Friday, November 21, 2014

College News - Week of Nov. 21

Now that the college bond has passed, what’s next? Lou Tarnay, bond program manager, will oversee the bond projects for the next three years, developing a program management plan to be used by the newly-formed Capital Construction Advisory Committee to select contractors and designers. The architect selection process has already begun, with eight Oregon firms submitting proposals. A selection committee will review the proposals and make a recommendation for hiring. Additional details can be found in the Nov. 19 Board of Education report in Staff Paperless Office: http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/11_19_14BoardPacket/

Advisory Committee member Pat McNeely is this year’s recipient of the LBCC Pat Atteberry Award, given at the advisory dessert Nov. 20. The award, established in 1992 in honor of Dr.  Atteberry, honors a LBCC Career Technical Advisory Committee member for his or her outstanding contribution to career technical programs. McNeely, an office supervisor with Internal Medicine at Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, has served on the college's Medical Assistant Advisory Committee for more than 14 years, and is a key supporter of the Medical Assistant program, helping students learn skills that employers are looking for. Approximately 300 community and industry leaders serve on 33 advisory committees for LBCC’s career technical programs. Dr. Atteberry served on the Vocational Education Committee from 1977 to 1992.

Pat McNeely (center) receives the Pat Atteberry Award from
Beth Hogeland and Kathy Durling at the Advisory
Committee dessert held Nov. 20.

Kudos to the Lebanon and Sweet Home Centers for their efforts toward the college Thanksgiving Food Drive. The centers held a contest to see which class could bring in the most food. Kathy Durling’s 1 p.m. Basic Clinical Office Procedures class at the Lebanon Center, and Gretchen Schaleger's Calligraphy class at the Sweet Home Center, were the winners, with each earning a pizza party. The contest generated more than 14 boxes of food for the drive, and brought the campus communities together for a common good cause. 

About 35 years ago, long-time LBCC Biology faculty member Bob Ross and two of his nature photography students started what became known as the Bob Ross Nature Photography Show, held each fall at the college. The final show was held Nov. 14, which over the years went from showing slides made from 35mm film images, to images created digitally. Although the shows were well attended by people from all over the state, in a recent email to campus, Bob put the reason for no longer running the show in perspective: “Where are the young people that could benefit from the wisdom of the years? Are they not interested in nature and nature photography?” he asks, then answers his own question: “Yes they are. And they are doing what we first did 35 years ago: they are sharing their knowledge, enthusiasm, insights, technologies and places to go with each other, but via social media. They are doing it on a daily basis and see no reason to wait until fall to show their images just once a year.” 

Public Safety Office would like to remind staff who decorate during the holiday season to keep these safety tips in mind:

•    No open flames. Please use the flameless candles
•    Check light cords to ensure there are no cuts or breaks, and unplug them when you leave
•    Don't overload outlets with electrical devices
•    No daisy-chaining electrical strips
•    Make sure cords are not trips hazards and won't have office chairs rolling over them
•    If space heaters are used in your area, make sure they are unplugged when you leave and that they have a tip over safety feature (turn off if tipped or knocked over).

New hires, promotions, transfers, retirements and separations from Human Resources report to the Board of Education: http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/11_19_14BoardPacket/HR%20Board%20Memo%2011-10-14.pdf







Insider published by: LBCC Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement
    

Friday, November 7, 2014

College News - Week of Nov. 7

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is returning to LBCC starting winter term. As the program launches, the goal is to create opportunities for ESOL students not only to improve their English language skills, but also to pursue a degree or certificate through LBCC. The English Language and Culture Institute (ELCI) has partnered with LBCC as interim caretaker of the ESOL program since spring 2013. ELCI staff expertise has been invaluable in creating a new vision for ESOL opportunities in our service district, and LBCC and ELCI will continue to work together to offer intensive English programs for international students. Current ESOL students will transition to LBCC starting winter term, with a variety of classes being offered in Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon. The ultimate goal is to build pathways for ESOL students in upper-level ESOL classes to engage in degree and certificate programs in ways that leverage their bilingual ability. Instruction would be delivered in context with the student’s program of study, with supplemental instruction that builds upon their foundational English language skills. Part of the funding for the ESOL program comes from the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act of 2104, under Title II, which provides funding through the State of Oregon for GED and ESOL programs. The state will be monitoring our progress with our ESOL students and their college progression. Future federal program funding will be based on whether or not the data shows the progression is successful. The new ESOL program will be housed under Academic Foundations, and will work to help students cultivate goals that extend beyond the ESOL sequence, in support of a meaningful future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Son Le Hughes has been named director of Budget and Accounting, and will serve as Chief College Budget and Financial Officer, replacing Betty Nielsen. Son Le comes to LBCC from the University of Oregon, where she served as director of Student Affairs Financial Services. She has over 17 years of financial management, business administration, and teaching experience. In addition to her position at LBCC, Son Le is a professor at Northwest Christian University, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, and she is an active member in the Comprehensive Doctoral Research Institution of the National/Western Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO/WACUBO). Son Le holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UO and a master’s degree in business administration from Northwest Christian University. She lives in Corvallis with her husband, Patrick. Her hobbies include walking, yoga, playing string instrument and piano, and golfing and traveling with her husband.

LBCC’s Re-Choired Element Chamber Choir has achieved a ranking of 137 of the top 1,000 choirs worldwide by Interkultur, sponsors of the World Choir Games and official keepers of the World Choir Rankings. Rankings are based on more than 16 years of competitions and global rankings with many different factors.  A successful competition in the 8th World Choir Games this past summer landed the Chamber Choir a world champion title. The updated ranking moved the choir up over 400 places, and also placed the choir at 21 of the top 50 chamber choirs in the world. In addition, LBCC’s Concert Choir is now ranked in the top 1,000 choirs worldwide, at 963, a first for the concert choir to be officially ranked globally.





Insider published by: LBCC Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement