NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW Atlantic Cape Community College`s

Atlantic Cape Community College’s Information Source
Oct. 29, 2004
NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Last Chance for Health Benefit Changes Today
Today is the deadline to make changes to your health benefits plan. October is when you can make plan
changes, add eligible dependents not previously enrolled, and drop dependents. All changes become
effective Jan. 1, 2005. Stop by Human Resources for an enrollment form.
Power Outage on Mays Landing Main Campus Causes Early Closure
Mays Landing main campus experienced a power outage at about 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Thanks to Mark Streckenbein, director of Facilities Management and Planning, his Facilities craftsmen
and Security personnel, electricity was restored by 8:45 p.m. Information Technology Services staff
safely powered down all associated ITS equipment, however, afternoon and evening classes were
canceled.
College personnel and our high voltage (12.8kv) contractor (Calvi Electric of Atlantic City) traced the
fault to an existing cable in the underground “feed” between D and A buildings. They discovered that all
cabling was regrettably not replaced during a 1986 electrical system upgrade. The damaged cable in this
outage is almost 40 years old. Management will try to discover if any other original cabling is in place.
Currently, the main campus is being back fed primary power in opposite directions of the failed segment
of the loop. The failed segment is isolated, but until repaired a future failure in the primary distribution
system could result in loss of power to a particular side of the main campus.
A possible underground collapse of the duct bank may make removal of the damaged cable impractical
and force the creation of a new path. Thanksgiving break is a logical time for contractor-performed
cable removal to determine if the conduit can be reused. We estimate the cost at $5,000 and the source
to be contingency funds.
During the December holiday break workers will either:
--replace the cables in the existing conduit
--bore out the existing conduit if it has collapsed
--engineer an alternate path if the conduit is not usable.
The cost is estimated at $20,000 to $40,000 (depending on the condition of the conduit) also to be taken
from contingency.
We intend to examine and test the entire primary electrical distribution system including manholes and
electrical connections along with primary switch gear and transformers. The $123,000 cost is part of a
mid-year budget revision and subsequent transfer to be taken from contingency funds.
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A contractor should analyze these systems during winter or spring break. The results would lead to
specifications for possible spring 2005 repairs or upgrades. It may be prudent to relocate the primary
power poles in J-parking lot and install a second (spare) set of primary feeds to avoid the lengthy outage
experienced in fall 2003 caused by the lack of a reliable back-up system.
Employees Should Remove Candles From Their Offices
The Security office asks employees to remove candles from their desks, citing the New Jersey Uniform
Fire Code that states: “No person shall burn candles in public buildings due to the danger of fire.”
During the Atlantic County fire marshal’s inspection of the campus, he observed candles on desks in
several of the buildings. Please remove all candles immediately. If you have any questions, call Bill
Keener, supervisor of Security and Public Safety, at ext. 5125
Preschoolers Trick-or-Treat on Campus Today
Children enrolled in Barbarito & Beyers Preschool will trick-or-treat in J and D buildings today. Offices
in J and D buildings that want to provide a treat for the preschoolers should expect the first group of 55
children at 9 a.m. and the second group of 30 children at 1 p.m. Happy Halloween!
Tuition Reimbursement Requests Due Nov. 9
The Sabbatical Leave Committee meets in November to review tuition reimbursement requests for
ACCCOSAP, chef educators, the Education Association, and exempt employees. Completed
applications (including supporting documentation) are due Tuesday, Nov. 9, to Laura Campbell, Office
of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Contact Laura at ext. 4909 or [email protected].
Supportive Staff Association members should contact Dr. Alice Rainey at ext. 4857 or
[email protected] for SSAACCC tuition reimbursement information.
Joyce Carol Oates to Speak at ACCC Nov. 30; Book Available at Discount
Author Joyce Carol Oates will speak at ACCC on Tuesday, Nov. 30. The free lecture will take place at
8 p.m. in the Walter Edge Theater followed by a book signing at 9 p.m. The event is presented as part of
the Martin L. Blatt Distinguished Speakers Series sponsored by the ACCC Foundation.
Oates will discuss her spellbinding new book, The Falls, a novel published in September by Ecco/An
Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The Falls is set against the backdrop of Niagara Falls, a place at
once mythic and real. It explores the destiny of one American family haunted by a legacy of tragedy and
death.
Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short
Fiction. She has written some of the most enduring fiction of our time, including Them, Black Water,
American Appetites, and the national best-sellers We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde, which was
nominated for the National Book Award. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of
Humanities at Princeton University and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and
Letters since 1978. In 2003, she received the Common Wealth Award for Distinguished Service in
Literature.
