COMMENTS FROM JOE D. MAY

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1 TO: FROM: DCCCD BOARD MEMBERS JOE D. MAY DATE: MAY 22, 2015 RE: WEEKEND MEMO #56 COMMENTS FROM JOE D. MAY Good afternoon! The past five days have been filled with trips to Austin, important partnerships, and student success. Exciting times! We ll catch up next week on all of that news. This weekend, we honor those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice serving their country and their communities those in all branches of military service as well as first responders, police, and fire personnel. Please remember them and their families as we celebrate this Memorial Day weekend. Joe May (Note: For the best viewing experience, please use the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, or Apple Safari.) North Lake College Our Students and Our Employees On April 21, North Lake College held its Chalk It Up! event on the lakeside patio sidewalks, with more than 40 students, faculty, and staff participating. WEOTA (We Expose Ourselves To Art) Art Club, Student Life Office, News-Register staff, and the Marketing and Public Information Department helped plan and facilitate the event. Awards for first place, second place, and honorable mention were presented in individual and group categories. Our Community North Lake College held its annual Regional Science Olympiad on March 21. After having to reschedule because of inclement weather on March 7, volunteers pulled together and made it a successful and meaningful event. There were 20 teams that participated, with approximately 250 student volunteers and 38 faculty and staff volunteers. The coordinator of the Olympiad is Patricia Thompson, chemistry instructor at North Lake College.

2 Our Employees On April 11, the annual Coppell Community Gala hosted by the Coppell Chamber of Commerce took place at the Courtyard and TownPlace Suites Dallas DFW Airport North/Grapevine. The theme of this year s event was I Love New York. Christa Slejko, president; Mary Ciminelli, vice president of student services and enrollment management; Eddie Tealer, vice president of business services; Arthur James, executive dean of north and south campuses; and Lynda Edwards, dean of student support services, represented North Lake College at the Gala. On April 22-24, the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) held its 8th Annual Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium (a joint symposium of the OLC and MERLOT) at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. The conference explored how emerging and innovative uses of technology are changing and improving online teaching and learning. North Lake College instructors, Ulanda Forbess and Sherry Boyd, gave a presentation entitled Burn the Box: Emerging Technologies That Educate, Engage, and Empower Effective Teaching and Learning Pedagogy. Cedar Valley College Our Graduation On May 14, more than 330 students received degrees and certificates at Cedar Valley College s 37th Annual Commencement Ceremony held at the Inspiring Body of Christ Church in Dallas. With more than 580 students graduating, the school s graduation rate exceeded 8.5 percent the highest in the District. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Elva Concha LeBlanc, president of the Northwest Campus of Tarrant County College; Trustee Wesley Jameson brought greetings from the DCCCD Board of Trustees. Other speakers included Dr. Tommy Thompson, president of the Cedar Valley College Faculty Association, and Oscar Hernandez, president of the school s award-winning Phi Theta Kappa chapter. The graduates were presented by Cedar Valley College s Anna Mays, executive vice president of academic affairs and student success, and Dr. Anthony Wade, executive director of human resources, while Dr. Jennifer Wimbish, president, presided over the ceremony and conferred the diplomas. The Cedar Valley College Chorus performed two musical numbers, Awaken the Music! and Closer to the Flame, which featured school Music Program Coordinator Roger Dismore on soprano saxophone. Our Community Involvement Cedar Valley College served as an organizing sponsor of the Leadership Southwest graduation ceremony, which was held May 20 at Trinity Church in Cedar Hill. Patricia Davis, executive dean of community and resource development at Cedar Valley College, played a lead role on the organizing committee; the college provided the event program and other support. Leadership Southwest is a cooperative effort sponsored by the Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Lancaster, and Oak Cliff chambers of commerce to develop tomorrow s leaders. Congratulations to the Cedar Valley College employees who graduated from this year s program: Dr. Ruben Johnson (executive dean of business and technology) and Krasi Kolarov (athletic director). Our Resource Development On May 15, Cedar Valley College President Dr. Jennifer Wimbish and