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Chili cook-off at Grossmont College

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Here's a video montage of the annual chili cook-off at Grossmont College. The three-peat winner was Ken Emmons, who also won for best vegetarian chili. Michael Perez and Ernie Ewin tied for best meat chili. And the best spicy chili came from Grossmont College president Sunny Cooke!

Cuyamaca College alum headed construction of new San Diego Central Library

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Darren Greenhalgh
The opening last fall of the San Diego Central Library marked the closing chapter of a 14-year undertaking for Cuyamaca College alum Darren Greenhalgh.



The 1983 graduate of the college’s surveying program headed the massive $187 million construction project as the deputy director of engineering and capital projects for the City of San Diego.



With a 350-seat auditorium, a charter high school, garden courtyard and café, an art gallery, public meeting rooms and special-events spaces, the nine-story downtown facility is much more than just a place to browse for reading material.  Visually, its iconic dome is already a prominent feature on the city’s skyline.



“When the Library opened to the public I felt great accomplishment and pride,” said Greenhalgh, who went on to earn his bachelor’s in civil engineering and MBA from San Diego State University. “I am proud about the teamwork and the success of maintaining the budget and schedule, as well as providing all the amenities and grandly unique touches that everyone is so excited about.”




A commemorative brick  in the courtyard credits the work of Greenhalgh and four others on the city project team, but the Cuyamaca alum admits he has his own secret spot that he’s marked that he looks forward to showing his future grandchildren.



Born and raised in El Cajon, Greenhalgh graduated from Grossmont High School and started at Cuyamaca College the year it opened in 1978.



“My years at Cuyamaca were a great experience,” Greenhalgh said, adding that it was an older brother's recommendation to choose surveying and civil engineering that led him to the college. “Cuyamaca was new, the classes were small and the support from the faculty and staff laid a great foundation for my transfer to SDSU.”



It wasn’t just his academic life that benefitted from Cuyamaca College. He met his wife, Teresa, in a racquetball class and the two began dating after a yearlong friendship. They’ve been married now for 28 year and have three children – Brittany, Kyle and Sean -- all also products of Cuyamaca College. Teresa is an administrative assistant at the college.



Greenhalgh has maintained connections with other surveying and engineering students he first met at Cuyamaca, which now enrolls about 9,000 students.  A member of the advisory committee for the college’s surveying program, he, along with wife,also are supporters of the college’s Extended Opportunity Programs & Services department, which provides special help to students with economic and educational disadvantages.



With the largest project of his career now completed, Greenhalgh’s next assignment is tackling a project three times the size of the library – the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center, with an estimated  $520 million price tag and a 2018 scheduled completion.

College district to receive clean energy funds

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The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has received more than $600,000 in state funding that will be used to add more energy-efficient lighting at its two East County campuses.


Last month, the district was one of 14 school districts in the state of California to receive funding from Proposition 39, the state measure passed in November 2012 that raised taxes on out-of-state corporations to pay for clean energy projects at schools and campuses in California. The initiative also helps to create jobs.


Of the more than $8 million that was handed out in the state’s third round of appropriations, the college district received $614,585.  The district is also receiving a $84,799 rebate from San Diego Gas & Electric Co. for the lighting improvements.


While several San Diego County schools have received energy funding from Proposition 39, Grossmont-Cuyamaca is the only community college district in San Diego County to have received funding.  The state is expecting to allocate an estimated $2.5 billion over five years to eligible projects that will increase energy efficiency and broaden clean energy. 



The district will be using the money to partially fund a $2.1 million project that will provide for the replacement of existing lights to LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures for pedestrian walks, parking lot lighting and some street lighting. More than 8,000 fluorescent lamps in classrooms at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges will also be replaced with the more energy-efficient lighting.



LED lighting is more energy-efficient, durable, versatile and longer-lasting than traditional incandescent and compact fluorescent lighting. Some research has shown that LED lights use at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting.  The project will also allow for upgrades to some of the mechanical controls for Grossmont College to tie into the existing system. 


The project will also be supported with funds from the district’s Proposition V construction bond program, for which sustainability and energy efficiency is a priority. The $398 million bond measure was approved by East County voters in November 2012.


“We’re very pleased to receive these funds that will allow us to provide more energy-efficient lighting at Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. “Our goal with our Prop. V projects is to make our campuses as sustainable as possible so we can save money and protect the environment.”


By supplementing the lighting upgrade with Proposition 39 funds, Proposition V funds that would have been applied to the project can be earmarked for other needs approved by the voters.  The project is currently being advertised for bid by contractors, and will be awarded in February 2014. 


The district held an outreach event on December 13 to promote the participation of small and historically underutilized businesses in the lighting project. The district is also making efforts to encourage East County and local businesses to bid on construction projects funding by Prop. V.


The Propositions R and V construction program is providing for new instructional and career training facilities, Veterans Support Centers, major renovations, technology and infrastructure upgrades, sustainability initiatives, and enhanced campus accessibility throughout Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges.
 

Star Bales: El Cajon council member and Cuyamaca College grad

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Star Bales

When Star Bales, El Cajon’s newest council member, came to America from Iraq, one of her top goals was to get a college education.


Although she spoke little English at the time, she started to take classes at Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges in the early 1990s. She attended classes through the years, while taking care of her husband and two children and running her hairdressing business.


“I just wanted to go to college. I liked learning and meeting quality people,” Bales said. “Every class I took, I enjoyed it so much that I took another one. It’s like magic when you learn something new.”


 She said her classes helped hone her art talent, in particular a class taught by Diane Weintraub, a Cuyamaca College instructor, who encouraged her artistic creativity. “Diane was the first person who pushed something in me that even I didn’t recognize in myself,” Bales said.


Bales graduated from Cuyamaca College with an associate degree in visual arts in 2006. She now pursues her artistic bent in murals she’s painted in El Cajon, at Edwards Air Force Base, the Lakeside Fire Department and Flying Hills Elementary School in El Cajon.


“Cuyamaca and Grossmont are the heart of my art career,” Bales said. “I am very proud of my degree.”



Because of her interest in art, Bales joined  El Cajon’s Arts and Culture Commission, then was appointed to the city’s Planning Commission in 2008. When a vacancy opened on the City Council, Bales was selected by council members in December 2013 from among 27 applicants for the three-year term. In an area that is home to the nation’s second-largest population of Iraqis, Bales will be the first Iraqi to serve on the El Cajon City Council.



