CPTC ASG Offers Free Ride to Olympia for Student Rally

Campus Tobacco Use Policy Clarification

Goings, Amy

Great. Amy Goings, MPA Vice President for Operations and College Relations Clover Park Technical College 253-589-5845

Fri 1/25

Campus Community,

Recently our College adopted a new Smoking and Tobacco Use Policy (CPTC Policies and Procedures Ch. 3, Section 26: Smoking and Tobacco Use). This policy establishes the College as a restricted-smoking campus. This means that smoking or the use of any tobacco products is permitted only in designated smoking shelter locations.

While this policy has been distributed there have been a number of questions that have come up since its adoption. I wanted to send along some notes to ensure that the right information is available.

First, a map detailing the locations of the ten Lakewood Campus shelters is now posted on our College website at: http://www.cptc.edu/index.php/info_resources/campus_locations/. These locations were selected in order to comply with State and local laws, provide an appropriate number of shelters for the campus community, place the shelters in locations that do not require non-smokers to walk near or around them, and to attempt to find a location that provides access to smokers of buildings located near each other. While there was not a perfect answer in some situations, we have made the best possible decision for the placement of each shelter keeping in mind the many factors I've mentioned. A student and staff committee and the College Cabinet discussed these locations at length and made the decision that their current placement is in the best interest of the many competing factors.

According to the policy, failure to use a smoking shelter when required to do so is a violation and is subject to employee or student discipline. I recognize that some time will need to be spent adjusting to the new requirements. In addition, we are working to add signage to the campus with instructions on the restrictions.

Finally, Associated Student Government, Cabinet, and the Policies and Procedures Committee have worked hard for years on this policy to provide choices to our many campus stakeholders while still ensuring we provide a safe, healthy environment for all of our students and staff. I believe that this policy is a great step toward that goal and hope that we can all work together to make CPTC a healthier place.

 

Amy Goings, MPA

Vice President for Operations/College Relations

Transforming Lives Nominees Named

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Five community and technical college graduates will each receive a $500 “Transforming Lives” award from the Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges at a special ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 29, in Olympia. The awards portion of the event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Inn, 2300 Evergreen Park Drive SW.

This year, the Transforming Lives award honors students and graduates who overcame barriers to pursue degrees and certificates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) or other high-demand occupations. The five recipients were chosen from a pool of 35 nominations from the state’s two-year colleges.

“These students are truly inspiring,” said Tim Douglas, association president and Whatcom Community College trustee. “They’ve overcome the odds to succeed in academically tough, high-demand fields. Their achievements are humbling, and a good reminder that community and technical colleges transform lives.”

The following graduates will receive awards and share their stories at the ceremony:
·Chris Zacharias, civil engineering – When an auto accident left Chris Zacharias a quadriplegic, he realized he needed a college degree to re-enter the workforce and decided to pursue civil engineering at Bellingham Technical College. The college provided accommodations and support to help Zacharias thrive academically and personally. Zacharias worked tirelessly to master adaptive equipment, including a voice-activated computer program and a mouth-activated “mouse.” Today, Zacharias is a member of the Disability Support Services Leadership Team and is well on his way to completing his civil engineering degree. “There was a period in my life when I could not imagine this was possible. Now nothing seems out of my reach,” said Zacharias.

·Inva Begolli, pharmacy/biology – The 1997 civil war in Albania created emotional wounds and big dreams for 7-year-old Inva Begolli. Her 8-year-old brother was shot multiple times in the leg and, amid the violence, Begolli dreamed of becoming a pharmacist and helping others heal. At age 17, she decided to leave everything behind and move to the United States to pursue a pharmacy career. Thanks to the financial and academic support at Clark College, Begolli earned an associate degree and transferred to Washington State University Vancouver where she now studies biology. “The support and encouragement … at Clark College gave me the financial means to continue my education and the inspiration and added commitment to achieve my long-term goal,” she said.

·Donald Fleming, industrial engineering – Donald Fleming works for The Boeing Company as an industrial engineer, but his path there was a challenge. Fleming enrolled at Green River Community College three times: initially out of high school, but he had to drop out due to lack of funds; a second time, supported by his employer until he was laid off; and the third time, after he was medically discharged from the Navy for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The Navy provided him with $1,500 which he immediately put toward his first quarter tuition at Green River. With services and scholarships, Fleming graduated with an Associate in Science in Pre-Engineering, graduated from the University of Washington, and landed a job at Boeing. “Green River Community College….taught me that community is more important than self-reliance,” he said.

