Oct 1, 2012 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — Two NMC staff members are among five individuals earning Lean Office Champion certification from NMC’s Training Services division who will now take the continuous improvement lessons learned into several of the region’s largest employers. The five certified in September are:
- Crystal Bailey, Hagerty Center at Northwestern Michigan College
- Kay Hall, NMC
- Deb Kimball, Munson Medical Center
- Amanda Rommell, Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital
- Penny Saemisch, Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
During the six-month program, participants are trained to apply lean manufacturing principles to their office and healthcare workplaces. Two sessions are hosted by each organization, the classroom training involves intensive hands-on activities, and each champion completes several continuous improvement projects in their workplace.
Rewards were evident before the program even ended.
“By applying lean principles to the process, we were able to shorten the lead time for Practice Pro, our newsletter for local physician practices, from eight weeks to less than four,” said Deb Kimball, physician liaison at Munson Medical Center.
Lean principles are based on the Toyota production system. Manufacturing was the first American industry that adopted its principles. In the last ten years, lean has migrated from the shop floor into manufacturing offices, healthcare settings, and most recently service industries.
MC Training Services has been certifying lean champions since 2007. The objective of the program is to enable companies to build internal capacity to support their continuous improvement journey.
The next Champion certification opportunities will start in December 2012 for manufacturing and February 2013 for service industries, including healthcare. For more information or to register, please contact Vicki Rumbach, 231-995-2218. Additional information on Champion and NMC’s other, customized training services is available online.
Sep 28, 2012 | Intercom
What is MPSERS? Am I a member of MPSERS? If I only work part-time, I’m not in the state retirement system, am I? You probably are if you are an adjunct, a supplemental employee, or a regular staff or faculty member working for NMC.
If you are an active member of MPSERS, you should have recently received notification from the Office of Retirement Services (ORS) either through your home mail, email, or both to let you know that you need to make an election on how you want your pension and/or retiree healthcare benefits handled going forward. The online election period is 9/4/12 – 10/26/12.
Online through miAccount is the only way you will be able to make your election.
For more information or to access your miAccount, go to www.michigan.gov/orsschools, and click on the miAccount section. Don’t wait – go online now and find out about the resources available to you to make your decision!
On-campus informational sessions are scheduled the week of October 1 – 5:
*Mon, 10/1/12 6:00-7:30 pm PS 201-203*
Tues, 10/2/12 9:30-11:00 am LB 35-37
Wed, 10/3/12 3:30-5:00 pm LB 35-37
Thurs, 10/4/12 11:30 am -1:00 pm O 113
Fri, 10/5/12 1:30-3:00 pm UC 206
*Note that there is one after-hours session scheduled.
Sep 28, 2012 | Intercom, Student News
Erase borders, develop peace and understanding and extend your family tree. Engage your family with the international community by hosting an international student or by encouraging your student to study abroad!
Join Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City Area Public Schools and local international exchange programs to explore the world of international exchange. This informational evening will include:
• Testimonials from current and former high school and college-age U.S. study abroad students
• Keynote speaker
• First-hand experiences of host families and international exchange students
• Panel discussion with students and host parents followed by a Q & A session
• Opportunities to meet families, students, and exchange organization representatives.
Thursday, October 11, 2012 Milliken Auditorium at Northwestern Michigan College’s Dennos Museum from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
For more information contact Jim Bensley, Director of Outreach Services at (231) 995-2527 or jbensley@nmc.edu.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
50 Years Ago:
- Enrollment expected to reach 900, with about 250 of these living in private homes scattered throughout the city.
- Contracts were awarded for the new $800,000 dormitory-student center (West Hall).
25 Years Ago:
- Student Government announced a schedule of talks by Mercury Morris (football great), Dr. Benjamin Spock (author- Baby and Child Care), and Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns on TV Series M*A*S*H), and others.
- HEADLINE: “Record enrollment fills NMC dorms to capacity.” Of 3800 students, 510 were living on campus. One student reported “it’s crowded massively.”
From the NMC Archives at the Osterlin Library
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
The NMC Adopt-A-Student fund began in 1992 with faculty and staff representatives Hettie Molvang and Adam Gahn. The fund was established as part of the Annual Campaign as an opportunity for faculty and staff to help struggling students overcome some of the financial obstacles that often stand in the way of higher education.