For tickets, call ext. 5616. Requests should include name, address, daytime telephone and number of
tickets required. Tickets will be held at the box office on the evening of the lecture. Copies of The Falls
can be pre-ordered for the discounted price of $22. Regular price is $26.95.
Meningitis Vaccine Clinic Nov. 9
MAXIM Healthcare will offer meningitis vaccines in J lobby on Tuesday, Nov. 9. Cost is $90.
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Entertainment Books Available in J Lobby Nov. 9
Entertainment Books will be for sale at the discounted price of $20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, in
front of the bookstore in J building. Regular price is $30. There are more than 150 discounts available in
Atlantic County alone!
PECC Campaign Update
If you haven’t made your pledge for the Public Employees Charitable Campaign (PECC) for 2005,
now’s the time. This year’s goal is $14,700, an increase of almost 9 percent, to meet rising needs. Any
donations, large and small, are appreciated. During the first week of the campaign, 31 people donated
nearly $5,000. Watch for activities for all donors coming up in a couple of weeks. For more information,
call Janet Brenner, ext. 4992, or see the PECC team member in your area (listed in the last
CommuniCator.)
Call for Proposals for 2005 Best Practices Conference
The Call for Proposals for the 2005 Best Practices Conference is available at
http://www.njccc.org/bestpractices.htm. This is your opportunity to showcase your best and brightest
ideas, solutions and programs with more than 200 community college administrators, faculty and staff.
The conference will be held Friday, April 29, at Mercer County Community College’s Conference
Center. The deadline for proposals is Nov. 22.
‘Taste of the Gala’ Cooking Demonstration Planned for Nov. 4
Enjoy the culinary delights of chefs from local restaurants and the ACA at “Taste of the Gala,” a
cooking demonstration and wine tasting that will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4, in M-129. In
addition to chef educators Bill Bailey, Daniel Matt and Tree McCann, chefs from the Tuckahoe Inn in
Beesleys Point and the Berkshire Grill in Egg Harbor Township will demonstrate their original recipes.
Phil Lisi of Ireland Coffee will provide flavored coffee for the evening.
Tickets are $25 a person and reservations are required. Proceeds benefit the ACA through the ACCC
Foundation. This is the second of four cooking demonstrations leading up to the April 20 Press of
Atlantic City Restaurant Gala. Additional “Tastes” will be held in the spring. For more information or
Taste of the Gala reservations, call Stacey Clapp at ext. 5632.
ACA Homecoming and Open House a Success
Visitors at the Academy of Culinary Arts’ annual homecoming event
Oct. 22 watched alumni demonstrate how to bake cheesecakes, make
crab cakes and carve ice sculptures.
More than 100 alumni and parents of current students also toured the
kitchens, learned pumpkin-carving techniques, and, of course,
enjoyed lots of food. Several parents also worked side-by-side with
their children in teams of two, preparing a full meal from a mystery
basket of ingredients in one hour.
The event was a success, and the ACA thanks visiting alumni Amy
Goffio ’03, James Berry ’98, and David Kabalan ’98, for their
mouth-watering and entertaining demonstrations.
Anthony Dowe takes a cue from his son,
Christopher, during the parent-student
competition at the ACA Homecoming.
Additionally, members of the Culinary Student Association sold
homemade spice rubs, soup-in-jar, and cookies-in-a-jar. The products
are now on sale at Strudels.
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College Seeks Book Donations for New Campus Library
ACCC seeks book donations for the library at its new Cape May County campus, opening in fall 2005.
The books should promote the library’s role of meeting the academic mission of the college. Works of
literature, history, biography and general non-fiction are especially needed. The library cannot use
magazines, textbooks, mass market paperbacks, books in poor physical condition, or materials that do
not contribute to the academic mission of the college. Written acknowledgments of the number of books
donated can be provided, however, an appraisal of their financial value can not be given. For more
information, contact Grant Wilinski, director of William Spangler Library, at ext. 4937 or
[email protected].
Art Gallery Presents Annual Studio Arts Workshops’ Show and Sale
ACCC’s Art Gallery will feature artwork from participants in its Studio Arts Workshops program,
Nov. 2- Dec. 2. An opening reception will be held from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 14. The exhibit and
reception are free and open to the public. The workshops offer a variety of visual arts instruction to the
community and the opportunity to work with a professional artist for a nominal fee. The workshops have
featured such notable instructors as Howard Watson, Homer Johnson and James Toogood. The exhibit
primarily includes watercolors, pastels and drawings. For more information, contact Buddy Jacobs, art
gallery coordinator, at ext. 5346 or [email protected]. Visit the gallery online at
http://www.atlantic.edu/~bjacobs/artgal/artgal.html.
