Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.”
Activities of Note: Faculty and Staff
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Agenda, Strategic Directions and Goals are provided where possible.
• On July 23, the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute and Technical Division hosted Darian Breaux, Training Manager for Oceaneering International, Inc., for a comprehensive look at NMC’s facilities, curriculum and faculty/staff in support of developing a specialized training program for offshore ROV technicians to work in the global oil and gas exploration market. I had the opportunity to meet with Darian and discuss Oceaneering’s need for a skilled workforce. This training program is proposed to be an intensive 10-15 week program designed to provide industry recognized credentials for preparation in hydraulic, electronic/electrical, mechanical and safety systems. The current global demand for these types of trained personnel exceeds 1000 and very few academic institutions offer this type of training in the US. Darian was thoroughly impressed with all that NMC has to offer and indicated that he had not been to an institution in the U.S. with the caliber and strength of NMC. Program development and delivery is ongoing and I will keep you updated as this progresses. (SD1, SD2, SD3, SD5)
• Attached is an an article written by NMC’s Hans Van Sumeren for Sea Technology regarding our specialties in water/marine training. (SD1, SD2, SD3, SD5)
• Thank you to all who made the startup of the semester so smooth for our learners. We will have a full enrollment report at the September Board Meeting. It looks like we are down about 2% in headcount and in contact hour delivery. Our mix of in/out district students has changed and the resulting shortfall in tuition revenue vs. budget looks to be in the $70,000 range. Final numbers will be available soon. (SD1)
• Thank you to all who participated in opening conference and in the professional development activities that followed. (SD1)
• Congratulations to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy for successful achievement of their STCW International Accreditation. The report required was well over 700 pages long! Thanks to all the staff who participated and made this happen. (SD1, SD2, SD5)
• Thank you to Laura Schmidt and the nursing faculty for preparing for our national accreditation visit coming this month. (SD1, SD2, SD5)
Activities of Note:
• Ross Childs, Marguerite and I met with Dean Laura Lein and Susan Himle, Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations from the University of Michigan School of Social Work to discuss potential internships.
• NMC executive staff and I have met with retired Alpena Community College president Don Newport and some of his new colleagues from Ferris State University to discuss potential NMC/FSU collaborations with educational opportunities with China.
• I saw several of you at the NMC Scholarship golf outing on August 1. The event was very successful and the Grand Traverse Resort did a wonderful job as this year’s venue. The NMC Foundation netted over $75,000 for scholarships.
• I participated in a president’s panel at the Michigan Association of Continuing Education and Training (MACET) conference in early August. This is a conference that brings together community college representatives from across Michigan to talk about relevant issues around economic and workforce development.
• As you know, we hosted two reviewers from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) August 5-6, while they conducted a focus visit as part of the accreditation process to allow NMC to offer a bachelor’s degree in maritime technology as part of NMC’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy. I want to thank those trustees who were able to spend time meeting with the review team. We feel that the visit went very well and expect a final determination by the end of this fall semester.
• Thank you Doug, Cheryl, and Kennard for attending Opening Conference. It was very well attended and I have received positive feedback that our NMC community is motivated to play an active role in transforming our college into the future leaning needs of our learners.
• I had dinner with Robert and Janice Lang the evening before Bob’s L3C presentation at the Hagerty Center on August 22. Bob Lang is the creator of the L3C and Founder of Americans for Community Development. Bill Myers, Ross Childs, Kennard Weaver and I attended the open community morning session, as well as the invitation only afternoon session that was a participatory format with discussion of local projects of interest. Bob provided examples of existing L3Cs and ideas for individual projects that participants bring forth. NMC was one of the sponsors of this event.
• Andy Dolan and I met with Jason Jones, Director of the Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation Department, and John Robert Williams about a potential comprehensive recreation center for our community. Jason Jones is also the liaison for the Parks and Recreation Commission’s Business Development Team charged with researching and making a plan for such a center. Rotary Charities just awarded grant monies to the County, in care of the Parks and Recreation, to conduct a community recreational needs assessment.
• We honored Peg Jonkhoff, who was selected as one of NMC’s Outstanding Alumnus, along with Paul Britten. It was a wonderful event providing an opportunity to celebrate, not only Peg, but the many successful alumni of NMC who become such beneficial contributors to their communities.
• NMC hosted a 40 Under 40 reception on August 28 to welcome new and continuing members. We will be hosting a more structured conversational session with this group in October to explore and identify ways to work together and engage their energy and resources.
• I had lunch with Bill Marsh, Jr. last Thursday to learn more about him and his business. Bill is the current co-chair for our annual fund and was a co-chair for our recent millage campaign. Their company is focused on being the reference point for customer service in our area. Bill also publishes a blog at Billmarshjr.com. Take a look.
• I Met with Linda Viswat regarding Japan exchange programming with Otemon University in Japan. NMC has had a long history with this institution and they have now reached a point where they would like to expand an exchange program. I will keep you posted.
• Elaine Wood, Doug Luciani and I met over breakfast last week to discuss how our strategic plans intersect and how we might continue to leverage our resources.
• NMC has become a member of the Michigan Campus Compact (MiCC), a coalition of college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purposes of higher education, which includes the development of personal and social responsibility as integral to the educational mission of their campuses. Stephen and I, along with Jim Bensley and Nicholeen Frusti from Outreach Services, met with visiting MiCC staff as part of our orientation process.
• I met with Hans Voss, Executive Director of the Michigan Land Use Institute, who is seeking to partner with academic institutions in order to advance specific goals in food, energy and transportation.
• NMC held it’s kickoff meeting this morning for the first cohort of the Foundation of Leadership. Our guest leader’s panel included Bill Marsh, Jr., Megan Madion, and Bruce Byle. All are accomplished leaders, supporters of NMC, and shared some wonderful insights. The Foundation of Leadership program is a 6 month leadership series as part of our Talent III project.
• I met with a group of local leaders who have been asked to help TCAPs as they work to establish a more robust partnership with China. NMC is a partner in this program and you will see more about it after the TCAPs September 9 Board Meeting.
Legislative Issues
• Reported from Inside Higher Ed, President Obama appears to be making good on his vow to propose a “shake-up” for higher education. Early Thursday, August 22, he released a plan that would:
– Create a new rating system for colleges in which they would be evaluated based on various outcomes (such as graduation rates and graduate earnings), on affordability and on access (measures such as the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants).
– Link student aid to these ratings, such that students who enroll at high performing colleges would receive larger Pell Grants and more favorable rates on student loans.
– Create a new program that would give colleges a “bonus” if they enroll large numbers of students eligible for Pell Grants.
– Toughen requirements on students receiving aid. For example, the president said that these rules might require completion of a certain percentage of classes to continue receiving aid.
To read more about the President’s plan in advance of his speech today, please visit: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/22/president-obama-proposes-linkstudent-aid-new-ratings-colleges
Also see attached ACCT Statement on President Obama’s Plan to Make College More Affordable.
Miscellaneous
• Congratulations to Trustee Cheryl Follette who completed this year’s Mackinac Bridge Run. I’ve attached a copy of her story, and the other lucky runners can be found at http://mackinacbridgerun.wordpress.com/. Cheryl’s story is a great example for those involved in our wellness initiatives here at NMC!
• We are planning a number of communications and outreach activities that will begin shortly.
They include:
o An EES class that is a bus tour of our facilities with presentations by departments open to the community.
o A series of community conversations to share college accomplishments and discuss the future.
o A series of internal discussions to provide an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to share their thoughts, accomplishments and questions.
o Watch your email and the NMC Communique for dates and times.