Executive Dean of Community and Resource Development Patricia Davis, along with Best Southwest mayors and Economic Development Corporation Board members, participated in the Best Southwest and Ellis County Collaborative Regional Economic Development (RED) Strategy - Compression Planning Continuation of the RED Summit (from March 26). The session was held at Cedar Valley College; the topic of discussion was Considering Future Possibilities for Economic Development in Southwest Dallas and Ellis Counties. Also, on May 21, Davis and Dr. Anthony Wade, executive director of human resources at Cedar Valley College, along with Community, Resource, and Economic Development team members, C.A. Engleton, Toni Scott, Valerie Banks, and Phyllis Smith, participated in Texas Scholars - High School and Beyond. The event was held in the STEM Engagement Center at Elsie Robertson Middle School (Lancaster ISD). The presentation focused on education and career planning, encouraging 2

3 students to complete a course plan for high school that will challenge and prepare them for life afterwards. El Centro College The El Centro College Commencement was held May 17, in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Arena. The Commencement speaker was Piper Professor Troy Furlough and, also for the first time a graduate (Jose Carreon) spoke on behalf of the student body. Carreon graduated with an Associate in Science degree and is transferring to The University of Texas in the fall. This year, 585 students participated in commencement. Jerry Jones (music professor), Avis Hardaman (student singer), Sharon Seaton (organist), and Melissa Cruz (violinist) provided music for the ceremony. Trustee Diana Flores gave congratulatory remarks on behalf of the DCCCD Board of Trustees. On May 7, HUMA 2319/Hip Hop Studies hosted the first ever El Centro College Hip Hop Festival. More than 30 local hip hop artists participated in over 15 events that included panel discussions, open mics, breakdancing cypher and demo, 6 DJs on the turntables, art gallery exhibit, emcee performances, childrens workshops, critical thinking tables, film screenings, graffiti community mural creation, fashion show, and karaoke. The Festival was organized to promote community awareness, discuss the issues around hip hop, create mentorship opportunities with local artists, and provide a space for El Centro College students to explore the elements of hip hop. The students produced and organized the events in collaboration with the local hip hop community and El Centro College professors, Vanessa Taylor and Derrick Payne. The Festival was well attended as more than 500 students participated in the activities. David Goomas, El Centro College psychology faculty, was a presenter at this year s Southwestern Psychological Association Convention held in Wichita, KS. His topic was IT-assisted Equipment Safety Checks System Compliance Improvement at a Distribution Center. It is an Occupational Safety and Health Act regulatory requirement for workers operating motorized equipment to perform equipment checks prior to operating it to ensure the equipment is safe. The objective was to develop a framework for a computerized equipment safety checks system configured for 100 percent compliance. In the event the vehicle failed a safety check, the maintenance manager received an immediate alert. Not only did the intervention result in 100 percent compliance, but the drivers found the system easy to use and it ensured their equipment was safe to operate. The framework can be replicated in other industrial settings (e.g., manufacturing plants and open-pit mining) to improve equipment check compliance and safety (doi: /j.ssci ). The El Centro College Chess Club End-of-Semester Tournament was held on May 12 in the Student Center. The Tournament consisted of three randomly paired rounds and a championship round. The Chess Club is happy to announce this year s winners: Rufus Rodriguez - first place; Hoa Nguyen - second place; and Andres Rico - third place. Many thanks to the Office of Student Life, Marketing and Communications Office, and Facilities Services for their support. For more information on summer activities and ways to support the El Centro College Chess Club, contact Club sponsor, David Barrientos at dbarrientos@dcccd.edu or Dr. Dale Pearson at dpearson@dcccd.edu. Brookhaven College Student Success Brookhaven College celebrated Commencement on May 14 with a packed crowd at Alfred J. Loos Fieldhouse. Hundreds of family members and friends cheered the graduates as each crossed the stage to receive their degree or certificate. More than 900 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony this year. Jim Dudlo, Brookhaven College history professor, delivered the commencement address, remarking to the students that he hoped it was at least as memorable as some of his lessons, but that in the excitement of the day, they would not likely remember it. 3

