Scavenger hunt
Innovation Grants are due April 1
To submit an innovation grant click here » or check out the “quick links” on the NMC Foundation’s home page at www.nmc.edu/foundation
Please note that ALL applicants are required to do a 2-5 minute presentation for the committee plus plan 5 minutes for Q&A.
Intercom and Student News contributions
Any items you wish to have posted in the Intercom and Student News can be sent to publicrelations@nmc.edu.
Position Vacancies
For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/ Information on internal postings has been emailed.
Benefits Corner
BENEFITS OVERVIEW AND REFRESHER
How would you like to feel like a new employee again? HR will be hosting several 1-hour meetings called “Benefits Overview and Refresher”. These are intended to give our current regular employees an opportunity to brush up on the benefits that NMC offers to them and answer questions you might have on how they are administered, tracked, etc. Topics will include:
- Leave benefits and how to use them – sick leave, vacation, personal days, and more
- Voluntary benefit options
- Changes to MPSERS after the reform election
- NMC insurances – medical, dental, vision, life, and LTD
- Employee Wellness @ Work Program
Appointments will be sent for the following times – choose and accept one if you are interested!
Monday, 4/15/13 12:30-1:30 pm SH104
Tuesday, 4/16/13 11:00-12:00 pm UC212
Tuesday, 4/16/13 1:30-2:30 pm O203
Tuesday, 4/16/13 3:30-4:30 pm O203
Wednesday, 4/17/13 11:30-12:30 pm PS226
Employee Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Vicki Cook Vice President of Finance & Administration 11 years
Brian Lewis Groundskeeper 24 years
Dave Sobolewski Chief Engineer-Motor-Maritime Academy 11 years
Alison Thornton Coordinator of Technology Support Services 11 years
Scott Williams Sous Chef 3 years
Book launch April 7
Sparrow Migrations, the new novel by NMC employee Cari Noga, will be available at Brilliant Books, Horizon Books and Amazon.com beginning April, 2013. Cari tells the story of Robby Palmer, a 12-year-old boy with autism, who witnesses the “Miracle on the Hudson” plane crash. He and other crash witnesses and survivors find their lives intersecting and transformed by the extraordinary event–and by each other. Please support Cari and this exciting new book at a Book Launch Party on Sunday April 7, 2-4 pm at Brilliant Books 118 E. Front St. in Traverse City.
“sophisticated…brimming with humanity and grace.” ABNA Publishers Weekly reviewer
Angell-Williams Scholarship for Natural Science majors now accepting applications
The Science and Math Department is now accepting applications for the Angell-Williams scholarship for Natural Science majors. Click HERE for the application or visit the Science/Math Department office for more information. 
New toll free number makes connecting with NMC easy for prospective students
Learning about and applying to NMC just got easier! The Admissions Team is pleased to announce the launching of a new toll free number for prospective students: 1-855-FIND-NMC.
This easy to remember phone number will connect callers directly to Admissions where they can get answers to questions about starting college, coming back to college, the application process, or anything else to help students start at NMC.
Share 1-855-FIND NMC today!
Take a sleep survey
A group of NMC social work students are working to build awareness of the importance of good sleep hygiene and are trying to educate college students and staff of what good sleep hygiene means, and how good sleep habits and poor sleep habits can affect their education. They have composed a very short survey and need your help.
By taking this survey it allows you to keep track of the amount of sleep you get each day as well as your sleepiness throughout the day.This also benefits Northwestern Michigan College as it will give insight to the quality of sleep that students receive and provide evidence of a possible need for sleep hygiene related services (i.e, a relaxation lounge or other sleep hygiene resources) being available to students.
When you click the link below it is very important that you remember the password: survey
Welcome Bryan Wurm to NMC!
Bryan has joined the NMC as supplemental staff in the Financial Aid Office on March 25, 2013. He can be reached at (231) 995-1533 or bwurm@nmc.edu.
Bryan and his wife Janice were both “born and raised” here in Traverse City. He grew up on the Brown Bridge Dam (no, he has not been back to see the mess they made) and attended Kingsley High School. He is an avid outdoors-man and he and his wife are into competitive shooting sports. They love to bike the wilds of Wexford County and photograph the abundant wildlife that roams their back yard.