·Chris Cayton, welding – Born deaf, Chris Cayton’s hearing impairment was first discovered at his elementary school in Guam, where sign language was forbidden. He ultimately moved back to the mainland United States and graduated from high school, but he lacked goals and a sense of self-worth. Becoming a father and enrolling at Lower Columbia College changed his life. Cayton had been out of high school seven years and knew his hearing impairment would add to the challenge, but he wanted to provide his son a better life and a good example. With high-caliber training and support at Lower Columbia, Cayton earned an Associate Degree in Welding Technology and is working as an apprentice with the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 290. “(My teachers) embraced me, accepted me, believed in me, and gave me the tools I needed to succeed,” he said.

·Michelle Rogers, engineering – Michelle Rogers attended 17 schools before dropping out of high school. Her father was often jailed, her mother was addicted to drugs, and her family moved between campgrounds, relatives’ homes, and drug houses. Rogers was in her mid-teens when her mother left. She supported and raised her two siblings by working in a restaurant. Upon learning she could get financial aid and grants, Rogers rushed to Olympic College. “(The counselor) gave me a frame for the high school diploma I would earn and told me that one day I would be so proud of myself,” she said. “I am no longer ashamed… in fact, I’ve learned I truly am courageous.” Rogers earned an associate degree and is studying aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Washington. She has been offered a full-time engineering job with a major company after graduation.

Washington’s 34 community and technical colleges serve about 470,000 students each year. Students train for the workforce, prepare to transfer to a baccalaureate institution, gain basic math and English skills, or pursue continuing education.

About the Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges: The Washington Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges (TACTC) is comprised of all 151 trustees of the 30 two-year college districts in Washington and is the "trade association" for trustees. The vision of TACTC is to ensure quality, affordable and lifelong educational opportunities for all the people of Washington State. The mission of TACTC is to support, educate and unite Washington State community and technical college trustees in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities.

ctcLink Project Signs a Contract

SBCTC Executive Director Marty Brown signs Ciber contract.

Campus Community,

As many of you know, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has been in the process of negotiating a contract with a vendor to create a project called ctcLink. This project is the implementation of a new, integrated technology foundation that will provide modern online services — anytime, anywhere — to all students, faculty, and staff of Washington's Community and Technical Colleges. Called Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP, ctcLink will replace the CTCs aging legacy systems—such as the current Financial Management System (FMS), Student Management System (SMS) and Personnel/Payroll Management System (PPMS)—with a set of interconnected software modules to help the CTC system streamline and standardize the way colleges do business today.

Friday marked a major accomplishment and huge next step for the ctcLink project. The State Board gave SBCTC Executive Director Marty Brown approval to sign a contract with Ciber to be our “system integration” partner. Ciber will work with the ctcLink project team and colleges to replace the community and technical college systems’ 30-year-old student information, finance and human resource systems over the next 5 years to provide students, faculty and staff 24/7 access to a full range of online services and tools.

“Today we achieved a historic milestone,” said SBCTC board chair Sharon Fairchild after the Friday morning meeting. “ctcLink will propel the CTC system into the 21st century with a best-in-class information system that will enhance services to students, align college and business processes and enable innovation across the system’s 34 community and technical colleges.”

The Board acknowledged and thanked SBCTC CIO Mike Scroggins for his leadership and expressed its appreciation to the team for their hard work and dedication through the years of evaluation, analysis, planning and preparation to get us to this critical point.

“We’re excited and look forward with great anticipation as we move from planning to implementation,” Fairchild said.

Both the ctcLink project team and the Ciber team are eager to get started, so they aren’t wasting any time. Initial meetings to plan project kickoff activities and next steps will begin in early February. Stay tuned for more on the project as it progresses.

For more information on the ctcLink project please visit their blog at: http://ctclink.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/ciber-gets-ctclink-contract/.

Tawny Dotson

ctcLink Communication Lead at Clover Park Technical College

Join CPTC's ASG In Giving Blood Jan. 29

Join Clover Park Technical College's Associated Student Government for a blood drive on Jan. 29th in between Building 15 and 16 on the Lakewood Campus. For more information email asg.sap2@cptc.edu.

Cosmetology graduates from WCCW celebrated

Graduates from the WCCW's cosmetology program clap during their graduation ceremony Jan. 8. Clover Park Technical College has been providing this program in partnership with WCCW since 1996.

By: Melissa R. Johnson,

Administrative Assistant

Washington Corrections Center for Women

On Jan.8, 15 students graduated from the Washington Corrections Center for Women's cosmetology program. As more people become interested in fashion, style and cultural trends, the beauty industry is a perfect opportunity for successful reentry. What better way to deter offender idleness than to provide creative freedom and the ability for offenders to forge their own career paths?

