Help your work orders work for you!

Earlier this year, NMC’s facilities department began using a new work order request system called Maximo. Here are a few reminders on using the system so you can get the help you need as soon as possible.

  • Maximo only works with the Firefox browser (not Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Safari.)
  • You do need to register to use Maximo.
  • You must use your NMC email as your user ID and email address.
  • Facilities can reset your password if you forget it.
  • If you don’t use Maximo for 90 days your account will deactivate (the system will give you a warning the week before this happens).
  • In the details box please be as specific as possible about your request. You can also attach documents or pictures.
  • Routine work orders typically take 5 working days to complete.
  • Urgent requests can be completed in one day. Please also call facilities directly with urgent matters at 995-1111.
  • If you have questions on any facilities work order requests, you can call Nancy Durecki or Casey White at 995-1111.
  • The Maximo Registration and Help Sheets on the employee site can also answer additional questions about the system. Please read this is you are new to the system.

Success Story: Bicycling border to border, coast to coast

June 1, 2016

Pauly Hurlbert in MichiganPauly Hurlbert at the Michigan border on his way home Planning to try Smart Commute Week next week? It just might change your life.

Last year, Pauly Hurlbert had never ridden his bike further than Traverse City to Suttons Bay — a long-ish commute distance. Yet on September 10, the NMC aviation alumnus and certified flight instructor embarked on a West Coast bike tour from Vancouver, British Columbia. He wasn’t sure he’d like pedaling thousands of miles, but keen on the personal discovery and adventure he anticipated along the way, Hurlbert committed to ride to Tijuana.

By the time he reached the Mexican border November 28, Hurlbert not only liked bicycle touring, he was hooked. He turned east, bound for Florida. After a month there he turned north, arriving home in Traverse City in early April having logged 6,138 miles.

“Border to border, coast to coast, and then back home,” said Hurlbert, a 2008 alumnus originally from Kalamazoo. He carried about 120 pounds of gear and camped about half the time.

Now back in a more regular routine that includes bartending, playing music and teaching flight instructor students, Hurlbert, 30, said he applies lessons from the bike tour daily. Chief among them is patience, something that can be hard to impart to students always anticipating what comes next.

“They’re thinking about flying jets, when they’re here teaching students,” he said of his flight instructor students. “Teaching is such a valuable life experience. While they’re here and teaching, make the most of it.”

Pauly Hurlbert in MexicoAnother lesson: Deliberately step out of your comfort zone. Hurlbert practiced this from day one of his trip, which at 65 miles was twice as far as he’d ever ridden before.

“It makes you more comfortable with everything,” he said. He loves to see students taking that risk, recalling one international student who arrived a few years ago with minimal English. This spring, she took her exam to become a flight instructor.

“Now she’s a day away from teaching people how to fly,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Hurlbert isn’t sure what’s in store for him after the summer semester.

“Not having plans forces you to make challenging choices more regularly,” he said. “It makes you more comfortable and confident.”

But it’s likely he’ll eventually climb back aboard Charlotte, the road bike that carried him to innumerable scenic vistas, milestones like the Mexican border, and personal highlights like riding down Morgan, his childhood street in Kalamazoo. Hurlbert recalled traversing it on training wheels.

“When I was a kid, that was my bike tour,” he said. “Now the nation. Hopefully the world, eventually.”

Success Story: Bicycling border to border, coast to coast

June 1, 2016

Pauly Hurlbert in MichiganPauly Hurlbert at the Michigan border on his way home Planning to try Smart Commute Week next week? It just might change your life.

Last year, Pauly Hurlbert had never ridden his bike further than Traverse City to Suttons Bay — a long-ish commute distance. Yet on September 10, the NMC aviation alumnus and certified flight instructor embarked on a West Coast bike tour from Vancouver, British Columbia. He wasn’t sure he’d like pedaling thousands of miles, but keen on the personal discovery and adventure he anticipated along the way, Hurlbert committed to ride to Tijuana.

