On Tuesday, September 24, members of Skyline College’s Latin American Students Organization, LASO, sponsored an evening out to a Giants-Dodgers game. Many LASO members, families, and friends of LASO, including Skyline College staff members and members of the Associated Students of Skyline College, attended the game to watch the Dodgers win 2-1 after a hard-fought game by both teams. One highlight of the evening was the crowd’s reactions to former Giant pitcher, Brian Wilson, take the mound against his former teammates in the eighth inning when he struck out two of the three batters he faced.

Article by John Saenz. Photos by Andrea Garcia.

The College Governance Council met on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 2 p.m. in Building 4, Room 4343.  The meeting began with constituency reports.

Classified Senate

Linda Allen reported that the Classified Senate will be receiving training in the Brown Act and Robert’s Rules of Parliamentary procedure in order to be consistent with the way other organizations on campus are functioning.  Allen also reported that Ricardo Flores from the CTTL met with them and offered to provide a tour and training.  The Classified Senate is finalizing their logo.  Linda Allen is in consultation with Leigh Anne Shaw as they finalize the bylaws.

Associated Students Skyline College

Kayla Razavi, President of the Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC) reported that 7 new senators have been appointed and have received training on their roles and responsibilities in ASSC.  Kayla and additional student representatives will be attending the California Community Colleges Student Affairs Association and General Assembly conferences.  Kayla reported that she attended the district student council meeting and met two candidates for the Board of Trustees.  ASSC will sponsor an all college event on November 6  on Women Empowerment.  Marlena Jackson and President Stanback Stroud have been invited to speak.

Academic Senate

Leigh Anne Shaw reported that the Academic Senate trained members on the functions of local and district academic senate. Additional work has been done to clarify the plus/minus district grading policy.  The Academic Senate voted to approve the Sustainability plan.  There was high faculty attendance at both of the Strategic Priorities forums.  Kate Browne reported the senate is considering piloting a Wednesday senate meeting instead of the usual Friday time.   Kate reported that the fall plenary session will be held in November in Southern California.

Comprehensive Diversity Framework

President Stanback Stroud reported that the SEEED Committee is finalizing the Comprehensive Diversity Framework.  The Institutional Planning Council will consider it for recommendation at the October meeting.  It is anticipated that the College Governance Council will receive it for action at the October meeting when the Accreditation Site Team is with us.

Student Success Taskforce – Legislation – Response

Dr. Joi Blake, Vice President, Student Services reported that the college is in the process of developing the student success plan (formerly called the matriculation plan).  She would like to set up a workgroup to get broad input and to be sure to create opportunity for student success.  It is recommended that the College Governance Council establish a college wide taskforce that reports to IPC in recommending a college plan to meet the 2014 deadline.  Dr. Blake will provide a more specific timeline.  The recommendation was unanimously approved.

Revised Delineation of Function Map

The revised Delineation of Function Map was considered and unanimously supported.  The revised copy will be posted on the website.

Accreditation – Review Accreditation Quick Guide

Dr. Sarah Perkins, Vice President, Instruction provided an update on the accreditation quick guide.  The document will be published within the next week.  Each constituent group is encouraged to read it in preparation for the visit.  Four hundred hard copies will be available.  The Accreditation Co-chairs, Dr. Perkins and Dr. David Ulate, Dean of Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness will visit various groups and meetings to share the guide.

Educational Master Plan

Dr. Stanback Stroud reported that though the Educational Master Plan has been approved by the board, recommended by IPC and considered by College Council, we were not able to identify the meeting where an actual vote to recommend it for approval was taken.  CGC voted to unanimously support the Educational Master Plan.

Budget and Planning Calendar

IPC recommended that the integrated planning and budget calendar be labeled as a three year calendar.  CGC unanimously voted to recommend the calendar with no year label and is instead labeled the planning and budget calendar cycle.

Balanced Scorecard Goals and Strategies

CGC unanimously supported the IPC recommendation that the Balanced Scorecard Goals and Strategies be identified as three year goals.

Sustainability Plan

CGC unanimously voted to support the Sustainability Plan and to extend commendations to the faculty and staff (Anjana Richards, Carina Anttila-Suarez, Alina Varona, Sabrina Lawrence-Gomez) for their leadership and the work they performed in helping the college develop such an outstanding plan.