In 1996, Washington Corrections Center for Women and Clover Park Technical College joined together to implement the two-year program in which students have the opportunity to earn their cosmetology licensing requirements. Participants must already have their GED and be major infraction-free within 90 days of their applications. Cosmetology covers a broad range of professions, from barber or hairstylist to manicurist or makeup artist and several others in between. Different licensing and training requirements exist for each occupation. At Washington Corrections Center for Women, students learn how to run a salon business, how to handle infectious disease and, most of all, safety. They also learn basic facials, manicures, pedicures, color, cuts, perms and scalp massage. This curriculum provides opportunities for women to learn job skills and gain important experience in the cosmetology field.

“I have been in the cosmetology field for several years, and used to be an educator for Regis

Corporation, traveling all around the West coast, teaching advanced technique and current trends,” said cosmetology instructor Barbara Frink. “I find working here at WCCW for the past four years to be the most rewarding in my career. To see the women change, grow and gain confidence is remarkable."

“The cosmetology program at WCCW has impacted my life so much,” said offender Jennifer Lowe. “I have a new view on life with a great career ahead of me. I’ve done great things with my time here, and am very happy to have been able to experience this.”

“For this first time in my life, I was congratulated for my academic achievement and am on the president’s list at Clover Park Technical College,” added offender Jonee Rucker. “I owe my success to my teacher Barbara Frink for being a patient and compassionate teacher. This program has changed my life.”

Staff members are very proud of the accomplishments their programs provide the offenders. Over the past four years, half of the offenders who have participated in this program have received their licenses and a third of the graduates are practicing in salons throughout Washington State.

January Service Learning Events

For the month of January, Clover Park Technical College will hold the following service learning events:

Jan. 23, from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and 12-12:45 p.m. in Bldg. 23 a Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have a Dream" event will be held. Dr. King's speech will be shown in Room 301 and Steve Hooker will lead discussion sessions following each showing.

Jan. 23-25, there will be a campus competition between programs. The competition is based on the number of letters written to servicemembers and wounded servicemembers. Instructors will be collecting completed letters. The class or program with the most letters will receive a pizza party.

Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., volunteers will participate in Project Homeless Connect held at Spanaway Elementary School. This event provides services and information to Pierce County's homeless population in the hopes of shortening the duration of the homelessness.

For more information on these events please contact Kay Porter at (253) 589-5790.

Presidential Update: Search Process for Dr. Walstrum's Successor

College Community:

The Board of Trustees is very sorry to be losing President Walstrum later this year, upon his announced retirement. He has been a wonderful and dedicated leader for the college. However, finding a worthy successor is now our # 1 priority job as trustees, so we need to be responding by promptly developing and implementing a quality search process.

As chair, I definitely will be recommending that the college contract with an experienced outside consultant to assist the Board in the search, and that a search committee which represents college stakeholders be formed to make appropriate recommendations to the Board.

At its meeting on Feb. 6 the Board will be considering the search process to follow. Anyone who wants to offer thoughts or suggestions to the Board regarding this process may do so either at that meeting or by email beforehand (submitted c/o Jim Tuttle in HR, the Board’s contact person for this purpose).

We plan to continue to keep you informed about the process.

Bruce Lachney

Chair, Board of Trustees

Clover Park Technical College

Smoking Shelter Location Update

As Dr. Walstrum announced on Thursday, the Cabinet approved the new policy on “Smoking & Tobacco Use.” 

There have been a number of questions about policy implementation; which, like all policies, is a work in progress.  For example, we are working on permanent signage and a map of the shelter locations.  In the meantime, however, I have attached a working sketch of the smoking shelter locations for your review. 

In addition, as President Walstrum pointed out, the Wellness Committee will be developing recommendations for smoking cessation and enforcement.   

Finally, the President and Cabinet will be working with the college community to implement this policy in an informative and collegial manner. 

Smoking Shelter Locations

CPTC President John Walstrum Announces Retirement

 NEWS RELEASE – January 10, 2013

For additional information please contact:

Amy Goings, Vice President for Operations and College Relations

Office:  253-589-5845

amy.goings@cptc.edu

 

Lakewood, WA - Clover Park Technical College President Dr. John Walstrum announced his retirement to the college community today effective September 2013.  In an all-college email, Walstrum noted “it was the, “right time for our college, me, and my family.”

 

Walstrum has served as president at Clover Park Technical College since September 2006.  During his tenure, the college achieved national recognition with the MetLife Community College Excellence Award and as an Achieving the Dream institution.  The college also received numerous grants from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), including Plus 50, the WalMart Rural Health Initiative, and three Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Act grants.  Walstrum also led the College through a transition from a clock-hour to a credit institution.

 

Committed to the success of the community college system, Walstrum served on numerous state and national committees. He chaired the Educational Services Committee for the Washington Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC), the President’s Aerospace Committee, and the Student Achievement Task Force.  Nationally, Walstrum has served as past president of the National Council for Workforce Education and as a member of the AACC Economic and Workforce Development Committee.

