Intercom and Student News contributions
Any items you wish to have posted in the Intercom and Student News can be sent to publicrelations@nmc.edu.
Employee Engagement Survey update
Congratulations to Dave Wilson, adjunct in the technical division, who won a $200 Best Buy gift certificate for having completed the survey in the first week it was available. There are still two gift certificates ($100 and $50) to be given away! As of 3/19 a total of 273 surveys had been completed representing 38% of all employees. We need to hear from more of you in order to surpass last year’s response rate. Please take 10-15 minutes to share your feedback via the survey by following the instructions provided in an email you have received from Stromp Research & Consulting. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Karen Ruedinger in the Office of Research, Planning and Effectiveness at 995-1032 or via email at kruedinger@nmc.edu.
Students, staff and faculty gain free access to archives of Traverse City newspapers
NMC students, faculty, and staff now have free access to a database containing issues of Traverse City newspapers.
The digital newspaper archive covers the years 1858-1977, 1988-1989, and 2009-2012, and can be accessed from the library’s homepage in the A to Z Database List.
Any years not covered are still available on microfilm at the Osterlin Library. Indexing for the newspapers is available online in the library’s institutional repository also in the A to Z Database List.
Questions? Call 995-1540
Behavioral Intervention Report Team (BIRT)
What is the purpose of the Team?
The Behavioral Intervention Report Team is a group of college officials, including mental health staff, that meets on a regular basis to consult and intervene early and provide support and behavioral response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, distressed and/or dysregulated behaviors.
In addition, the BIRT team is a resource designed for the supervisor or department manager in assessing warning signs and potential threats from students and suggests possible strategies in response to acts of intimidation or threats of violence.
How can the team support me?
If you are a supervisor, faculty member or manager, you may call Human Resources to discuss the situation, or you may notify any member of the Behavioral Intervention Response Team (BIRT). Any member of BIRT may convene a team meeting if s/he thinks a situation warrants such action. The Team will meet with the supervisor, department manager and others, if necessary, to gather information, evaluate the situation, and to recommend resources and action that may be appropriate.
Warning Signs
There is no exact method to predict when a person will become violent. One or more of these warning signs may be displayed before a person becomes violent, but they do not necessarily indicate that an individual will become violent. A display of these signs should trigger concern as they are usually exhibited by people experiencing problems.
· Verbal, nonverbal, or written threats – or intimidation, explicit or subtle
· Fascination with weaponry and/or acts of violence – carrying a concealed weapon
· Expression of a plan to hurt self/others
· Feelings of persecution, expressed distrust, especially with management
· Fear reaction to employee among coworkers/clients
· Expression of extreme desperation over family, financial or personal problems
· Frequent interpersonal conflicts
· Unable to take criticism of job performance
· Displays of unwarranted anger
· Moral righteousness – believing the organization is not following its rules
· Violence toward inanimate objects
· Sabotaging projects, computer programs or equipment
· Holding a grudge against a specific person; verbalizing a hope that something will happen to him/her
Those who witness these warning signs are strongly encouraged to inform their supervisors or faculty member. Managers and supervisors are encouraged to consult with the Behavioral Intervention Report Team (BIRT) to attempt to prevent a difficult situation from escalating into violence. If a staff or faculty member feels that they are encountering an emergency situation on campus, they are asked to call 911 before consulting the BIRT team
Welcome Sara Hartley to NMC
Sara has joined the NMC in the position of Administrative Coordinator in the President’s Office on March 18, 2013. She can be reached at (231) 995-1017 or shartley@nmc.edu.
Sara, a Big Rapids native, her fiance Chad and her goofy Boston Terrier Mix, Molly, recently moved to Traverse City from Baltimore, MD. Sara has a degree in music and still loves to sing. She also has a degree in baking and patissiere. Sara worked as the music office manager for Washington National Cathedral and in the Development Office at Garrison Forest School before moving back to Michigan. In her spare time she writes book reviews for Clarion and also enjoys knitting, baking, biking, print-making and playing ukulele.