East Hall seeks six Resident Assistants for the 2013-2014 academic school year
Want to learn more about one of the best student employee jobs on campus? This job allows you to meet new people, help residents on campus, go to conferences, and so much more! The Office of Residence Life will have six openings for the Resident Assistant (RA) position for the 2013-2014 academic school year. As a RA you will be putting on programs for the residence hall on campus, being responsible for the safety and well-being of about 40 residents on your floor, and having a blast! To compensate your work for us, you will be provided with room and board in East Hall. I bet you are wondering, “How do I apply for such position?” Online applications will be posted to http://www.nmc.edu/jobs starting March 15th. If you want to know more about the position you can come to one of our Information Nights listed below. You will have a mandatory job shadowing and group process activity, also listed below. Applications will be due on March 29th. Before you apply make sure you meet the requirements of the job. You must have at least 12 completed NMC credits and have a cumulative GPA of a 2.5 or higher.
RA Info nights:
March 18, 8-9pm in HS 100 on the Main campus
March 19, 7-8pm in UC Room 9 on the University Center Campus
March 20, 10-11pm in East Hall Basement on the Main Campus
Job Shadowing (Mandatory must attend one of the times):
Meeting in East Hall’s Lobby
April 11, 12, 13
8pm, 10pm, 12am, 2 am
RA Group Process Event (Mandatory must attend):
Meeting in East Hall’s basement
April 14, 2013
7:00pm
Any questions please feel free to contact Linda Wilde at lwilde@nmc.edu or 231-995-1405 or Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu or 231-995-1401.
ACHIEVE Your Goals in East Hall!
Adapted in TC: Dancing with all the other stars
NMC instructor Susan Odgers’ most recent Adapted in TC column from the Record-Eagle: http://record-eagle.com/susanodgers/x2109938271/Adapted-in-TC-Dancing-with-all-the-other-stars
This Month in History
50 Years ago
- Candidates were chosen for the 1963 Campus Queen
- Record-Eagle staffer Ken Parker editorialized that the city should pave the streets serving NMC since “the enrollment is constantly increasing … and the prospect for even more pressure is great in view of the current construction of a dormitory and science building on the grounds. In addition, the college being adjacent to the high school property suffers by comparison in the shabby approach it offers.”
25 Years Ago:
- NMC considered purchasing the Senior High in order to provide additional classrooms for the college’s increasing enrollment.
- Actor Larry Linville, aka “Major Frank Burns,” detailed the story of M*A*S*H. (see photo)
From the NMC Archives at the Osterlin Library
NMC’s EES program featured in New York Times
Monday’s New York Times Education section had an article on entrepreneurship certificates and featured the small-business/entrepreneurship certificate offered through NMC’s Extended Education Services. Julie Doyal, EES Program Coordinator is featured in the article.
NMC faculty/staff can golf at a special price
Held every year in early August, the NMC Scholarship Open is the premier tournament in northern Michigan, raising funds for Honors, Presidential and Academic Area Scholarships.
This year’s event will be held August 1 at the Grand Traverse Resort.
Golfer fees for both the Wolverine and the Bear are $200 each for the public, but NMC employees and retirees will receive a special price of $175!
Registration fees may be paid through payroll deduction. Contact the NMC Foundation/Resource Development office at 995-1021 if you’d like to join in the fun!
Benefits Corner
CHECKING YOUR LEAVE BALANCES ON SELF SERVICE
Do you ever wonder how much vacation or sick time you currently have? Ever wonder how close to the maximum you have of accrued leave hours? You can look up your leave balances in Self-Service. Just click on the following…..
Employee Menu
Leave Balances
You can also go directly to this screen by selecting Leave Balances at the bottom of your online paystub in Self-Service.
We encourage you to check your balances before you request and submit time off, just to be sure that you have the leave time available. If you wonder how you accrue time, you can access the Employee Benefits Summaries available on the Human Resources Salaries & Benefits webpage.
Staff Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Jim Coughlin Science/Math Instructor 26 years
Dave Crawford Specialist – Bridge/OPEN Learning Center 20 years
Mike Jacobson Science/Math & Social Science Instructor 24 years
Kudos
Do not underestimate the humble, ENG 111. John Mauk’s teaching methods personify the first three categories of NMC values so well that, in doing so, they also “exceed expectations” in the remaining five categories. Every student in Mauk’s ENG 111 is given the opportunity and encouragement to contribute their individual perspectives; to participate and investigate in the social and mental exercise that is learning. Kudos to John for his dedication to teaching the art of rhetoric, and for a mind-opening experience that undoubtedly “pays forward” to our community and beyond. Thank you, Dr. Mauk, for the gift of empowerment through language! (This was submitted anonymously by a student.)
Michael Rutledge gave a wonderful “best practices” presentation at the NMC Adjunct Social Gathering March 15, 2013. We all learned a great deal, and his passion for teaching and our students is tremendous. This was all done on his own time.
Dorothy Eisenstein gave a “best practices” presentation at the NMC Adjunct Social Gathering March 15, 2013. Dorothy’s presentation was profound…deep in its understanding of our students and the need to be creative in balancing the planned/spontaneous. Dorothy delivered this presentation on her own time.