 

For his commitment to students, Walstrum was awarded the Phi Theta Kappa’s prestigious Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction.

 

“The legacy that John Walstrum leaves at Clover Park Technical College will continue to impact the lives of students, faculty, staff, and the community for years to come.  John has done so much to ensure the College’s financial stability and educational excellence, he will be missed,” said Board of Trustees Chair Bruce Lachney. 

 

Dr. Walstrum leaves the College in solid financial and programmatic standing as his steady leadership guided the College through the Great Recession to the economic recovery and financial stability.  The college is embarking on a long-term strategic planning process, completing the construction of its new Health Sciences Facility, preparing to offer an applied baccalaureate degree in manufacturing operations, and completing the fund-raising Campaign for Clover Park Technical College.

 

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About Clover Park Technical College:

Clover Park Technical College offers more than 45 career training degree and certificate programs in the areas of aerospace, business, computer information technology, construction and trades, health sciences, manufacturing, media, and personal care services.  The College also offers certification, online and distance learning, as well as continuing education courses.  For more information call 253-589-5800, or visit www.cptc.edu/careers.

Learning Resource Center Opening

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Clover Park Technical College used the proceeds from their land sale to Clover Park School District to renovate and redesign their nearly 40-year-old library into a learning resource center designed to meet the needs of today’s learner. The renovation will be unveiled Jan. 9 during an open house event at 2 p.m. at the Lakewood Campus of CPTC.

“The College used the existing building and reinvested funds to create a space that will serve more students, provide more resources, and use technology to assist our students with achieving success,” said Amy Goings, vice president for operations and college relations at CPTC.

The 22,917 square-foot Building 15 has been serving as CPTC’s library. It was built in 1978 as the campus library and cafeteria and has never been fully renovated. After the renovation, it will now be known as the Learning Resource Center, which houses a large technology commons, group and individual study rooms, eLearning staff offices, tutoring offices, instructional lab and will still serve as the college’s library. The building’s renovation did not increase the footprint of the building, but rather made efficient use of the entire space.

“The library has gone from a caterpillar to a butterfly in seven months,” said Elaine Holster, librarian at CPTC. “The space is now clean, modern, functional and student-friendly. The students gained study space, comfort and a one-stop location for instructional services for tutoring and e-Learning.”

The renovation began in May, took 7 months to complete, and cost $2.4 million.

The funds for the project included a $700,000 minor works project allocation from state capital funds and the proceeds from the sale of property to CPSD. That property is now being developed as the site of Harrison Preparatory School and an associated elementary school that will replace Oakwood and South Gate Elementary Schools in Lakewood. When complete that property will share facilities and resources with CPTC.

“This renovation is really about transformation and the commitment we are making to our students to go beyond providing high-quality classes. It’s about helping our students to achieve success in every aspect of their education,” said Dr. John Walstrum, president at CPTC.

The open house is open to the public. Tours and light refreshments will be served.

About Clover Park Technical College:

Clover Park Technical College offers more than 45 career training degree and certificate programs in the areas of business, computer information and technology, health sciences, manufacturing, construction and trades, multimedia design, and personal care services.  The College also offers certification, online and distance learning, as well as continuing education courses.

For more information call 253-589-5800, or visit www.cptc.edu/careers, www.cptc.edu/aerospace.

Nominations being accepted for Anna Sue McNeill Assessment, Teaching and Learning Award

Nominations from faculty, staff and students at CPTC are now being accepted for the Anna Sue McNeill Assessment, Teaching and Learning Award.  The award is designed to recognize an individual’s contributions to assessment, teaching and student learning.  It will be presented at the 2012 Assessment, Teaching and Learning Conference, to be held May 1-3, in Spokane.

To be eligible for an award, a nominee must teach and/or be in a position to directly or indirectly affect student learning in a public two- or four-year college in Washington State. 

The nomination process:

Prepare a letter of nomination (may not exceed two pages) that includes:

     Nominee’s name, college, and discipline

     Your name, college, email address and phone

     A summary of the nominee’s contribution to assessment, teaching and student learning, being mindful of the selection criteria listed below.

Award recipients will be selected based on the following criteria:

     Specific contributions or accomplishments in teaching, student learning and assessment

     Versatility and willingness to take risks, bringing to the learning process and environment multiple strategies and materials that are student-centered

     Enthusiasm about his/her own learning, continued education and current research in the field

     Contributions to the teaching profession by presenting to faculty, community groups and conferences, publishing, or taking leadership roles in educational organizations

     Fostering respect and maintaining a professional relationship with both students and colleagues

Note: Award recipients need not be present at the conference to receive the Assessment, Teaching & Learning Award.

CPTC Nominations must be submitted by Jan. 23. Nominations should be sent to: Joyce Loveday at joyce.loveday@cptc.edu.