Human Resource Plan

The Human Resources Plan emerged from the integrated planning process (consideration of Board Goals, District Strategic Plan goals, College goals, community needs assessment results, multiple plans such as the technology plan, educational master plan, unit reviews, program reviews and administrative leadership unit reviews) and was considered by the Staffing for Student Success Taskforce in Spring 2013.  In May 2013, the taskforce made a recommendation the Institutional Planning Council (IPC).  Last week, IPC voted to recommend the Human Resource Plan to the College Governance Council.  The forums were designed to provide broader communication before CGC considered whether to recommend the plan for adoption.  On Wednesday, the College Governance Committee unanimously voted to recommend the plan for adoption.  CGC unanimously supported the IPC Human Resource Plan recommendation.

Members of CGC discussed the need to provide a mid-point update/evaluation on the implementation of the Human Resource Plan.  Leigh Anne Shaw commended President Stanback Stroud on the concept of the forums and encourage more forums in the future to update information.

Dr. Stanback Stroud provided a few minor changes to the list of positions including the title of the Study Abroad Coordinator, the location of an office assistant and the addition of a program services coordinator for the Career Advancement Academies.

Next meeting agenda

The next meeting will include the following agenda items:  Comprehensive Diversity Framework for Action and invite faculty and staff who led Sustainability work the meeting to receive a commendation.

The meeting was adjourned at 4 p.m.

Article by Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, President.

More than 100 faculty and staff attended two college-wide forums hosted by President Stanback Stroud on Monday and Tuesday of this week in Building 6, Room 6202.  The President and Vice President of Instruction, Sarah Perkins, provided updates on the status of the various initiatives, programs and services that are outlined in the Strategic Priorities.  The presentation also included the anticipated staffing needed over the course of the next four years.

The proposed staffing emerged from the integrated planning process (consideration of Board Goals, District Strategic Plan goals, College goals, community needs assessment results, multiple plans such as the technology plan, educational master plan, unit reviews, program reviews and administrative leadership unit reviews) and was considered by the Staffing for Student Success Taskforce in Spring 2013.  In May 2013, the taskforce made a recommendation the Institutional Planning Council (IPC).  Last week, IPC voted to recommend the Human Resource Plan to the College Governance Council.  The forums were designed to provide broader communication before CGC considered whether to recommend the plan for adoption.  On Wednesday, the College Governance Committee unanimously voted to recommend the plan for adoption.

The Human Resource Plan will serve as a guide for considering future staffing needs.  Priority processes such as the FTEF Allocation process and Classified Staffing Priorities process will continue to be used.  The plan includes additional classified staff (office assistants, staff assistants, division assistants,  program services coordinators, instructional aides, website content coordinator, events coordinator, A&R technicians), classified supervisory staff (Instructional technologist, accountant, administrative assistant, planning and research analyst and project director), academic supervisory staff (study abroad director) and administration (Dean, Student Support Services and Dean, Global Learning Division).  The plan also includes hiring additional full-time faculty which includes the hiring of 15 faculty for Fall 2013.

Based on overall positive comments about the opportunity to receive more communication on a college-wide level, to clarify issues and raise important questions, President Stanback Stroud is looking forward to hosting many more forums.

 

The Skyline College President’s Council welcomed attendees to the inaugural year of the Success Summit on Saturday in the Fireside Dining Room of the Student and Community Center.  Over 120 attendees convened to consider the challenges of the region.  An overview of current trends in the areas of Transportation, Communication, and Jobs was presented by a panel of experts, followed by a moderated question and answer session.  Attendees took the opportunity to add their voice and expert perspective to the conversation.  The goal of the conference was to develop creative solutions for shaping forward movement and successful outcomes that will be tracked and reported on at subsequent events.

Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud welcomed the group to Skyline College and was followed by Ms. Jessica Evans, President’s Council Chairperson and President/CEO of Downtown San Mateo Association.  Summit Co-Chairs Michele Enriquez-Da Silva and Greg Cochran took the stage to provide an overview of the conference and to welcome San Mateo County Supervisor, Don Horsley.  Supervisor Horsley acknowledged elected officials and other VIP guests.

Attendees were addressed by two keynote speakers – Marlena Jackson, founder of NexGeneGirls and scientist at one of the world’s leading biotechnology organizations gave the morning address inspiring girls to go into science.  Angela Batinovich, businesswoman and CEO of the San Francisco Bulls Hockey Organization talked to the group about her journey as a businesswoman.

Attendees participated in three separate sessions and followed a color coded rotation to ultimately attend a session on all three topics.  The transportation session addressed the issue of “The Last Mile” – Efficiently reaching our destination after getting off public transportation.  Moderators Jon Rubin, CEO of the Peninsula Coalition and Adrienne Tissier, San Mateo County Supervisor, led the discussion as the attendees broke into groups and responded to the question, “How can we successfully traverse the peninsula, including an east/west direction and along the Pacific coast, expanding access to San Mateo destinations such as learning institutions, employers, areas of commerce and recreation?”

