INTERCOM. Virginia Community College System Chancellor DuBois Visits NOVA. October 8, Inside: Table of Contents

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1 INTERCOM October 8, 2010 Intercom Newsletter: Intercom is a publication of Marketing and Communications. It is produced electronically every Friday for the faculty and staff of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Submissions: Please submit your items via to Intercom@nvcc.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday prior to publication. Photos should be submitted as digital files and attachments should be in MS Word or MS Publisher format. All submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity. The articles and information in this publication are written and submitted by NOVA faculty and staff (contributors) and are published with the understanding that such information is correct and verified by the contributor prior to submission. Editor: Alison Nicole Nooks Phone: For Intercom Archives and Submission Guidelines: Posting Schedule: Intercom is posted on the Web by Friday afternoon each week unless there is a holiday. Inclement weather or technical emergencies may prevent Intercom from being posted on time. During the summer and inbetween semesters, Intercom is published every other Friday. Submit your news today! Virginia Community College System Chancellor DuBois Visits NOVA Chancellor Glenn DuBois speaking at NOVA. Photo by Kevin Mattingly Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Chancellor Glenn DuBois came to NOVA s Annandale Campus on September 17 for a town hall meeting about the reengineering taskforce that has been charged to rethink the way VCCS colleges operate. During the town hall meeting, DuBois encouraged all faculty and staff to contribute their perspectives, ideas and experiences toward the initiative. The reengineering taskforce comes after experiencing unprecedented enrollment growth and requests for services, but at the same time state support is declining at equally unprecedented rates. For this reason, DuBois has asked the reengineering taskforce to examine and rethink every aspect of the VCCS organization and operations, in order to give colleges the resources and opportunities needed to serve students in a continued tradition of excellence and innovation. The taskforce is chaired by President Robert G. Templin, Jr. and cochaired by New River Community College President Jack Lewis. The work Continued on page 2 Inside: Page 2: Pages 2-9: Table of Contents NOVA Sightings Pages : Pages 14 15: Up & Coming Hot Topics

2 Table of Contents Pages 1 2 Virginia Community College System Chancellor DuBois Visits NOVA Page Entertainment Books Page 3 20 th Anniversary Oral History of NOVA Now Available Online Page 4 Annandale Library Highlights Achieving the Dream Pages 5 6 NOVA Day at the Manassas Campus Page 7 Welcome Week at Loudoun Campus Page 8 UMES Alumni at NOVA Participate in College Week Page 9 Videos on Demand: Estep and Williams Page 10 Upcoming Faculty Focus Workshops Preventing and Responding to Disruptive Students Page 11 Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Sponsors Inaugural RUN for NOVA: 5K Family Fun Run/Walk Learn About Teaching Online Princess Ka iulani Hula Festival to Come to NOVA Page 12 Call for Proposals for the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Pages Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Set Page 14 Must Know Safety One Liners Open Enrollment for Long-term Disability and Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) Page 15 Five Reasons to Attend the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Chancellor s Commonwealth Professorship and Chancellor s Faculty Fellowship Virginia Community College System Chancellor DuBois Visits NOVA Continued from page 1 of the taskforce should be completed in time to report to the State Board at its Annual Meeting in November NOVA TV has made Chancellor DuBois visit available on Video on Demand. Simply sign into Blackboard, scroll down to Video On- Demand Faculty, click on Faculty and Staff Video, and click on Chancellor DuBois Town Hall. To learn more about the taskforce, please visit the reengineering Web site at Entertainment Books The 2011 Entertainment coupon books have arrived! They make a unique holiday gift. The Entertainment books are $35 and available in NW room 817. The NVCC Educational Foundation receives $5.00 from each book sold. The books contain over 500 discounts for dining, vacation packages, music, theaters and even online shopping. You may pay by cash, credit card (VISA or MC only) or check. For more information, please contact Michelle Beaini at or mbeaini@nvcc.edu. They can be used immediately, so do not delay buy yours today! 2

3 20 th Anniversary Oral History of NOVA Now Available Online The five co-editors got together during College Convocation on August 19 to reminisce and mark the digital uploading. Left to right, in both 1987 and 2010, are: Beverly Blois (LO), Charlie Errico (WO), Libby Clark-Lewis (formerly AL, now Howard University), Ray Bailey (MA) and Patrick Reed (formerly AN, now LO). In 1985, as part of the 20 th anniversary of NOVA, an oral history of the College was compiled by five NOVA history professors. Four are still at the College and the fifth, Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, now teaches at Howard University. The 25-year-old volume was recently digitized and placed on NOVA s Web site for easy access. You can find it at novahistory pdf. Former governors of Virginia, faculty and students from the College s early years and current and past presidents of NOVA were among those interviewed. Photo by Caralou Marquet (1987) 3