Bales, who’s been married for 27 years, has two grown children who both attended Grossmont College. She’s looking forward to serving on the City Council for the city that she said has been welcoming to her since she moved there in 1982.


And, with her new civic responsibilities, Bales said she’s thinking about taking another class – perhaps in public speaking.  

Colleges start spring semester in growth mode

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Spring semester begins Monday at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges with more class offerings, instructors and students than last year as the college district continues an upward trend, thanks to a slow, but steady growth in the state economy.

The East County colleges are continuing along a restorative vein, attributable to an improved economic climate and ongoing support from Proposition 30, a temporary sales tax and, for wealthier Californians, income tax hike approved by voters in November 2012. The revenue enhancements reflect an upward tick, with the governor’s proposed 2014-15 budget calling for a modest increase in mandatory education funding for public schools and community colleges, as well as additional dollars to restore student access and one-time funding for student success programs.

The added dollars to the district coffers mean a projected enrollment growth of just less than 3 percent from last spring, from a total of 27,647 students to an anticipated 28,430. Course sections for spring reflect growth as well, with this semester’s classes totaling 2,413 compared to 2,058 last spring -- an increase of about 17 percent.

During the years of the state budget crisis that began in 2008, the number of full-time faculty members in the district dropped from 325 to 266. With the improved budget situation, the district has been able to hire eight faculty members and is recruiting or in the process of filling 25 positions, including a physics instructor at Cuyamaca and digital media/journalism instructor at Grossmont College.

“We have much to look forward to this year, as we stay focused on our primary mission – the learning and success of our students – and celebrate their return next week,” Chancellor Cindy Miles said. “As the recent White House Summit on College Opportunity shows, the national discussion is turning to college as the gateway to the middle class and the importance of ensuring access for those with the greatest needs.”

More than half the students in the district are on financial aid, even with California community colleges being the most affordable institutions of higher education in the country. Two-thirds are unprepared for the rigors of college academics, making the additional dollars proposed in Sacramento for student success initiatives all the more important, Miles said.

While the current picture shows a marked departure from the doom and gloom of recent semesters, the fortified dollars for education do not return the district to prerecession levels. Four consecutive years of debilitating funding cuts starting in 2008 totaled $16 million to the district, forcing the colleges to slash 1,600 classes and to turn thousands of students away.
“We’ve got a ways to go, but thankfully, we are starting out strong,” Miles said. “With legislative revisions and a clearer revenue picture, our hopes are high that the final budget targeted for the end of June will smile upon our community colleges.”

On a separate front, work is progressing on Proposition V, the district’s successful East County ballot measure from November 2012 that brings $398 million to the colleges to address longstanding facility, infrastructure, technology needs, veterans’ services and workforce training. The district’s updated facilities master plan, with a more detailed look at the placement of new facilities, was approved last year and the district is currently nearing completion of design guidelines, space standards, and material and systems standards – required elements that will guide all Prop. V building projects.

 “We are confident that these facilities and infrastructure  improvements will allow us to continue providing a high-quality education to our students, while we remain focused on the bottom line to ensure we spend every dollar wisely,” said Governing Board President Bill Garrett.

Community colleges receive $1.4 million grant to improve job training

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A coalition of community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties has received a $1.4 million grant to better prepare students -- beginning at the middle school level -- for the hottest jobs of the future.



The three-year state Career Pathways grant will focus on providing training for job sectors determined to have the most growth in the region for the coming years. Money from the grant will also be used to align the training and education programs among community colleges and the middle and high schools so that all of the programs are teaching the skills that students most need to learn for the emerging jobs.


The region is uniquely qualified to establish the program because all of the nine community colleges in the two counties are members of the San Diego and Imperial County Community College Association (SDICCCA), a coalition that has existed for 50 years to work together to better serve the area's 150,000 community college students.


The California Community College Chancellor's Office challenged community colleges throughout the state to determine which workforce sectors will show the most growth and have the greatest need for more trained workers. The regional consortium for San Diego and Imperial counties determined that they should focus on training for jobs in transportation and renewables, health, and biotech, along with advanced manufacturing and information communications technology/digital media.


The grant will also be used for the community colleges to collaborate with each other and the middle and high schools in the region to ensure they're all teaching students the same lessons. Currently, a student interested in a field such as health care might find that what they were taught in middle or high school has a different focus than what their community college classes offer.



“It’s to help provide a smoother transition for students from high school to college,” said Mary Wylie, a retired Southwestern College dean who is serving as chair of the Regional Consortium for the San Diego-Imperial County region.


Community colleges will also be working together to align the programs and training they offer to students preparing for jobs. For example, biotech classes offered at all of the colleges would offer the same lessons and skills so students could easily transfer from one college to another without falling behind, Wylie said.


Wylie said representatives from the community colleges will also be meeting with businesses in the region to learn more about the training needs for their workforce. A regional committee will ensure the colleges are offering the same kind of programs that companies need, she said.


“Businesses just want us to send them good employees,” she said.


Grossmont College President Sunita V. Cooke has been working to help SDICCCA obtain the state grant, and is also serving on a statewide advisory board to help other regions create similar workforce training programs. The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is also responsible for administering the grant funds.


Cooke said the Career Pathways program is one of the many ways that community colleges in the region are working together to serve students and employers.


“Our goals are always to find new and innovative ways to help our students succeed, find good jobs, and to provide excellent employees for the workforce,” Cooke said.

Payroll tech draws on experience as art grad to connect with students

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Yvette Macy
With a penchant for costumes and a flair for adding panache to any event, payroll technician Yvette Macy is known for a well-honed sense of fun.


But equal to this is a more serious side: a commitment to her job and helping students succeed. For that, the six-year employee of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is the latest recipient of the Chancellor/Classified Senate Award, a recognition given each quarter to an outstanding staff member.


Whether it’s directing crowds during commencement exercises or helping to staff information booths at Grossmont College at each semester’s start, Macy is front and center when it comes to supporting students. Her efforts on their behalf, as well as fellow employees as an active member of the Classified Senate, are widely known and appreciated, say those who nominated her for the award.


At Tuesday night’s Governing Board meeting, Macy received an engraved acrylic award, a Barnes & Noble gift certificate and a lunch with district Chancellor Cindy L. Miles and Governing Board President Bill Garrett.


A 2013 graduate of Grossmont College, Macy brings a unique student perspective to aspects of her job. Conversely, she’s able to put the knowledge gained as a classified, or non-teaching, staffer to use helping students.  When she encountered a struggling student in a ceramics class she took as an art major, Macy helped him with his work and directed him to the tutoring center for additional assistance, according to the award nomination form.