4 Employee Success On May 11, the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted a Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) audit on the Police Communications Center at Brookhaven College. The audit focused on ensuring the Center s compliance with state and federal rules for record retention, quality, accuracy, and disposal as well as employee training on TCIC rules, and policy and procedure adherence. The audit took less than an hour and, aside from some clarifications and minor modifications, the Police Communications Center was found to be in complete compliance with all sections of the audit. The auditors even offered the Center kudos on how well it handles sensitive information. Community Outreach Sandy Wyche, Brookhaven College executive dean for business studies, attended a career fair at Bethune Elementary School in Dallas on May 1. During the day, he visited 10 classes and spoke to students about different careers to get them excited about possibilities for their futures. That evening, Wyche participated in the school s Spring Carnival to reach out to parents, siblings, and others community members. He manned a table at the event distributing information materials about Brookhaven College. An estimated 800 people attended the Carnival. Eastfield College Advance Student Success Congratulations to Eastfield College student, Shae Johnston, for winning the Erin Tierney Kramp Encouragement Endowed Scholarship. The Erin Tierney Kramp Program awards scholarships to students based upon their courage and perseverance in the face of adversity. Eligible applicants include high school seniors who will graduate in the spring and students currently attending a DCCCD college. Recipients of the Erin Tierney Kramp Encouragement Endowed Scholarship receive funds for tuition and books for up to six semesters. The Eastfield College Harvesters Baseball Team finished its regular season ranked fifth in the nation and advanced to the finals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III District C Tournament. The Harvesters defeated Brookhaven and Richland colleges in the Tournament, but lost to Tyler Junior College in the championship game. Eastfield College finished its season with a record. The Harvesters are coached by Michael Martin and Travis Graves. Foster Employee Success The Eastfield College Police Department held its annual Police Officer Appreciation Luncheon on May 14. The event was created more than three years ago to show appreciation to the men and women who strive to provide the best protection and community policing possible at Eastfield College. Jim Rodriguez of the Southeast Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce donated food for the Luncheon. The Police Department also presented three Impact awards to Eastfield College employees at the event. The awards went to Graphic Designer Liliana Rodriguez, Admissions Specialist Jocelyn Winters, and Academic Adviser Patrick Morgan. Meet Community Educational Needs On May 19-20, the Eastfield College Criminal Justice Programs partnered with the Midwest Counterdrug Training Center and the North Texas Crime Commission to host a two-day training session in Tactical Medicine for Patrol. The training consisted of emergency first aid for officers who are injured in the field. Topics covered included tactical medicine, controlling of bleeding, chest trauma, and evacuation of officers under fire. On the second day of training, field exercises were conducted dealing with officers injured in traffic stops and mass casualty evacuations. Twenty officers from nine agencies participated in the training. Richland College Sustainable Community Building On May 19-20, Richland College Continuing Education hosted two IRS 501(c)(3) + Form 990 workshops, sponsored by the Communities Foundation of Texas and The Dallas Foundation, designed for small to mid-size nonprofits and start-ups. IRS trainers covered an introduction to tax-exempt status, how to maintain the 501(c)(3) status, unrelated business income, 4

5 employment issues, Form 990 series, and required disclosures. Susan Staricka, senior attorney, charitable trusts, Office of Attorney General - State of Texas, and Diana Marquis, CFRE, president, Association of Fundraising Professionals - Dallas Chapter, were the keynote speakers. The workshops were attended by 91 representatives from 14 nonprofit groups from Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, including Dallas Police Youth Foundation, Richardson Adult Literacy Center, Goodwill Dallas, Restore Hope Today, Mary Crowley Cancer Research, and National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Student Success Richland College is offering free, two-week Basic Math Boot Camps from June through August to assist students in improving math placement results and placing in higher-level mathematics courses in the fall. Students successfully completing the two-and-a-half-hour-per-day