February 2009 - Southwestern Illinois College

EMPLOYEE SERVICE RECOGNITION EVENT
Help recognize your dedicate colleagues at the Employee
Service Recognition Event. Be there to congratulate individuals
celebrating 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service at SWIC.
3-5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6
Café, Belleville Campus
Special music, gifts for honorees, an hors d’oeuvres reception
and a welcome from college President Georgia Costello, Ph.D.,
will make this an event to remember.
T H E O F F I C I A L E M P LOY E E N E W S L E T T E R F O R S O U T H W E S T E R N I L L I N O I S CO L L E G E F E B R UA RY 2 0 0 9
ESKRA RECOGNIZED FOR 35 YEARS OF SERVICE
DECIDING TO TEACH
“I chose college teaching because it was the logical
conclusion of my mind-set. As a ‘fresh-outta-the-box’
rookie, my thinking was this - if I knew what levels of
expectation were possible when students were
properly prepared, motivated and instructed, I would
naturally be successful. This way of thinking was
admittedly simplistic, if not wildly idealistic, but of
course, I was in my early twenties and believed my
reasoning was flawless.”
BEST SWIC MEMORIES
“Above all, what I have truly enjoyed and will always
remember is the look in students’ eyes when they
first ‘get it,’ that flash of assimilation and they are
forever ‘more’ than they were a moment ago.”
“ I chose college teaching
because it was the logical
conclusion of my mind-set.”
THE PEOPLE
“A striking patchwork of students, faculty,
administration and staff are among my best
memories, and certainly too many to pick a
remembered few. But memories do emerge
associated with backpacks, flip-flops and ballcaps,
from shorts to pajama bottoms with furry slippers
and wonderful, beaming smiles at commencement.”
Doug Eskra’s journey started back in 1960. He enrolled as a student at then
Belleville Junior College, taking classes in the annex buildings on a shared campus at
Belleville Township High School. Several years later, after completing graduate school,
Eskra was hired to teach painting part time for the college’s Art department. In 1999,
he was hired full time as an assistant professor of Art, a position he still holds today.
35 YEARS OF CHANGES
“Needless to say, the changes in the institution itself,
from a small fledging junior college without a proper
home to the large, ever expanding, comprehensive
community college of real relevance and service for
today are at the bedrock of my memories.”
Harrington Chalks Up
600th SWIC Win
FROM THE OFFICE
OF HUMAN RESOURCES
UPCOMING TO-DO’S
B Y S H E R RY FAV R E J O H N S O N
Grab your calendar and a pen because you don’t
want to miss the following:
FEB. 6
Employee Service Recognition Event, BC Café, 3 p.m.
Ceremony with hors d’oeuvres reception to follow; everyone is welcome
MARCH 2-4 AT BC; MARCH 5 AT SWGCC
Wellness Screenings
APRIL 14-15
SURS 1:1 Counseling Sessions for those within a few years of retirement
Information about scheduling the Wellness Screenings and SURS counseling
will be announced soon.
Pamela Lauf recently graduated from
SIUE with a Master of Science degree in
Geography. Lauf is the math specialist in
the Success Center at the East St. Louis
Community College Center and also
serves as an adjunct faculty member for
the Math department.
Harrington, center, stands with wife Patti, left, and Athletics Department
Administrative Assistant Vicki Channer, right, at a recent celebration for his
600th SWIC victory.
LAUF
On Jan. 30, SWIC faculty and staff Blue Storm Club members attended a
private reception to celebrate Athletic Director and Men’s Head Basketball
Coach Jay Harrington’s 600th SWIC victory, which took place at Rend
Lake Jan. 25.
Co-captains Logan Bouchard and Chris Hines congratulated their coach for
his milestone, and Hines reminded the crowd that in addition to his 600
wins, Harrington was being honored for his “enthusiasm, commitment and
hard work, [including many] late nights and early mornings.”
PARDES
Lisa Pardes recently earned her
doctorate in Education from the
University of Missouri St. Louis. Pardes
is the English specialist at the ESLCCC,
and formerly taught English as adjunct
faculty for SWIC.