Dr. Mora Makes Presentation at
Statewide Symposium on Workforce
Development
Dr. Peter Mora, vice president for Cape May and
Continuing Education, participated in a panel
presentation on community college involvement in
workforce development in New Jersey. The Oct. 21
symposium was sponsored by the John J. Heldrich
Center for Workforce Development. The Center is
associated with the Edward J. Bloustein School of
Public Policy & Planning at Rutgers University.
Dr. Mora focused his remarks on the community
college mission to support workforce development.
Dr. Mora also included examples of ACCC’s
From left, Dr. Peter Mora, Kevin McCabe, commissioner of the
efforts over the past 10 years to collaborate with
NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Jeff
Stoller, Heldrich Center deputy executive director, attend a
the hotel-casino industry and the New Jersey
statewide workforce development symposium.
Department of Labor to offer training programs for
incumbent employees and unemployed residents.
The keynote speaker for the event was Kevin McCabe, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of
Labor and Workforce Development.
ESL Workshop Scheduled for Dec. 3
Register now for an upcoming ESL workshop, “Achieving Fluency: A Whole Language Approach.”
The workshop runs from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, at WACC, Room 297. Dr. Adele McGowan
Gilhooly of City College of New York will lead the workshop. Lunch is included. Contact Christina M.
Cavage at ext. 4881 or [email protected], if you would like to attend.
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Boscov’s Discount Day Raises $795 For Foundation
The Boscov’s Shopping Pass promotion raised $795 for the ACCC Foundation. Thanks to all who
participated.
Blood Drive Draws Many Donors
An American Red Cross blood drive held Oct. 12 on the Mays Landing main campus produced 23 pints
of blood from 26 donors, including three first-time donors. The college met 77 percent of its goal. Sara
Ryan, R.N., thanks everyone who supported the event.
HERE’S THE SCOOP
Farewell to Ed Marshall, student support services, who leaves for the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine as coordinator of recruitment and special events of the biomedical graduate studies
division.
Danays Alvarado, finance, is very proud of her son Jaythan E. Alvarado, 9, who
plays football for the Egg Harbor City Crusaders. The team won the Division title
on Oct. 9. On Oct. 12, Jaythan scored the only points in the game when he hauled in
an 85-yard touchdown pass with 30 seconds to go, defeating Galloway 6-0 in an
exciting finish. Scoring the game-winning touchdown was great, but mom is most
proud of the fact that Jaythan is doing very well academically.
College relations welcomes back Anna Simmons, who returned from medical leave
after foot surgery. She thanks everyone for their get-well-wishes!
Jaythan E. Alvarado
Welcome to Mohammad S. Islam, who works part time in finance.
Happy birthday to: Gene LoPresti, Effie Russell, Oct. 29; William O’Shea, John Torcasio, Oct. 30;
Nicasio Rabino, Oct. 31; Claire Farnum, Thomas Borucki, Nov. 1; Gretchen Harris, Nov. 4;
Sue Weisgerber, Nov. 9; Jean McAlister, James Usilton, Nov. 10; John Kyere, Nov. 11.
Adjunct birthdays: Dawn Renee Warner, Susan Chew, Oct. 29; Thomas Innocente, Buddy Jacobs,
Oct. 31; Sally Anderson, Robert Ferris, Nov. 1; Raymond Gibson, Nov. 3; Andrew Fuller,
Lori Basile, Nov. 10.
NEWS FROM ACCC’S EXTENSION CENTERS
Greetings from Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City Center
by Brittany Williams
The current stage of construction at City Center was just about finished at the time of publication.
Admissions has relocated to its old lobby digs, and, thanks to the inventory work of Judy Allen and
Kathy Nickolich, the lobby is back to being functional. Jean McAlister is expected to relocate by the
end of the week, along with a cashier from administrative services. If you’re looking for the faculty
mailboxes, head over to the lobby.
The rest of the administrative services crew will pack their bags and head to the cafeteria where
temporary offices have been constructed out of hay and straw. Joke. A lot of hard work has gone into
making the new cafeteria offices inviting and functional. Kailin Hackney, Rhonda Petruzzi, Yolanda
Cortes, Ann McClaskey, Lauren Coyle, Marlene Felicetti, Dharmesh Dave, Leon Weisfield and
Josie Chivalette will move to the cafeteria in the coming week. Telephone extensions and fax numbers
remain the same.
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Tommy Giardina will move to Room 141, where he and Ray Perri will share an office during the
casino floor renovations. Thursday marked the last day of gaming classes until construction is complete.