“Yvette directs students to the correct departments (for help) and informs them of events happening throughout the district and services that students may not know about,” reads the nomination.


Further, Macy has been a champion of classified staff gaining recognition and representation in shared governance at the colleges and district levels. She is credited with introducing the Star Award, a plaudit for district workers.


Miles said that the commitment of workers like Macy is deeply felt and appreciated.


 “To have such excellent workers serving students and others is valued beyond measure,” Miles said.


Macy, who grew up in the East County, said she was “completely overwhelmed” by the large crowd on hand at the time her award was initially announced. As is customary, a conga line of well-wishers had made its way across campus, led by Miles and employees carrying a large Classified Senate banner.


“It was a wonderful feeling,” Macy said. “It made me tear up. I care about where I work, and I care about people.”


Hired in 2007 to the district payroll department, Macy previously worked as an independent real estate contractor until falling victim to a plummeting market.


The El Cajon Valley High School alum lives in Lakeside with her husband, Glenn – a Grossmont College custodian -- and two sons, Wade, 14, and Luke, 7.


Creative calling


As a payroll tech, Macy knows a thing or two about numbers, but at heart she is an artist, an interest sparked when she received an award for a Wild Animal Park drawing she created in middle school that was featured in a zoo promotional publication. She is an art docent at her children’s schools and, as a member of the San Diego Polymer Art Guild, each summer demonstrates polymer clay at the San Diego County Fair. She transforms empty medicine bottles into what she calls Bottles of Hope – miniature art pieces given to cancer patients.  She aspires to a career in art therapy, and is finishing a smattering of classes needed to transfer to a four-year university.


“When I met with counselors to discuss completing my degree, they discouraged me from pursuing art, saying they are cutting art teachers and there no jobs out there for artists,” she said. “I could tell you my heart sank, but I’ve heard all this before.”


Macy broadened her career scope from teaching to art therapy, noting that art has been known to help dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, as well as those suffering from grief and trauma.


A singer, dancer and actor for years as a child in community theater, Macy has fond memories of appearing on local television and in parades.


“In the third grade, I brought home a flier to my mom and told her I wanted to audition for the East County Performing Arts Center for Children. She was shocked because I was so shy I used to hide behind my mom and hold onto her leg,” Macy said. “What may surprise people is that shyness I had as a kid never really left despite being in front of audiences. I still feel sick and  nervous  – like stage fright.”


While known for painting paper murals and creating other office decorations with élan, Macy is also the go-to person whenever a gathering calls for a character in costume. She was the Santa for a district holiday luncheon in December and one year dressed up as the Easter Bunny, hopping from office to office giving away treats.


She has two large wardrobes kept in the garage filled with costume accoutrements. A snowman, an elf, Capt. Crunch, worker bee and more -- name the character and Macy probably has all the trappings.


“I never miss an opportunity to dress up for a holiday,” she said. "I truly get joy out of volunteering, learning, helping people, and making a difference."

Legislators urged to support community colleges

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Sacramento team
Left to right: Esau Cortez, president of the Associated Students of Grossmont College;
Zack Ginanino, Grossmont College student trustee
Elsa Hernandez, Cuyamaca College student trustee
Jaclyn Marlow, president of Associated Students of Cuyamaca College
Trustee Debbie Justeson
Chancellor Cindy Miles
 Anne Krueger, communications and public information director
Trustee Greg Barr

It was a more upbeat mood than the past four years when representatives from community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties met with state legislators this week to advocate for funding and programs benefitting the more than 140,000 students who attend the nine colleges in the region.

The November 2012 passage of Proposition 30, a temporary statewide tax supporting education, has eased the budget crunch that forced the colleges to eliminate hundreds of class sections and turn away thousands of students. Although the colleges still have not returned to 2008-2009 funding levels, the improved budget situation has allowed them to add classes, offer winter intersession courses, and hire more faculty.

CEOs, trustees, students and faculty from the community colleges in the two-county area – Cuyamaca, Grossmont, San Diego City, San Diego Mesa, San Diego Miramar, MiraCosta, Palomar, Southwestern and Imperial Valley --  met with their legislators as part of the Community College League of California’s annual legislative summit. The group met with incoming Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins; Assembly members Rocky Chavez, Lorena Gonzalez,  Brian Jones, Manuel Perez, and Shirley Weber; and state senators Marty Block, Ben Hueso and Mark Wyland.

Assembly members Brian Maienschein and Marie Waldron and state Sen. Joel Anderson were unable to attend, but sent their top assistants to meet with the group.

The college leaders urged legislators to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget for community colleges, which includes:
  • $155.2 million to fund a 3 percent restoration of access
  • $200 million to increase orientation, assessment, placement, counseling and other educational planning services called for in the Student Success Act
  • $175 million for deferred maintenance and instructional equipment
  • $48.5 million for a 0.86 percent cost of living increase
  • $3.6 million to provide additional staffing and technical assistance in the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.
Gavin Newsom with students
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom talks with Chancellor Cindy Miles,
Jaclyn Marlow, Associated Students of Cuyamaca College president;
and Zack Gianino, student trustee for Grossmont College
Weber, a strong supporter for education since she was elected to the Assembly in 2012, said this budget is the first step in restoring funding to areas that will build California’s economy.

“We recognize that if we are going to be smart in our rebuilding, we need to invest in things that build the long-term effect, and we do that with education,” Weber said. “Community colleges have been the backbone of California. There are very few institutions with such a broad reach as community colleges.”
Gonzalez also lauded community colleges for providing access to all students.

“If it wasn’t for community colleges, we wouldn’t have that gateway to higher education,” she said. “Even with this additional funding, there have been too many cuts.”

Assemblyman Brian Jones noted the importance of the visit. “We can become isolated from the real world up here,” he said. “It’s very important that you put your faces in front of our faces—we need to be reminded who we represent.”

The students and college leaders also urged legislators to support SB 850, a bill authored by Block that would allow community colleges to offer applied bachelor’s degrees in certain fields with a high workforce demand, such as nursing or information technology. If enacted, the bill would assist students who need a bachelor’s degree to get a job but are unable to enroll at public universities because few spots are available. 

Cindy Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, attended the meetings with trustees Greg Barr and Debbie Justeson and student trustees Zack Gianino and Elsa Hernandez. She called the legislative meetings a success.

