Jan 31, 2022 | Intercom, Media Mentions
The following college events and stories have appeared in the media recently. We want to share your media involvement too. Please send information about your NMC-related interview or appearance to publicrelations@nmc.edu. If possible, please include a link to the piece and information about where and when it was used.
Please note access to some stories may be limited by paywalls set up by the media outlet. This includes the Traverse City Record-Eagle, which limits free clicks to five per month. You may also read Record-Eagle articles in the print edition at the NMC Library.
Board approves ‘NMC Next’ strategic plan
Record-Eagle, January 25
9&10 News, January 25 (more…)
Jan 28, 2022 | Intercom
Thank you to everyone who attended the Spring 2022 Town Hall Friday, Jan. 28. A recording is now available here.
The program included updates regarding enrollment, COVID-19, the NMC NEXT Strategic Plan and other topics, including a quiz with a chance to win lunch at Lobdell’s with NMC President Nick Nissley.
Jan 28, 2022 | Intercom
President Nick Nissley reintroduced President’s Council at this morning’s Town Hall. To add a little fun, he shared a trivia challenge to see who knows what about PC members. This short quiz is open until 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. We will choose five of the top entries to join President Nissley at Lobdell’s for lunch!
(Please note: We ARE offering partial credit for answers and don’t worry, quiz results will not impact your GPA or your permanent record.)
Thanks for playing, and watch the Intercom for answers and winners!
Jan 27, 2022 | Intercom, Tech Bytes
Using bookmarks in a browser makes it easy to return to web pages that are important to you.
Check out this brief 5-minute video on using Bookmarks in a Chrome Browser.
Jan 27, 2022 | Student News, Tech Bytes
Check out these quick posts and videos that keep you up-to-date on technology.
Take a look at the following videos to get help with the Technology Help Desk, Moodle Forums and Zoom.
Jan 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
The Passport Student Talk Series is a chance to explore other cultures through the experiences of NMC students.
Please join us Friday, Feb. 11 from 12:15–1 p.m. in West Hall Room 106 to hear one of our NMC students, Olesya Nikolaeva, talk about her home country of Russia.
Feel free to bring your lunch along as we relax and learn about this fascinating country.
Global Endorsement students, please bring your GE passport so that it can be stamped to earn your GE event points!
Jan 27, 2022 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Magda Stewart: Magda arranged for nursing students to attend the Munson Virtual Provider Symposium, providing an opportunity for future nurses to interact, learn from and engage with Munson Healthcare providers, as well as providers from the University of Michigan, on topics including non-opioid pain management and ethical considerations during the COVID pandemic. Thank you for connecting our students to these incredible educational opportunities.
Experts suggest maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” increases positivity for yourself and for others. Please encourage your colleagues by submitting a KUDOS. Let them know you appreciate their hard work and are thinking of them!
Jan 27, 2022 | HR Corner, Intercom
Welcome to NMC!
- Leah Nelson — Residence Hall Front Desk
- Ryan Ward — Adjunct Aviation Instructor
- Tiff Falls — Milliken Auditorium Technician Assistant
Jan 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
NOTE: Updated March 1 to note that face masks are now recommended rather than required.
TRAVERSE CITY — Employers are invited to register for Northwestern Michigan College’s 16th annual Career Fair, to be held March 3 at the Hagerty Center on the Great Lakes Campus.
Held in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works and Networks Northwest, the Career Fair runs from 2–6 p.m. Employers will have the opportunity to recruit job-seekers for career-track, seasonal and entry-level positions as well as internships and service learning.
The event is open to students, NMC alumni and community members. Employer registration is $25 and available online. Due to COVID-19, participants are limited and face masks are recommended at the event.
To register or for more information, visit nmc.edu/career-fair.
Release date: JANUARY 27, 2022
For more information:
Katie Sommer-Ford
NMC Advising Center
ksommer@nmc.edu
231-995-1040
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
Jan 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
NOTE: Updated March 1 to note that face masks are now recommended rather than required.
TRAVERSE CITY — Employers are invited to register for Northwestern Michigan College’s 16th annual Career Fair, to be held March 3 at the Hagerty Center on the Great Lakes Campus.
Held in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works and Networks Northwest, the Career Fair runs from 2–6 p.m. Employers will have the opportunity to recruit job-seekers for career-track, seasonal and entry-level positions as well as internships and service learning.
