JCCC Lays Off Employees

JCCC Mascot Jean Claude in front of the Bookstore (photo from JCCC Bookstore Facebook page)

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

From: Infolist [On Behalf Of Chris Worthington]
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 1:48 PM
To: JCCC
Subject: [jccc] Departing Colleagues

It is with heavy heart that one must express their appreciation in this manner for the many full-time bookstore employees who were unceremoniously separated from the College Bookstore today – without allowing them the courtesy of interacting with their colleagues from across campus prior to their dismissal – no chance to raise a glass of iced tea or share a cookie while reflecting back on their time here…no opportunity for us to express our appreciation for their years of tireless, underappreciated service to the students, staff, & faculty of this institution.

Apparently the decision was made to restructure the bookstore operation, eliminating most all of the current FT positions(except the manager, assistant manager, and accounting staff), and allowing those staff who would be interested to reapply for one of a small handful of new positions.

On the way back from picking up my lunch in the COM building, I ran into a couple of them as they were leaving with what can only be described as shell-shocked expressions….the light that previously emanated so brightly from their eyes gone…replaced with tears as they struggled to keep themselves composed. I am thankful to have had a moment to hug, shake hands and offer my appreciation for their time here. I hope that if any of you have the opportunity – you will do the same.

Derrick Reynolds, Brian Misenhelter, Justin Foley, Bev Gfeller, Pat McNabb, Tina Farris, Dee Ann Head, Sean Neilon, Mahogany Goines, Aaron Crook…you will all be missed. I wish you well as you transition into the next chapter of your lives. Perhaps we will cross paths again, and I will have the opportunity to express my appreciation for you more appropriately. While I surely may not have conveyed this enough while we worked together…my life has truly been enriched by our time together in the bookstore serving this institution.

Humbly with respect and gratitude,

Chris

Chris Worthington
JCCC Bookstore Manager 2001-2011

JCCC class offers FREE groceries

Posted to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist.

Project Strengths needs volunteers for nutrition classes; participants get groceries

Please get this information out to any interested students, faculty or staff. Juliana Urquhart, dietary manager student, will lead sessions of Project Strengths: Healthy Lifestyles on a Budget. Volunteers are needed to enroll in the eight-week course.

For once a week for two hours, volunteers learn important nutrition basics, food safety and how to prepare a meal in a friendly and relaxed setting – for free!

Participants will receive:

• Vital nutrition and health information
• Helpful hints and money-saving tips to use at the grocery store
• Hands-on cooking instruction
• A bag of groceries every week provided by Harvesters

     Turn everyday food items into healthy, exciting meals. Class size is limited, so sign up today. 

Location: HCA 145

Class Days: Feb. 12. 19, 26, March 4, 11, 25, April 1, 8, 5

Time: 1 to 3 p.m.

Questions: Contact Anna Page 913-469-8500, ext. 3346 or apage@jccc.edu

RSVP by February 8 to Carol Sparks csparks5@jccc.edu 913-469-8500, ext. 3626

When Math Isn’t About Math

Missouri Colleges Examine Math Requirements

I remember after taking (and failing) Introduction to Algebra for like the sixth time, I had a full breakdown. I mean, I didn’t go to work or school for like an entire week. Every dream I had for myself slipped away because they all hinged on me successfully completing three semesters of algebra. I spent that week thinking to myself, “This is it. This is my life. It will never be any more than what it is right now. I’ll never be the person that I know I can be. Never.”

College algebra has been the general education math requirement for graduation for decades. For many students, that’s also meant sitting through remedial math, or taking algebra two or three times – Missouri could offer options to college algebra more relevant to students’ majors | The Kansas City Star.

I understand the critical thinking that math offers. I know how to look at a large complex problem and break it down into smaller components, gather my like terms, do my simple order of operations, and solve. I can do that and I use that math skill every day. But there’s no way to measure that math skill for someone like me. People think I hate math but I rather admire its logic (except for when previously established intransigent rules suddenly have no meaning). I may not be calculating the path to Pluto but I know how to tip appropriately. I know figure out if a BOGO Sale is really a sale. I know how to balance my bank account. I know how to pay my bills.

A committee appointed by the Missouri Department of Higher Education is recommending that two- and four-year public schools that require algebra instead give students the option of taking a class in statistics or another math subject more relevant to their field..

If the KC Star article was about reading or writing, I’d be sad because reading and writing are such joys for me. Yet, I also know that for some people reading is their math. Writing is their math. Public speaking is their math. If there are people out there who are living what they know for them is a meager life, a life short of their dreams, simply because of reading or speech or math, then we’ve got do to what we can to help them. That’s what college is all about.

“Students have been told, ‘You don’t think mathematically,’ because they struggle with algebra, but algebra is just one small aspect of mathematics.” 

Furloughs at JCCC?

Posted to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist.

From: InfoList
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2015 11:45 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] Possibility of furloughs will not affect JCCC employees

While there is speculation that employees of the state of Kansas will be furloughed due to budget challenges, please rest assured that this will not impact those of us at JCCC because we are not state employees. Nevertheless, as concerned citizens we should all be attentive to what goes on in Topeka and pay close attention to the developments in our Capitol. Hopefully the Legislature will reach resolution soon.

JCCC Seeks Person of Interest

Posted to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, JCCClist:

From: Dan Robles
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2015 10:41 AM

Subject: Person of Interest

A recent police intelligence bulletin lists a known white male subject who used the ruse of posing as a duct serviceman to enter secure areas of a local hospital and a college campus library in Kansas City, Kansas to commit thefts from offices. He even carries a large bag with tools and other equipment exposed to look more legit.

