New Employees

Please help me welcome the new employees that were approved at the June 22 board meeting: Hung Nguyen, M&O; Emily Haigh, Biology; Susan Campbell, CAD; Greg Dragiewicz, Automotive; Claire Englehart, English; Mike Gillispie, Agriculture; Susan Karpinski, Psychology; Rashmi Menon, English; Heather Merrill, Education; Marianne Palmisano, Communication; David Seitz, Performing Arts; John Ventola, English.

$400,000 Planned Gift (bequest)

Glendale Community College has received a $400,000 planned gift — its largest ever! The gift from Mrs. Gloria Boels is an endowed scholarship established in honor of her late husband, Victor Boels, who encouraged her return to school at the age of forty. Starting in Spring 2005, the scholarship will award full tuition and books to students who pursue a degree in business administration, accounting or finance. A former GCC adjunct faculty member, Mrs. Boels attended GCC from 1967 to 1974, graduating in May 1974 with an Associate in Arts with Highest Distinction.

Solaris Art Donation

The Arrowhead Towne Center recently donated Larry Kirkland's multi-piece sculpture called Solaris to GCC. Valued at $225,000, Solaris' "universe theme" will enhance the Physical Science building and proposed Life Science building. Employees, students and visitors to our campus will enjoy Kirkland's work.

Enrollment for Fall

Congratulations to Advisement, Enrollment Services and College Advancement Services. Thanks to your efforts, Fall FTSE is significantly up compared to this time last year. Students have been encouraged to enroll earlier and we are seeing the results.

Convocation

You won't want to miss the kick-off for Fall 2004. The GCC All-Employee Convocation will be on Monday, August 16, 2004. Breakfast begins at 7:00 a.m. followed by a convocation celebrating the College's 40th academic year. There will be a second convocation with refreshments from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. for those departments who need to attend in split shifts or those who begin their workday in the afternoon. I urge all managers to encourage staff to attend one of these convocations. This is a very important kick-off to the academic year.

Construction Update

Have you noticed the parking lot face-lifts? All the roads including the fire lane between the John F. Prince Library Media Center and High Tech Annex will be micro-surfaced. Additionally, the parking lots directly north of High Tech II to Via Gaucho and from the Physical Science building to the ICB/AG/AJ complex will be micro-surfaced. All the parking areas will be re-striped and re-stenciled except the far north parking lot.

Several new roofs are being installed this summer beginning with the Center for Learning. The new Biology Lab is still under construction and will be ready in the Fall. Palm trees, grass and flowers will be planted around the new marquee to complete the college's landscape design.

Mark Your Calendar

There will be a legislative "Candidate Open House" Saturday, July 31 at Midwestern University's Barrel Student Center, 19555 N. 59th Avenue. Residents will discuss issues with West Valley candidates from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Call 623.930.2259 to register to attend the free event.

Community Contacts

Congratulations to Randy Kimmens on his recent appointment to the Peoria Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

GCC hosted WESTMARC's Thursday, June 17, round table discussion on the future of ASU West in light of the pending higher education proposal.

On Tuesday, June 22, I had the privilege of presenting an overview of GCC and West Valley growth to the Peoria Unified School District. Special thanks to Chuck Jeffery, George Martinez and Bobby Sample for preparing materials needed for this presentation.

Thursday, June 24, was the first meeting of the newly formed GCC President's Circle. The President's Circle is a group of West Valley community leaders and GCC Alumni.

Dr. Phillip Randolph
President
Glendale Community College