Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of \u201cKeeping Learning at the Center.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Faculty and Staff Activities of Note:<\/b><\/p>\n
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Agenda,\u00a0Strategic Directions and Goals are provided where possible.<\/p>\n
\u2022 You have all received notice of our HLC accreditation approval to offer a Bachelor of\u00a0Science in Maritime Technology making NMC the first Michigan community college to be\u00a0able to offer a bachelor\u2019s degree. This is a huge accomplishment resulting from the\u00a0perseverance of many from NMC, regional partners, MCCA, legislators, and industries.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, this provides great value to our learners. Thank you to all! We are\u00a0establishing meeting times for our cadets to discuss their individual options and their\u00a0academic plans. (SD1,SD3,SD5)<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Anti-Bullying Task Force of Northwestern Michigan had its 2nd annual conference on\u00a0Friday, October 25 from 8:30am – 3:45pm at NMC\u2019s Hagerty Center. Over 355 attendees\u00a0participated in this conference. NMC was the host of this event and also the fiduciary agency\u00a0for receiving donations and processing invoices. Many regional partners are working\u00a0together to create a kinder and gentler community in both Traverse City and throughout\u00a0northern Michigan. (SD3)<\/p>\n
\u2022 NMC Associate Dean of Student Life Lisa Thomas participated in the Fostering Success\u00a0webinar on October 29. Fostering Success Michigan is a state wide program that works to\u00a0support and network educational partners who are providing access and services to foster\u00a0youth who are seeking a college experience and degree. Since the fall of 2012, our Student\u00a0Life office has been in a partnership with our local DHS office in Grand Traverse County to\u00a0support local foster youth who wish to attend NMC. We have worked particularly close with\u00a0their Education Planner-Northwest Region, Susie Greenfelder, on collaborating to reduce\u00a0barriers for our foster youth who are seeking an education at NMC. This partnership began\u00a0with discussions and meetings particularly with Student Life, Admissions and Financial Aid\u00a0to address and reduce barriers to foster youth applying to the college, and providing\u00a0supportive services once they begin the college experience here. Our partnership with DHS\u00a0came to the attention of the director of Outreach and Training from Fostering Success this\u00a0past spring, who ultimately asked NMC to participate in their webinar to highlight our\u00a0program due to its initial success, and because this is the first community college setting in\u00a0which the fostering success model has been initiated. It was a very successful webinar, and\u00a0we have received a great deal of positive feedback about our approach and partnership to\u00a0serving our foster youth in this area. We are also in the process of being the first community\u00a0college listed in the Fostering Success Resource Guide (in their January edition). Other key\u00a0partners on our campus include Pam Palermo in Financial Aid, Marcus Bennett in Residence\u00a0Life, and Cathryn Claerhout and Elizabeth Stevens in Admissions who have been great\u00a0supporters to this initiative. (SD1,SD3)<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Aero Park Professional Testing Center (APPTC) is now an approved partner with Castle\u00a0Worldwide, Inc., a global venue for certification and licensure tests. Testing programs\u00a0offered by Castle include:<\/p>\n
The APPTC is associated with an array of testing platforms to deliver high-stake exams for\u00a0students and community members. Castle joins the expanding list of testing partners:<\/p>\n
(SD1,SD3,SD5)<\/p>\n
\u2022 This past Saturday, all of our programs involved in robotics related endeavors hosted an open\u00a0house to show the public what we are providing and to support our student led \u201cFood for\u00a0Thought\u201d class project. There was a steady stream of visitors throughout the day. Thanks to\u00a0Trustees who attended and to all who participated. (SD1, SD2)<\/p>\n
\u2022 The GirlTech program yesterday was a huge success. Over 200 young women were able to\u00a0hear about jobs and careers where there is a historically low percentage of women\u00a0participation. This is an annual event that NMC and the TBAISD jointly convene. Thanks to\u00a0all involved. (SD1, SD2)<\/p>\n
Activities of Note:<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 On October 28 Chris Webber and I met with the Chinese Exchange Advisory Committee,\u00a0whose membership includes representatives from the Council of Governments, TCAPS,\u00a0Munson Healthcare, the Chamber, Record-Eagle, and Rotary. This is the community group\u00a0that listens, reacts and provides insight as the TCAPS China project unfolds. Both Chris and\u00a0I are members of this group.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I continue to meet with the TNT Group, a group of retired Dow executives who live in our\u00a0region. This group was first invited to meet with me by Bruce Byl, NMC Foundation\u00a0Trustee, after I asked for opportunities to meet with affinity groups in town. They picked the\u00a0name TNT (Tim Nelson\u2019s Team).<\/p>\n
