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

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 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.

#JCCC President Speaks of Lockdown

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

From: InfoList
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2014 7:23 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] A message from Joe Sopcich

To members of our campus community,

Yesterday we experienced our college’s first “lockdown” situation. Rest assured it was not a drill. It was an alarming and sobering experience. As you know from our alerts, we had reports of a weapon on campus. Please know that our police force takes such reports with extreme seriousness. We are all fortunate that they do. Their challenge is always to verify the reports before we take action. The margin for error is non-existent. In this case, as we will in all cases, our decisions were based on what is the safest approach possible for our campus community. Ultimately, in this case, the first alert was sent out at 3:40 p.m. and was followed by seven additional alerts. The outcome of this situation was a good one, and the room-by-room search was lifted with the final alert sent at 7:05 p.m.

We would like to thank everyone on campus for their calmness and clear-headedness. We are proud of the way our JCCC Police Force responded to the initial report. Their performance reassures us that we’re in good hands. Our emergency preparedness group was on top of it all and proved excellent. Additionally, we got reports that, throughout the college, people were following their ALICE training and doing what they needed to do to ensure the safety of our students and colleagues. Lastly, members of our leadership team assumed their pre-assigned responsibilities and performed them admirably. We’d also like to thank the Overland Park Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol and MedAct for their professionalism and quick deployment on campus. We are fortunate to live in a community blessed with such professional law enforcement.

As we all know, security on our campus is of paramount importance to us all. This experience proved to be a learning opportunity for everyone involved. We will now set out to evaluate our performance and identify ways we can make it better. Lastly, and again, special thanks go to everyone on campus for handling this situation so well.

Sincerely,

Joe

 

Free Cosmetology Services for HS Prom

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

Cosmetology students give free pre-prom services for selected high school students

Prom is the social event of the season for high school students, and cosmetology students at Johnson County Community College want to help those students look their best.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, JCCC cosmetology students will be assisting students who might not otherwise be able to afford beauty services.

Counselors at area high schools have helped to select those students who could benefit from a fancy updo, a cosmetics application or a mini-manicure, all at no charge to the student.

The event is part of continuing effort for the JCCC cosmetology department and its students to give back to the community. This is the second year special prom preparations have been hosted by JCCC.

The cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology departments are located on the college’s West Park campus, 9780 W. 87^th St., Overland Park.

Appointments for the general public can be made by calling 913-469-8500 ext. 2390.

JCCC’s Virginia Krebs Dies

Krebs

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

Virginia Krebs, JCCC’s first employee and trustee emeritus, dies

Virginia Krebs, JCCC’s first employee and first trustee emeritus, died Feb. 8.

A celebration of life memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, March 8, in Polsky Theatre.

“Mrs. Krebs dedicated her life to the education of children and adults throughout Johnson County,” said Joe Sopcich, JCCC president. “She truly was a leader in making JCCC one of the best community colleges in the United States. Our community is forever indebted to her and her family for all they’ve done to improve the quality of life in this county.”

Krebs was a member of the JCCC board of trustees from 1985 to 2008. She was elected to the board for six consecutive terms, the last in April 2005. When she resigned from the board in October 2008, she was named the college’s first trustee emeritus. As a college trustee, she served as clerk, treasurer, vice chairman and chairman.

A complete obituary may be found here.

Memorial contributions may be made to the JCCC Foundation.

Closures, Consolidations, Changes Coming to JCCC

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

From: InfoList
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2014 9:41 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] A message from Joe Sopcich

January 24, 2014

As you well know, for the past few months we have been engaged in a thorough review of college programs and budgets. Since we launched these program review initiatives, the general response has been positive and constructive. While there were those who expressed their reservations, in various formats, I was encouraged over the months by the direct feedback I received as to how this type of initiative was necessary and overdue. In fact, it has been inspiring to see how people have rallied and tried to do the best job possible in a very short time frame. I can’t thank you enough for your efforts.