Thanks to our generous faculty, staff and community, 687 students have received assistance in the amount of a half million dollars over the last 20 years through the Adopt-A-Student Fund. The following quote is from one of our Adopt-A-Student scholarship receipents.
Your gift allows me to keep more my paycheck at a time when one textbook costs $231 and a math calculator $130. By retaining more of my earnings I am able to weather increased fuel costs to commute to campus, pick up the occasional prescription that my mother can’t afford or just supplement our household food budget. Like a lot of students and staff that I’ve met since returning to NMC, everyone has a story, everyone has a challenge to carry through life and mine is not different. What is different is the occasional kindness we receive along the way. Thank you for your donation.
The Annual Campaign is drawing near and we at the NMC Foundation and Resource Development are looking forward to helping you make student dreams a reality.
Thank you for your support.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Several of these new items you might remember from our Opening Conference display. Here, they are shown in all colors available.
Don’t forget about your 10% employee discount.
Junior Foil T
Quarter Zip
Unisex Longsleeve
Unisex Tri-blend
Women’s Long Sleeve
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary. Please join us in congratulating them!
| Fred Cook |
Custodian |
10 years |
| Carol Evans |
Director of Extended Educational Services |
17 years |
| Carol Taberski |
Registrar |
31 years |
| Kirk Waterstripe |
Lboratory Manager |
14 years |
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Following are positions currently open at NMC. For detailed information on externally posted positions, please visit NMC’s web page at www.nmc.edu/jobs Information on internal postings has been emailed.
OPEN POSTINGS
Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct Instructor – Clinical Nursing (38-443)
Adjunct Faculty-Physics Instructor (98-443)
Adjunct Faculty-Physical Education Basketball (109-443)
Adjunct Faculty-Biology (139-443)
Faculty
HVAC/R Instructor (95-443) (Full time)
Nursing Instructor – Mental Health (91-443) (Part time)
Professional Staff
Master, T-S State of Michigan (99-443)
Student Employee
White Pine Press-Student Employee (66-443)
Tutor-Student Employee (82-443)
Student Lab Assistant – Biology (129-443)
Department of Learning Services Office Assistant (132-443)
WNMC Radio Automation Assistant (141-443)
Supplemental Staff
Banquet Server-Hagerty Center (41-443)
Student Financial Services-Front Desk Assistant (135-443)
Financial Aid-Document Management Assistant (136-443)
Supplemental Records and Registration Assistant (140-443)
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Michelle Autry of Educational Media Technologies is always helpful, pleasant and willing to go the extra mile! She is awesome at internal customer service. Thank you for your help with Moodle and with the student videos.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
We are so fortunate at NMC to have the best of the best. Fred Cook and Tim Fader have done an amazing job painting West Hall and creating a warm environment for our students. Their attitude throughout the entire project has been to make it work. Fred and Tim were always willing to make change if needed. Thanks so much guys, great job!
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Alison Thornton and Eileen Vaughn developed a way to use the Technology Help System to handle requests for security access for our enterprise systems such as Banner, and to route them to the appropriate approver. These changes streamline the process to make it more efficient and timely. Thank you, Alison and Eileen!
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Kudos to the Student Life group for ‘throwing’ one of the most successful Pine Palooza events since its inception!! All booths were full and fully staffed by vendors and NMC Students and staff. The Pine Paloosa was well organized and well attended and a very fun event! Thank you Student Life!
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Kudos to Caroline Schaefer-Hills and the Viscom students for their participation in “We’re in the Movies” featured at the State Theater downtown. The event was fun and educational as it featured photos/videos of downtown Traverse City in 1940. The History Center of Traverse City is selling DVDs of this program.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Kudos to the History Department for their wonderful and informative presentation on the U.S. Constitution on Monday, September 17 for Constitution Day.
Over 40 faculty members, staff and students attended the discussion forum and engaged in good dialogue about the historical origins of the Electoral College, the challenges of opposing the Civil War in the North without being treasonous, and the modern impact of the three Civil War Constitutional Amendments.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom, President Updates
At Monday night’s regular meeting, the NMC Board of Trustees approved a set of board-level strategic goals for fiscal year 2013 (FY13). These goals are taken directly from the college’s strategic plan, and include metrics to help us monitor our progress. This is the second year for the college to apply our integrated planning process.
