Climate Survey Coming to Your Home!

As part of the 2002 Higher Learning Commission/North Central Association (HLC/NCA) accreditation visit, GCC was asked to provide a campus climate follow-up study. The GCC Climate Survey Committee has developed such a survey. Please look for it this week; it will be mailed to the homes of all Governing Board-approved, permanent GCC employees. The College has contracted with Dr. Bruce Merrill, Director of the ASU Media Research Program, to conduct and analyze the survey, which will ensure the privacy and confidentiality of your responses. If you have any questions about the survey, contact College Research Services Director Matt Ashcraft at 5-3968.

College Technology Resource Standards

As mentioned in my last newsletter, the new district-wide College Technology Resource Standards were implemented on Jan. 18, 2005. Watch for a joint memo in the next few days from VP of Administrative Services Connie Sherman and Director of Information Technology K.C. Hundere. They will send out guidelines to assist employees with compliance, which is required by Mar. 31, 2005.

Kennedy Festival Under Way

The GCC and PC Theater departments are co-hosting the prestigious Kennedy Center American College Region VIII (AZ, CA, Utah, Hawaii and Nevada) Theater Festival, Feb. 7-12 at GCC and PC. The event, featuring workshops for all student participants and performances by select invited schools, is expected to bring in more than 1,200 participants. Among other plays, "The Winter's Tale," by Shakespeare, will be performed at the GCC Performing Arts Center on Thurs., Feb. 9, at 8:00 p.m. For complete information about all the plays to be performed at GCC or at PC, click on http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/arts/kcactf/index.php?sect=4.

Black History Month Events

I encourage employees to attend some or all of the Black History Month events occurring throughout February. Last week you should have received a flier in your mailboxes listing all the events. A few have already been held, but upcoming are the popular Gospel Music Festival, several distinguished speakers, and a performance about the life of Harriet Tubman by storyteller Mary Kelley. If you did not receive a flier, click on this link to see the events listed in the Gaucho Gazette calendar: http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/gaucho/index.cfm?id=6731.

Campus Conversation on March 3

As part of the Maricopa Initiative on Ethics and Values, a campus conversation to discuss "A Proposed Revision of the Maricopa Community Colleges' Mission, Vision and Values Statement" will be held in the GCC Student Union Lounge on Thurs. Mar. 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Strategic Planning Advisory Council, the Governing Board, the Ethics in Higher Education class members, participants from the Ethics Workshop and faculty members Dr. Leonard O'Brian (SCC) and Dr. Debra Campbell (MCC) have contributed to the process that produced this proposal. The purpose of this conversation is to elicit questions, comments and suggestions.

Vice Chancellor to Meet With Students

This is the time of year that the District Office sets a tuition rate for next year. Vice Chancellor of Business Services Debra Thompson from the District Budget Office will meet with interested students in the Student Union Council Chambers on Tues., Feb. 22, at 1:00 p.m., to discuss the proposed increase and next steps. Please let students know of this important opportunity for them to obtain information and be heard.

Congratulations to…

…International Education Program Director Ken Bus for being instrumental in planning the upcoming Maricopa Global Leadership Retreat. This weekend camp in Prescott, Feb. 11-13, is a great opportunity for more than 70 international students from all the Maricopa Community Colleges to meet and study leadership issues and participate in leadership workshops.

…GCC's Automotives Department for receiving recertification from the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). This is a rigorous process and I congratulate Jay Covey, Doug DeSanti, Greg Dragiewicz, Gar Gaekel and John Kelly for being instrumental in achieving this important recertification.

…Virginia Ludders for the tremendous amount of work she has put into co-chairing the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Dr. Phillip Randolph
President
Glendale Community College