4 Annandale Library Highlights Achieving the Dream The current Annandale Library lobby display on the third floor of the Godwin Building (CG) highlights the many ways that the Annandale Learning Resource Services (LRS) unit supports student success and promotes the College s Achieving the Dream (ATD) initiative. The ATD program has been a vital part of NOVA s strategic vision for several years now. Designed to help community colleges increase the success of their students by identifying and closing achievement gaps, evidence of ATD s impact at NOVA may be found across all of the campuses. At the Annandale Campus, as well as at NOVA s other locations throughout the region, librarians engage in collegial partnerships with faculty in all disciplines, often designing coursespecific research instruction. These targeted research sessions compliment faculty teaching and can assist in assessing learning outcomes. Librarians are also embedded in the Blackboard portion of many courses, making themselves directly available to students for online assistance on papers and projects. Seeking input from and collaborating with faculty to build collections that meet program needs is yet another way that the library provides behind-the-scenes support for the ATD initiative. The display goes on to detail the various ways that LRS Academic Support Centers nurture students who need study skills development, subjectbased tutoring, testing services and group work experiences. The Writing Center, Math Center, Tutoring Center, ESL (English as a Second Language)/Language Center and Testing Center all provide vital assistance to students who need some extra time and personalized attention to reach their academic goals. In addition, Rebecca Cox s important book, The College Fear Factor: How Students and Professors Misunderstand One Another, is spotlighted. This fascinating work is being used as a basis of discussion at several ATD Forums being held on the Annandale Campus. Please stop by and check out the lobby display, and make time to visit the Library and the Academic Support Centers on the third and fourth floors of the CG Building on the Annandale Campus. The Library has what you need to succeed! 4

5 NOVA Day at the Manassas Campus On September 15, students, faculty and staff at the Manassas Campus celebrated NOVA Day. The day was filled with activities, including a cook-out, club recruitment fair, live entertainment and Dunk a Dean, to support the American Diabetes Association. The Manassas Campus will also participate in the STEP OUT Walk for Diabetes on October 16. Proceeds from the dunk tank will support the Manassas Campus team. Pictured right: Dean of Students Mark Kidd in the dunk tank to support the American Diabetes Association. Photo by Marge Shaffer Continued on page 6 5

6 NOVA Day at the Manassas Campus Continued from page 5 Pictured right: The Ewabo Band performs at NOVA Day at the Mary Louise Jackson Amphitheater. Photo by Marge Shaffer Pictured right: Students learning about all of the opportunities at the Manassas Campus at the Club Recruitment Fair. Photo by Marge Shaffer 6

7 Over 400 students, staff, faculty and administrators participated in the Welcome Week at the Loudoun Campus September 13 to 17. The week included a game show, NOVA Day, ice cream social, comedy show, movie night showing of Iron Man 2 and concluded with a voter registration drive. NOVA Day, the highlight of the week, began at 12:00 p.m. on September 14. The event included a barbeque, a live band titled The Billies, carnival games, laser tag, caricature artist, shaved ice and ice cream stand and a Meet the Clubs recruitment fair. Some of the clubs represented were Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Muslim Student Association, the Honors Club, the Vet Tech Club and Student Ambassadors. Welcome Week at Loudoun Campus Professor Stacy Rice, Student Ambassador Khalida Rafiqi, Provost Julie Leidig, Professor Diane Mucci and students. Student Ambassadors Evelyn Agyeiwaa and Lovisa Lloyd, Student Activities Coordinator Tiffney Laing and Student Ambassadors Aliza Khan and Joshua Anton. 7

8 UMES Alumni at NOVA Participate in College Week Left to right: Disability Services Counselor and Assistant Professor Stefan Charles- Pierre (class of 1998), Judicial Affairs Officer and Veteran s Advisor Raymond Jones (class of 1996), Director of Disabilities Services J Naudia Hunter-Phillips (class of 2001 and 2004), Coordinator of Transfer Resource Center Kimberly U. Wright (class of 1994), Instructor and Disabilities Counselor Vicky White (class of 2004) and Adjunct Professor Elden Hawkes, Biology, (class of 2000 and 2005), not pictured. As the Annandale Campus gears up for its annual College Transfer Fair on October 13, Coordinator of the Transfer Resource Center Kimberly U. Wright and one of the event organizers gathered with other alumni from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to promote College Week. College Week, held on September 27 to 30, is an annual event created by Wright. The week is geared toward encouraging community college students to persist and continue beyond NOVA to obtain their baccalaureate degree. The UMES alumni highlighted their alma mater with pride as they visited freshman student development courses and spoke with students about their experiences and their pathways to college. 8

