Cuyamaca, Grossmont colleges begin spring semester in upbeat mode

Spring semester begins Monday for more than 27,000 students at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges amid a sense of progress as the campuses benefit from a recovering economy and a state and national focus on the value of community colleges.

During gatherings this week welcoming faculty back to campus after the winter break, the college presidents highlighted their institutions’ efforts to promote student success, increase the number of classes being offered, and slowly add back some of the staffing lost during the recession.

Cuyamaca College adjunct instructor named Judge of the Year

Eddie Sturgeon

Eddie Sturgeon, a longtime instructor of criminal law and civil litigation in Cuyamaca College’s paralegal studies program, has been named Judge of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, an organization of local trial lawyers working to preserve and protect the legal rights of consumers.

 He is being honored at Balboa Park’s Hall of Champions Feb. 12 at the legal group’s 56th annual awards and installation dinner. This is his second year of receiving the prize, having first won it in 1989.

 A Cuyamaca College adjunct instructor since the program’s start in 1992, Sturgeon’s day job is as the supervising judge of the East County Division of San Diego Superior Court. Prior to his appointment to the bench in 1988, Sturgeon was a practicing criminal law attorney for 15 years.

 At Cuyamaca College, he received the college’s annual Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013, a plaudit he received from a faculty committee of the Academic Senate based on student nominations, ratings and reviews.

 “Judge Sturgeon is a valued member of our faculty who has imparted his wealth of knowledge in legal jurisprudence to an entire generation of our students,” said Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic. “We are delighted by the news of his latest accolade and offer him our heartiest congratulations.”

A message from Chancellor Cindy Miles: Spotlighting the value of community colleges

A message sent to Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District employees on Jan. 9, 2015 from Chancellor Cindy L. Miles.

Today was a day when community colleges were truly in the spotlight, both nationally and in California. At Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, TN, President Barack Obama announced his proposal to make two years of community college free, potentially benefitting up to 9 million students nationwide. In Sacramento, Governor Jerry Brown presented his 2015-16 budget plan, which recommends augmenting the California community college budget by more than $800 million in ongoing funds and over $300 million in one-time monies.

President Obama’s proposal calls for offering free tuition to community college students who maintain a 2.5 GPA and are steadily progressing toward a degree. The colleges would be required to offer academic programs that can transfer to four-year universities and vocational programs that lead to degrees or certificates for in-demand jobs. (Of course, we already do that!)

Dr. Miles' reaction to President Obama's proposal for free community college.

President Obama has proposed offered two years of free community college to responsible students. The students would be required to maintain a 2.5 GPA and make steady progress toward a degree or certificate. The colleges would be required to offer programs that transfer to a four-year university or certificates in high-demand workforce fields. Obama is proposing that 75% of the cost would be picked up by the federal government, with the states picking up 25% of the cost.
Here are a few thoughts from Cindy Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, about Obama's proposal.

Survey finds San Diego & Imperial County community colleges play key role in graduates' success

      A first-ever study of recent community college graduates in San Diego and Imperial counties shows that nearly 9 out of 10 have either transferred to a university or are in the labor force, and their community college education played a key role in getting them there.

             The report, based on a survey of more than 1,400 spring 2014 graduates, was conducted by San Diego State University’s School of Journalism & Media Studies on behalf of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges Association (SDICCCA), a consortium of the nine community colleges in the two-county region. 

          

Trio picked for district's annual employee excellence award

Three classified staffers have been honored by the Governing Board as this year’s picks for an employee excellence award lauding behind-the-scenes workers key to Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges and the East County college district.

Grossmont College Administrative Assistant Janet Carter, Cuyamaca College Administrative Assistant Cheryl Alvarez, and District Instructional Design Technology Specialist Debbi Smith each received trophies and plaudits as the 2014 recipients of the Chancellor/Classified Senate Award.

“Our colleges and the district are indeed fortunate to have such excellent workers serving students and our community,” Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “Their contributions are valued beyond measure.”

Classified Senate President Yvette Macy said the awardees are dedicated to the universal mission of student success.

Bill Garrett returning as Governing Board president for 2015

Bill Garrett

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board has unanimously selected Bill Garrett to serve an eighth straight year as president, while Mary Kay Rosinski was picked as vice president and Greg Barr as board clerk for 2015.

Garrett has served since 2008 as board president for the East County district, which enrolls about 30,0000 students at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, in addition to the district’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training program.. The Governing Board meeting got under way Tuesday with Garrett giving the oath of office to trustees Barr, Debbie Justeson and Edwin Hiel, who ran unopposed in the November election. 

Garrett thanked fellow trustees for their support and said the board’s cohesiveness and collegial relationships are key to its strength, as well as the support and trust it has built over the years with faculty, staff and the community at large.