As part of the process during the fall semester, a Budget Review Team (BRT), representing all areas of the college, was formed to provide input. The BRT was something new for JCCC and was launched quickly and with little fanfare. I’ll be the first to say that we have much room for improvement in the future; nevertheless, we gave it our best shot and will continue to enhance the process. The thoughts the team shared reveal some themes that we need to consider. You can see that list here.

Editor’s Note: The document is password protected. It is document, “Input from the Budget Discussion Team,” which can be found here.

Originally, our goal was to cut at least $3 million in salaries and benefits from the college’s budget next year. However, as we gave our five-year budget projections another look, we felt our original projections were too optimistic. For example, revenues this year will be down as a result of the decline in enrollment, and we are no longer assured that we will be able to see an increase in state aid next year. Our projections calling for annual increases in enrollment and state aid were overly optimistic and unrealistic. Therefore, to keep the college sustainable for the future, it is in our best interest to eliminate a little more than $3 million this year and continue to review our programs and processes each year to make sure we are functioning as efficiently as possible.

Budget Actions
The budget actions to be taken for the upcoming fiscal year are outlined in three levels:

JCCC to Cut $3M in Salary, Benefits

Johnson County Community College President Joseph Sopcich released a statement (below) to the campus addressing the college’s budget shortfall and impending cuts. The college will also raise tuition.

Follow the Campus Ledger’s reporting on the budget process.

 

Posted December 17, 2013 on the Johnson County Community College electronic mail server, Infolist:

From: InfoList
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 3:31 PM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] A message from Joe Sopcich

As part of the budget process, we have been conducting an extensive review of college departments, programs and activities. A Budget Review Team with representatives from across the college was formed to provide input. The suggestions they shared revealed some themes that we will consider further.

Although we are not yet through with the budget process, we have determined that the majority of the $3 million in savings required from salary and benefits can be accomplished through normal attrition. Not filling positions vacated through resignations or retirements will require remaining employees to pick up additional responsibilities as departments figure out how to consolidate or eliminate the tasks and projects the vacated positions would have handled.

We are still continuing to review programs, functions and activities to meet the long-term goals of continuous improvement and enhancing operating efficiencies. As a result, identification of additional cuts, consolidation of efforts or reorganization will be part of an ongoing improvement process.

Joe

JCCC Budget Priorities: Increase Tuition, Reduce Salaries

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

From: InfoList
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2013 10:01 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: [infolist] A message from Joe Sopcich

As you know, we have several goals we need to accomplish this year with the budget to ensure that JCCC remains financially healthy. These goals are to:

1.  Stabilize the college’s reserves at $21-$23 million, or no less than 16% of our annual operating budget to allow for two months of operations should a crisis occur.
2. Begin working toward the goal of stabilizing the college’s capital budget at $10 million and replenish the capital operating fund so we can maintain our facilities at a level that serves our students. This is anticipated to take five years.
3. Set our salaries and benefits at a level we can sustain for the foreseeable future. 

For us to accomplish these goals, we need to do two things:

1.  Implement a plan for tuition rates that is consistent and informs students years in advance of what we’re going to charge so they can plan accordingly. We have proposed to the trustees a $3 a year tuition increase over the next five years. This means that by fiscal year 2018-2019, one credit hour will cost $100.
2.  Reduce the salary budget by at least $3 million. This summer we took steps that reduced the salary budget by $700,000. That leaves us another $2.3 million in cuts to consider. 

To accomplish this second objective, we are taking a close look at all programs of the college. Each program, be it an academic program or a support area, has been asked to evaluate its performance and contribution to the college, based on a variety of criteria, such as cost of the program, enrollment, enrollment trends and growth potential. Support areas will look at volume of work/projects, cost to deliver such volume and redundancies in service.

Again this year we will be following the PBS (Prioritizing the Budget Strategically) process, in which we ask that all expense lines are justified.  The budgeting process will get underway this month, following this timeline: