This year marked the 11^th year of Skyline College’s Skyline Shines Award, presented annually to one College employee or group and one community individual or group who help Skyline College to shine in terms of its quality of programs and services and its reputation for quality.

 College Group Winner: Christine Case, Joyce Lee, Paul Spakowski – Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Theta Omicron, BOO

This year’s college award went to the three sponsors for our college chapter of the international honor society for two-year colleges, Beta Theta Omicron – Christine Case, Joyce Lee, and Paul Spakowski. They have ably guided and mentored our students through 15 years of both national and international recognition including having students named to the All-California Academic Team almost every year of the chapter’s 15 year history.  Over the same period, the Chapter itself, representing the work of the BOO students, has received both state, national and international recognition.  BOO has achieved the highest 5 star rating of the over 1200 chapters in the Phi Theta Kappa international organization.

Phi Theta Kappa is committed to academic excellence and individual growth by providing leadership, scholarship, fellowship and service opportunities.  Beta Theta Omicron offers students various volunteer programs that help students discover their talent and expands their network.  Events such as Relay for Life, Expanding Your Horizons, Senior Center Outreach, and High School Outreach give students a chance to help out the community and our campus.

The work of the three sponsors demonstrate exemplary support for student success, academic achievement and community involvement. Their support of BOO students has been consistently present.

Community Winner: Cindy Abbott

A resident of Pacifica since 1996, Abbott is known by many for her volunteer work, which includes serving on the Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission and working as a member of the ad hoc Pacifica Beautification Awards Committee. She is on the Board of Pacifica’s Environmental Family, she is the Fog Fest Green Team coordinator, a volunteer with the Pacifica Historical Society and served two years on the Board of the Pacifica Resource Center. For three years, Abbott was the Sanchez Art Center Board treasurer.

Prior to her new job as executive director, Abbott was the program director for the Pacific Stroke Association.

In her “spare time” Cindy has been actively supporting the President’s Council for more than three years.  She is an active and engaged Pacifica resident who has supported the overall development and effectiveness of the president’s council.

She works consistently to strengthen the infrastructure and collaborative capacity of the Council working with the college President and President’s Council Executive Committee.

Cindy provided the necessary support and leadership for the Council to launch the success summit which is designed to identify and address issues in north San Mateo County. As a result, Cindy has shepherded the last mile initiative, completed the necessary follow-up, made, managed and maintained the necessary connections and partnerships, and facilitated the necessary campus surveys, meetings, connections to the sustainability student club, and connections to the campus/district sustainability plans.

Cindy also worked with Gohar Momjian to secure the transportation authority grant that gave us the Skyline College Express shuttle.

Positions of Influence and Consequence

The Fall 2016 Opening Day celebration underscored our collective commitment to support our students through the entire life of their higher educational journey – from enrollment to completion.

Hearkening back to remarks made by Sonia Nazario, the keynote speaker at the District Opening Day, President Regina Stanback Stroud reiterated that each of us holds the opportunity to have a greater understanding of the journey so many of our students have taken just to arrive at Skyline College. But even more than that, we have the opportunity to realize just how much students contribute to our own development, understanding and enrichment.

It’s this comprehensive and developed consciousness, Dr. Stanback Stroud emphasized, that underpins our positions of influence and consequence – positions that allow us to make lives better with simple, concrete actions. These actions, from the stroke of a pen to the sending of an email, should be taken at every opportunity, and at every level, as part of our commitment to all our students.

The Skyline College Promise

This commitment is highlighted more than ever in the recent launch of the Skyline College promise – the college’s commitment to empower students to “Get In. Get Through. And Get Out…on time!”

This year’s keynote speaker was well suited to addressing the primary tenets of the promise. Dr. Thomas Bailey, Director of the Community College Resource Center, spoke about the common challenges that confront community colleges across the nation – namely ensuring our colleges are designed to address the reality of how students progress through school, and not simply the ideal pathway.

“This is the problem that confronts us,” said Bailey, “We’ve set up college in one particular way, but most students are not experiencing that.” And often the reforms aimed at addressing these issues are not effective.

Bailey outlined some major problems, including well-intentioned informs that are either not scaled or are too narrowly focused, and colleges that are structured to promote enrollment and not necessarily completion – institutions he labeled “Cafeteria Colleges.”

Bailey suggested the Guided Pathways Model as an alternative, outlining four main tenets to the plan:

1. Clear roadmaps to career goals
2. Intake process redesigned as an on-ramp into a program of study
3. Keeping students on track to graduation
4. Learning outcomes and assessments design across programs

“[This is about] helping them choose what they want to do, helping them decide what their goals are, and helping them make a coherent plan,” said Bailey.