Selsius Resource Specialist (East St.
Louis) Frank Mastromatteo provided
information about educational and
career opportunities and benefits to
veterans at the Veterans Job Fair at
the VFW in Collinsville.
The coach thanked Blue Storm Club members for their support, and pointed
out,“We wouldn’t be at 600 wins if it weren’t for our players and assistant
coaches who have been doing their jobs for the last 29 years.” He also
expressed gratitude for the support he gets from the college, his wife,
Patti, and daughters, Megan and Morgan, and his staff, including Steve
Campo, Vicki Channer, Norm Toenjes, Stetson Hairston, Kyle Clark
and Mike Juenger.
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
At the January meeting, the SWIC Board of Trustees:
the Curriculum Committee recommendation to
• Approved
offer a new Computer Management Information Systems
Associate of Applied Science degree.
full-time faculty Counselor Daniel Blash to the
• Reassigned
East St. Louis Community College Center.
the following appointments: Mona Clark,
• Approved
computing services coordinator; and Jonathan Torres,
instructional services coordinator.
more information,“Regular Board Meeting Minutes” and
• For
“Other Board Minutes” are posted on www.swic.edu. Click
on “About Us” and “Board of Trustees.”
IT’S A HOME RUN! – The Foundation and Schmidt Art Center recently held
“Diamonds are for Everyone,” a fundraising preview party for the Negro League
Baseball exhibit at the Schmidt. Standing with former Negro Baseball League
player George Altman, center, are Counselor Toby Brown, Ph.D., left, and
Foundation Development Project Coordinator Susan Schultz, right. The event
raised more than $12,000 for children’s programming at the Schmidt.
FROM THE DESK
OF THE PRESIDENT
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
6
Employee Service Recognition, 3 p.m. BC MC Café
All things considered, the buzzword on Presidential
Inauguration Day could have been “sustainability.”
9-13
Rolling Pool Tournament, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
RBC Student Commons
For starters, America’s 44th president “kept going and going.”
His historic day continued past midnight as the host of his first
White House reception, which my husband and I were most
grateful to attend. Plus, the inauguration itself was “nourishing”
for the souls of the two million people who flocked to our
nation’s capitol to celebrate Dr. King’s dream as reality.
9
Job Outlook Seminar, 6-7 p.m.,
RBC Performing Arts Room
10
Phi Theta Kappa Valentine's Day Sale, 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m., BC MC First Floor Hallway
11
College Activities Blood Drive, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
BC Varsity Gym
Lincoln Birthday Celebration, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,
SWGCC Commons
Lincoln Trivia, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., SWGCC Business Office
13
Darwin Day Celebration, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
BC MC Theatre
PTK Valentine's Day Sale, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
BC MC First Floor Hallway
SWIC-SIU Night, Chester vs. Anna-Jonesboro
basketball game, 6:30 p.m., Chester High School
14
Coaches vs. Cancer basketball games, 1 and 3 p.m.,
BC MC Varsity Gym
15
Mexico’s Colonial Jewels: Informational Meeting,
2 p.m., BC MC Marsh Conference Room
But the most common definition for sustainability on Capitol Hill these days is “going green.”
That’s because the nation is abuzz about an economic stimulus package that includes
significant proposed funding for institutions – including community colleges – that embrace
that charge.
To that end, we took every opportunity to tout our newly established membership in the
Illinois Community College Sustainability Network. In the process, we learned ICCSN is on
track to qualify for significant sustainability initiatives funding because:
• Our ICCSN proposal is an innovative, immediate avenue for the economic stimulus
package to expand green-collar jobs through campus energy projects and training
programs.
• Funding can be channeled through existing agencies and programs, including the Illinois
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Energy’s State
Energy Program and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Fund.
• ICCSN exists today and is ready to expand; with 48 urban and rural colleges, the Illinois
community college system is America’s third largest; and ICCSN can serve as a template
for the rest of the nation to follow.