Mark DeLonge addressed the NMC Adjunct Social Gathering March 15, 2013 regarding technology options for sharing “everything adjunct”. His presentation was comprehensive and timely. He answered the attendees’ questions with his usual wit, heart and knowledge. Mark did this presentation on his own time.
Darla agreed to be the technology contact person for the NMC Adjunct Organization. Working with Mark DeLonge, she will help create websites that will serve as places for adjunct faculty to share everything from their “best practices” to concerns. Darla stepped up to the task with enthusiasm and vision. Wonderful example of leadership!
Michael Rutledge was featured in a recent story by Record Eagle reporter Anne Stanton regarding education and military veterans. Michael shared a great deal of his personal story in an effort to help others. His input, along with comments from Scott Herzberg, Jim Press, Ms. Bean and others, helps our military veteran students know that comprehensive help is available to them at NMC. Excellent showing of compassion, courage and leadership on Michael’s part.
Position vacancies
For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/ Information on internal postings has been emailed.
Intercom and Student News contributions
Any items you wish to have posted in the Intercom and Student News can be sent to publicrelations@nmc.edu.
Employee Engagement Survey update
Congratulations to Dave Wilson, adjunct in the technical division, who won a $200 Best Buy gift certificate for having completed the survey in the first week it was available. There are still two gift certificates ($100 and $50) to be given away! As of 3/19 a total of 273 surveys had been completed representing 38% of all employees. We need to hear from more of you in order to surpass last year’s response rate. Please take 10-15 minutes to share your feedback via the survey by following the instructions provided in an email you have received from Stromp Research & Consulting. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Karen Ruedinger in the Office of Research, Planning and Effectiveness at 995-1032 or via email at kruedinger@nmc.edu.
Window on the World week continues
A week of intercultural awareness continues with a number of free opportunities to metaphorically “leave the country” and explore the rest of the world.
Visit www.nmc.edu/window for the complete schedule and get ready to get global!
Students, staff and faculty gain free access to archives of Traverse City newspapers
NMC students, faculty, and staff now have free access to a database containing issues of Traverse City newspapers.
The digital newspaper archive covers the years 1858-1977, 1988-1989, and 2009-2012, and can be accessed from the library’s homepage in the A to Z Database List.
Any years not covered are still available on microfilm at the Osterlin Library. Indexing for the newspapers is available online in the library’s institutional repository also in the A to Z Database List.
Questions? Call 995-1540
Behavioral Intervention Report Team (BIRT)
What is the purpose of the Team?
The Behavioral Intervention Report Team is a group of college officials, including mental health staff, that meets on a regular basis to consult and intervene early and provide support and behavioral response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, distressed and/or dysregulated behaviors.
In addition, the BIRT team is a resource designed for the supervisor or department manager in assessing warning signs and potential threats from students and suggests possible strategies in response to acts of intimidation or threats of violence.
How can the team support me?
If you are a supervisor, faculty member or manager, you may call Human Resources to discuss the situation, or you may notify any member of the Behavioral Intervention Response Team (BIRT). Any member of BIRT may convene a team meeting if s/he thinks a situation warrants such action. The Team will meet with the supervisor, department manager and others, if necessary, to gather information, evaluate the situation, and to recommend resources and action that may be appropriate.
Warning Signs
There is no exact method to predict when a person will become violent. One or more of these warning signs may be displayed before a person becomes violent, but they do not necessarily indicate that an individual will become violent. A display of these signs should trigger concern as they are usually exhibited by people experiencing problems.
· Verbal, nonverbal, or written threats – or intimidation, explicit or subtle
· Fascination with weaponry and/or acts of violence – carrying a concealed weapon
· Expression of a plan to hurt self/others
· Feelings of persecution, expressed distrust, especially with management
· Fear reaction to employee among coworkers/clients
· Expression of extreme desperation over family, financial or personal problems
· Frequent interpersonal conflicts
· Unable to take criticism of job performance
· Displays of unwarranted anger
· Moral righteousness – believing the organization is not following its rules
· Violence toward inanimate objects
· Sabotaging projects, computer programs or equipment
· Holding a grudge against a specific person; verbalizing a hope that something will happen to him/her
Those who witness these warning signs are strongly encouraged to inform their supervisors or faculty member. Managers and supervisors are encouraged to consult with the Behavioral Intervention Report Team (BIRT) to attempt to prevent a difficult situation from escalating into violence. If a staff or faculty member feels that they are encountering an emergency situation on campus, they are asked to call 911 before consulting the BIRT team