New Employees

Please help me welcome new employees who were approved at the September 28 Governing Board Meeting: Donna Allen, Social Science; Rachael Brown, Library; James Clark, Chemistry; Donald Dahl, The Institute/Raytheon; Jacqueline Fischer, Chemistry; Jennifer Koslo, Technology & Consumer Science; Aaron McCormick, M&O; David Miller, English; Christopher Morace, Network Services; Michele Parker, Technology & Consumer Science; Jose Santillan, M&O; Heather Shouse, Nursing; Michael Sollano, Network Services; Kimberly Tisdel, Applied Technology; and Jerry Wood, Communication & Foreign Language.

Get Ready to Vote

Voting is a cornerstone of our democracy and I urge you and your family members to cast ballots on Tuesday, November 2. Even though we must sort through multiple messages about issues and candidates, I hope you'll agree with me that voting is a hard-won privilege that we should all cherish. Did you know that Monday, October 4, is the last day to register to vote in the November election? Here is a link to the Arizona voter registration site that can help: https://az.gov/webapp/evoter/select_language.do The GCC Office of Student Life registers people to vote year-round, as well. Also, Friday, October 22, is the last day to request an early ballot, available via this link: http://recorder.maricopa.gov/earlyvoteballot/

Listening Sessions/Upcoming Campus Conversation

The Listening Sessions with the campus constituency groups are progressing well and will be finished on October 1 when I meet with GCC faculty. Please mark your calendars for the All-Campus Conversation to be held on October 6, from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., in the Student Union Lounge.

GCC Recognized in Miami-Dade Reaffirmation Plan

Last March, faculty from Miami-Dade Community College visited the GCC Math Department. They had selected mathematics as the focus for their upcoming accreditation visit, and have devised a four-year plan for improving and enhancing mathematics education for their students. They studied many components of GCC's math program and math services for students. Their final "Reaffirmation Plan" contained a complimentary two-paragraph reference to GCC's mathematics programs. They were primarily interested in our MAT 108 Tutored Mathematics course, which is a hybrid that includes test-taking skills, study skills, time management, and relieving test anxiety. Of the ten strategies that Miami-Dade selected to enhance mathematics education, two are based on what they learned here at GCC: 1) providing supplemental instruction for students repeating College-Prep Math and College-Prep Algebra, and 2) implementing a College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA)-certified tutor training program. I am proud that GCC was among the institutions they visited, which included Ohio State, Ball State, Dartmouth, and Iowa State. Congratulations to the GCC Mathematics Department and the programs they have developed, including MAT 108.

Hispanic Heritage Activities

A big thank-you to Paul Romo, MEChA students, José Mendoza and others who have worked hard planning and producing Hispanic Heritage activities. Several have been held, such as the Music Fiesta & Nacho Bar and the performance of Nestor Benito, the Argentine classical ten-string guitarist. Other events are coming up, such as José Mendoza's lecture on the Sights, Sounds, and History of Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution. He will lecture on Thursday, October 7, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the Student Lounge, and will present an historical perspective of Villa that differs from the Americanized version.

GCC Athletics Updates

Athletic competition is a vital part of American higher education, and GCC has some prime examples of what gifted athletes can do with superior instruction. Gaucho football player Johnny Lopez is the fourth leading rusher in the conference. I also see that three former GCC football players are now starting in the PAC-10 conference: Chris McKenzie and Dale Robinson start on defense for ASU, and Justin Hickman starts at UCLA on the defensive line. Volleyball has an overall record so far of 16-11-2, and Johanna Begay is second in the conference in service aces and sixth in kills. Men's soccer currently has a 4-4 overall record and Kevin Youatt is fifth in the conference in scoring with five goals and three assists. Women's soccer boasts star player Meghan Hagar who has five goals and five assists so far this season.

Sahuaro Ranch Foundation Looking for Volunteers

I recently received a letter from Sherry Marion, Curator of Educational Programs at the Sahuaro Ranch Foundation--our neighbor to the north. She is in need of volunteers to help produce many upcoming events. Most immediately, they need volunteers for the "Get Back to the Past" celebration on Saturday, October 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They need help in the fruit shed, the museum store, the Adobe House, the ticket table, and more. There are also six other events between now and May that they need volunteers for, such as the Tractor Show on November 13 and 14, the Wine-Tasting Fundraiser on April 15, and others. If you can help out, or would like the forms describing each event and what is needed, please call Sherry Marion at 623.930.4200. She is available at that number Wednesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Important New Memo Procedures

On November 1, new e-mail procedures from the District Office will be implemented for all users of MEMO for the purpose of categorizing internal e-mails, some of which you may elect to filter out. The new procedures are the first outcome of a District committee's examination of internal communications and recommendations made to the Chancellor on this topic. Effective with the new procedures will be the elimination of the DL-ALL-Maricopa list which will be replaced with two new distribution lists:

DL-Maricopa-Business and DL-Maricopa-Announcements

The use of DL-Maricopa-Business will be for the exclusive purpose of communicating topics related to "Maricopa Business;" the other list will be used for general "announcements" related to Maricopa. A definition of "Maricopa Business" will be published to help users determine if a message should be sent to this distribution list. In addition, when using this list, there will be automated steps that ask the sender questions about the memo's intended use. These questions will prompt the sender to consider the appropriateness of sending the message to all of Maricopa.

The "Maricopa-Announcement" list will not entail these advisory steps, but messages sent via this distribution list must still be Maricopa-related, such as promoting courses, speakers or events held at a given college. The new system will not block a MEMO user from communicating to the entire district on a Maricopa issue, but will attempt to limit messages that are inadvertent or inappropriate for general distribution.

Dr. Phillip Randolph
President
Glendale Community College