JCCC’s Latino Leaders

JCCC’s Hispanic community was well represented at the May meeting of the Board of Trustees by two of the campus’ student leaders, Will Suarez and Ignacio Carvajal.

Suarez

Suarez works as a Student Activities Ambassador for the Campus Activities Board (CAB). He addressed the trustees during the Petitions and Communications section of the meeting. Suarez relayed his experiences from his first year as a JCCC student.

“I will remain forever grateful to this institution for giving me the opportunity to serve the student body and to work as an employee and serve as a student.”

Suarez helped co-found the college’s first Hispanic student group, Latinos United Now and Always (LUNA),

“Thanks to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office, I felt welcomed at this institution,” he said. “They have fostered my growth, my knowledge and that of my peers. It is through this office that JCCC is becoming a more harmonious place.”

Suarez also noted contributions of JCCC Hispanics:

• John Hanysz, Student Activities, named Supervisor of the Year
• Raul Gabarra, student athlete, led the baseball team to the regionals
• Morgan Honnold, student, named Outstanding Student, Fall 2009.
• Ignacio Carbajal, student, who earned the Jack Kemp Cook scholarship

Suarez commended the college on fostering these students and employees but said the institution must do more for Hispanic population and other populations as well. He said the college needs to:

• recruit diverse faculty
• invest more in recruiting minority students
• create a Multicultural Center
• invest more in the understaffed ODEI

The trustees also recognized Carvajal in the Awards and Recognitions section of the meeting. More than 400 students applied for the Jack Kemp Cook scholarship. Only 30 were selected. Carvajal is the first JCCC student to earn the award.

Infolist: Faculty Union Contract Vote Results

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

BARGAINING UNIT APPROVES CONTRACT
Members of the JCCC Bargaining Unit approved the 2009-2010 contract in voting completed at noon today.

The final numbers for the contract vote:

• Approximately 73 percent of the eligible Bargaining Unit members voted, or 261 out of 355 BU members.
• 249 voted yes (95.40 percent of the actual voting population; 70.14 percent of the eligible population)
• 12 voted no (4.60 percent of the actual voting population; 3.38 percent of the eligible population)

Infolist: Trustee Retreat

Posted May 20 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

TRUSTEES DISCUSS POLICIES, MISSION, VISION AND VALUES STATEMENTS, CALAWAY EVALUATION CALENDAR
The JCCC board of trustees met in retreat Tuesday evening. They discussed board policies, specifically term limits for board officers and procedures for calling special board meetings; the proposed new mission, vision and values statements and strategic goals; and the calendar for Dr. Calaway’s annual evaluation. They received an update on progress with the new facility at Olathe Medical Center and on the RFP (request for proposal) for legal services. The regular monthly board meeting is 4 p.m. Thursday in 137 GEB.

Infolist Update: Free Bioscience Institute

JCCC OFFERS FREE PRE-COLLEGE BIOSCIENCE INSTITUTE

Johnson County Community College, in partnership with the OneKC WIRED Grant, will host a pre-college bioscience institute from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15-18 in the Regnier Center.

There is no charge for the program, but registration is required by calling 913-469-2323 and enrolling in CRN 51819.

This is the first time for the institute, designed for high school students who are interested in the biotechnology field. Students will receive hands-on training in basic laboratory techniques and learn how to isolate their own DNA, use a micropipette, modify the genetic makeup of bacteria and search for secrets of the rain forest.

Classes will be taught by JCCC faculty in the college’s state-of-the-art biotechnology suite.

For more information, contact Luanne J. Wolfgram, Ph.D., career program facilitator, biotechnology, at 913-469-2365, wolfgra@jccc.edu; or Megan Gray, bioscience workforce development coordinator, at 913-469-8500, ext. 4270, mgray32@jccc.edu.

Infolist Update: JCCC Needs SENSE

Posted May 6 on the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

A message from Dr. Calaway and the Entering Student Success Institute Planning Team
This fall, JCCC will be participating in a research field test of the Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE). Administered within the fourth and fifth weeks of the fall semester, this survey focuses on institutional practices and student behaviors in the earliest weeks of college.

Survey data will be collected, analyzed, and reported back to the college, further supporting our institution’s efforts to understand the critical early student experience and to improve practices in ways that will increase student success in the first college year. The project is part of CCSSE and the Community College Leadership Program at The University of Texas at Austin.

Research shows that student engagement is strongly related to student success in community colleges. Understanding students’ earliest experiences can help us enhance student learning, retention, and success.