“Students, trustees, CEOs and faculty members from our entire region had the opportunity to tell our legislators what is important to them,” Miles said. “With a gradually improving budget and economic picture, we wanted to thank our legislators for their support through the dark years of the recession and encourage them to support the governor’s proposed budget which would help us continue to rebuild our courses and serve more students.”
 
 





 

Diversity awareness remains a focus at Cuyamaca College

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Diversity awareness continues to be a goal at Cuyamaca College, where Black History Month includes a forum on African-American women leaders, and the return of the semester-long workshop series, Diversity Dialogues.


Marsha Gable, dean of counseling services at Cuyamaca, will present “Our Roots are Deep: Living Life from the Core,” a Tuesday, Feb. 11, symposium exploring black women leaders’ paths to career and personal success.


“Driven by the values of relationships, family, spirituality and equality, African-American women are poised to succeed and enjoy life from the core,” Gable states in a publicity flier for the workshop set for 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in room I-207 in the student center.


Also a part of Black History Month, a display marking the 50thanniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is set up on the first and second floors of the campus library. Cuyamaca’s observance of  African-American history continues with a lively step-show performance Tuesday, Feb. 25,  by the San Diego State University chapter of the predominantly black Phi  Beta Sigma fraternity.  The 2 p.m. dance performance will be at the student center quad.



Issues of diversity


On Feb. 19, the focus turns to gay rights with the kickoff of the semester’s Diversity Dialogues focusing on a variety of diversity awareness and social justice topics. “Out of the Closet, Into Power” is a nationally known activist’s narrative on being homosexual and the nearly 20 years she has spent on the battlefront of same-sex equality.


Clinical psychologist Davina Kotulski, a pioneer of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights, is a recognized leader in the marriage equality movement dating back to her efforts to pass a pro-marriage equality initiative with Californians for Same Sex Marriage in 1999 and in her work to defeat Prop 22 enacted in March 2000 to ban gay marriages. She is also a public speaker, life coach and author of “Why You Should Give a Damn About Gay Marriage” and "Love Warriors: The Rise of the Marriage Equality Movement and Why it Will Prevail."  The 12:30-1:30 p.m. seminar in the student center is the first of seven scheduled this spring. All of the free workshops are open to the public and will be held in Room I-207 in the student center.


Lauren Vaknin, the college’s associate dean of Student Affairs, developed Diversity Dialogues in spring 2011, initially offering three workshops that drew a total of about 50 students. Since then, the number of the workshops has expanded, as has attendance, with about 250 people – mostly students -- attending the interactive workshops last year.


 “The Diversity Dialogue program reflects Cuyamaca College’s commitment to respecting and recognizing the needs and challenges of our diverse campus population,” said Mark Zacovic, president of the approximately 9,000-student college in Rancho San Diego. “These seminars have also promoted our appreciation for the richness of the multicultural fabric that makes this campus so special.”


Students who attend at least three of the fall and spring semester workshops earn a Diversity and Leadership certificate and will be recognized at a student leaders’ reception in May. Certificate earners transferring to San Diego State University earn credit toward the SDSU Multicultural Competency Certificate offered through the university’s Cross-Cultural Center.


Vaknin recruits the presenters, who this semester include mostly academicians from SDSU and the University of San Diego. She also solicits input from student government leaders and fellow members of Cuyamaca’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, a group that meets monthly with the goal of fostering cultural competence, equity and respect for all employees and students.


To provide students an opportunity to further delve into diversity issues, the college plans to bring back the Cultural Competency Institute, a series of additional workshops beginning in March that were created by Tanis Starck, director of SDSU’s Cross-Cultural Center. The workshops introduced last fall drew a small but enthusiastic core group of students, who pressed for the institute to be brought back this spring.


In an evaluation survey, students gave the institute high marks for increasing cultural awareness and for teaching them how to apply cultural competency principles to personal, professional and academic life. Most importantly, the students said, the Cultural Competency Institute taught them to be more open-minded and empathetic to the challenges encountered by people of diversity.


SDSU’s Stark, who created the first Cultural Competency Certificate Program in the California State University system, said she is always buoyed by students’ support of the program.


“It links the diversity of the student population, creating an experiential shift in values, attitude and behaviors that will result in a fully engaged workforce,” said Starck, a doctoral graduate of Howard University and a certified psychologist. “Being culturally competent means having the ability to recognize and respond to the diversity of the world around you and to make better decisions based on that understanding. Ultimately, becoming culturally competent is more than recognizing and understanding biases; it is about being able to harness different perspectives that are useful in the workplace and the marketplace”

Grossmont College celebrates Black History Month

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To honor the movements, traditions and legacies of peoples of the African diaspora, Grossmont College will host a variety of educational and entertainment events throughout February as part of Black History Month.
Highlighted events include:


·         National race expert Tim Wise will talk about “Race, Racism and White America,” at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19, in Griffin Gate (a sign language interpreter will be available at this event); this event follows a screening of the documentary, “White Like Me,” at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13, in Bldg. 26, room 220


·         Award-winning poet, playwright and author reg e gaines will read from his selected works at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Griffin Gate; this event immediately precedes a screening of the documentary, “The Night James Brown Saved Boston”


·         SACRA/PROFANA, dubbed “San Diego’s Go-To Chorale Ensemble” by the Union-Tribune in 2012, will perform “Dream Variations,” based on the works of Langston Hughes, at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, in Griffin Center; Grossmont College’s Gospel Choir, directed by Ken Anderson, will also perform with SACRA/PROFANA


·         Grossmont College Jazz Ensemble will perform at noon, Wednesdays, in Griffin Center


All events are free and open to the public. To find a complete listing of Black History Month events, visit Grossmont.edu. For additional information, contact Student Affairs at 619-644-7600.


Grossmont College’s Black History Month activities are organized by the Black History Month Planning Committee and sponsored by the World Arts and Cultures Committee.

College district marks decade of spotless independent audits

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It’s a record that short-track speedster Apolo Ohno would envy.


OK, so it isn’t the Sochi Olympics. But a decade run of spotless audits has Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District officials ready for a victory cartwheel, the signature move of alpine skier Tina Maze.


The five separate audits presented last week to the Governing Board cover the district’s general audit; its part-time employees’ pension plan; the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the district’s auxiliary, and Proposition R, the construction bond fund approved by East County voters in 2002.


 The district’s stretch of what’s known in the accounting lexicon as unmodified, or flawless, audits is quite an accomplishment, said Chancellor Cindy Miles.