9 Videos on Demand: Estep and Williams Mike Estep recently spoke at the Ernst Center Forum on the Annandale Campus for a Science Seminar hosted by Reva Savkar. NOVA TV has posted this on Videos on Demand at click Science Seminars and Dr. Mike Estep. To see Constitution Day speaker Judge Frank J. Williams, and Terry Alford s introduction of him, go to and click Lyceum Forum, and click Judge Williams- Lincoln Scholar. Intercom Reminders Faculty and staff contributors and readers: Deadline: Submissions must be received (via e- mail) by 5:00 p.m. on Fridays to be considered for the following week s edition. Submission Guidelines: Submissions should be ed to intercom@nvcc.edu. Unformatted text should be sent in an MSWord document or may be put into the body of the . All photos should be attached as jpeg, bmp, tif or eps files; photo captions and credit should also be included with your text. For complete guidelines, please go online to Please make sure to also submit captions (including names and titles) for staff and faculty seen in any photographs. Also remember that all news submissions should highlight NOVA faculty and/or staff. 9

10 UP&COMING Upcoming Faculty Focus Workshops Emergency Management Update by Lieutenant Cheryl Creed and Director Will Flagler on October 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the CE Seminar Rooms C & D, Annandale Campus Free and Easy to Use Tech (MERLOT and MERLOT Elixr) by Laura Franklin on October 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Annandale Campus Meet NOOKstudy by Michelle Rundblade and Jack Smith, Barnes & Noble College Bookstores on October 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in CG 202 on the Annandale Campus Helping Our Students Get Financial Aid by Joan Zanders on October 25 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Provost Conference Room on the Medical Education Campus Meet NOOKstudy by Michelle Rundblade and Jack Smith, Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, on November 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in CG 202, Provost Conference Room on the Manassas Campus How to Speak So Students Listen; Listen So Students Speak by Nan Peck on November 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in CG 202 on the Annandale Campus Conflict Management Skills, How Do You Fight? by Nan Peck on November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in CG 202 on the Annandale Campus Film Discussion: Are you Vulnerable to Sexual Harassment? Come and view David Mamet s American play Oleanna, by Nan Peck on December 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Brault large board room on the Annandale Campus To register, please go to A minimum of five people must be registered for a Faculty Focus Workshop to proceed. If you do register and the workshop is cancelled, we will send you a notice. Registration is not required. For more information about Faculty Focus Workshops, contact Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at CETL@nvcc.edu or call Peck at Preventing and Responding to Disruptive Students W. Scott Lewis, J.D., a partner with the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management, will lead a workshop, Preventing and Responding to Disruptive Students, October 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and again from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., in the Ernst Center Forum at the Annandale Campus. Lewis brings over 15 years of unique experience, serving simultaneously as a student affairs administrator, faculty administrator, crisis/behavioral team chair, faculty member and consultant in higher education at both public and private institutions. He is nationally recognized for his work on behavioral intervention for students in crisis and distress, classroom and office management, and dealing with disruptive students. He has been interviewed by NPR and NBC and featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Newsweek, USA Today, and Today s Campus, as well as other publications and sources. Over the last 10 years, there has been an increase in the number and severity of behavioral incidents in the classrooms and on campuses. More and more, it is incumbent upon instructors to intervene in the classroom to address behaviors that can interfere with teaching and learning. Using a combination of lecture and case studies taken from actual incidents, this workshop will provide instructors with tools to appropriately address these behaviors. Participants will be provided with skills to prevent disruptive behaviors, to react to them and tips on how to enhance their own campus procedures to address abhorrent behaviors. Participants will: Gain a perspective on trends in behaviors on higher education campuses Gain a perspective on the realities of campus responses to incidents of classroom disruption Be able to utilize pedagogical methods and teaching strategies to reduce the probability of disruptive behaviors Be able to develop and/or utilize individualized syllabus statements for class management Be able to appropriately respond to disruptive behaviors in and out of the classroom Be able to assist their home campuses in developing classroom management policy To register for the workshop, please visit the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Web site at: 10

