Mandatory Census for Kansas Students

Students at Johnson County Community College recieved a friendly reminder/warning via e-mail today: Fill out the state census or this will be your last semester at JCCC — at least this academic  year.

The college will not allow students to drop fall 2009 courses or to enroll in spring 2010 courses until they complete and return the state census form.

State law mandates that all students attending public and private colleges and universities complete the census.

“Every public or private university and college shall obtain from all enrolled students census information upon forms provided by the secretary of state,” the law reads.

The purpose of the census is to collect information for redistricting as noted in K.S.A. 11-301 – Census Data For Legislative And Congressional Redistricting.

The e-mail message sent to JCCC students:

The state of Kansas is requiring all students to complete a census form for the 2010 state census. You will not be able to enroll for spring 2010 or add/drop fall 2009 classes at JCCC until the ‘2010 Census Adjustment’ form is completed and returned.

Top 5 JCCC Tweets (Aug 9 – 15)

(as selected by me)

1. mkevans: Picking up my Western Civ and Child Development textbooks from JCCC. Thankful I’m not paying for my college education.
2. JCCCtweet: Jan-July 09, JCCC recycled 127,820 lbs of paper, cardboard and plastic – 40,900 more lbs than last yr – and raised $1200 for scholarships.
3. campusledger: #JCCC reports first official H1N1 “swine” flu infection. More information coming Aug. 20 in the first @campusledger.
4. campusledger: Protestors greet Rep. Dennis Moore in parking lot as he arrives at #JCCC for procurement conference.
5. deafmaestro: @misskenz1985 Good lookin out, kid. I miss JCCC. Used to be the Van Wilder of JCCC. They gave me my own office I & didnt do shit. Good times

JCCC Reports 1st Case of H1N1

From the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

A case of the H1N1 virus has been reported involving a person associated with Johnson County Community College. JCCC has a response plan in place and is in regular communication with the Johnson County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (It’s important that you know about the virus, so we’re presenting that first, but please keep reading to the end for important information about reporting cases in Kansas.)

To help reduce the spread of the virus:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of the used tissue.
• If you have the flu or a similar illness, stay home to avoid spreading the virus.

The symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 (swine) flu. If you have these symptoms or an underlying medical condition (i.e., pregnancy, asthma, diabetes, etc.) and have questions, please visit your health care provider immediately.

If you find you have flu or a similar illness, please stay home to avoid spreading the virus. The Center for Disease Control has reduced the 7-day isolation period and instead asks that people be fever-free while not taking fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen for 24 hours before venturing out among the public.

Information about JCCC’s response to the H1N1 flu virus can be found online at www.jccc.edu/flu. There we’ll communicate new information about the virus and about steps the college is taking as they develop.

You may also be interested in learning more from these resources:

• Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm
• The World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/en/
• U.S. Government, http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html
• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, http://www.swinefluks.org
• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment phone bank, 877-427-7317 (toll-free)
• Johnson County Health Department, http://health.jocogov.org
• Johnson County Health Department flu hotline, 913-826-1263

Reporting H1N1 cases in Kansas

This is probably not the first case on campus; it’s just the first one that has been reported to us. In Kansas, only severely ill patients who are hospitalized have confirmed lab tests, and those will be the only ones the state reports. If someone with the H1N1 virus is not hospitalized, his or her specimen is taken to a regular lab. It is not considered an official “confirmed” case and is not reported. Thus, while Kansas reports almost 250 confirmed cases in the state, the number of actual cases could be in the thousands. Therefore, in most cases, we will only know if the virus is on campus if the person involved lets us know. We will never know how many real cases we have, so we won’t be able to give you periodic reports that we have two, now three, now four – and so on – cases on campus.

So, please know:

• The health of our students, faculty and staff is very important.
• H1N1 is here among us. Please take the preventive measures outlined above.
• JCCC is monitoring the situation as best we can and has a response plan should the situation warrant action on the college’s part.