The attendees in the Communications session addressed the question of “How can we successfully create a cross-generational and diverse sense of place/community amidst the array of communication platforms available today?”  Moderator, Lloyd La Cuesta, Journalism Professor, SJSU and retired South Bay Bureau Chief, KTVU led the discussion.

Moderator Anne LeClair, President/CEO of the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau led the discussion in the “Jobs”: Connecting the Needs session.  Attendees responded to “How can we successfully create a vibrant and fluid workforce that meets the current and future needs of north county employers?”

At the end of the sessions, using clicker technology, attendees voted on which of the issues they would like to see the President’s Council carry toward resolution.  The group chose the Transportation session which will be a focus of the President’s Council who is in the great position to be able to seed initiatives that will begin to address the issues.

Many thanks to our sponsors.

Friday, September 20, 2013

• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Skyline’s CWD is hosting a training for Insurance Agents on the Affordable Care Act. Skyline College, Main Theater
• 4;00 p.m., Women’s Soccer vs. Canada College, Redwood City
• 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Art Gallery – Cast & Crew, really big show, Skyline College, Art Gallery
• 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Women’s Volleyball vs. San Jose City College, Skyline College

Saturday, September 21, 2013

• 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Success Summit, Skyline College
• 9:00 a.m., Wrestling match, Sac City Tournament, Sacramento

Monday, September 23, 2013

• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Transfer Center – Palo Alto University Rep Visit, Skyline College, Building 6 – Main Cafeteria
• 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., TOWNHALL TO ANALYZE THE CRITICAL THINKING ISLO, Skyline College, Building 6, Room 6203

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

• All Day Event, The Center for International Trade Development (CITD) has internships opportunities, Skyline College, CITD office, Building 1, Room1311
• 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Transfer Center – UC Davis Representative Visit, Skyline College, Transfer Center – Building 2, Room 2227
• 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Transfer Center – The Art Institute Rep Visit, Skyline College, Building 6 – Main Cafeteria
• 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Transfer Center – UC Davis Representative Visit, Transfer Center – Building 2, Room 2227
• 4:00 p.m., Women’s Soccer vs. Las Positas College, Livermore

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

• 11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m., FREE English Conversation/Pronunciation Workshops, Skyline College, Bldg. 1, Room 1218
• 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Science Lecture Series, Skyline College, Building 7, Room 7106
• 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Women’s Volleyball vs. City College of San Francisco, San Francisco

Thursday, September 26, 2013

• 1;00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Industry Kick-Off Event & the Bay Region: Faculty Kick-Off Event, Skyline College, Building 6, Rooms 6202, 6204, 6206
• 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Workshop: Navigating Green Careers, Skyline College, Building 19, Room 129
• 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Allensworth: An Exhibit of California History, Skyline College, Library

Friday, September 27, 2013

• All Day, Women’s Volleyball, Shasta Classic, Redding
• 1:00 p.m., Men’s Soccer vs. Foothill College (DH), Skyline College
• 3:00 p.m., Women’s Soccer vs. Ohlone College (DH), Skyline College
• 7:00 p.m., Wrestling vs. San Jose State, Skyline College

 

For the latest information on events and activities happening at Skyline College, please view our calendar at the following link:

http://www.skylinecollege.edu/events/index.php

If you would like to include your college event or activity on the calendar, please submit the event, date, time and location to Cherie M. Napier.

On May 17^th ASTEP held its annual graduate celebration, awarding certificates and kente cloths to graduating students and honoring families with an evening of food, photos and fun.  Please enjoy this slide show of a very special event

Article by Professor Phyllis Taylor. Photo by Raul Guerra.

As Skyline College worked through the self evaluation process for accreditation, we completed a number of projects and initiatives to make sure that we implemented every standard at the highest level—sustainable continuous quality improvement.  These changes yielded many resources that are very helpful as we do our work.  This week we will highlight the revised SLOAC Framework, v.3.

SLOAC Framework, v.3!  As part of continuous improvement at the college, the SLOAC Framework was revised by members on the SLOAC Steering Committee. It is a 90-page “nuts-and-bolts” implementation guide for campus practitioners that can be viewed at http://skylinecollege.edu/sloac/framework.php. The updated framework is more user-friendly, and includes appendices worksheets that are downloadable from the SLOAC website. Templates can be downloaded from Steps, Tips, and Worksheets, where you also can access steps to assess on the course and student service program level. Also included is an Examples page which includes helpful models of completed assessment cycles. The Framework is divided into three parts:

• Part One provides information about Skyline College’s approach to student learning outcomes (SLOs) and assessment; and also references the Academic Senate’s unanimously adopted 2012 SLOAC resolutions, reiterating the conditions under which faculty and staff will engage in assessment.
• Part Two provides guidance in writing SLOs.
• Part Three provides guidance on creating assessment plans, analyzing results, and generating reports.