By the time he reached the Mexican border November 28, Hurlbert not only liked bicycle touring, he was hooked. He turned east, bound for Florida. After a month there he turned north, arriving home in Traverse City in early April having logged 6,138 miles.

“Border to border, coast to coast, and then back home,” said Hurlbert, a 2008 alumnus originally from Kalamazoo. He carried about 120 pounds of gear and camped about half the time.

Now back in a more regular routine that includes bartending, playing music and teaching flight instructor students, Hurlbert, 30, said he applies lessons from the bike tour daily. Chief among them is patience, something that can be hard to impart to students always anticipating what comes next.

“They’re thinking about flying jets, when they’re here teaching students,” he said of his flight instructor students. “Teaching is such a valuable life experience. While they’re here and teaching, make the most of it.”

Pauly Hurlbert in MexicoAnother lesson: Deliberately step out of your comfort zone. Hurlbert practiced this from day one of his trip, which at 65 miles was twice as far as he’d ever ridden before.

“It makes you more comfortable with everything,” he said. He loves to see students taking that risk, recalling one international student who arrived a few years ago with minimal English. This spring, she took her exam to become a flight instructor.

“Now she’s a day away from teaching people how to fly,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Hurlbert isn’t sure what’s in store for him after the summer semester.

“Not having plans forces you to make challenging choices more regularly,” he said. “It makes you more comfortable and confident.”

But it’s likely he’ll eventually climb back aboard Charlotte, the road bike that carried him to innumerable scenic vistas, milestones like the Mexican border, and personal highlights like riding down Morgan, his childhood street in Kalamazoo. Hurlbert recalled traversing it on training wheels.

“When I was a kid, that was my bike tour,” he said. “Now the nation. Hopefully the world, eventually.”

2016 Smart Commute Week June 6-10

2016 Smart Commute Week poster-FNLThey say there is no such thing as a free lunch … but you can get a free breakfast!

How? Join us for the 22nd Annual Smart Commute Week June 6-10.

What is Smart Commute Week? It’s an annual celebration, held during the first full week of June, consisting of events promoting cycling, walking, taking the bus and carpooling. Free daily breakfasts are hosted at various locations around town for smart commuters. Every year community members challenge each other to a friendly competition known as the Smart Commute Challenge. (more…)

Hawk Owl Café specials for the Week of May 31

Hawk Owl CafeThe Hawk Owl Café is OPEN! Summer hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Come in for some exciting specials this week.

Tuesday: Buffalo Shrimp Salad
Monterey Black Bean Burgers

MDF_HoneyBBQChickSand_FBadWednesday: Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich
TACO DAY!

Thursday: Chicken & Black Bean Quesadilla & Yogurt
Mediterranean Spinach & Quinoa Salad

Friday: Greek Gyros
Lemon Parmesan Chicken
Vegetable Risotto

Don’t Forget Frappy Hour: Monday-Friday, Noon-1 p.m.

Kudos!

Kudos- Praise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved. (defined by Merriam-Webster.com) Kudos to the following people and departments! If you know of co-workers who are going above and beyond, nominate them for kudos here!
(more…)

June concerts

TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Canticum Novum choral group and Summer Concert Band have several performances scheduled this month.

Canticum Novum

Friday, June 3, 7:30 p.m., Central United Methodist Church
Hear the music of Mozart, Brahms, Whitacre, Lauridsen, Swingle, Rogers and Hammerstein, and Verdi under the beautiful CUMC dome. Donations will be accepted at the door.

Saturday, June 11, 7:30 p.m., St. Andrews Presbyterian, Beulah
Hear Mozart, Brahms, Whitacre, Lauridsen, Swingle, Rogers and Hammerstein, and Verdi for the St. Andrews’ “Concert on the Hill” concert series.

Canticum Novum will also perform three concerts in southwest Michigan in late June.

NMC Summer Concert Band

Wednesday, June 22, 7 p.m., Traverse City Senior Center
An outdoor concert of band favorites! Admission is free.