Please be alert and let your managers and employees know that they should first confirm with a manager before allowing a workman access to any secure building locations. When in doubt on suspicious subjects do not hesitate contacting the campus police.

Forward this email to those whom I may have not included who need to be in the know at the various buildings on campus.

Thanks,

Dan Robles
Crime Prevention Officer

JCCC Board of Trustees Candidate Forum

Could we maybe get this information with more than 24 hrs notice?

Posted March 9 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail sever, Infolist:

From: InfoList
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2015 2:28 PM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] An invitation to the board of trustees candidate forum

An invitation to the board of trustees candidate forum
You are invited to attend a forum of candidates currently running for the Johnson County Community College board of trustees.
The forum will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (March 10) at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, 9001 West 110th Street, Overland Park, Kansas.
The event is hosted by the Johnson County Public Policy Council. Candidates invited to participate include:

– Larry Fotovich
– Nancy Ingram
– Patricia Lightner
– David Lindstrom
– Greg Musil
– Mark Read

Admission is free, but reservations are requested. To register, click here.
For more information, contact Celia Fritz-Watson at cfritzwatson@opchamber.org or 913-491-3600.

Measles, JCCC Policy, & Student Heath Center

With the media pushing the measles story and being one of the many employees at Johnson County Community College who come in contact with hundreds of students each day — many who may not have had a measles booster — I turned to the JCCC board policies for guidance.

Alright. That doesn’t really help me as an employee.

Alright so this tells me that if I get sick JCCC can make me go to a doctor they select (and they will pay for it), JCCC can tell people who “need to know” of my illness, if someone refuses to work with me they can (but probably won’t) be disciplined, and if it wants JCCC can fire me for being sick.

It would certainly help if the college had a Student Health Center like it did a few years ago where students and hourly employees like me could drop in with questions or for help finding services. I guess it’s more important to have a building showcasing art that we don’t even own than it is to house a vital service that would benefit every student and employee of the college.

#JCCC Trustee Race Takes Off

Two of Three Incumbents File, Challenger Emerges

The Johnson County Election Office shows that David Lindstrom and Greg Musil have filed for re-election to the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees. Trustee Jon Stewart has yet to file.

Filings also show a newcomer, Nancy Ingram has also entered the race.

Deadline to file (or withdraw) is Jan. 27.

Should more than six candidates file for the three available seats on the JCCC board, a primary election will be triggered. That primary would fall on March 3.

The general election is April 7.

#JCCC: Reports Leading to Lockdown Unsubstantiated, Uncorroborated

Posted by the President’s Office to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

From: InfoList
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:09 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] A Message from Joe Sopcich

Dear Colleagues,

A few weeks ago the college endured its first – and we hope its only – lockdown experience.  Our campus community handled the situation in exemplary fashion. Nevertheless, in the days since the situation occurred, several areas have held debriefings to go over what our strengths were and what we could do to improve. This has proven a tremendous learning experience for all of us.

The JCCC Police department has closed its investigation of the matter, concluding that the two reports of a person with a weapon on campus on Sept. 4, 2014, did not corroborate each other and neither could be substantiated.

As I said in my initial message to you all, I am very grateful for the safe resolution of the situation and the quick, calm actions of JCCC Police, Emergency Preparedness, faculty, staff and students. We are also grateful to the commanders, police officers and officials from Overland Park Police, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson County Park Police, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Johnson County Fire Department and Med-Act, who arrived on campus and assisted in keeping our campus safe.

We learned that our training paid off. We also saw where we could make improvements – for example, how the installation of classroom phones that function as extended public address systems will reinforce messages sent on the public address systems in the hallways. That effort was already underway and should be completed in January.

Our common goal is to make the JCCC campus community the safest learning environment possible.  This experience will help us achieve that goal.  We appreciate all you do to keep our community safe.

Sincerely,

Joe

#JCCC Lockdown Timeline

The timeline established by the JCCC Alerts issued via email, text, and on campus video monitors.

3:40 PM – Lockdown order  – Suspicious person with weapon

JCCC Alert – The Campus PD has received a report of a suspicious person with a weapon. All occupants in CC, GEB, OCB, COM, LIB need to lock-down at this time.

3:45 PM – Lockdown order  – Suspicious person with weapon

JCCC Alert – The Campus PD has received a two reports of a person with a weapon. No confirmation of the subject has yet been made.

3:53 PM – Lockdown order  – Suspicious person with weapon

JCCC Alert 3– Campus PD has received reports of a person with a weapon. No confirmation of the subject has been made.CC,COM,SC,LIB,SC,GEB,OCB remain in lockdown.

4:16 PM – Message #4 Suspicious person with weapon

JCCC Alert 4-Campus Police and Overland Park PD are assessing the scene and conducting seaches of the campus.  We appreciate your patience.  Stay in place.

4:31PM – Message #5 Suspicious person with weapon

JCCC Alert 5-Police are ordering a full campus lockdown.  Everyone should remain in a safe place until released by police. Entrances to campus are closed.

4:41 PM – Message #6 Suspicious person

JCCC Alert 6- JCCC remains on full-lockdown searching for a suspicious party.  All classes are canceled for Thursday, September 4.

5:39 PM – Message #7 Suspicious person

JCCC Alert 7- Police are releasing building occupants one by one.  Please remain in place until released by PD.  Please be patient.

7:05 PM – JCCC All Clear

JCCC Alert – The lockdown of buildings at JCCC has been lifted.  There is no longer a viable threat.  All classes will resume on September 5, 2014.