Visit the SLOAC website at http://www.skylinecollege.edu/sloac/index.php for information.

Skyline Shines!

Article by Donna Bestock and Christine Roumbanis.

In coordination with The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL), Skyline College recently launched its first-ever, semester-long orientation program for new full-time faculty. BootUp Camp, as the program is called, is designed to help participants integrate into the college with relative ease and also acquaint faculty with the technology and resources available on campus.  The opening session in August included a one-hour campus tour, an introduction to WebAccess, and visits by Skyline College President, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud; Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Sarah Perkins; Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Joi Blake; and Division Deans.  The program will run through the end of the semester and will culminate in the new faculty showcasing their newly acquired skills.

In early September, the CTTL staff was also busy orienting Skyline College’s newest adjunct faculty members in a half-day orientation. Among the topics covered were WebSmart, class rosters, census reporting, grade submission, ITS/facility/media/duplicating requests, and security guidelines. SMT Division Dean, Ray Hernandez, and Language Arts Division Dean, Mary Gutierrez, joined the new faculty during the lunch opener, and Vice President, Dr. Sarah Perkins welcomed them to the college.  The orientation was well-received by the participants, who hope to see new adjunct orientation opportunities continue into and beyond the Spring 2014 semester.

Article and photos by Nina L. Floro.

Skyline College Chemistry Assistant Professor Dr. Carmen Velez, in collaboration with Bridges to the Baccalaureate at SFSU, hosted the fall semester kick-off meeting of the popular Science in Action lecture series yesterday afternoon.  Approximately sixty students and SMT faculty were in attendance to hear from Rebecca Belloso, a former Skyline College student who transferred to UC Davis as an Environmental Toxicology major.  Rebecca, with the guidance of her mentor, Dr. Gold, conducted a systematic critical review of published studies to determine whether the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure during pregnancy is adversely related to infant birth weight in humans. Rebecca shared her research with the lecture attendees, informing them of the state of current knowledge on this topic, suggesting future avenues for research, and providing information that might benefit the community.

Professor Velez took over organizing the Science in Action lecture series in the spring 2013 semester, working in conjunction with Dr. Steve Weinstein, the Director of Bridges to the Baccalaureate at SFSU.  They invite scientists, colleagues and scholars to speak during the series, providing insight into current scientific issues in a wide variety of areas.  During the fall 2013 semester, the Skyline College lectures will take place every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in Building 7, Room 7106.  The lectures are free and open to the public.  Contact Dr. Carmen Velez at velezcarmen@smccd.edu for more information.

Written by Alana Utsumi and Carmen Velez. Photos by Carmen Velez.

As part of Skyline College’s celebration of Latino Heritage Month, Latin American Students Organization, LASO, is proud to announce the screening of La Salsa Cubana as part of the San Francisco Latino Film Festival at Skyline College on September 26, 2013 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. in room 6202-4.  LASO is also honored to welcome the film’s director, Eric Joseph Johnson, to the 1 p.m. screening for a discussion of the film, his exposure to Cuban culture, and his experiences making of the award winning film.   Gladys Rocha, organizer of the SF Latino Film Festival, will also be on hand to discuss the impact of Latino films on the public in general.

La Salsa Cubana introduces the audience to a world filled with vibrant dancing, fascinating relationships, terrific music, and sumptuous Cuban imagery shot on location in Havana. With a soundtrack that features music from some of Cuba’s all-time greatest musical legends licensed from the state-run music company catalogs of EGREM and BIS Music, this film is an insider’s look into the contemporary salsa dance scene in Havana rarely seen outside of Cuba. La Salsa Cubana is the first feature film to explore and explain Cuba’s de facto national dance, known as casino or Cuban salsa, since it appeared in Havana social clubs during the 1950s.

In 2003, Director Eric Joseph Johnson quit his corporate job to study dance and live in Cuba. Director Sarita Streng initiated the film project and the filmmakers obtained a rare license from the US Department of Treasury as well as journalistic visas from the Cuban government allowing a crew to travel to Cuba to make the film. The filmmakers have spent extensive time in Cuba cultivating connections and building the inside knowledge of Cuban culture that made this film possible.

You can view the film’s trailer at http://vimeo.com/45815865

Article by John Saenz
Flyer created by Skyline College’s Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations Office