Window on the World begins today
A week of intercultural awareness begins today at noon with a Global Literature Reading group discussion on the Indian novel The White Tiger. Sunday has the award wining group Cimarron performing lively music from Columbia at the Dennos Museum Center. Monday highlights the economic and historical significance of the famed Silk Road with a presentation from guest lecturer Dr. Randell Groves (you and your students won’t want to miss this!) at 7:00 PM in the Milliken Auditorium. The remainder of the week offers a number of free opportunities to metaphorically “leave the country” and explore the rest of the world.
Visit www.nmc.edu/window for the complete schedule and get ready to get global!
Today’s the final day to submit Foundation Excellence Award Nominations
There’s still time to submit nominations for the Foundation Excellence Awards. But not much time. Do it today.
The NMC Foundation Excellence Awards promote exemplary service to students and clients and recognize the outstanding demonstration of NMC’s values. Up to five awards are granted annually and the recipients are announced at the annual service awards reception in April. All college employees are eligible for this award, including faculty (regular and adjunct), staff (administrative/professional, maintenance/custodial, support, technical/paraprofessional, and supplemental) and student employees.
Any member of the faculty, staff, community, or student body may nominate a person or group for the award by completing a nomination form and submitting it to the Resource Development office by the deadline date of March 15. A selection panel comprised of representatives of the Foundation, faculty, staff, and students reviews the nominations and makes a recommendation to me.
Take a moment to view the nomination form. Please feel free to copy it as necessary.
Intercom and Student News Contributions
Any items you wish to have posted in the Intercom and Student News can be sent to publicrelations@nmc.edu.
Employee Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Lisa Cooper Secretary – Resource Development 2 years
Sue DeCamillis Director of Business Division & NMC Academic Affairs 25 years
Lisa Molmen Programmer/Analyst 24 years
Jeff Send Boiler Maintenance 27 years
Dave Traines Aviation Instructor 12 years
NMC wins two awards from National Council for Marketing and Public Relations
Northwestern Michigan College received a pair of gold “Medallion” awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) at the organization’s national conference in Chicago this week.
NMC’s gold awards came in the Postcard Series, and College Promotional Video categories.
The postcards promoted a series of exhibits at the Dennos Museum Center, and were created by NMC Graphic Designer Erin Deloney:
The promotional video is titled “NMC International Students Tell Their Stories” and features four NMC international students. The video was coordinated by NMC International Recruiter/Advisor Lindsey Dickinson, and shot and edited by local photographer/videographer Andy Wakeman.
NCMPR is the largest national organization for two-year college marketing and public relations professionals with more than 1,800 members from more than 600 colleges, and is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges.
Position Vacancies
For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/ Information on internal postings has been emailed.
Coming soon – myPDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust) for staff
myPDCA is a new system for Assessing Performance and Setting Individual Goals and Professional Growth Plans.
By implementing a new performance feedback process we hope to improve two of the five areas that received the lowest scores on our 2012 Employee Engagement Survey:
- Performance evaluation process helps me improve my job performance (52.4%)
- I have career discussions with my supervisor (54.9%)
- The form is cumbersome; time consuming
- Ranking core competencies every year is a waste of time
- Nothing is done with the information; it’s a meaningless exercise
- We need to tie this to A-3, operational goals and projects
- We need clear, measurable goals
As you may recall, your feedback on our former system:
The Performance Review Team was created. They listened to concerns and drafted a new process, based on NMC’s model for continuous improvement, that fit our aligned planning model. The new process emphasizes the ongoing conversation between supervisor and employee – focused on goals. The team wanted to provide some guidelines, but leave the process flexible enough to allow for the unique needs of each department.
As with our former system, you and your supervisor will each prepare for your annual review/goal setting session by reflecting on the past year and thinking about next year’s goals. Then you will meet to compare thinking and develop a clear plan with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) goals! You will enter and manage your goals using our new Performance Management system, WingSpan.