Sunday, June 26, 2:30 p.m., Grand Traverse Pavilions
An outdoor concert of band favorites during the Pavilions’ Strawberry Social. Admission is free.

Friday, July 1, 7:30 p.m., Milliken Auditorium
Join the NMC Summer Concert Band as they share the stage with the Northport Community Band. Admission is free.

Release date: May 31, 2016

For more information:

Jeff Cobb
Director of Music Programs
jecobb@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1338

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE

Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination

Humanities Area Change

Good afternoon NMC Community,

Our college, like many in our state, has faced declining enrollment. In just the last five years, our enrollment has declined by more than 20%. In an effort to help balance the budget for next year, that currently has a $1.9 million deficit, limit the tuition impact for our students and balance work load, departments college wide have been looking for ways to save money and create efficiencies. (more…)

President’s Update for May 20, 2016

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. (more…)

May NMC Scan Available!

The latest NMC Scan is now available for download on the ORPE employee site page. This biannual edition is dedicated to understanding demographics on a local, regional, state and national level. Data include population changes, median income levels, unemployment data, high growth occupations and industries in our region, and educational attainment levels to name a few. Check out the May NMC Scan, and please send feedback to kruedinger@nmc.edu.

If you enjoy monitoring trends in the environment such as those topics covered by the NMC Scan, please consider joining a “futures” community of practice lead by faculty member Steve Rice and Scan coordinator Karen Ruedinger. Contact Steve (5-1024) to learn more about this new group starting up in the fall.

GVSU Master of Public Health Open Houses starting June 9

gvsuGrand Valley State University is extremely excited to offer their M.P.H. – Health Promotions program at the Traverse City Regional Center beginning Fall 2016!

The M.P.H. program is accepting applications for the new Traverse City cohort. Classes will be held in late afternoons(typically beginning at 3 p.m.) or evenings, and will be offered both online and at the Traverse City Regional Center. Students will focus on the health promotion emphasis and may choose electives in policy, environmental health, and health disparities.

Want to learn more? Attend one of the M.P.H. Open Houses in June or July. Please RSVP here or at one of the links below:

Benefits Corner – Flexible Spending

Do you have a Flexible Spending Account through Meritain Health?

Please watch for information in your email about their new online system for submitting reimbursement requests!  You will no longer need to use a fax machine!

Kudos!

Kudos- Praise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved. (defined by Merriam-Webster.com) Kudos to the following people and departments! If you know of co-workers who are going above and beyond, nominate them for kudos here! (more…)

Student jobs – Secure a job for the summer or next fall now!

Student jobs can be found on the Student MyNMC page under  “Jobs On Campus.”

Available jobs include:
Tutor – Accounting or Anatomy and Physiology
Hagerty Center – Server, Bartender, Cook and Dishwasher
Fall Resident Assistant
Summer Resident Assistant
Summer Crew
Groundskeeper
Astronomy Lab Assistant
Environmental Sciences Lab Assistant
Science and Math Office Assistant
Financial Aid Office Assistant
President’s Office Assistant
Writing and Reading Center Reader

Position vacancies

Are you looking for career opportunities? Find it here! jobs.nmc.edu. Current openings include:
Hagerty Center – Server, Bartender, Cook and Dishwasher
Adjunct Faculty – Surgical Technology
Major Gifts Officer

NMC hosts a disability awareness panel June 10

NMC’s Office of Disability Support Services and the Aging and Disability Resource Collaborative of Northwest Michigan (ADRCNM) are hosting a free education session – Working with Persons Who Have Disabilities – Friday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to Noon at the Oleson Center Room A/B on NMC’s main campus in Traverse City. Participation via webinar is also available. Registration is required at adrcnmi.org under the Events menu. (Here’s a direct link to the registration form.)

The education session will feature an introduction to disability awareness by Jim Moore from Disability Network Northern Michigan, followed by a panel discussion including people with disabilities who will share their experiences as consumers of services.

This session may be of interest to individuals or organizations (including health and human service agencies) that work with or support persons with disabilities (visible and invisible). For more information please contact info@adrcnmi.org.