Please note, prospective students interested in gaming classes can call ext. 4829. Their information will
be collected and they will be contacted regarding classes in January.
Recently, Giardina arranged for a representative from WMS Gaming to make a presentation to his slot
technician students. “WMS presented on upgrading machines to their newest platform. Students
participated in the conversion and it was an extremely valuable lesson,” he said. Giardina has also been
busy acting as emissary to CCI’s two visiting Jamaican slot tech students. The trio recently met with
staff from AC Coin and Slot and traveled to Toms River to meet with Gaming Labs Inc.
Kailin Hackney was selected to serve on the Atlantic City Main Street Committee. The committee is
dedicated to involvement in the revitalization of the city's downtown section. Hackney participated in an
all day committee training seminar on Friday.
The Workshops and Seminars phone number, ext. 4829, is being covered by Yolanda Cortes while
applications for noncredit registration coordinator are reviewed. Keep up the good work, Yolanda!
Lynette Ingram, financial aid, encourages staff to spread the word about the upcoming Veterans Day
celebration at the Mays Landing main campus, Thursday, Nov. 11. In addition, she is eager to share the
news that scholarship applications are now available for the fall 2005 semester.
Jean McAlister is happy to announce that the new fence that will surround the perimeter of City Center
will be erected Nov. 10-14. She also sends thanks to facilities, maintenance and IT crews for continuing
to ensure seamless transitions for all of the office moves.
Student services will sponsor an Election Day celebration on Monday, Nov. 1, and a “WACC is Great”
event on Wednesday, Nov. 3, to highlight the services available to WACC students. Additionally, Black
History Awareness events are slated for November.
The second cycle of fall credit ESL classes is underway. Many classes began Oct. 28, and others begin
Nov. 1. Speaking of ESL, Darrick Garrison, testing, has filled up his calendar in preparation for the
spring semester. ESL and ACCUplacer test dates are scheduled regularly throughout November.
Have you checked out the updated spring schedule? It is online and City Center is pleased to host classes
with the departments of Business, Computers, Developmental Studies, Psychology, Sociology, English,
English as a Second Language, History, Humanities, Math, Music, Office Systems Technology and
Speech. In addition, Rutgers University will return to host classes within its MBA and Hospitality
degree programs.
Rhonda Petruzzi is pleased to share the news that Oakcrest’s Marching Ambassadors’ record includes
eight victories, one third-place award, and an undefeated color guard.
Marlene Felicetti recently attended the christening of her new grandson Matthew. It went well, and
she’s a grinning grandmother.
Congratulations to Joanne Volpe who was recently approved for adoption! She adopted two U.S.
soldiers stationed in Iraq. Joanne will send letters, pictures and assorted goodies to the soldiers and urges
all interested in adopting a U.S. soldier to check out www.hugsfromhome.bravehost.com.
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Hello from Rio Grande, the Cape May County Technical High School
and the US Coast Guard Training Center – Cape May!
by Lisa Apel-Gendron
Q: What makes CMCEC students, faculty and staff grin uncontrollably?
A: A preponderance of chocolate goodies!
We celebrated “Treat Week” from Oct. 25-29 at CMCEC. Student Services provided the funding so we
could offer our students a bounty of Halloween treats throughout the week. Thanks to Matt Bailey,
Student Services, for shopping for goodies. They were oh so tasty. And nutritious, too, if you consider
chocolate a major food group, as we do at CMCEC.
Barbara Clark made her latest visit Oct. 20 and spent the afternoon meeting with students who wish to
transfer credits to ACCC. Thanks, Barb!
We have two transfer events coming soon. Please pass the word to students. On Nov. 1, from
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Steve Phillips, assistant director of admissions at Stockton, will visit CMCEC. He’ll
meet with students on a drop-in basis in Room 1. On Nov. 10, Dr. Luci Nurkowski, assistant director of
admissions at Rowan, will visit CMCEC. Appointments are strongly suggested. To make an
appointment, visit the CMCEC front desk or call ext. 4100.
Need to talk to someone at CMCEC and you’re not sure which extension to dial? Ext. 4100 is our front
desk, and it’s staffed from 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. That’s always a safe number to dial if you’re not sure who
to call, of if you need to transfer a call.
Content tutoring is alive and well at CMCEC. Thanks to help from Mike Sargente and Shirley Shields
in the LAC, we are offering tutoring for Earth Science, Financial Accounting, Economics and Statistics.
These additions complement the existing walk-in labs for Math and Reading/Writing. Thank you Mike
and Shirley!
Continuing Education is meeting with representatives from the Borough of Avalon today to discuss
programming needs for three key markets: year-round families, senior citizens and summer visitors.