The event is open to students, NMC alumni and community members. Employer registration is $25 and available online. Due to COVID-19, participants are limited and face masks are recommended at the event.
To register or for more information, visit nmc.edu/career-fair.
Release date: JANUARY 27, 2022
For more information:
Katie Sommer-Ford
NMC Advising Center
ksommer@nmc.edu
231-995-1040
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
Jan 27, 2022 | Intercom, President Updates
It’s an exciting and busy time at NMC! Please join us for a virtual town hall to hear the latest from President Nissley on the work that unites us as a college community, including the official launch of NMC Next our new strategic plan!
The event is planned for this Friday, January 28, 2022, from 8–9 a.m. Topics will include: enrollment, NMC Next Strategic Plan, COVID-19, Q&A, and a little something for each of you!
The session will be recorded for those unable to attend.
To join, please use the Zoom webinar link included below or in the calendar appointment.
When: Jan 28, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Town Hall – Spring 2022
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
US: +16465588656,,92440559833# or +13017158592,,92440559833#
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 924 4055 9833
We look forward to coming together as a college community Friday morning! See you then!
—
President’s Office
1701 E. Front Street
Traverse City, MI
Phone: (231) 995-1010
Jan 26, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
January 26, 2022
If a strategic plan is a roadmap, where will NMC Next take the college? Following unanimous approval by NMC’s Board of Trustees Monday, imagine the impact on the Grand Traverse region:
View/download the brochure »Residents who want to upskill or change careers are reaching their goals faster with accelerated programs, more online options and expanded credential choices. By engaging with hands-on, real-world problem solving, they’re also having a richer experience and becoming independent, self-directed learners, skills they’ll bring into the workforce.
In the most diverse era ever, the college is a model for diversity, equity and inclusion, exemplifying how other regional employers can attract talent and serve customers. Mutually beneficial partnerships, like the ones nursing enjoys with Munson Medical Center, and culinary with the region’s hospitality industry, are visible on multiple campuses. Taxpayers will report even higher levels of satisfaction with “our community’s college.”
All of those are among the plan’s 24 objectives and action items, which fall under five strategic goal areas:
- Future-focused education
- Student engagement and success
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Community partnership and engagement
- Institutional distinction and sustainability
Progress will be measured and made available through trackers for each area at nmc.edu/strategic-plan.
The vote is the culmination of NMC’s most comprehensive strategic planning process in decades, which began in February 2021 and drew input across all college constituencies. From community to students and trustees to faculty and staff, more than 1,000 participants provided input to the process, including answering surveys, participating in focus groups and feedback sessions and serving on the work team or steering committee.
“The voices and critical insights of the entire NMC community are central to the success of NMC Next, and I’m so gratified by how generously our many stakeholders have shared their time and talents,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “This data-driven plan positions us to meet the needs of the region, be a community college leader, yet also agile enough to adapt to changing conditions in higher education.”
Jan 25, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a new strategic plan, NMC Next, which will guide the college through 2025 at its regular meeting Monday.
The vote is the culmination of NMC’s most comprehensive strategic planning process in decades, which began in February 2021 and drew input across all college constituencies. From community to students and trustees to faculty and staff, more than 1,000 participants provided input to the process, including answering surveys, participating in focus groups and feedback sessions and serving on the work team or steering committee.
“The voices and critical insights of the entire NMC community are central to the success of NMC Next, and I’m so gratified by how generously our many stakeholders have shared their time and talents,” said President Nick Nissley. “This data-driven plan positions us to meet the needs of the region, be a community college leader, yet also agile enough to adapt to changing conditions in higher education.”
The college now will begin to measure progress on the plan’s 24 objectives and action items, which fall under five strategic goal areas:
- Future-focused education
- Student engagement and success
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Community partnership and engagement
- Institutional distinction and sustainability
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Jason Slade will oversee the plan implementation. The college has already achieved one objective with the hiring of Marcus Bennett as special assistant to the president for diversity, equity and inclusion. Each area will see activity this year, involving the whole college, Slade said.
“We’ll need everybody’s help in getting to those goals,” he said, which will help keep NMC at the forefront of higher education.
The college will also hold itself publicly accountable by maintaining online progress trackers in each area, at nmc.edu/strategic-plan.
Release date: JANUARY 25, 2022
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Jan 24, 2022 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
Thank you to the more than 1,000 participants in NMC Next, the year-long strategic planning process and plan scheduled for final approval by the Board of Trustees tonight.