courses during each two-week Boot Camp can earn the opportunity to retake the Texas Success Initiative assessment test for free, saving them time, money, and the potential need to repeat a developmental mathematics course. These Basic Math Boot Camps are funded by a grant from the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution Program of the U.S. Department of Education. Richland College Multimedia, and Interactive Simulation and Game Technology programs hosted Game Design Day on May 8. The event, free and open to the public, highlighted the opportunity to play the latest multiplayer game creations by Richland College game design students. Michael McCoy, Jr., Southern Methodist University game design faculty, lectured on Creating an Unreal 4 Boxworld Space, and Scott March, SpiderMonk Entertainment president and creative director, spoke on Mobile VR, The Business of Games and the Future. Event participants enjoyed demonstrations of Richland College s new industry-leading motion-capture lab. Student Multimedia and Game Design award winners were also announced. Student Success and Employee Success On May 9, Brandon Woods, Richland College student athlete, and Jon Havens, head basketball coach, participated in the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Men s Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game in Las Vegas, NV, pairing the NJCAA Division I All Stars against the NJCAA Division II and III All Stars. Woods, NJCAA Division III National Player of the Year, started in the Game and finished with four points in two-for-four shooting with eight assists. Havens, NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year, co-coached the Game in a close, last-minute loss to the NJCAA Division I All Stars. The Game was held in conjunction with the Nike Championship Basketball Clinic, with more than 3,000 coaches in attendance. Mountain View College Academic Success Mountain View College has been named one of the 2015 Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. This designation is an honor recognizing Mountain View College for its commitment to workplace diversity, equitable staffing practices, and supportive work environments. Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges is part of a collaborative initiative between NISOD and Diverse, which consists of a national study conducted by the Center for Higher Education Enterprise at The Ohio State University, under the leadership of Dr. Terrell Strayhorn. The national study employs a web-based survey approach to elicit information from NISOD member institutions. The 2015 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges are: Albany Technical College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Central Piedmont Community College, Genesee Community College, Illinois Central College, Kilgore College, Lorain County Community College, Luzerne County Community College, Mountain View College, New Mexico Junior College, Piedmont Technical College, Seward County Community College and Area Technical School, South Florida State College, Southwest Virginia Community College, Tallahassee Community College, and Zane State College. 5

6 Community Success Mountain View College announces the first inaugural Rod Wilson 24-Hour Ten Minute Play Festival to be held on May 30, at 7 p.m. in the college Performance Hall. The Play Festival is named in honor of the first director of the Mountain View College Theatre Department, Rod Wilson. Student actors, local directors, and playwrights will all work together for 24 hours, culminating an evening of 6 10-minute plays, followed by a short talk-back with casts, audience members, writers, and directors. Admission is free for an entire evening of fun! For more information, please call or amyjackson@dcccd.edu. LeCroy Center Congratulations are in order for several LeCroy Center employees who successfully completed the DCCCD Career Institutes and Basic Leadership programs for Janae Posley (administration), Jean Morris (Dallas Colleges Online), and Chris Scales (Human Resources) completed the Administrative Assistant Career Institute; Melissa Turner (Dallas Colleges Online) completed the Student Services/Enrollment Career Institute; and La Kendra Higgs (Dallas Colleges Online) completed the Basic Leadership Program. The graduation ceremony was held on May 20 at the Bill J. Priest Institute for Economic Development. The Ready2Go Steering Committee Retreat is scheduled for May 27 at the LeCroy Center; representatives from several DCCCD colleges will participate in the day-long program. The Ready2Go online associate s degree follows a fixed plan that simplifies the college process from admission to graduation. Students follow the program as a cohort; all student services are available online and over the telephone, with dedicated academic coaches. The Ready2Go online degree program was recently selected as the District 2015 Innovation of the Year. 6