Rachel Wettstein and Dr. Peter Mora will lead the needs assessment.
CE classes are running in Cape May County. Right now we have Internet for Seniors at CMCEC and
Conversational Spanish at the Tech School. Look for an expanded menu of CE offerings at the new
campus!
Please note that interoffice mail comes to CMCEC and the Tech School Mondays and Wednesdays. If
you have questions about getting material to CMCEC, please ask John Torcasio, receiving, ext. 5247.
Eagles – Ravens match-up on Halloween? Could be scary, but the Eagles should be able to emerge with
a victory.
ACCC IN THE NEWS
NBC Channel 40 covered ACCC’s Open House & College Fair on Oct. 3. The segment ran on that
night’s news and featured Linda McLeod, admissions, and footage of community members who
attended the event.
The Press of Atlantic City published an article on the ACA’s new Baking and Pastry degree program.
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Patricia Heller, assistant director of administrative computing, Anne Erickson, assistant professor of
English, and Dr. Agnes Armao, vice president of academic affairs, were quoted in an article in the
Press of Atlantic City about the habit of dining at their desks. A color photo of Pat eating lunch at her
desk accompanied the article.
The Press of Atlantic City ran a success story on nursing graduate Aynna Clark ’04. Maria Torres, a
member of the ACCC Board of Trustees who helped Clark along the way, was also featured in the
article.
The Beach Haven Times ran an article on the Lacey Historical Society’s annual Apple Fest along with a
photo of ACA Chef Educator Phil Cragg, who judged the apple pie bake-off.
The Rev. John Bryant, assistant professor of mathematics, was featured in a Press of Atlantic City
photo marking the dedication of a bust honoring his uncle, local civil-rights pioneer Horace J. Bryant.
The dedication was held Monday at the Carnegie Library Center in Atlantic City.
The Herald Times ran a brief article announcing the 22nd Annual Restaurant Gala’s theme—“The Art of
Food.” All proceeds from the April 20, 2005, Gala, and a percentage of artwork sales, benefit student
scholarships at the ACCC and ACA.
Freshman Jessica Klecz earned a spot on New Jersey’s National 4-H Roundup Team, and was featured
in an article in the Herald Times.
The Press of Atlantic City published an article on the NJSTARS scholarship program that provides full
county-college tuition to all high school graduates in the top 20 percent of their classes. Quotes from
ACCC President Dr. John May and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Agnes Armao were
included. ACCC students Joshua Sexton and Scott Kissinger, who benefited from the program, were
also quoted in the article.
The Atlantic County Record published an article on the ACCC and ACA open houses set for this year.
Connections Weekly published a first-person article by Keith Forrest, assistant professor of speech,
about his memories of riding the PATCO High Speed Line as a child.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Congratulations to Virginia A. Macrie, academic computing, and Chef Educator Annemarie Chelius,
ACA, who earned their baccalaureate degrees from the Thomas Edison State College this fall.
ALUMNI
New Jersey Lifestyle magazine published an article on Bally’s Prime Place restaurant with a photo of the
restaurant chef Erin Adasczik, ’99 ACA.
Michael Sharkey,’90 ACA, was quoted in The Hub in an article about Hook, Line & Sinker restaurant
in Rumson, where he is the new managing partner.
The Atlantic County Record ran an article and a photo on the induction of four new members to the
Oakcrest High School Athletic Hall of Fame, including Dr. Thomas Miller ’73.
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Students Crown First
Mr. and Ms. ACCC
The International Club sponsored the first
Mr./Ms. ACCC contest on Tuesday.
Fourteen contestants either wrote an essay
or gave a short speech stating why he or she
deserved the title of Mr./Ms. ACCC. Vita
Stovall, club advisor, was mistress of
ceremonies, and six faculty and staff
members judged the contestants.
The winners were Shawn Mills of Atlantic
City and Kathleen Bifulco of Vineland.
Shawn was awarded a trophy and Kathleen
received a crown. The winners also
received
a sash and a special gift from the
From left, Ms. ACCC Kathleen Bifulco, Mr. ACCC Shawn Mills, and first
runners-up Lisa Saitz and Victor Perdue.
Student Government Association. First
runners-up included Lisa Saitz of Egg Harbor Township and Victor Perdue of Pleasantville.
Both winners will make special appearances during the school year at various ACCC events. The contest
was a huge success and the club hopes to make it an annual event.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The calendar is updated regularly at www.atlantic.edu/about/monthlycal.shtml.
Editor’s note: The Atlantic Cape CommuniCator is available online at www.atlantic.edu/~mcgowan/communicator/news.pdf
--Kathy McGowan, editor
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