019
• Robin Pegg
  • Faculty, Assistant Professor – Occupational Therapy Assistant/Academic Field Coordinator
  • Effective Date: 1/2/2019
• Kim Squiers
  • Grants Specialist, Grants Department
  • Effective Date: 1/7/2019
• Alissa Raddatz
  • Lead Graphics Designer, Communications
  • Effective Date: 1/21/2019
• Steven Beauclair
  • Director of GEAR UP Wyoming, Academic Outreach
  • Effective Date: 2/11/2019

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW POSITION

• Ashley McLary
  • Transfer from: APSS, Cashiers Department
  • Transfer to: APSS, Accounting/Budgets
  • Effective Date: 11/26/2018
• Bryan Vliem
  • Transfer from: Associate Registrar, Student Records
  • Transfer to: Enterprise Analyst
  • Effective Date: 2/12/2019
• Robin Sterk
  • Transfer from: Adjunct Faculty
  • Transfer to: Director of High School Partnerships
  • Effective Date: 1/21/2019

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Separation:

• Teddie Buchner
  • Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy
  • Effective Date: 12/15/2018
• Kayla Leonard
  • Student Success Coach, College Success Center
  • Effective Date: 1/5/2019
• Lisa Brown
  • Database Coordinator, College Advancement
  • Effective Date: 1/12/2019
• Paul Krieger
  • Professor, Biology Department
  • Effective Date: 5/11/2019

 Retirement:

• Judith Larsen
  • Director, Grants and Resource Development Department
  • Effective Date: 10/13/2018
• Janice Chapman
  • Assistant Professor, English
  • Effective Date: 12/19/2018
• Michael Rydman
  • Professor, Language & Thought
  • Effective Date: 1/1/2019
• Sally Zokoe
  • Support Professional, Accounts & Budgets
  • Effective Date: 2/16/2019
• Nanci Guigue
  • Support Professional, School of Workforce Development Associate Dean’s office
  • Effective Date: 3/1/19
• Robin Vanrooyen
  • Professor, Visual Arts
  • Effective Date: 4/27/2019
• Robert Guigue
  • Technical Operations Tech, School of Workforce Development
  • Effective Date: 3/1/2019

Get Google-ready, GRCC

We are less than three months away from the college wide transition to GMail and Google Calendar.

Get trained and prepared by attending one of the informative hands-on sessions offered in collaboration between IT and GRCC Google Guides.

Sessions are available at various days, times, and locations on campus; sign up is quick & easy at the Google for GRCC webpage.