The board-level goals have a focus on the college’s strategic directions with key results in learner success, financial thriveability, national and international expertise and a networked workforce.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom
Five individuals certified as lean office champions by NMC Training Services
On Friday, September 21, Rich Wolin, Director of NMC Training Services certified five new Lean Office Champions from the region. Kay Hall of NMC, Deb Kimball of Munson Medical Center, Amanda Rommell of Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital, Crystal Bailey of NMC Hagerty Center, and Penny Saemisch of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center celebrated their completion of a six month, 96-hour program designed to train them to apply lean manufacturing principles to their office and healthcare workplaces. Two sessions are hosted by each organization, the classroom training involves intensive hands-on activities, and each champion completes several continuous improvement projects in their workplace. “By applying lean principles to the process, we were able to shorten the lead time for Practice Pro, our newsletter for local physician practices, from eight weeks to less than four,” said Deb Kimball, physician liaison at Munson Medical Center.
Lean principles are based on the Toyota Production System and began spreading throughout American manufacturing following James Womack and Daniel Jones’ seminal work, Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation. In the last ten years, these principles have migrated from the shop floor into manufacturing offices, healthcare settings, and most recently service industries. By applying lean principles, one Wisconsin healthcare system has seen a decrease in deaths, wait time to treatment, and length of stay. All of this has resulted in a significant drop in cost of care.
NMC Training Services has been certifying lean champions for five years now, beginning with a year-long manufacturing series, of which 61 individuals have completed. The objective of the program is to enable companies to build internal capacity to support their continuous improvement journey. Two years ago Training Services started offering the lean program in its current six-month version to individuals from office and healthcare settings. Lead trainer, Heather Fraizer, PhD, acknowledges that even though the principles are the same, applying them in an information-based setting poses particular challenges. “Waste and work-arounds are more difficult to see in office settings and it helps to see examples from other offices,” said Fraizer. With the addition of the current champions, Training Services has certified 12 Lean Office Champions.
NMC Training Services offers a variety training and consulting services for organizational improvement including lean training and coaching. The next Champion certification opportunities are scheduled to start in December of 2012 for manufacturing and February of 2013 for service industries including healthcare. For more information or to register, please contact Vicki Rumbach at 5-2218 or vrumbach@nmc.edu. Additional information is also available at nmc.edu/training.
Sep 27, 2012 | Intercom, Student News
Native American writer Gordon Henry will be the featured presenter at a free Michigan Global Awareness Consortium event set for 6 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Oleson Center.
The performance will include traditional Anishinaabe stories and songs, as well as poetry and prose from Henry’s work. He will be joined by musicians Mike Gilmore and Mike Johnston. For some parts of the performance Henry will sing with a hand drum; for other parts he will recite his work, accompanied by Johnston and Gilmore.
Henry’s novel, The Light People, won an American Book Award in 1995, and his poetry, prose and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies throughout the U.S. and Europe. His work is informed by long time participation in ceremonies and by his personal reflections on Anishinaabe life, place and relations. His most recent book, The Failure of Certain Charms and Other Disparate Signs of Life, published in 2007, is a collection of poetry and prose, combining the languages and imagery of dreams, songs, ceremonies, cultural memories, autobiography and Native American tales.
Gordon Henry is an enrolled member of the White Earth Chippewa Tribe of Minnesota. He received an MA in creative writing from Michigan State University and a PhD in English from the University of North Dakota. He is professor of English at Michigan State University. Formerly director of creative writing for MSU’s English Department, he is currently director of MSU’s Native American Institute. He is also senior editor for the Native American Studies Series.
The Michigan Global Awareness Consortium consists of Bay College, Mid Michigan Community College, North Central Michigan College and Northwestern Michigan College. The MGAC is dedicated to bringing global issues, international opportunities and information to their campuses.
Sep 26, 2012 | Intercom, Student News
If not registered to vote (or if you’re not sure!) stop by the voter registration and information table in the Osterlin Library lobby.
Volunteers from around campus and the League of Women Voters will be there every weekday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from now until the voter registration deadline on Oct. 9.
There will also be a registration and information table in the atrium of the Great Lakes Campus from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3.
If you are a new voter who registered by mail, you may not be eligible to vote absentee. Come find out.
Make sure your vote counts this November!
For more information, call the Osterlin Library reference desk at (231) 995-1540.