NMC Next is the result of the effort and energy expended collegewide, from answering a survey to participating in a feedback session to serving on the work team or steering committee.
Jan 24, 2022 | HR Corner, Intercom
Welcome to NMC!
- Nic Pickard — Technology Help Desk Assistant
- Josie Clement — Environmental Science Laboratory Assistant
- Aric Fowler — Kitchen & Dining Room Help at Lobdell’s
Jan 24, 2022 | HR Corner, Intercom
Guidelines on Coverage:
Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover at no cost to the member eight individual over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual within a 30-day period without a prescription from a healthcare professional. This means a family of four, all on the same plan, can purchase up to 32 tests covered 100% by their health plan per month. Note: this is per test, not box (so if there are two tests in a box, that counts for two tests).
Here is a description of the coverage from the U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services.
If you are enrolled in NMC’s Priority Health medical coverage, here is a link to the reimbursement form. Priority Health is working on an automated process so coverage works the same as all other prescriptions, but it has not yet been released.
Jan 24, 2022 | DEI Insights and Conversations, Intercom
Check out this HuffPost article about a woman’s experiences as a Black woman who passes as white. Read the article here.
Please fill out this DEI Intercom Post Feedback Form to be part of our conversation and offer feedback or suggestions on what is being shared.
Jan 24, 2022 | Intercom
Hello all,
NMC’s leadership team continues to monitor the federal government’s efforts to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees with 100 or more employees. We have been advised that this mandate will likely continue to be blocked by legal challenges. We are not planning to take additional steps toward implementing such a mandate at this time.
We will continue to pay close attention to these developments. Our priorities continue to be on safety and legal compliance, while limiting disruption to learning.
Mark
—
Mark Liebling
AVP of Human Resources
1701 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 995-1342
Jan 24, 2022 | Intercom, Media Mentions
The following college events and stories have appeared in the media recently. We want to share your media involvement too. Please send information about your NMC-related interview or appearance to publicrelations@nmc.edu. If possible, please include a link to the piece and information about where and when it was used.
Please note access to some stories may be limited by paywalls set up by the media outlet. This includes the Traverse City Record-Eagle, which limits free clicks to five per month. You may also read Record-Eagle articles in the print edition at the NMC Library.
Rachel Johnson Named NMC’s Board Chair For 2022
The Ticker, January 20 (more…)
Jan 20, 2022 | Intercom
Dear Instructors,
With Spring semester underway and the prevalence of the omicron variant in our region, we’re experiencing an increase in reported COVID-19 cases in our campus community. In an effort to maintain a safe learning environment and improve the efficiency of contact tracing, we’d like to review our current protocols for what to do when a student or instructor tests positive:
If a student tests positive for COVID-19
- Report all positive (student) cases through NMC’s Red Flag incident reporting system:
- Check “Health Concerns” in the questions section.
- Please include:
- The best contact information for the student (cell and/or email)
- The room number of your class
- The time class met
- Any other information related to unusually close or lengthy contact with additional students (i.e. lab partner)
- Please ask the student to contact NMC Health Services to expedite reporting and follow-up.
- To maintain student privacy, we strongly discourage notifying an entire classroom if a student in your classroom tests positive.
- Health Services is responsible for contact tracing, focusing on close contacts since they are most at risk. Should the instructor choose to notify an entire class of a case in their classroom, it’s very important not to identify the student who tested positive. Exclude their name and other personally identifiable information.
- If Health Services is made aware of or discovers a student case before an instructor, they will notify the instructor as soon as possible.
- If Health Services identifies multiple classroom cases, they will notify the instructor and arrange a meeting to assess the need to pivot to virtual instruction or cancel for a period of time.
- Instructors should contact Health Services immediately (via the Red Flag process outlined above) if multiple student cases are discovered by the faculty member first.
- Instructors should then follow guidelines for “Multiple Classroom Cases” in determining whether to temporarily shift the course online.
If an instructor tests positive for COVID-19
- The instructor should notify their supervisor and Human Resources (include Hollie DeWalt and Mark Liebling).
- Coursework may be temporarily cancelled, adjusted or shifted online at the discretion of the instructor during quarantine (generally 5 days unless symptoms persist).
Rapid testing resources
- Health Services provides free rapid testing services for all students.
- Health Services also provides testing services to faculty and staff who experience on-the-job exposures. Due to limited resources, testing services are not available for employees who are exposed elsewhere in the community.