Every part of the Guided Pathways Model, in conjunction with the Skyline College Promise, underscores the importance of acknowledging that we can’t simply enroll students and hope they reach their goals, we must be resources throughout their educational journey, creating pathways that lead to meaningful results and learning from each other every step of the way.

This work continues to drive all of us forward as we move into a new academic year.

Article by Connor Fitzpatrick

Carpool or vanpool. Take public transit (SamTrans, BART, Caltrain). Ride the Express shuttle. Bike. Walk.  How do you get to work?

Choose an alternative commute to work – other than in a single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) – to SKYLINE COLLEGE, and be rewarded!

Commute.org will be tabling at the Welcome Week Resource Fair on Tuesday, August 23. Drop by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., ask about your commute options to WORK, and enter to win a special raffle drawing for Skyline College EMPLOYEES only.

To All Skyline College FACULTY and STAFF:

Commuter Benefits and Incentives you should know:

• If you take public transit, or vanpool, to work regularly, you can sign up for the Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit program (under the Flexible Savings Accounts) and save $$! More information is available online or contact your HR department.
• org offers a suite of commuter incentives – from free passes to try out local public transit (SamTrans, Caltrain, BART), to $50 carpool incentives, to annual campaigns. Find more details here.
• You can sign up for the Commuter Club, and get connected with Commute.org here.

Your commute to Skyline College just got greener. Let’s continue working together to improve our commute in San Mateo County!

Got questions? Email gina@commute.org .

Article by Gina Javier

The San Mateo County Community College District Study Abroad Program, housed at Skyline College, participated in the Northern California Study Abroad Consortium (NCSAC) to send a total of 31 students to London, England of which four students were from Cañada College, sixteen students from College of San Mateo and ten students from Skyline College.  This is the highest participation in two decades of the program and more than double the number of students who studied in Barcelona, Spain in fall 2015.

The total cohort of 108 students in the NCSAC departs for London on September 8, 2016 for a semester-long study abroad program and returns back stateside December 9, 2016. A pre-departure orientation was held for all students and had over 200 students and their families in attendance on August 6, 2016 at Skyline College.

Cañada College Instructor Salumeh Eslamieh from the Humanities/Social Sciences Division will teach four courses in London. Other participating districts in the NCSAC include Contra Costa Community College District, Los Rios Community College District and Sonoma County Community College District. The program is offered in partnership with service provider American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS). San Mateo County Community College District has participated in the consortium since 1986.

For more information on the Study Abroad Program, please visit the district-wide website or contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu.

Article by Zaid Ghori | Photo by Emma Briones

The International Student Program at Skyline College welcomed about one hundred new international students from 27 countries during the fall 2016 international student orientations. The attendees received valuable information on the following topics: F-1 visa regulations, employment, cultural adjustment, safety and security, immigration laws, health insurance coverage, and academic expectations.

The main international student orientation was held on August 2 and it was opened by the Dean of Global Learning Programs and Services, Dr. Tammy Robinson. In addition to the ISP staff, a total of nine international student ambassadors helped in the organization of the different events. The four-day orientation included the following activities: an International Student Club panel, The Learning Center presentation, a campus tour, a counseling presentation, an International Student Club reception, placement testing, class registration, and a cultural tour of the city of San Francisco.

The ISP staff want to thank the participants for helping to make this orientation a success. The 4 days ran smoothly. The International Student Orientation is a an important event for international students’ success and it wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of the volunteers who helped to prepare ahead of time, and worked during the event itself. ISP will continue to provide services and programs for international students as well as for the entire Skyline community. If you are interested in learning more about future ISP programs and events, contact ISP office at skyinternational@smccd.edu or call (650) 738-7021.

Article by Wissem Bennani

As part of a 2015-16 Presidents Innovation Fund grant to support the development of online directed learning activities (eDLAs), a professional development workshop was held on May 10, 2016 in 4301. Participating faculty were encouraged to bring their syllabi and other course materials to target specific areas that prove challenging for students, and the focus was on identifying the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for students to be successful.

The morning session focused on defining the nature and scope of DLAs and how they can be used to extend and support specific learning outcomes outside of the classroom. The afternoon session included an active learning exercise that provided participants the opportunity to explore the Canvas learning management system and see examples of how similar content can be provided online. Additionally, faculty were encouraged to follow up with Learning Center staff to develop new DLAs that were conceptualized at this workshop.

