Re: Fresh

Cuyamaca College offers training in green building careers

2012-02-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

For those interested in a career within the “green” construction industry, Cuyamaca College is providing a six-week introductory course, free to eligible students through a training program co-sponsored by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The Introduction to Green Building Careers is funded through the State Energy Sector Partnership, an offshoot of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and will help displaced workers, the long-term unemployed, new workers, military veterans, and older youths gain the skills to compete for jobs in the expanding green economy.

The program is offered from May 7 through June 25 at Cuyamaca College, with some field trips within San Diego. Sessions are held four to eight hours per day between 8:30-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Students must commit to the entire program, and a $300 stipend is provided to students who successfully complete. Topics covered within this overview of “green” construction include:

· Basic construction principles

· Environmental health & safety

· Introduction to green building

· Energy retrofits and efficiency

· Water-efficient buildings and retrofits

· Solar and hot water installation and design

· Solar electricity installation and design

· Work readiness and hands-on work experience.

Students who complete the green building careers program will be prepared to enroll in more specialized training needed to obtain jobs in construction, solar or other energy-efficiency fields.

The green industry is expected to grow in the next few years with an increased emphasis on energy conservation, such as solar energy. State and federal rebates are available for people who install energy-efficient technologies in their home or business, and trained workers will be needed to install the equipment.

Those interested in taking the classes must go through an eligibility process that includes basic skills assessments and various workshops that must be completed prior to the start of class. Students must be 18 years of age or older, be able to read and speak English, registered for selective services, and hold legal status or have authorization to work in the United States.

Attendance at an informational orientation on March 6^th or 7^th is mandatory to learn more about the program and eligibility requirements is required. To register for an orientation, email: camille.currier@gcccd.edu .

Music of Azerbaijan

2012-02-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale will be celebrating the rich musical heritage of Azerbaijan in a performance on Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m. at the Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave., San Diego. With the country’s musical tradition influenced by neighboring Russia, some of Azerbaijan’s greatest master composers will be featured, along with Azeri folk artists Mehdi Bagheri, Parisa Daneshvar, and Amir Etemadzadeh on original instruments.

Featured performers:

Mehdi Bagheri: One of the most talented musicians of Kamancheh from his generation. He began studying music at the age of 12 and received his master’s degree from Arak University in 2004. Mehdi was a student of music masters including Ardeshir Kamkar. Mehdi has performed around the world, and in 2006, he joined the Daneshvar Ensemble, an Iranian music performance ensemble located in southern California. As part of the Daneshvar Music Institute, the ensemble performs and trains aspiring musicians.

Parisa Daneshvar: Her music talent is focused on Ney, a Persian flute. She received her initial music instruction from Hassan Mekaniki, and later was guided by the master of traditional Persian music, Ustad Mohammad ali Kianinejad. Parisa also received instruction from Ustad Soodabeh Salem about teaching music to children and music technique. Parisa now lives in southern California and is a founding member of the Danshvar Music Ensemble Institute.

Amir Etemadzadeh: A professional musician in San Diego. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, he received extensive training in Persian classical music and specialized in hand percussion. Amir is also the founder/director of the Drumming Center (Amir School of Music).

Admission to the concert is $25 for a premium ticket, $15 general admission and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.grossmontsymphony.org.

Sustainable Urban Landscape conference March 8 at Cuyamaca College

2012-02-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

The theme for the fourth annual Sustainable Urban Landscape conference being held at Cuyamaca College March 8 is “The Bottom Line for Green is Black,” examining the ways that good landscaping practices can be a profitable business model in addition to helping the environment.

The keynote speaker for the event is architect John Picard, known as the “green prophet” for his pioneering work in sustainability. He was a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council, a trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed and built. He has conceptualized and built hundreds of the smartest homes, workplaces and communities in America and his vision guides the future planning of dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

Last year, more than 250 people attended the conference, geared toward landscape professionals, educators and others interested in keeping current with the latest in sustainable landscape practices. The conference, hosted by Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture department, is being held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the college’s Performing Arts Theatre, with a reception to follow at the Water Conservation Garden.

“This conference is just one of the many ways that Cuyamaca College is on the forefront of training for people interested in better using our natural resources,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. “We recognize that green jobs are good for the environment and the economy.”

Other speakers at the conference include:

· Dennis Pittenger, environmental horticulturist at UC Riverside and a nationally-recognized expert in landscape water management

· David Shaw, a farm advisor with the University of California Extension in San Diego. His work includes assessing the needs and presenting educational and research programs for landscape professionals.

· Richard Restuccia, director of water management solutions at ValleyCrest Companies, Inc.

· Tom Jesch, owner of Waterwise Botanicals, a wholesale/retail nursery that specializes in drought-tolerant and cutting-edge plant varieties.

The conference will also feature a discussion on the business of urban farming that will be moderated by author and educator Nan Sterman. Panelists include Karen Contreras, the founder of Urban Plantations, a company dedicated to city-dwelling sanctuaries; Bill Tall, founder of City Farmers Nursery; and Crystal Montoya, a certified grower who produces food from her home for farmers markets.

Sessions will also be held at the Water Conservation Garden on the Cuyamaca College campus with talks by garden employees about practices that are influencing the San Diego style of sustainable landscapes.

Registration for the conference is $90 before Feb. 29, and $100 after Feb. 29. Registration includes the presentations, vendor displays, along with breakfast, lunch, and a post-conference reception. Parking is free. For more information or to register, visit www.cuyamaca.edu/ohweb.

Running on empty

2012-02-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

This message to sent to Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District employees Feb. 16 by Chancellor Cindy L. Miles

For the past few years, we’ve been able to lessen the brunt of the state’s funding crisis by budgeting frugally and being incredibly conservative – even pessimistic – in predicting the amount of money we would get from Sacramento. For this fiscal year, we were able to avoid much of the effect of midyear cuts by assuming the worst-case scenario regarding state funding.

This worst-case scenario came to pass in December, and we were ready for it. However, recent news from the state is even worse. We were prepared for the $6.3 million midyear cut we got (the Tier 2 state budget trigger), but now we’ve learned that we can expect an extra 3.3 percent deficit – or about $2.8 million – this year, due to a major shortfall in student fee revenues collected at the state level. Fortunately, we’ve got savings to cover this reduction. Unfortunately, spending this one-time savings drains our defenses against more cuts looming next year.

For the last three years, our Governing Board has approved a conservative annual budget anticipating a midyear state budget reduction, ensuring we don’t spend more money than we receive. Each year we spend sparingly and roll forward all possible savings to offset budget cuts and cost increases in the following fiscal year. This stewardship has guided us well through the mayhem of the continuing California budget crisis. This year, we were able to carry over $8.2 million from 2010-11, which is what protected us from this latest budget hit we just suffered.

Now our piggy bank is dangerously low. We will have less than half our usual savings to carry over to 2012-13, which again promises higher costs and lowered revenues. We are already taking action to delay some critical midyear hires that were previously approved, cut purchases, reduce supplies and operating expenses, restrict travel, and defer facility projects.

GCCCD Budget prospects, as they now stand

2012-13 Budget Tax approved Tax fails

Base shortfall $21.7 million $25.8 million

Proposed solutions $18 million $19 million

Remaining shortfall $3.7 million $6.8 million

Even with those steps, the state budget scenarios for 2012-13 are forbidding. Governor Brown’s budget depends on voter approval of a tax increase in November, but many are doubtful that the measure will pass. If the initiative does pass, the District would still have a $3.7 million shortfall, even with the austerity measures we are already taking. If the tax package fails, our shortfall would grow to more than $6.8 million. Most troubling, we’re looking at cutting more than 200 class sections if the tax measure passes and about 450 sections if the measure fails. That’s on top of the 1,600 sections we’ve had to cut over the past three years.

Alternative tax proposals and negotiations are underway to amend the Governor’s proposals and restore our funding, and we are deeply involved in this advocacy work. Meanwhile, we are obligated to prepare for our current prospects. Our success formula remains the same: prepare for the worst and advocate powerfully for the best.

Next year’s budget prospects are the hardest we have faced yet. Our Districtwide Strategic Planning and Budget Council (DSP&BC) has begun developing collective solutions to address our expected deficit, and welcomes your suggestions. You may contribute ideas via your DSP&BC representative or the electronic Budget Suggestion Box, which is available at budget.suggestions@gcccd.edu.

We’ve got a bumpy ride ahead of us, filled with continuing uncertainty, but our commitment to working together, transparently and fairly, remains steady. I’ll keep you posted and we’ll hold budget forums to keep you updated as information becomes available.

One continued assurance is that our GCCCD leaders, our Governing Board, and I will do everything in our power to maintain our principles of protecting our employees and serving our students. I appreciate your support and understanding as we continue finding solutions together.

Sincerely,

Cindy L. Miles

Chancellor, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

Kembang Sunda -- Sundanese Gamelan music Feb. 23 at Cuyamaca

2012-02-15T13:53:00.000-08:00

Kembang Sunda

Kembang Sunda, a San Diego based gamelan ensemble that performs traditional Sundanese music from West Java, Indonesia, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theatre.
The group specializes in gamelan degung music, but has also been exploring gamelan salendro and kacapi suling repertoire.

Gamelan ensembles developed in the ancient courts of Java and Bali, and primarily consist of tuned bronze percussive instruments. Many different dance and vocal styles are accompanied by gamelan ensembles, as well as puppet plays and important ceremonies.
The group's mission is to entertain, educate and expose an international audience to the beauty and diversity of Sundanese music and culture. Kembang Sunda, directed by Amy Hacker, has performed throughout Southern California since 2007.
Tickets are $8 general admission, and $5 for students, staff and seniors. For more information, visit www.cuyamaca.edu/performingarts

An amazing student -- an amazing story

2012-02-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

Hadil Safar

      When Hadil Safar came to the United States four years ago, she couldn't speak a word of English. Through hard work and determination, she now has a 4.0 grade point average in her second semester at Grossmont College -- and a bright future ahead of her.
       Safar, 19, was one of the students honored Saturday morning at the Grossmont College scholarship awards breakfast. She received a $1,500 scholarship from the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the merged foundation now serving both colleges in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

       All of the students at the breakfast held in the Griffin Center had a moving story, many of them overcoming disabilities or a troubled home life to reach their scholastic achievements. Safar has come far to reach her academic success at Grossmont College.
        She was born in Iraq and lived in a small town there with her family. In 2003, her young brother and one of her friends were killed by terrorist bombs. She and her parents, five sisters and a brother finally escaped the violence and fled to Lebanon, where they lived for a year until they were able to come to the United States.
        Safar spoke no English when she started at El Cajon Valley High School, but that didn't stop her. She was on the honor roll every semester.
        "I was ambitious and I studied hard," she said. "My teachers were so proud of me."
        Safar also worked with residents at a care center who suffered from dementia. She said she would like to become a pediatric nurse, and plans to enter Grossmont College's nursing program before she transfers to a four-year college.
         She had high praise for her instructors at Grossmont College.
          "Their life is just to give -- they want to give their knowledge to their students," she said. "They give us many opportunities to make our future brighter."

Gourmet meals offered at Grossmont College

2012-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Culinary arts students prepare a gourmet meal

    Gourmet meals prepared by award-winning chefs and served in Grossmont College’s new student center will be offered on Thursday evenings this spring for the bargain price of $20 per person.
      The meals are prepared by students in Grossmont College’s Culinary Arts program under the guidance of Chef Joe Orate. Grossmont’s culinary arts students have won numerous culinary awards through the years, and Orate was recently honored as "Chef Educator of the Year 2012" by the San Diego Chefs Association. Two Grossmont culinary students, Cindy Meyer and Vanessa Huynh, also received President's Medallion awards for their participation in fundraising events on behalf of the San Diego Chefs Association.

      The meals will be served in the Culinary Dining Room at Grossmont College’s Griffin Center, the new student center that opened last month. Diners will look out on a scenic view of East County as they enjoy their meals.
      Dinners will be served at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates: February 23, March 1, March 8, March 15, March 22, March 29, April 19, April 26, May 3 and May 10.
      Entrée choices for the spring are:

Pasta Alfredo with Diced Vegetables and Spinach tossed in Tomato Cream and topped with a Parmesan Crisp.
Braised Beef with Braised Red Cabbage, Spring Vegetables and a Horseradish Glaze
Panko Breaded Eggplant Lasagna with Cauliflower and Potato Mash, Feta Cheese, Herb Garlic Tomato Sauce and Basil Olive Oil.
Rosemary Crusted Pork Medallions with Julienne Vegetables and a Dijon Demi Glace

To reserve a seat, call Alexis at (619) 644-7267. Tickets can also be purchased at the Grossmont College Theater Box Office, Building 22 – 200 A-1.
A package offering dinner and a play at Grossmont’s Stagehouse Theatre is also available on the following evenings:

March 8: the musical The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
March 15: The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
May 3: Lost in Yonkers, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play
May 10: Lost in Yonkers

Author to speak on effects of Hurricane Katrina

2012-02-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

As part of Black History Month, Cuyamaca College will host a talk 1-3 p.m., Feb. 13, by Tanis King Starck, local author of "And Her Name was Katrina: Life After the Storm, a Reflective Journey of Social Justice and Inequality in America."

The free lecture will be held in Room I-207 in the student center. Starck is the director of the Intercultural Relations Department at San Diego State University. Her lecture will be followed by SDSU's Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity performance of Step, a competitive dance typically performed by African American fraternities and sororities. For maps and directions to Cuyamaca College, click here

Grossmont and Cuyamaca students heed the call to service

2012-02-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Ron Cook's video of Grossmont and Cuyamaca college students washing vans at Home of Guiding Hands

Students from Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges heeded Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s clarion call to do good for others by extending the MLK Day of Service to Saturday, Feb. 4, when student leaders and other volunteers joined together at the Home of Guiding Hands to wash and clean the nonprofit group’s service fleet of vans.

The civil rights icon once said, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Each year, Americans across the country honor King answer that question by coming together on the Martin Luther King holiday in mid-January to serve their neighbors and communities. The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's National Call to Service Initiative.

For more than 40 years, the Home of Guiding Hands has been providing residential support and training services to those with developmental disabilities.

Report shows college district's significant impact on East County's economy

2012-02-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

Grossmont-Cuyamaca brings lots of money and jobs to East County

A just-released analysis shows the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s yearly economic impact on San Diego’s East County region exceeds $477 million, including the nearly $100 million the local economy receives directly from college district operations.

The comprehensive report clearly shows the college district provides substantial benefit to its students, the East County area and the San Diego County region.

The study by Idaho-based Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., analyzed the real costs of college operations, such as payroll and supply purchases, the economic benefits to students for the investment in their education, and the benefit to taxpayers and the region as the result of a better-educated workforce.

Local data on industries, occupations and demographics were used to determine the college district’s impact on increased regional earnings, returns to taxpayers, income formation and a broad collection of social benefits and avoided costs.