“With the banking debacles of recent years changing auditing standards and requirements, auditors are that much more detailed and thorough in their reviews,” Miles said. “So to be able to retain a spotless record is a testament to the district’s fiscal acuity.”


The audit reports also drew high praise from trustees, who said they show the district’s commitment to transparency and superb stewardship of public dollars.



Governing Board President Bill Garrett said that in the case of the Prop. R bond fund, the financial and performance affirm the public’s confidence in passing the $207 million measure in 2002.


“The audits confirm we are keeping our commitment to the public,” Garrett said. “The Prop. R dollars were spent exactly as promised in the ballot language."


The district’s general audit by the firm of Christy White Accountancy Corporation shows no findings of non-compliance with laws and regulations, no questioned costs for the last fiscal year, and no management recommendations. It confirms that the college district is fiscally sound and also, gives a clean bill of health to its financial reporting practices.


“The audit provides an opinion that the district’s statements  included in the audit report conform to generally accepted accounting principles and present fairly the financial position of the district,” the auditing report states.


Miles said the district takes pride in its string of unblemished audits, which reflect meticulous attention to financial management in areas such as financial aid, cashiering, budget and accounting, purchasing, contracts and payroll.


“Over the years, with the state budget crisis and ensuing funding cuts, there was tremendous volatility in our finances, but as these audits show, our bookkeeping and tracking systems remained intact and our policies and procedures remain above board,” Miles said.


“The consecutive years of underfunding wreaked havoc, but as these audits show, we manage by making sure that every dollar coming out of our coffers is a dollar wisely spent.”


The annual audits by certified public accountants are required by the state education code. For 10 years running, auditors have submitted reports with no findings of non-compliance or questioned costs on the part of the district.

Accreditation reaffirmed for Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

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Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges received the welcome word today that they earned the highest level of endorsement by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.


The accrediting committee’s seal of approval - formally referred to as a six-year “reaffirmation of accreditation” – was issued following its biannual meeting in January to consider accreditation applications.


Separate evaluation teams visited both colleges for a week last October to prepare their recommendations to the commission. Grossmont College’s team complimented the college for the transformative changes that had occurred since the last accreditation in 2007. Cuyamaca College was praised for its student-centered focus and its high level of student engagement in governance and the decision-making process.


Grossmont College in El Cajon, with about 19,000 students, has been serving East County since 1962, while Cuyamaca College, with about 9,000 students at its Rancho San Diego campus, has been serving the area since 1978. Both colleges are part of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.



The 19-member accrediting commission evaluates all associate degree-producing colleges both private and public in the western region, including all 112 publicly supported two-year colleges in California. Accreditation is crucial because it provides quality assurance to the public. For the 2.4 million students in the system, it means transferability of units to other colleges and universities, and federal financial-aid eligibility.


I am thrilled that independent evaluators, with their reaccreditations of both colleges, have confirmed my strong belief and confidence in the excellence of our institutions,” Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “It is a strong endorsement of the superb education our colleges provide and reflects the exceptional quality and dedication of our faculty, staff, administrators and trustees.”


The highly anticipated decision comes as tougher requirements have been implemented requiring more documentation of student learning and success. This has been a particularly ticklish issue for colleges under the gun to provide assessments of instructional courses and programs, as well as data showing levels of course completion and achievement of academic goals.


“In the past, accreditors focused primarily on resources and procedures, taking it for granted that good processes mean good results, but the climate has changed,” Miles said. ”Now, accreditors seek much study and transparency of student success, particularly as the public has demanded more accountability.”


The separate teams praised both colleges for their facilities, many of them made possible by the 2002 passage of Proposition R – a $207 million bond measure – that are inviting and designed to support learning. They also commended the Governing Board and district leadership for having open communication and keeping good relationships between the college and the district. 


            The onsite evaluators at Grossmont College noted a “pride of ownership in the culture change that thrives on campus.


            “While the college’s self-evaluation report was very articulate and well written, it could not fully describe the deep, highly reflective, and profound changes in the culture of the college,” the chair of the visiting accreditation team said in a report summary. “The institution has become a data-driven, student learning-focused culture that continuously reflects on how to better serve students and the surrounding communities.”


Grossmont College’s visiting team also commended the college for its innovative college leadership, headed by President Sunita V. Cooke, and its programs that help first-year students and students struggling in English and math.


            “This is a fabulous day for Grossmont College,” Cooke said. “Many people at our college worked so hard to make this happen. We take great pride in this achievement.”


Cuyamaca College also received praise from its accrediting team for its improved communication and shared governance system that allows faculty and staff to take on new leadership roles.


            “This is great news for the college, great news for our students, and a huge compliment to everyone who works to make our college great,” Cuyamaca College President Mark J. Zacovic said.


  The accrediting commission identified a small number of issues that will be addressed in a follow-up report due in October.


Grossmont College was asked to report on recommendations that included ensuring that a sufficient number of faculty and staff are working at the college; providing easy access to student grievance procedures; and regularly reviewing the district and Governing Board policies.


Cuyamaca College was asked to address recommendations to improve planning and the student learning outcome process; provide adequate access to the library and tutoring resources; and develop a hiring plan to ensure a sufficient number of qualified, diverse faculty and staff.  


 “We are very pleased by the findings of the commission and applaud the district and colleges for their diligence in ensuring student success, particularly in light of the prolonged budget challenges,” Governing Board President Bill Garrett said.  “Now it’s time to briefly celebrate the end of this six-year accreditation journey, then return to the task of working on behalf of students and to start the cycle all over again.”


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Local business leaders attend launch of Global Corporate College

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Business leaders from nearly a dozen local companies and organizations attended a recent launch of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s partnership with Global Corporate College, a higher education network ready to help corporations train their workforce to meet today’s needs.
    
Among the attendees Tuesday at Cuyamaca College were representatives of companies including Helix Environmental Planning; Gafcon Inc., a construction consulting service; Silvergate Bank; Kaiser Permanente; Ken Blanchard Foundation, and Cummins Pacific, the West Coast distributor for engine maker Cummins, Inc.

GCC founder and president Denise Reading said the customized training offered by the network of community colleges provides the flexibility to quickly and efficiently conform to market demands.
    
Educational institutions are invited to join Global Corporate College based on their reputation and experience providing employer-sponsored training and education. Ohio-based Global Corporate College then taps the instructional resources and facilities of member colleges, thus providing employers with access to well-qualified instructors, high-tech facilities, and innovative education programs customized to meet market needs.

