Spring Semester Snapshot
Enrollment growth continues amid a relatively tranquil start to the spring semester. My thanks to the people on the front lines and behind the scenes who have made these results possible. As of Jan. 27, overall headcount for Spring 2003 is up by 8.8 percent compared to the same time last year, with overall FTSE posting an increase of about 9.2 percent. GCC North is off to a very good start this semester. Headcount is up by 7 percent, FTSE up by about 16 percent, and two classes piloted at Anthem (English 102 and Early Childhood Development) are underway. It's significant to note that GCC North is serving more than 1,500 students with only seven classrooms.

Parking Changes Piloted
A perennial issue--campus parking--has seen some recent changes as part of a pilot program spearheaded by Safety Director Debra Palok and Facilities Manager Al Gonzales. Despite increased enrollment, adequate parking has been available since the first day of the semester, with virtually no problems according to all reports I have heard. That is a major accomplishment. By reconfiguring space and restriping, 12 new employee parking spaces in the southeast lot now exist, and 21 new visitor spaces are available just west of the Enrollment Center. In addition, new parking informational signs have been installed, and 40 signs have been posted indicating 24-hour surveillance. Another piloted change has eliminated the requirement for student parking decals, resulting in greater student satisfaction and allowing staff to focus on activities more closely focused on safety and security. We're always interested in your concerns and suggestions about parking and traffic, and welcome ongoing communication about these issues.

See You at the Listening Session, Feb. 20
Please make every effort to attend the Maricopa Governing Board "Listening Session" to be held at GCC on Thurs., Feb. 20, 6:00 p.m. in the Student Union Lounge. This will be one of GCC's most important events of the year. Part of the meeting will be devoted to an open forum in which anyone may speak to the Board for a limited amount of time, and/or submit comments in writing. Plus, we have arranged for four West Valley leaders to speak briefly on various aspects of the theme, "Growing with the West Valley: Issues and Opportunities." Many staff members are working hard to make this event a success, and we urge you to attend and participate.

New Directions for Marketing
Subscribers to the Glendale Star and Peoria Times will receive a "first" in their newspapers on February 6: a GCC schedule of classes. More than 14,000 copies of the Spring 2003 Open Entry/Open Exit schedule will be inserted in both papers, reaching current and prospective students where they live, literally. This change to our overall marketing program is modeled in part on other highly localized college marketing campaigns, and reflects a renewed, sharper focus on GCC Main and GCC North service areas. The Community and Public Relations Department, working with the Marketing Committee, plans to advertise year-round in a wide variety of smaller local publications to support enrollment/retention, enhance community relations and outreach, and encourage giving to the College.

GCC Budget Update
The overall 2003-04 GCC proposed budget has been forwarded to the District Office, along with College action plans requested. Final Budget Development Committee (BDC) recommendations will be posted on the GCC Institutional Effectiveness website soon, and results of budget requests were sent to all department heads yesterday, according to Business Services Director Regis Della-Calce. A bright spot in all of this concerns our college vans. As reported in previous President's Newsletters, use of 15-passenger vans had been discontinued for safety reasons, which posed a serious problem for several academic programs and campus activities. The District Office has allocated funds to cover the costs of replacing the GCC fleet, and even allowed us to keep funds stemming from trade-in values of previously used vehicles. The expected delivery of the new GCC vehicles is on schedule for mid-February.

African American History Month Highlights
February is African American History Month and the GCC Black Student Union will celebrate it with a series of interesting and entertaining events. I hope you will attend one or more of the following: Gospel Concert, Feb. 6; African Storytelling, Feb. 18; Poetry Slam Contest, Feb. 19; Vendors Festival, Feb. 21. For times, locations, and more details, visit the GCC online calendar or contact Spring Turner, 5-3899 or Phyllis Sweet, 5-3522.

Faculty Emeritus Awards
I have received very positive responses from former faculty who received letters and certificates acknowledging emeritus distinction. However, we need your help in identifying family members of four deceased faculty members: Frank Bietto, Dorothy Clayton, C. Eugene Harris, Ethel Martin, and Peter Overson. We have special certificates that acknowledge posthumously their emeritus distinction. If you have any information about these former faculty members, or how we might reach their family members, please contact Roxie Helbert in my office at 5-3012.