JCCC Top Tweets – Enrollment Edition

(as selected by me)

1. oceansunfish: Was so happy that we were starting on Mon this semester until saw finals start on a Thurs. Still screws up lab sched. Nice work JCCC.
2. tolebooth: @Kasliah Hey!!! Thanks, you too! I’m drinking my coffee (at home) and then I have to go to JCCC to straighten some fin. aid bitches out!
3. Kasliah: JCCC loved going there…but I think they are a bit “biased” u know? Good luck..some of the FA ppl are good up there tho.not all @tolebooth
4. Kasliah: 1kid was complaining that his dad was making him pay for college b/c he was acting like a “spoiled monster!” LMAO gotta luv JCCC @tolebooth
5. Chrisp3d: JCCC enrollment process sucks…looks like I have ANOTHER test to take….FAIL
6. Winterwierdo: Is was a major bummer when i found out that we are taking classes total opsit days at jccc Idk that will get to see eachother then…
7. pigeon_assassin: Fucking hell: JCCC wont give me in-state tuition b/c I haven’t been in KS for 6 mo. Upside: 11 credits at JCCC is cheaper than 1 at ASU.
8. chillzary: Enjoy long-ass lines? Johnson county community college is the place for you!
9. astillwell2009: just stood in line for 3 hours at JCCC to get my textbooks, that’s worse than disneyworld
10. ccclea: Went to JCCC to take my tests, but they already closed at 6… CRAP. So we went to downtown and hit the dance spot instead.
11. campusledger: #JCCC enrollment currently up 5.8 percent in headcount and 8.2 percent in credit hours, down from reported 20 percent earlier this summer.
12. readteach: JCCC “helping students learn” event very good. Excited about new emphasis on campus!!
13. misskenz1985: is up and at ‘em… headed to JCCC to take a math test and meet with an advisor!! Then it’s time to enroll in classes… Yesssssss

Expected Enrollment Exaggerated

Johnson County Community College says media reports have inaccurately inflated enrollment.

Last month, The Kansas City Star reported 2009 fall enrollment at JCCC swelled 21 percent from fall 2008. Yesterday, JCCC posted an item on the college’s electronic mail server, Infolist, cutting the Star’s estimate by more than half.

According to the posting, JCCC says the day The Star acquired its figures enrollment was exceptionally high but over the course of the summer enrollment has fluctuated.

In June JCCC reported summer enrollment rose by 9.7 percent over the previous summer for a total of 9,141 students . This is the largest increase in summer registration in JCCC’s 40-year history.

Certainly, the economy is a major factor in the increse for both summer 2009 and fall 2009. One simply hast o look at 2008 enrollment. In September 2008, JCCC reported fall enrollment increased less than one percent from the previous year bringing the total number of students to 19,062. In June 2008, JCCC reported summer enrollment increased 7.1 percent for a total of 8,535 students.

JCCC Infolist post:

JCCC ENROLLMENT CLARIFICATION

Top 5 JCCC Tweets (July 26 – Aug 1)

(as selected by me)

1. s_m_thompson: Wishing I had remembered my half bottle of gin in the bushes outside JCCC between buses. :/ What a gin evening it could be.
2. Ariannax3: Over 5 hours at JCCC dealing with enrollment & money & whatnot. I think I deserve a nap. G’night~!
3. Brittany_Elaine: Hey, JCCC? Please get a better system for handling enrollment/financial aid/EVERYTHING. Thank you.
4. kcelrod: Just finished the “Start2Finish 5k” at JCCC. See http://istart2finish.org/5k.html
5. melodeebinkc: JCCC’s student newspaper wins a best of show award. Read more here: http://bit.ly/jUBNt (expand)

Top 5 JCCC Tweets (July 19 – 25)

(as selected by me)

1. emigab: @returnofthejeni i am doing the chef apprenticeship program at johnson county community college!! *so excited*
2. mackenziemiller: Am set for a busy day off, but thinking of researching branding tips to prepare for JCCC branding consultant opportunity.
3. melodeebinkc: Power out in seven JCCC buildings (not mine, though.) KCPL says transmitter on Quivira is down; power could be restored by 1:30 p.m.
4. Alex_Anderson_: attempting to finish this biology essay at JCCC, who knew that immune system disorders could be so boring….?
5. MRObot: by the way, did anybody see the line of 20-30 dump trucks by JCCC today? The construction over there has made that place a real clusterfuck

JCCC’s New Website Surprise

Rebranding of the Carlsen Center Moves Forward

Today Johnson County Community College‘s Web Publishing department released templates for the college’s upcoming redesigned site.