- Free COVID-19 rapid-testing sites near you can be found here and are also available through COVIDtests.gov
Please also note the dates and locations of potential campus exposures are posted to NMC’s COVID-19 dashboard by 4 p.m. weekdays.
Thank you,
Troy Kierczynski
Vice President of Finance & Administration
Administrative Services
(231) 995-1147 | www.nmc.edu
Jan 19, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College trustees on Wednesday elected new officers for 2022.
Rachel A. Johnson was elected chair, Laura J. Oblinger vice chair, Kenneth E. Warner treasurer and Andrew K. Robitshek secretary.
Johnson was originally appointed to the Board November 14, 2016, to fill a vacancy. In November 2018, she was re-elected to serve the remainder of the vacancy term and in November 2020 was elected to serve a six-year term expiring in 2026.
Release date: JANUARY 19, 2022
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Jan 19, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College trustees on Wednesday elected new officers for 2022.
Rachel A. Johnson was elected chair, Laura J. Oblinger vice chair, Kenneth E. Warner treasurer and Andrew K. Robitshek secretary.
Johnson was originally appointed to the Board November 14, 2016, to fill a vacancy. In November 2018, she was re-elected to serve the remainder of the vacancy term and in November 2020 was elected to serve a six-year term expiring in 2026.
Release date: JANUARY 19, 2022
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Jan 18, 2022 | Student News
Good afternoon NMC students,
Welcome to the spring semester! Whether you are a new or returning student, please review NMC’s COVID-19 safety precautions. Our goals remain the same as they have since the pandemic began in March 2020: Keep our campus community safe while limiting the disruption to learning.
Masks:
- NMC’s requirement that everyone wear face masks while indoors on campus continues. We highly recommend using N-95 or KN-95 respirators.
- N-95 or KN-95 respirators are available for the campus community at the following designated locations during regular business hours:
- Main Campus – Health Services (LB106)
- Aero Park Campus – Parsons-Stulen Welcome Desk (PS104)
- Great Lakes Campus – GLMA front desk or GLCI faculty suite
- University Center – Extended Educational Services suite (main entrance)
- Surgical masks are provided at the entrances to all buildings and signage also informs students, faculty and staff and visitors.
- This video shows how to properly wear a face mask and other simple COVID precautions.
Cases on campus reporting:
- As announced in December, cases on campus will be reported via the dashboard, not campuswide emails. Links to the dashboard are on the home page, MyNMC page (top left corner) and in every issue of the emailed Student News.
- Flow charts for what to do if you test positive have been updated with the newest CDC-recommended quarantine criteria (generally, reduced from 10 to 5 days.) The chart is available on the MyNMC page (top left corner) and on NMC’s COVID hub page.
- NMC will monitor cases on campus and take further action as necessary, such as the temporary shift to online learning.
Vaccination and testing:
Vaccines remain the best protection against COVID-19, especially against severe illness. Vaccines are widely available for ages 5 and up.
- NMC will host a free vaccination clinic from 1-4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24 in the Innovation Center. Visit vaccines.gov to find other locations.
- Every home in the U.S. may order four free at-home tests. Tests are shipped by the U.S. Postal Service and may be ordered online.
- Testing is available by appointment from NMC Health Services if you are having symptoms or were exposed AT NMC. Call (231) 995-1255. Find other testing locations here (scroll to get tested if you have symptoms.)
Other resources:
- Updated 1/6/22 with the latest CDC guidance:
nmc.edu/covid19 is NMC’s hub for all COVID information. Please use the feedback form found there if you have questions.
The health and safety of everyone on campus requires everyone to do their part. We wish you the best this semester.
—
NMC Public Relations
Jan 18, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
Free at-home COVID-19 tests can now be ordered thorough the U.S. Postal Service at this address – special.usps.com/testkits.
U.S. households can each order one set of four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, and the orders will start shipping in late January.
Jan 18, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees will begin livestreaming its regular meetings on the college’s YouTube channel beginning with this month’s Jan. 24 meeting.
The board unanimously approved adding the livestreaming option at its December 20, 2021 meeting with the goal of increasing transparency, accessibility and convenience. Participants wanting to make public comment may do so in-person at the meeting. Video of the meetings will continue to be posted to the college’s YouTube channel after the meetings.
The board usually meets the fourth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The 2022 calendar is available here.
Release date: January 14, 2022
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Guess Who? (PC edition)