Among the study’s findings:

· On average, the lifetime income of a student at Grossmont or Cuyamaca colleges increases by $6 for every dollar they invest in their education.

· Students get a 15.4 percent return on their educational investment, recovering all of their costs within 10 years.

· Over the course of a working lifetime, a graduate of Grossmont or Cuyamaca colleges earns almost $560,000 more than someone with a high school diploma.

California benefits through improved health and reduced welfare and unemployment, saving the public an estimated $4.5 million each year.
Higher earnings by Grossmont and Cuyamaca college students and increases in state income expand California's tax base by $87.2 million each year.
East County's economy receives more than $99.4 million per year due to the college district's operations.
Grossmont-Cuyamaca's total annual economic impact on East County: $477.5 million.

“This economic analysis provides the hard numbers quantifying what we have long known -- our students get better-paying jobs with the skills they learn at our colleges, and taxpayers and the community at large benefit by higher employment and increased investment opportunities, higher business revenues, reduced dependence on government assistance and less crime,” said Bill Garrett, president of the district Governing Board. “Clearly, this study shows that dollars invested in this college district are an investment in the future of East County and the surrounding region.”

EMSI, which studies economic data for colleges and universities worldwide, also analyzed the overall impact of the nine community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties. Its studies placed the total annual impact of the colleges on the state economy at an astounding $6.6 billion.

Those study results were presented this week at a legislative summit in Sacramento where the various college districts’ leaders urged their representatives to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax initiative to help break the three-year run of catastrophic budget cuts.

For the college district’s full report and highlights, go to www.gcccd.edu/about-us-area/economic-impact-report.html

Grossmont College's new student center a hub of activity

2012-02-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

The new student center at Grossmont College

      After 18 months of remodeling and construction, the Grossmont College student center has reopened, instantly becoming a lively hub of activity.
    And no wonder.
    With meeting rooms for student groups, ample comfortable seating for dining, lounging or study, easy access to a career center and other student services, as well as a 10-foot screen in the lobby for watching movies, four food stations, and a mini-market, a transformation has taken place to rival any extreme makeover on reality TV.

   The revamped 46,734-square-foot facility – Griffin Center as it is now called – involved renovation of about 27,000 square feet of the existing building and the expansion of nearly 20,000 square feet, including upgrades to meet current accessibility and code requirements.
   A partial second story has added a welcoming quiet study area along an indoor balcony overlooking the busy scene below. Seating is available in three indoor and two outdoor dining areas, where students can partake in the four types of fare: oven-baked pizza, Mexican, grilled dishes and healthy salads and sandwiches.
   The center also houses the offices and work areas of the Associated Students, the culinary arts program, student health services, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) for low-income students, the career center and job placement, a club room for student organizations, and Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS).
   A large conference room has multiple uses: Governing Board meetings, conferences and a gathering spot for groups of all sizes, thanks to rollaway walls.
   Designed by Architects Mosher Drew, the remodeled building is part of a $36.2 million, two-building project that also updated and expanded an aging student and administrative services building completed in late December. The two buildings, which were built using sustainable materials and energy-conservation measures, are the first LEED-certified projects in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
   Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, is a rating system for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods.
The project, which broke ground in summer 2010, is the last major facility to be funded primarily by Proposition R, the $207 million facilities bond measure approved by local voters in 2002 in response to major overcrowding and outdated buildings at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. Earmarked student fees and other local funds also helped fund the construction of Griffin Center, named after the college mascot.
     From both inside and out, architectural features have been added to lend the student center a sense of space and volume: the high ceilings, an illuminated tower visible from the freeway, 25-foot tall Phoenix palm trees, a “floating,” cantilevered staircase along the building’s exterior, and a center promenade providing an inviting path through the interior.
   “I like it because it’s created a hub,” said student body president Cheryl-Anne Phillips. “Everything is here that students could want: food, multiple lounge areas, plus access to student activities and services. And the colors are great and festive, and very homey.”
Jane Nolan, DSPS coordinator, marveled at how much the remodeling has improved the work space for her department.
“What we really love is that every single room is accessible for students with disabilities,” she said. “Students in wheelchairs can come in and don’t have to bang into the walls.
     “And we now have a group testing room with 11 stations and seven individual testing rooms for students who need proctors or scribes because of their disability,” Nolan said.” In our old office, counselors would have to give up their offices anytime there was a need for individualized testing. It was terrible. Scheduling finals was a nightmare.”
   College President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke said the student center has brought a sense of community to the campus.
   “It’s amazing the way this facility has brought everyone together, from every corner of the campus,” she said. “It is a wonderful way for people to gather in quiet or active, comfortable spaces, to share their day and experiences and to learn from one another.”
   Bill Garrett, president of the district Board of Trustees, called Griffin Center “a fitting end“ to Proposition R’s transformation of Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges.
   “The district still has unmet facility needs, given the age of our campuses, but we are so grateful for the public support as we work toward upgrading our two campuses to best meet the needs of East County.” he said.
   An official dedication ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April14, for both the administration and student services complex and Griffin Center. The ceremony will be held as part of Grossmont College’s community open house celebrating the college’s 50^th anniversary.

A clean audit for Prop R funds for Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

2012-01-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

After a perfect record for nine years, clean financial audits for the $207 million bond that financed construction and renovations at the two colleges in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District are becoming almost routine.

The record continued Jan. 17, when Vice Chancellor Sue Rearic reported at a Governing Board meeting that the district had gotten a clean bill of financial health for the Proposition R building fund. Both the financial audit and a performance audit found that the money was being handled properly and followed required accounting procedures.

“These audits are confirmation of the district’s strong internal controls, which is especially gratifying in light of what has been reported in the media regarding other districts,” Rearic said.

Proposition R was approved by East County voters in 2002 to construct and renovate aging and outdated buildings at Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego. Since then, 13 major projects have been completed, along with numerous infrastructure improvements for the two East County campuses.

The final two buildings to be renovated under Proposition R, the Griffin Center and the Student Services/Administration building at Grossmont College, both recently opened to serve students. Other buildings constructed under Prop. R include a Student Center and Business and Technology building at Cuyamaca College, and a Health and Sciences Complex and a 1,400-space parking structure at Grossmont College.

“East County voters put their faith in us when they voted for the bond measure in 2002, and the audits demonstrate that their confidence in us was justified,” said Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board.

Before the audit was presented to the Governing Board, it was reviewed by the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, an independent 11-member volunteer group charged with ensuring that Prop. R revenues are spent as promised. The oversight committee’s role is to review and report on district spending of Prop. R monies and to provide a public accounting of the district’s compliance with legal requirements.

The audit report for the Prop R funds comes on top of the eighth consecutive year of clean audits for the college district’s finances. In December, independent auditors gave clean audits for the district’s general funds; its alternative pension plan; Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges’ foundations; and the district’s auxiliary.

“We take our role as financial stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously,” district Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “Our resources are limited, and we want to make the best use of them that we can to provide a quality education for our students.”

Grossmont College ceramics technician relishes lighting a fire under students

2012-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:00

Grossmont College ceramics technician Al Ventura

Grossmont College ceramics technician Al Ventura gets a thrill out of watching students discover the magic of creating art.

It brings back memories of his first turn at the potter’s wheel and the community college instructor who took him under his wings back in the ‘70s.

As the ceramics tech at Grossmont College, Ventura is the go-to guy for mixing glazes, making stains, and firing, maintaining and repairing 11 electric and nine gas kilns. It is often a laborious and dirty job, which explains the workman’s attire and apron. But Ventura is doing what he loves: sharing the knowledge that comes from 30 years of working with ceramics and witnessing the excitement of students throwing and glazing their first pottery.

Ventura’s devotion to his job and students hasn’t gone unnoticed. He recently was honored as the latest recipient of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Chancellor/Classified Senate Award, a commendation presented quarterly to outstanding staff.

He was nominated by sculpture technician Tom Fox, who praised Ventura for his rapport with students and outreach efforts, both on and off campus. Ventura’s annual jurying of the San Diego County Fair’s Student Art Showcase sparked an idea to elicit the help of Grossmont College students to design and paint the 8-by-20-foot mural that has been welcoming visitors to the Del Mar showcase since 2005, each year with a different theme.

Another outreach effort involving Ventura is the college’s Veterans Art Project, which each Friday gives military veterans a chance to spend a day in the ceramics studio to possibly benefit from art therapy. Counselor Mary Rider obtained the college grant funding the project.

“It’s a creative outlet for returning war veterans – no grades, no pressure – just a way for them to learn ceramics and share time with other vets who have been through the same kind of experiences that they have,” Ventura said.

At the Jan. 17 Governing Board meeting, Ventura was presented with an engraved award, along with a gift certificate from Barnes & Noble and lunch with district Chancellor Cindy L. Miles and Governing Board President Bill Garrett. Prior to the award presentation, a conga line of well-wishers surprised the Southeast San Diego resident, who also works part-time in the ceramics programs at two other community colleges. Ventura came to Grossmont College in 1993 as a part-time lab assistant before leaving in 1995 to accept a position at San Diego Job Corps, teaching art to teens and young adults for 10 years.

In 2005, Ventura was hired back at Grossmont College as a full-time lab tech. In the six years he’s held the job, Ventura has worked hard to improve the facilities housing the ceramics program, from refurbishing and organizing a dedicated area for glazing to building storage shelves to accommodate the needs of the steadily growing classes.

These days, Ventura does the prep work for five classes, each with between 30 and 40 students.

“I really love to work hard, to feel productive,” Ventura said about his hectic life that also includes an occasional venture back in the ceramics studio for some creative time of his own.

With a lifelong interest in art, the East Los Angeles native initially wanted to get into package design as he headed to Cerritos College, a community college in the suburbs of LA, but a time conflict led him to taking a ceramics class instead.

“Once I touched the clay, I never looked back,” said Ventura, a tall, affable sort whose double-pierced earrings and salt-and-pepper hair tied in a ponytail hint of an iconoclastic nature. “It was like being a kid again playing with clay.”

He dreamed of a professional career as a ceramic artist, continuing his training at Otis Art Institute, a leading art college in LA and working as a production potter in the studio of his Cerritos College mentor. But with three children to raise, he eventually took a job as a maintenance mechanic welder for Sears, a position he held for 22 years until the 1992 LA riots linked to the beating of Rodney King prompted the relocation of the Sears plant.

It was then he made the move to San Diego to try his hand at a full-time career in ceramics. At first, he continued traveling back to LA for jobs here and there, mostly assisting established artists in the area. But the more hours he spent working at the three San Diego region community colleges, the more he found himself relishing the time he spent helping students.

“Maybe it’s because I grew up in East LA that I’m able to connect with students like those at Job Corps and community colleges – students facing challenges and who have a lot going on in their lives,” he said.

Whatever the reason, Grossmont College benefits hugely from the dedication of workers like Ventura.

“Al’s contributions to the district are very deeply felt by everyone,” Chancellor Miles said. “We are blessed to have such hardworking, committed people serving the students, colleges and the district.”

Spring semester starts Jan. 23 at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges

2012-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

EL CAJON – Perhaps it is because of spring – that time of year of fresh starts and renewed resolve – that despite the challenges of the day, an air of optimism prevails at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges.

    The estimated 19,000 students returning to Grossmont College on Monday will be welcomed by two major campus facilities reopening after a year and a half of construction and remodeling. At Cuyamaca College, an improved thoroughfare, as well as a refinished gym floor paid for by the college district’s foundation, are some of the new developments for the 10,000-student campus.

    “We’re going to have a tremendous semester in spite of the difficult budget times,” chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “Our colleges remain firmly rooted to their mission of opening the doors of opportunity to our students to participate in the American dream.”

   Despite the huge hit the state budget crisis has dealt the district – a $6.3 million cut and 600 course sections slashed this year on top of the $15 million and 1,000 course-section losses in the past two years -- good financial planning has the colleges well prepared for contingencies. The funding reductions by the state had been anticipated and planned for by the district, which thwarted mid-year cuts.

   “In most instances mid-year budget changes would be alarming news, but in our case, the current-year budget was developed with those cuts in place, so we are able to proceed into the spring semester as planned,” said Governing Board President Bill Garrett. “I am happy to say we had the foresight to minimize the potential negative impact upon our students and employees.”

    Emphasizing a “positive, festive note” to the start of the new semester, Grossmont College President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke joined convocation attendees this week in wearing a plastic boa and paper hat to the New Year’s-themed event.

   “When the state of California gives you lemons year after year, we at Grossmont College keep making lemonade,” Cooke said. “At Grossmont College, we can stretch a dollar and keep doing the things we need to do. Despite hardships, fiscal constraints and other obstacles, Grossmont College continues to do exceptional work for its students.”

    With the start of classes just days away, the colleges are reporting that about 95 percent of the available courses are full, and the waitlist for class seats has grown to more than 22,000. Enrolling in classes poses a particular challenge for new students who are among the last to register because of the priority given to returning students and others such as military veterans.
     Although students are experiencing frustration in getting the classes they need, both colleges are taking steps to help them make the most of their education.

    Grossmont College’s student affairs office is hosting “Week of Welcome!” – WOW – Jan. 23-25 with on-campus activities and events, such as information booths, music and giveaways, an open house for the Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc., and more.

    Cuyamaca College is also welcoming back students with tables set up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 23 and 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. by Associated Students to get students involved in campus organizations and to inform them of events and programs that are being planned for the semester.

Some Grossmont College highlights for the coming semester:

An aging student center and chronically overcrowded Student and Administrative Services building underwent a $36.2 million overhaul. The expansions and renovations were funded by a mix of student fees and Proposition R, the $207 million facilities bond measure approved by local voters in 2002 in response to major overcrowding and outdated buildings.

Grossmont is participating in a national FIPSE (Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) grant for comprehensive student success. A pilot program with 90 students will launch in the spring before eventually expanding to include many more students.

A 50^th -anniversary celebration is planned April 13 and 14, including a sock hop on the 13^th and family-oriented programs and activities on April 14.

Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic emphasized the accomplishments of faculty and staff during convocation and offset grim budget uncertainties with the welcomed announcements of a few critical hires for the new semester made possible by several retirements and previous hiring delays.

Some Cuyamaca highlights:

A $35,000 contribution from the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges that helped cover the $38,000 cost of refinishing the gymnasium floor.

The removal of plastic traffic columns and roadway improvements in front of the Communications Arts building improving access for vehicles and pedestrians.

A spotlight on some of the Exercise Science instructors who have achieved national recognition: men’s cross country and women’s track coach Tim Seaman is an Olympic race-walker; golf coach Louise Parks, a nationally-ranked Ladies Professional Golf Association member; women’s tennis coach Pam Farmer, a top-ranked women’s doubles player; men’s track coach Pat Thiss, an eight-time conference coach of the year and California state coach of the year in 2001; and basketball coach Rob Wojtowski, who has sent more than 30 players to play ball at the university level; and women’s soccer coach Dan Codina, who twice coached the team to top-15 finishes in the nation.

