Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.”
Notable Accomplishments provided by Faculty and Staff
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Directions (SD) and Institutional Effectiveness Criteria (IE) are provided where possible.
- On Saturday, September 8, 2018, NMC held the 13th annual Mike McIntosh Memorial Car & Truck show with this year’s event showing 128 vehicles and with over 1500 people in attendance. Proceeds from the event approach $10,000. The car show has led to an increase in donations in the form of cars which are used for training and then sold or donated. Recently we were given 3 vintage vehicles. The event is definitely the most important activity to promote community awareness of the Automotive Program. (IE2)
- In preparation for the West Hall Innovation Center construction project, Systems and LAN Management worked with Facilities to create and install a new cable conduit system from East Hall to the Health Science building to reroute entire existing infrastructure of data and communications cable system. Once the conduit system was installed, a completely new fiber optic cable plant was pulled through the conduit and terminated, bypassing the old West Hall path that would be demolished with the building. This project includes the removal of several miles of old abandoned cable systems that had been in place for decades. (IE5)
- Systems and LAN Management worked with the Student Life Office, Student Financial Service Office and the Security Office to streamline the student ID card process at orientation. The new operation allowed us to process in excess of 200 students per orientation without causing delays to the orientation operation. (IE5)
- On Tuesday, September 18, 2018, GLMA held its annual Board of Visitors (BOV) meeting. This meeting began with Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI) being presented with the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) Legislator of the Year award. The GLMTF is chaired by Jim Weakly of the Lake Carriers’ Association, Mr. Weakly is also co-chair of the GLMA BOV. After the award presentation, Rep. Bergman toured the Training Ship State of Michigan, had lunch with the BOV and provided a legislative update. (IE2)
- Educational Media Technologies had its first “Are You Moodle Ready” event on August 22 in the Big Alice lab in Scholars Hall and in Osterlin room 134. The EMT team cleared their calendars and hosted an entire day of dedicated Moodle, Ensemble, Zoom, accessibility, and video recording support to help faculty get ready for the start of fall semester. Thirty faculty participated, with some coming back multiple times between department meetings to get more guidance and help. EMT will be hosting the same event in early January to help faculty get ready for the beginning of spring semester. (IE3, IE5)
Activities of Note: Tim
- In August Paris Morse and I had dinner with Ed Reynolds, one our 2018 Outstanding Alumni. Mr. Reynolds is the president and CEO of Quantum Sails, the world’s second- largest sail maker with headquarters in Traverse City and operations internationally.
- Experiential Learning sessions have continued across our campuses. A total of 6 sessions have been held in preparation of more in-depth information to be included in sessions for both faculty and staff at the fall professional development day on October 9.
- Welcome Weekend culminated on August 28 with Pine Palooza, which saw over 700 students, staff and community organizations participate. There were 45 tabling participants at this event including community partners, student groups and NMC departments.
- On September 13 I presented on the topic of “Reimagining Community Colleges for the 21stCentury” to the MCCA Leadership Academy in Lansing.
- Susan Goldberg, the first female editor-in-chief of National Geographic, kicked off NMC’s International Affairs Forum’s 25th season at Interlochen’s Corson Auditorium on Thursday, September 20. I was able to greet Susan earlier in the day as she arrived in Traverse City and began her with a tour of the Dennos Museum Center. During her short visit to NMC, Ms. Goldberg was able to also spend a short time with NMC students from the Gender and Society course, as well as some students from Fundamentals of Journalism and World Cultures. We were also able to squeeze in a short meeting where we highlighted some of the unique and amazing opportunities that NMC provides learners both regionally and global. Susan Goldberg was duly impressed with NMC! Thank you all for each of your contributions to make it all happen.
Legislative Issues
State
- With in-district campaigning in full swing, the state legislature has only a handful of legislative session days planned between now and November 6. Conventional wisdom holds that the outcome of the election will determine how busy a lame duck session of the legislature becomes. Certainly we will continue to track issues that have the potential to impact NMC as the legislature determines its fall policy agenda. This includes tracking the desire of the legislature to amend the Paid Sick Time proposal that was passed on September 5. This ballot proposal was adopted by the legislature and can now be amended by a simple majority. The law would not take effect until sometime in March 2019 (91 days after the legislature adjourns for the year). Therefore, we expect the legislature will attempt to either amend the law in a lame duck session or early next year, depending on the outcome of the election.
Federal
- Last week, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees released their final conferenced bill to fund programs under the Department of Education for FY19. Notable provisions in the bill include:
- $100 increase to the Pell Grant maximum award for the 2019-2020 academic year. (Pell Grant surplus funds were used to pay for this increase)
- $600 million cut from the Pell Grant surplus to off-set other funding in the bill
- Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) received a 5.9% increase of $70 million to the state grant portion of the program
- Adult Basic Education received a 4% increase ($25 million) for state grants
- Federal TRIO received a 5% increase of $50 million and GEAR UP saw a 2.9% increase of $10 million
- The Department of Labor Apprenticeship Grant program saw a $15 million increase
- Funding for Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and State Grants under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act all remained at level funding.
The Senate may vote on the bill next week with the House expected to vote the following week. The goal is to pass the legislation before the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
Miscellaneous
- Monday, October 24
- 11:30 a.m. Groundbreaking for West Hall Innovation Center and Library project
- 12:30 p.m. Rededication of the Shirley S. Okerstrom Fine Arts Building – F115
- Tuesday, October 9—NMC Fall Professional Development Day
- October 24-October 27—ACCT Leadership Congress, New York City
- November 8 & 9—MCCA New Trustee Orientation & Trustee Leadership Institute, Lansing