Coming soon:
myPDCA Overview for all staff
myPDCA Process (WingSpan) tutorials/training
Open computer labs available with Q & A session
Between April 1-June 30 You will work with your supervisor to set your goals for the new 2013- 2014 Goal Plan
Watch for more information soon!
For questions, feel free to contact a member of the Performance Review Team:
Irina Grougan
Jackie Schenk
Jan Oliver
Kirby Anderson
Linda Berlin
Lori Hodek
Benefits Corner
Effective January 1, 2013, NMC’s employee life insurance and long term disability (LTD) insurance are now covered by Cigna Insurance. There is no change to the benefit coverage which NMC provides for FT and PT regular employees:
- FT Regular Employees – $50,000 Term Life plus $50,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance
- PT Regular Employees – $25,000 Term Life plus $25,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance
- All Regular Employees – Long Term Disability insurance equal to 60% of employee’s base salary up to $1,500 per month
The additional life insurance options for employees, spouses, and children continue at the same rates, as do the buy-up options on LTD.
If you would like a copy of your group insurance certificates, the new Cigna certificates are available online from the Human Resources webpage under Salaries and Benefits. Just select the appropriate category under the DETAILS AND LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCES SECTION. Click here to link to the Salaries and Benefits page. If you have questions, feel free to contact HR at 995-1362.
NMC’s Jessica Abfalter one of 20 national winners of PTK Guistwhite Scholarship
NMC student Jessica Abfalter has been named one of 20 Phi Theta Kappa Guistwhite Scholars. She was chosen from a pool of 1,800 applicants by a panel of independent judges and has been extended an invitation to a special reception at the PTK Annual Convention in San Jose, California in April.
Here’s the official release from Phi Theta Kappa:
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – Twenty Phi Theta Kappa members have been selected as 2013 Guistwhite Scholarship recipients and will be recognized and invited to a special reception during Phi Theta Kappa’s Annual Convention in San Jose, California, April 4-6. Each year $100,000 in scholarship funds are awarded, with each Guistwhite Scholar receiving a $5,000 scholarship for baccalaureate studies and a commemorative medallion.
Guistwhite Scholars are chosen based on academic achievement, leadership accomplishment, and engagement in Phi Theta Kappa programs. The 20 recipients for 2013 were selected by a panel of independent judges from more than 1,800 applicants to receive this scholarship, the second highest offered by Phi Theta Kappa.
The Guistwhite Scholar Program is named in honor of the late Dr. Jack Guistwhite and his widow, Margaret Guistwhite. Dr. Guistwhite established the first designated transfer scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa members at Florida Atlantic University in 1975. The Guistwhite Scholarships were established by Phi Theta Kappa in 1992.
“Dr. Jack Guistwhite planted a seed in 1975 that resulted in more than 750 colleges and universities designating transfer scholarships for thousands of Phi Theta Kappa members,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s Executive Director Dr. Rod A. Risley. “It is fitting that we continue to honor our students who excel in scholarship and leadership in Phi Theta Kappa as Guistwhite Scholars in memory of Jack and in honor of his wife Margaret. Through their generosity and those who support scholarships through the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, these students will receive funds to help them complete their degrees.”
The 2013 Guistwhite Scholars are:
Jessica Abfalter, Northwestern Michigan College, Michigan
Yannel Celestrin, Miami Dade College, Florida
Miranda Davis, Dyersburg State Community College, Tennessee
Katherine Dunklee, Howard Community College, Maryland
Erica Gianakon, Hutchinson Community College, Kansas
Mayra Gutierrez, Central Arizona College, Arizona
Olga Homonchuk, Normandale Community College, Minnesota
Phillippe Ly, Orange Coast College, California
Taren Nance, Wor-Wic Community College, Maryland
Angelina Nance, Clark State Community College, Ohio
Devin Oakes, Mesa Community College, Arizona
Deanna Pack, Jefferson State Community College, Alabama
Kristen Regehr, Hutchinson Community College, Kansas
Christine Sim, Delgado Community College, Louisiana
Awais Spall, Mt. San Antonio College, California
Kim Stingo, Palm Beach State College, Florida
Jacqueline Watkins, Kirkwood Community College, Missouri
Tracy Weimer, Lane Community College, Oregon
Joshua Yancey, Somerset Community College, Kentucky
Ashley Young, Hillsborough Community College, Florida
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1,280 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, Peru, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than 2.5 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 135,000 students inducted annually.