"Graduation Starts Today" Initiative at Cuyamaca College

2012-01-11T16:15:00.000-08:00

Cuyamaca College has embarked upon an effort to proactively promote college graduation. From the first time students walk on campus, they are greeted by signs that read,"Graduation Starts Today."

The idea is for new students to "begin with the end in mind," and to approach their first year and beyond with graduation clearly on their minds. Realizing that the graduation process itself could be complicated, Cuyamaca College has taken additional steps to reach out to students to demystify the process.

This new degree outreach initiative reaches out to students who have accumulated enough or almost enough units to obtain a degree or certificate at the college. In addition to receiving a link to a comprehensive graduation website, the students are invited to conduct a degree audit with a counselor. Those who have met the requirements are guided through the graduation petition process.

     The efforts are paying off. In fall 2011, the college reported an 18 percent increase in the number of degrees and certificates awarded from the previous year.

     "We are very excited about our 'Graduation Starts Today' effort, and believe that our students are finding our proactive efforts to be helpful in achieving their goals," said Julianna Barnes, Cuyamaca vice president of student services.

     Based on the successful fall effort, the college will embark upon the initiative again this spring. We look forward to seeing the students walk across the stage on Commencement Day.

Cuyamaca College offers another round of training for the green industry

2012-01-10T09:36:00.001-08:00

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – For those interested in a career within the “green” construction industry, Cuyamaca College is providing a four-week introductory course free to eligible students through a training program co-sponsored by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The programs at Cuyamaca College are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Jan. 23 - Feb. 16, with another offering from May 7 – June 4. A $300 stipend is provided to students who complete the introductory program, designed to provide a basic overview of “green” construction occupations.

Topics to be covered include:

· Basic construction principles

· Environmental training

· Introduction to green building

· Energy retrofits and efficiency

· Water-efficient buildings and retrofits

· Solar and hot water installation and design

· Solar electricity installation and design

· Work readiness and hands-on work experience.

Students who complete the green building careers program will be prepared to enroll in more specialized training needed to obtain jobs in construction, solar or other energy-efficiency fields.

The green industry is expected to grow in the next few years with an increased emphasis on energy conservation, such as solar energy. State and federal rebates are available for people who install energy-efficient technologies in their home or business, and workers will be needed who are trained to install the equipment.

Attendance at an informational orientation to learn more about the program and eligibility requirements is required. To register for an orientation, visit www.cuyamaca.edu/preview/greenbuilding/index.htm or email: camille.currier@gcccd.edu.

For more information about Cuyamaca College and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Business development classes offered by college district

2011-12-30T10:15:00.000-08:00

     The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, in
partnership with the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, has
launched a "Business Solutions Academy," featuring a series of
professional development educational classes designed to assist business
owners in the East County.

     Two classes are scheduled for January, both
of them from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber offices, 201 S. Magnolia
Ave. in El Cajon.

     "New Year, New Attitudes," a class on how to improve attitudes in the
workforce and how attitudes can affect customer service, company image,
productivity and employee retention, will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
"Customer Care Essentials," a class on exceeding customer expectations,
dealing with challenging customers and managing customer feedback, will
be held on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

     The cost to attend each class is $45 per person for Chamber members, $60 per person for non-Chamber members. For registration information, contact Linda Waring at the GCCCD Workplace Learning Resource Center at Cuyamaca College at (619) 660-4508, or the
Chamber offices, www.eastcountychamber.org or (619) 440-6161.

Improved services at college health clinics to be funded by fee increase

2011-12-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

      Student health clinics at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges will be able to offer longer hours, better staffing and more wellness education as the result of a $4 per semester fee increase beginning in fall 2012.

      Students at the two East County community colleges will begin paying a student fee of $18 per semester, or $15 during the summer session, under the new fee structure approved Dec. 13 by the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board.

      Students in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca district have been paying less for student health fees than any other community college in San Diego County. Grossmont and Cuyamaca college students now pay $14 per semester and $11 in the summer, compared to $17 per semester and $14 during the summer at all other community colleges in the county. The other colleges will also be increasing their fees to $18 per semester (and $15 during the summer) beginning next fall.

      The most financially needy students who receive public assistance will not be required to pay the student health fee, but students determined to be low-income but not eligible for public assistance will no longer have their health fees waived.

      In a presentation to the Governing Board, Cuyamaca College President Mark J. Zacovic and Grossmont College President Sunita V. Cooke said revenues for the student health centers have dropped in the past two years because of decreased enrollment and more low-income students. In the 2010-11 school year, about $165,000 in general funds had to be used to pay for health center costs not covered by the student fees. With less money available, the district was forced to reduce services at a time when more students are unemployed and have no other health care options.

      With the additional funding, the health centers will have additional staffing, expanded clinic hours, and will be able to provide more diagnostic tests, screening and lab tests.

      The centers will also offer more education about stopping smoking, weight control and alcohol abuse. Additional crisis counseling will be offered, an important service to deal with the stresses of the unemployed and returning veterans.

      “Our health centers provide a vital role on our campuses, especially for many of our students who have no health insurance,” said Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board. “These fees will allow us to provide the kind of basic health services that our students deserve.”

Another clean audit for college district

2011-12-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

    EL CAJON – If the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District was an NFL franchise, its number crunchers would be celebrating its eighth consecutive perfect season.

    That’s not to say the financial picture for the two-college district in East County is rosy – far from it – but its public accounting of its balance sheet remains crystal clear.

    For the eighth consecutive year, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has received exemplary marks for state-mandated audits from the certified public accounting firm of Christy White Accountancy. The reports on the five audits for fiscal year 2010-2011 were presented at a governing board meeting Tuesday.

    Independent auditors once again presented the governing board with reports reflecting “unqualified” – otherwise known as “clean” -- opinions for the district’s general audit; its alternative pension plan; Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges’ foundations; and the district’s auxiliary.

    The governing board is expected to receive financial and performance audits in January for its Proposition R construction fund, the $207 million local bond approved by voters in 2002.

    An “unqualified” opinion is the best type of report to be issued from an external auditor, indicating no deficiencies in internal control or compliance. A finding of a procedural error involving financial aid to two students was noted by auditors, but prompt action by the district to correct what was described as a computer glitch was noted and did not detract from their unqualified opinion of the district’s general audit.

    Governing Board President Bill Garrett said the board is always pleased to see such strong audits.

    “They verify the district’s ongoing history of meticulous management of public resources and provide independent proof that we have accurately accounted for the collection and expenditure of taxpayer monies,” he said.

    Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said clean audits are critical because they are used by financial institutions, government agencies and others for bond ratings, fundraising, or oversight purposes.

    “This unbroken record of clean audits reflects the conscientiousness of district and college staff,” she said. “Our district’s business department does an outstanding job of recordkeeping, with a well-organized tracking and reconciling of income and spending that helps the auditing process go smoothly. The public can be assured we are transparent in our handling of taxpayer dollars.”

    The audit report addressed the effects of state budget cuts on the 30,000-student district. Auditors noted that the district’s $179 million 2011-2012 budget approved in September included revenue reductions in anticipation of midyear budget cuts. The district learned this month that it would receive $6.3 million less in state funding, but no additional cuts are expected at the two colleges.

    As noted in the audit report, the impacts of state budget cuts to the college district have been severe:

The elimination of 600 class sections this academic year on top of the 1,000 cut in the past two years.
About 2,300 students have been turned away at the two colleges because of the class section cuts.
Students are facing another fee hike from the current $36 per unit to $46 next summer. They already saw fees climb $10 a unit last year.

“The cost-cutting has been heartbreaking, particularly as it affects students,” Miles said. “However, these actions reflect the district’s commitment to prudent spending.”

The audits are available at www.gcccd.edu/district-business-services/default.html

2011-12-21T13:23:00.001-08:00

Happy holidays from the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District!

We hope you enjoy this video holiday card.

A budget update from Chancellor Cindy L. Miles

2011-12-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

(Chancellor Cindy L. Miles sent this message to all district employees Dec. 14 following news of the state budget cuts.)

Dear Colleagues:

Yesterday, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that state budget revenues fell $2.2 billion below the budget assumptions made in June, triggering budget reductions for higher education, social services, libraries, and public safety. For California’s community colleges, this will mean a $102 million budget cut and a fee increase for students from $36 to $46 per credit unit beginning in summer 2012.

For our District, this will mean a budget reduction of almost $6.3 million. Fortunately, we anticipated this worst-case scenario and built in these cuts when we prepared our $179 million budget that was approved by the Governing Board in September. We don’t expect to make any further cuts now on top of the many painful ones we’ve already had to take.

Indeed, those cuts have been incredibly painful, especially for our students. We’ve eliminated almost 600 course sections at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges this school year, including reducing our summer schedule to one-fourth of what it was two years ago.

Because our enrollment depends on state funding, we’ll be serving almost 2,900 fewer students than last year. And we can’t forget that this year’s cuts come on top of 1,000 course sections we’ve already eliminated in the past two years.

I’m glad that our budget leadership -- the Governing Board and the District Strategic Planning and Budget Council -- had the foresight to prepare for these cuts, but it breaks my heart to know that we have to turn away so many students. In this economy, when so many people come to us seeking training and education so they can improve their lives, we’re all frustrated that we can’t provide the level of access to learning that community colleges have traditionally offered. We are now rationing education.

The budget difficulties of the past three years have been incredibly challenging for our District, but I’m proud of the many efforts we’ve made to save money. To point out just a few:

· Cut supplies by 20 percent and reduced spending on utilities, travel, and other operating expenses

· Instituted a critical hiring process and held open other unfilled positions

· Developed more comprehensive and effective online reports to facilitate better planning and decision-making

· Focused on grant development to seek alternative funding sources

· Launched the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges to streamline fundraising that had been done by two separate college foundations

We’re facing some tough times, and it’s hard to predict when things will get better. But I appreciate knowing that every one of you is dedicated to doing your best for our students no matter what happens. As we prepare for the holidays, sleep well knowing that our District is well prepared for whatever budget turmoil may come our way.

Sincerely,

Cindy L Miles

Chancellor, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

District board approves trustee-area elections

2011-12-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

EL CAJON – The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board has approved a new elections process beginning in 2012 in which the five trustees will be selected by voters in their area instead of being elected districtwide.

     The district’s Governing Board approved the trustee-area elections and the boundary maps for the districts at their Dec. 13 board meeting following two public hearings. No one spoke at either hearing.

     Trustees have been elected at-large by voters in the more than 1,100-square-mile East County district that stretches from the East County cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee to the Imperial County line. District elections will begin with the June 2012 primary. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the top two vote-getters in the primary will face each other in the November 2012 general election.
     The college district is one of many government agencies around California that are revising their elections process to comply with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. District elections help ensure that minority populations are equitably represented at the voting booth.
     The college district hired consultants from National Demographics Corp. to draw up the maps creating five trustee areas with approximately equal populations. Almost 465,000 people live in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, with about 90 percent of them residing west of Alpine. According to the 2010 census, the district is 60 percent white, 25 percent Hispanic, 7 percent African-American, 5 percent Asian and 3 percent other.
     In drawing the boundary lines, the consultants considered factors including already-established communities such as the East County cities, natural boundaries such as canyons or highways, and creating trustee areas with compact, contiguous territory as much as possible.
     The five trustee areas are:

District 1: Santee, Winter Gardens and Lakeside (incumbent Edwin Hiel)
District 2: La Mesa, Mt. Helix, Casa de Oro and Rancho San Diego (incumbent Debbie Justeson)
District 3: El Cajon (incumbent Bill Garrett)
District 4: rural East County, including Alpine and most of Jamul, all the way to the Imperial County line (incumbent Mary Kay Rosinski)
District 5: Lemon Grove, La Presa, Rancho San Diego, Spring Valley and a small portion of Jamul (incumbent Greg Barr)

Garrett and Rosinski will be up for election in 2012. The other three seats will be up for election in 2014.
More information about redistricting, including the proposed district maps and census data, is available at www.gcccd.edu.

2011-12-11T11:17:00.000-08:00

Students and employees from the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District participated in El Cajon's Mother Goose parade on Nov. 20. Here's a slide show of the parade rom some of the photos taken by Robert Sanchez.

A student success story

2011-12-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

Grossmont College student Danny McKay

(Every so often, we will profile a student who exemplifies success. Here's one student's story.)

Danny McKay

From addict to honor student

The turning point for Danny McKay came the day he finally paid off the bills from an auto accident that he’d caused while driving drunk. He knew he needed to get an education, but the thought of taking college classes terrified him.

“I didn’t know if I could walk into school and do well,” McKay said. “Coming to school was scary to me.”

McKay, a Santee resident, had joined the Air Force after graduating from high school. But the drug and alcohol addictions that had plagued him in high school continued to haunt him, culminating in a near-fatal crash in which he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. After he was honorably discharged from the Air Force, McKay worked to overcome his addictions.

McKay said he found a warm reception after he enrolled at Grossmont College, along with help getting the financial aid he needed to attend college.

“Because of the people and programs here, I was able to dive in. People didn’t judge me,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the professors and the available funds, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”

McKay now has a 3.95 grade point average and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society. He presented honors papers at the University of California at Irvine and Stanford University on the manifestation of bipolar disorder after brain trauma.

He plans to apply to the University of California at Los Angeles, UC Berkeley and Stanford after he finishes at Grossmont in spring 2012. McKay said he’d like to go to medical school and become a psychiatrist.

“Life is overall excellent compared to how my life was,” he said. “I plan on going as far as possible.”

Board to vote Dec. 13 on trustee-area elections

2011-11-30T20:55:00.000-08:00

     A second public hearing will be held Dec. 13 on a proposal to begin trustee-area elections for the five members of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District governing board. Following the hearing, the board is expected to approve a map showing the boundary areas that each of the five trustees will represent.

     The hearing will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Griffin Gate at Grossmont College. A map of the college campus is available at www.grossmont.edu.

     Trustees have been elected at-large by voters in the more than 1,100-square-mile East County district that stretches from the East County cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee to the Imperial County line. Beginning in the 2012 elections, the district will be divided into five trustee areas and voters in those areas will elect a trustee to represent them.
      District elections will begin with the June 2012 primary. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the top two vote-getters in the primary will face each other in the November 2012 general election.

       The college district is one of many government agencies around California that are revising their elections process to comply with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. District elections help ensure that minority populations are equitably represented at the voting booth.

       The college district hired consultants from National Demographics Corp. to draw up the maps creating five trustee areas with approximately equal populations. Almost 465,000 people live in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, with about 90 percent of them residing west of Alpine. According to the 2010 census, the district is 60 percent white, 25 percent Hispanic, 7 percent African-American, 5 percent Asian and 3 percent other.