“In this global economy, corporations and businesses don’t just have local competitors to worry about,” college district Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “They must widen their reach across oceans and continents and that means they’re challenged with providing consistent, cost-effective and high-quality training to a diverse workforce. We at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges have a proven track record of doing just that, and we’re delighted to partner with Global Corporate College to enhance our services.”

Reading said community colleges are the nation’s No. 1 workforce training provider and are the backbone of the GCC network. Nearly 50 college districts in the United States are part of the network, with four in California: Foothill-De Anza, Grossmont-Cuyamaca, Long Beach and San Diego community college districts.

“Global Corporate College is wherever you are,” Reading said. “We strive to have boots on the ground within 30 minutes of your location.”

An ambitious goal, but well within reach, Reading said. In 2007, she put her business acumen as a former sales executive with Proctor & Gamble and academic credentials as past vice president of Baldwin-Wallace College and president of Cuyahoga Community College’s Corporate College in Ohio to use, creating what’s described as the largest delivery network for corporate training in all 50 states and in 25 countries.

These days, Reading is constantly on the road, spreading the gospel according to Global Corporate College.

Her credentials, including a doctorate in education from Kent State University, and the backing of leading institutions like the East County college district has business leaders paying attention. Last week’s mix of local executives liked what they heard.

“I like your promise of a guaranteed return on investment,” said Paul Zimmerman, president of Cynosure New Media, Inc., a communications company in San Diego specializing in digital content production and custom software applications. “It’s refreshing to hear something emphasized in the private sector coming from the public sector side.”

Reading said that in partnering with businesses and firms where profit margins drive every decision, Global Corporate College understands clients are interested in the practical, not the theoretical.

“We have created a culture of learning, but we know it is all about the outcomes,” she said.
The network’s first client, a bank with 950 branches, is consistently ranked at the top for customer service. A food producer reduced its hiring time from 48 to eight days and increased productivity, with one of its plants increasing output by 38 million additional units.

Large corporate clients, including J.W. Marriott, Nissan, and Walgreens, benefit from Global Corporate College’s ability to develop customized programs that, through the network of partner colleges, can be provided seamlessly at multiple sites. And as the single-source provider for employee development, Global Corporate College provides business clients a simple point of contact and high accountability.

“Our mission is to close the talent gap by supporting national and multinational companies wherever their business takes them,” Reading said.

For information about working with Global Corporate College, contact Erin Roberts-Hall with the district’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training program at (619) 660-4385 or erin.robertshall@gcccd.edu.

Foundation hosting homecoming event for retirees

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The Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges has its own take on the three R’s  -- “Revisit, Reconnect, Rejuvenate.”

That is the slogan of the 2nd Annual Homecoming Event for Retirees, a Feb. 20 get-together for former employees of the colleges and district, a resource of about 400 potential volunteers that the foundation would like to tap for a host of college events and programs.

Set for 2-6 p.m. at Grossmont College’s Griffin Gate, the event is free to retirees and guests, and includes faculty presentations, tours of the high-tech facilities funded by the 2002 Prop. R construction bond measure, a wine and hors d’oeuvres mixer, and an update by the foundation on upcoming retiree events.

 “Our retirees are always enthusiastic supporters of what we do to benefit students and the community, so this event is a way to let them know we value their involvement,” said John Valencia, associate vice chancellor of Advancement and Communications and foundation CEO. “We are calling this a homecoming because we regard our retirees as important members of the college and district communities. We welcome their return to contribute their considerable knowledge and talents.”

It is the desire to reconnect with colleagues that has Jan Ford, professor emeritus at Cuyamaca College, active in the foundation as the co-chairwoman of the retiree committee.

“I had a very good experience at Cuyamaca and with the district and I wanted to stay in touch with education,” said Ford, who co-chairs the retiree committee with Cristina Chiriboga, former vice president of instruction at Cuyamaca College. “I’m very excited about the positive response we’ve been getting from retirees planning to attend the homecoming. We hope to have other events to continue this relationship with those who have worked for the colleges or the district.”

Valencia said current faculty members and administrators are enthusiastic about inviting retirees and past colleagues back to the colleges to reconnect with students and coworkers.

“One purpose of the homecoming event is to familiarize retirees with the changes that have occurred, such as the new facilities, and to acquaint them with aspects of the colleges they may not have had involvement with during their time here as employees,” he said. “We hope it will be an exciting re-acquaintance and will bring back fond memories of their time here.”

Scheduled presentations by college faculty include:
  • Grossmont College’s Literary Arts Festival, a weeklong event that annually draws professional and developing writers to highlight their works
  • Cuyamaca College’s nature preserve, a restoration effort headed by the biology department
  • Grossmont’s Office Professional Training program, which provides unemployed students with up-to-date workplace skills and networking resources
  • The Coyote Music Festival, Cuyamaca College’s answer to Lollapalooza put on by students in the music industry studies program
To RSVP for the retirees’ homecoming event, call (619) 644-7109 or email foundation@gcccd.edu
 

Washington, D.C.: A photo album

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Lo R: Anne Krueger, communications and public information director;
Board member Edwn Hiel; Chancellor Cindy Miles; Student trustees
Elsa Hernandez and Zack Gianino; Board president Bill Garrett
 A contingent from the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District recently visited Washington, D.C. to participate in the ACCT National Legislative Summit and advocate with their federal legislators for support of community colleges.

Members of the group were Chancellor Cindy L. Miles; Governing Board President Bill Garrett; Governing Board Vice President Edwin Hiel; Student Trustees Zack Gianino and Elsa Hernandez; and Communications and Public Information Director Anne Krueger.

It was Zack and Elsa's first trip to Washington, in a trip that was made more memorable when a foot of snow fell on Washington and crippled the city.

They had a chance to spend a few hours touring the U.S. Capitol and exploring some of the museums on the Mall.

The group met with Reps. Duncan Hunter, Susan Davis and Juan Vargas, Sen. Barbara Boxer and a staffer for Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The ACCT group also heard from Sens. Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, Lamar Alexander, Charles Schumer and Elizabeth Warren.

Here are some photos from the trip.


 
 




Rep. Duncan Hunter


Rep. Susan Davis


Rep. Juan Vargas


Outside the White House at night


 
Elsa practices being commander in chief
Zack tests his oratory skills


 
 
 




 
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass)


Sen. Marco Rubio


 
 


Elsa's first snow angel


Cuyamaca College dean recounts challenges of African-American women in higher education leadership

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Marsha Gable
As an African-American college dean, Marsha Gable knew she was taking a risk focusing on the touchy topic of race in her doctoral dissertation in 2011.
 