Perhaps the best articulation of sustainability is Van Jones’ best-seller,“The Green Collar
Economy,” which illustrates “how we can invent and invest our way out of the pollutionbased grey economy and into the healthy new green economy.” I’d recommend it to anyone,
as we politely did to Oprah Winfrey, given our White House opportunity; she went a step
further by suggesting an entire show dedicated to sustainability.
16-19 25th Anniversary Cake 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and
5-7 p.m., SWGCC Commons
18
Public Safety Seminar, 1-2:30 p.m., BC MC Room 3300
Face Reading, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., RBC Lobby
Music Student Recital, 3 p.m., BC MC Theatre
21
25th Anniversary Cake, 10 a.m. to noon,
SWGCC Commons
History Club Trivia Night, 6 p.m., O’Fallon VFW
26
February Birthday Cake, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
RBC Lobby
As for our potential regional marketing efforts, we’re thinking SWIC could stand for:
Sustainability Where It Counts ... right here in southwestern Illinois.
Pay It Forward,
GEORGIA COSTELLO, PH.D.
PRESIDENT
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CALENDAR
2
Black History Display of books and music begins,
BC IS Library
4
Black History Trivia, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., BC MC Café
5
Lyrical Lounge – Open Mic Poetry, 6:30 p.m., Schmidt
6
Wirth Middle School Dance and Drum performance,
11 a.m., BC MC First Floor Lounge
7
Family Read, 2 p.m., Schmidt
“Gospel Mass,” 7 p.m., Union United Methodist
Church, Belleville
10
“Black Student Movement” faculty symposium,
12:30 p.m., BC MC 1290
11&18 SIUE Jazz, noon, BC MC First Floor Lounge
CAMPUS PATROL – At a ceremony held recently to honor graduates of SWIC Police Academy
Session 107, Public Safety Director Mark Green, far left, and Assistant Director Mike Stark, far
right, welcomed newly commissioned officers Damien R. Doss and Jennifer A. Shore, center.
Sign up for SWIC's Emergency Alert System
SWIC Alert is an emergency alert system intended to notify students and employees by
e-mail or text message of campus closures for weather, and other emergencies.
To register for this service, you must log into your iSTORM account then look for the first
SWIC Alert link in the menu.
19
Film:“The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor
Kings,” 12:30 and 7 p.m., BC MC Theatre
20
Taste of Soul, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., BC MC First Floor Lounge
21
SWIC Jazz Festival, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., BC MC Theatre
26
Negro League Baseball discussion, 12:30 p.m.,
BC MC Theatre
Family Night, 6-8 p.m., Schmidt Art Center
CAMPUS BRIEFS
BELLEVILLE CAMPUS
Help save a life! The College Activities Blood Drive will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday,
Feb. 11 in the Varsity Gym. To schedule an appointment, stop by College Activities or call ext 5205.
Walk-ins also are welcome. Donors will enjoy free food and T-shirts, drawings for gift cards and a
showing of the movie “Hancock.”
Enjoy the smooth sounds of jazz at the annual SWIC Jazz Festival. The festival runs from 8:30 a.m. to
9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21 in the Theatre. The festival will feature performances by local high school
bands and the SWIC Jazz Band. Also, there will be a concert at 7:30 p.m. with Rodney Whitaker, bassist
with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and chair of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University.
RED BUD CAMPUS
SIS UNPLUGGED – On Jan. 31, access to the
legacy system, Student Information System (SIS),
was disabled after being used at the college for
12 years. All student administration now will be
done through PeopleSoft, in an effort to transition from a mainframe system to an Enterprise
Resource Planning system. Unplugging the system,
from left, are Senior Systems Analyst Pam Taylor,
Systems Service Specialist Natalie Huck and
Production/Operations Manager Lon Feuerhelm.
You still have a chance to attend the Job Outlook Seminar. Canceled the first time around for inclement
weather, the seminar has been rescheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9 in the Performing Arts Room. Illinois
Department of Employment Security Job Market Economist Vicki Niederhofer will spotlight the state of
the job market with special focus on the Midwest, the St. Louis metropolitan region and southern Illinois.