\u2022 I traveled to Lansing the evening of October 31 for the MCCA President\u2019s Committee\u00a0meeting the following morning. We had a lengthy discussion about the Voluntary\u00a0Framework of Accountability and how it might be used by all of our community colleges in\u00a0Michigan to better tell the story of our efforts. I believe most if not all colleges will choose\u00a0to participate.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I meet with the various departmental units of the college each semester and met with the\u00a0Administrative Services management team on November 5, the Science and Math academic\u00a0are on November 7, the Facilities 2nd and 3rd shift on November 12. I appreciate the\u00a0opportunity to have conversations in these smaller settings.<\/p>\n
\u2022 As a result of hosting the 40 Under 40 group for a conversation session, I have several\u00a0follow-up meetings scheduled. One of those was a meeting with Sam Porter, CEO of\u00a0Spectacular Structures, Microbrew & Music Festival and Porterhouse Productions. There is a\u00a0significant collection of young entrepreneurs that work on the 2nd floors of many of our\u00a0downtown buildings. We are reaching out to them to better understand their needs, their\u00a0thoughts about the future of our community and their opinions about where NMC is headed\u00a0with our strategic plan.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I had the second of five employee conversations scheduled this semester on November 6.\u00a0These sessions are open to all employees to provide an opportunity for informal dialog about\u00a0any issues the group desire to talk about. I typically start the ball rolling with an update and\u00a0then let the interests of the group lead the discussions.<\/p>\n
\u2022 As part of the US Brazil Connect program, we had 4 visiting students from Brazil and 2\u00a0advisors on campus last week that I had the pleasure of meeting. First as part of a group\u00a0sharing session with our NMC students who visited Brazil this past summer and later in my\u00a0office with just the Brazilian group of students and advisors. This is a program on a relatively\u00a0fast growth path. Our NMC student fellows all shared their experiences from last summer\u00a0and strongly encouraged NMC to continue our participation.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I attended the Munson Healthcare Annual Corporate meeting last Thursday at our Dennos\u00a0Museum Center. As you know, health care is going through significant transformation and\u00a0my belief is that we can learn much from their experience. That is why I am so pleased to be\u00a0able to serve on the Munson Medical Center Board and the Munson Health Care Finance\u00a0Committee.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The weather cooperated better that many years for the Mariner\u2019s Memorial service at our\u00a0Great Lakes Campus conducted by NMC\u2019s GLMA. Most all trustees, and many faculty and\u00a0staff members, joined me there last Friday for this annual occasion to remember those\u00a0mariners lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald, among others, in the great storms of the Great\u00a0Lakes.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Many of you also joined me in honoring our Veterans at both the Zonta Festival of Trees\u00a0Veterans reception last Friday evening, and our own NMC Veterans Day Recognition that\u00a0began with a breakfast for Veterans, a Walk of Honor and flag raising ceremony presented by\u00a0the US Coast Guard, and a cake and refreshments reception later in West Hall. Thank you\u00a0Board Chair Doug Bishop for speaking at the flag ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I was joined by several trustees and faculty and staff members at the annual Chamber\u00a0Economic Outlook Breakfast. It is always very interesting to hear the perspective of\u00a0economic experts and they included the importance of community colleges within the\u00a0economic recovery plan. Our Training team also hosted an NMC booth at the Expo\u00a0following the breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I was invited to present at the ThinkTC meeting Tuesday evening, also as a result of the 40\u00a0Under 40 conversations. Their web site is thinktc.org if you are interested in seeing what\u00a0they do. We discussed the future of NMC and I learned a lot about these creative young\u00a0entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I have been invited to attend the History Center \u201cYour Place in History\u201d Community\u00a0Building Breakfast on Wednesday, November 20, 2013, to learn about the History Center\u2019s\u00a0vision to preserve, present and promote the Grand Traverse Region\u2019s rich heritage. Any\u00a0trustee members who would like to attend are invited to do so. The breakfast is in the Lower\u00a0Lakes Room at the Park Place and is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Please call our office by\u00a0Monday mid-day if you plan to attend. Thank you.<\/p>\n
\u2022 As part of our communications plan, I and others will be writing short \u201cthought and\u00a0commentary\u201d pieces. I\u2019ve attached two of those that I wrote earlier this summer. They are\u00a0also being published outside the institution.<\/p>\n
Legislative Issues<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 No major changes have occurred since our last update.<\/p>\n
Miscellaneous<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 I will be joining a few hundred thousand people in the woods of Michigan this weekend. I\u2019ll\u00a0let you know the outcome.<\/p>\n
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