But what resulted is a fascinating, intensely personal account of seven black women who managed to beat the odds to become CEOs in the state systems of public colleges and universities. The Cuyamaca College dean of counseling services since early 2013 gave a recent presentation, “Our Roots are Deep: Living Life from the Core,” as part of the campus’ commemoration of Black History Month.


Her research pointed to a huge deficit of leadership by black women at the state’s community colleges and universities. Gable’s research in 2010-2011 showed 28 African-American women possessed doctorates in senior and executive positions: 22 at community colleges; two at the California State Universities and four at the University of California campuses.


Gable, who received a doctorate in education from San Diego State University, reached out to all 28 college leaders to participate in her study. She calls the group who participated the “Seven Wise Women,” who each agreed to interviews, field observations and journals chronicling their day-to-day activities.


       The data Gable collected showed that while the women had their own unique paths to leadership, what they had in common were values-based leadership styles and specific strategies that helped them remain resilient while dealing with challenges based on their race and gender. 
 
The women in the study had telling observations on the topic of race, pointing to the long-lasting sting of a racially untoward comment.


“It takes you by surprise, but it also digs into your reserve,” said one, noting that what could be described as “racial moments” are not moments at all. “It is something that lingers and it is cumulative.”


Another spoke about the pressure of constantly having to prove herself as a highly competent administrator.


“Old people say, you don’t go acting like a fool because then, people think all black people act like a fool,” she said, adding that she “didn’t have the luxury of being mediocre. Other African-American women are counting on me to have been successful.”


Gable noted in her study that negative perceptions and stereotyped images of African-American women ­­– as the “Mammy” portrayed as the nurturing and subservient caretaker, and as the “Sapphire,” characteristically abrupt, domineering, and loud – are also detrimental to their success as administrators in higher education.


       

Gable was the product of a working-class family in Toledo, Ohio, with a father who only got as far as the eighth grade and was a city bus driver. Putting her own schooling on hold to care for her children, Gable’s mother returned to the classroom in her 40s and became a special education teacher, a job she held until she retired at age 73.  Gable credits her parents for instilling the importance of education in her and four siblings, all of whom have college degrees. 
 
Gable recounted the times she rode the bus with her father at the wheel, hearing the frequent racial slurs directed toward him.
 
“These comments were especially degrading because my father served this country as a sergeant in the United States Army during WWII, and of course experienced racism during his service,” she said. “My dad would say ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with those people, but whatever it is that’s not my issue, it’s theirs.’”


The challenges she has faced in her career as an African-American professional were the impetus for Gable’s dissertation, but never far from her consciousness is the underlying reason she got into education in the first place. Gable was initially failing college with little direction or personal insight in what she wanted to do. She said it took 15 years and returning to the classroom as a community college student to find her way. 


Her academic rebirth is behind Gable’s commitment to ensuring the success of the less-privileged and at risk.


“I was an underdog, and know that when you have support and people give you a chance to shine, it is amazing what happens,” she said.


Gable has taken her study on the road, giving speeches and presentations at conferences and professional gatherings as a way to lend support to other African-American women in higher education.


“My plan now is to present my subject matter to a broader and larger group of professionals and to also begin writing articles for publishing,” she said.


And always keeping in mind the lessons learned from the Seven Wise Women:


·         Be proud of your background.


·         Understand obstacles and privileges.


·         Know that you will leave a legacy.

·         Identify your foundational values and purpose.


·        Take risks.


 


The next event at Cuyamaca College commemorating Black History Month is the Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, step show performance by the SDSU chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. fraternity and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., both predominantly black, Greek-letter campus organizations. The high-energy dance performances not only combine music and dance steps, but also integrate cultural history into the choreography. The show is set from 2-3 p.m. in the student center quad. The free event is open to the public.


Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in the community of Rancho San Diego.


 


 

Grossmont College's OPT program nets $108,000 AARP Foundation grant

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Grossmont College Business Technology instructor Mark
Pressnall helps students Jamie Brown and Dana Schneider.
The Office Professional Training (OPT) program at Grossmont College has received an AARP Foundation grant of nearly $108,000 to help unemployed women 50 and older obtain high-demand jobs.


The BACK TO WORK 50+ initiative was launched as a pilot program in 2013 in Denver, Colo., and AARP Foundation expanded the program in January with a new partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges. A dozen colleges and college districts across the nation were selected as the first to participate in the expanded program, with the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District as the only one in California. Three more colleges will join the network later this year.


With support from the Walmart Foundation, AARP Foundation has committed $2 million to BACK TO WORK50+ which has so far provided 2,000 people with resources and information to find good jobs in their communities.


The OPT program at Grossmont College has a 28-year history of training adults of all ages for careers in accounting, banking and financial services, insurance and office administrative support as well as providing personal counseling, crisis help and job placement assistance to thousands of people, including older women targeted for assistance by AARP Foundation.



“We are grateful for AARP Foundation’s support to help the women of OPT – many of whom are older workers displaced by the recession -- get back on their feet,” said John Valencia, the district’s associate vice chancellor of Advancement and Communications and CEO of the Foundation for Grossmont &Cuyamaca Colleges. 


Mary Leslie, lead instructor for OPT, said the two-year grant will provide $50,000 to the program to help with staffing and operational costs and the balance will go toward stipends of up to $1,800 to cover tuition costs, books and supplies for 32 students.


“This is a huge help to the program, which has operating costs of more than $250,000 a year,” Leslie said. She said that with the gradual dwindling of government funding, OPT is now almost entirely reliant on private donations, industry support and fundraising efforts.


“The district covers the instructional portion of the program, but we have to raise the money ourselves for the remaining costs, such as counseling, job placement, textbooks, tuition, and fees,” she said.


Leslie said AARP Foundation’s BACK TO WORK50+ program is ideal for OPT, which has a job-placement rate of 75 percent. The average starting wage for graduates is $12 an hour.


“We have always trained people in this particular age group, as well as unemployed individuals of all ages, so it is a very good fit,” Leslie said, explaining that although open to men and women young and old, nearly 90 percent of the OPT students are women over 30.