Don’t miss a chance to show off your skills! The Rolling PoolTournament will take place from 8 a.m.to 10 p.m.,
Monday-Friday, Feb. 9-13 in the Student Commons. Gift cards will be awarded to the top four places.
SAM WOLF GRANITE CITY CAMPUS
SWGCC will celebrate its 25th anniversary by offering students, faculty and staff free cake served in
The Commons from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5-7 p.m., Feb. 16-19; and 10 a.m. to noon, Feb. 21.
SWGCC will honor the country’s 16th president with Lincoln’s 200th Birthday Celebration. From
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in The Commons, come see a stilt-walking Abe; donate to the Penny Drive to help
support a local charity; listen to a reading of the Gettysburg Address; and enjoy light refreshments.
SWIC’S NEW LOOK
As you’ve probably noticed,
the SWIC Web site has a new look!
BASEBALL SEASON KICKOFF – The Adult Basic
Education department recently sponsored
“Spring Fever Reliever,” an event at SWGCC that
included baseball-themed food, activities and
games, as well as a visit from Fredbird. Pictured
with Fredbird is SWGCC Adult Basic Education
Special Projects Coordinator Shelly Goodman.
Phase I – NEW HOME PAGE
The new home page is already up and
running! It has an new look and feel, and the
functionality has been improved as well.
Phase II – MIGRATION TO NEW SOFTWARE
In the next phase, all current Web content
will be migrated to the new Ektron software
by fall, if not sooner. In the meantime, please
keep all time-sensitive information, such
as data, numbers, dates and personnel
changes, current by e-mailing update
requests to [email protected].
Also, start working with your Web-page
content manager in your office to analyze,
streamline and reformat your existing Web-page copy. Try to adopt a “less is best” approach.
Phase III – WORKING WITH NEW SOFTWARE
Ektron will allow divisional Web page content managers to update content directly, with the assistance of
Public Information and Marketing.
Questions, suggestions and project-team assistance requests can be sent to [email protected].
BIRTHDAY SURPRISE – In honor of his 90th
birthday, the Board of Trustees surprised Trustee
Sam Wolf with a birthday cake at the January BOT
meeting. Pictured are President Georgia Costello,
Ph.D., Wolf and BOT Chair Nick J. Mance. Wolf has
been a Board member since 1995 and served 18
years in the Illinois General Assembly before
retiring in 1992. In 2006, the college renamed the
Sam Wolf Granite City Campus in his honor.
TEAM REVIEWS E-PORTFOLIO PRODUCTS
A dedicated team is working on a Title III project that reviews the use of student electronic portfolios. The
team has identified two primary purposes for portfolios: assessing student learning and engaging students
more fully in their learning. Committee Co-Chair Charlie Hannon states,“The bottom line is that we will be
able to offer students and instructors a new way of evaluating learning, which goes way beyond the old
standardized testing method we have all relied on so heavily in the past. We will also be giving students
a new way to organize themselves and create a safe storage space to showcase their work which can be
accessed from anywhere.”
The varieties, types and scope of student e-portfolio products available today are rather extensive. This past
fall, the team evaluated four products after viewing their Web-based demonstrations.“Viewing these demos
provided us with a better idea of the types of portfolio systems available and how we might use them at
SWIC,” notes Title III Activity Coordinator Donna Holesinger.