        In drawing the boundary lines, the consultants considered factors including already-established communities such as the East County cities, natural boundaries such as canyons or highways, and creating trustee areas with compact, contiguous territory as much as possible.

        Three proposals for creating the trustee-area boundaries were presented to the board at its Nov. 17 meeting, and board members indicated they favored Plan 1. Here’s how the trustee areas would be divided up in that plan:

•District 1: Santee, Winter Gardens and Lakeside (incumbent Edwin Hiel)
•District 2: La Mesa, Mt. Helix, Casa de Oro and Rancho San Diego (incumbent Debbie Justeson)
•District 3: El Cajon (incumbent Bill Garrett)
•District 4: rural East County, including Alpine and most of Jamul, all the way to the Imperial County line (incumbent Mary Kay Rosinski)
•District 5: Lemon Grove, La Presa, Rancho San Diego, Spring Valley and a small portion of Jamul (incumbent Greg Barr)

      Garrett and Rosinski will be up for election in 2012. The other three seats will be up for election in 2014.

     No one came forward to speak at the first public hearing held at Cuyamaca College. Justin Levitt, a senior analyst with National Demographics Corp., said the lack of attendees indicates that the public feels the board has been working well and hasn’t been involved in any controversy.

Cuyamaca College launches leadership academy for students

2011-11-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

Students pay attention during the Cuyamaca College Leadership Academy

A two-day seminar at Cuyamaca College offers students important lessons outside the traditional academic subjects. In this class, students at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges learn how to lead.

The students invited to take part in the Community College Leadership Academy include student government representatives and others recommended by administrators. The free training is designed to help students develop their leadership and interpersonal communication skills through a curriculum created by the Ken Blanchard Company, nationally acclaimed authorities on leadership development.

The sessions are adapted from the corporate leadership materials used worldwide by organizations and businesses, including many Fortune 500 companies, said Linda Waring, director of the Workplace Learning Resource Center at Cuyamaca, which sponsors the seminars. The program is supported by a combination of a workforce and economic development grant from the state chancellor’s office, donations of books and materials from the Blanchard Foundation, and marketing and recruiting efforts of business partners and the college’s student services division.

“These workshops are highly interactive and help students apply leadership skills to ensure greater success in reaching their college and career goals,” Waring said, adding that the students receive a certificate from the Ken Blanchard Co. valued at $1,400 to enhance their resumes.

By teaching students to take the initiative to become leaders, the training helps them better prepare for today’s challenging job market.

Erin Miller, president of Cuyamaca College’s student government, said the sessions helped her overcome a fear of public speaking with the credo that a negative past experience shouldn’t get in the way of tackling new challenges. It also made her a better person, she said.

“One of the biggest things that I got out of the Leadership Academy was knowing how to take charge of my life by making the right decisions,” Miller said.

Interspersed between traditional lectures and discussions are activities such as tossing rubber animal toys, a juggling routine and a card trick that seems to give players ESP. Besides adding a dash of quirkiness and fun, these activities are meant to demonstrate different learning and leadership styles and to transform negative thinking into can-do attitudes.

“This is a great opportunity for students to cultivate leadership skills that will benefit them throughout their academic and professional careers,” said district Chancellor Cindy L. Miles. “On top of that, future employers will know that in hiring our graduates with the Ken Blanchard certification, they are gaining self-directed, motivated workers.”

Waring first came across a student leadership program at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, where she is an adjunct instructor. Excited about introducing a similar program locally, she discovered that leadership training for students was rarely available at California community colleges.

“While it is common in the university systems, it’s almost non-existent among community colleges,” said Lauren Weiner, associate dean of student affairs at Cuyamaca College. “With the economy undergoing changes, many people are coming back to community colleges to learn new skills and to become more employable. It makes a lot of sense to bring a leadership training program to our two-year campuses to help make students more attractive to employers.”
Waring contacted the Ken Blanchard Co., producers of bestselling book, “One Minute Manager,” and began working with its foundation and Jennifer Zingg, the company’s director of youth leadership who had developed the curriculum “Situational Leadership for College Students.”

In February, the first local instructors – Cuyamaca and Grossmont faculty and staff members – were trained to teach the seminars. In May, 19 students from the two colleges completed the training and in late October, another 18 received their Blanchard certificates. Ten students are already on a waiting list for the spring 2012 session.

Waring is encouraging other community colleges to adapt the program for their campuses. A training program for college faculty and staff will be offered Nov. 30 through Dec. 1. For more information on the leadership academy, contact Waring at (619) 660-4508 or linda.waring1@gcccd.edu

Seasoned professional named associate vice chancellor

2011-11-17T16:52:00.000-08:00

Sahar Abushaban

Sahar Abushaban, a community college alumna with a long career of public-education budgeting, is the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s new associate vice chancellor of district business services charged with overseeing the district’s fiscal operations and budgeting.

Hired by the district as a financial analyst in 2006 and serving as interim director of district business services for the past two years, Abushaban now also oversees categorical programs, such as CalWORKS and Veterans Education.

Abushaban holds the district’s financial reins during one of the most fiscally challenging times ever as it enters its fourth year of severe state budget reductions

“This budget crisis is the worst I’ve seen,” Abushaban said.

The $179 million budget approved by the college district governing board in September includes $6.3 million in anticipated cuts from the state, forcing the district to reduce its course offerings and turn away about 2,300 students.

Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said the district budget, while underfunded, is in capable hands with Abushaban keeping tally.

“We are so fortunate to have someone with such a keen understanding of budget complexities,” Miles said. “She knows the numbers up and down, backwards and forwards.”

To say Abushaban has a lot on her platter is a mild understatement. She consults regularly with administrators at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges over budget strategies. She has seen across the district how the cutbacks have left a bare-bones staff with expanding workloads and responsibilities in the wake of unfilled job vacancies and staff consolidations.

Still, Abushaban is ever the optimist.

“I’m really looking forward to this position,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of challenges ahead, but our district and governing board have stuck to tight fiscal oversight to get us through these tough times.”

When Abushaban looks back over the years, she can scarcely believe the territory she’s covered. A Palestinian by birth who emigrated from Egypt to the United States in 1980 as a high school senior, Abushaban enrolled in classes at San Diego’s Mesa College just five months after arriving with her parents and siblings from Cairo.

As she began her studies, she kept in mind that her father had left a secure life as an engineer in Egypt to ensure his children a western education. She signed up for an accounting class with a vague notion of wanting to learn about business. Suddenly, things began to click in place.

“I just loved it,” Abushaban said.

After earning a bachelor of science in business administration from San Diego State University, she began what has so far been a 20-year career in budget and financial analyses that has taken her from the private sector to public-sector jobs with nearly all of the state’s educational systems – high school, community college, and the University of California. Abushaban worked at the Grossmont Union High School District, Grossmont College and UC San Diego before she was hired at the college district.

A mother of two – a 17-year-old daughter, Rhonda, and 9-year-old son, Rami, -- Abushaban manages to squeeze in homework and studying as she works toward a master’s in accountancy from National University.

She lives with her children and her husband of 24 years, Sam Elsaad, in El Cajon. Her son, a math and science whiz in the fourth grade at Fuerte Elementary School, already has plans of obtaining a doctorate.

“He had to dissect a shark recently for school and he just loved it,” Abushaban said.

Rami seems to have found his calling, a lot like his mother when it comes to analyzing budget figures. A natural fit, some might say.

For more information about Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Vocal arts ensemble Kitka to perform Dec. 1 at Cuyamaca

2011-11-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

Kitka vocal ensemble

     Kitka, an Oakland-based group of American women vocalists who started in 1979 as grassroots amateurs sharing their passion for the distinctive traditional songs and vocal techniques of Balkan, Slavic and Caucasian women’s groups to become an internationally renowned professional ensemble, will kick off its Wintersongs Tour Dec. 1 at Cuyamaca College.
     The 7:30 p.m. performance at the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theater is $20 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors. The Granite Hills High School Choir will make a special guest appearance. Cuyamaca College is located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. For tickets, go to www.brownpapertickets.com or call (619) 660-4288.

     Described by National Public Radio as offering “a refreshing spin on traditional seasonal choral music,” Kitka – “bouquet” in Bulgarian and Macedonian – has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, Chorus America, and the American Choral Directors’ Association as one of the country’s premier touring vocal ensembles. Many international musical authorities consider Kitka the foremost interpreter of Balkan and Slavic choral repertoire in the United States.
     With a wide variety of Eastern European ethnic and spiritual traditions, Wintersongs showcases material from countries like Bulgaria and Belarus, Georgia and Greece, and from pre-Christian celebrations of the solstice to rousing Slavic folk carols, humorous Yiddish Hanukah songs and meditative Eastern Orthodox incantations.
      Kitka’s performers have deep ties to Eastern Europe and have traveled there to perform and collect repertoire. In 2005 and 2009, supported by major grants from the Trust for Mutual Understanding, Kitka journeyed to Ukraine and Poland for a series of performances, artist exchanges, radio and television broadcasts and research expeditions in rural villages. The singers regularly conduct fieldwork in ethnic communities throughout the United States, as well as abroad.
      Kitka’s unique sound has been tapped by Hollywood, with collaborations on motion picture soundtracks including “Braveheart,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” and “Queen of the Damned.” Other collaborations include working with the American Conservatory Theater’s on its critically-acclaimed performances of “Hecuba” for which Kitka received a Drama Critic’s Circle Award nomination.
      Kitka has released 11 recordings, most recently “Cradle Songs,” named one of the top 10 CDs of 2009 by NPR and one of the most memorable internationally-flavored CDs of 2009 by the Los Angeles Times. A frequent guest on national radio shows, Kitka has been featured on nationally syndicated programs such as PRI’s “The World,” “A Prairie Home Companion,” “All Things Considered,” “Performance Today,” and National Geographic World Music Profiles.

"First Person Plural" Photo Exhibit at Hyde Gallery

2011-11-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

    Grossmont College’s Hyde Art Gallery, located on campus, is now presenting “First Person Plural,” an exhibit of 48 photographs shot by 16 faculty and staff currently working in the Grossmont College photography program.
      The artists include Craig Carlson, Patricio Chavez, Andy Cross, Alison Elder, Suda House, Michele Iversen, Michael Mulno, Jim Noel, Judith Preston, Amanda Quintenz-Fiedler, Jacqueline Ramirez, Susan Richardson, Louise Russell, Aaron Serafino, Ryder Smith and Paul Turounet.
       “This outstanding body of work being shown represents the rich culture of the photographic arts developed over the college’s 50-year history,” said Ben Aubert, gallery curator.
        Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit closes Dec. 15. The Hyde Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Gallery is located in Building #25 across from Café 200.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca moves to district elections for trustees

2011-11-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

            EL CAJON – Public hearings will be held Nov. 15 and Dec. 13 on the new areas being proposed for election of the five Governing Board members for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
            Trustees have been elected at-large by voters in the more than 1,100-square-mile East County district that stretches from the East County cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee to the Imperial County line. Beginning in the 2012 elections, the district will be divided into five trustee areas and voters in those areas will elect a trustee to represent them.

            District elections will begin with the June 2012 primary. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the top two vote-getters in the primary will face each other in the November 2012 general election.
            The college district is one of many government agencies around California that are revising their elections process to comply with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. District elections help ensure that minority populations are equitably represented at the voting booth.
             The public is invited to comment on the proposals at a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Cuyamaca College student center, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon, CA. A second public hearing will be held Dec. 13 at Griffin Gate at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Dr., El Cajon. Maps and directions to Cuyamaca College are available at www.cuyamaca.edu, and directions for Grossmont College can be found at www.grossmont.edu.
          The college district hired consultants from National Demographics Corp. to draw up the maps creating five trustee areas with approximately equal populations. Almost 465,000 people live in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, with about 90 percent of them residing west of Alpine. According to the 2010 census, the district is 60 percent white, 25 percent Hispanic, 7 percent African-American, 5 percent Asian and 3 percent other.
           In drawing the boundary lines, the consultants considered factors including already-established communities such as the East County cities, natural boundaries such as canyons or highways, and creating trustee areas with compact, contiguous territory as much as possible.
           More information about redistricting, including the proposed district maps and census data, is available here.

"Blurring the Edges" guitar concert at Grossmont Nov. 4

2011-11-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont College Guitar Guild will present “Blurring the Edges,” a benefit concert for the Grossmont Guitar Guild Scholarship Fund featuring a performance by Grossmont College guitar instructor Fred Benedetti and cousins Peter Sprague on guitar and Tripp Sprague on saxophone, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, at the campus Recital Hall, Room #220, Building #26.

Cost to attend is $10 per person general admission. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, phone the Grossmont College Music Dept. at (619) 644-7254, or visit www.grossmont.edu/music

Grossmont College Gospel Choir performs Oct. 29 and 30

2011-10-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

      The Grossmont College Music Department is proud to present the Grossmont College Gospel Choir and the Grossmont College Master Chorale in two concert performances this weekend, both scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
     On Saturday, Oct. 29, the concert will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church of San Diego, 719 Caesar E. Chavez Parkway, San Diego. On Sunday, Oct. 30, the concert will be held at the Paradise Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2701 East 8th St., National City.

      Admission is free; however a free-willing offering will be held. Selections at both concerts will include “You are God,” “Jesus is Mine,” “Roll Jordan Roll,” “Lord, You Are Good” and “The Ordering of Moses.”
      Also joining the singers from Grossmont College will be members of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Choir San Diego. Soloists at both concerts will include Anderson (tenor), Michael Morgan (bass-baritone), Dale Fleming (soprano), Kimberly Milton (mezzo-soprano) and William “BJ” Robinson (baritone). For more information, phone the Grossmont College Music Dept. at (619) 644-7254 or go to www.grossmont.edu/music

"Breaking Boundaries" dance performance at Grossmont College

2011-10-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont College Dance Department will present “Breaking Boundaries: Student Choreographers’ Showcase,” Thursday through Sunday, October 27 to 30, 2011.

       Evening performances on Thursday through Saturday will begin at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in the Stagehouse Theatre on the Grossmont College campus.

       The concert, which will showcase a variety of dance genres including modern dance, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, will be choreographed and performed by dance students under the direction of co-directors David Mullen and Kathy Meyer.

       Tickets are $12 and are available at the door. For more information, visit www.grossmont.edu/dance, or call the Dance Department at 644-7766.

Cuyamaca College technician brings a beautiful spirit to his job

2011-10-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

John Thomas, Ornamental Horticulture technician

For John Thomas, working as a technician in Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture department has never been just a 9-to-5 job.

He’s represented the department at numerous events, including the Turf Management Seminar, the Sustainable Urban Landscape Conference, and the Aggie Open golf tournament. He’s spent countless hours preparing for the Spring Garden Festival, the annual event that draws more than 6,000 people to the Rancho San Diego campus.

Thomas’ passion and enthusiasm for his job was recognized October 18 when he received the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Chancellor/Classified Senate Award, a commendation presented quarterly to outstanding staff. He was nominated by Brad Monroe, coordinator of the Ornamental Horticulture program.