A mix of faculty and staff participated; Kristina Brower (ECE), Cheryl Ajirotutu (GLPS), Belinda Chan (PRIE), Chris Gibson (English), Bianca Rowden-Quince (CTTL) and Learning Center staff Chanel Daniels, Hong Guo, Christina Trujillo and David Reed.

Key outcomes from this workshop include:

• The development of a template for online DLAs in the Canvas learning management system that will be used as a blueprint for future DLA content
• A pilot project for this summer in four sections of online English 100 courses that will provide online DLAs for students enrolled in those courses via the WebAccess learning management system
• New online DLA content ideas, such as Growth/Fixed Mindset and Math Problem-Solving

Lene Whitley-Putz facilitated the day’s sessions. Lene holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Communication from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and teaches both communication studies and writing, and serves as faculty with the @One Project. She leads a variety of professional development trainings for community college faculty and staff focused on using technology to enhance student learning and success, and she has been involved in the development of the Online Education Initiative that is providing a framework for the development of online courses, resources for online students, and technology resources for community college faculty and staff.

For more information about Directed Learning Activities and Skyline College Learning Center programs and services, please refer to the Learning Center website. DLA-specific information can be found under the Resources tab.

Article by David Reed

The College and District facilities groups have been busy over the summer with the major projects at Skyline College.

The parking lot L expansion project has moved into final design and will go the State Architect (DSA) for review in October. The DSA reviews all California public school projects. Construction bids are expected next spring with the start of construction expected next summer. This first project is important as it will provide parking displaced by the new Environmental Science Building 12. In fact, when the campus building program is complete, we will have more parking than we do now.

The design-build entity (DBE) selection process for Building 12 is well underway. Ten DBE teams submitted their qualifications and a short list of three received the request for proposal. Preparation and evaluation of the proposals will last through October with the contract awarded in November. The project will then be designed, reviewed by DSA, and construction should start in early 2018.

The largest project is the replacement of Building 1 with a larger, more modern building for the social sciences and creative arts programs. The selection process for a design-build entity will carry us through the winter, with the contract award expected in March next year and commencement of demolition in mid-2018. In the meantime, planning has begun for the move of current Building 1 occupants to other locations, mostly to Building 19 (Pacific Heights).

Upgrades to Building 14, Loma Chica, which houses the Child Development Laboratory Center, have been moved forward and selection of the architect and design team is underway. The project will replace heating system equipment, doors, and windows, upgrade the accessible path of travel through the building, and improve the children’s playgrounds. Construction is expected to begin mid to late next year.

Article by Glenn Claycomb

On June 16, 2017, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud was honored by the California Community College Classified Senate (4CS) with their annual State Leadership Award.

Each year the 4CS recognizes an outstanding individual who has shown significant support for classified participation in governance at the state level. Dr. Stanback Stroud is a strong supporter of participatory governance, and is steadfast in holding monthly meetings with our Classified Senate President to ensure that she is kept apprised of the news, updates, actions, and needs of our classified staff on campus. To Dr. Stanback Stroud, the classified opinion matters.  Dr. Stanback Stroud makes a conscious and sincere effort to inquire about the activities, perceptions, and concerns that staff members are experiencing. She celebrates with us our accomplishments and makes sure we are acknowledged and given proper thanks for our efforts in supporting our students, faculty, administrators, and the community.

Congratulations, Dr. Stanback Stroud, and thank you for your continued support.

Article by Linda Allen, Michelle Haggar and Alana Utsumi

Bea Mara Zamora of the Philippines has been awarded a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program grant to serve as a teaching assistant in Filipino and take courses at Skyline College for academic year 2016-17.   While in the United States, Bea will share her language and culture with U.S. communities to inspire Americans to travel and study overseas, and make U.S. citizens better prepared to engage with businesses, governments, and organizations abroad.

Bea Mara Zamora is one of nearly 400 young educators from 50 countries who will travel to the United States in the 2016-2017 academic year through the Fulbright FLTA Program to help internationalize U.S. colleges and universities, a key goal of many institutions as they prepare students for the 21^st century workforce and globalized world. Recipients of Fulbright FLTA grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential.  Fulbright FLTA scholarships are awarded by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
In the coming year, grant recipients from East Asia and the Pacific; Europe and Eurasia; the Middle East and North Africa; South and Central Asia; and Sub-Saharan Africa will contribute to U.S. students’ foreign language acquisition in more than 30 languages at over 200 U.S. institutions. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments, universities, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Program has given approximately 360,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.  Since 2001, more than 4,000 Fulbright awardees have been Fulbright FLTAs.
Fulbright FLTA recipients are among over 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Fulbright FLTA Program is administered by the Institute of International Education.

 

Article sourced from Fullbright