Grossmont College Culinary Arts instructor wins TV's 'Chopped'

 Kris Saradpon/Saradpon Photography

Chef James Foran, a veteran pastry instructor at Grossmont College and head of the Culinary Arts program, has gotten a taste of celebrity, thanks to winning the March 24 season premiere of “Chopped,” the popular TV cooking competition on the Food Network.

“Chef James provides further evidence that Grossmont College faculty stand among the best academically and professionally. We are proud of our colleague,” said Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. “He sets high standards for his students and inspires them to rise to the challenge as he has demonstrated on the national scene."

Asked on the show why he was competing in “Chopped,” Foran said he wanted to represent fellow teachers. Foran, who previously worked as a pastry chef at leading restaurants before coming to Grossmont College, credits his students for keeping him passionate about his work as a chef. 
“Your students will be really proud to be saying they are taught by a ‘Chopped’ champion,” one judge told Foran. 

College district helps community during COVID-19 crisis

Loaning ventilators, aiding stranded cruise ship passengers, and stitching home-made face masks are ways that Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District employees are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a time for everyone to respond with the highest urgency,” said Chancellor Lynn Neault. “This global epidemic can only be fought with sense of unity and a common mission to help humanity in any way we can. This scourge has been a humbling lesson in how vulnerable we are, even in this modern age. I am grateful to our employees for opening their hearts and responding with such compassion.”

Grossmont College loans ventilators to hospitals and state

Grossmont College ventilators to be used by local hospitals

Grossmont College has loaned 18 ventilators to two local hospitals and the state as part of an effort to increase the supply of the life-saving equipment for COVID-19 patients.

The ventilators, which are used in Grossmont College’s Respiratory Therapy program, are valued at almost $400,000, said Nancy Saks, Senior Dean of Allied Health and Nursing at Grossmont.

Six of the ventilators went to Kaiser San Diego Hospital, five went to Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, and seven others went to the state Office of Emergency Services. They were picked up at the college on Friday and Sunday.

As the number of COVID-19 patients increases, hospitals are experiencing a severe shortage of ventilators. The state of California recently sent out a request to colleges with health-related programs to loan out their ventilators.

Cuyamaca College's Middle Eastern Heritage Month is moving online

Cuyamaca College’s popular Middle Eastern Heritage Month is moving online as part of Cuyamaca’s Virtual Campus.

 “People are at home practicing social distancing to stay safe and a lot of campus events have been cancelled, so we decided to move this online for remote access and it all came together really well,” said Interim Student Services Specialist Rana Al-Shaikh, who worked with Cuyamaca College Student Affairs, which is providing online access and expertise and is  coordinating the events with support from Associated Student Government, Engagement & Equity, the World Languages Department and the Middle Eastern Students Club.

 All events will be carried on the Cuyamaca College YouTube channel starting Wednesday, April 1, with chef Paul Karyakos, who goes by the name Chef PK, detailing the finer points of making Lebanese labneh. Karyakos will follow with an April 8 lesson on creating hummus, an April 15 lesson on making tabbouleh salad and an April 22 lesson on crafting shakshuka.

 The events are curated to educate the campus community and the public about the contributions of the Middle Eastern culture.

Short-term, online college classes good fit for homebound high-schoolers

For high school students homebound because of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, eight-week online classes starting March 30 at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges could be just the thing to get a head start on a college education.

The classes run through May 23 and at only $46 a unit for California residents, are a bargain. Most classes carry three units of credit, with financial aid available to those who qualify. Online registration is available. With the virus outbreak, all classes at the colleges are now being offered remotely. 

Perhaps the pandemic has you curious about how public officials make decisions that impact huge swaths of the country. Grossmont College is offering Introduction to Public Health (Health Education 201) which covers public health policy and the epidemiology of infectious and chronic disease and their impact on society. 

College district Governing Board approves emergency declaration at virtual meeting

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board has approved an emergency declaration in response to the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The declaration provides Chancellor Lynn Neault with the authority to close the colleges and district offices if necessary; move to online instruction and telecommuting work arrangements, and within limits, to enter into contracts for supplies or services that are necessary during the crisis.

Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges closed to students and public

As the coronavirus situation remains in a state of flux, effective today, March 16, 2020, Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are now closed to students and the public until further notice.

All instructional activities, office hours and labs will take place online or through another remote delivery to the fullest extent possible. Students are advised to follow directives provided by their instructors and to regularly check the college website and emails to keep apprised by the latest developments.

The district’s Governing Board meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, was also cancelled.

Employees at the campuses were advised to prepare themselves to work remotely as feasible. Those in high-risk categories have been instructed to leave their workplaces today to begin working remotely. The high- risk groups include all employees who are sick or experiencing symptoms, individuals who may have come in contact with others who could have been exposed, and those over the age of 65.

“We understand how difficult the coronavirus outbreak has been for everyone and the disruption this pandemic has caused in people’s lives” said Chancellor Lynn Ceresino Neault. “We are doing our best to respond quickly but carefully to this evolving situation.”

The district’s COVID-19 web page has the latest updates.

Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges temporarily shifting to online classes

Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges temporarily shifting to onlione classesGrossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are cancelling in-person classes during the week of March 16-20 in response to the coronavirus outbreak, temporarily shifting to online instruction as a precautionary measure. 

The East County colleges join several other colleges and universities throughout the state that are taking similar steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and San Diego County Public Health Services assure that the risk to the general public remains low, the colleges are taking the action to ensure the health and safety of students and employees at the campuses. 

“We are taking these extraordinary measures out of an abundance of caution,” said Chancellor Lynn Neault. “We are doing everything we can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees and the public, while ensuring that our student can complete their classes.”