“John has a beautiful spirit that he brings to his job,” said Cindy L. Miles, district chancellor. “He’s a bright light within the department.”

Thomas has worked for five years at the Ornamental Horticulture department, a well-renowned program that’s trained thousands of people for a wide variety of careers related to plants and landscaping.

Thomas got his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of San Diego in 1997, and started a landscape maintenance business. When he saw how much money real estate investors were making on houses where he had cleaned up the landscaping, he decided to switch fields and took real estate courses at Cuyamaca College in 2003.

He got his real estate broker’s license and made enough money to buy an eight-acre ranch in Ramona. But when the real estate market softened, Thomas started working at Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture department in 2006.

When wildfires spread through San Diego County in October 2007, Thomas helped set up Cuyamaca College as an evacuation center – only to learn that his home in Ramona was among the 1,300 structures that burned in the fires countywide. He had to sell his property and now lives in Spring Valley.

Despite any setbacks or stresses of the job, those who know Thomas say he’s always enthusiastic and excited about his work.

“He’s always smiling,” said Mark J. Zacovic, president of Cuyamaca College. “He exemplifies the Cuyamaca spirit.”

Thomas is also a student in the Ornamental Horticulture department, and he said that over the years, he’s taken just about every class the department offers. He said taking the classes helps him in his job because he understands the need for supplies that teachers request.

“As a technician, I need to know how everything operates and what everybody needs,” Thomas said. He also had another explanation for why he’s taken so many classes: “I’m a career learner,” he said.

Thomas was presented with an engraved acrylic award at a Governing Board meeting, along with a gift certificate from Barnes & Noble and a lunch with Miles and Governing Board President Bill Garrett.

For more information about the colleges and the district, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Fifty and Fantabulous at Grossmont College

2011-10-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

Guests at Grossmont College's 50th anniversary celebration Saturday night were treated to a delightful evening at the college's new Health and Sciences complex. This video offers some variations on the night's theme: "Fifty and Fantabulous."

Grossmont's Vocal Recital Guild holds first concert Oct. 23

2011-10-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

      A new student club on the Grossmont College campus called the Vocal Recital Guild will host its inaugural concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at the campus Recital Hall, Room #220, Building #26. Tickets are $5 and available at the door. Martha Howe, an adjunct Music Department instructor, is proud to present a class of very talented performers.

      The theme for the concert is “From Opera to Broadway.” Selections will include “Dido and Aeneas,” by English Baroque composer Henry Purcell in 1689; Dank Sei Dir Herr by Georg Friederich Händel (1684-1759); “Patterns” from “Baby,” a musical written by David Shire that first ran on Broadway in 1983; and, “Someone’ Been Sending Me Flowers” by David Baker. Piano accompanist at the concert will be Sylvia Hartman.

      Members of the Vocal Recital Guild include music voice major students enrolled in a performance studies class taught by Howe, who has been appearing in opera and theater productions since a student at Point Loma High School in San Diego (class of 1969). She is a versatile singing actress who has performed with numerous opera companies and symphony orchestras throughout the United States, Canada and Austria. Howe lived and worked in New York from 1980 to 1994, and then lived in San Francisco, Paris and Vienna, until 2007.

Cuyamaca College offers introduction to green building careers with free training

2011-10-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – For those interested in a career within the “green” construction industry, Cuyamaca College is providing a three-week introductory course free to eligible students through a training program co-sponsored by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

      The Introduction to Green Building Careers is funded through the State Energy Sector Partnership, an offshoot of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and will help displaced workers, the long-term unemployed, new workers, military veterans, and older youths gain the skills to compete for jobs in the expanding green economy.

       “The green building program is part of the college district’s efforts to train students for the workforce of the future,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

      A $300 stipend is provided to students who complete the introductory program, designed to provide a basic overview of “green” construction occupations. Topics to be covered include:

Basic construction principles
Environmental training
Introduction to green building
Energy retrofits and efficiency
Water-efficient buildings and retrofits
Solar and hot water installation and design
Solar electricity installation and design
Work readiness and hands-on work experience.

      Students who complete the green building careers program will be prepared to enroll in more specialized training needed to obtain jobs in construction, solar or other energy-efficiency fields.

      “There couldn’t be a better time to get a green-collar job,” said Jordan DiGiorgio, a program manager for solar water heating with the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), a non-profit organization dedicated to a clean energy future. “Now is a crucial time to join that workforce and become a part of the solar revolution.”

      State and federal rebates are available for people who install energy-efficient technologies on their home or business, DiGiorgio said, and workers will be needed who are trained to install the equipment.

      A mandatory orientation to review eligibility requirements is set for 9 a.m. Nov. 1 or 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Room L101 at Cuyamaca College.

      The classes meet 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Jan. 23 - Feb. 16. The eligibility process takes about three weeks to complete and includes basic skills assessments and various workshops that must be completed prior to the start of the class.

      Students must be 18 years of age or older, be able to read and speak English, registered for selective services, and hold legal status or have authorization to work in the United States.

      To learn more about the program and register for the mandatory orientation, visit www.cuyamaca.edu/preview/greenbuilding/index.htm

      For more information about Cuyamaca College and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Wheelchair basketball competition Oct. 26 at Cuyamaca College

2011-10-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

Players competing in the 2010 wheelchair basketball game at Cuyamaca College

The always rousing wheelchair basketball game, where tumbles and spills are as much a part of the action as the pivoting and spinning of custom-built wheelchairs across the gym floor, is set for noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Cuyamaca College gym as part of the college’s annual commemoration of National Disability Awareness Month.

The game, in its 14th year, is being coordinated by the college’s Disabled Students Programs and Services office and men’s basketball coach Rob Wojtkowski.

Free and open to the public, the five-on-five games feature a mix of Cuyamaca’s basketball team, staff from DSPS, members of Club ABLED and student government playing alongside members of the SoCalSol Wheelchair League team. The teams are mixed so that the wheelchair league athletes don’t completely dominate the scoreboard, said Mary Asher-Fitzpatrick, a DSPS learning disabilities specialist.

The SoCalSol team is a newly formed team in San Diego, comprising members of the former SDXpress team and other wheelchair basketball players.

The game’s purpose is to open people’s eyes to what wheelchair athletes can accomplish, and typically has Cuyamaca’s able-bodied athletes taking spills from the low-to-the-ground chairs specially designed for speed and maneuverability.

“The focus of Disabilities Awareness Month is to teach and increase awareness of how capable people with disabilities actually are,” Asher-Fitzpatrick said. “This event is a great time of coming together and a wonderful educational experience that includes a lot of fun and excitement for students, faculty, staff, administration, board members, and community spectators. Any spectators and students are welcome to play in the game.”

Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. For campus and driving maps, visit http://www.cuyamaca.edu/map&directions.asp or call (619) 660-4236.

"Got Plans?" college and career fair to be held at Cuyamaca College Oct. 22

2011-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont Union High School District will host its eighth annual

“Got Plans?” Career & College Fair for high school students and parents on Saturday, October 22, 2011, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cuyamaca College.

More than 6,000 students are expected to obtain information about post-secondary options at the fair, which is a partnership between the Grossmont Union High School District and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

Admissions representatives from over 90 public and private universities, community colleges, vocational schools, and the military will be in attendance. Students and parents may also participate in up to two 45-minute workshops that review options available to students after high school. The workshop topics include sessions about 4-year colleges, SAT/ACT admissions tests, 2-year colleges, financial aid, and career opportunities. Some sessions are offered in Spanish and Arabic.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Cuyamaca College is located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego, and free parking is available. For more information regarding workshop topics or fair information, call 619.644.7000 ext. 2376 or log on to: http://intranet.guhsd.net/edserv/got_plans/info.html.

"Aesop's Fables" to be performed Oct. 21 and 22 at Grossmont

2011-10-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

What’s so bad about counting your chickens before they are hatched? And what is a wolf in our sheep’s clothing anyway?

Discover life lessons about our foibles, common sense and humanity at the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department production of “Aesop’s Fables,” a whimsical production that highlights Aesop’s imaginative fables, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Stagehouse Theatre on campus.

“Aesop’s Fables,” performed by 10 Grossmont College Theatre Arts students, is the college’s touring production for the fall semester. The legendary storyteller Aesop is credited with such expressions as “don't count your chickens before they are hatched," "a wolf in sheep's clothing" and "a sour grapes attitude." The cast’s costumes of animal characters help communicate life lessons to the audience, and the play illustrates our foibles, common sense and humanity.

The public is invited to attend the play, and its content is suitable for all ages. Admission cost is $8 per person. All major credit cards are accepted. The box office accepts phone orders and will be open one hour prior to all performances.

For more performance information, phone (619) 644-7234, or visit www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure. The Stagehouse Theatre on the Grossmont College campus is located near Parking Lot #1 and the exterior Aztec wall mural. Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Dr., in El Cajon. For driving directions and a campus map, visit www.grossmont.edu.

15th Annual Aggie Open Oct. 21

2011-10-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

       The 15th annual Aggie Open, a golf tournament that benefits Cuyamaca College's ornamental horticulture department and its botanical society's scholarship fund, will be held Oct. 21 at the Bonita golf course. Registration is at 10:30 a.m. and tee time is noon.

       This event attracts more than 130 industry professionals from the landscape, golf and related green industries along with students from the Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture Department. The four-person scramble is open to the public and is billed as a fun day on the links.

     The event includes lunch, dinner, golf and free range balls, along with other special activities on the course and during the awards dinner. More information here.

Grossmont College to host Lester Bangs Memorial Reading event Oct. 19

2011-10-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

      The Grossmont College English Department’s Creative Writing Program will pay tribute to a deceased rock `n’ roll critic and former student as part of its Fall 2011 Reading Series. The third annual Lester Bangs Memorial Reading will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Building 26, Room 220, on the El Cajon campus. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

      Leslie Conway “Lester” Bangs, who attended Grossmont College from 1966 to 1968, was known as “America’s greatest rock critic.” He wrote for Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and Creem before he died from suicide in 1982. He was portrayed by actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in the 2000 movie “Almost Famous.”


Considered one of the most influential voices in rock criticism, Bangs is credited for coining the term "punk," and his subversive spirit and creativity continue to influence generations of writers. Bangs is considered the most famous writer to attend Grossmont College, and is believed to be the only author to actually mention Grossmont College in a piece of internationally published literature.

        In 2010, Bangs was inducted into Grossmont College’s Walk of Fame, a permanent display of bronze plaques embedded in concrete that feature names of distinguished Grossmont College alumni. The Walk of Fame program, which began in 1989, raises money for educational programs at the college.

       Justin Hudnall, a graduate of the Grossmont College Creative Writing Program, will perform “Portrait of a Vinyl Man” at the Lester Bangs event. Hudnall is the executive director of So Say We All, a San Diego-based production company and arts advocacy organization. He also is a guest writer for the Huffington Post. “Portrait of a Vinyl Man” looks at the underbelly of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival, which has been held for the past 25 years at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Tex.

      Also appearing at the Bangs event at Grossmont College will be Nathan Young, who will perform “Deadhead Deadened,” a piece about how the writer learned the Grateful Dead is not a heavy metal band. For more information about the Grossmont College English Department’s Creative Writing Program, visit www.grossmont.edu/english/creativewriting, or phone (619) 644-7523.

Grossmont College Symphony Orchestra to perform Oct. 21 in downtown San Diego

2011-10-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

     The Grossmont College Symphony Orchestra will present “I Am Woman,” a performance featuring Anna Belaya, soprano, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, at the St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral, 1535 Third Ave., at Third Ave. and Beech St., in Downtown San Diego.

        The public is invited to attend. Admission is free, however a free-willing offering will be held. Selections will include: “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman” by Joan Tower of New York; "The Four Temperaments,” by Danish composer Carl Nielsen; and, Symphony No. 3, also known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, by Henryk Gorecki of Poland.

     For more information, call (619) 644-7254, or visit www.grossmont.edu/music and click “Concert Schedule.”

Grossmont College alum scores big at jazz competition

2011-10-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Joshua White performing at the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Competition
Photo by Elisa Kommins Morris

It was just a few years ago that Joshua White decided to pursue his passion of playing jazz piano, spending hours listening to jazz greats like Herbie Hancock.

But when White, 26, placed second in the prestigious Theolonius Monk International Jazz Competition in September 2011, it was Hancock who came to him offering praise following White’s performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

“He said I inspired him,” White said.

White studied piano for years, but he said his two years at Grossmont College played an important role in his development as a musician. He majored in music theory and played in the Grossmont orchestra and the college’s music ensembles until he transferred to San Diego State University in 2005.

“It’s about the people,” White said of his experience at Grossmont. “It definitely put me in a position to meet individuals who shaped my path. It was a great experience learning from different types of people.”

Steve Baker, Grossmont’s dean of arts, humanities and language/communication, described White as a brilliant piano player.

“He was a fabulous performer,” Baker said. “What he got from us was a higher level of technical training.”

White used that training to submit his entry to the jazz competition, and was one of 12 young artists from around the world who were selected to perform at the Kennedy Center. In addition to winning $10,000 for his second-place prize, White and the other two winners also got to meet President Barack Obama.

White said he’s now hoping to use the national exposure from the jazz competition to begin a career in jazz in New York City.

“If I want to do something, why not try it now?” he said.

Grossmont College Career Center to host `Career Week,’ Oct. 10 to 14

2011-10-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont College Career Center will host “Career Week” from Oct. 10 to 14. The theme of this year’s “Career Week” is “Your Road to Success.” The event will include workshops, clinics, presentations and panel discussions designed to provide information about career and industry trends and help students achieve their career goals.

“Our goal is that Career Week will create excellent opportunities for students to network, discover skills and learn job search strategies,” said Nancy Davis, Career Center student development services supervisor. “We want to help students gain a glimpse into the working world.”

On Monday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., four clinics will be held on such topics as interview techniques, dressing for success, salary negotiation and resume writing.

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, two workshops are planned. “Career Starts & Transactions” will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Career Center, Building #36, Room #346. “Interested in Health Professions” will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Health and Sciences Complex, Building #34, Room #207.

On Wednesday, Oct. 12, the annual “Career Expo” event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12 in the Main Quad with approximately 30 exhibitors. It will be the college’s 33rd annual Career Expo.

On Thursday, Oct. 13, two workshops are planned. “Social Media Do’s and Don’ts” will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Career Center, Building #36, Room #346. “Community College 2 University,” a workshop about transferring to the University of California San Diego, will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Main Quad.

On Friday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., approximately 30 high school students from Sweetwater High School in Chula Vista who are interested in a career path in healthcare will tour the college’s Health and Sciences Complex.

For a complete list of Career Week workshops and clinics, including the time and location, visit www.grossmont.edu/studentempservices or call the Career Center at (619) 644-7614.