11 UP&COMING Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Sponsors Inaugural RUN for NOVA: 5K Family Fun Run/Walk The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation (NVCCEF) will sponsor the inaugural RUN for NOVA: 5K Race and 1 mile Family Fun Run/Walk on October 17 at 8:00 a.m. at the Annandale Campus. NVCCEF is looking for NOVA faculty, staff and student runners and volunteers, as well as members of the community, to participate in the race. It promises to be a fun event for all ages. Prizes and refreshments will be provided. Proceeds go to support scholarships for deserving NOVA students. The official RUN for NOVA registration form can be found in the attachment section of this edition. Individuals wishing to participate in the 5K Race or Family Fun Run/Walk should complete and return the registration form along with their registration fee to the NVCCEF office. The address and instructions are on the registration form. For individuals interested in volunteering to assist with the race, please call Learn About Teaching Online Want to experience online learning from your students perspective? Register now for the next section of EDU 285: Teaching Online. EDU 285 is an eight-week, three-credit, online course for NOVA faculty who want to learn about teaching online. This professional development experience can benefit both new and experienced faculty. Past participants describe the course as eye-opening, and often report improvements in their online, hybrid and classroom teaching. Here are a few fast facts about EDU 285 (formerly EDU 295): You will learn how to promote active and constructive learning, build community, facilitate discussion, use technology appropriately, assess online learning, manage difficult students and manage your time. You can earn graduate credit for the course through a Virginia Community College System arrangement with Old Dominion University (ODU). Full-time NOVA faculty can receive tuition assistance for both the NOVA course and the ODU graduate credits. Adjunct NOVA faculty who meet eligibility requirements can receive tuition assistance for the NOVA course. The next section begins October 20. For course information and registration procedures, see the course description at Contact the instructor Bob Loser at rloser@nvcc.edu if you have additional questions. Princess Ka iulani Hula Festival to Come to NOVA Kea Foundation, Inc. and Kumu Hula Paul K. Neves proudly present the Princess Ka iulani Hula Festival October 21 to 23. This three-day festival includes The Shattered Vase - A dramatic production of the life of the Princess in chant, music and hula, a presentation by Hālau Ha a Kea o Mokihana of Fairfax, Virginia, artisan workshops and a lu au. Alexis Martin, daughter of Rhonda Martin (LO) of Facilities, dances hula for Halau Ha a Kea o Mokihana and will perform in the festival as well. All events are at NOVA s Annandale Campus and George Mason University. To learn more, go online to or call for more information and to purchase tickets (also see the flyer in the attachment section). Student discounts are also available. 11

12 UP&COMING Call for Proposals for the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Please submit your online proposal to deliver a presentation at the Power Up Your Pedagogy (PUP) Conference to We are soliciting presentation proposals for January 5, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and for January 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Please specify whether you prefer to offer a speed-visiting (15-minute) educational technology offering or a two-hour workshop on January 5, or a 45-minute session on January 6. Proposals for the PUP Conference will be accepted through October 15. The NOVA Professional Development Faculty Subcommittee will select the presentations and notify presenters by October Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Set We are looking forward to our fifth annual Power Up Your Pedagogy (PUP) Conference, Fostering Student Success, to be held January 5 and 6, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Annandale Campus. The PUP Conference is by and for NOVA faculty, and all faculty (young, old, emeriti, part-time, fulltime, teaching, professional and administrative) are welcome to attend. NOVA staff are also welcome. There is no cost to NOVA employees. The PUP conference, formerly known as Cross Campus Days, is co-sponsored by Academic Services, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Extended Learning Institute (ELI), Human Resources (HR), Technology Applications (TAC) and Web Services and Digital Media (WSDM). Registration: Early-bird registration for the PUP Conference is strongly recommended. As an incentive and thank you, those who have registered online before January 3 will receive a PUP Conference promotional item. To register, go to Check-in and On-site Registration: Please help us with ordering food and arranging for special needs by registering online and ahead of time. If you have registered prior to the conference, be sure to check in at the CE Atrium tables for your gift. If you have not registered, you may do so on-site. Only those who have pre-registered will receive a PUP Conference promotional item. Food: Continental breakfast and lunch will be available both days of the PUP Conference. You must check in to receive breakfast. Lunch tickets will be distributed during the 11:00 a.m. morning sessions. Volunteering: If you have volunteered to work at the PUP conference in the past, you have priority registration for volunteering. Volunteers who work at least two hours, will receive a CETL vest. If you already have a vest, an alternative thank you gift will be available. To volunteer, go to Continued on page 13 12

13 UP&COMING 2011 Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Set Continued from page 12 Conference Agenda: Wednesday, January 5 9:00 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast - CE Atrium 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Plenary presentation by Executive Vice President John Dever - CE Theatre 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Educational technology speed visits and concurrent sessions 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch - CF Cafeteria 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Afternoon workshops (two hours each) Thursday, January 6 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Registration and continental breakfast - CE Atrium 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Concurrent presentations 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch - CE Cafeteria 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Concurrent discipline cluster meetings Photo by Mark Bennington 13