35
35
35 YEARS OF SERVICE
DOUG ESKRA
30
30
30 YEARS OF SERVICE
HELEN ALTMAN
MARK BECKER
SCOTT KRAFT
MARDY EISLOEFFEL
NATALIE HUCK
KAREN LOUIS
DARICE PALMIER
LARRY PETRI
25
25
25 YEARS OF SERVICE
JOHN BILSKI
KENNY DEFFENBAUGH
JANE GRAHAM
JEFF MCCOY
DAVE CHAFFEE
KEVIN FERGUSON
TOM HARPER
VALERIE THAXTON
20
20
20 YEARS OF SERVICE
KATHY ALBERS
CARL FRIEDLAND
PATRICIA LURTZ
PAULA WADE
DEBORAH ALFORD
SHARON HAMILTON
LESLIE MISSEY
MARY WOCHNER
GEOFF BARRATT
SEAN KELLY
TOM REINHARDT
JOCKO FERGUSON
ROGER KNOX
JANICE SANDERS
15
15
15 YEARS OF SERVICE
KATHY BERNAL
GERRI DENHAM
LYNN BLOMBERG
MELVA BONK
MAC CHAMBLIN
JANE CHENAULT
NANCY KASPER
DONNA MOODY
RON DREYER
CHRIS KASTEN
CAROLYN SMITH
NEIL FIALA
CHAD LIGNOUL
KIM SNYDER
NORMA FOREMAN
PATRICK MCGARRITY
SUE TAYLOR
JIM HAVERSTICK
CHARLENE MEHRTENS
RENA THOELE
FLOYD COBB
MALINDA HOERNIS
DENNIS MIRANDA JR.
NANCY WALKER
LINDA DAWKINS
NELLIE HUITE
KEVIN MONROE
10
10
10 YEARS OF SERVICE
DAVID ANDREW
RON DURRER
MARILYN LANGREHR
CHRISTIE STENNETT
SUSAN ATTAWAY
MICHAEL DYER
PAM LAUF
BECKY STIMPSON
CAROLYN BEAL
SHERRY FAVRE JOHNSON
LISA KENNEY
JAIMY SUYDAM
RHONDA BEARE
GAIL FLEMING
ANITRA MCINTYRE
MICHAEL UNDERWOOD
TOM BILYEU
GARY GRAY
MICKEY MEDDOWS
DEBORAH VEATH
GLENN BINKLEY
HOWARD GUNNING
DORIS OLAH
RAY WEBB
GEROLD BLUM
CHARLES HALL JR.
DIANA POE
BOB WECK
RAY BURNETT
MIRANDA HARRIS
ADAN SALINAS
CAROL WHITE
STEVE BUSHONG
DAWN HEIMANN-NEUMANN
MARIVA SCHERCK
JOHN WILLIAMS
JANET BUTLER
ROBERT HILGENBRINK
PAULA SCHUCK
CHRISTY CARSON
BARB HUNTER
SUSAN SCHULTZ
CYNTHIA COOPER
PHIL JANKLOW
SUSAN J. SMITH
5
5
5 YEARS OF SERVICE
BRIAN ADAMS
EDNA FARMER
JOHN LAUTH
PAT POU
LINDA ANDRES
HOLLY FARNSWORTH
WILLIAM LAYCOCK
MELODY PRATHER
COREY BALDWIN
DAVID FELD
ANDREW LEHMAN
UESSIE RILEY
JEFFERY BARTON
RICHARD FIALA
VINCENT LOPINOT
DAN RINEHART
WILFORD BEAN
JOSEPH GAIN
ROBERT LORANCE
GABRIELLE ROWE
RYAN BROWN
PER HAGSTROM
DOUGLAS LOSEY
DOUGLAS ROY
PAMELA BUESCHER
PATRICIA HAISLAR
MICHAEL MAYBERRY
PENNY SCHIENSCHANG
MARGARET COLES
RONALD HARRIS
KATHERINE MCNAIR
KELLY SCHMICKLE
LATEEF DANMOLE
SHERRY HOTT
MICHAEL MCVEY
JOHN SHIVELY
NOBEL DAS
JAY JOHNS III
JANE MILLER
ROBERT SMITH
TONY DIMERCURIO
ANDREW KING
SUSAN MONTGOMERY
DAVID SULLIVAN
MARY DODD
JASON KOSTEN
CHUCK MOORE
SUSAN WOLF
JENNIFER DRENNAN
JAMES KRUMMRICH
JULIE NOLLETTE
DEBORAH WOODWARD
CLETUS DUKE
KIMBERLY LAMPRECHT
LEKEISHA NORMAN
JESSIE DUNN
TERESE LANGDON
JOYCE OLTMANN
WILLIAM EVANS
JODY LAUF
JUDITH POLLARD