"Whites and Woods" tennis tournament at Grossmont College

2011-10-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont College women’s tennis team will host its third annual “Whites and Woods Doubles Tournament,” a fundraiser for the Grossmont College women’s tennis program, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Grossmont College tennis courts.

Players are encouraged to wear all white and use wooden rackets (wooden rackets will be available for rent for $5). Cost to play is $40 per team. A prize will be presented for the most authentic outfit. Grossmont College women’s tennis coach Megan Haber is expecting about 25 teams to participate. For more information, contact Nathan Welden at (619) 920-9052, or visit www.FletcherHillsTennis.com, click “Whites and Woods.”

College counselors lauded with outstanding faculty awards

2011-10-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

Teresa McNeil discusses transfer issues with Kevin Gallagher,
admissions officer at UCSD

Janice Johnson receives her award at
Grossmont College convocation

Two veteran counselors who help pave the way for students at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges to transfer to four-year campuses have been given top faculty awards recognizing their dedication to the colleges and the students they assist.

Janice Johnson is the recipient of Grossmont College’s Distinguished Faculty Award and Teresa McNeil has been honored with Cuyamaca’s first-ever Outstanding Faculty Member Award.

Both have the job title of “articulation officer,” working with colleges and universities to ensure the community college courses are a match with those offered at the four-year schools.. They also are arbiters for students, intervening on their behalf when transfer credits are challenged.

Grossmont College award
Janice Johnson’s personal story of an impoverished childhood and determination to strive despite her past have given her an empathy for community college students, many of whom have their own challenges to overcome.
“For 34 years, students are better for Janice’s strong work ethic, advocacy, professional tenacity and caring,” said Sue Gonda, Grossmont College Academic Senate president.
Johnson grew up with three siblings – including one with severe disabilities – on a secluded South Dakota farm where the family struggled to get by in a home with no running water. With no telephone, they lived in isolation.
“If someone really needed to reach us, they would call our neighbor and he rode his tractor over to give us a message,” Johnson said.
A move in the second grade to a larger school was her first exposure to music and art and Johnson discovered a love of reading.
“During the summer, I herded our milk cows along the roadside,” she said. “I loved doing this because I could take a book. During the summer months, it was not unusual for me to read nine or10 books a week.”
Although Johnson graduated from high school at the top of her class, her parents couldn’t afford to send her to college. But Johnson was determined, working multiple jobs and borrowing money to continue her education. She picked up computer skills and moved into management in the hotel industry, moving from city to city until landing a job in San Diego.
She began working in 1977 as a counseling center supervisor at Grossmont College while still pursuing her dream of a college degree. Two years later, she received her associate degree from Grossmont. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management/Behavioral Science from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in educational counseling from National University.
The longtime El Cajon resident has two daughters, both who transferred to universities from Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges.
In 1988, she transferred to Grossmont’s Career and Job Placement Center, where she worked as a supervisor until 1994. It was during this period she began counseling and teaching personal development counseling classes. She became an associate dean in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services in 1994 but continued to work as a counselor. In 2004, she became the college’s articulation officer, working closely with transfer institutions and faculty in curriculum development to ensure Grossmont’s classes are accepted for credit at the university levels.
“I consider every articulated course an accomplishment because I know it will impact the ability for a student to achieve a college degree,” she said. “Education changed my life and I know that it will change theirs. It is truly a work of love for me – not a job, but a vocation.”
Cuyamaca College award
Teresa McNeil began at Cuyamaca College in 1978 as a part-time instructor and was hired full-time in 1988 as a counselor and coordinator for Disabled Student Programs and Services upon earning her doctorate in education from the University of San Diego. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Diego State University.
In 1995, she became the college’s grant writer, a post she held until 2003, when she joined the counseling faculty.
As the articulation officer, McNeil said her job largely entails being the intermediary between the two higher-education segments of community college and universities on transfer matters.
“The articulation officer is in the middle – we work closely with the faculty at the community college as well as with colleagues at the transfer institutions,” said McNeil, a North Park resident whose three children all transferred from community college to university. “One needs to know a lot about curriculum, and what it takes to transfer, and the articulation officer also has to be a diplomat.”
Michael Wangler, Cuyamaca College Academic Senate president, said McNeil exemplifies the dedication and spirit of a faculty leader.
“Teresa has touched countless lives, inspiring students and colleagues alike to excel in what they do and achieve their educational and life goals,” he said. “I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of the first ever Outstanding Faculty Member Award for Cuyamaca College.”
Cuyamaca’s Outstanding Faculty Member Award, which is open to both classroom and non-classroom faculty, was given at the fall convocation and complements the Award for Teaching Excellence given out at the spring convocation to teaching faculty.
Cindy L. Miles, district chancellor, hailed Johnson and McNeil for their dedication to students, adding that the work they do has touched the lives of the hundreds of Grossmont and Cuyamaca graduates who transfer every fall to universities across the nation.
“As articulation officers, they are in a unique position to engage with people from all segments of the higher education system: students, community college and university faculty, and administrators,” Miles said. “To do this well requires a thorough understanding of not just the nuts and bolts of transferring from the two-year to four-year campuses, but also, expertise in curriculum development, talent and skills as a negotiator, plus the ability to connect effectively with students and keep in committed to their goals of obtaining that four-year degree.
“Students have to know that we care about their success, and both of these women are absolutely tireless when it comes to helping students. We are very fortunate they are members of our district family.”
For more information about Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Exhibition opens at the Hyde Art Gallery

2011-10-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

The Hyde Art Gallery, located on the Grossmont College campus, is now presenting “Painting at the Hyde,” an exhibit through of 39 paintings by current Grossmont College Art Department faculty members, including Jennifer Bennett, Daphne Hill, Tom Lazzara, Bill Mosley and Michael Wheelden, as well as former faculty member Anna Stump and Ben Aubert, gallery curator.

The artwork reflects the use of acrylic paints, oil on canvas and pen and ink drawings. An opening reception with the artists will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Free parking is available in parking lot #1 on the evening of the opening reception. The exhibit closes on Thursday, Oct. 27. Admission is free. The Hyde Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Gallery is located in Building #25 across from Café 200.

Dance classes offered at Grossmont College

2011-10-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont College Dance Department will present two classes with master class instructors on Saturday, Oct. 15 at the college’s main dance studio, Building #24, Room #271.

A class on modern dance taught by John Malashock will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by a class on salsa dancing taught by Michael John Saltus from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. Cost to attend is $10 for one class or $18 for both classes.

The classes are part of the Grossmont College Dance Department’s Fall 2011 Master Class Series.

Malashock, with 35 years of experience in dance, theater and film, serves as artistic director of the Malashock Dance School and Malashock Dance Company. Malashock has served as guest faculty for the American Dance Festival, Cal State Long Beach, Dance Space New York, ADF/Tokyo, Connecticut College and the University of Utah.

Saltus is the founder and co-director of the Positive Energy Dance Company, one of the largest salsa companies in San Diego with more than 30 members and five choreographers. Positive Energy has performed more than 200 shows in the past two years.

For more information, visit www.grossmont.edu/dance, or call the Dance Department at 644-7766. Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Dr., in El Cajon. For driving directions and a campus map, visit www.grossmont.edu.

Baroque chamber music concert at Cuyamaca College

2011-09-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

The members of the Windsor Hills Consort, a group dedicated to playing early music on period instruments, performed Sept. 27 at Cuyamaca College as part of the fall concert series. The group played baroque music composed by Georg Telemann (1681-1767), George Handel (1685-1759), Johann Quantz (1697-1773) and others.

You can watch a short video here.

The members of the group are: Cathe Sobke, recorder; Ulla Sinz, recorder; Elizabeth Rose, treble, tenor and bass viols; Taylor Smith, bass viol; Margaret Gaillard, harpsichord; and Andrew Peterson, harpsichord.

The next concert in the fall series will feature the Cuyamaca College Concert Band on Oct. 12. For more information, visit www.cuyamaca.edu/performingarts Mark your calendar!

Assemblyman Marty Block says community colleges still provide a quality education

2011-09-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Assemblyman Marty Block and panel members at Grossmont College

Assemblyman Marty Block gave his thoughts on California education and answered a wide range of questions about community colleges from students and faculty during a visit to Grossmont College on Tuesday.

Block, chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, was invited to the campus by Grossmont journalism professor Don Harrison.

Block said that California community colleges still provide a quality education for students despite budget cuts that have limited the number of classes offered and raised student fees.

“I think California in general, and Grossmont-Cuyamaca in particular, still manages to do an incredible amount with very little resources,” Block said. “Quality education is not a problem in California. I would put our community colleges up against any like institutions in the country in terms of quality.”

Block, an assemblyman for three years, has long been involved with education. He worked as a former professor, dean and director at San Diego State University and served for eight years as president of the San Diego Community College District board of trustees.

Block said he became involved in politics at the urging of students in a leadership class he taught at San Diego State University. Their work on his first campaign for the county Board of Education showed the impact that students can have, he said.

“Students have a lot of power if they funnel it in the right direction,” Block said.

Assemblyman Marty Block to visit Grossmont September 27

2011-09-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

Assemblyman Marty Block

Assemblyman Marty Block (D-78th), chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Higher Education, will visit Grossmont College on Tuesday, Sept. 27 to participate in a special, on-campus panel and discuss the impacts of the state budget on Grossmont College. The hour-long meeting will begin at 11 a.m. in Building 26, Room 220. The public is invited to attend.

Block, whose committee oversees all legislation affecting colleges and universities, will be questioned by a panel that will include: Sue Gonda, president of the Grossmont College Academic Senate; Russ Lindquist, editor of the Grossmont College Summit, the student newspaper; and, Marc Arizmendez, news director for Griffin Radio, the campus radio station. The event was organized and will be moderated by Donald H. Harrison, an adjunct journalism instructor who has covered Block in various capacities over his career. Block will be welcomed by Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Chancellor Cindy L. Miles and Grossmont President Sunita Cooke.

The panel will question Block for one half hour and the remainder of the time will be allocated for questions from the audience, according to Harrison.

Before his election to the state Assembly, Block served for eight years as president of the San Diego Community College Board, and prior to that served an equal length of time on the County Board of Education. He also has taught and served on the staff of San Diego State University.

The 78th Assembly district which includes portions of the cities and communities of San Diego, Paradise Hills, Chula Vista, Lemon Grove, Bonita and Spring Valley.

In addition to the Assembly Higher Education Committee, Block also is a member of the Committees on Veterans Affairs, Jobs and Economic Development and the Economy, Governmental Organization and Accountability and Administrative Review.

For more information, contact Grossmont College’s Office of College and Community Relations at (619) 644-7840.Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Dr., in El Cajon. For driving directions and a campus map, visit www.grossmont.edu.

2011-12 theatre arts season at Grossmont College

2011-09-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

Check out the plays being performed this season at Grossmont College! The first show is on October 6.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone

By Sarah Ruhl

Directed by Martin Katz

October 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 at 7:30pm October 8 & 15 at 2:00pm A café, a dead man, and a cell phone that won’t stop ringing. When Jean, a stranger from the next table, decides to answer it she sets in motion a chain of events that is, by turns, baffling, mysterious, comic, and grim. As Jean becomes involved with the dead man’s wife, mother, mistress and brother, she begins to suspect that her life will never be the same again.

Aesop’s Fables

Directed by Jerry Hager

October 21 & 22 at 7:30pm; October 22 at 2:00pm

"Don't count your chickens before they’re hatched!" "He’s a wolf in sheep's clothing." "She has a sour-grapes attitude." These expressions and many more come from the fables of one of the most famous and legendary storytellers of all time, Aesop. Through his imaginative fables he illustrates our foibles, common sense, and humanity. Beginning in Fall 2011, the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Deartment Elementary Touring Show will present a collection of Aesop's Fables, brought to life through creative theatre, vocal chorus, narration, and audience participation. Don't miss out on the whimsical wit and profound tales of master storyteller Aesop as our cast of animal characters explore life lessons for all ages!

Tata Twins - The Remix (A World Premiere)

Adapted by Jeannette Thomas

Based on The Twin Menaechmus by Plautus

Directed by Beth Duggan

December 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 at 7:30pm

December 3 & 10 at 2:00pm

What would you do if you suddenly found out that world-famous rock star Lady Tata is your missing twin? The problem is, she doesn't even know you exist! When Stefani travels to the big city in search of her long-lost sister, their identical looks but conflicting personalities wreak havoc with friends and family. Come see a hilarious modern adaptation of the Roman comedy of mistaken identity that served as the inspiration for Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors. (Adult situations and language)

Inside the Actors Process - Readers Theatre

Directed by Jerry Hager

February 3 & 4 at 7:30pm; February 4 at 2:00pm

Join us in 2012 as the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department’s Inside The Actor's Process cast presents “Readers Theatre—The Theatre of the Imagination.” In this unique form of oral storytelling, space and time can stretch to create fantastic worlds and marvelous journeys that soar through the imagination. Enjoy theatrical and imaginative delights as our touring troupe presents spirited speech from traditional and non-traditional theatre, bringing the magic of the written word to life!

The25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Music and Lyrics by William Finn

Book by Rachel Sheinkin

Directed by Susan Jordan DeLeon

Musical Director Ron Councell

March 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17 at 7:30pm March 10 & 17 at 2:00pm

“Please spell ‘Honorificabilitudinitatibus!’” This delightful musical comedy, full of characters are sure to remind you of your own elementary school days, is a chance to root for the next Spelling Bee Champion. Musical numbers, both comic and poignant, weave together a tale of triumph and loss on a stage of immense proportions: the auditorium stage of Putnam County Middle School! This show includes some on-stage audience participation, so be sure to bring your thinking cap… (Mature language)

Lost in Yonkers

By Neil Simon

Directed by Jeannette Thomas

May 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 at 7:30pm

May 5 & 12 at 2:00pm

When brothers Artie and Jay are sent to live with their grandmother, they find out that their father’s family puts the “fun” in dysfunctional. Set in 1942, Neil Simon’s Pulitizer Prize and Tony Award winning play is a heart-warming, honest and funny look at how we define “family.” With an uncle who is a small-time gangster, an aunt with the mentality of a child, and a formidable, steely grandmother who struggles to understand love, Artie and Jay are thrust into a crazy world that they must somehow survive. Will it be the longest ten months of their lives?

Or will they all learn that “love” comes in many forms?

In consideration of audience members, children under 10 years of age will not be permitted to attend any performances, except Aesop’s Fables.

Box Office Phone: (619) 644-7234 (24-hour message). All reservations must be paid and/or guaranteed 24 hours prior to the performance you wish to attend.

Tickets are $12 general admission; $11 for faculty, staff, seniors and military; and $10 for Grossmont and Cuyamaca students. Season tickets are available for $45 for the public, and $40 for staff, seniors, military and students.
Theatre Arts Box Office, Room 200A-1, at Grossmont College, near parking lot #1, next to Aztec mural. Box Office opens 2 weeks prior to every production. Hours: M-F, 10-2 and 1 hour prior to all performances.