Among the women 50 and older benefitting from AARP Foundation’s grant are those currently enrolled in OPT’s accounting classes:


Dana Schneider, a 50-year-old College Area resident, said OPT has provided an opportunity for her to update her work skills. She had worked for 14 years in Lodi handling accounts receivable for a trucking company, and she and her husband moved to San Diego after he got a job transfer. Schneider began looking for work, but found she didn’t have the technical skills that employers are looking for in today’s digital world.


“I became very frustrated and depressed – I had never been out of work before,” she said.


After spotting a newspaper ad for OPT, she decided to set aside doubts about returning to school and began taking OPT classes specializing in accounting. Students attend classes nearly 40 hours a week to complete the intensive, 18-unit program in a single semester.


“June 6 is graduation day and it’s also my 27th anniversary – it will be a very special day,” Schneider said.


Jamie Brown, a 53-year-old El Cajon resident, hopes that the accounting classes she’s taking through OPT will lead to an office job at a construction company, an environment she’s comfortable in after working for 11 years as a heavy-equipment operator. A layoff forced her into the job market, with the somber realization that she lacked the skills needed in the higher-demand jobs.


As the mother of a 14-year-old, Brown said she spends many evening at home sitting at the dining room table, doing homework right along with her daughter.


 “I would absolutely recommend OPT,” she said. “It’s a good foundation if you’re like me and need to brush up on office skills and get the certification needed to back you up when you’re out there interviewing for jobs. It’s about making yourself as marketable as possible.”


For more information about the OPT program at Grossmont College, call (619) 644-7533, email mary.leslie@gcccd.edu or go to www.grossmont.edu/bot/optand to join BACK TO WORK 50+ at Grossmont College call 1-855-850-2525.


 


 

"Artists for Healing" exhibit to benefit cancer research

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Nearly 100 local artists, including Grossmont College art faculty, have donated their own artwork to “100 x 100 – Artists for Healing,” a benefit to raise money for the American Cancer Society that takes place from 7 – 9 p.m., March 14, in Hyde Art Gallery.

 The gallery is located at Grossmont College at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Each artist had the option to dedicate their donated piece in honor of someone affected by the disease. 

 Event attendees will be able to select a piece of art to take home after donating $100 prior to or at the event. Cash or check donations will be accepted at the event, as is proof of an online American Cancer Society donation made prior to the event.

 “There probably isn’t a person alive today who hasn’t been touched by cancer,” said Suda House, an event organizer and professor of art and photography at Grossmont College. “If they themselves haven’t had to fight it, someone in their extended family, or a friend, has,” she added. “In my own case, I am donating a piece of work in memory of my mother.”

 The special event is held in conjunction with the ongoing “One Campus, One Book” study of Siddhartha Mukherjee’s  Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.”  With 100 pieces solicited at $100 each, House hopes to raise $10,000 for cancer research. 

 Faculty from the Grossmont College Visual Arts and Humanities Department will also present talks related to “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer,” including “Art, the Body and Cancer” by San Diego artist and sculpture program instructor Stephanie Bedwell, accompanied by documentary work by Grossmont College student Ernest Carter, from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., March 12, in Griffin Gate, and “Art as an Agent of Healing” by art history professor Malia Serrano, from 12:30 – 1:45 p.m., March 18, in room 26-220.

Cuyamaca College hosting 6th annual Sustainable Turf and Landscape Seminar

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A national expert in golf course environmental stewardship is a speaker for Cuyamaca College’s 6th Annual Sustainable Turf and Landscape Seminar set for Thursday, March 6.


David Phipps, a field representative of the Golf Course Superintendents Association who’s appeared on the Golf Channel, tops a list of presenters focusing on sustainability in golf course and turf maintenance


Cuyamaca College, renowned for its longtime commitment to the green movement, began hosting the seminars as a forum for educators, industry representatives and local organizations interested in fostering a culture of sustainability. The event is put on by the college’s Ornamental Horticulture program.


“This year we are excited to focus on the turf industry and how it is adapting to the changes underfoot for more sustainable landscape practices,” program coordinator Don Schultz said, noting sustainability initiatives by golf courses such as reducing storm water pollution and establishing wildlife habitats.  “Our top-notch speaker lineup is sure to be a big draw to the golf course, sports turf and the landscape industry.”



Under Phipps’ management, Stone Creek Golf Club near Portland Ore. made Links Magazine’s list of  top 10 eco-friendly golf courses in the United States in 2009 and 2012, the same year Phipps won the President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America



In including Stone Creek in its list, Links Magazine noted the course’s spare use of pesticides and limited irrigation.


Phipps, who now represents golf course superintendents throughout Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montanan and Idaho, said operators are often unfairly painted as profligate water users.


“California superintendents are some of the best water managers in the country, yet we are viewed as wasters of water,” he said. His presentation at the Cuyamaca College seminar reflects a strategy on the part of the association to change the misperception, Phipps said.


“I’ll be focusing on how we should represent ourselves in the public eye when it comes to overall sustainability,” he said. ”Questions will be raised like who is advocating for the game of golf and what kind of messages are we sending. We need to focus on our message and show the benefits of our industry.”


Other  symposium presenters and their topics are:


·         Nancy Wickus / Kara Roskop Waters  with the County of San Diego: Update on Pesticide Laws and Regulations. Wickus is a senior agricultural/standards inspector with the county Department of Agriculture, Weights & Measures. Roskop-Waters works in the same department in agricultural water quality andpesticide regulation.


·         Kimberly Gard with Syngenta Corporation,a global chemicals company which markets seeds and pesticides: Is the Future of Pesticides Sustainable?


·         Luke Yoder, head groundskeeper, Petco Park: Plant Growth Regulators on High Maintenance Turf


·         Joe Vargas, plant pathology professor at Michigan State University: Pesticides: Perception versus Reality. Vargas has published more than 200 articles on turfgrass diseases and has given more than 1,000 presentations at conferences in 19 countries.


In addition to the seminar to be held from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in Cuyamaca College’s performing arts center, an outdoor trade show is planned, with typically sizable industry and vendor representation.


The registration fee $75 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.


For more information on the symposium and to register online, click here.

Foundation keeps district retirees connected

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More than 100 retirees of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District recently attended an event hosted by the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges to thank them for their service and to encourage them to remain involved with the colleges.
The retirees were told about volunteer opportunities such as helping out with the Literary Arts Festival April 25-May 1 at Grossmont College and the Coyote Music Festival held April 26 at Cuyamaca College. Retirees interested in remaining in touch with the District can sign up for the foundation's Retiree Network. See more photos of the event.





Stan Flandi



 
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