Call for Cultural Souvenirs
Hello! My name is Olga Narolska. I’m the head of the decoration committee for the NMC International Club. Each year we hold our International Dinner, a fundraiser which helps to provide scholarships to international students.
The International Club will be holding its 11th annual International Dinner on April 11. We know that many of you are world travelers! We are looking for small trinkets or souvenirs from your many travels. Our idea is to have many mementos from different countries on the tables at the dinner. The loan of your items will only be for that evening. Please label your souvenirs with your name and country of origin, and drop them off to Lindsey Dickinson in the Admissions Office. Thank you!
US History students seek individuals to interview for the Veterans History Project
NMC has been participating in the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project for many years. This semester Jim Press’ US History students will be interviewing America’s veterans and/or the civilians who also played a role in our wars.
They currently are interviewing a World War II Marine, a Korean War veteran, a “Rosie the Riveter” woman who broke new ground in America’s industrial work force during World War II and an Iraqi War veteran. But, they need 4-5 additional veterans/civilians to interview this April.
So, if you know of someone who played a role in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Desert Storm/Gulf War, Iraq War, War on Terror or Afghanistan, would you please ask them and if they’re interested have them contact Jim at jpress@nmc.edu. The interview is usually conducted right here at NMC by his students and takes about an hour. We’d love to record and preserve their piece of American History!
To read more about the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project read the Veterans History Project Brochure.
Kudos!
Thanks and credit to Joelle Hannert and Rochelle Hammontree for doing all the behind the scenes work to provide a new service to the NMC community. The Osterlin Library catalog is now linked to MelCat, a collection of more than 6 million books from Michigan’s public and academic libraries. After doing a search in our catalog you have the option to search MelCat. Once you find a book, you can request it yourself; Osterlin will receive semi-weekly deliveries.
Kudos to Sarah Shimek, Wellness Coordinator, and the NMC Wellness Committee for this week’s launch of the Wellness Works program. The program is more extensive than ever before, and NMC employees are already signing up!
Kudos to the Admissions staff and students who led campus tours for local 9th and 10th graders. Over 800 students were treated to a tour of our campuses and presentations regarding NMC’s offerings. The students were impressed and enthusiastic and came away with a much clearer understanding of the depth and breadth of opportunities waiting for them right here in their own backyard!
Carla Waite did an excellent job personally organizing our Hagerty Center Tasting event this past weekend. It was a smooth, well planned event and the guests in attendance felt extremely well taken care of. Thank you for your dedication to excellent hospitality, Carla!
Sealed bids being accepted for the Sale of vehicles
Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) is accepting Sealed Bids for the Sale of the following vehicles:
1999 Dodge 3500 Ram 15 Passenger Van, Red…Minimum Bid $4000
2000 Dodge Caravan, Teal Blue…Minimum Bid $3000
2001 Dodge Caravan, White…Minimum Bid $3000
2006 Ford E350 12 Passenger Van, Navy Blue…Minimum Bid $13,000
Vehicles can be inspected at the Campus Services building on main campus. The building is located in the NE corner of the Oak/Maple parking lot.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Steve Westphal, NMC Purchasing Manager by calling 231-995-1130 or via email at swestphal@nmc.edu
Return your Sealed Bid by 3/28/13 to Steve Westphal, NMC Business Office, NMC University Center Campus off Cass Road, Traverse City, MI 49686
Northwestern Michigan College reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, waive irregularities and to accept the bid(s) that are in the best interest of NMC.