Template design by Nick Greenup

Three templates focusing on the Performing Arts Series (formerly known as the Carlsen Center Series) extend the college’s efforts to rebrand the Carlsen Center as the Performing Arts Center. The name shift began last year.

Initially known as the Cultural Education Center, the Board of Trustees renamed the building the Carlsen Center in 1998 after then president Charles Carlsen.

In 2006, Carlsen abruptly resigned following allegations published in the student newspaper that he unlawfully harassed female employees.

Since then, there has been discussion about removing Carlsen’s name from the building. Trustees and College President Terry Calaway have remained firmly in support of the building keeping the name of the former president. Yet the rebranding as the Performing Arts Center continues.

This spring, Trustees revised college policy implementing new procedures for naming college facilities for individuals.

UPDATE
Posted July 23 to the JCCC electronic mail server, Infolist:

A NEW BRAND ARRIVES: INTRODUCING ‘THE PERFORMING ARTS SERIES’

With the 2009-2010 season, Johnson County Community College is initiating a new brand, referring to its schedule of world-class performing artists as “The Performing Arts Series” as a way to distinguish professional from academic performances, which are also offered in the Carlsen Center.

The Performing Arts Series is an umbrella term for the long-established Dance, Classics, Center Stage and Family series as well as Special Events that were formerly referred to as the Carlsen Center Series.

To view the 2009-2010 season, go to http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/001440/site/toc_events.

Last Week’s Top 5 JCCC Tweets

(as selected by me):

1. shawmino: @paige89nicole i’m still going to jccc, but i finally got finaid out of the way, and i’m only 2 required classes away from graduating
2. JCSID: The JCCC women’s basketball team finished 15th in the WBCA Top 20 honor roll with a GPA of 3.132.
3. Bagyants: I love how one of the JCCC trustees is named Jon Stewart. It throws me off every time.
4. fatcity: JCCC’s Kelly Conwell wins best student chef in the country : Conwell in the foreground, cooking in front of fell.. http://bit.ly/6ELYU (expand)
5. okansas: http://twitpic.com/atqik Snapshot from today’s sprint orienteering at JCCC.

JCCC Helpdesk Computer Hacked

24 Affected by Keylogging Software

Officials at Johnson County Community College announced that keylogging software has compromised a computer in the college’s Help Desk area.

The software compromised information for 13employees, 10 students and one consultant. All were notified of the  situation.

According to a message posted on the colleges electronic mail server, Infolist, the software was downloaded sometime last month.

In September 2003, The Campus Ledger reported multiple dowloads of keylogging software onto the Student Senate computer. In the article, students (including student senators) admitted to act.  

JCCC Relevant Policies:

319.01 Student Code of Conduct

510.00 Use of Communications Systems

Posted June 19 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

JCCC FINDS COMPROMISED COMPUTER

     Johnson County Community College has discovered a problem with a computer in the college’s help desk area that has compromised information for 24 people. Only information that had been entered on that particular computer was compromised. The college’s database of student and personnel records was not touched.

     The college has contacted the 13 employees, 10 students and one consultant who were affected by the breach.

     The affected computer was connected to an outside line and used for testing outside access to college resources and assisting faculty, staff and students with technical problems. Sometime within the last month, a key logging application was downloaded to the machine. The program records all keystrokes entered into the computer. The college is continuing to investigate how this may have occurred.

     The affected computer has been removed from the outside line, and additional security measures have been put in place to safeguard against a reoccurrence of this type of issue. The college has also examined other campus computers and servers and did not find any others that were compromised.

     “We very much regret that this incident occurred and regard it with the utmost importance and sensitivity,” said Denise Moore, vice president and chief information officer at JCCC. “We take very seriously the protection of information regarding our students and employees and have taken steps to ensure this situation does not occur again.”