14 HOTTOPICS Must Know Safety One Liners 1. Please remember to contact Human Resources if you have a work-related accident. Within 10 calendar days of an accident, please submit the Employers Accident Report, VWC Form No. 3, through your supervisor. A copy of this form is available in the attachment section. 2. If there is a non-work-related accident, while at the College, please submit the Accidental Injury Report Form, NOVA (see form in the attachment section), through the Business Office, to College Risk Management/ Budget Office. This form is also used for students, visitors and vendors if there is an accident or incident. 3. Please do not prop open fire doors. A recent Fire Marshall inspection identified several doors that should have been closed; this is for our safety. 4. Drive defensively; share the road. 5. Be extra cautious on Interstate 495 during the long-term bridge construction in Maryland and Virginia. 6. Please remember that it is against the law in many states to text while driving. Put your cell phone away when driving. When necessary, pull off to the side of the road safely to make that emergency phone call. 7. All concerned should actively participate in their units Personal Protective Equipment Program (PPE). 8. As appropriate, wear safety glasses, hard hat, steel toed shoes, respirator, etc. 9. For those campus labs or campus facilities maintenance needing to program a hazardous waste pick up, please do so before it becomes a storage challenge. NOVA is a small quantity generator and does not have authorized storage capabilities. 10. Please ensure that campus fume hoods are tested at least annually. Please maintain a good operational status; keep the hoods clear of debris, dirt and dust. 11. Contact your campus emergency preparedness official if you have a specific emergency preparedness concern. Open Enrollment for Long-term Disability and Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) October is open enrollment month for NOVA s long-term disability program and faculty who are in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). The College s long-term disability program plan provides long-term disability income for salaried faculty who are unable to work for a defined period of time. When one enrolls during the open enrollment time period, it permits coverage without medical underwriting and becomes effective January 1, The plan only covers the faculty member. Premiums are age-based and they are paid by the employee. UNUM is the vendor for this plan. For those faculty members who are already enrolled, this open period is the time during which they may increase or decrease current income-replacement levels. Faculty who are covered under the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program are not eligible for this benefit. During October, ORP members may choose to redirect contributions. Those who chose ORP for pension coverage selected either Fidelity or TIAA-CREFF at the time of their election. Plan participants can change vendors during open enrollment, and payroll contributions for the new vendor will begin as of January 1, Occasionally, faculty members ask if they can change their pension selection from VRS to the ORP or vice versa. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth of Virginia does not permit that kind of pension plan change. For questions about the long-term disability program or the ORP, please contact the Human Resources Benefits Department during the open enrollment period. 14

15 HOTTOPICS Five Reasons to Attend the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference The Power Up Your Pedagogy (PUP) Conference is fast approaching, and it is time to register. Here are the five top reasons why you should join us: 1. Your teaching will be invigorated and your best instructional practices will be reinforced. 2. You will discover some new pedagogical practices for which others are having great success. 3. You will see demonstrations of educational technologies and their practical applications. 4. You will have a chance to build collegiality beyond your discipline and division. 5. If you are an administrator, it is a great way to demonstrate your support of excellence in teaching and learning. The PUP conference is by and for NOVA faculty. All NOVA faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Registration is available at The Teaching Professor Conference Cost: $559 The Lilly Conference on College & University Teaching Cost: $445 Ken Bain s Best Teachers Institute Cost: $750 NOVA Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference Cost: Free to you The PUP Conference is sponsored by Academic Services, Extended Learning Institute (ELI), Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Human Resources (HR), Technology Applications Center (TAC) and Web Services and Digital Media (WSDM). For more information, go to or CETL@nvcc.edu. Chancellor s Commonwealth Professorship and Chancellor s Faculty Fellowship Opportunities are available for NOVA full-time faculty to apply for two major programs sponsored by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS): the Chancellor s Commonwealth Professorship and the Chancellor s Faculty Fellowship. The Chancellor s Commonwealth Professorship provides reassigned time, summer stipends, and funding for reimbursable expenses over two years for faculty to pursue self-directed projects. Up to three individuals may be designated Chancellor's Commonwealth Professors each year. The Chancellor s Faculty Fellowship provides support to faculty pursuing doctoral degrees. The Chancellor's Faculty Fellowship is awarded annually to up to three professional educators in the VCCS. Detailed information is available at You can simply click the links provided to learn more. Applications for NOVA faculty are processed through the Awards Committee. More details will follow regarding submission deadlines and point of contact. Please note that the attachment section of the Intercom can be accessed online at: 15