FSU Early Childhood Education Open House

ferris-logoFerris State University is now offering a new Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood. Come to our Open House at the University Center on May 25th from 5-6:30 p.m. in room UC 207 to learn more about it!

The University Center is located at 2200 Dendrinos Drive, Traverse City. Light refreshments will be served and advisors/faculty will be available for you to question to your hearts content. Passionate, inspired, and well-qualified, you’ll be highly sought after by a diverse range of child-oriented organizations including Day Care Facilities, Educational Institutions, Hospitals, Preschool & Kindergarten Classrooms and Recreation Centers!

Learn more »

Success Story: Barbecue first date leads to 54-year marriage

May 18, 2016

Art and Judy McManusAmid the throngs bent on a buffalo burger, Cupid once shot an arrow.

On Sunday, his targets — Art McManus and Judy Couturier — plan to attend their 55th NMC Barbecue. They had their first date at the 1962 event (pictured below).

“My girlfriend and I were riding through town, and we met him and his friend. And he asked me to go to the Barbecue the next day,” recalled Judy, who was then 18.

There must have been something in the air besides the scent of barbecue. Six months later, Art and Judy were married. As they embarked on a life raising three children, running a family cherry farm, and professional careers, they always kept the Barbecue date on their calendar.

“Rain, sleet or snow, we’ve been there,” she said. “We just have never missed one.”

The McManuses fill the day with tradition, from visiting the classroom displays to the cakewalk to the newer “buffalo cam” photo opportunity. (Granddaughter Alica Revett is pictured at last year’s event below.) Their entourage has grown from two to as many as 17, now extending to a third generation.

NMC Barbecue in the 1960sThey support NMC for the opportunities it offers residents. All three of their children attended NMC, with one attending Ferris State University through the University Center as well. A grandson is currently enrolled in Davenport University at NMC’s University Center.

“It’s a good thing for the community,” Judy McManus said. “It’s good that (NMC) has all these other universities and colleges that participate with them. It makes it easier for the kids.”

Their Barbecue commitment will be tested this year. The McManuses will be celebrating their granddaughter’s hockey championship at a Tigers game in Detroit Saturday. But they’ll be up bright and early Sunday morning, headed home for the annual picnic under the pines.

“It’s a tradition. We can’t miss it,” Judy McManus said.

Success Story: Barbecue first date leads to 54-year marriage

May 18, 2016

Art and Judy McManusAmid the throngs bent on a buffalo burger, Cupid once shot an arrow.

On Sunday, his targets — Art McManus and Judy Couturier — plan to attend their 55th NMC Barbecue. They had their first date at the 1962 event (pictured below).

“My girlfriend and I were riding through town, and we met him and his friend. And he asked me to go to the Barbecue the next day,” recalled Judy, who was then 18.

There must have been something in the air besides the scent of barbecue. Six months later, Art and Judy were married. As they embarked on a life raising three children, running a family cherry farm, and professional careers, they always kept the Barbecue date on their calendar.

“Rain, sleet or snow, we’ve been there,” she said. “We just have never missed one.”

The McManuses fill the day with tradition, from visiting the classroom displays to the cakewalk to the newer “buffalo cam” photo opportunity. (Grandaughter Alica Revett is pictured at last year’s event below.) Their entourage has grown from two to as many as 17, now extending to a third generation.

NMC Barbecue in the 1960sThey support NMC for the opportunities it offers residents. All three of their children attended NMC, with one attending Ferris State University through the University Center as well. A grandson is currently enrolled in Davenport University at NMC’s University Center.

“It’s a good thing for the community,” Judy McManus said. “It’s good that (NMC) has all these other universities and colleges that participate with them. It makes it easier for the kids.”

Their Barbecue commitment will be tested this year. The McManuses will be celebrating their granddaughter’s hockey championship at a Tigers game in Detroit Saturday. But they’ll be up bright and early Sunday morning, headed home for the annual picnic under the pines.

“It’s a tradition. We can’t miss it,” Judy McManus said.