The survey will be administered in classes randomly selected by SENSE to ensure a representative sample and to preserve the integrity of the survey results. Instructors whose classes are selected for survey administration will receive detailed instructions prior to the start of the semester.

JCCC is intent on being a leader in education, and this survey can assist us to improve course completion rates, as well as the rate of student persistence to the completion of their educational goals. You may learn more about SENSE from the project Web site at: www.enteringstudent.org.

If you have any questions about SENSE, please contact the Survey of Entering Student Engagement office at 512-471-6807 or on the Web site www.enteringstudent.org.

Infolist Update: Antiterrorism Training

Posted May 4 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

INNOCENT TARGETS SESSION ON JUNE 16 LED BY RENOWNED PRESENTER
Innocent Targets, facilitated by Michael Dorn, will be presented from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, in the Craig Community Auditorium, 233 GEB.

This practical, information packed, interactive, fast-paced and fact-based presentation is based on the presenter’s extensive research, formal training and full-time state government homeland security experience. This session will help dispel the alarmist disinformation so prevalent in our society regarding this emotional topic. The session will instead provide practical antiterrorism action steps to help schools and their public safety partners address this very real threat in rational and realistic ways. Based on the book, “Innocent Targets,” that is the standard reference guide on the topic for universities as well as for state and federal government homeland security agencies, this session will help law enforcement agencies focus their prevention and response measures more effectively.

The session will end with Michael Dorn’s powerful presentation – “Weakfish – Bullying Through the Eyes of a Child.”

Infolist Update: Cost Cutting

Posted May 4 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

SUBMIT SAVINGS SUGGESTIONS ONLINE
A new Cost-Savings Idea link has been added to the JCCC home page, www.jccc.edu.

To submit a savings suggestion, click on the link and complete the information. The information is forwarded daily to the president’s office.

DEFAULT SETTINGS TO CHANGE ON COPIERS, PRINTERS TO SAVE PAPER, ENERGY, MONEY
In support of initiatives by the college’s Sustainability Committee and in order to maximize cost efficiencies, Document Services and Information Services will be modifying various default settings on all office copiers and laser printers that have the appropriate capabilities. These modifications will enable the college to consume less paper and energy, while significantly reducing the overall cost of printing.

Furthermore, the cost savings generated by the following device modifications will help to fund the increased costs of purchasing paper in support of the college’s sustainability efforts.

Infolist Update: JCCC Funder Dies

Posted May 4 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

SAD NEWS: WALT HIERSTEINER DIES
Walt Hiersteiner passed away on Saturday, May 2. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 3 p.m. at the New Reform Temple, 7100 Main Street (Gregory at Main). In May 2002, Walt and Jean Hiersteiner donated $360,000 toward the expansion of the Children’s Center on the JCCC campus to provide space for students in the college’s early childhood development program and more room for childcare. Known as the Hiersteiner Child Development Center, Walt and Jean were frequent visitors and enjoyed reading to the students.

In 2003, Walt was named Johnson Countian of the Year because of advocacy and dedication to education and health issues in Johnson County. He was always a strong advocate for education. He is a former member and president of the Shawnee Mission High School District school board, a former member and president of the USD No. 512, Shawnee Mission Unified School District, board of education and a former member and chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. Walt also served on the JCCC Foundation Board of Directors.

Infolist Update: New Trustees

Posted May 4 to the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

JCCC BOARD ORIENTATION IS JUNE 6
The Johnson County Community College board of trustees will conduct an orientation for newly elected board members from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 6 in room 270 of the Regnier Center. New trustees will meet with staff in a series of brief sessions to become familiar with various aspects of the college.

JoCo has possible H1N1 case

Posted today on the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

H1N1 UPDATE
The Johnson County Health Department has announced one presumptively confirmed case of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus in Johnson County. Confirmation of the probable case of H1N1 influenza announced Friday is still pending. The Johnson County Health Department is following the guidance provided through the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This includes a thorough case investigation and management of the patient and close contacts. Four likely cases have also been reported on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area.

The Johnson County Health Department recommends individuals take standard precautions to avoid getting ill such as washing your hands, covering your cough, and staying home when you are sick.

JCCC has provided its own Q&A about the H1N1 virus at http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/003100/site/09H1N1.

A task force continues to look at steps that could be taken should the situation require something other than watchfulness, following a guidance document published by the Center for Disease Control and the Department of Education for higher learning institutions.

For additional information, see

• Center for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm
• The World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/en/
• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, http://www.swinefluks.org
• Johnson County Health Department, http://health.jocogov.org
• Johnson County Health Department flu hotline, 913-826-1263