Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.” 

Activities of Note: Faculty and Staff 

• Mr. David Matsuda, the U. S. Maritime Administrator bestowed two significant awards to GLMA instructors. Please join me in congratulating Capt. Michael Surgalski upon his appointment as a Captain in the United States Maritime Service (USMS), and Mr. Bob Mason who was awarded the prestigious Merchant Marine Award for Outstanding Achievement Medal. I believe Mr. Mason is the first person on the Great Lakes to receive this award. Each of these achievements had to be personally approved by Mr. Matsuda, congratulations to both! (SD2)

• New orientation software, Red Carpet, has recently been launched. This software will greatly streamline the onboarding of new employees through an automated process, as well as create a data base to allow a more strategic use of in-house talent. Though there were many people who contributed, those that have done an extensive amount of work include: Lori Hodek, Kristal Nolf, Lisa Molmen, Bryce Turner, Paul Martin, Dave Dalquist, Allison Geisert and Kelly Zimmerman. The software also includes a virtual tour and those to be recognized for that work include: Dennis Schultz, Elizabeth Stevens, Kristal Nolf, Dave Dalquist, Steve Kellman, and Jan Oliver. (SD2)

Activities of Note: Tim 

• Last Thursday (3/23) I had a full day in Lansing working to achieve some changes in the community college budget. I started the day with a fundraiser for the Senate Appropriations Chair, Senator Chuck Moss. It turns out he wrote an article on the Maritime Academy in the 1980’s and he has a home in the Empire/Frankfort area. Next, Mike Hansen, Chris Baldwin and I testified at the Michigan House of Representatives Subcommittee on Community College Appropriations. My testimony is linked here. Following that, Mike and I met with Senator Darwin Booher, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Community College Appropriations. We believe we were successful in achieving a resolution on budget allocations following the 2006 model I helped to develop. I then had a conference call on the P-20 Council, followed by Mike and I meeting with Senator Tanya Shutemaker’s (Vice Chair for Senate Subcommittee on Community College Appropriations) Chief of Staff. Lastly, I had a conference call with the MCCA Performance Funding Task Force, and then drove home.

• I presented to the MCCA Presidents Committee on the topic of Acquisition of College Credit by High School Students. As a result, I have been asked to chair a task force on this issue.

• The Tasters Guild event was FANTASTIC! The event sold out early, with 500+ attendees it raised the most scholarship money in its history. Thanks to all who attended, to our faculty, staff and students who made it work and to the Tasters Guild for their continued support.

• I have had a number of meetings over the past three weeks with potential partners in what could be public/private partnerships for a variety of purposes. While I cannot disclose those parties here, I will be prepared to discuss some of them at the Board Retreat in April.

• I have a quick trip to Florida this week to visit with a few donors and seek their support.

• Friday will be a full day with an economic summit at the Hagerty Center, followed by two small meetings with Governor Snyder. I’ll report back next week on those outcomes.

• We continue to make progress on alignment of planning, the campus master plan process and have begun work on the FY13 budget.

• I met with Bob Brick regarding potential retreat topics. A matrix will be sent to you under separate cover. Please take a look and email Holly or I with any suggested changes.

• Thanks to Trustee Bishop and Vice President Siciliano for attending the GLMA Alumni dinner and award ceremony with me.

• Congratulations to everyone who made the effort for this community to receive a Next Michigan Development Corporation designation. Yesterday, the Michigan Strategic Fund Board unanimously approved the Grand Traverse region application in front of a contingent of local officials with Representative Wayne Schmidt and Senator Jason Allen, who was instrumental in the creation of the Next Michigan legislation. There is already some media coverage with the TC Ticker (see “Out and About” section): http://www.theticker.tc/ 

Legislative Issues 

• I have attached the most recent MCCA legislative update for your review. Our notice in the Ticker regarding the CCB has resulted in a TV interview here in Traverse City and a radio interview (scheduled for Wednesday) with the Michigan Business Network. A lot of issues are in play and require us to have flexibility on being available to testify and/or respond.

• At the national level, I am particularly concerned about the changes being made to PELL eligibility. We are investigating these changes and working to forecast the impact on our students.