Governing Board Meeting Highlights
At the September 8, meeting, the Governing Board:
- Approved the 2009-2010 Adoption Budget, following a public hearing that drew no public comment.
- Accepted the Grossmont College Accreditation Follow-up Report to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Governing Board President Bill Garrett acknowledged the work done on the accreditation reports.
- Authorized the appointment of Preston Resenbeck to serve as Student Trustee to the Prop. R Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. Preston is also serving as 2009-2010 ASGC Vice President.
- Heard Trustee Rick Alexander say that during a recent trip to Sacramento he was told that federal back-fill funds for community colleges are likely to amount to about $33 million instead of the $130 million previously expected.
- Heard GC Student Trustee Christopher Enders say that students have been greatly affected by the state budget crisis.
- Heard Chancellor Miles thank all GCCCD employees for herculean efforts under difficult circumstances due to state budget cuts. She also mentioned recent TV coverage on local NBC and CW affiliate stations, as well as recent GC achievements relating to nursing accreditation, Biotech Boot Camp and the Grossmont Griffins football team’s victory in the season opener, 47-13 over San Diego Mesa College.
Other Governing Board highlights will appear in the Courier which is distributed electronically from the District Office. Hard copies are available in the Mail Room.
Fall 2009 Enrollment
Below are enrollment comparisons as of September 3, 2009 for Fall 2009 as compared to Fall 2008:
| Fall 2009 | Fall 2008 | Count Variance | %Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 20,450 | 18,273 | +2,177 | +11.9% |
| Units | 180,681.5 | 163,402.0 | +17,279.5 | +10.6% |
Nursing Accreditation
The California Department of Consumer Affairs’ Board of Registered Nursing has accredited the Grossmont College nursing program for another eight years, which is the maximum number of years possible. The BRN regulates the practice of registered nursing and certified advance practice nurses in order to protect the public. The Board exists to protect the health and safety of consumers and promote quality registered nursing care in California. The approval of Grossmont’s program ensures our program’s compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. The BRN accreditation follows the recent accreditation received from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The NLNAC accreditation signifies that our associate degree nursing program adheres to the highest national standards of quality in nursing education. The next NLNAC evaluation is scheduled for Fall 2013.
TOPBiotech Boot Camp
This past summer, Grossmont College participated in the Life Sciences Summer Institute Boot Camp. The eight-week program consisted of a one-week, 40-hour intensive Biotech Boot Camp at Grossmont, followed by seven weeks of internships at world-renowned scientific research institutes, including Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Salk Institute for Biological Studies and The Scripps Research Institute. Funding for this program came from the Southern California Biotechnology Center, San Diego Workforce Partnership, Grossmont College Foundation, ASGC and the Grossmont College Biology Dept. Students were from several local high schools, including Valhalla, El Capitan, Mount Miguel, Grossmont, West Hills and Patrick Henry.
TOPGC Selected For Military Friendly Schools
Grossmont College has been selected as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine. Criteria for selection as a Military Friendly School involves an ongoing effort to recruit and retain students with military experience, including having qualified personnel available on campus to accommodate military veterans interested in higher education. Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools. The common bond is their shared priority of assisting veterans with their educational goals and recruiting students with military experience. The national list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools which are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students. Grossmont’s selection as a Military Friendly School comes at a time when financial aid for tuition, textbooks and housing is available through the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. According to the Student Veteran Organization of Grossmont College (www.svogrossmont.org), more than 600 military veterans are currently attending Grossmont in Fall 2009 with the support of their veterans benefits, an increase from about 470 veterans who were enrolled in the Spring 2009 semester.
TOPFall Scholarship Awards Breakfast
The annual Fall Scholarship Awards Breakfast was held on Saturday, Sept. 12 in the Student Center. The program began at 10 a.m. presented by the Grossmont College Foundation and Grossmont College Scholarship Department. These scholarships are c ompetitive and based on a selection process established by the Grossmont College Scholarship Advisory Committee and any additional criteria established by the sponsor. In all, 48 students were awarded scholarships that exceeded $32,000. For the first time, 13 recipients will be Osher scholars, with each one receiving $1,000.
TOPConstitution Week
We will celebrate Constitution Week at Grossmont from Sept. 14 to 17. A number of activities are planned, including a visit from the Sons of the American Revolution in period costume presenting the colors of our flag, ASGC giving away to students copies of pocket Constitutions, signs posted around campus listing questions about our Constitution and “Jeopardy” answers to questions, and a “Constitution Wall” where students can use their freedom of speech to write and post notes about what the Constitution means to them. A better understanding of this great document can insure the longevity of the world’s oldest working constitution.
For more information go to http://www.grossmont.edu.
TOPCulinary Arts Dinners
Our Culinary Arts Dept. will host every Thursday, from Sept. 24 to Nov. 19. a five-course dinner that will be prepared by students who are enrolled in Grossmont’s Quantity Foods Class. The dinners, which start at 5:30 p.m., will be held at the college’s Culinary Arts dining area. Cost is $15 per person. The dinners will feature soup, salad, entree, dessert and coffee service. Vegetarian dinners are available with 48-hour advance notice. Space is limited and some dates may already be fully booked. Reservations can be made by phoning Michele Martens in the CTE office at (619) 644-7550 or 644-7549, or by e-mail at michele.martens@gcccd.edu.
TOPAdditional Upcoming Events
- The GC Career Center will present “Where Do I Go From Here,” a career transition management workshop, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. In addition, the Career Center will present an adult reentry workshop on “Weathering the Economic and Financial Storm” from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, and 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15. For more information and to RSVP, call 644-7614.
- Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, 2009 is this year’s Banned Books Week. The annual national celebration of the freedom to read was launched in 1982 in response to challenges over certain books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Joe Medina, English Instructor, will host a discussion of noted authors whose genius has enriched our literary lives starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1 in Griffin Gate. The public is invited to attend.
- Rae Armantrout, a professor of writing in the literature department at UCSD, will speak at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 in Griffin Gate. She is the author of ten books of poetry, including “Next Life” (2007) and “Up to Speed” (2003), both of which was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best poetry books for that year. The public is invited to attend this lecture. This is sponsored by Grossmont College’s Creative Writing Program.
- This year’s 31st annual Career Week will be held Oct 19 to 22. Scheduled activities for Career Week will include workshops on interview techniques, resume writing and career information.
Fall Sports Report
- The Grossmont Griffins football team opened the 2009 season on Saturday evening with a game against San Diego Mesa. The game was played at Cathedral Catholic High School in Del Mar due to field readiness issues at Mesa College. An intra-squad scrimmage was held last Friday, Aug. 28.
- Women’s Volleyball opened up the fall sports season for the Griffins with a victory over Los Angeles City College last Friday, Aug. 28, in Los Angeles.
- Other fall sports will kick-off their seasons over the next two weeks. Fall sports programs include Men’s Water Polo, Women’s Water Polo, Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Soccer and Women’s Cross Country.
Dr. Sunita V. Cooke