For more informations, go to www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure.

Grossmont College to host novelist Cris Mazza on Oct. 12

2011-09-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Novelist Cris Mazza

Author Cris Mazza, a San Diego native whose writings have been reviewed nationwide, will be speaking Oct. 12 at Grossmont College as part of its Fall 2011 Semester Reading Series sponsored by the college English Department’s Creative Writing Program. The Oct. 12 event will be held at 12:30 p.m. in Building 26, Room 220, on the El Cajon campus. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Mazza,, who now lives in Chicago, is a professor and director of the Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mazza’s writings discuss the psychological and emotional complexities of life, as well as how a region’s society and culture impact the human experience, including sexuality, family, authority and gender. Her most recent novel, published in January, is “Various Men Who Knew Us as Girls,” is a story about a woman whose life changes when she decides to rescue a teenage Mexican prostitute.

Mazza's fiction has been reviewed numerous times in The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, MS Magazine, Chicago Tribune Books, The Los Angeles Times Book Review, The Voice Literary Supplement and The San Francisco Review of Books. Among her other novels: “Homeland” (2004), about a woman and her elderly father grappling with a 30-year-old family tragedy while they also find themselves

Mazza is among several featured speakers for Grossmont College’s Creative Writing Program’s Fall 2011 Semester Reading Series. More information about the events is available at Grossmont's Creative Writing page, or phone (619) 644-7523. Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Dr., in El Cajon. For driving directions and a campus map, visit the Grossmont College website.

homeless, living in the canyons of suburban Southern California alongside migrant agricultural workers; “Indigenous/Growing Up Californian” (2003), featuring Mazza's collection of personal essays; and, “Waterbaby” (2007), a novel about how local legends still live and grow in a seacoast town in Maine.

A delightful evening of jazz at Cuyamaca College

2011-09-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

The fall concert series at Cuyamaca College opened Thursday night with a jazz performance by the Chuck Walker Trio. Walker, an instruction assistant at Cuyamaca's performing arts department, played guitar. He was joined by: Daniel Jackson on piano and tenor saxophone; vocalist Kasey Coe; Don Shaffer on trumpet; Bryan Gambell and Joe Trujillo playing upright bass, and Mark Cooper on drums.

The audience, which included Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic, enjoyed a delightful evening in the main theater at Cuyamaca College's Communications Arts building. It's a beautiful venue with excellent acoustics.

Be sure to check out the next performance in the concert series on Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Miles Shrewsbery and Rahul Neuman will be performing North Indian classical music for tabla and sitar. Tickets are $8 for the public, and $5 for students and seniors.

District board approves $179 million budget

2011-09-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District approved a $179 million budget for 2011-2012 that anticipates a $6.3 million cut in state funding this year.

As a result of the state budget cuts, the spending plan passed by the governing board Tuesday night includes the elimination of 600 class sections this year at the district’s two colleges, Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego. The class section cuts – part of a state-mandated “workload reduction” -- mean that about 2,300 students will be turned away this year at the colleges. The district has already cut 1,000 class sections over the past two years because of reductions in state funding.

“I’m deeply, deeply troubled that we have been forced to turn away so many students in need of our services,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. “Now is the time that the state should be investing in higher education and workforce training. To return this state to its past luster, to improve a flagging economy, it is absolutely critical for community colleges to once again fulfill their mission of providing open access to affordable, quality education.”

California’s already financially hard-hit community colleges face an additional $30 million cut in December if state revenues are more than $1 billion below estimates, and up to $102 million in budget cuts if revenues are more than $2 billion below estimates.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca could lose up to $6.3 million in state funding if California doesn’t get enough revenue. The district board decided to act prudently, and the approved budget reflects the worst-case revenue projections.

Fees for California community college students increased from $26 per unit to $36 this year, meaning full-time students now pay $1,080 in fees annually. Students faced the possibility of an additional increase to $46 per unit for the spring 2012 semester if state coffers fell short of projected revenues, but that has been delayed until next summer.

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges currently enroll about 26,000 students, a number that has been slowly declining in the past three years that the campuses have been forced to slash offerings and staff. Even with declining enrollment, students have been severely affected by the reduction in class offerings. By the first day of fall classes in August, nearly all available courses were full and the waitlist for class seats exceeded 23,000.

While lamenting the budget crisis as the worst the college district has ever experienced, Governing Board President Bill Garrett praised college and district staff and faculty for accomplishing the near-impossible task of balancing the budget with tough measures such as not filling job vacancies and cutting operational expenses to the core.

“During this exceedingly difficult budget season, our top priority has been to put students first in providing access and helping them to achieve success,” Garrett said. “With the severe cuts we have been forced to make, this is becoming increasingly challenging, but our motto of ‘students first’ remains paramount.”

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges remember 9/11

2011-09-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Grossmont College students and President Sunny Cooke (far left) remembered the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks by planting an olive tree on campus on Sept. 13. Before the tree was planted, students wrote their thoughts and feelings on small cards and then tied the cards with ribbon to the branches of the tree. The students wrote about such topics as bravery, resilience, faith and freedom inspired by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and Flight 93. Grossmont College’s 9/11 memorial activities were planned by the Student Affairs Office and the Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc.

At Cuyamaca College, students and staff remembered 9/11 by planting 2,998 small American flags in a space on campus -- each flag representing a victim of the attacks. Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic led a moment of silence in a ceremony on Sept. 12.

(Both ceremonies were delayed because of the power outage that caused campuses to close on Sept. 9.)

Donald Walker obituary

2011-09-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

Donald Walker, who served as chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District from 1983 to 1992, died Aug. 12 in Los Angeles at the age of 90. Read the Union-Tribune's obituary describing Walker as a brilliant educator who left his mark on the field.

Grossmont College scholarship winners honored at breakfast

2011-09-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sixty-one Grossmont College students were honored at the Fall Scholarship Awards Breakfast Sept. 10, with a total of $44,000 awarded. Recipients included 27 students who got Osher scholarships, and 34 other awards totaling $17,000.

Each student has overcome adversity to reach their success -- including single parents, physical challenges or immigrants who have had to learn the English language.

The event was presented by the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges and the Grossmont College Scholarship Department. These scholarships are competitive and based on a selection process established by the Grossmont College Scholarship Advisory Committee and any additional criteria established by the sponsor.

Power outage forces closures at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges

2011-09-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Because of the power outage, all classes and student activities are cancelled Friday, September 9. Offices at the District and the Grossmont and Cuyamaca campuses are also closed on Friday.

All student activities resume on Saturday, September 10. Offices will be open on Monday and classes will be held as scheduled.

Public forum set for college district's educational master plan

2011-09-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

Want to have a voice in the future of East County’s community colleges?

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is in the midst of a yearlong effort to craft its educational master plan and wants to hear from the public it serves.

A community forum is set for 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, in room I-207 of the Cuyamaca College Student Center to provide the public an opportunity to contribute to the long-range blueprint for the future of Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, which together serve almost 30,000 students each year. The topics and ideas that crop up during the discussion will help shape the future of higher education in the East County in the next 15 to 20 years.

“The educational master plan will help set priorities and will guide decisions about growth, development and the allocation of resources,” said Cindy L. Miles, district chancellor. “We are especially eager to hear from the business community -- learning what jobs and skills employers anticipate needing is critical to our meeting community needs. What are the workforce needs and emerging occupations that we should be training people for?”

While the colleges have developed their own master plans in the past, in this approach the district has created a coordinated educational master planning process with the two campuses. The districtwide process allows more integrated planning, with better communication and coordination between the colleges and district services, said Jerry Buckley, senior dean of Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness for the district.

As the first step in the planning process, stakeholders throughout the college community -- employees, students and community members -- were invited to electronically submit relevant resources from research publications, books, magazines, or newspaper articles relating to trends in society, technology, economy, environment, politics, and education.

About 3,000 submissions were reviewed by volunteer teams of employees and students who identified trends that could impact Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, such as a student population that is older, more diverse and likely to be more self-directed and proactive. In the technology realm, the review teams found a continued growth and demand for online learning and an increasing demand for mobile access to learning resources.

In addition to soliciting online submissions, the college district also posted information about the master plan process on online news sites, receiving thousands of hits, Buckley said.

The data from a comprehensive range of sources –student and institutional outcomes; internal and external trend analysis, and feedback from institutional and community focus groups -- will be used to set long-term goals, objectives and priorities. In addition to the education and industry partners expected to attend the Sept. 22 forum, input is also being solicited from the East County Economic Development Council, area chambers of commerce, school districts, and other community groups.

The educational master plan committee has targeted December for completion of the document, which will then be posted at www.gcccd.edu/research/EMP/EMP.asp

“Completion of the district’s 15-to-20-year educational master plan ensures that Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges will continue to effectively serve the higher education needs of our community and future generations of students,” Governing Board President Bill Garrett said.

To confirm attendance at the Sept. 22 public forum, RSVP to jennifer.danks@gcccd.edu

Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. Parking will be available in the student lots.

For more information about Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Grossmont College to celebrate 50th anniversary with fundraising celebration on Saturday, Oct. 22

2011-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

“Fifty and Fantabulous” is the theme of the fundraising celebration that will be held Oct. 22 to celebrate Grossmont College’s 50th anniversary. Guests are encouraged to dress in the attire they may have worn as a college student, whether it’s the peace beads of the 1960s or the acid-washed jeans of the 1980s.

The party will be held at Grossmont College’s Health and Sciences Complex, the newest building at the school’s El Cajon campus. The event is hosted by the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the recently-formed fundraising organization that supports students and educational programs at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, and tickets cost $175 per person.

The event is part of a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Grossmont College, which began classes in 1961. Suggested attire is casual and retro, reflecting fashions from the past 50 years. Recognition will be given for the best outfits in various categories, including tie-dye T-shirts and leisure suits.

Hors d’oeuvres and other food samples will be available at various food stations, as well as desserts, including birthday cake. More than 800 silent and live auction items are expected to be available to the highest bidders.

Also located in different areas of the two-story Health and Sciences Complex will be displays of photographs, memorabilia and videos chronicling the college’s 50-year history, as well as performances from students, including guitar players, dancers and Gospel Choir singers. Guests can look forward to listening to their favorite pop tunes heard during the previous five decades, and have their photograph shot inside an amusement park-style photo booth.

Grossmont College alumni, including members of the first few graduating classes, will be recognized at the event, along with faculty members and staff from the 1960s. Also available at the party will be information about future events that will be part of the college’s 50th anniversary.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.foundation.gcccd.edu. A map and driving directions to the campus located at 8800 Grossmont College Dr., El Cajon are at www.grossmont.edu.

The Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges is the philanthropic partner for East County’s two academic jewels. It’s a place for alumni, faculty, staff, students, retirees and the community to come together to support our students. The money we raise supports student learning and helps train our future workforce, provides cultural enrichment for the community, and makes East County a better place to live and work.

A new foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges

2011-09-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

A new foundation that will strengthen fundraising for East County’s two community colleges has been established to better connect with alumni and broaden the sources of money coming in to support the schools.

The Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges continues the work of the two separate foundations at Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College to raise money for scholarships, facilities and college programs.

“This foundation will make the best use of our resources and avoid duplication in the community as we expand our efforts to raise money for our students and provide them with a better education,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

Miles noted that the foundation is launching soon after the district completed a three-year campaign that raised more than $850,000 for student scholarships as the result of a challenge issued by the Bernard Osher Foundation. The San Francisco-based foundation challenged California’s 112 community colleges to reach fundraising goals based on enrollment. Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges were among the one-fourth of California’s community colleges that met or exceeded their goals.

Miles said a single foundation can be more strategic in its fundraising and is more economical to staff than separate foundations for Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. Potential donors also appreciate being approached by one organization representing the college district instead of multiple requests for money from departments or programs at the two colleges.

The new foundation will focus on reconnecting with alumni from Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges and developing campaigns seeking major gifts to the colleges. Although four-year universities often have major endowments, community colleges have traditionally been slower to seek money from graduates and corporate leaders.

“If we are to continue providing access to the education that our community needs and deserves, we must find new ways to bring in money to our colleges,” said Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District governing board.

The website for the foundation at foundation.gcccd.edu features an alumni network in which graduates of Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are encouraged to sign up to receive information about upcoming special events. The alumni network will be offering special promotions at no cost in connection with events at the two colleges.

One of the first events hosted by the new foundation is the “Fifty and Fantabulous” celebration being held Oct. 22 to commemorate Grossmont College’s 50^th anniversary. Guests are encouraged to dress in the attire they may have worn as a student, whether it’s peace beads or leisure suits. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at the Health and Sciences Complex, the newest building at the college’s El Cajon campus. The cost is $175 and tickets can be purchased through the foundation website.

The foundation board is being led by Sharon Bullard, formerly president of the Cuyamaca College Foundation, and Vicki Whitmire, formerly president of the Grossmont College Foundation. Fundraising veteran Glenn Kaufhold will be guiding the efforts as chief executive officer, and Ernest Ewin, formerly executive director of the Grossmont College Foundation, has been named executive director of development. Sarah Brown is the foundation’s new alumni and donor relations coordinator, while Patricia Burdette is the administrative assistant.

For more information about the foundation and to join the alumni group for Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, go to foundation.gcccd.edu . For more information about the college district, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Grossmont College marks 9/11 anniversary

2011-09-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington,
D.C. and Flight 93, students at Grossmont College will plant an olive
tree of remembrance on the El Cajon campus. The tree planting ceremony
will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 9 at a lawn area adjacent to
building #53.

The date before the tree planting, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on
Thursday, Sept. 8, students will have the opportunity to write their
thoughts and feelings on small cards and then tie the cards with string
to the branches of the olive tree, which will be located on that day
along a walkway between classroom building #55 and the Learning Resource
Technology Center (LTRC) building.

Grossmont College's 9/11 memorial activities are being planned by the
Grossmont College Student Affairs Office and the Associated Students of
Grossmont College, Inc.

Public reception September 28 for new Cuyamaca College president

2011-08-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

Mark J. Zacovic, Cuyamaca College's new president

As a first-generation college graduate, Mark Zacovic, Cuyamaca College’s new president, understands well the challenges facing students. As a finisher of several marathons, he also knows the value of tenacity and goal-setting.

“Community college is still a great value for students looking to learn a new career and improve their lives,” said Zacovic, who began at Cuyamaca in July following a one-year post as executive vice president of instruction and student services at Victor Valley Community College in Victorville.

The community is invited to meet Cuyamaca’s new top executive at a reception to be held at 5:30-8 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. To RSVP, call (619) 644-7569 or email jennifer.danks@gcccd.edu.

A 26-year employee of California community colleges and an administrator at eight campuses and districts, Zacovic is familiar with the financial crisis that has hit education.

“Periods of fiscal difficulty force us to examine everything we do and consider expenditures and how they support the mission of the college,” he said.

State budget cuts have markedly reduced class offerings at community colleges, but Zacovic sees the system’s open-access policy as sacrosanct.

“We must be able to help students realize personal educational goals, whether those be vocational training, a degree, university transfer, remedial education, or lifelong learning, without regard to the degree of preparation with which those students arrive at our college,” Zacovic said. “Championing an effective and useful system of student support services to facilitate the success of our students, particularly those with special needs, continues to be a priority for me.”

Having spent 20 years as a community college chief business official, Zacovic has been responsible for budgets of up to $380 million, so he’s comfortable scrutinizing spreadsheets and analyzing costs and benefits. Zacovic served as president of the board of directors of the Association for Chief Business Officials for California Community Colleges and was statewide recipient of the association’s 2006 Outstanding CBO Award.

Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, said Zacovic’s skills as a consensus builder honed from years as a top-level administrator will be a major asset.

“During site visits to Victor Valley where we had the opportunity to talk to the campus community about Mark Zacovic’s leadership, he was universally praised for his ability to unite people to find common ground,” Miles said.

Governing Board President Bill Garrett said Zacovic’s experience and familiarity with community college finances is integral to successfully leading Cuyamaca.

“At a time when state funding is shrinking but student needs continue to expand, Mark Zacovic’s expertise in budgeting and operations are critical,” Garrett said. “He is also someone who values innovation – he is open to new ideas and solutions. In today’s fast-changing world, flexibility and a willingness to consider new approaches are key to good management.”

As Cuyamaca’s president, Zacovic expects to have a major role in fundraising and developing innovative partnerships within the community.

“In most of California’s community colleges, resource and economic development, and workforce training has taken on new meaning,” he said. “Over the next few years, Cuyamaca College’s position as a participant in these efforts will be paramount to growing community partnerships and providing local workforce stability.”

Early career aspirations

Zacovic, whose family moved to California in 1952 after the birth of his older brother, said his maternal and paternal grandparents emigrated from the Czech Republic to work the coal mines of southwestern Pennsylvania. He and his three siblings were the first in his family to go to college.

Born and raised in Whittier, Zacovic had aspired to become a second-grade teacher and went to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned his bachelor’s in sociology. While working toward his master’s in business administration at Whittier College, he was employed as a substitute teacher.

Zacovic began working with children at a summer camp while in college and that developed into a full-time job when he graduated from UCSB. From 1977 to 1985, he supervised operations at children’s camps – one a traditional summer camp at Huntington Lake, Calif. and the second a summer computer camp with six U.S. and international sites.

After he left the camp job when the owner decided to switch gears and become a software developer, Zacovic applied for a job listed in the classifieds for director of administrative services at Santa Barbara City College. He got the job and also taught part-time in business administration for five years beginning in 1985.

He then served as the vice president of business services at Lake Tahoe Community College. During this time, he earned his doctorate in educational leadership with an emphasis in higher education at the University of Nevada, Reno.

His next posts were as interim president of Santiago Canyon College, vice chancellor of business operations and fiscal services at Rancho Santiago Community College District, and superintendent/president at Mt. San Jacinto Community College District.

Before joining Victor Valley Community College in June 2010, Zacovic served as interim vice chancellor of administrative services at Contra Costa Community College District and as interim vice president of administrative services for the Pasadena Area Community College District.

“The insight and knowledge one gains from working as an interim is amazing,” he said. “The challenge is to be able to move into the organization quickly and determine within a few weeks where the organization needs the most help and then, as interim, define your role in helping the college solve some of its problems.”

Zacovic identified his top priorities as Cuyamaca’s CEO: bringing stability to the college’s leadership; supporting students and student programs, as well as faculty and staff, through difficult fiscal times; and helping develop a dynamic and realistic strategic plan to guide the college into the future.

Ever since his first visit to Cuyamaca as a member of the 2000 accreditation team, Zacovic said he has been enamored with the college.

“The warm and caring people who work here, the pride that they take in their work to make the college a special place, the beautiful setting, the rich curriculum are all particularly alluring for me,” said Zacovic who, along with his wife, Anne, is in the process of moving to the Singing Hills area of El Cajon .

Once an avid distance runner with five completed marathons under his belt, Zacovic these days prefers skiing and camping and generally enjoying the outdoors with his wife of 5 ½ years, who is the executive director of the Foundation at North Seattle Community College.

Asked about his biggest accomplishment as a community college administrator, Zacovic has an easy answer.

“Becoming the president of Cuyamaca College is a huge milestone for me and my career,” he said. “I can’t believe my good fortune to be a part of this college and to help champion the Cuyamaca Way.”

For more information about Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Free screenings at senior resource center to test arterial blood flow

2011-08-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Students from Grossmont College’s cardiovascular technology (CVT) program will provide free screenings for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Sharp Grossmont Hospital Senior Resource Center, Brier Patch campus, 9000 Wakarusa St., La Mesa.

The screenings will test the arterial blood flow to the legs and blood pressure at the ankles and arms. Symptoms of PAD can include aching, cramping or pain in your legs after walking or exercising. An appointment is required for the free screening. To register, call 1-800-827-4277, or visit www.sharp.com.

Grossmont College’s CVT program, founded in 1972, was the first to be accredited in the nation and is currently the only CVT program in California to offer all three cardiovascular technology tracks, including vascular, echocardiography and invasive cardiology. Grossmont’s CVT grads are currently working in more than 90 percent of the available cardiovascular-related jobs in San Diego.

Grossmont College students studying the story of Henrietta Lacks this fall

2011-08-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Grossmont College is involving students this fall in a campuswide learning experience called “A Multi-Disciplinary Celebration of ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” With the start of classes on Aug. 22, faculty members in departments ranging from history to nursing, science to English, and culinary arts to the dramatic arts, are participating in an interdisciplinary campus collaboration based on Rebecca Skloot's “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”

The bestselling book chronicles how the cells of Lacks, a poor, Southern, African-American woman who died of cancer in 1951, were used to grow human cells in the lab for the first time. The cells taken from Lacks were used without consent from her and her family, raising numerous ethical questions about medical research. Used in over 60,000 published studies, these cells have played a part in research on cancer, AIDS, and gene mapping, and led to many discoveries including the polio vaccine.

Today, as a lucrative industry has arisen around the culturing and sale of “HeLa” cells, the Lacks family still lives in poverty, still cannot afford adequate health care, and had only limited knowledge of “Hela” cells and their contributions to science and humanity, according to Tate Hurvitz, Grossmont College English professor overseeing the project.

Hurvitz said, “The book offers insight into questions of science, research ethics, social justice, race, class and gender in the 1950s and the present, and even the essence of human nature. In short, it is fertile ground for intellectual and cultural investigation across different areas of study, making our students’ educational experience more meaningful and engaging.”

Hurvitz said 17 different departments at Grossmont are planning a variety of classroom assignments this fall ranging from essays and films for English students to culinary students preparing a Southern-style Henrietta Lacks menu. A Theatre Arts Dept. class has scheduled a book reading, and the college’s Speech and Debate team will hold a student debate on ethical issues. Art students are creating original artwork and chemistry students are learning about HeLa cells. Also, a campuswide essay contest is underway. Assisting Hurvitz in the project are Sue Jensen and Joan Ahrens from the Grossmont College English Dept. Details about the collaboration appears on the Grossmont College website homepage, www.grossmont.edu.

College district selected for national diversity and internationalization project

2011-08-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is one of eight colleges and universities across the nation -- and the only community college district -- selected for an American Council on Education project to promote internationalization, diversity and multicultural education.

The three-year project, “At Home in the World: Educating for Global Connections and Local Commitments,” is funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. The eight campuses were selected from among 54 applicants to explore ways to better prepare students for the impacts of globalization and to improve cultural communication skills among students, faculty and staff.

“We are honored to have been chosen for this exciting opportunity to expand the cultural competency of our students in this age of globalization,” said Cindy L. Miles, district chancellor. “The At Home in the World project will be a wonderful opportunity to interact with similar campus programs across the country serving our increasingly multicultural and multinational communities.”

Leaders from the district’s two colleges, Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, will meet with ACE staff and representatives of the other institutions at an opening conference Aug. 29 and 30 in Washington, D.C., to share programs and best practices. Regular consultations with ACE experts will follow.

“Our district has a long history of respecting and honoring the diversity of our students and staff,” said Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board. “We’re looking forward to finding new ways to promote international and multicultural education.”

Patti McGill Peterson, presidential advisor for global initiatives at ACE, said competition for the project was intense, showing a desire among the applicants to address the relationship between internationalization and multicultural education.

"The interface between multicultural and international efforts on campus is a critical place to engage students, who will face an increasingly diverse and global workplace over the course of their careers," Peterson said. "We anticipate great strides from this learning community."

The other institutions chosen for the project are Washington State University; University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; North Carolina State University; Mercy College in New York; Bennett College for Women in North Carolina;

Arcadia University in Pennsylvania; and Alliant International University in San Diego.

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District educates and trains nearly 30,000 students a year at its two colleges, Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego. The colleges serve a diverse community of students, primarily from East San Diego County and San Diego, as well as around the state, the nation, and more than 50 countries around the world. For more information about the colleges and the district, go to www.gcccd.edu.

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy.

Happy Trails! A message from Chancellor Cindy L. Miles

2011-08-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Colleagues:

It’s hard to believe that we’re already starting another academic year! I hope you had some time to relax this summer and see some new places, whether you took a “staycation” in beautiful San Diego County or got a chance to travel someplace new or special to you.

I love to hike, and I took a trip to Northern California in July to explore the incredible Sierras. As I was enjoying the breathtaking scenery, it occurred to me that there are many similarities between a successful hiking trip and a successful community college district.

Be prepared. Any experienced hiker knows that you can avoid much pain and discomfort by planning ahead – wearing good hiking shoes, putting on plenty of sunscreen, packing for weather changes, and bringing along lots of water.

Good preparation is also vital for a college district, and our Governing Board and budget teams have ensured that we are ready no matter how rocky the path ahead may be. Our 2011-12 budget reflects the worst case projected by the state finance department if the remaining $4 billion state budget deficit is not filled by December 15. For us, this would mean $6.3 million in cuts over last year -- on top of $15 million in cuts we’ve had in the past two years.

From the beginning of the process, we’ve taken a conservative approach to putting together our budget and assumed that the rosy predictions for state revenue wouldn’t come to pass. Our doubts have held true so far: California’s July revenues were $539 million below forecasts. We don’t want to get halfway up the hill to find we’re running short of water, so we’ve already factored midyear cuts into our budget.

Sadly, our students will keep feeling the brunt of these budget shortages. They’re paying more for their courses ($36 per credit unit, up from $26) while finding it harder than ever to get the classes they need. We could only offer a bare-bones summer schedule, and we’re down 200 course sections over last fall, but our good planning allowed us to at least add a few last-minute classes with savings from last year.

Set your goals. When hiking in unfamiliar terrain, it’s easy to get lost unless you’re clear about where you want to go and what trails will get you there. A compass or a GPS can help you make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

For the college district, our strategic plans are our compass that guides us toward our goals. The remarkable achievements you all made last year in the face of great challenges are testimony to your commitment and focus. This year, we’ll finalize new Educational Master Plans for the district and each college that will provide the blueprint for our future. I encourage everyone to get involved.

Be flexible and adaptable. On the hiking trail, surprises appear no matter how well prepared we are. During my summer hike in the Sierras, I didn’t expect snow that would completely obliterate the trail and double the energy and time needed to reach my destination. Still, all that slipping and slogging brought with it a bonus of beauty and exhilaration.

No doubt, we’ll encounter plenty of unexpected ordeals and opportunities this year. My sense is that the only difference between the two is how we choose to react to what we encounter and how charitably we treat our fellow travelers.

Celebrate! I keep a photo of my hike handy so I can tap into the inspiration of the mountains when my energy wanes. We’ve got lots of exciting things going on to keep our spirits high, too. Convocations and professional development activities last week at both colleges were fabulous. The new Week of Welcome (WOW!) at Grossmont and Cuyamaca’s Welcome Back Involvement Fair are sure to get our students off to a good start. We’re launching a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council to help everyone feel welcomed and included on our campuses, and we are forming parallel DEI committees at each campus. [Tomorrow, we’ll have a major announcement about our selection for a national project to help us in this work. Stay tuned!] We have new ways to stay connected and get out the news with Facebook pages for the District, Grossmont College, and Cuyamaca College. We also have a district blog, and we’ll be unveiling our redesigned website very soon.

Above all, let’s celebrate the 24,902 students to whom we open our doors today! Sure, we’re distressed that we won’t be able to serve as many as we did last fall and that our wait lists still have 24,718 requests. But, our classes are 96% full, and the good work of our new automated waitlist registration system has moved over 7,500 students from waitlists into classes.

We’ll have some tough hills to climb this year, but we can also look forward to many rewards. I’m always rejuvenated by the mountain air and the satisfaction of huffing it up that last big rise to see the beauty that only the top of the mountain can offer.

Happy trails to you ALL, and best wishes for an enlivening fall term!

Cheers—

Cindy L. Miles, Ph.D.

Chancellor, Grossmont–Cuyamaca Community College District

Doubly happy, however, is the man to whom lofty mountain tops are within reach.
-- John Muir

Grossmont OPT instructor named Teacher of the Year

2011-08-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Bob Captain

For the second time, an insurance instructor at Grossmont College’s Office Professional Training (OPT) program has been selected as Teacher of the Year by an insurance industry trade group.

Bob Captain, an instructor at the El Cajon community college, was honored by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. The trade group supports a classroom-to-career educational program called InVEST (Insurance Vocational Education Student Training), that also provides scholarships to Grossmont OPT students. Captain also was selected for the award in 2001.

In 1990, Captain and other insurance professionals approached Grossmont College about adding an insurance component to the OPT program, which began in 1985. Captain worked with faculty members to design an insurance curriculum, which was added to OPT in 1991.

Since 1992, Captain has been teaching insurance classes at Grossmont. He also continues to serve as a liaison between the insurance industry and the college, developing job leads, cultivating internship contacts and recruiting mentors for students. He also hosts guest speakers from a variety of insurance occupations and promotes Grossmont’s OPT program among colleagues in the insurance industry.

Grossmont’s OPT program has 2,180 graduates since its founding. The program consists of a 20-week semester with about 600 hours of classroom work, the equivalent of what many Grossmont College students achieve in two or three semesters. In addition to acquiring professional skills, the OPT program helps its graduates obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient.

Captain also works as a client executive with the Barney & Barney LLC, one of the nation’s largest privately held risk management and insurance brokerage firms. With offices in San Diego, Orange County and the Bay Area, Barney & Barney offers a full range of services and coverages for both businesses and individuals, including products in commercial property and casualty insurance, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, executive personal lines and surety for the past 100 years. The firm also offers value-added services in alternative risk financing business continuity and loss control.